I have a question that maybe some of you old hands can answer for me. I have a big red oak in the woods behind my house. It got struck my lightning last summer. I made the statement that I was going to cut it down and cut it up into firewood. Someone told me that I would be wasting my time as it would dull the chain so fast that I would never get it cut up. Any truth to this?
Question about cutting up a tree.
- Thread starter Lagrue
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michael j
ArboristSite Operative
Cut it up. I just did a white oak in front of my house with the same circumstances. The only reason I dulled the chains were the nails and fence that were in there from years ago. If it's in the woods you probably won't have to worry about it.
Mike
Mike
Ianab
ArboristSite Operative
Dry wood is harder and will dull your chain quicker than green wood. But it's not a big deal, just keep your chain sharp and it will cut fine. You might need to file the chain a bit more often thats all.
Cheers
Ian
Cheers
Ian
Forest Steward
ArboristSite Member
Definitely go for it. If you have a significant amount of good wood that is already dry enough to burn, it is more than worth sharpening your saw an extra couple of times for it.
chainysaw
ArboristSite Lurker
Cut it up, thats what chainsaws are for. You may have to sharpen the saw a time or two, but like most of us practice makes perfect!
Woodsrover
ArboristSite Operative
That's the craziest thing I've ever heard. Stick a file in your back pocket, touch up the chain every other tank or so and you're good to go.
Jim
Jim
well put musch i cut red oak for fire wood all the time also ironwood just make sure its dry before ya burn it has a tendency to sit in the stove an sizzle...........any wood in the stove that burns is good wood as long as its heat-en the house........or garage of course
That guy is a moron. I've been working on old growth Red and White Oak blow downs (4-5.5 dbh) for the last 3 years. I take a few saws and a lot of chains. As soon as I see a change in the cutting speed or the chips, I swap out the chain or pick up a fresh saw. I don't like filing in the woods. White Oak is some of the best fire wood you can use. Go for it.
buckwheat
ArboristSite Guru
What your friend might be talking about is that it is possibly burned out in the middle. Years ago I ran across a 40" fallen oak. As I was bucking the trunk I noticed that I hit a hollow spot and the chain started pulling out carbon. Once I got through I found that the center 10" were completely burned out. I also found that the chain dulled very fast, as if I were cutting into dirt.
I had never run across this before, and actually posed the question on this board. Someone chimed in and told me that it was most likely due to a lightening strike. Given that it was easily the tallest tree within the stand that I was working, it made perfect sense.
I had never run across this before, and actually posed the question on this board. Someone chimed in and told me that it was most likely due to a lightening strike. Given that it was easily the tallest tree within the stand that I was working, it made perfect sense.
I ran into the same problem with an old Birch, the wood burned just fine but the center where the burn out was ate chains for breakfast.
wood is ten times harder when green than dead and dry. get a jonsered 2171 a couple sharp chains, a file and have at her
Locoweed
ArboristSite Guru
Woodfarmer, I don't know what kind of wood you have been cutting that is softer when dry, but I have never run across any unless it is punky and rotten.
sugar maple and beech, i wouldn't say its much softer but there is a noticeable difference
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