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Tanoak is a different species than the Black oak and actually not a true oak tree. I try to learn something from every tree that doesn't go exactly to plan, but you're never going to completely remove the risk. With those trees, I just approach them like they are actively trying to kill me.

Storm damage/blowdown/windfall sucks. IMO, cutting burned/rotten hazard trees at work is a safer practice than cutting large windfall trees. The storm damage here usually happens during a snow storm, which adds another hazard. They often involve powerlines and the snow makes it difficult to run out an escape path.

The other major scenario for me is cutting windfall from windstorms. Some of the ridges up in the mountains will sometimes see hurricane force winds...we ride dirtbikes on a lot of those trails and I often carry one of my top handles when clearing trail. Between the small saw and the windfall, it's an extremely dangerous practice IMO...there are some pretty crazy binds to deal with when you have a bunch of toothpicks all over a steep hillside.

Christmas last year:
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I don't take pictures as often as I should, one of the safer cuts while out on the trail:

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The old set up, I've since acquired a 2511t that is now the bike saw(also mostly replaced the 201 for climbing too.)
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Did you build that saw rack on your Beta? The one on my KTM is store bought, but I fabbed one up out of aluminum for a friend. It was super easy! 👍
 
Here is what ours looks like! The root system is all inter-connected. Quaking aspen

View attachment 1025273
Yea I think there's 2 types here in Michigan, my wife asks me if there birch because they are almost white when the sun hits them, but we call em popple trees as slang. Quaking Aspen, big tooth Aspen or sawtooth Aspen.
 
Did you build that saw rack on your Beta? The one on my KTM is store bought, but I fabbed one up out of aluminum for a friend. It was super easy! 👍
It's actually an Enduro Engineering saw rack, I did modify it with cutting boards and a clamp for the bar. I built my old rack, but didn't like that one as much.
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We have some stands like that too. Ours is mostly big tooth aspen, that we cut. The first pic is from this website:

https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/tree/big-tooth-aspen,

It compares quaking to big tooth. When big tooth gets mature, it gets a very rough Grey colored bark. Where we were cutting in that pic, it was a lot of individual trees mixed with hardwood and other species. And for the record I've been guilty of calling it "popple" more than once. Lol.
Great description:numberone: but there all popple to me🤣
 
It's actually an Enduro Engineering saw rack, I did modify it with cutting boards and a clamp for the bar. I built my old rack, but didn't like that one as much.
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Nice! I like the clamp! Im going to have to come up with one fir mine. Im always lashing my top handle down with seine twine. Being a commercial fisherman and Navy boy. I'm good with knots, so I can always secure it tight, but its a pain if I'm using the saw a lot in a day of brushing trail. Witch is usually the case in the Spring time around here!
Good on ya! Thanks fir posting pics!👍
 
Shows just how sketchy they are.
What amazes me is while portions will be very punky, other portions that look identical are rock hard.
I agree there either steel or styrofoam
Many species of timber have that characteristic when they becoming snags. That's one of the main reasons they are dangerous. Many people miss judge stages of decomposition.👎 BORE TEST IT FIRST!😉
 
Many species of timber have that characteristic when they becoming snags. That's one of the main reasons they are dangerous. Many people miss judge stages of decomposition.👎 BORE TEST IT FIRST!😉
That doesn't help at all on ash, where you bore could be 100% solid, then there will be one soft spot half way up, 3/4 of the way up, or right at the ground. Ash are fairly easy to judge just based on the size of branches left and how much bark is left, but exactly what portion will break out when they start to move, not as easy. Best bet is don't trust them 100% of the time when they are dead.
I have an 18-20" ash at a friend's that's a yard tree to remove, this last summer it still had growth on it, while it should be just fine, I won't be driving wedges to get it to the lay, it will get a rope and a nice tug with one of his skid steers ;).
 
That doesn't help at all on ash, where you bore could be 100% solid, then there will be one soft spot half way up, 3/4 of the way up, or right at the ground. Ash are fairly easy to judge just based on the size of branches left and how much bark is left, but exactly what portion will break out when they start to move, not as easy. Best bet is don't trust them 100% of the time when they are dead.
I have an 18-20" ash at a friend's that's a yard tree to remove, this last summer it still had growth on it, while it should be just fine, I won't be driving wedges to get it to the lay, it will get a rope and a nice tug with one of his skid steers ;).
Yes Chipper! Many snags can be exactly like that. All depending on stages of decomp. Solid here, soft there, solid here, soft there. But when it comes to snags I don't take anything for granted. Any one who trusts any snag 100% of the time? Has no clue what he is doing! I never judge one just by looking at it, or assume anything, but after felling "thousands" of snags. 🤔 Thats probably why Im STIHL alive! If we assume? We just make an "ass" out of U "m" E! 😉

Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware!👍
 

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