Cut some shoulder season wood today!

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rdust

Minister of Fire
Feb 9, 2009
4,604
Michigan
I finally found some time to cut! I've been wanting to cut some standing dead pines for a while now and finally got around to doing it. My old man came by to lend a hand and we took two down that were on the west side of my drive. I wanted those out since when they fall on that side it's usually when a west wind is happening and pretty much traps you since they fall across the drive. I also worked on a standing dead elm this weekend but didn't capture pictures of that one.

Here are some pictures of my day(sorry for the lousy cell pics).

Here is the first one I dropped, went about perfect without messing up any of the small tree's I'd like to keep. These trees had no less than 1 million branches ;) talk about a PITA
Pine1.jpg


Here is the second one, it didn't go as well. It was going to fall on small trees not matter what so I saved the oaks and wiped out a little elm(will die sooner or later anyway) and another nice tree which the species was unknown.
Pine21.jpg


Shot from the top.
Pine2.jpg


Stump of second tree.
PineStump.jpg


Rounds from the day, maybe 1/2-2/3 cord.
Rounds.jpg
 
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Nice work!
 
Typical pine for sure with lots and lots of limbing to do. But it will burn nicely.
 
Typical pine for sure with lots and lots of limbing to do. But it will burn nicely.

Yeah the limbs really suck, I have huge pile of branches to burn now. When I toss the match on em you may see the flames at your place. :) 2 down and a dozen more to go I think I'll only have one more that won't be punky the rest have been standing dead for a long time so most of that wood is like a sponge so it's hard to get it to dry out without sucking up more water.

I'm just happy to be cutting again after all my back drama. ;lol
 
Nice stump! Diggin in hard with the dawgs....Text book work.
 
Nice stump! Diggin in hard with the dawgs....Text book work.

Thanks, probably not perfect but it's hard to hit it just right every time. After having one fall 90* to me I learned to read the trees a "little" better and take more time! I used to just about cut right through the hinge when I first started cutting. The typical big notch, angled back cut and almost cut through the hinge! I'm amazed I never dropped one on me! The elm I cut over the weekend was a bit scary, the base was a little punky(limb wood is like a rock) and I let the saw get a little deep on the notch cut. Made the back cut and was wondering how it was going to let go, it let go with probably a 4" hinge. It fell perfect but it was a scary one due to the punky trunk.
 
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I say you did a good job. No doubt that baby will be ready to go by autumn. I hear you on the brandes, I hate dealing with all those pine branches!
 
rdust, nice job on the pine. This will be the first year we have pine ready for the shoulder season, the boss was brought up like most on the east coast (you can't burn pine) but she is okay with it so 1.25 cord of White Pine will get flamed UP!

Zap
 
Nice work. Good BTUs. I like to split my pine up a little smaller and get it stacked ASAP. The longer the dry time the better.
 
So rdust, your back must be getting much better now?
 
So rdust, your back must be getting much better now?

It's great compared to what it was a year ago but I'm still babying it some. Day to day stuff I have no issue, maybe a little left leg pain during the day if I sit for to long or move an odd way. I can throw the kid around, put him on my shoulders, run around with him and do things I never thought I'd do again when I was in the "bad" pain mode.(amazing how pain can put you in such a lousy place!) Cutting and running the saw has been fine, I still tire too easy for my taste but I'm learning to listen to my body and take a break when needed. I'm trying not to overdo lifting rounds so I've been taking it easy in that regard. Pine rounds aren't bad but I can't see myself lifting 20+" hardwood rounds without some help. I'm sure I can do it but that's part of what got me where I'm at today. :) I'm trying to work smarter not harder!
 
"I'm trying to work smarter not harder!"

A friends dad used to say use your head and save your feet. I always likes that saying. It could be the same with the back. I can relate as I finally bought hydraulic after all those years of splitting by hand. That was after my arm started throbbing like a toothache and I found out a had nerve in the back puching aginst a vertebrae. Took about 25 visits to the chiro but at least no knives. I try to be a little more careful.
 
We're just happy that rdust is getting back to normal. And in case you forgot, I am still able and willing to come help should you need it. Or, maybe you can come help me too?! :rolleyes:
 
Or, maybe you can come help me too?! :rolleyes:

Let me know! Baby #2 is due any day now(well actually the 21st but you never know!) but if you need a hand getting rid of that pesky dead ash just let me know! Actually I'd rather load up on some soft maple! ;lol
 
I can't believe how much mis-information there is about burning wood. The same people that tell me that burning softwood will eventually cause a chimney fire are the same ones that burn smokey smudge fires with the dampers near shut and clean their stacks once every two years "whether it needs it or not".

Nice cull BTW :thumbsup
 
I can't believe how much mis-information there is about burning wood. The same people that tell me that burning softwood will eventually cause a chimney fire are the same ones that burn smokey smudge fires with the dampers near shut and clean their stacks once every two years "whether it needs it or not".

Nice cull BTW :thumbsup

Yep I hear you. I always heard the same stories and used to believe some of them. I burnt some aspen this year and would take some more without a second thought. I cleared some land a couple years ago and hauled a lot of cherry home. I had cut a lot of aspen in 6' lenghths and had brought some of it home mixed in with the cherry but was leaving most of it for last figuring I would use it for the firepit. The farmer that had bought the land had told me he wanted the trees at least dropped and limbed. He said if I couldn't get it all hauled before the dozer arrived they would pile it up. I dropped everything I could that was leaning toward the standing corn and quit till the dozer got there. Went back a couple weeks later to check it and all that aspen was on fire along with some of the cherry trees I hadn't been able to drop yet. I hauled 5 more loads that day most I ever cut in a day. Can't grumble though that farmer has been very good to me just wish he wasn't so impatient.
 
Yep I hear you. I always heard the same stories and used to believe some of them. I burnt some aspen this year and would take some more without a second thought. I cleared some land a couple years ago and hauled a lot of cherry home. I had cut a lot of aspen in 6' lenghths and had brought some of it home mixed in with the cherry but was leaving most of it for last figuring I would use it for the firepit. The farmer that had bought the land had told me he wanted the trees at least dropped and limbed. He said if I couldn't get it all hauled before the dozer arrived they would pile it up. I dropped everything I could that was leaning toward the standing corn and quit till the dozer got there. Went back a couple weeks later to check it and all that aspen was on fire along with some of the cherry trees I hadn't been able to drop yet. I hauled 5 more loads that day most I ever cut in a day. Can't grumble though that farmer has been very good to me just wish he wasn't so impatient.
Yep, gotta make hay when the sun shines. I think your Aspen is our Poplar. If it is, I have no second thoughts on taking what I can get.
 
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