Dead Standing tree help

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cgbills

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Feb 3, 2011
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Ok so this is a dead standing tree that we have in our yard. The bark is falling of pretty significantly and talking with the neighbors I believe it has been dead standing for two years. They also said they believe it was struck by lightning (maybe I should make a baseball bat out of it :) ) There is a little bark that remains on the north side of the trunk because it is shaded by the larger tree next to it. It measures between 8 and 9 feet in circumference at the base and stands taller than our one story 1950s house. My first question is how much wood do you think I will be able to get out of this tree? Second, what type of tree do you think it is? The larger tree next to it appears to be some kind of maple, but there is zero leaves on this tree to identify it. Lastly since it has been dead standing for a fair amount of time do you think it will be ready to burn this winter, or should I stack it in preparation for next? Thanks for any help.
 
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It sure looks like a sugar maple to me, hard to be sure without seeing bark on the branches. It would be slightly smoother than the trunk bark. If you are going to use everything 2" and up for firewood (which is what I do when I cut a tree), there might be a cord of wood or more there. That's my opinion. How 'bout a pic of the leaves (close-up) on the tree next to it?
 
I'd say possible widow maker!
 
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Couple 200.00 ballpark. Silver maple!
 
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Here is a pick a leaf of the bigger tree next to it with almost identical bark. Also on the few limbs that have any bark left, the bark seems almost smooth.
 
Guessed some kind of Maple judging by the occasional 'ripples' you see in a few spots where it bends a little....Some of that is very attractive when sawed,planed,sanded & polished.Pretty common with those.

Makes it much tougher to split manually,its worth it though.I'd keep everything over 2",a few decent sized straight rounds might be worth milling into wood turning blanks etc...
 
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Some good firewood for sure. I was guessing maple also.
 
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Here is a pick a leaf of the bigger tree next to it with almost identical bark. Also on the few limbs that have any bark left, the bark seems almost smooth.

Yep.......that'd be a sugar maple for sure. Great stuff, heck that baby will season fast once you get it split and stacked!​
 
I'd say some of the smaller wood and higher branches may be dry enough to burn this winter, but I bet a lot of the trunk is fairly wet and should wait until next year.
 
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Well, 8 to 9 feet in circumference is not really that big. I'd say less than a cord, and you could definitely burn those upper branches straight away, though it be better if you could give it a few months. Dead sugar maple without bark is usually pretty good to go. Dead sugar with bark is usually a punky mess.
 
A cord +
Maple
I'd burn it this year,
What's the driest wood you have.?
 
Maybe a face cord, but not much more, if that. Dead trees are dangerous to cut down. You really have to watch for falling dead branches (kill you quick) and unpredictable felling, since there may be rot in the stump somewhere that could cause it to fall before you expect, and in a different direction than you intended. So be careful! Back away from the falling tree and get a safe distance away when it starts to fall, to avoid being hit by any falling dead limbs.
 
Make sure you were safety glasses when you drop this tree, the branches are going to shatter when they hit the ground sending small debri everywhere. be safe. Maple tree.
 
Hard hat would be a must-have PPE item to drop that one. I'd stick a couple splits with a Moisture Meter, especially the trunk sections just to see if burning it this winter is feasible.

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That's almost 3' in diameter. Gotta be close to a cord there. I agree that a lot of the top could probably be burned if needed. Sugar Maple is sweet! ==c
 
That's almost 3' in diameter. Gotta be close to a cord there. I agree that a lot of the top could probably be burned if needed. Sugar Maple is sweet! ==c

I don't want to be argumentative, but I doubt that tree is anywhere near 3' in diameter--even at ground level. Looks to me like your typical 15-inch hard maple. Hard to tell from the pics. I'd like to see a photo of the stump with a yard stick laid across it, as well as a photo of the pile of wood. I'm standing by my face cord estimate, but would love to be proven wrong.
 
I don't want to be argumentative, but I doubt that tree is anywhere near 3' in diameter--even at ground level. Looks to me like your typical 15-inch hard maple. Hard to tell from the pics. I'd like to see a photo of the stump with a yard stick laid across it, as well as a photo of the pile of wood. I'm standing by my face cord estimate, but would love to be proven wrong.
Those were my thoughts also but sometimes pics can be decieving.
 
Those were my thoughts also but sometimes pics can be decieving.


Same here. I had to take down two 31" diameter maples this past year, and they certainly were a lot bigger than that appears to be...even the main branches, starting at about a 20 foot height, which were 18 " diameter, were bigger than that looks....photos can be deceiving, which is why I was initially hesitant to post. IF 8-9 foot circumference at chest height, you're talking a cord+. But I doubt that tree is anywhere near that massive.
 
I may try to get some pics of it next to something to gauge the size, but it does look a little small in the pics. At shoulder/head height it is 6.5' plus in circumference.
 
If the tree is just a little taller than a one story house, I'd be surprised if there's a cord in it. That being said, who cares, tip it over safely, split it up & burn it. Great firewood, & no brush/mess to deal with. Just be careful, as Eric said, those can go bad real fast. Cut & get clear. A C
 
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