huge oak to come down

[woodsmaster]

Well I finally got everything worked out to have the tree dropped. The tree service that works for the elec. co-op is going to do what they have to to drop it and the rest is up to me.
I Just talked to the farmer and he said I can drop it in his field planted or not. I also just talked to my lumber jack friend and he said he would cut the trunk up for me !
I have another friend that has a 35 ton splitter I can borrow any time. We loan each other tools a lot and so far it works good for both of us. Not sure when they will be here to do it, but
I'll make a good effert to be here with a video camera. Ill definitly post some pics when it happens.

 

[Intheswamp]

Glad to hear the plan is coming together JT...there oughta be a lot of heat in that tree...solar heat from years go by!

Ed

 

[Flatbedford]

That is a monster! Tons of wood there.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

J.T., I believe you have a winner there. Sounds like you are getting things rolling and we congratulate you. Will be watching for pictures.

 

[wkpoor]

I've been around lots of tree service cuts. I hate to come in behind them. If that is your tree either be there and direct the cuts after its down or pay someone to properly buck it up for you. Otherwise you will end up with a whole bunch of no 2 pieces the same size and a whole lot of bad angles on every piece. I been right there waiting and watching ( had to for the liability) to see what they do and its amazing the mentality. They will go out of their way to make sure the bucking is a random as possible. It got so bad I quite going after tree cutter wood unless they will leave me the trunk whole. They simply ruin it for nice stackable firewood.
How far are you from Grand Rapids OH? I'll be there in about a week.

 

[woodsmaster]

I've been around lots of tree service cuts. I hate to come in behind them. If that is your tree either be there and direct the cuts after its down or pay someone to properly buck it up for you. Otherwise you will end up with a whole bunch of no 2 pieces the same size and a whole lot of bad angles on every piece. I been right there waiting and watching ( had to for the liability) to see what they do and its amazing the mentality. They will go out of their way to make sure the bucking is a random as possible. It got so bad I quite going after tree cutter wood unless they will leave me the trunk whole. They simply ruin it for nice stackable firewood.
How far are you from Grand Rapids OH? I'll be there in about a week.

It don't sound like the tree service will be doing much bucking. They are pretty much just dropping it. My friend that will be bucking the trunk will cut at any length I want him to, but
I'll probably have to go short and 1/4 the short pieces to be able to move them to the splitter that will be very near. I do hope to be here if my schedule will permit. Im self imployed so it probably will. About the only way I won't be here to supervise (watch) is if they don't call before they come as I requested. I am about 45 min west of Grand Rapids or 40 mile.

 

[woodsmaster]

I'll be bucking the limbs so no worries on them being the wrong size.

 

[Intheswamp]

I can see where you might have a concern moving those big butt rounds to the splitter...or moving them anywhere for that matter.

I know little to nothing about boilers but I just checked yours out online and see it can have a varied diet of carbon items. Depending on how big the actual door opening is you could cut the trunk in as short of rounds as you could talk your buddy into cutting....10 or 12 inches (or even shorter) would be good if my thinking is right. What I'm thinking of is busting the thinner "cookies" into four or five manageable pieces in a size that will fit through the boiler door. Splitting the thinner cookies would be easier and of course moving them would be a lot easier than moving a 20" long round the diameter that you're going to have. In other words, you would not really have "splits" but rather big broken cookie pieces. Seems the thinner cookie pieces might even dry a tad quicker than regular splits since there would be a great proportion of end-grain exposed. Stacking would be a bit different from regular splits, though...maybe stagger stack them like landscaping blocks...or simply pile them up.

I'm not sure if that made sense or not...if it didn't let me know and I'll try explaining it in another confusing way.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[Flatbedford]

Big rounds of Oak should probably split pretty easily by hand. If you can get them rolled on end, you could split them right where they are cut. Maybe noddle them into quarters and then split.