The right tool for the job...

I thought y'all might get a kick out of these pictures. A large, 150 year old (at least) white oak had been dropped earlier in the year by a friend of mine. We finally got together to process the trunk into firewood. It was an honest 5+ foot diameter at ground level, and the swell up to the first branches was even larger.

The saws used for blocking up the trunk were a Stihl 084 (120cc) with a 60" bar and .404" semi-chisel skip chain, and an 075 (111cc) with a 42" bar and 3/8" round chisel skip chain. The ripping of the large rounds was handled by a pair of Stihl 066s (92cc) with 24" and 28" bars, both running 3/8" pitch chain. Trimming and pre-splitter finish work was handled by a Stihl 046 (76cc) and Dolmar 7900 (79cc), both wearing 20" bars and running 3/8" pitch chain. There was also a Husqvarna 371 and a Stihl 076 hanging around, but they didn't get used.

The rounds were handled by a Bobcat with pallet forks and a set of skidding tongs hanging off a boom on the 3-point of a 43hp New Holland tractor. Splitting was handled by a very well used John Deere splitter - 6hp, 11gpm, 4" cylinder. Each round produced better than a half of a face cord of firewood!

A couple more pics of the saws and a round being moved...

We hung the rounds from the tractor for ease of ripping without sticking the saws in the dirt. The 066s were used for this work, and made fast work of these pieces. Running at 13, 250rpm with a 28" bar, 8-tooth sprocket and WoodsmanPro X-chain, a large pile of frenchfries piled up about 8 feet behind the log being ripped!

The final picture is of my buddy with his 084/60" and me with the 075/42". Running these saws gave me even more respect for the oldtime loggers who ran machines like this day in and day out. The 075/42" weighs nearly 40lbs full of fuel and oil, and the thought of regularly trecking through the mountains with that saw, some fuel and oil, and an ax, is impressive to say the least.

Outstanding.

All I can say is "better you than me"...but nice way to get firewood, all from the same log...lol

Nice job and great pictures!

I like the "Stump Mug Shot" showing the different saws all together (being somewhat of a Stihl fan myself)lol

The 'mug' of you and your friend??? Err umm...Shouldn't you two have switched saws??lol

Nice job..Nice thread...Thanks for sharing.

Impressive!

Nice,

I guess my 346XP was not invited to that party. Good. That way my little Husky did not have to embarrass you guys with your large Stihls. We all know Huskies are better that Stihls !! Also, it is not the size of your tool, it is how you use it

Carpniels

P.S. Just kidding. That is some impressive cutting you did. I don't stand a chance against a tree like that. Nice use of the skidsteer and tractor too

very impressive pics, that 084 is the "John Holmes" of chainsaws.I gotta get me a Stihl,my old Husky can't make french fries.

Great pics, thanks for sharing. Some serious sawing! Just curious..... any reason the main trunk wasn't taken to a saw mill and sold for lumber?

I was thinking the same thing. The absence of "blue streaks"(indications of hardware/iron) would have made some sawyers day! I doubt a big mill would have wanted it... but I'm sure a "mom and pop" sawyer would have been sawing out boards.

Sometimes thats the best way to get your firewood. Haul the log off to a 'backyard sawyer' get the board (use/sell the board) and take the slab cuts for firewood. The 'deal' my sawyer offers is you have 'first dibs' on your slabs...if you don't want them however...

...He will gladly cut them up, and burn them in his own stove.

Either way...nice score on that oak....it's not going to waste.

The trunk had some splits and pockets of decay, and a fair number of nails (round towards the outside, square towards the inside). The fellow whose tree it was owns a band mill, and I have a CSM, and the wood just wasn't good enough for boards. It might have made for some interesting bowl blanks, but we don't know anyone who turns bowls...so firewood it became.

I knew there was more to the story...lol

Given the equipment on hand... I would have guessed "you guys were into more than just firewood".