A Red Oak 'bout killed me the last two days

[armanidog]

I had looked at this northern red oak that was growing under a larger red oak a dozen times over the last year.
The larger northern red oak is probably 8 feet in diameter at the base and 90-100 feet high. The one I wanted to cut down was about 24 inches in diameter and about 30 feet high. It had grown up under the larger oak and did not look like it had any branches tangled up with the larger oak.
My chainsaw bar is 18 inches so I knew it would be a job cutting the tree. I made my cuts and the tree started to go down. And then stopped.
In the process of going over one of the top branches hooked on a branch belonging to the larger oak. It was leaning at about 15 degrees and sitting on the stump.
I don't have a tractor and I do not have a ladder long enough to reach the larger oak tree's branch. I said, "oh crap".
I looked at the situation for a while and came up with a plan.
I would cut the hinge on one side and then use a big wedge on that side to push the trunk and make it twist so the branch would unhook as it came down. So I cut the hinge on one side and the tree sat down on my chainsaw bar. I said , "oh crap" again.
Well I made a big wooden wedge out of some old heart pine I had, inserted it in the cut, and knocked on it with my 10 lb sledge. Every time the tree would creak I scooted out of there so it took about an hour. And it worked! The tree came down about 5 feet from where I wanted it. The chainsaw bar and chain were bent so I had to replace them.
Now the hard part. The dang tree was full of knots- probably over the years it had lost a lot of branches due to the larger oak losing limbs. They are sitting out in the middle of my 9 acre pasture on top of a hill and are exposed to a lot of thunderstorms and north winds.
Any way, I got it cut up while sharpening my blade 6 times in the process- I believe someone used it as a fence post back in the day cause I saw sparks 4 times.
Then I split the main trunk but every other section just laughed at the maul because of the knots. The ones that did split only took two swings of the maul at the most and split right down the middle.
Well now I have a nice stack of oak, a pile of sections waiting on the hydraulic splitter, and two piles of small branches.
Nervous exhausting days. I'm so tired.
But it is beer time now after a good shower.
And the wood will warm me up when I load it on the trailer, when I unload it and stack it, when I bring it to the porch, when I bring it inside,and when I get to burn it.

 

[Tar12]

No pictures? It didn't happen! lol

 

[toddnic]

Great story! Glad that you were safe.....

 

[TedyOH]

Invest in a come-a-long!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[ohlongarm]

I had looked at this northern red oak that was growing under a larger red oak a dozen times over the last year.
The larger northern red oak is probably 8 feet in diameter at the base and 90-100 feet high. The one I wanted to cut down was about 24 inches in diameter and about 30 feet high. It had grown up under the larger oak and did not look like it had any branches tangled up with the larger oak.
My chainsaw bar is 18 inches so I knew it would be a job cutting the tree. I made my cuts and the tree started to go down. And then stopped.
In the process of going over one of the top branches hooked on a branch belonging to the larger oak. It was leaning at about 15 degrees and sitting on the stump.
I don't have a tractor and I do not have a ladder long enough to reach the larger oak tree's branch. I said, "oh crap".
I looked at the situation for a while and came up with a plan.
I would cut the hinge on one side and then use a big wedge on that side to push the trunk and make it twist so the branch would unhook as it came down. So I cut the hinge on one side and the tree sat down on my chainsaw bar. I said , "oh crap" again.
Well I made a big wooden wedge out of some old heart pine I had, inserted it in the cut, and knocked on it with my 10 lb sledge. Every time the tree would creak I scooted out of there so it took about an hour. And it worked! The tree came down about 5 feet from where I wanted it. The chainsaw bar and chain were bent so I had to replace them.
Now the hard part. The dang tree was full of knots- probably over the years it had lost a lot of branches due to the larger oak losing limbs. They are sitting out in the middle of my 9 acre pasture on top of a hill and are exposed to a lot of thunderstorms and north winds.
Any way, I got it cut up while sharpening my blade 6 times in the process- I believe someone used it as a fence post back in the day cause I saw sparks 4 times.
Then I split the main trunk but every other section just laughed at the maul because of the knots. The ones that did split only took two swings of the maul at the most and split right down the middle.
Well now I have a nice stack of oak, a pile of sections waiting on the hydraulic splitter, and two piles of small branches.
Nervous exhausting days. I'm so tired.
But it is beer time now after a good shower.
And the wood will warm me up when I load it on the trailer, when I unload it and stack it, when I bring it to the porch, when I bring it inside,and when I get to burn it.

Sounds like a plan hows about them pictures?I'll show you some large red oaks I cut if you want,you show me yours.

 

[Woody Stover]

No pictures? It didn't happen! lol

Yeah, I wanna see the one that's 8' diameter.

 

[Ashful]

I cut some oak today myself. Didn't measure the tree, but it was bigger than the 28" bar I brought.

I did remember to take a pic or two. Harvest was about two cords, not bad for five hours work.

 

[Woody Stover]

I cut some oak today myself.

Is that two trees, a Red and a White? I like 'em like that top one....most of the sapwood fallen off, and the rest can be brushed off with your hand.

 

[Tar12]

Yeah, I wanna see the one that's 8' diameter.

I am sure he meant 8ft around! Though i rarely measure in that manner I have seen them much larger than 8ft around.

 

[Tar12]

I cut some oak today myself. Didn't measure the tree, but it was bigger than the 28" bar I brought.

I did remember to take a pic or two. Harvest was about two cords, not bad for five hours work.

View attachment 194899

View attachment 194900

Nice BTU makers right there!

 

[Woody Stover]

Though i rarely measure in that manner I have seen them much larger than 8ft around.

I didn't drop this Pin Oak but I got some wood from it:

 

[Tar12]

I didn't drop this Pin Oak but I got some wood from it:
View attachment 194927 View attachment 194928

Cut up 2 pins about half that size a couple weeks back...sure does smell.

 

[Ashful]

Is that two trees, a Red and a White? I like 'em like that top one....most of the sapwood fallen off, and the rest can be brushed off with your hand.

I cut five trees yesterday, but those two photos were from the same tree. The log in the first photo is from the trunk, the shot with the foot is a branch.

 

[ohlongarm]

I had looked at this northern red oak that was growing under a larger red oak a dozen times over the last year.
The larger northern red oak is probably 8 feet in diameter at the base and 90-100 feet high. The one I wanted to cut down was about 24 inches in diameter and about 30 feet high. It had grown up under the larger oak and did not look like it had any branches tangled up with the larger oak.
My chainsaw bar is 18 inches so I knew it would be a job cutting the tree. I made my cuts and the tree started to go down. And then stopped.
In the process of going over one of the top branches hooked on a branch belonging to the larger oak. It was leaning at about 15 degrees and sitting on the stump.
I don't have a tractor and I do not have a ladder long enough to reach the larger oak tree's branch. I said, "oh crap".
I looked at the situation for a while and came up with a plan.
I would cut the hinge on one side and then use a big wedge on that side to push the trunk and make it twist so the branch would unhook as it came down. So I cut the hinge on one side and the tree sat down on my chainsaw bar. I said , "oh crap" again.
Well I made a big wooden wedge out of some old heart pine I had, inserted it in the cut, and knocked on it with my 10 lb sledge. Every time the tree would creak I scooted out of there so it took about an hour. And it worked! The tree came down about 5 feet from where I wanted it. The chainsaw bar and chain were bent so I had to replace them.
Now the hard part. The dang tree was full of knots- probably over the years it had lost a lot of branches due to the larger oak losing limbs. They are sitting out in the middle of my 9 acre pasture on top of a hill and are exposed to a lot of thunderstorms and north winds.
Any way, I got it cut up while sharpening my blade 6 times in the process- I believe someone used it as a fence post back in the day cause I saw sparks 4 times.
Then I split the main trunk but every other section just laughed at the maul because of the knots. The ones that did split only took two swings of the maul at the most and split right down the middle.
Well now I have a nice stack of oak, a pile of sections waiting on the hydraulic splitter, and two piles of small branches.
Nervous exhausting days. I'm so tired.
But it is beer time now after a good shower.
And the wood will warm me up when I load it on the trailer, when I unload it and stack it, when I bring it to the porch, when I bring it inside,and when I get to burn it.

Not hijacking you but here's wha

t some 8 feet around plus red oaks look like that I cut.,and stacked how about throwing your up for comparison?

 

[Ashful]

Your stacking ability is what impresses me.

 

[ohlongarm]

Not hijacking you but here's whaView attachment 195049 View attachment 195050 t some 8 feet around plus red oaks look like that I cut.,and stacked how about throwing your up for comparison?

Nothing quite like 2 year old red oak ,the older it gets the better longer and hotter it burns,I'm sitting on 5 years at least maybe 7.

 

[ohlongarm]

Your stacking ability is what impresses me.

I knew someone would be impressed.Pictures tell it all imo.