awesome score, awesome neighbor!

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
  • Hope everyone has a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving!
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
Status
Not open for further replies.
Cornflakes

Cornflakes

Burning Hunk
Sep 19, 2014
203
Maryland
We just moved here last May, and my neighbor is a fellow wood burner. He has a family farm 5 miles down the road where he only harvests/burns Locust. One day he let me test my new saw out on a big limb he cut off a cherry tree next to his house and said I could have all the wood. Then we got to talking about how he wanted to clear out some trees next to his house so the grass would grow better. He said I could come over anytime and cut/help clear it out, and I could keep all the wood! Looks like I'll be burning some cherry in the near future! Best score to date and its 50 yards from my front door!

This pile if from that first limb he cut down a couple weeks ago...I still need to cut the tree down it came from...its to the right of this picture not shown.
[Hearth.com] awesome score, awesome neighbor!


This is my first official "large" tree downing... one of several I'm free to take! I could only cut up two rounds before I had to leave for work..... and they were freaking heavy! Does anyone have any pointers as I work my way up cutting rounds from the tree? As you can see a good chunk of it is still up in the air a bit... hung up on branches.
[Hearth.com] awesome score, awesome neighbor!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: stephiedoll, Gboutdoors, Rebelduckman and 2 others
I'd guess about 1/3 cord, nice score, you'll be busy this spring and set for a few winters to come.
 
That's some pretty wood. Just look at the colors in that trunk. Strange that the colors are reversed in some of the rounds.
 
You are seeing the difference between freshly cut black cherry and black cherry rounds that have been exposed to the atmosphere for a while. It doesn't take long.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Woody Stover
Cherry is pretty wood.. you might be able to sell some to woodworkers, then use that cash to buy some other wood that's already cut & split..
 
I burnt cherry all winter(along with other species) . It burns well and smells good , save some for the smoker as it's great cooking wood.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheBigIron
I use cherry and apple (both from my property) in my bbq grill. I throw in some charcoal for consistent low ash heat,,but cooking over wood is pretty awesome.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Osagebndr
Cornflakes said:
This is my first official "large" tree downing... one of several I'm free to take! I could only cut up two rounds before I had to leave for work..... and they were freaking heavy! Does anyone have any pointers as I work my way up cutting rounds from the tree? As you can see a good chunk of it is still up in the air a bit... hung up on branches.
View attachment 155937
Click to expand...
You may want to take a look at this thread: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/bc-feller-training-standard-you-tube-series.142362/
That stump is not cut in accordance with proper form and safety (angled back-cut isn't as safe as a flat/straight back-cut).
 
CountryBoy19 said:
That stump is not cut in accordance with proper form and safety (angled back-cut isn't as safe as a flat/straight back-cut).
Click to expand...

Wow I was doing a reverse under cut. that's stupid of me! An undercut makes way more sense!! Thanks for reminding me about those videos!

Do most people use wedges?
 
There is always at least a small wedge in my pocket when sawing. If dropping a tree, I have multiple wedges handy with something to drive them.

Also, wedges often get used when bucking large wood. They keep open the kerf.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CenterTree and Osagebndr
Cornflakes said:
We just moved here last May, and my neighbor is a fellow wood burner. He has a family farm 5 miles down the road where he only harvests/burns Locust. One day he let me test my new saw out on a big limb he cut off a cherry tree next to his house and said I could have all the wood. Then we got to talking about how he wanted to clear out some trees next to his house so the grass would grow better. He said I could come over anytime and cut/help clear it out, and I could keep all the wood! Looks like I'll be burning some cherry in the near future! Best score to date and its 50 yards from my front door!

This pile if from that first limb he cut down a couple weeks ago...I still need to cut the tree down it came from...its to the right of this picture not shown.
View attachment 155936


This is my first official "large" tree downing... one of several I'm free to take! I could only cut up two rounds before I had to leave for work..... and they were freaking heavy! Does anyone have any pointers as I work my way up cutting rounds from the tree? As you can see a good chunk of it is still up in the air a bit... hung up on branches.
View attachment 155937
Click to expand...

Good score. I love cherry. Burned 1.5 cords of it this year and I'm cutting more now. I always start at the top of the tree limbing and work down but I guess it don't matter
 
  • Like
Reactions: D8Chumley
Cornflakes said:
All done... Now... Do I split in place or borrow the neighbors truck and haul it to my back yard...
Click to expand...
If you want to handle it the least, maybe split it there then load the splits and get as close as possible to where you're going to stack it. Straight Cherry splits pretty easy...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Osagebndr
Cornflakes said:
Wow I was doing a reverse under cut. that's stupid of me! An undercut makes way more sense!! Thanks for reminding me about those videos!

Do most people use wedges?
Click to expand...
I'm sure that most people do not. But do most people use chaps and other PPE? Do most people educate themselves on the proper way to cut trees before doing it? Probably not

Most (if not all) professional fallers use wedges. As described in the videos, a wedge keeps the tree from setting back on the saw (which would pinch the bar and really screw things up), keeps wind from bringing the tree backwards, and a wedge is used to force the tree to fall in the direction you intend.

For firewood cutting the wedge can be used to keep the bar from being pinched while bucking. Set a wedge as soon as you're deep enough into the cut to prevent the wood from pinching the base.

I'm just a firewood cutter but there are several things I ALWAYS take with me when cutting. Saws, PPE, axe, tool-kit, fuel/oil, wedges. Every time I leave home to cut wood I have at least a couple wedges.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Osagebndr
Black cherry is great wood, Im surprised your neighbor let you have it. Now Im curious if you will clean up the brush for him? Just wondering. What are your feelings on it?
Tractor supply sells wedges for 10.00 each.
Also, I would try to not borrow too much of your neighbors equipment. He will be more apt to let you take more wood if you resort to your own resources(if you show signs of industriousness.) Just guessing on that.
Split the wood there and get it out however you can.
If he offers to let you use a truck or cart or something you can be grateful and gracious.
If hes giving you wood dont ask for anything else to help promote continued generosity.
Its just a female intuition thing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gboutdoors
Applesister said:
Black cherry is great wood, Im surprised your neighbor let you have it. Now Im curious if you will clean up the brush for him? Just wondering. What are your feelings on it?
Tractor supply sells wedges for 10.00 each.
Also, I would try to not borrow too much of your neighbors equipment. He will be more apt to let you take more wood if you resort to your own resources(if you show signs of industriousness.) Just guessing on that.
Split the wood there and get it out however you can.
If he offers to let you use a truck or cart or something you can be grateful and gracious.
If hes giving you wood dont ask for anything else to help promote continued generosity.
Its just a female intuition thing.
Click to expand...

My neighbors are great people... He has already offered to use his truck... As we were both going to cut the wood up and haul it over to my house, it's just that our schedules are opposite and he told me to have at it whenever I feel like it. Sure I'd help him clean up the brush, if he wants it cleaned up. I think he mainly wanted more sunlight on that side of his house, not useable space.

He only burns locust and has a wooded farm just down the street, so the cherry is of no use for him. He doesn't even store split wood at his house and said he is gonna throw his leftover stacks on my stacks lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Applesister
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

J
Free firewood
Replies
18
Views
794
The Wood Shed
stoveliker
stoveliker
D
Need advice/opinions
Replies
19
Views
2K
The Wood Shed
davidon
D
qwee
Widowmaker - the Mousetrap
Replies
15
Views
2K
The Wood Shed
Rearscreen
Rearscreen
Blazzinghot
Having Fun Identifying Trees
Replies
2
Views
468
The Wood Shed
Blazzinghot
Blazzinghot
T
Wood ID please
Replies
14
Views
1K
The Wood Shed
Geezer77
G
Top Bottom