Not much of a haul, maybe a face cord or two, this came from 4 small ash tree's. I scored these by posting an ad on craigslist for standing dead ash saying no power lines, buildings etc. I would've had more but the 361 broke the drive sprocket when I went to fell a bigger one with about an 18" diameter. I'll have to get back out there after I get it fixed. There are about 7 more about the size of the ones pictured and the one big one the saw broke on.
Cut some standing dead ash today(update: went back and finished up today 9-19)
- Thread starter rdust
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![[Hearth.com] Cut some standing dead ash today(update: went back and finished up today 9-19)](/talk/data/attachments/18/18320-db7d77a0b4ab2599686599d86608b1c9.jpg?hash=LDQqjhqKU9)
![[Hearth.com] Cut some standing dead ash today(update: went back and finished up today 9-19)](/talk/data/attachments/18/18321-440c87d9c735a620f40c37aa47bb5032.jpg?hash=yozbeBjIs6)
Nice haul. I bucked out a 20 inch oak today with my baby seven year old $99 Poulan Woodshark. Guess I will hold off on getting a Stihl. :lol:
I'm just down into northern Ohio and the same thing going on here. I've got about 50 dead ash I'm bringing down. Mostly 12" to 20" in diameter and about 50 - 60' tall. I've been busy trying to find friends to give them to. I think I've got them given away now. I don't think the Ash will hold up to well as split firewood for much more than 2 years. What do you all think?
I think two years is perfect. Keep it real dry and it will last 5 or 10 or more, like anything else. Leave it in the mud and it'll rot, like anything else.
BrotherBart said:
The 361 I bought used and it's a well used saw, it's been great other then the broken 5 dollar part. Too bad it kinked up a full chisel chain when it broke. I had two craftsman(poulan) 42cc saws with 18" bars with me and just didn't have the patience to cut the big tree with the smaller saws. The 361 has spoiled me, I can work up one end of a tree with my dad working from the top down with the craftsman saw and I cover a lot more ground then him.
Hey rdust, you are getting right into this wood cutting thing! I'm proud of you. You and your family will be all smiles this winter.
btw, have you ever went to the Woods & Waters show? If so, are you going this year?
btw, have you ever went to the Woods & Waters show? If so, are you going this year?
Backwoods Savage said:
Thanks! I have an addictive personality, usually when I decide to do something it turns out like this.
I have 10 + cords right now but can't stop cutting :lol: I figure if I get a few more cords I'll be able to slow down and just cut as wood comes up. Of course my brother and I will be clearing tree's this winter on his property for his driveway and house so I'll probably take some of that wood. Maybe a few ash tree's but mostly birch and aspen/poplar, not the best of the best but I can't let them go to waste. My dad is usually my cutting partner so I've been trying to talk him into an insert for his fireplace. He's retired, I told him cutting with me will help keep him young, he thinks I'm trying to kill him. My dad used to take me every year to w&w;when I was younger, I haven't been in a while. It's not far from me, I think I'll see if my dad would like to go this year.
Enjoy every day in the woods with your Dad. I'd give just about anything to have one more fall day cutting with mine.
Stephen in SoKY said:
Trust me I do! He retired young, he's only 59 but anything can happen at any time. It might sound corny but he's honestly my best friend, we hunt, fish, watch sports, cut wood, build cars together, race cars together and the list goes on. I've built a lifetime of memories with him so far and I hope we're a long way from being done.
andybaker said:
Stored off the ground and away from constant water it will last for several years if not burned first.
andybaker said:
I've found that Ash, even when meticulously stored, does not do well over the long haul. Powder beetles and dry rot seem to take over after a year or two. More so than Oak amd Maple anyway. --Just my .02!
Werm, just this morning I dug out some 7 year old ash. It is fine. The reason we dug these out is we have a stack where we throw logs that are too long for our stove. Our old stove could handle over 20" but not the new one. So we were cutting a couple inches off. The wood is very solid even after 7 years.
The powder beetles get into the elm more than any other wood.
The powder beetles get into the elm more than any other wood.
Backwoods Savage said:
I guess I stand (actually sit) corrected!! I've never had any luck with it.
Seven years?..... Are you sure that stuff isn't petrified?? You must have a BIG A$$ pile of wood! I've never had (fire)wood hang around my house for more than two!
You might say the wood piles are a little on the large size. lol Yup, we have over a 7 year supply on hand now. Most of it you might say is well seasoned too!
rdust said:Thanks! I have an addictive personality, usually when I decide to do something it turns out like this.
My dad used to take me every year to w&w;when I was younger, I haven't been in a while. It's not far from me, I think I'll see if my dad would like to go this year.
I definitely have an addictive personality, and even as a complete liberal, I have this, end of the world, oil peak worry, that leads me to collecting MORE, MORE, MORE.
Maybe I need help
Stephen in SoKY said:
That reminds me of the Lyrics of "Dance With My Father" by Luther Vandross (http://www.rhapsody.com/luther-vand...r-album-version-and-radio-version/lyrics.html). Fortunately for me, my father is very much alive and healthy (tho' he doesn't share my interest in firewood, or a lot of other things). Unfortunately, we just lost my father-in-law last month, and my wife took it pretty hard. He and MIL lived in the "cottage" behind our house and now we're dealing with caring for MIL (advanced alzheimers).
Even 'tho the old man and I don't see eye to eye on very much, I still try to make time to spend with him. Life is much too short to let petty grievances and disagreements get in the way of what's important.
Peace,
- Sequoia
As far as the dead Ash goes, I'm thinking 2-3 years. I find that once wood gets too old it gets too dry and then burns too fast. I don't have a shed so I store uncovered in the summer and the top covered in the fall before the leaves fall into it and uncover as I go through winter. Spadafore, as far as being in NWO, you should be able to find dead Ash anywhere. I see dead trees everywhere I look. Just down the end of my street there's a small woods and there's at least 75-150 dead ones that need to come down in the next year or so. They're all small, 4" to 10" diameter, most on the smaller side. I'm wondering if next year it would be worth my time to cut them up? That's a lot of tree tops to push out of the way and work around. I figure a lot of it wont even need splitting but when most of your wood is rounds I find the fire doesn't burn as well and needs more tending. Although, with it being one block away, it's so convenient, I can hardly pass it up. Another friend of mine told me they've got some Mulberry I could have. I have no more room to put any wood. So, do I really want to sit on all this Ash when I could be getting some of the harder woods? Oh well, if that's all problems in life I would have it made.
Finished cutting at this spot today, I left a few dead ones standing that I didn't want to deal with due to their location. Took one good sized tree and three other smaller ones. I figure between this load and the last one I should have over a cord, we'll see once it's stacked.
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rdust, I really have to congratulate you on all the work you've done this year gathering wood. You have shown what a man can do when work needs to be done. Keep up the good work. I'm betting I'm not the only one proud of you.
Backwoods Savage said:
Thanks! My wife goes back and forth between proud and thinking I've lost it.
I have to get this split/stacked this week so I can get my focus changed to the hunting season. I have to move one of my stands since it's in a standing dead pine that is now too far gone for me to trust. Last year I stayed on the ground when it was windy. In the process though I have to cut a pine that fell near my stand during the spring. I also have a pretty good "honey do" list that I need to get done before winter. Oh where did the summer go!? lol
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