Tornado Wood.

[Jags]

As many of you have probably heard, there was a large EF4 that went through the top of Norther IL recently. It was a big boy at times reaching a half mile wide with wind speeds of 180-200 MPH. Lots of folks lost homes or businesses and in the need of help. A friend called me to one young couples home that needed the assistance of a big saw just to get up to their home. The house stood (an old farm house), but was knocked 4 inches off its foundation - toast. Anyhoo - got in and got to work.

First load out - mix of maple, hackberry and some black walnut - could be others as I wasn't really on a firewood mission so I wasn't paying too close attention to what I was whacking.


Full truck and trailer load of this stuff.

Went back after some big rounds after I did what I could do. Dulled every chain I took with (4). Wood was plastered with field dirt and it was like cutting through sandpaper.

Trailer load of bigger stuff: (this is really medium sized stuff at about 28-34")

Silver maple and I think some more hackberry (big one was tipped over in front of the home).

Another friend of mine was there with his MS441 and me with the little MS361 knocked a hole wide enough to start the work side. Here is just one small part of what we were dealing with:

 

[Michael Golden]

What a mess! Good on you to help out.

 

[Lake Girl]

Got lots of work ahead of you folks. Anyone bring in cargo boxes for on-site storage of salvaged items? If the house can't be saved, at least contents may be retrievable.

 

[Jags]

Tons of tractor trailers, PODS, etc. are being distributed as needed.

 

[Lake Girl]

Sounds like local governments have the disaster management plan in good order.

No good deed goes unpunished ... you'll have a mess in your yard too until you can get caught up with immediate needs of neighbours and regroup. It has to be encouraging to those without the equipment to have someone come along and provide the help. Hope your local supply of chains stays replenished!

 

[Jags]

Very little government management at this point (their time will come). Most of this is just somebody taking a command position and making stuff happen. Lot of "on the fly" decision making.

I am not sure where it came from but Stihl had a mobile trailer running around offering free chain sharpening. I missed it, but heard it was not far from the one place I was working.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Did you have any precarious trees? I cut some tornado wood years ago, ( we don't hardly get any) I was relatively green with the saw. At least compared to now anyways. Every single piece I cut whether or not it was a branch or trunk was under tremendous pressure. I did not burn then and got the hell out of there, nerves were on high alert.

 

[Jags]

Did you have any precarious trees?

Oh YES. We had to work into them while trying to read the stress points and branches under load. I was working very gingerly on a 6" branch that I know was loaded like a sling shot. Even knowing this...that sucker cracked so loud it was startling. With the exception of one, all of these were living, healthy trees. Nothing broke. They just tangled up like a wad of knotted rubber bands.

I was yelling at people to stay at least 20ft from me when the saw was running.

 

[sportbikerider78]

Good on you to help.
Volunteerism is alive and well in America.

 

[Jags]

Good on you to help.
Volunteerism is alive and well in America.

It is a testament to the community that I live. Red Cross showed up and was bewildered. They had nothing to do as most all jobs were already filled with people and folks taking charge. Amazing. Humbling.