Why the big saws

[stump farmer]

From CX3  'And always wondered why on earth are those guys cutting that timber with a bar that sticks two feet out the other side of the wood?  Is it because, like you said, staying away from the logs when bucking them?'

That might be the reason. Usually see those large bars on the landing and not so much being hiked around while falling.

[weimedog]

It's funny how things look flat from the air.  :D :D



Brad_S took this from a windmill up on Mars Hill looking down toward the end of our road. That road under the nose cone is on the mountain. The next road to the left is below the mountain on the E. Blaine Road in Maine. That irregular field in the middle of the photo is 160 acres, one of dad's fields he sold when retiring. It hits onto Maine toward the road I just mentioned. The next field to it's south, which is up on the photo, is 100 acres. The rest of that big chunk off to the left of dad's field is probably close to 2000 acres of field including that rectangle below dad's field that comes in there almost to the border. The woods with dad's field was another 270 acres. That's 1 farm, he sold 3 more with another 425 acres, mostly cultivated land.

I can say one thing, we never took tractors into the woods. That's for skidders and horses. And we never had any permanent woods roads, just farm field roads. There was lots to cut near the fields, let alone what's way back yonder. ;)

As to your coworkers buying whatever they want, I wonder how long before the easy spenders get cut off in their purchases on the government dole?  Money sure ain't free and easy around here. :D :D

Awesome Picture and View!

Not my co-workers, most of them are farmers or ex-farmers and understand work, risk, and taxes.....its the managers, most of them never had to invest their own assets in a real  "make or break" ( With significant consequences)  risk...one in particular (the decision maker) was a son of a large successful farm owner. With daddy's backing he thinks a risk is getting insulted.

BTW I bought that land I live on with proceeds from my old excavation business I build from nothing but a temper tantrum to get out of the computer business!  Never inherited a thing but a last name and genetics. The farm purchase's original intent was to allow my six kids grow and have room to do the things they wanted hence trails and places to ride horses and motorcycles (We even held races on it one year)... we were successful in that endeavor as the kids have all done well, after the kids began to move away that's when I decided to bend the farm to more productive ends. And the farm already pays for it self And as far as permanent roads... the terrain is a bit rough here...sort of have to... Since road building was what I did for a living...AND the roads/trails make it easier to maintain the fields, thin the woods lots, and generally get around...we have a few. Also makes it easier for the log trucks to get to my wood..don't have to skid as far.

Wonderful looking area your Dad farmed, bet there are some great memories along with those beautiful pictures! And why is it aerial views always look flat?

But back to big saws..these are a pair, one a Solo 603 with a 28inch bar, the other a 920 Jonsered with a Sugihara 24inch bar..I posted this before in another thread..but more relevant now. that 920 with the 24inch Sugihara feels lighter than my other 920 with a Windsor 20 inch bar. Those reduced weight bars do make a difference.

[weimedog]

I've got two trees I've done in the past 3 years that I'll put up (if I can figure out how to add the photos). These were both residential trees in homeowner's back yards. The first was a 72" (widest spread) pecan that we took down with the 084 w/ 36" bar. The second one, that I'll never finish, is an 86" oak that blew over during a 2009 Nor'easter we had. I'm ripping the main trunk now with the 090 w/ 54" bar. I still have 8" of wood left with the saw buried! THAT'S A TREE!

PM if you want I can post them if you can email that pic 2 me or if you have it posted at another site.

[weimedog]

Some BIG tree by clww:

[clww]

Thanks for the assist, weimedog! 8)
The first and third photos are the big Pecan while the middle photo is the giant Oak.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Most inspiring pictures, did these logs get milled?

[Al_Smith]

I guess this is a big saw as big saws go .Homelite 2100 S with a hardnose 48" .The oak was pretty fair sized too .

[clww]

TT-the pecan did not get milled  :'(
The Oak is being rough-cut, ripped into planks which are going to sit around for a few years before I make something from them. ;D The main trunk is 12 feet long and the planks I get should be at least 42 inches wide.

[SwampDonkey]

Need some extra spinach to get enough steam to man handle them babies. Just kidding, as I'm sure you have some horse power at your disposal. ;D

Some of you guys like knocking big trees down near houses. ;D

[CX3]

See now thats what Im talking about.  CLWW actually needs a big saw.  I love the pics that is a huge oak.  I would really like to see a 42 inch board also.  I saw a 36 inch board nailed to the side of an old barn once.  That is really neat. Thanks.

[Ianab]

See now thats what Im talking about.  CLWW actually needs a big saw.  I love the pics that is a huge oak.  I would really like to see a 42 inch board also.  I saw a 36 inch board nailed to the side of an old barn once.  That is really neat. Thanks.

We cut this one a few years back...





Ian

[Al_Smith]

Some of you guys like knocking big trees down near houses. ;D

Like has nothing to do with it . On a hazard tree sometimes you can't leave it up to mother nature because dear old mom might put it down right on top of the house  or the neighbors ,not good .

[clww]

That pecan was a solid tree. The neighbors of the customer had removed all the limbs on their side of the fence, so all the weight was on one side, leaning toward a house. That was the heaviest wood I've ever dealt with. Half again heavier than oak.
The oak was toppled by Mother Nature and her wind gusts. During that particular Nor'easter, November 2009, we had wind speeds topping 80 mph-hurricane force.

[SwampDonkey]

I wasn't poking at ya's, just noticing the view. ;D

[Al_Smith]

That pecan was a solid tree. That was the heaviest wood I've ever dealt with. Half again heavier than oak.

They tell me that pecan is the most dense of the hickory type trees .We have none this far north but we do have several varieties of hickory which I assure you are heavier than our most dense of oaks . I've heard pecan  makes excellant firewood but it makes beautiful furniture as well .The later being the more noble of usage .

Fact being in my log pile I have a dandy of a straight shagbark yet to be milled and my intention is indeed for the more noble usage . If not myself maybe someone 50 years from now as it's highly doubfull that I tarry quit that long .It's also doubtfull any 100 footers will still exist that far in the future .

[Al_Smith]

The main trunk is 12 feet long and the planks I get should be at least 42 inches wide.

Now I'm not telling you what to do but often those big old wide planks can  warp  like a sled runner .Depending on how  you sticker it and which portion of the log it comes from ,edge or more on the quarter most likely will determine how it turns out .What ever you do ballast the dickens out of it when you sticker it . If nothing else pile railroad ties on it to get some weight .

Mother nature and time grew that thing ,now it's up to the lumberman how it turns out .Hopefully very nicely . ;D

[weimedog]

That pecan was a solid tree. The neighbors of the customer had removed all the limbs on their side of the fence, so all the weight was on one side, leaning toward a house. That was the heaviest wood I've ever dealt with. Half again heavier than oak.
The oak was toppled by Mother Nature and her wind gusts. During that particular Nor'easter, November 2009, we had wind speeds topping 80 mph-hurricane force.

Wow..is all I can say! Can't imagine what that sounded like (felt like?) when they hit the ground!

[Al_Smith]

 :D Probabley not as dramatic as if it had hit the house .

[clww]

On that pecan, the final piece was about 25 feet long when it came over. Fell where I planned it and threw out a lot of grass and dirt when the top part impacted (first). When the oak went over, that was the entire tree. I was told that it got part of a garage roof, one car (total loss), the power pole at the street and another tree in the traffic circle. They never lost power, with the lines laying on the ground, until the power company showed up and cut power for safety. I didn't start working on the tree until after the usual firewood pickers had gotten all they could. 5 other tree service companys would not touch it-too big. I saw it on Craigs List..."Free Wood-You Cut", called the owner, and drove over to his house. He'd told me it was a big tree, but that can mean different sizes depending on who I talk to. Some folks think a big tree is 16" in diameter, although I don't. That one I most definetly consider a BIG tree! Maybe some day I'll get done with it. It's kind of turned into my 'Moby Dick'.

[ChrisF]

That be some NICE wood, Clww.

And man, the Stihl 084 is one of the best looking saws ever made.

[Al_Smith]

A lot of times those 250 year old plus oaks could have root damage ,especially in town trees . 50 years or so of having their roots compressed by being under a driveway or lopped off because of a building foundation can take a toll on them .You can't see any damage then out of the blue up pops a big wind and blows it over with a big ten ton root ball on the end or a big hollow void and flatens everything in its' fall path  like a pancake .

A big old fatty like that  might have to be ripped to even get the log out .

[clww]

I am ripping the boards there on-site, 3-5 inches thick by 12 feet long. Hopefully get one cut, drag it onto my trailer and bring it to the house.

[CX3]

What do you guys think a 8 foot chunk of that big oak weighs?


CLWW why do you have to cut the boards so thick? 

[terrifictimbersllc]

5000 pounds?

[SwampDonkey]

Water wheel repair for a sawmill. ;) As good a guess as any. Actually, they had to do just that near here on an old saw mill. No white oak up here except some rare bur, nothing big enough. Had to truck the stuff 1000 miles from PA.