Hello from North Carolina

[MRowsh]

Thanks.
I had hard time finding oil filter for it on Sunday. I went to about 5 different stores, and none of them had it. So, I had to order it via internet. 
I used the backhoe to pull two stumps, and it sure was not easy at all. I had to dig around it, before I could yank them out. I got a lot of work ahead of me. Got to drop about 50 trees.  That is where the saw mill can do some good work. Of course I have no clue when it arrives!

[samandothers]

Thanks for your service glad 8/20 has past and you are on site and playing with toys! 

Let the fun begin!

[thecfarm]

And it has begun!!

[MRowsh]

It sure was my honor to serve. I do love this country and do whatever it takes to preserve it.  I have been studying our Constitution, and all the Federalist papers. Too bad we are in process of  losing our Republic! 
There is a price for everything in life, and We The People are going to pay it!!!
The work and the saw mill is going to be fun, but in few cases it is tough. I got three red oak very close to house. One of them is kind of have a few degrees angle toward the garage with few big branches right about 30 feet over the top of the garage. That is kind of tough to drop. I have to go up, tie a chain about 25 feet up, and then use the winch and put some pull toward the other way. Then tie another chain about 3 feet above ground and tie it to another tree, so it does not fly and hit the house after cutting it. Then put the direction wedge and the pray to All Mighty real hard and cut for drop. All three of these red oaks are very tall, and thick. I sure hope it works as I have planned it.

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

MRowsh,

First, thank you for your service and obvious devotion to our country.

You might want to bite the bullet and get a professional (arborist or good logger) to help taking down those oaks that are near the house.

BTW, we like pictures...

Herb

[MRowsh]

The cheapest estimate was $1400 per tree!  I have dropped about 89 trees and mostly big ones. Using the winch and then secure the lower part has  worked well, specially when there is no wind at all. Due to the fact that all of them are very tall, I have to pay attention to wind. Even a very light wind can ruin my day!
I have to be very careful.
And if I make through these, for sure I will post pictures. And if you do not here from me, I be by pearly gate waiting for you guys!!
I possibly do them late Jan or early Feb when they are naked, and catching wind has decreased a bit.

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Well, sounds like you got a plan and have had some experience with this type of situation before. So I'll wish you the best of luck and look forward to hearing and seeing how you did in January or February.

Just be extra careful. I'm living evidence that even someone who has a long lifetime of experience in a field can make a mistake and get hurt in a hurry.

Good Luck!

Herb

[thecfarm]

I suppose you know that red oak loves to split due to it's straight grain? You don't want it splitting on you. Don't over tighten the chain. Really need 2 people. BOTH need to know to take it slow and easy,get the hand signals down pat before starting.

[MRowsh]

I usually tie a chain about two feet above the cut, if I am dealing with anything big and tall. And sure hope that prevent it from tearing me apart, in case of a bad split. And the small stuff, I started pushing them with the bucket. Last weekend I took down about 10 trees, they were about 6 inches max in diameter. I dig one side with the backhoe, then from the other side pushed from top with the bucket as high as I got get to. They just nicely fall down with root coming out with them. Then I dig  the bucket a little down, and then push the root all the way out with the bucket.

[scsmith42]

That's a great looking backhoe!

I've gotten to where I prefer to fell the tree completely with my backhoe, and then cut the stump off of the log after it's down.  The nice thing about this is that I don't have to grind the stumps, and the weight and height of the tree makes is much easier to remove the stump.  Since we have horses here on the farm, I don't like the idea of leaving a stump in the ground that can rot out and cause a horses leg to drop in it and break.

I'll set the hoe up and dig a trench down opposite sides of the tree; each trench about 5' long and down about 18" - 24".  Mainly I'm trying to cut through all of the roots.  Next, I reposition the backhoe so that I can cut trenches down the other two sides of the tree, in effect I have now dug a box all around the tree.  Finally I'll swing the hoe up as high as I can get it on the trunk, and push the trunk over - uprooting the tree.  Usually I will orientate my trenches so that when I finish the second pair, the backhoe is already positioned so that all I have to do is swing the hoe up and push.  If I follow the tree down with the hoe, I can actually steer it down and usually fell it right where I want it to go.

If the tree refuses to uproot, then I will dig the trenches a little deeper and repeat.  Using an extend-a-hoe helps too.

I like this method better than the chain method, as the backhoe is not in the falling path of the tree (although you have to be watch what your doing when you are cutting through the roots so that you don't uplift the tree to one side).  It is also faster - especially when you consider that you don't have to take the time to grind stumps or dig them out later.

[MRowsh]

SCSmith:
Unfortunately, the big oaks are very close to the house. No way I can use the backhoe in those cases. I will get few pictures this weekend and post them later so you see what I have to deal with.

[MRowsh]

Here is few pictures of red oaks very close to the house. I got them 3 sides of the house.



 

And here the one that is leaning over the garage:


 

And here another next to the sun room:



 

[m wood]

Just jumpin in late here, so welcome mrowsh.  Sweeet Deeeere!  I want one to play with too.  Sweeet saw too.  Thats gonna make some dust!  Got a shed yet, or are you planning on mostly mobile (with those tandem axles)?

As far as those red oaks go, sounds like you are thinking this through and should do just fine. we got the before pics, cant wait to see the afters...'specially when that mill gets to ya.
mark 

[MRowsh]

Thanks m wood

It is me and myself to clear the land for the shed. The youth energy has gone! So, my progress is slow. I am trying to get the shed ready for Thanks Giving when the saw gets here. Sure hope to make it by then.

[scsmith42]

Those are definitely some challenging removals!  Glad that it's you and not me! :D

[MRowsh]

Yesterday worked a little cutting up few pieces of C channel beams to fabricate a fork for the bucket. Almost 90 percent done.


 

And here is what I harvested from my Aquaponics system for Sunday night dinner:



  

And here is what we enjoyed for Sunday Dinner:



 

Thanks God, life is good!!

[ET]

Welcome to FF too. If those forks dont hold together for you, look into getting a set of CTI forks installed. They are a little pricey but well worth the investment. Also i have been using a Garret hand held wand; the same kind used in airports and courthouses etc. i use a lucas with $400 blades and cannot afford not to check. Blue or black stain is a dead givaway of metal.

Ive been lucky and have never hit another type of foreign object other than metal.  They are under $200 bucks and no hassle one button on and off. No setup required. Just my 2 cents worth and good luck.

Come to the Ohio Paul Bunyan show in october, fun stuff!

[beenthere]

The idea of forks for your bucket is great, and am thinking you will be doing some more welding at the lower joint "soon" if you don't add some gussets outside and inside of the channel at that joint. Maybe not, but better to do it before it twists apart from a load rather than repairing later. IMO  ;)

The food looks great too!

[MRowsh]

beenthere:  That is the reason I said 90 percent done with. Yes, I am going to weld two brackets for extra support.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I had to get my personal welder to make my forks for my backhoe. I commend you for knowing how to weld.
My welding looks like chicken stew......if ya know what I mean.  :D

When you're finished, these forks will become a good friend. I can't do without mine.
If ya get time, post a pic when finished.

[bandmiller2]

Mrowsh,an easier and satisfactory way to pick up you logs would be to take two three foot pieces of heavy angle iron and bolt them to the bottom corners of your bucket,inside or out whichever is easier.I used them for years.Cut a point on the tip and a swale further back to cradle the log.Easy on easy off to use the bucket. Frank C.

[MRowsh]

bandmiller2:
Would appreciate a picture of what you have. That would give me a better idea. A picture worth at least 200 words!!

[MRowsh]

Almost there now!  Just need to rust proof the forks, and maybe add a bottom base support from forks to under the bucket. Or maybe not!


 

 

 

[MRowsh]

Started clearing an area in order pill up the logs. Had a little issue will hanging a pine tree way up on an oak. I had to drop three more trees in order to get the pine down. One of the oak that had all the weight on was a typical widowmaker, and as I thought it did spit on me. I booked as soon as I heard a crack side way and it missed me. I should have done what I had done before in this situation, but I took a stupid chance and got away with it.
I usually wrap a chain tightly few turns at the bottom about two inches above where I am going to cut.
I do not think I am going to take a chance for the rest of my project!
I took a picture of the pine hanging on the oak, but I forgot to take a picture of that oak till it was all done with. The spilt is about 10 feet long.

 
I dropped few more after that one.


 

[beenthere]

I'd suggest you get some chainsaw felling training, if I'm reading your tale right.
Sounds like you went under that hanging pine and cut the oak. Better to have used the tractor to pull the pine butt off the stump and pulled the pine down out of the oak.

Also, mentioning that you use a chain just above the felling cut to keep from splitting the oak tree, means you could have used the boring technique (but shouldn't have been felling the oak that held the pine tree).

Hesitated saying anything, but am concerned that you are taking chances here that didn't need to be.
However in the end, you may cut trees down the way you want to and not the way I would. ;)