Promise Made, Promise Kept

[Don87]

I made a promise on this thread:http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/183268-tractor-vs-chainsaw-you-guess.html to show the felling of the cherry tree in my yard.
Stihl 026, 16 inch bar meets Cherry Tree:

 

[buck12]

Just don't tell a lie about cutting down the cherry tree

 

[Don87]

Just don't tell a lie about cutting down the cherry tree

Can't lie.............the whole world knows now.

 

[EddieWalker]

That's a heck of a tree for such a small saw!!!

Thanks for the pics,
Eddie

 

[Don87]

That's a heck of a tree for such a small saw!!!

Thanks for the pics,
Eddie

Yes, it is. The saw would not go the whole way through.
After I moved here, about 14 years ago, I purchased this saw and timbered my land with it. There were 2 trees on the property that I needed a larger saw for.

 

[dstig1]

Wow. You must be fantastic to make cuts line up from both sides so nicely that you can't even see a slight step in either face of the wedge cuts. I know I could never do that... You sure you aren't hiding the bigger saw?

That is an awfully small saw to do much serious large wood with. My MS362 has a 20" bar on it, and when I get much past 24" trees, I step up to my friend's MS660 with the 32" bar. Weighs a ton, but cuts like a maniac. Yeah I can make it happen with the smaller bar on the 362, but it's more trouble than it's worth. Right tool for the job and all that.

Why'd you drop it? Looks healthy, from what I can see. Cherry trees around here all get hollow well before they get that large. Too cold for them to thrive here, I think.

 

[Don87]

Wow. You must be fantastic to make cuts line up from both sides so nicely that you can't even see a slight step in either face of the wedge cuts. I know I could never do that... You sure you aren't hiding the bigger saw?

That is an awfully small saw to do much serious large wood with. My MS362 has a 20" bar on it, and when I get much past 24" trees, I step up to my friend's MS660 with the 32" bar. Weighs a ton, but cuts like a maniac. Yeah I can make it happen with the smaller bar on the 362, but it's more trouble than it's worth. Right tool for the job and all that.

Why'd you drop it? Looks healthy, from what I can see. Cherry trees around here all get hollow well before they get that large. Too cold for them to thrive here, I think.

I used to be a logger, that may explain the cuts.( I won 2nd place in competition).
And yes, the saw was very small for the job, but I am very sure of my abilities, and my saws capabilities.
I dropped the tree, because, just like you said(and I have experienced), much smaller trees are hollowed out, and I wanted the firewood.
Hope this explains everything, if not, let me know.........I will answer to the best of my ability.

My neighbor was watching..........he just bought a new Stihl last year......... He said "Don't ever get rid of that saw, Mine is twice the size of yours, but yours cuts almost as fast as mine"

Although I should add.......The cuts aren't as straight as they appear.........I have a hard time filing both sides the same amount.
If you blow up the pictures, you can see the curves in my cuts. I've just learned to 'compensate' for my misgivings

 

[Thomas]

That old girl going to keep you busy..cutting,splitting,stacking..for couple days.

Glad all went well.

 

[easygo]

I was looking at the reasonably straight hinge you left on that tree. Just from that I figured that you know what you were doing. You had to shape that hinge from four different positions and that kind of work is way beyond me.

 

[buck12]

Everyone seems to think you need a huge saw with a long bar to cut a little wood. All my father owned was saws with 16" bars when I was growing up. I never saw him shy away from any tree because of its size. I am not saying he was the most efficient but we were never cold. I think his newest saw has an 18" bar.

 

[6thgpSF]

I've got an MS250 with a 16"bar and have cut some large oak with it.Takes longer but if the chain is sharp the job isn't that bad.My neighabor gave me a large cherry and I took it to a local saw mill and had some nice boards made.I made several cabinets with some of them and have the rest of the boards stored in the barn.Eddie on a side note I see you still have that hog. russ

 

[Don87]

That old girl going to keep you busy..cutting,splitting,stacking..for couple days.

Glad all went well.

Tree was all cut up by 3 pm today, My son will be splitting some while I'm out on the road. The largest pieces will be done next wekend.

 

[Don87]

I was looking at the reasonably straight hinge you left on that tree. Just from that I figured that you know what you were doing. You had to shape that hinge from four different positions and that kind of work is way beyond me.

'Reasonably' , is a very good word. Closeup would tell a good story.
The 'felling cut', on the left side of the notch ended up being 1 inch below the notch(that's not a good thing). But as you described, it must be done from 4 directions, and can get quite difficult.
But the most fun part was............I needed the tree to fall in a little different direction than what the actual 'lean' was. After I finished my cutting, the tree just stood there, with about 1.5 inches of hinge holding it. A wind gust took it on over for me:thumbsup:

 

[rd_macgregor]

I'm on my second Stihl 026. Its a fine saw. My first one is probably still running great for whoever stole it from my shed!

BOB

 

[looknlearn]

To bad it's going for firewood. Looks like some beautiful furniture wood from what I can see. Although we burn wood also and I'm sure we have burned some beautiful wood too. We tend to be parshal to Black Locust though because it will burn just as well green.

 

[jinman]

I know apple is a good wood to use in a smoker, isn't cherry also supposed to be good? I've used hickory, mesquite, pecan, and oak, but never apple or cherry.

 

[looknlearn]

only used apple in a smoker as far as I know but about a month ago we had a pig roast and threw some mesquite and oak (maybe??) on for some smoke flavor. I don't have much expirence in smoking meat but I know that the meat we have smoked was good.:drool:

 

[chipsndust]

Although I should add.......The cuts aren't as straight as they appear.........I have a hard time filing both sides the same amount.

Don:

Have you ever tried turning the saw upside down when hand filing? Works good for some guys, lets you file both sides in the same direction.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Nice job. I was looking for Safety glasses and earplugs but what the heck. I agree about not needing to use big saws all of the time. I do most of my work with a 16" bar on a Husky. I can run that all day versus carrying around the bigger saws. I dropped 7 trees a couple of weeks ago all Doug firs from
90'-120' tall using the 16" Husky and 25" bar on the Stihl 046. They were 20"- 34" at the base. I have a Husky with a 36" bar when I want nice clean face cuts and back cuts for risky trees. My favorite saw is my Stihl 026 Pro.

I think you did good Sir.

 

[easygo]

After I finished my cutting, the tree just stood there, with about 1.5 inches of hinge holding it. A wind gust took it on over for me:thumbsup:

And that is exactly when your well formed hinge preformed as it should have. I'm proud of myself when I get a decent parallel hinge all the way across and I don't try to cut trees that are much bigger then my 18" saw bar. May be a wedge would have taken the waiting for the wind out of the game but it all ended as you planned.:drink::drink: