Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[hornett22]

Yep. I have no qualms about cutting a tree if I can lay it down. If climbing is required I bring in the pros.

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I miss those days.

 

[goeduck]

Anyone else partial split wood? When I have rounds that are small enough to go in the stove without splitting, I often crack one end with the splitter, usually down to about 3/4 of the piece. I started doing this after splitting some rounds after they sat for 2 years unsplit and noticed the wood punked in the center in a football shape. Doing this takes less time on the splitter, decreases my wood handing time (fewer pieces to handle) and increases the density of the pile. If the pieces are too large for the stove, then I fully split them of course. Wood does not dry well through the bark is the primary reason I do this. Second picture is why not to top a yard tree (done by previous owner).

 

[Helogabals]

Anyone else partial split wood? When I have rounds that are small enough to go in the stove without splitting, I often crack one end with the splitter, usually down to about 3/4 of the piece. I started doing this after splitting some rounds after they sat for 2 years unsplit and noticed the wood punked in the center in a football shape. Doing this takes less time on the splitter, decreases my wood handing time (fewer pieces to handle) and increases the density of the pile. If the pieces are too large for the stove, then I fully split them of course. Wood does not dry well through the bark is the primary reason I do this. Second picture is why not to top a yard tree (done by previous owner).
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You are right - water doesn't migrate trough bark

But one of most important parameters for fast / efficient drying is air speed.
That's why I try do not make dense pile of wood to be dried.

 

[gstrom99]

Second picture is why not to top a yard tree (done by previous owner).

My Dad had his maples "topped". Three years later, they were dead, and had to be removed. The same guys that topped them charged him for removal. Damn shame!

 

[Woodstock Walt]

While we're on this topic, I actually did some arborist work of my own this past fall. I don't know much about the technical skill of true arbor work, but I used to log commercially and got to be pretty good with a chainsaw. Later on I spent a couple years assembling cranes for a living, and got comfortable working out of a manlift assembling boom sections.

So when I decided that we needed to remove the three large oak trees hanging over our house and yard, I decided to give it a try on my own. I rented a tow-behind 35' manlift from a local equipment rental company and got to work with my trusty Husqvarna 562. I hitched it to my Mahindra which made for easy maneuvering and repositioning.

The trees leaned heavily over the house and yard, with powerlines on the uphill (right) side of the yard. This prevented me from being able to drop them whole. I went up in the man basket and just started with the lowest branches and worked my way in towards the trunk cutting off ~3-4' sections at a time. I worked my way up the trees until just the stem was remaining, then cut them down in 4' sections until they were short enough (10-15') for me to cut them at the stump.

I was very cautious about dropping limbs and trunk sections well away from the base and boom of the manlift. I worked by myself that day, as I usually do, so I didn't get any pictures of the work being done unfortunately. However, these are some pictures of the trees and yard before, compared to just after I finished cutting them.

 

[Skeans1]

I have cut a lot of trees in my day, but this tree was 15' feet from the house and was on my bucket list to remove since I bought the place. So time for a professional. I checked the company's certificate of insurance before they started to be safe. Tree rings counted to 120 years, which was when this place was clear cut. Note 3rd picture where cutter was hanging on after dropping a round. Wind grounded them a few times, there were white caps on the water At times.
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No space to send it out the other way? Myself if that would of been possible I would of jacked it.

 

[Gordon Gould]

A work in progress...

gg

 

[Jstpssng]

A work in progress...

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From the looks of your picture, if the sun ever comes out you'll be taking time from firewood duty to go cut your lawn.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Boy I hope not. I usually don't mow back here until after Memorial Day.

gg

 

[goeduck]

No space to send it out the other way? Myself if that would of been possible I would of jacked it.

Not really. House to the north, neighbor's property and shed to the south, yet bigger trees to the west and saltwater to the east. It was a windy day anyway and I would not have trusted jacking the trees.