Thursday, March 26, 2009

LumberJackin'

Saturday and Sunday proved to be a productive day in the yard. Brother came up early to help me bring down some hardwood in the backyard. In about 2 hours on Saturday morning we managed to bring down 4 trees about 6-8 inches in diameter, 6 trees about 4 inches, and one maple about 13 inches in size.

The maple was tricky because it was leaning the opposite direction I wanted to bring it down in. So to bring it over safely I put I line on it, up about 12 feet from where I would place the cut and ran the line over to a come-along. We cranked up the tension and I placed my wedge cut. I had my bother crank the eveah-lovin’-crap out of the come-along to really get the tree bending. Then as I placed the backside felling cut the line would slack just enough for him to get one or two more cranks in. The maple went down perfectly and the top landed about 2 inches from my brother.

Sunday morning we went back out and limbed up the trees. Segregated the wood into three piles. Pile 1-Brushy crap. This I will stack off in the woods and let dry out. In the fall Ill come back into it and break it up to use as kindling. Pile 2-small diameter limbs. Pile 3-larger diameters trunks. The limbs and trunks Ill cut to size and split it all. It will dry out way faster and be ready for December.

The pic is a before and after of the area. It doesn’t’ show the maple and isn’t as dramatic if the trees had leaves. Regardless it will be some good firewood and I just reduced my leaf raking about 3 hours.

9 comments:

  1. We have a lot of trees (something like seven) and lots of brush in our yard. The yard we will be selling with the house.

    It is a big back yard and I will miss it.

    I won't miss the upkeep though with the picking up twigs and raking and endless upkeep.

    wait a minute.

    that has always been Mr. Hall's job.

    what the heck am I thinking ;)

    o btw, you still aren't listed as a follower but dammit, blah. i know you read, and thank you for that ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would only be impressed with this i fyou used hand saws......if you used chain saws, you had an unfair advantage over the trees. I always root for the trees.

    ReplyDelete
  3. of course i used a chainsaw.
    and the trees always fight back. the're the ones with the advantage.

    ReplyDelete
  4. chainsaw kinda sounds like a bigger advantage to me

    ReplyDelete
  5. That is not a back yard, that's a National forest! I have one potted tree in my back yard, it comes up to my knee, including the pot, so it would be a really tiny fire.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Way to be ahead of the ball Joe!
    We still haven't done any spring logging yet.
    Perhaps I am inspired. Or perhaps I'll just wait for some more snow to melt.

    ReplyDelete
  7. kate dont wait for the snow to melt.
    Wanna know whats under the snow?
    MUD. Mud is MUCH worse to be working in than snow.
    and the longer you wait the more fluid starts to creep back into the tree. Cut early and your wood has less moisture and dries better. Plus no leaves to manage.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ah, right again=
    You are such a wise Mainer.

    ReplyDelete
  9. i'm not a real Mainer. i've lived here only 21 years and now play one on the internets. ;)

    ReplyDelete