# Is there any practical way of processing an Oak tree this dang huge?



## Grateful11 (Apr 20, 2014)

Lightning got one of the huge old Red Oaks here on our sons farm last Fall. He had a tree cutter bring it down this week. The cutter said it's probably pushing 200 years old. It has 3 siblings nearby, one bigger and two a little smaller. Anyway it measures 54" in diameter and over 14' in circumference 6 foot off the ground. I think we can get the manpower and womanpower but is it even practical to try and process these rounds as we get closer to the stump? We have access to a really good horizontal splitter but how would one load rounds that large safely, we do have a nice tractor with a FEL and pallet forks? We've even thought about buying a horizontal splitter for this tree and some others that need splitting that are in the 24"-32" range. Right now it all seems a bit overwhelming. The tree is solid all the way through but the lightning must have just fried it as all the exposed fibers seem bone dry soon after it was cut. Our insert does really well with 18" long firewood. Is it crazy to even consider it?

I'm all bundled up, unbelievably cold here this past week. As a comparison I'm 6'1", 215 lbs.







This about 35-40' from where it was cutoff.


----------



## Trundle (Apr 20, 2014)

Wow! What a bonanza. I'd definitely go for it. Do you have access to a large saw with a long bar? That would make your life a lot easier in this situation. Either way, just start at the top and work your way back towards the stump. As you get the top cleared out and get good access to the main trunk, you could always start taking blocks out with a combo of a regular bucking cut, a ripping cut, and a noodling cut. In fact, that would be your best bet if you don't have a bar that is at least 1/2 the diameter. Oh, and you may want to get 5 gallons of saw gas mixed up cause it looks like it could take a while. Good Luck.


----------



## paul bunion (Apr 20, 2014)

I've done rounds up to 40 inches with a vertical splitter.   The trick is to put a piece of pipe under the round when you push it over flat onto the splitter.  If the ground is soft you put some plywood or 2xs down for the pipe to roll on.  With a piece of pipe under the round it is very easy to move it into position.  Having a pickaroon also helps pulling those large pieces about.


----------



## brian89gp (Apr 20, 2014)

Not crazy at all.  Buy/locate a proper sized saw, cut to length, quarter, then split.


----------



## tsquini (Apr 20, 2014)

I recently processed an oak tree that was 36" in diameter. I ended up cutting the rounds to 10" just so it was easier to maneuver into a vertical splitter.


----------



## Ashful (Apr 20, 2014)

I've done three this size in the last year.  Stihl 064 with a 28" or 36" bar does it.  I wouldn't even try it if you don't have a saw > 75cc.  Plan every cut carefully.  Each round will weigh over 1600 lb., if bucked to 20" lengths.  You won't be moving these onto the splitter whole, even vertically.

Plus side is every 4 rounds = 1 cord.


----------



## lindnova (Apr 20, 2014)

Big saw with bar at least 1/2 dia is best.  Otherwise you will be ripping and taking chunks off the sides.  With some manpower it can be done.  Noodle down to manageable size then split. Two people can lift a lot more wood than one. 

No reason not to attack it. You will get a lot of good clean wood and almost no bark. 

Other use would be a saw log if the lightening didn't damage.


----------



## Backwoods Savage (Apr 20, 2014)

That certainly is not out of the question. Buck it up and if you have only a horizontal splitter, get yourself 3 or 4 steel wedges and a sledge hammer and go to work. It may seem like a lot of work to split one of those rounds but just look at the amount of wood you get from one log then compare that to how many other rounds you would have split. Usually we've found that although it takes longer to completely split one of those big ones, you actually end up splitting faster overall. I've never really figured out why so many are afraid of the big rounds but there seems to be something that holds them back. Of course they are harder to handle until they are split into smaller pieces. And I do not like the noodling either. 

Over the years we've cut up lots of stuff like that but only one time have we had the benefits of hydraulics. However, our hydraulics will work very nicely going vertical. Actually, all our wood gets split in vertical mode. 

Enjoy this. It is good experience and some mighty fine wood.


----------



## BEConklin (Apr 20, 2014)

That's what I'd do...buck it into rounds and stand a round on end. Go at it with wedges and sledge hammer to split it into pieces small enough to lift....actually,no..I don't have hydraulics....so I wouldn't bother lifting anything until it was time to move splits out of the way. Just split it all on theground
I don't think it would be too hard to set a round on end when it's 54" diameter and 18" long..and being red oak it oughtta split easy.


----------



## weatherguy (Apr 20, 2014)

I had one about that size taken down to get a septic system into a house I flipped about 10 years ago, this was before I burned. The neighbor asked if he could have the wood since he was a burner and I said sure. He cut it up using an 18" bar, took him a while but he did it like the poster above said, bucking, ripping and noodling, took him a long time but eventually he did get it all cut and out of my yard.


----------



## splitoak (Apr 20, 2014)

Whoo thats a monster!


----------



## woodsmaster (Apr 20, 2014)

Did one around that size once. Its a lot of work but a lot of wood. It goes pretty fast with a big sharp saw.


----------



## NordicSplitter (Apr 20, 2014)

There is no way on earth for you to process that tree. Just leave it there and I will have my crew haul it away. Free this time but in the future there will be a charge...


----------



## nrford (Apr 20, 2014)

One piece at a time.


----------



## JustWood (Apr 20, 2014)

A can of black powder will save a ton of sawing and back aches.


----------



## OldLumberKid (Apr 20, 2014)

And remember, you don't have to take it all ...  But I figure you have somewhere to put it all or you wouldn't be asking, right.  I've left wood behind, just taking what I need, sometimes, when the bonanza is bountiful. Reminds me of a story ... a bunch of times I've gone to the golf driving range and left behind a 5- 10 -15, 20 balls for various reasons usually connected with time or I'd hit enough and there was no need to go overboard.Last month I get to the range, a bit late but still plenty of light. But the local range closes early.  No prob I practiced a few swings whacking the rubber tee, until I had gotten my alignment recalibrated. I turn around, to go down further to pick just a few balls out of the close grass, and whaddaya know, I find someone left about 3/4 of a medium bucketful.  Thanks, and cheers. What goes around comes around, sometimes.

P.S. Love the story above of the guy who bucked, ripped, and noodled a giant tree with an 18" bar. Man I'd be more worried about getting rolled over by one of those rounds, in case I did something daft, like making my last cut a finishing cut from underneath .... splat!


----------



## gzecc (Apr 20, 2014)

Just take the small stuff. Put the really big stuff on CL for free. Let someone else break their b!@ls for wood that won't be ready for 2 yrs.


----------



## bobdog2o02 (Apr 20, 2014)

Its not like yours but.  I just worked a 36" dia. hickory off a 35% incline.  Make sure you have a big saw, then quartering with wedges, quartering may not be enough, maybe 1/8ths.....   Thats a pile of good fire fodder.  Have you thought of having that monster milled instead of turning it to firewood.  You may pay for an equal amount of firewood seasoned and delivered for the $$ that thing could bring.  You could make solid 36"x 2" table tops with that thing........


----------



## red oak (Apr 20, 2014)

Get a saw large enough for the job with a good sharp chain and go to town.  I bet you'll be surprised at how quickly it goes.  I personally would use a maul and a few wedges to at least quarter those monster rounds, but it looks like you can get the splitter right up to that tree, so that may be the route you want to go.  That is an incredible amount of super firewood you got there!


----------



## Ashful (Apr 20, 2014)

Backwoods Savage said:


> Buck it up and if you have only a horizontal splitter, get yourself 3 or 4 steel wedges and a sledge hammer and go to work.





BEConklin said:


> Go at it with wedges and sledge hammer to split it into pieces small enough to lift....





bobdog2o02 said:


> Make sure you have a big saw, then quartering with wedges...





red oak said:


> I personally would use a maul and a few wedges to at least quarter those monster rounds...


No disrespect to Dennis (he's been doing this longer than I've been alive), or anyone else, but I think that's a mighty tough way of going at this.  I simply noodle rounds this size into 6" thick slabs (6" th x 54" W x 20" L = 235 lb.), and then move those slabs onto the splitter for breaking off the splits.  With a big saw, noodling is a heck of a lot faster and easier on my body than sledge and wedge.  I've had rounds much smaller than these, that can eat many wedges before they let go, and even then you're often left with halves or quarters too big to move.

I leave the rounds on their side as they come off the tree, and just spin them 90 degrees to the trunk.  Then I noodle thru all but the last 2", so what I'm left with looks like a loaf of bread just standing there, waiting for me to pull off the slices.  I keep a small mini-maul (2 - 3 lb., one-hander), and whack it into the top of the kerf when I want to pull one of the slabs off the round, and take it to the splitter.  I don't try to lift the slabs, but instead walk them on their corners, like moving a filing cabinet single-handed.  



red oak said:


> ...but it looks like you can get the splitter right up to that tree, so that may be the route you want to go.


Again guys, tree is reported to be 54" diameter.  Each round will weigh about 1600 lbs. at 20" bucked lengths.  I've never handled rounds _quite _that big, but I've had many very close in the 48" - 50" range (1400 lb.), and they're incredibly difficult to maneuver.


----------



## OldLumberKid (Apr 20, 2014)

bobdog2o02 said:


> Its not like yours but.  I just worked a 36" dia. hickory off a 35% incline.  Make sure you have a big saw, then quartering with wedges, quartering may not be enough, maybe 1/8ths.....   Thats a pile of good fire fodder.  Have you thought of having that monster milled instead of turning it to firewood.  You may pay for an equal amount of firewood seasoned and delivered for the $$ that thing could bring.  You could make solid 36"x 2" table tops with that thing........



^ brilliant -- and that would make some sweet furniture, I would think, assuming the lightning didn't do any major damage.

Meanwhile you don't have to wait 2-3 yrs for the massive piles to season.


----------



## smokedragon (Apr 20, 2014)

Joful said:


> Plus side is every 4 rounds = 1 cord.



That is just CRAZY........Just seems like your time/ cord goes way up on stuff this big.

As a scrounger, I wouldn't touch this (cause people want it gone yesterday).  But if it was somewhere I could take my time, heck yeah I would jump on it.

Be safe, those rounds are very heavy, even cut short.


----------



## Grateful11 (Apr 21, 2014)

Thanks everyone for the tips, keep them coming. 

As far as time and leaving it behind, some of it can be left behind for a while but it's across an interior pasture fence line between two pastures. Wife and son are going to put up a temporary post on each side of the trunk until we can get cut back past that point and then fix it back permanently. The cows have already found the gap between around the tree and took advantage of crossing into the greener grass on the other side. The bark, 1" thick, from the tree actually tore up the fence not the cutting of the tree.

We need to at least get the small limbs off of it and go back as far as we can until it gets too warm to cut this Spring and Summer if cold weather ever ends, we're still in heat mode here, no AC yet ;-) We can go back to the trunk this Fall and try and finish it. I think the cutter cut it off as high as he did to avoid possible fence wire. Believe or not we did not get to see it cut. He was suppose to let us know when he was going to cut, I wanted to video it coming down.

As far as a larger saw, I've been looking for a bigger used saws but the nice ones it seems everyone wants close to new prices. I had a Husqvarna 371XP with a 24" bar at one time but someone decided they wanted it and a Husq. 55 and some other outdoor power equipment worse than I did and lifted it all from our garage. That 371 was sweet. 

There's a Kubota here with a front end loader and it has a set pallet forks for it so hopefully that will help moving the rounds once we get to that point. Most of the firewood we've in the few years we've brought logs to the splitter instead of splitter to the logs because it's an electric splitter and it just seems to work out better do all the cutting in one spot. Also we can stack logs up and cut the from a more comfortable height. Obviously we can't do this with this tree and it will, for the most part, have to be processed where it's at.


----------



## STIHLY DAN (Apr 21, 2014)

That looks like a hell of a lot of fun. Get a big saw, it would pay for itself in that tree alone. Big saw, big fun.


----------



## HDRock (Apr 21, 2014)

I would dig in the pocket and get a vertical splitter, If your son burns to,  you could split the $1000.00 cost .
Drop the rounds onto some 3 or 4in branches, If need be noodle em in half first,  Use the Kubota with pallet forks to get rounds to the splitter,use Paul Bunion's pipe trick and go at it.
Sure I could use sledge n wedges do some noodling, use my 7 ton electric splitter but ,  it would be a lot more work and take a lot lot longer


----------



## Ralphie Boy (Apr 21, 2014)

I just processed one like that. It came to me in 6 an 8 foot lengths, several large dump truck loads. All split by hand, I don't own a hydraulic splitter. This is one of the smaller rounds at 51" in diameter. It was a job but I did it, and I'm still splitting the last couple of rounds including the one on which I'm sitting in the picture. It made 2, 18" rounds plus a 4 inch splitting/chopping round. Around 8 cord when finished. I learned to love noodling with this load. If it had not been delivered for free I could not have done it.


----------



## zzr7ky (Apr 21, 2014)

Hi -

Congratulations!  Great wood.  I process one thisize abou every othr year.  Most folks will not touch them.

Here's what  do.  Have plenty of wedges.  Have a TON of respect fo the amount owieght and enertia those big rounds have as they drop or roll.  Bring a bunch of wedges and sledges. 

I used to take then apart with an 18" bar and wedge off pieces as went like eating corn on the cob.  Then I got a big old two man saw.  Now I'm using a big bar cuttin from bot sides.

Be very aware that as you cut te trunk a the round you cut free may move.  I cut a slice, lay it verticle and quarter it with wedge and sledge, get those out ofthe way, then repeat.

Good luck!
Mike


----------



## BobUrban (Apr 21, 2014)

is it out of question to cut thinner rounds/cookies so to speak and what it up into utilizable size pieces?  Seem like a doable plan but it would change how you stack and subsequently load your stove.  I think I would try that -1600lb 20" rounds a crazy big.


----------



## Ashful (Apr 21, 2014)

smokedragon said:


> That is just CRAZY........Just seems like your time/ cord goes way up on stuff this big.


This is true.  I can split 3 cord / day without working myself too hard (actually once did 5 cords in 24 hours, but that's not typical) when dealing with stuff in the 12" diameter range, and keeping the splitter horizontally.  With these big'uns, we're talking 1 - 1.5 cords per day.  You just get too tired moving the wood.


Grateful11 said:


> As far as a larger saw, I've been looking for a bigger used saws but the nice ones it seems everyone wants close to new prices. I had a Husqvarna 371XP with a 24" bar at one time but someone decided they wanted it and a Husq. 55 and some other outdoor power equipment worse than I did and lifted it all from our garage. That 371 was sweet.
> 
> There's a Kubota here with a front end loader and it has a set pallet forks for it so hopefully that will help moving the rounds once we get to that point.


With all that stuff combined, it sounds like it could've been worth an insurance claim, but maybe not.  With regard to the FEL and your electric splitter, it might be easier to lift that little electric splitter onto the rounds, rather than the other way around!  I can push rounds like that around with my FEL (Deere 855 with model 52 loader), but I can't lift more than 1100 - 1200 lb. vertical.  Also finessing a round onto the foot plate of the splitter is not so easy with a front-end loader.  I had better luck getting them close, and then using a 60" LogRite cant hook to move them up onto the foot plate.  In the end, I found the noodling trick I described above to be much easier.


----------



## Jags (Apr 21, 2014)

Let me at 'em, I love working the big stuff.  Slice, noodle, split, repeat.


----------



## paul bunion (Apr 21, 2014)

Joful said:


> Also finessing a round onto the foot plate of the splitter is not so easy with a front-end loader.  I had better luck getting them close, and then using a 60" LogRite cant hook to move them up onto the foot plate.  In the end, I found the noodling trick I described above to be much easier.



A piece of pipe strategically placed under a large round makes it on the order of 10 times easier to position it on the splitter.   Get the pipe so the round is balanced on it and it takes close to no effort at all. It is amazingly easier.  After one or two rounds you will get the knack it so that you can push the round over and have its momentum carry it right up to the splitter rail.   And with a little more practice you'll have the natural crack/flaw in the round lined up before you shove it over onto the splitter.


----------



## kennyp2339 (Apr 21, 2014)

I split some 40" round monsters, If its strait grained wood I would consider sledge hammer and wedges. I found the best way is to use three wedges. Start on the outside of the logs with one wedge, then go across to the other side to create a straight line through the log, crack in half, makes life a lot easier and safer moving lighter wood around.


----------



## smokedragon (Apr 21, 2014)

Joful said:


> You just get too tired moving the wood.


I am glad it's not just me


----------



## Ashful (Apr 21, 2014)

paul bunion said:


> A piece of pipe strategically placed under a large round makes it on the order of 10 times easier to position it on the splitter.   Get the pipe so the round is balanced on it and it takes close to no effort at all. It is amazingly easier.  After one or two rounds you will get the knack it so that you can push the round over and have its momentum carry it right up to the splitter rail.   And with a little more practice you'll have the natural crack/flaw in the round lined up before you shove it over onto the splitter.


This works great for moving heavy equipment around the shop, but in the mess of debris around the log splitter, it's something less practical.  On dirt, those 1600 lb. rounds will push that pipe into the dirt like your finger thru pudding.  On asphalt or concrete, every little piece of splitter debris will act as a wheel chock under that pipe.

There really is only one way to deal with rounds this size, IMO.  Jags has apparently been there and done it, too.  Get a big saw, and start noodling!


----------



## HybridFyre (Apr 21, 2014)

That's amazing. That one tree is probably enough wood for my 3 year plan.


----------



## paul bunion (Apr 21, 2014)

Joful said:


> This works great for moving heavy equipment around the shop, but in the mess of debris around the log splitter, it's something less practical.  On dirt, those 1600 lb. rounds will push that pipe into the dirt like your finger thru pudding.  On asphalt or concrete, every little piece of splitter debris will act as a wheel chock under that pipe.
> 
> There really is only one way to deal with rounds this size, IMO.  Jags has apparently been there and done it, too.  Get a big saw, and start noodling!


All you need is a couple 2xwhatevers under the pipe and your debris/countersink problems are gone


----------



## Ashful (Apr 21, 2014)

paul bunion said:


> All you need is a couple 2xwhatevers under the pipe and your debris/countersink problems are gone


Maybe!  I'll stick with moving my chainsaw to the round, rather than moving 1600 lb. rounds to the splitter, but to each his own!  I'm not built like paul bunion.

I will say that I've moved lots of equipment this way (I own a 2200 lb. table saw, 1300 lb. band saw, 1200 lb. jointer, 2200 lb. jewelers safe, 700 lb. gun safe, etc.), and it works well.  It's still not zero effort, though.  After you get that round on the splitter, and make the first plunge with the wedge, you still have two 800 lb. half pieces to maneuver sideways, moving one away from the splitter and repositioning the other under the wedge.  It's not light work!  My Stihl 064 weighs, what... 16 lb?


----------



## bigbarf48 (Apr 21, 2014)

If you have a saw for it then go for it, no different than normal cutting. If not, cut as far down as you can go and either leave the rest or cut out blocks


----------



## Standingdead (Apr 21, 2014)

Make sure your tractor is properly sized. Need at least 50hp to use FEL to lift on forks 1600lb rounds. Rear weights a good idea too. Personally I would block these rounds into 6-8" slices, noodle into quarters and split. Each quarter should weigh about 100-150 pounds easy enough to handle.


----------



## Grateful11 (Apr 21, 2014)

The Kubota is 41hp, it's the smallest tractor here on the farm and the only one with a loader, it has an LA724 loader on it. It's rated at 1863# at 60" off the ground and 20" beyond the pivot points.  We would never lift that kind of weight to 60" high that for sure but that's the way it's rated, either breakaway force at ground height, 60"  high or max. height of 102". It's definitely going to push the loader to the limit. The R4 tires of the Kubota are liquid loaded. Anytime we're putting a lot weight on the loader we put a 6' Bush Hog or a 6' JD scrap blade on the 3 point hitch. We're firm believers of keeping it low and slow when moving anything with a loader.


----------



## begreen (Apr 21, 2014)

Wow. We have dealt with a fir not quite as thick at the base and certainly not as dense. My solution was to pay some local football team kids to help. They loved the workout and made a tough job go much faster. Still we only got about 1.5 cords a day done. Big rounds are a lot of work to move around safely.


----------



## embers aplenty (Apr 21, 2014)

Don't know if it was mentioned but one thing I would do is start putting some smaller rounds underneath the big trunk, since it is so nicely off the ground at the big end already. Use as big a ones as possible, cause I'm sure they'll sink in some anyways. No need to dig your saw into the ground if it can be prevented.

As mentioned, having a fairly good sized tractor around and with a bucket would be a big plus.


----------



## Flatbedford (Apr 22, 2014)

As long as you have a saw with a long enough bar I think it is doable. Big rounds split the same as small ones, except you don't have to bend over to put the round back on end after each whack. Don't try to bust them in half, just work around the sides. With straight Red Oak I think these big rounds might split faster than a bunch of small ones. There's less pieces to move. Cut a round, use the tractor to turn it on an end, and get to work. The key is having a saw with a long enough bar. Otherwise you will put a lot of time into making the cuts. Don't be afraid of big rounds.


----------



## Razo (Apr 23, 2014)

That is an enormous tree


----------



## Missouri Frontier (Apr 23, 2014)

Joful said:


> Dennis (he's been doing this longer than I've been alive), or anyone else


 
Lol. Wow, Dennis must be real old. Sorry for the shot Dennis. it just struck me funny.


----------



## Grateful11 (Apr 23, 2014)

We still can't believe the guy dropped it for $150. He charged a $100 to cut very dead Ash about 28-30" across and $400 to bring down a Sweet Gum about 28" across, that was between 2 farm sheds, he had to use his 70' bucket truck to block that one down little by little. Not wild about firewood from the Gum, makes too much ashes in the insert. The Ash is so bad I'd 75% of it is trash.


----------



## Backwoods Savage (Apr 23, 2014)

Missouri Frontier said:


> Lol. Wow, Dennis must be real old. Sorry for the shot Dennis. it just struck me funny.



I guess that makes me an old fart for sure.


----------



## jdp1152 (Apr 23, 2014)

I did an ash tree a bit smaller a few years back with an 18 inch bar and a lot of patience and care.  I can't say that it was fun but I burned nothing but that ash this year with maybe a small amount of norway maple.  I'm a hand splitter so I just whittled away at the sides of the rounds with the fiskars until I could relieve some of the tension to start splitting logs.  Took a while, but I got it done.  Think it was near 2 cords from just the trunk.  Still have two rounds sitting around in the yard where a second pseudo trunk came off and and my fishers and wedges were worthless.  Heck, I still have two wedges stuck and rusting in one.  I'll get to those someday....or some critters may find it rotting and make it home.  Makes no matter to me at this point.

I could probably dig around and find pictures of my daughter standing on a slice of the stump where the tree service folks cut it close to the ground....it was pretty impressive...she pretended it was a surfboard.


----------



## Seasoned Oak (Apr 23, 2014)

Looks like a lifetime supply for me.


----------



## Highbeam (Apr 23, 2014)

Grateful11 said:


> We still can't believe the guy dropped it for $150. He charged a $100 to cut very dead Ash about 28-30" across and $400 to bring down a Sweet Gum about 28" across, that was between 2 farm sheds, he had to use his 70' bucket truck to block that one down little by little. Not wild about firewood from the Gum, makes too much ashes in the insert. The Ash is so bad I'd 75% of it is trash.


 
Why on earth don't you have the logger back out to buck it into rounds? Then you can noodle with your regular saw.


----------



## Grateful11 (Apr 23, 2014)

He's pretty reasonable but when it comes just dropping trees but anything else and he ain't cheap. He brought down 6 trees last year, all in harms way, and the bill was quite high. I could buy a saw for what he would charge to buck the big end down into rounds.


----------



## Ashful (Apr 23, 2014)

Grateful11 said:


> I could buy a saw for what he would charge to buck the big end down into rounds.


Sounds like you have your excuse!  Me?  I'd have had them bucked up an hour after the tree came down.  It's a big tree, but bucking it won't take more than a few minutes per cut, with the right saw.  Been there, done it.


----------



## jeff_t (Apr 24, 2014)

If you were closer, I'd come and buck it for lunch and maybe gas money.

I bucked a 5' silver maple trunk a couple of years ago. Refueled and touched up the chain after every round. I didn't even take the wood, just the $100 the guy offered. I thought it was fun. Don't get to use my 7900 at its max very often.

You got some good ideas here. I like Joful's methods.


----------



## CombatChris (Apr 24, 2014)

Really though, what would it be worth to a mill looking for something that large and old?


----------



## bobdog2o02 (Apr 24, 2014)

CombatChris said:


> Really though, what would it be worth to a mill looking for something that large and old?



Potentially alot,  depends alot in the integrity of the inside of the tree.... and fuel to get to wherever.  A portable mill would probably be where i would start.


----------



## Grateful11 (Apr 24, 2014)

It looks like the first 10' log would weigh somewhere around 8000 lbs. assuming it's about 48" in diameter in the center. I don't think my wife and son would let someone come in and cross two of their pastures to get to it with heavy equipment. They have 65 head of cattle right now, including calves and after this past winter the pastures are in bad enough shape as it is. I believe the only way to go if we did get it milled would be a Lucas Mill that could be setup over the logs, I've looked on their website for a possible link to owners of Lucas Mills but haven't found anyway to search for something like that, I guess I could email them and ask if there's anyone in NC with one of their mills. I looked at some bandsaw mill websites and I haven't found a portable bandsaw mill big enough to handle it, I know there's several people around here that will come to your property with their bandsaw mill. We have to make a trip about tomorrow to the local JD dealer and the main salesperson there knows a couple people with bandsaw mills, I may have him hook me up with them and see what they say.


----------



## Grateful11 (Apr 24, 2014)

jeff_t said:


> If you were closer, I'd come and buck it for lunch and maybe gas money.
> 
> I bucked a 5' silver maple trunk a couple of years ago. Refueled and touched up the chain after every round. I didn't even take the wood, just the $100 the guy offered. I thought it was fun. Don't get to use my 7900 at its max very often.
> 
> You got some good ideas here. I like Joful's methods.



Why heck yeah, I wish you were closer. We had some guys from the AS site volunteer to come over and cut up a big Sweet Gum some years ago, they just wanted to cut and help us out a bit. They wouldn't use our gas, they ran aviation fuel in their saws. My wife fixed them a whole big meal for lunch. One guy had a Dolmar 7900 and another had a Husky 3120 with 4' bar. One guy didn't even burn wood he just collects chainsaws and like to saw, drove about an hour to get here.


----------



## bobdog2o02 (May 5, 2014)

I have seen mobile saw mills that use chainsaws....  the equipment attaches to the log somehow and guides the chainsaw.  I would think this setup would cut thinker pieces to allow more material for planing at the mill........


----------



## heaterman (May 5, 2014)

If you are going to use a saw with a long bar (>28") get yourself a skip tooth chain if you are going to rip it lengthwise. It'll go much easier on the saw and the long shavings won't plug things up under the bar cover and overheat the clutch.


----------



## jeffesonm (May 5, 2014)

that's a big tree


----------



## Trundle (May 5, 2014)

Here's the chainsaw mill setup I've been using this Spring to mill up some Doug Fir boards that I plan on using to side my shed. I make the first cut using a section of extension ladder screwed to the log. After the first cut is made, I just take 1" boards off the log until I can't get anymore. I use my 066 with a ripping chain and it works pretty slick. Also a great way to make beams (I think the adjustment allows for up to a 13" beam). The bar pictured is a 36" which is the longest my mill will take, but you can get them in just about any size.


----------



## Trundle (May 5, 2014)

Sorry for the huge pics. I thought I pressed the thumbnail button.


----------



## Ashful (May 8, 2014)

So, I was out processing some bigger rounds yesterday, and had the chance to photo this slab bing technique.  Since I was working alone, I did not get to photo the subsequent splitting, and I forgot to photo the resulting product.


----------



## touchthewindrider (May 8, 2014)

Yes yes.....I've been working on a similar tree for a few months now.  I did have someone take it down for me and then saw it
up into rounds of 20".  I'm moving each round out and sawing them in half...as I'm getting closer to the stump I think I may even
have to quarter them.  I have a vertical splitter, so that helps...but, doing it by yourself still takes time.  I work on it for a few hours each week...come on folks, I've got other stuff to do, as well.  But, nevertheless, lots and lots of wood!
Chip away at it....


----------



## Jags (May 8, 2014)

Come on fellas - you can do it.  I had this one blocked and MOVED 3 miles away in two afternoons.

That was a Mac110 with a big bar (pro arborist).  I was in the truck tensioning the bull rope.

Still pic after the drop:



That was the only cut that the Mac made.  I did the rest with my MS361.


----------



## Ashful (May 8, 2014)

Why'd it take you two days, Jags?


----------



## Jags (May 8, 2014)

Joful said:


> Why'd it take you two days, Jags?



No, no - not two days, just two evenings/afternoons.  I had to work my real job first.


----------



## CombatChris (May 8, 2014)

I suppose all you need (which would be what I don't have) are the tools and the transportation. Hell, I check CL for free wood just to keep my ear to the ground but have no ready access to a truck. Someone's got what they claim is 2 cord of white oak, nearby, and I can't do diddly about it.

Anyone in Central NC should check the Winston Craigslist, if you're interested.


----------



## Jags (May 8, 2014)

The whole wood gathering thing will be difficult at best without a method to move wood.  I guess you could always take the route of having it dropped off.


----------



## brant2000 (May 8, 2014)

Don't know much about it, but I've heard that some of these BIG trees can fetch outrageous prices for use as veneer.  Obviously that's a different ball game than most of your small time (portable) mills.  Might be worth checking into before having it milled.


----------



## CombatChris (May 8, 2014)

Most of what I see (in terms of free) are people who have felled or had trees felled for them and they want someone to come pick up the logs/rounds. If I can get in touch with a tree service which would drop off what would be otherwise a waste burden for them, that would be ideal. No luck so far though.







It's all part of the [tinyhouse homestead] plan.


----------



## begreen (May 8, 2014)

Jags said:


> Come on fellas - you can do it.  I had this one blocked and MOVED 3 miles away in two afternoons.
> That was a Mac110 with a big bar (pro arborist).  I was in the truck tensioning the bull rope.
> 
> Still pic after the drop:
> ...


Bet that made some pretty big holes in the ground when it came down.


----------



## Jags (May 8, 2014)

begreen said:


> Bet that made some pretty big holes in the ground when it came down.



There were 10" branchs stuck 4' into the ground.  Had to chain them and pull to get them out.


----------



## Flatbedford (May 8, 2014)

Nice to have all that room to drop it....and to be OK with sticking 10" branches 4' into the ground.


----------



## Jags (May 8, 2014)

Flatbedford said:


> Nice to have all that room to drop it....and to be OK with sticking 10" branches 4' into the ground.


That was at a buddys house.  He has a 10 acre yard that used to be a park 100 years ago.  Lots of vintage oaks there.  I get a little nervous when I can't do my back cut in one swipe (its just me), that is why the pro was called in for one cut.  The quote from the pro to piece it down was into the thousands.  It made the yard holes a little easier to deal with.


----------



## Ashful (May 8, 2014)

Jags said:


> I get a little nervous when I can't do my back cut in one swipe (its just me), that is why the pro was called in for one cut.


I posted photos here about two years ago, of a 44" DBH ash I took down with my 28" bar.  The left-handed back-cut was made standing in a tight corner, with no real direction for escape... definite pucker factor.  I had three such trees inside of a year, which was why I went and bought a 36" bar for the 064.  With the longer bar, there are fewer back cuts that I can't make from one side.


----------



## Jags (May 8, 2014)

36" wouldn't have done it for this big boy.  My 25" from both sides missed the middle by about 8-10".


----------



## Ashful (May 9, 2014)

I forgot to mention, the slabbing technique produces oodles of noodles. This was from just two or three rounds:





That fire pit is 7 feet in diameter, so the pile must've close to 3 feet high.  Easily disposed, though:


----------



## Jags (May 9, 2014)

Another stump that I worked up from the same buddy:


----------



## BrotherBart (May 9, 2014)

Jags said:


> I had this one blocked and MOVED 3 miles away in two afternoons.



Uphill. Both ways.


----------



## HDRock (May 10, 2014)

Jags said:


> Another stump that I worked up from the same buddy:
> View attachment 132874


Can't seem to make out the numbers on the tape measure


----------



## Woody Stover (May 10, 2014)

Looks like 16s are highlighted, so about 4'...not DBH though...


----------



## Flatbedford (May 10, 2014)

I could have had this monster afew years ago, but passed.


----------



## Jags (May 12, 2014)

HDRock said:


> Can't seem to make out the numbers on the tape measure


It taped out at 47" right there.  It was only marginally smaller than that at DBH.  It just didn't have much flair out at the base.
I will be honest though - I live in flat country, so no hills.


----------



## Bigg_Redd (May 13, 2014)

Grateful11 said:


> Is it crazy to even consider it?



Yes.  The only thing crazier would be to pass on it.  

Start from the top and carefully work your way down.


----------



## Niko (May 13, 2014)

Wow the roots on that thing must go for miles!


----------



## Grateful11 (Dec 21, 2014)

Well finally got a start on the monster tree. Don't think we even made a dent in the old girl but needed some wood to burn now, something to mix in with the seasoned wood we have but are going to run short on. Don't have a moisture meter but it's on fire in about 5-10 on a small bed coals. I call this stuff daytime wood, something we toss a handful in the insert and enjoy.


----------



## Bigg_Redd (Dec 22, 2014)

Grateful11 said:


> Don't have a moisture meter



Perfect.


----------



## bob95065 (Dec 24, 2014)

Looks like an excuse to buy a new, large saw to me.

I have a Stihl 066 that I use to cut big wood like this.  I get what others pass on.  I prefer the large rounds.  That's where the wood is.


----------



## Ashful (Dec 25, 2014)

Bucking large is hella fun.  Splitting large... not so much.


----------



## Grateful11 (Dec 25, 2014)

bob95065 said:


> Looks like an excuse to buy a new, large saw to me.
> 
> I have a Stihl 066 that I use to cut big wood like this.  I get what others pass on.  I prefer the large rounds.  That's where the wood is.



Sounds like a plan.


----------



## Halligan (Dec 25, 2014)

Thats a big tree for sure. I have a large oak to cut up myself and I'm thinking of noodling the trunk first then cutting the round. This way I have 2 or 3 piece's dropping off the trunk vs. one large round. which could roll, or worse, land cut side down then I have to try and muscle the round onto it's side to noodle.

If anyone thinks thats a bad idea tell me now.

Merry Christmas.


----------



## Excavator (Dec 25, 2014)

this will split them by driving over to log and setting on top of large rounds then start slicing down





you can see the 30 ton splitter on bottom that is run from in cab and no lifting needed.
Once down to smaller splits that can be man handled I use top splitter


----------



## WiscWoody (Dec 25, 2014)

That big Oak should heat your place for some time! It's too cold and the growing seasons are too short for most trees to grow that big up here but I'd like the challenge even though I don't have a tractor to help move the big pieces around.

Excavator- that's a splitter I've never seen before and I'm sure it'd work great for the big rounds like the ones on this thread!


----------



## 1970roadrunner (Dec 25, 2014)

This is definitely worth it.  Get a big enough saw & bar and process it as any other tree, just on a bigger scale.  If the rounds are too big to split by hand, noodle them into more manageable pieces.  That is way too much free wood to pass up!  Especially oak.

I used to live in BC and cut dead standing Douglas Fir trees, and a lot of them were up to this size.  The only difference I can see is that oak will be a harder to split.  I miss these big trees, my big saws generally sit unused now.


----------



## Ashful (Dec 25, 2014)

1970roadrunner said:


> I used to live in BC and cut dead standing Douglas Fir trees, and a lot of them were up to this size.  The only difference I can see is that oak will be a harder to split.  I miss these big trees, my big saws generally sit unused now.


The main issue with big oak is actually weight.  I recall having single rounds in excess of 1500 lb on an oak I processed in 2012.


----------



## WiscWoody (Dec 25, 2014)

Joful said:


> The main issue with big oak is actually weight.  I recall having single rounds in excess of 1500 lb on an oak I processed in 2012.


You could get hurt easily if something goes or moves wrong with that much weight! Not to mention trying to get it to move. I'd love to have a tractor!


----------



## CombatChris (Dec 25, 2014)

I processed oak which someone had already bucked into 18-20" lengths. These were rounds 36-48" across - a big oak. We got it out of the spot the only way we could without some kind of lift and no way of rolling it up a steep incline - sledge and wedge. If you need to move them, bring a 10lbs hammer and several wedges. Split them into 8th's, 12th's, 16th's, whatever's manageable that you can pick up and put into your truck for later.

Man, it's a satisfying feeling when those big ones split for the 1st time. Just start on the outside, only a few inches in for your first wedge. I don't care how good the wedge, how heavy the hammer, or how strong the man swinging it.... start at the edge.


----------



## Whitepine2 (Dec 25, 2014)

I take my saw and noodle the edge just a little then start with the wedge;s it will usually split very
easy and will let you start wedge much eraser.


----------



## Ashful (Dec 26, 2014)

I should try this, Whitepine.  I seem to get a lot of very large stuff, and my method for dealing with this stuff is to noodle it into slabs and then split the slabs on my hydraulic splitter set for vertical splitting.  It works, and it's fun spewing all those noodles with a big saw, but it's wasteful, messy, and inefficient.  I like your idea better.


----------



## WiscWoody (Dec 26, 2014)

Excavator said:


> this will split them by driving over to log and setting on top of large rounds then start slicing down
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ya have her a coat of fresh paint for picture day, she's perty!!


----------



## Whitepine2 (Dec 26, 2014)

Joful said:


> I should try this, Whitepine.  I seem to get a lot of very large stuff, and my method for dealing with this stuff is to noodle it into slabs and then split the slabs on my hydraulic splitter set for vertical splitting.  It works, and it's fun spewing all those noodles with a big saw, but it's wasteful, messy, and inefficient.  I like your idea better.


Ya I do too! Sometimes ya gotta go deeper depends what you are splitting but most times just enough 
to break the strain of the round and it parts easy. Try it you will like it I'm sure.


----------

