awesome score, awesome neighbor!

[Cornflakes]

We just moved here last May, and my neighbor is a fellow wood burner. He has a family farm 5 miles down the road where he only harvests/burns Locust. One day he let me test my new saw out on a big limb he cut off a cherry tree next to his house and said I could have all the wood. Then we got to talking about how he wanted to clear out some trees next to his house so the grass would grow better. He said I could come over anytime and cut/help clear it out, and I could keep all the wood! Looks like I'll be burning some cherry in the near future! Best score to date and its 50 yards from my front door!

This pile if from that first limb he cut down a couple weeks ago...I still need to cut the tree down it came from...its to the right of this picture not shown.



This is my first official "large" tree downing... one of several I'm free to take! I could only cut up two rounds before I had to leave for work..... and they were freaking heavy! Does anyone have any pointers as I work my way up cutting rounds from the tree? As you can see a good chunk of it is still up in the air a bit... hung up on branches.

 

[Cornflakes]

How many cords worth would you all guess is in that sucker?

 

[weatherguy]

I'd guess about 1/3 cord, nice score, you'll be busy this spring and set for a few winters to come.

 

[Cornflakes]

I'd guess about 1/3 cord, nice score, you'll be busy this spring and set for a few winters to come.

I'm hoping he doesn't bring his wood splitter up for me to use... lol... I need a good work out!

 

[blacktail]

That's some pretty wood. Just look at the colors in that trunk. Strange that the colors are reversed in some of the rounds.

 

[Cornflakes]

That's some pretty wood. Just look at the colors in that trunk. Strange that the colors are reversed in some of the rounds.

Yes I agree... I was wondering about that myself.

 

[TreePointer]

You are seeing the difference between freshly cut black cherry and black cherry rounds that have been exposed to the atmosphere for a while. It doesn't take long.

 

[drz1050]

Cherry is pretty wood.. you might be able to sell some to woodworkers, then use that cash to buy some other wood that's already cut & split..

 

[Osagebndr]

I burnt cherry all winter(along with other species) . It burns well and smells good , save some for the smoker as it's great cooking wood.

 

[sportbikerider78]

I use cherry and apple (both from my property) in my bbq grill. I throw in some charcoal for consistent low ash heat,,but cooking over wood is pretty awesome.

 

[CountryBoy19]

This is my first official "large" tree downing... one of several I'm free to take! I could only cut up two rounds before I had to leave for work..... and they were freaking heavy! Does anyone have any pointers as I work my way up cutting rounds from the tree? As you can see a good chunk of it is still up in the air a bit... hung up on branches.
View attachment 155937

You may want to take a look at this thread: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/bc-feller-training-standard-you-tube-series.142362/
That stump is not cut in accordance with proper form and safety (angled back-cut isn't as safe as a flat/straight back-cut).

 

[Cornflakes]

You may want to take a look at this thread: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/bc-feller-training-standard-you-tube-series.142362/
That stump is not cut in accordance with proper form and safety (angled back-cut isn't as safe as a flat/straight back-cut).

Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out for sure. I'm only doing what I have been shown to do by friends.

 

[Cornflakes]

All done... Now... Do I split in place or borrow the neighbors truck and haul it to my back yard...

 

[Cornflakes]

That stump is not cut in accordance with proper form and safety (angled back-cut isn't as safe as a flat/straight back-cut).

Wow I was doing a reverse under cut. that's stupid of me! An undercut makes way more sense!! Thanks for reminding me about those videos!

Do most people use wedges?

 

[TreePointer]

There is always at least a small wedge in my pocket when sawing. If dropping a tree, I have multiple wedges handy with something to drive them.

Also, wedges often get used when bucking large wood. They keep open the kerf.

 

[Rebelduckman]

We just moved here last May, and my neighbor is a fellow wood burner. He has a family farm 5 miles down the road where he only harvests/burns Locust. One day he let me test my new saw out on a big limb he cut off a cherry tree next to his house and said I could have all the wood. Then we got to talking about how he wanted to clear out some trees next to his house so the grass would grow better. He said I could come over anytime and cut/help clear it out, and I could keep all the wood! Looks like I'll be burning some cherry in the near future! Best score to date and its 50 yards from my front door!

This pile if from that first limb he cut down a couple weeks ago...I still need to cut the tree down it came from...its to the right of this picture not shown.
View attachment 155936


This is my first official "large" tree downing... one of several I'm free to take! I could only cut up two rounds before I had to leave for work..... and they were freaking heavy! Does anyone have any pointers as I work my way up cutting rounds from the tree? As you can see a good chunk of it is still up in the air a bit... hung up on branches.
View attachment 155937

Good score. I love cherry. Burned 1.5 cords of it this year and I'm cutting more now. I always start at the top of the tree limbing and work down but I guess it don't matter

 

[Copper44]

In the first felling picture it looks like there may have been a vine growing on the tree?

 

[Woody Stover]

All done... Now... Do I split in place or borrow the neighbors truck and haul it to my back yard...

If you want to handle it the least, maybe split it there then load the splits and get as close as possible to where you're going to stack it. Straight Cherry splits pretty easy...

 

[rwilly]

I would split it there if possible, you can get more in the back of a truck if it is split.

 

[Cornflakes]

In the first felling picture it looks like there may have been a vine growing on the tree?

Yea, there was a vine growing on it... ?

 

[CountryBoy19]

Wow I was doing a reverse under cut. that's stupid of me! An undercut makes way more sense!! Thanks for reminding me about those videos!

Do most people use wedges?

I'm sure that most people do not. But do most people use chaps and other PPE? Do most people educate themselves on the proper way to cut trees before doing it? Probably not

Most (if not all) professional fallers use wedges. As described in the videos, a wedge keeps the tree from setting back on the saw (which would pinch the bar and really screw things up), keeps wind from bringing the tree backwards, and a wedge is used to force the tree to fall in the direction you intend.

For firewood cutting the wedge can be used to keep the bar from being pinched while bucking. Set a wedge as soon as you're deep enough into the cut to prevent the wood from pinching the base.

I'm just a firewood cutter but there are several things I ALWAYS take with me when cutting. Saws, PPE, axe, tool-kit, fuel/oil, wedges. Every time I leave home to cut wood I have at least a couple wedges.

 

[Applesister]

Black cherry is great wood, Im surprised your neighbor let you have it. Now Im curious if you will clean up the brush for him? Just wondering. What are your feelings on it?
Tractor supply sells wedges for 10.00 each.
Also, I would try to not borrow too much of your neighbors equipment. He will be more apt to let you take more wood if you resort to your own resources(if you show signs of industriousness.) Just guessing on that.
Split the wood there and get it out however you can.
If he offers to let you use a truck or cart or something you can be grateful and gracious.
If hes giving you wood dont ask for anything else to help promote continued generosity.
Its just a female intuition thing.

 

[Copper44]

Did you check to make sure it's not poison ivy? It would have reddish little hairs if it is.

 

[Cornflakes]

Did you check to make sure it's not poison ivy? It would have reddish little hairs if it is.

Lol it's poison. I have a couple itchy spots on my arms. Not too bad... But I'll be using long sleeves from now on.

 

[Cornflakes]

Black cherry is great wood, Im surprised your neighbor let you have it. Now Im curious if you will clean up the brush for him? Just wondering. What are your feelings on it?
Tractor supply sells wedges for 10.00 each.
Also, I would try to not borrow too much of your neighbors equipment. He will be more apt to let you take more wood if you resort to your own resources(if you show signs of industriousness.) Just guessing on that.
Split the wood there and get it out however you can.
If he offers to let you use a truck or cart or something you can be grateful and gracious.
If hes giving you wood dont ask for anything else to help promote continued generosity.
Its just a female intuition thing.

My neighbors are great people... He has already offered to use his truck... As we were both going to cut the wood up and haul it over to my house, it's just that our schedules are opposite and he told me to have at it whenever I feel like it. Sure I'd help him clean up the brush, if he wants it cleaned up. I think he mainly wanted more sunlight on that side of his house, not useable space.

He only burns locust and has a wooded farm just down the street, so the cherry is of no use for him. He doesn't even store split wood at his house and said he is gonna throw his leftover stacks on my stacks lol.