Biggest Oak I’ve Ever Cut

[MotoBoyMatt]

 

[bill*67]

thats a big tree! i hope you split it quick, and stacked it. nice score!

 

[MotoBoyMatt]

I split one cookie in half but am going to wait for the rest to freeze in hopes it will split easier considering I'm using a maul and wedges.

 

[Gooserider]

I just moved this to the Wood Shed, though I'm not real sure it needed to - it's one of those borderline cases where you can debate whether it should be counted as a picture or as wood...

One question I'd ask though, is just for scaling sake, what is the size of the saws in the photos? Definitely a big tree, unless you're playing games and posing it with a saw like my Pull-on with the 12" bar... :lol:

Gooserider

 

[free75degrees]

Nice one. I have gotten some big rounds like that from the dump. The town leaves them there when they cut down town trees. Huge rounds are nice cause you get much less bark to wood ratio. It also seems like bigger rounds have denser wood. Do you think there is higher energy content in the big rounds vs. the small rounds for a given type of wood?

 

[MotoBoyMatt]

The big saw has a 34" bar and the little one is only 16". The rounds are cut right about 16" thick. It was all of 36" in diameter at 16" up from the stump cut.

I'm about 6 feet tall.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Good job Matt. I've cut many of these (used to be a logger) so know what you were going through. Handling those logs is not easy. Hope you have a cant hook.

As for the splitting, they won't split any easier in the winter than they will now. At least I've never noticed any difference. It is best done with a hydraulic splitter too! Still have to rastle those logs though.

 

[Mo Heat]

I love those big oak rounds, and split mine with a 12 lb monster maul, which I've found to be more productive than the 8 lb or 6 lb variety maul. I've never had to resort to wedges by "flaking" pieces off around the edges, but my oak rounds topped out at around 30 inches in diameter. I know some of those big pieces can be pretty twisted and gnarly. If mine don't "respond" to the monster maul, sometimes I may "cube" them up with the saw.

Man, I'm salivating looking at that red oak (which I've found is a little easier to maul-split than white oak; I prefer to season them both two years for ideal moisture content and best burning)! That size trunk is beyond my mortal chain sawing ability and takes some pretty big cojones. Nice job.

Quite the mondo bar you have on that saw. Scary, too.

 

[Todd]

Wow! My back hurts just looking at it.

 

[Gooserider]

Yup, definitely a good job... I've had a few 40" range logs that I've cut up, though I didn't fell them, and they can definitely be a challenge... And many ways the biggest challenge comes once they are on the ground and you have to get them split. OTOH, it's not a bad deal when you get a couple days worth of firewood from just one cookie...

Gooserider

 

[MotoBoyMatt]

Quite the mondo bar you have on that saw. Scary, too.

Yeah I got it on clearance from Bailey's almost 5 years ago, could've had a 42" for the same price but figured that'd be overkill. Would've been nice on this tree though as I still ended up double cutting on the felling cut and the first 3 or 4 cookies. It's harder to line up the cuts with the longer bar because it flexes and the nose kind of takes it's own path. The saw weights 18lbs by itself and it barely balances sitting on the ground with the 34" bar so I can just imagine how unwieldy the 42" would be.

As far as handling the log I got lucky that it landed with the butt end still on the stump so I was able to put blocks under most of it and cut with out too much pinching. The rounds rolled right out of the way like wheels.

 

[ansehnlich1]

GAD DAWG that's awesome! You're a logger eh? Ain't no way I'd have the guts to drop somethin' that big.

What felling cut did you use anyhow?

And....how many cord do ya figure was in it?

 

[MotoBoyMatt]

Mother nature dropped the top and I was left with about a 15 foot trunk. I just used a straight cut since it wasn't a whole tree but looking back that was not the right choice. It started to turn a little when I was wedging it so I got out of there and came back with a tractor loader to push it over. Cutting a notch and leaving a hinge would've been alot safer.
At 36" diameter that's about .11 cord per 16" cookie, so pretty close to a full cord for the trunk. The top is anyone's guess

 

[cannonballcobb]

That's a good lookin' oak.

This was the biggest I've taken, about a 4 footer mine's a 32" bar.

 

[MotoBoyMatt]

Thats huge, did you happen to count the rings? I would think it's in the 100 year old range. What model Stihl is that? How nose heavy is it with the 32" bar. Look's like you did a pretty good job of lining up your cuts, any pointers you can give me?

 

[cannonballcobb]

Didn't count the rings. It's a 460 and not too nose heavy. A 25" bar is perfect, the 32" doesn't get used too often. I've had good results when lining up the cuts and I think it has a lot to do with the consistency in chain sharpening. That and letting the saw do the work. It seems if I try to rush, the cut will tend to go crooked.

 

[Prada]

One 'Big Ol' Tree for sure! lol :gulp:

 

[sl7vk]

What is that yellow saw you're using?

 

[Gooserider]

What is that yellow saw you're using?

Could be wrong, but it looks like an old McCulloch (sp?) - Nice saws in their day, unfortunately Mac let the quality go, and tried to live on reputation alone, and now they aren't that highly regarded anymore (I think they've been bought out by someone and only make little homeowner grade saws these days...) It appears to be in great shape for a saw of that vintage too.

I will say I'd be reluctant to use that saw though, as it doesn't appear to have any of the modern safety functions like a chain brake, etc.... Sort of the difference between a Model "T" and a modern car w/ anti-lock brakes and the works... (I do hope MBM is wearing his protective gear otherwise...)

Gooserider

 

[thebeatlesrgood]

good score matt. was it on your property or do you need to transport it too?

 

[drdoct]

I was wondering on the first post if that was a whole tree or just the trunk because it looked like it fell towards the R/R tracks. Those are R/R tracks right? I've been working on big trunks too but not felling. I've got 2- 14' slings I hook to my truck to roll the big logs once I cut about half way through every 17". I've only got a 20" bar which makes it hard for me to line up. Kinda hard to get those cookies split though. Mine splits good because they are 3+ years old. I would imagine you would have to quarter those to even get them small enough to move to the splitter if you were inclined to do it mechanically. Other than that, enjoy the exercise. Sure feels like an accomplishment seeing that thing split up doesn't it?

 

[smokinj]

Nice Score what kind of chain saw is that?

 

[MarcM]

Nice tree... nice old Mac's. I split everything with a maul and wedges too, and I don't blame you one bit for waiting until the wood freezes to split it up. That's one of several reasons why I do my firewood work almost exclusively in the winter.

 

[Cluttermagnet]

Nice score! My first tree was a Red Oak that size, taken down by a pro tree crew. They were kind enough to cut the cookies thin- ran anywhere from about 8-14 in. I was just barely strong enough to move them, and it wasn't easy. I split all in place, about half by hand and half with a borrowed splitter. I'll probably be burning that tree for the next 2-3 years. Probably got upwards of 4 cords out of it. About 80-90 years old by the ring count.

 

[Malatesta]

Love the bigd oak rounds ! Lots of solid wood. Good job !