Cutting Osage orange / Hedge in the summer

[lukem]

That is a nice one there!

3 of those and you've got a load.

 

[smokinj]

Would love to have the problems you guys have with the super hard & high BTU wood types.
Sometimes I think you guys make it up. Wood so hard , even clean,
it cuts real slow (knock the rakers down a bit ? ) &
dulls a hardened steel chain (get a carbide chain).

Need some wine & cheese ?
LOL

carbide impregnated chain:
View attachment 100901

Nope didn't say I could cut it, but a rookie with less than above average chain skills if don't prepared will! I would run a 460- 20 inch bar full chisel The one lukem posted it would be a good run. Nothing like a 50 inch Oak! But, you get the idea! Everything need to be at top notch! 44 inch red oak 6 chains 7 tanks of fuel and 9 man hrs. It really does come down to horse power and great chains. It another reason guys turn to modd.s and the fuel they use.

 

[smokinj]

3 of those and you've got a load.

Yea that's the way to find it. Ones I get look more like an over grown apple tree. You arms get more cuts than the tree. (But its still worth it)

 

[Big Donnie Brasco]

Yea that's the way to find it. Ones I get look more like an over grown apple tree. You arms get more cuts than the tree. (But its still worth it)

How the hell do you get the rounds in your truck / trailer !??!?!

 

[osagebow]

Nice score! Good luck with the new saw, getcha some chaps if you haven't already. I second what the others have said and will add:

- crazy bended limbs pushing against one another can cause pressure you don't see and get saws stuck, A common impromptu workout regimen for me with hedge
- any tools that keep you "away" can help with thorns when limbing. I use a ditch bank blade

and long pruner / loppers. Often wish i had a flamethrower.


and MOST IMPORTANTLY: looked like a hunting pic in your first avatar. Might want to save a few 70" evenly reflexed sections

 

[Big Donnie Brasco]

Nice score! Good luck with the new saw, getcha some chaps if you haven't already. I second what the others have said and will add:

- crazy bended limbs pushing against one another can cause pressure you don't see and get saws stuck, A common impromptu workout regimen for me.
- any tools that keep you "away" can help with thorns when limbing. I use a ditch bank blade

and long pruner / loppers. Often wish i had a flamethrower. View attachment 100903


and MOST IMPORTANTLY: looked like a hunting pic in your first avatar. Might want to save a few 70" evenly reflexed sections

Yep, I am a hunter You want some hedge for a bow?

I started a thread about a HUGE turkey that I just shot but it never showed up! Too picture heavy maybe?

 

[osagebow]

Yep, I am a hunter You want some hedge for a bow?

I started a thread about a HUGE turkey that I just shot but it never showed up! Too picture heavy maybe?

Try opening pics in "paint" and re-sizing. Got plenty of osage here,and cutting wood has taken my bow-time away temporarily, but thanks a bunch for the offer. Where are you at?
You could probably get some hits on CL for nice stave splits (= Saw $$$!) Remember, A wise guy never pays for his drinks!

 

[clemsonfor]

Would love to have the problems you guys have with the super hard & high BTU wood types.
Sometimes I think you guys make it up. Wood so hard , even clean,
it cuts real slow (knock the rakers down a bit ? ) &
dulls a hardened steel chain (get a carbide chain).

Need some wine & cheese ?
LOL

carbide impregnated chain:
View attachment 100901

HAHA, then i watch shows like "Yukon men" and they have a 35 year old beat to heck trck loaded up to the top of the cab the whole bed length and it does not even look like there is anything in the truck Im thinking they have a 1 ton suspention with add a leafs on it and air shocks or something? I have a 1/2 ton 1980 K10 shortbed truck, with 3 rows in it (basically to the back of teh wheel wells) leveled up to the bed rails with oak that thing has the headlights pointing to the sky

Cut some Locust last fall, I may as well been cutting cinder blocks, my chain dulled so fast! I think i went through 2 chains (that were sharpened on my grinder)and maybe finished off a dull one that was in my saw bucket just to get enough wood to load my ford ranger shortbed, that has a tool box in it

We dont make this stuff up, i dont think you could in your wildest dreams think that wood would do the kinds of things we talk about.

 

[Paulywalnut]

I found that the carbide chain really handles the osage pretty good.
I think hedge is part wood and something metallic.

 

[bogydave]

HAHA, then i watch shows like "Yukon men" and they have a 35 year old beat to heck trck loaded up to the top of the cab the whole bed length and it does not even look like there is anything in the truck Im thinking they have a 1 ton suspention with add a leafs on it and air shocks or something? I have a 1/2 ton 1980 K10 shortbed truck, with 3 rows in it (basically to the back of teh wheel wells) leveled up to the bed rails with oak that thing has the headlights pointing to the sky

Cut some Locust last fall, I may as well been cutting cinder blocks, my chain dulled so fast! I think i went through 2 chains (that were sharpened on my grinder)and maybe finished off a dull one that was in my saw bucket just to get enough wood to load my ford ranger shortbed, that has a tool box in it

We dont make this stuff up, i dont think you could in your wildest dreams think that wood would do the kinds of things we talk about.

Know locust. Fried the blooms in butter, good stuff

Helped Dad cut & split locust for fence posts, I bet they are still there! (WV & PA)
Put them up green so you can get a nail in them.
When dry, you can't drive a nail in it

Just having fun,

 

[Jags]

Fried the blooms in butter, good stuff

'Splain?

 

[bogydave]

'Splain?

Food!

 

[Jags]

Food!

Locust blooms?

 

[lukem]

Locust blooms?

Black locusts bloom every so often. Never thought about eating it though

 

[jeff_t]

You may have to go to HD & rent a saw for a weekend to get this show on the road LOL

That's actually a good idea. Except for the chains they have on those Makitas. Big-@ss-bumper-link chain might not do so well.

 

[bogydave]

Black locusts bloom every so often. Never thought about eating it though

I recall them being really good. Been many years but they were good enough that I remember.
Not sure how mom cooked them.

http://www.wildfoods.info/wildfoods/blacklocust.html

 

[bogydave]

That's actually a good idea. Except for the chains they have on those Makitas. Big-@ss-bumper-link chain might not do so well.

Buy a real chain for it
We're talking thousands of dollars $$ of fuel savings here !

 

[Jags]

I recall them being really good. Been many years but they were good enough that I remember.
Not sure how mom cooked them.

http://www.wildfoods.info/wildfoods/blacklocust.html

Cool - I learned something new today.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Thanks for all the ideas!!
So here is my plan so far, after reading your input.

1. Go girdle several of them ASAP. I'm still looking at 4 weeks from now before I will have my saw.
2. As time permits over the summer drop, and limb them.... should I buck, and split them no as well so they can start drying?

In the meantime I have a few other properties that I know have lots of dead standing, that I can harvest for this coming winter.

Thanks again for the advice!!

* sounds like I will need to take a spare chain with me for the hedge!

I have girdled trees, then dropped them later. They get a LOT harder to cut if you leave them for any time. Seeing as osage is the densest wood that grows in the US, I would absolutely not girdle them now- I wouldn't want them any harder to cut.

 

[Jags]

They will cut much easier when live than they ever will after you let them sit and "petrify" for a while.

 

[lukem]

I have girdled trees, then dropped them later. They get a LOT harder to cut if you leave them for any time. Seeing as osage is the densest wood that grows in the US, I would absolutely not girdle them now- I wouldn't want them any harder to cut.

This is true, but still very manageable. The wood lot I cut on is full of hedge trees that were girdled 15-20 years ago. They are hard, but not ridiculous. I've cut about 10 cord of these trees over the past 3 years and would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

 

[Jags]

They are hard, but not ridiculous. I've cut about 10 cord of these trees over the past 3 years and would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

And Osage is one that will darn near dry on the stump (if old enough). I have cut some dead bastages that could have been tossed straight into the stove.

 

[Big Donnie Brasco]

Thanks guys... My only real concern was that I heard the sap could gum up my saw/blade. The I am hoping that my new Stihl 036 BEAST will just laugh at it!

 

[Jags]

Don't sweat it Donnie. The saw will do a fine job and if need be, the clean up ain't bad either.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

This is true, but still very manageable. The wood lot I cut on is full of hedge trees that were girdled 15-20 years ago. They are hard, but not ridiculous. I've cut about 10 cord of these trees over the past 3 years and would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Oh, if that's what's available- then by all means you'd be crazy not to take it. Girdling them on purpose now, however, is more work will just make the job a bit tougher in the long run I think.

The only osage I've had was bow staves. I actually really liked working it- gives a satisfying crunch with a draw knife or spoke shave. The sawdust was a bit irritating, however (and gave me bright yellow snot).