How to handle large logs

[pyper]

The lady across the street has the trunk from a big old oak tree in her back yard. She had it cut down several years ago, and the branches cut off, but for some reason she kept the trunk, in three or four 7 foot long sections. They're 18" to 24" across. I have a chainsaw, but they're laying in the dirt. How can I lift them out of the dirt to cut them? They weigh a ton (perhaps literally), and I can't make them budge by pushing on them by hand.

 

[smokinj]

cut them in smaller sections you may have to hit the dirt just do your best to find spots that are already off the ground.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Get yourself a cant hook and then you can roll the log. Before you roll it, cut down as far as you can without pinching or hitting dirt. Then roll the log and finish the cut.

 

[Hurricane]

Since they are oak they should not be that hard to split. You could cut 3/4 of the way down then use a wedge and sledge and try to split that piece off. If you do that a few times it should lighten the log some. The issue may be that the log is bonded to the dirt from laying so long.
Forget lifting them and work on turning them with a bar or piece of wood. You can cut most of the way through then roll the log and finish it. I do as Smokijay suggested also, you just need to be careful at the end and use the tip of the saw.

 

[thewoodlands]

The lady across the street has the trunk from a big old oak tree in her back yard. She had it cut down several years ago, and the branches cut off, but for some reason she kept the trunk, in three or four 7 foot long sections. They're 18" to 24" across. I have a chainsaw, but they're laying in the dirt. How can I lift them out of the dirt to cut them? They weigh a ton (perhaps literally), and I can't make them budge by pushing on them by hand.

And watch for rocks!

zap

 

[Danno77]

cut all cuts down as low as you can go with good sharp chain, put old crappy chain on and finish all cuts into the dirt. Use wedges to prevent pinching your saw. done and done.

 

[Got Wood]

About a month ago I was working on a black birch that sounds similar. What I did was cut down as far as I could go for each cut I would be making across the whole log. Then I used crow bars to first "break" the contact with the ground and then I worked a small block underneath and worked it with bigger blocks until I had enough clearance to finish the cut or to roll it (when I rolled it I made sure I had something under it to keep it off the ground a little). It was probably pretty comical watching me do this as a single person operation, would have been much easier with a second set of hands. I would set the crow bar up with a block for leverage and using my arms and weight to "break" the contact with the ground but then I couldnt do much with it. So I then tried sitting on the crow bar and balancing with one hand while the other (and my feet) pushed the block underneath. May not be the most efficient way but it got done.

Before finishing the cut I tried to clean the area I would be cutting as best as I could - get all that frozen mud off - to help the chain

 

[pyper]

Since they are oak they should not be that hard to split. You could cut 3/4 of the way down then use a wedge and sledge and try to split that piece off. If you do that a few times it should lighten the log some. The issue may be that the log is bonded to the dirt from laying so long.
Forget lifting them and work on turning them with a bar or piece of wood. You can cut most of the way through then roll the log and finish it. I do as Smokijay suggested also, you just need to be careful at the end and use the tip of the saw.

Are you suggesting splitting the whole log, or cut across it and try to split the end off? I've got a great wedge, but only one, and a heavy sledge. Splitting the end off seems like a reasonable proposition.

Further detail: They are fully into the dirt. It must have been pretty loamy top soil, because it looks like they've sunk in a good two inches... at least. There are no spots above grade to cut through. I'm not worried as much about rocks as nails that might be present do the the proximity of an old wooden fence. I probably don't want to buy any tools, as the attraction of the wood is that it's free ;-)

 

[Hurricane]

Cut whatever size your stove fits 18" -20 " then split that piece off. You cannot split the whole length log, and one good wedge will likely work if you get it in solid ( not rotten ) part of the wood. I have used this method to cut a 4' log with a 18" saw.
You end up with 3/4 rounds instead of full rounds.

You can do the cut and split multiple times across the log, each time the split will need to be less deep because of the width of the wedge.

 

[billb3]

Have you made at least one cut to see if it is even worth your while ?
Some Southern termites can be rather ravenous.

Old wet oak can be rather heavy. Sounds like you need to do some digging and levering.
I've used fence posts to lever some old oak sections around. I've broken fence posts standing way up on them too.

 

[pyper]

Have you made at least one cut to see if it is even worth your while ?
Some Southern termites can be rather ravenous.

I haven't yet. Just found out about the wood not too long ago. I initially assumed it would be well past gone, because I remember when she took the tree down and it wasn't recently. But the wood seems solid.

Now that I have some advice on maneuvering the logs I'll see about cutting into one to see if it's worthwhile. Down here it's not that cold that much of the year to need all that much firewood. Looks like I can have a 1/2 ton truck load delivered for $50 to $75 if necessary, but I keep finding decent size pieces here and there. I actually stared collecting firewood a few years ago, in anticipation of having a stove.

 

[basswidow]

I haven't tried this personally,

but I wonder if you could dig down at the smaller end enough to place a hydraulic bottle jack under the tree and then a jack it up enough to slide a block under it about 2/3's toward the trunk. I used bottle jacks to block and level house trailers and as long as you are careful of it walking on you (stay clear) - you could raise it out of the dirt enough to put a block or something under it - and cut away.

They're only 7 ft long - maybe a car jack would have enough to raise it? You'd also need to make sure you have a good board or something under the jack or it would simply sink into the ground if the ground is soft. The worse thing that could happen would be - it would kick out or walk and you'd be in the same boat. Just stay clear of the log. Don't leave it up on the jack - as it would not be stable - get a long block under it and be mindful of the possibility of it coming down on your hand. Once the block is placed, lower and remove the jack.

Still think you could buck it all the way down with the tip and just be careful of getting the ground.

I've got a long spud bar (tamp bar), I've used it to leverage logs up. Punch the tip under the log, put a brace or block under the spud bar and then pull down hard. If you have another person working with you - they can slide something under to block the log up. Working solo - once I get the log leveraged up - I push the spud bar all the way under to the other side of the log and cut away. You can also use a spud bar to break away the rounds that are not cut all the way thru. Use a sledge to pound it in the cut and then pull like a bull on it to break the round free. Sledge and wedges work well too. The spud bar has a wedge like end.

 

[CrawfordCentury]

Get yourself a cant hook and then you can roll the log. Before you roll it, cut down as far as you can without pinching or hitting dirt. Then roll the log and finish the cut.

Best advice so far. Cant hook or peavey. (I have the latter, but rarely use the jam pike on the end). It's amazing how putting a 3' handle on a log makes it so much more manageable.

I was messing with one of similar length a couple months ago. The terrain wouldn't allow me to fully roll it a complete 180° to complete the buck cut from below. So I used a few face cuts from previously felled trees to chaulk the log in place preventing it from rolling backward.

 

[derecskey]

Get yourself a cant hook and then you can roll the log. Before you roll it, cut down as far as you can without pinching or hitting dirt. Then roll the log and finish the cut.

+10 to this. With a Cant hook, you Can do it!

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Get yourself a cant hook and then you can roll the log. Before you roll it, cut down as far as you can without pinching or hitting dirt. Then roll the log and finish the cut.

Agreed.

If you can't cant it then dig a hole under it at the most convenient spot (as close to half way as possible) and cut through it.

 

[basswidow]

Get yourself a cant hook and then you can roll the log. Before you roll it, cut down as far as you can without pinching or hitting dirt. Then roll the log and finish the cut.

Agreed.

If you can't cant it then dig a hole under it at the most convenient spot (as close to half way as possible) and cut through it.

Even better then my hydraulic jack suggestion. Yeah - if you're gonna dig, just dig a spot halfway and make a cut all the way through and then you can roll the halfs. Were only talking 7 feet and they are not that big. Very doable.