My first Craig's List Score - more than I bargained for

[Green Energy]

I get some wood off my property and my neighbor's property (doesn't burn much wood). But I buy more than 3/4 of my wood. So I was looking on Craig's list as I have had trouble finding a good wood guy that I can buy from year after year.

So I found a Craig's list ad offer free sugar maple, delivered. It looks like a tree service that just wanted to get the stuff off their trailer. However, this is a huge mega trunked tree, like 36-40" diameter. Also, there are a lot of junctions/forks. Three of the mega trunk pieces are 4 to 5 feet long. So I need to cut these huge trunk lengths down to 20 to 22" rounds before splitting. The problem is that I only have a 18" bar on my Sthil 028 Super WB.

The score also came with 20 feet or so of 18 to 22" logs. The best part of the deal was the guy had it on a trailer and delivered and dumped it in my side yard. However, I have not dealt with mega size trunks and the mega forks. I'm thinking that I might get 2 cords out of it if I can process it. Pictures to follow.

 

[Green Energy]

Pictures of the sugar maple

 

[ggans]

I have a couple like that, I was going to slice off a corner at a time. What else can you do with something that big..

 

[Green Energy]

So my strategy with the large trunk sections that need to be cut is to use my 18" saw to cut an outer ring of 18" and then split it off with a maul. Then cut the inner core off. After two sessions of a couple hours each, I got two of the truck sections cut and most of the top part split.

Two problems I have run into:

I found that this sugar maple does not have straight grain and it is tough to split with a maul. Also the junctions are going to be tough.

I bought two nice Oregon Super 20 chisel chain loops. Figured I wanted good sharp chains to cut this stuff. So I got through the first trunk section. On the second trunk section, I ruined my chain loop on a piece of chain (like swing set type) that was buried inside the wood. So chain loop was pretty messed up and could not sharpen it to be very functional.


The biggest problem is that splitting the maple with a maul is a bear. Any suggestions? I'm thinking I need to borrow or rent a splitter once I get everything cut to size.

 

[Wood Duck]

I think I'd just try to cut it into chunks, not necessarily try to make normal rounds the way I would if I had a chainsaw properly sized for the wood. After I had it chunked, I'd try to split the chunks, looking at the grain to know how to split each one. Keep in mind I have never really had to deal with a lot of large crotches like you have. As for the twisted grain, I think any tree with a lot of branches, crotches, Ys, etc. is going to have twisted grain, regardless of the tree species.

 

[Stihl Country]

That was a nice find. At least you have the right saw to do the job. I can never get that lucky on CL to find anything that great.

 

[Ductape]

If you split by hand, you are in for a workout. I'm working on a monster Sugar Maple myself. I use my peavey and a long pinch bar to get the rounds under my splitter. If you can't cut all the way through the rounds working from both sides, you can always buy a longer bar and skip chain so your saw has enough moxie to turn the longer chain.

 

[wendell]

Well, for the money you saved on the wood, you can get yourself a good, used big saw!

 

[ironpony]

from what ive been reading on here
contact quads and he can come over with his antique maul
and split it up for you
the old guy is pretty impresive
hope i can at least move at his age

 

[firefighterjake]

Me, I would go vertical with my hydraulic splitter and split it up to smaller pieces . . . and then buck the splits to length if needed.

If you're doing this by hand . . . well . . . lots of work potentially . . . might be worth renting a splitter (if it is vertical/horizontal.)

 

[mbcijim]

Love the lab in the picture. They are great to have around when splitting wood!

The stuff I have that can't split (notches, Y, gnarly knots, or I hit 10x with my Fiskar's) gets thrown in a separate pile and I am getting a splitter in. It isn't worth the time/frustration to do it by hand.

 

[webie]

If you were around here I just happen to see on CL a guy with a 36" bar and chain for a stihl , The specs would fit your saw , The chain wouldn't work it was an Ice chain , Now if you think you don't have enough power for a 36 inch bar you are correct but you can get a skip tooth or a third skip tooth chain and it should do fine you just may have to go slow at it .
All said and done DAM this Looks like lunch meat for the JUDGE ( STIHL MS460 )
To bad you are so far away I would love to come out and play .

 

[Highbeam]

Keep in mind I have never really had to deal with a lot of large crotches like you have.

That's a classic.

 

[Beaner]

I use the pallet forks on my loader tractor to place those big un's on the foot of the vertical splitter to split at least one time.
Saves the man handling.

 

[f3cbboy]

Keep in mind I have never really had to deal with a lot of large crotches like you have.

That's a classic.

i have been laughing for 10 mins thats good stuff right there

 

[TreePapa]

Rent a larger saw for a day?

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[Archie]

I'm exhausted just looking at your pictures. And there seems to be a small orange growth on the side of one the trunks.

 

[Green Energy]

Looks like lunch meat for the JUDGE ( STIHL MS460 )
To bad you are so far away I would love to come out and play .

I guess I could use a friend like you! Actually, a buddy that I play volleyball with said that I can borrow his splitter. So I am making due with my 18" bar and will look to borrowing his splitter.

 

[Danno77]

don't listen to these people telling you to get a different saw for this one find. At a max I'd buy the 20" bar and chain for your current saw. My 028 isn't a super and it handles it fine.

seriously, though. look at that maple above. and you with yours. somebody with those huge tough looking splits please get a fiskars and try it out, because i keep reading the hype, but i don't think it will handle that stuff any better than a 6 or 8lb maul. that's more like what i split every day. prove me wrong.

 

[Green Energy]

don't listen to these people telling you to get a different saw for this one find. At a max I'd buy the 20" bar and chain for your current saw. My 028 isn't a super and it handles it fine.

seriously, though. look at that maple above. and you with yours. somebody with those huge tough looking splits please get a fiskars and try it out, because i keep reading the hype, but i don't think it will handle that stuff any better than a 6 or 8lb maul. that's more like what i split every day. prove me wrong.

The 028 has served me well. With the new Oregon Super 20 chisel loop, it pumps out the shavings. I only have one or two more cuts to make on the mega diameter stuff. I've had it for about 20 years and only needed to replace the spark plug, fuel filter, sprocket, bar, and, of course, loops. This is the biggest stuff I have ever tackled with it.

I am sure these guys big saws would make quick work of even this stuff. The thing is, I don't think I am going to get into the big stuff. So when I replace the saw, I'll probably go for something in the 300 series with a 20" bar. But I could not have been happier with the 028.

The tough part is splitting the parts with twists in the grain. So I try the splitter I getting from my buddy.