40" Hollow White Oak Felling

[Nails]

We have been doing some firewood logging of hazardous, dead, rotten and hollow hardwoods lately. This tree was 40" where I cut it. There was a porkupine in the log that crawled out when my brother removed the chokers. I had one crawl out of the stump on me yesterday too.

This tree had a good size canopy with plenty of hazards present. The drop zone was angled across the logging road we were using to skid. We had to drop a small dead pine that was caught in the top to clear it for the fall. Temps were about 15F when we cut this and were well below 0F yesterday. The snow is getting up there too.

I used my newest 660 with a 32" bar. The tree had a slight lean to the lay, but the two biggest branches came back over my head to balance the tree out. Wedging conditions were crap, but threw almost everything we had at it and pounded in tandem to bring it down. We had to drop another small pine that was caught in the top to release the tree for the fall.

That's my brother on his skidder and assisting on the wedges also. I did the falling and our good friend and property owner did the pictures and some limbing/bucking and hooking chokers.

Hope you guys like this since it is my first substantial post.

 

[SkwerI]

Cool deal! A little low on the back cut, but you overcame that with a couple extra wedges.

Looks cold up there.

 

[Jonseredbred]

Nice little skidder, that a 440?

 

[woodworkingboy]

Nice pics, could here the crash even in the snow.

 

[Nails]

Cool deal! A little low on the back cut, but you overcame that with a couple extra wedges.

Looks cold up there.

On the Humbolt I'd rather be low than high It was -14F the morning before. Today was single digits, made firewood all day. It's affects the equipment and fingers first.

 

[Nails]

Nice little skidder, that a 440?

You bet. My bro just put new rear tires on it, a new seat, raised the roof 4 inches, put new chokers on, and fixed a hydro leak. Real nice machine indeed.

 

[gf beranek]

What are you doing working out in that kind of weather?

 

[Nails]

Nice pics, could here the crash even in the snow.

Thank you. We spent more time on the pictures than we did the tree. We even stuck a section of that pine in the snow for a monopod. It worked slick.

 

[Nails]

What are you doing working out in that kind of weather?

Having fun mainly. In these parts you have to work in the cold or you just lose too many days a year. Every day you can tough out is another day you gain, though they do get shorter in the winter. I am mostly Finnish so I thrive in this environment. Now out in those Cali-summers would be a different story, lol.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Brrrrrrrrr... Looks like cold work to me. I would love to have a skidder like that, really cool machine. Not much good wood for a hinge on that oak. Question.. why would you want to low on the back cut ? Not trying to be critical.. just want to understand your reasoning.

 

[PCTREE]

yall do all that to get some firewood????

 

[Nails]

Brrrrrrrrr... Looks like cold work to me. I would love to have a skidder like that, really cool machine. Not much good wood for a hinge on that oak. Question.. why would you want to low on the back cut ? Not trying to be critical.. just want to understand your reasoning.

You don't want to be low, you want to come in even with the apex, but a little wont hurt. A little high and you are into the butt log, meaning your saw is in the piece that is going over instead of in the stump.

 

[Nails]

yall do all that to get some firewood????

In this case yes, we will pull a few semi loads out of there before we're done (snow gets too deep). A lot of people around here heat with wood. Myself and the property owner sell firewood.

 

[Al Smith]

14 below ,damn . Oh I've done it before many a time it just wasn't my favorite thing to do .

One thing about it ,that oak splits easily especialy at those temps .

 

[rangerdanger]

Nice job!!! Where in WI are you located??? That's where my Dad's family comes from, and I love the cold, so WI is the state I would like to call home one day!!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Not to derail ... But hey Ranger... nice Avatar

 

[PCTREE]

Not to derail ... But hey Ranger... nice Avatar

X2

Hey Ranger what saddle is it your wearing??

 

[rangerdanger]

Thanks guys!!! The saddle is a small Cougar, and after my share of climbs in it, I can easily say it is the most comfortable saddle I've ever worn!!!

Sorry, didn't mean to derail Nails thread.

 

[MasterBlaster]

How many saddles are you familiar with, Ranger?

 

[Nails]

Nice job!!! Where in WI are you located??? That's where my Dad's family comes from, and I love the cold, so WI is the state I would like to call home one day!!

Gilman, it's west central up in the sticks. The seasons are very nice and keep you motivated with the constant change. Winter brings a lot of options as everything freezes over and the snow piles up. I gotta scoot, got some buddy's waiting for me at the ice fishing shack on Miller Dam. Guy called me and said they had it over 100 degrees with the woodstove in there and the brats are on. Fishing with no shirts on, kinda like a Sauna. Case of Hams and I'm on my way! Later guys.

Like to give a big shootout to whoever for the sweet avatar, I like it.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I would place a bet on Butch.. LOL

 

[Nails]

Thanks guys!!! The saddle is a small Cougar, and after my share of climbs in it, I can easily say it is the most comfortable saddle I've ever worn!!!

Sorry, didn't mean to derail Nails thread.

Don't sweat it Ranger, I don't give a rats behind. I got a cool avatar outta the deal.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I would place a bet on Butch.. LOL

And you'd always win.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Same with Td's ... You'd win

 

[rangerdanger]

How many saddles are you familiar with, Ranger?

Hmm, let me think about that for a few.