Busy weekend at the home place.

[RoadKingLarry]

We had a very old, very large White Oak tree next (too close) to the back of the house. A several years ago I noticed it had a hollow area at the base and there were carpenter ants in the tree. Eventually it was going to have to come down.
Way too big and too close to power lines to just drop it. It had to come down in pieces.
A good friend's son-in-law is a freelance "tree guy" I've seen him work and my friends assured me of his ability so we went at it.
He offered to take it down for $950, $550 of which was the bucket lift rental.
10 hours hard it on Saturday, part of the time in light rain and another 3 or so this morning. I gave him and extra $150.

36" at the cut. 42" front to back.

He hit some wire just at the end of his notch cut, no idea how old the tree was but I'd bet that wire was in there for bare minimum 75 years.

You can see the proximity to the house and power lines the big pile of firewood waiting to be split is only about 2/3 of what I have to put away.


We hooked chains on to it with my Kaiser for a little insurance to help make sure it fell the way we wanted it to.

Not sure how far up the rotten/hollow part goes but I'm hoping to get some lumber out of it with my Alaskan chainsaw mill.

[JTHunter]

Nice job !
There is an ash tree between my house and the neighbor's that has been dropping twigs and small branches for several years (I moved in in '04).
Last fall, I had a trimmer take out some of the existing dead wood, all of which I saved for firewood.
In the past month, another branch 8-10' long came down in some high winds and the broken end (~2.5" d) was left leaning against the trunk.
A different company sent out an arborist (no "free" estimates !) and said the tree was dying and needed to come down.  $4500 !!  That's why I went for the trimming ($500) instead.  The tree shades the narrow, south facing end of the house and helps to keep my AC costs down.

I'm gonna miss that tree when it finally has to go.  It's about 30" dia. at 18" up the trunk. 

[RoadKingLarry]

I'm really going to miss the shade this tree provided on the south side of my house. But I'd rather lose the shade from the tree than lose the house to the tree.

That's Steve the tree guy in the lift. no way am I gonna put my fat ass up high enough to take that tree down.

[Hawkmoon]

Nice job !
There is an ash tree between my house and the neighbor's that has been dropping twigs and small branches for several years (I moved in in '04).
Last fall, I had a trimmer take out some of the existing dead wood, all of which I saved for firewood.
In the past month, another branch 8-10' long came down in some high winds and the broken end (~2.5" d) was left leaning against the trunk.
A different company sent out an arborist (no "free" estimates !) and said the tree was dying and needed to come down.  $4500 !!  That's why I went for the trimming ($500) instead.  The tree shades the narrow, south facing end of the house and helps to keep my AC costs down.

I'm gonna miss that tree when it finally has to go.  It's about 30" dia. at 18" up the trunk. 

Every ash tree in this county (and probably the entire state) died about ten years ago due to the Emerald Ash Borer. Everyone is having the dead trees taken down, because the trunks deteriorate fast and the trees become a hazard.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=emerald+ash+borer+map&iax=images&ia=images&iai=http%3A%2F%2Fdismagazine.com%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F10%2FEAB_risk_2014-e1412802517883.png

[sumpnz]

I cut down a BLM (big leaf maple) for my neighbors 2 (3?) years ago.  Had a mini-ex and used it to haul the logs to my property.  Need to get after milling it.  Hoping for some good spalting.

[RoadKingLarry]

I can't keep a log that long without working it up. The Powder Post Beetles will ruin it. I have a hard time keeping firewood more than 2 years without it being reduced to dust. I cut down a dying Ash last January. Had what should have been 2 decent 8' logs out of it. The butt end log should have yielded some 12"-14"+ wide boards. Powder post Beetle larva was 3"-4" or more deep into it all the way around. I did manage to get some decent lumber out of it but probably less than half what I would have if I had sawn it up right after I cut it. I just cut the smaller log up for firewood. I've even seen the damn things bore into Osage Orange heart wood.

[RoadKingLarry]

Making some good progress on getting this mess cleaned up. So far I have 5 rick (a little over a cord) cut, split and stacked. That was mostly just from the limbs, 90% was small enough to just pick up and set on the splitter. Plus a big pile (pickup load) of short and/or crooked pieces that are too much of a PITA to stack.



Today I started whittling on the main trunk. So far I've only cut 4 big rounds off the stump end of the tree.
This was the top of the last one I cut today.



I may have to rip cut these to get them small enough for me to manhandle under the splitter.
Once I get all the firewood worked up I'll start on milling some lumber out of this monster.

[RoadKingLarry]

Working on the main trunk some more today. I've got an 8'10" log to try to saw up into lumber. 28" at the big end, 25" at the small end.
I'm going to have to whittle it down some. Right now the widest cut I can make with current bar length and my 24" Alaskan mill is just a hair over 19".
I've also got a several bigger pieces I'm cutting "cookies" off of. Kind of hit or miss on how those go with drying though. Worst that can happen is more firewood.

[sumpnz]

Working on the main trunk some more today. I've got an 8'10" log to try to saw up into lumber. 28" at the big end, 25" at the small end.
I'm going to have to whittle it down some. Right now the widest cut I can make with current bar length and my 24" Alaskan mill is just a hair over 19".
I've also got a several bigger pieces I'm cutting "cookies" off of. Kind of hit or miss on how those go with drying though. Worst that can happen is more firewood.

I have a Stihl 461 and a 36” bar for milling.  With that 30-31” max cut width is possible.  Has some maple I’ve had to whittle down a bit still.

[JTHunter]

Larry - as I don't know anything about the "Alaskan mill" you mention, I have some questions for you.  Is this a "portable" saw mill where the blade is horizontal or vertical?  If vertical,, is it possible to shave off the bark without taking too much wood, then rolling the trunk to that cut side and repeating until you have a huge square log?  I see that cavity in the middle that may cost you some planks but if you can get that trunk down to the 19" limit on all sides, then cut your planks, will that work? 

[sumpnz]

Larry - as I don't know anything about the "Alaskan mill" you mention, I have some questions for you.  Is this a "portable" saw mill where the blade is horizontal or vertical?  If vertical,, is it possible to shave off the bark without taking too much wood, then rolling the trunk to that cut side and repeating until you have a huge square log?  I see that cavity in the middle that may cost you some planks but if you can get that trunk down to the 19" limit on all sides, then cut your planks, will that work? 

AK mills are attachments for chainsaws so you can use said chainsaw for milling.  Most people get a “ripping” chain as it leaves a smoother cut than a crosscut chain.  They are ground a 5-10deg instead of 25-30deg and have every other tooth each direction filed down to be much narrower to score the wood.

[RoadKingLarry]

Larry - as I don't know anything about the "Alaskan mill" you mention, I have some questions for you.  Is this a "portable" saw mill where the blade is horizontal or vertical?  If vertical,, is it possible to shave off the bark without taking too much wood, then rolling the trunk to that cut side and repeating until you have a huge square log?  I see that cavity in the middle that may cost you some planks but if you can get that trunk down to the 19" limit on all sides, then cut your planks, will that work? 

Here is a decent intro. Pretty much my set up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF30VcrxjXU

Being White Oak my real interest is the heart wood. The narrow profile of the heart wood at the small end is still 16" wide.
Milling it into a square "cant" is my plan. Cut a slab off the top side, roll it 90°, square up to the first cut and slab off another chunk then roll it 180° to get the 3rd side. That should get me where I need to be.

I've got a Stihl MS462, In the future I will buy a 36" bar and ripping chains and the extensions for the mill but for now, unless I just can't manage it with what I've got I'll use what I have.


Started busting up the big rounds this afternoon. Way to big to manhandle under my splitter so I decided to quarter them up with the saw.
Hit a bunch of nails in the first one. . Didn't ruin the chain but it didn't do it any favors. Makes me glad I have a bench sharpener.
 

[Cliffh]

Which chain sharpener are you using?  I've got 4 or 5 different sharpeners, hand-held, bench & free-hand.  I can get a chain sharp, but I'm always looking for something better/easier.

Too bad you're not nearby.  I've got two oak trees that look like they've had it, they're about the same size as yours was*.  Got one evergreen (of some sort) at least 40' tall that last years drought took care of - it's now totally brown.  Plus some smaller trash trees that need to go away.

*A similar tree was blown over a few years ago - the night before my 1 week vacation started.  I spent the entire week making small pieces out of it.

[Ben]

Which chain sharpener are you using?

I'm not RKL, but I gotta say that this Stihl sharpener has been worth every penny to me:

https://www.amazon.com/Stihl-2in1-Chainsaw-Chain-Sharpener/dp/B010JJNOUE

[RoadKingLarry]

I have a Timber Tuff bench grinder. It's "functional" and I can get chains properly sharp.

https://www.amazon.com/Timber-Tuff-CS-BWM-Benchtop-Sharpener/dp/B001MWS9VW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1R3S9CWW9M4N2&keywords=timber+tuff+sharpener&qid=1680311080&sprefix=timber+tuff+shar%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-1

Hand sharpening is a skill I have yet to master but I am working on it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-3ia-_knSs&t=1776s

I picked up one of the 2-in-1 sharpeners a couple of weeks ago.
The chain that came on my new MS462 was cutting crooked out of the box so I touched it up with the 2-in-1.
It did a good job but I think it was a bit aggressive on the rakers, particularly in oak. But that may just be a "new chain" thing.

[Ben]

Hand sharpening is a skill I have yet to master but I am working on it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-3ia-_knSs&t=1776s

I have a file set and have gotten good with it by practicing on my Harbor Freight pole saw that uses the cheaper chains. I am confident I could do a good job on my Stihl, but the 2 in 1 has been fast and easy to use and I haven't run into any issues, so am doing the Stihl saw with that one.

[Cliffh]

I've got one of the bench/wall mount sharpeners from Harbor Freight.  That thing will take off a lot of material, fast.  I save it for those chains that have hit the inevitable piece of metal.  I also have a couple of versions of the Stihl 2 in 1 sharpener.  They work OK, but I can get the chain sharper by hand.  The Stihl does look interesting, if nothing else it's probably more comfortable than the all steel versions I got.

[RoadKingLarry]

It took me a while to get the hang of the bench grinder. Just gotta barely "kiss" that tooth. Just enough to get it sharp. I don't think I'm taking off a significantly greater amount of metal than when I hand file, when I take my time and set it up right.

[Cliffh]

Since you're taking your time & doing it right, I highly doubt you're removing much material.  I don't use mine much 'cause I'm usually in too big a hurry to go back to the shed, get it out, nail it down & adjust it, especially since I can get it sharp with just a file while out in the field.  That's also why I have at least two chains when I leave the shed.

Now when I do hit the occasional nail or fence wire buried in the tree, that's the time to take the time to set her up & let her to the hard work. 

[JTHunter]

Larry & sumpz - thanks for the info on the mill.  That's a neat video.
I don't do enough cutting like that to warrant getting my own sharpener as only one or two chains need sharpening in any given year.  That's despite the fact I have 4 saws.
Years ago, I started with an old Stihl 009L top handle with a 14" bar.  Several years later, I bought a "Farm Boss" with an 18" bar.  Then a friend had a tenant pass away and, in cleaning out the house, we found a Poulan with a 20" bar.  It had a broken chain adjuster with a cracked case behind the lug on the adjuster.  I used kerosene to clean out the oil tank then cleaned the kerosene out with isopropyl alcohol.  Then I used so JB Weld epoxy to fill the bottom of the adjuster slot, pushing some epoxy into the crack, like "tongue & groove" plaster.  Don't use that saw much (too big) as it has no "safety brake" on it and I have snagged my jeans a couple of times as the chain likes to keep moving somewhat.  But the epoxy has held for about 10 years (so far).
Sadly, that old 009L finally had the oil pump fail and, being 30 years old, no parts available.  I couldn't even find anybody that was interested in the powerhead as the compressio9n is still good.  So I got an Echo top handle with a 12" chain.  I will admit that I have, at times, used the 009 with just one hand holding it over my head to trim branches on my my mother's "country lane" while standing in the back of my pickup with her driving. 
Using that Echo, which is a couple of pounds lighter with a 12" bar, is like handling a lightsaber ! That thing is so light it is a breeze to use one handed.  I LOVE it !