In case you didn't know, a storm downed tree is one big collection of energy, tension, compression, like springs and you can't always read the forces within.
As a firewood new guy, man am I learning that. I haven't had any close calls yet, but I've definitely read some limbs wrong, even after watching bunches of youtube videos. I'm really learning to take my time, and wedges are my friends. There's been a few times now where I didn't want to take a chance, so wedged it, then instead of using the saw all the way, cut a little more and then used a chain + tractor power to bust off the rest of the limb.
I've got a Russian olive I'm taking all the way down to the stump that has a funky "double trunk": Two limbs coming out of the ground, both around a foot in diameter, and as customary with Russian olives, way twisty to where it'll be hard to figure out where gravity benefits me. I'll probably use the tractor on them as well.
We've got snow coming in over the next few days, then we're dropping down to a low of zero, high of 30 at the end of the week, so I want to get some some downed and dried stuff cut today and tomorrow to help supplement my meager supply for this year. I've got about a half cord of live stuff cut and split (by hand - great exercise!
) for next year done already, but I'd like to work on getting up to two cords seasoning.
