Wood cutting newbie question...

[Flyguy]

Apologies if this is obvious to the old hands, but I have a question about how to cut up a tree !

 

A friend has had a large sycamore come down on their land and we have been working to take it to pieces, split for firewood and clear up for some weeks now. As a result I now have a good few years worth of wood stacked around my garden But can one ever have enough... ?

 

Anyway, we are now at a stage where we are left with a large main trunk (about 150cm at its widest I guess) and an increasingly dodgy no-name cheepie chainsaw with a 15" bar. Its been worked very hard but is low on power, cuts out when hot and has a chain oiler problem that periodically lets go and dumps out all the oil onto my clothes at random intervals (maybe time for a new saw...).

 

The question is - what is the best way to cut up the remaining large trunk with a small saw ? I have tried to noodle up the trunk and then cross cut 'cake slices' out with limited success but its slow going (especially with a crap saw) and was wondering if there was a better way that I didnt know about.

 

Many thanks,

 

FG

[chris cnc]

you might find this recent thread useful:

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-chat/22213-ground-work.html

 

be careful and don't get too out of your depth, especially with a dodgy saw.

[Bolt]

First question. Did the tree snap off or is it still attached to its roots (that are now sticking up in the air?)

[Flyguy]

you might find this recent thread useful:

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-chat/22213-ground-work.html

 

be careful and don't get too out of your depth, especially with a dodgy saw.

 

 

Many thanks for the link.. useful stuff and I fully appreciate that I am not a pro. I am here to learn !

 

However I have got myself the appropriate ppe and like to think I have gained some experience over the last weeks work. While the saw leaves much to be desired I have taught myself to sharpen chains and when it IS running it cuts reasonably well.

 

Its just the big wood with a little bar that has me stumped

[Flyguy]

First question. Did the tree snap off or is it still attached to its roots (that are now sticking up in the air?)

 

 

Its a bit of a long story and please dont shoot the messenger...

 

This spring my friend bought in an arborist to thin the tree in question that turned out to be rotten up the middle. Am not entirely sure of the details, but apparently there was a misunderstanding and the pro dropped the tree to the displeasure of its owner...

 

Anyway, the aborist was apparently contacted several times and asked to finish off but isnt returning calls.

 

By this time it had lain there all summer and I was asked if I wanted the firewood....

 

So in answer to your question: it has been cut off cleanly and is lying on the ground. We have cleared almost everything that is easily cuttable - all the brash and all limbs up to about 20". I have even cut most of the rotten bit of trunk (where the outside wall of sound wood was less than about 13" thick). Its the remaining chunk that is putting up the stiffest resistance.

[chris cnc]

cut as far as you can into the trunk from the side, turn the log over with the help of a friend/ lever/ digger, cut from the other side, matching the cuts up.

 

this should cut a "slice" off the length of the stem.

 

repeat.

 

[Yeti]

If you can roll it cut thru half way, get a few hands or a levering pole roll the old girl Over and continue the cut

that should do it bud.Dont ever feel silly asking questions.Ask a question and feel a fool for a moment,never ask and be a fool all your life is way I look at it.

[Flyguy]

cut as far as you can into the trunk from the side, turn the log over with the help of a friend/ lever/ digger, cut from the other side, matching the cuts up.

 

this should cut a "slice" off the length of the stem.

 

repeat.

 

 

 

This is an approach we have used with larger limbs.

 

However the main trunk is HUGE - > 1.5m in diameter. So probably close to 4x the length of the bar on my saw. So even if I cut all the way round to the full 15" depth of my bar (and manage to make the ends join up) then its still held on with a central plug of uncut wood.

 

Do I just need a bigger saw ?

[chris cnc]

This is an approach we have used with larger limbs.

 

However the main trunk is HUGE - > 1.5m in diameter. So probably close to 4x the length of the bar on my saw. So even if I cut all the way round to the full 15" depth of my bar (and manage to make the ends join up) then its still held on with a central plug of uncut wood.

 

Do I just need a bigger saw ?

 

i see. a bigger saw would be beneficial, although if you dont have access to one, an alternative is to cut blocks off the stem rather than slices.

[geoff]

You are not realy going to cut up a 1.5 m diameter with a 15 inc bar.What area are you in,as the cheapest way would be to get a pro with a big saw to disc it for you.