It’s worth it

[jjcard41]

An 80 year-old pin oak tree about the same size as Dahmer's arrived at a local drop site. I'm taking care of the branches first. That trunk is rock solid, the branches were still healthy, and I'm not sure why the tree was cut down -- probably for new construction. Regardless, I'll do my best to process it for firewood in the same way Dahmer did here. I have three saws that can noodle cut the rounds into quarters or even sixths as needed.

A few years ago a guy gave me a tip on using a 20" or even a 25" bar for bucking and noodling really big oak or elm that grows around here:
View attachment 232837
The ides is to make five cuts in the sequence numbered above. The first two are radial in the direction the tree grew. The third and fourth are buck cuts (axial) and remove two half moons. The fifth cut takes out the center chunk if the bar can't get to the center and leaves it attached. Each of these three pieces may likely have to be noodle cut in half again for a big tree.

After splitting, I can stack most of mine in a long single row that gets direct sun and wind. Last year I did this with some split green oak and it dried in nine months. I was really amazed that it dried that fast.

I read this about 5 times and really tried to understand the procedure, but I’m my pea sized brain just doesn’t grasp it. I’d love to see a video or pictures of the procedure. Sounds very interesting.

 

[dahmer]

I read this about 5 times and really tried to understand the procedure, but I’m my pea sized brain just doesn’t grasp it. I’d love to see a video or pictures of the procedure. Sounds very interesting.

You ain’t alone.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I read this about 5 times and really tried to understand the procedure, but I’m my pea sized brain just doesn’t grasp it. I’d love to see a video or pictures of the procedure. Sounds very interesting.

The idea is to not let the bar length hold you back. Even a 25" bar will not buck cut a really big log to rounds that can then be noodle cut and split. So, the first two cuts are not a typical cross cut. Instead, you cut in the same direction that the tree grew, say about a foot across (axial).

The next two cuts are typical buck cuts (radial) that drop off the sides and leave behind the center rectangle. You move the half-moon sides out of the way and then buck cut off the center (radial). That may leave behind a small rectangular amount because the saw cannot do a perfect flush cut, but who cares?

Now you have three pieces that you can move away and continue the process, again and again. Most of the time a 20" bar is all that you need.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I might add that on occasion with a smaller diameter tree, I can do this with just three cuts (one axial cut through the center) and then two buck cuts (radial) one from each side.

Note that if any piece is still too heavy to load onto the truck, that can be noodle cut (axial) in half or perhaps even thirds. There are times when I have needed to cut six pieces to load them onto the tailgate.

I will try to show more Pics of all this shortly. I have some monster oak logs, like the OP (Dahmer), that need processing with this cutting procedure. Happy Easter to all!

 

[dahmer]

Finally got that big red oak and big white oak from last year split. I got 6 cords and Wayne the guy that helps me got 4 cords so 10 cords from those 2 trees made me smile.

 

[Lightning Performance]

We burn five or less. Nice haul in two trees.