Strange ramblings of an old man.

Schattenreiter

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Most of the time when dealing with trees you either cut them down and then cut them up if you are looking firewood or you just cut them up when dealing with storm damage.

For the second time in my life I have had to do the opposite. I cut it up first,then cut it down.

First time I was cutting firewood on the farm. Found a tree just off a field that had been blown down by a storm. Started cutting the top out and once the weight ea off it stood back up. Had to cut it down to finish the job.

Today I was working on my pecan tree the hurricane took out.


20200804_073520.jpg

Started several days ago cutting limbs out. I have to cut one or two then rest then cut a few more. Started cutting the trunk today and now I have to cut it down again.

20200808_112007.jpg

Darn thing stood back up.
 
They call those Widowmakers. Hafta be extremely careful cutting them ‘cause they can snap back upright with a vengeance. :eek:
 
They call those Widowmakers. Hafta be extremely careful cutting them ‘cause they can snap back upright with a vengeance. :eek:
You sure about that? I’ve watched a lot of episodes of Ax Men, so I’m pretty much a professional logger. :D

they always used widow maker when referring to trees that had either large limbs or a broken off top that were still hanging and could fall and kill at any time...but I’m not sure I ever saw them come across one that stood back up, so I don’t know if they also used the term for that or not
 
They call those Widowmakers. Hafta be extremely careful cutting them ‘cause they can snap back upright with a vengeance. :eek:



This one stood up just as easy. I cut off a block and thought I saw it rise a little. Next one I was sure and the next one it went slowly upright.
 
I’ve had ‘em snap back like a rocket. :eek:
 
I always cut anything like that loose from the stump first. It relieves pressure on the trunk and eliminates one of the ways you can get yourself clobbered
 
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.......any tree that is under spring tension, dead or.leaning against.something can be a widow maker. You have to evaluate each situation.
 
All I have to add is I hate *trying* to split pecan. I’ve done it twice. The first time and the last time.
 
You should have just burned it and posted pics for days.

#@Alabamacoastie


Seen enuff trees burning to last me a lifetime. We had a forest fire that was cut off by the Forest Service fireplow at the edge of my yard. Watched it coming for 3 hours with 5 firetrucks sitting in my yard waiting for it. Planes dropping fire retardant on it. Thinking the whole time I was gonna watch my house burn to the ground.

No Thanks.
 
When I was a teenager we had a white pine get blown over in a storm that the trunk snapped back up once the limbs were cut off. A friend thought he’d be funny and climbed up it and sat on the cut stump. An hour later he was in the bathroom with a pair of scissors and turpentine trying to get his shorts down, screaming.
 
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