Allens Custom Woodworks strikes Gold, Again!

[Kirk Allen]

  Road Commissioner called this morning and asked if I wanted a small Bir Oak.   

This is what I saw when I pulled up to the corner where the tree fell into the road.


This is the root ball in the ditch.  Best we can figure its over 6 foot diameter. 


This is one step up from the root ball.


The saw that is stuck in the cut is the road commisioners and the 30" bar is barried and still did not cut through the other side before it pinched his saw.


What do you we do for pinched saws in monsters like this? 

[Steve G.]

VERY NICE LOOKIN' PIECE OF WOOD

[John Bartley]

What do you we do for pinched saws in monsters like this?

We used to tell customers to carry a spare bar and chain. When the saw pinches and can't be taken out, you just unbolt the power head and put on the spare bar and chain to cut out the first one.

cheers eh?

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

Good idea, John.  I always carry an extra 044 with a 36" bar asnd chain.  It makes for a faster release of the pinched saw.

[Kirk Allen]

Rest assured the back hoe pushing down on the limb was faster

When I dont have the pleasure of this type of equipment I do as you suggested John.  I have two bars for my H385XP (28") and two 20" bars from my H372XP.

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

That brrr sawdust will help keep you warm as well.

[Kirk Allen]

I am beginning to think any fine biomass will keep me warm.!  I have been mixing quite a bit of ground rice hulls in with the sawdust and have been able to turn down the fuel feed rate considerably.  This morning I still had 2/3 of a hopper of fuel left.   

[Kirk Allen]

Got back from a short trip and looks like the storms were good for me but not so good for others. 

Power company to the east called and they said there are about 100 poles to pick up from the storms.  All rural poles and most are Southern Yellow Pine. 

Power company to the west also called and they have 40-50 Western Red Cedar poles for me.

Local farmer has 6 large oaks and maples that uprooted from the winds and he said I could have them and he would even load them up.  He already cut them into 10 foot logs for me!

Three different locals need lumber cut from trees down on their property during the storm.

Looks like another busy summer! 

[joasis]

There are several large walnuts down from the tornado a few weeks ago....if I only had the time. I haven't fired up the mill since last fall.

[Kirk Allen]

Not sure where a local logger is selling his Venerr Walnut but they are paying me $5-7 a BF for Venerr logs depending on the length.  THey are coming over again today to finalize which logs they want.   

I have a boat load of pics to get loaded of several Gold Strikes recently.  One is of a 16 foot Pin Oak that is 46" on the small end  

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

Where do you hide your horseshoe, Kirk?

[Kirk Allen]

I dont hide it   I have it hanging around my neck!   

[Kirk Allen]

Well the Log Gods have been good this week.  A local farmer cleared 10 acres of woods to plant more corn and beans and I got what the logger didnt want. 

Landed over 10,000BF of Osage Orange, 3000 BF of Honey Locust, 2500 BF of Hackberry and one 300 BF log of Shingle Oak. 

Sure glad the loggers dont see any value in the Osage

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

Well. not to outbid you too much, but I got a call late yesterday to come and get 10 log truck loads of Douglas Fir cut to 36 to 40 feet for free.  What a boon.   Oh, Kirk, do you want to trade load for load on some Orange?

[Kirk Allen]

Maybe 10 loads for 1 load   Osage is bringing over $20 a BF right now and the good stuff as much as $25

[Kirk Allen]

Landed 15 brand new SYP poles today in exchange for cutting 6 - 8 foot poles of WRC into siding. 

The SYP poles are not treated and are 30 footers!  Looks like more great lumber for my shop!

[Kirk Allen]

Well yesterday was a full day of shuffling around the township getting logs.  The first one was from the last storm we had.  Rock Maple that is 16 feet long and 30" Diameter and full of curl in the but. 

Once we got that log loaded we picked up a white pine from the Cemetary that is 24" diameter and 26 feet long and a Eastern Red Cedar that was 12" diameter.

Brought those back to the house and unloaded them and no sooner than I was done the Road Commissioner called and said he had a monster Ash for me just south of my place. 

Took off south and sure enough he had a great log for me.  One tree, 30" diameter - 26 feet long before the first branch.  I knocked it down to three 8'+ logs as I need lots of 8' studs for my shop.  Got that loaded and he hollars at me to not forget the top he cut off.  Two #2 saw logs with the big one in the 16" diameter range and the top of that one was 12", both 10 feet long. 

I have rapidly come to the conclusion I am out of space for logs.  I HAVE to get cutting, especially since I have another 50 logs on the ground at a clearing south of me to pick up. 

[mike p]

WOW
THATS GREAT
hay hows old jim & his bride

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

Speaking of space, Kirk, you know the place where you and Buzz helped rip the Sequoia, well that is stacked about 20' high with Douglas Fir logs, all the way from the 11' wide Sequoia to the corner of the drive to the horse barn.  I sympathise with you on space.

[Kirk Allen]

I organized my pine for the cutting and that freed up some space but the logs are still coming faster than I can cut. 

I helped one of our locals drop a huge hard maple and ended up with this load last week. 

Note that the stakes on the trailer are 4 feet tall  








I managed to fell it right where we wanted.  Laying on the ground it didnt seem that big but the but log diameter at the base was 42"







The top log had a nice crotch in it and it was 28" diameter.  Should make for some nice gun stocks!

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

How did you load tht sucker?

[Kirk Allen]

Look close on the right side of the second picture 

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

Did you have to get a Ford to tow the trailer and logs, home?

[Kirk Allen]

Had a ford I "Found on the Road Dead" and for the life of me couldn't revive it 

[Steve G.]

Had a ford I "Found on the Road Dead" and for the life of me couldn't revive it 

I take it you like chevy's and frank likes fords? I like fords and stihls

How much did it weigh? Did you have any hills?