Cutting down trees

[Gabe]

We have two very old, very big oaks in our garden which sadly appear very dead. Does anybody have any idea as to how much it would cost to have these taken down ? Also, if I pay somebody to do this will they leave it in big sections for me to cut up for the woodburner, or will they cut it up and sell themselves thereby reducing my bill etc. As you can see I know nothing of these things. I was more than prepared to give it a go myself, but my wife seemed a little concerned, she is probably right !! 

[Ron Avery]

Gabe

Post this in the Finding owning French property section, it will be noticed better and you will get more responses and suggestions. 

You could try asking your neighbour or farmer about tree cutting, many farmers have contacts as they do not like low branches and often have them cut away, if not find a local woodyard and ask them if they want the tree, good quality oak is sort after in FRance, they may know who could help.   I suspect if you have your trees felled for firewood, you will get them cut into big chunks for you to cut up further, and oak is very very hard to cut.

Ron

[Gabe]

Ron,

Thanks for the advice will try re-posting as suggested. I know what you mean about cutting oak, recently spent two days dismembering another old oak that came down in July. Our neighbour kindly leant his chainsaw, but to be honest in two days I achieved little more than just tidying up the area in which it fell.

[Poolguy]

Gabe

What area are you in? Dept.

If its close to (17) i could help you with the tree problem.

Andrew

[Gabe]

Andrew,

Thanks for the kind offer but we are based in the South Eastern tip of the Gers (32) so quite some distance away. But thanks anyway

Gabe

[derf]

Here in 47 we have lots of signs on the grass verges with phone numbers for mobile sawmills maybe you can look in yellow pages and see if you have some in your area, either they would charge you saw the trees into useable beams or planks or even do it for free, if you let them have the timber.

 

[Patf]

There's a very big woodyard/sawmill just to the west of Seissan which might help you. I think it's called Gersbois. Pat.

[Chrissie]

I had exactly the same problem with two dead oaks in a rather unget-at-able part of the garden.  Got a guy to come and cut them down, strip the branches, and then he produced a sort of mobile splitting device which cut it all into 60cm segments.  He cleared up all the sawdust and removed all the straggly bits.  Finally he tractored the logs over to the back of the house and stacked it all on pallets (we now have enough wood to see us through a few years...)  The cost was 2000 euros, but it did take him and his mate a whole week. 

Hope this is helpful

Chrissie (81)

[chirpy]

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN QUICKER WITH TREE FELLAS

[Tony F Dordogne]

We just got a devis to have a local reputable company come round to our inaccessible back garden/part of our wood to remove a number (12 or so) dead or dying oak trees and a couple of other types, which are close to the house, cost E2300, they tidy and clear site, leave the wood neatly cut in 1m and .5m lengths for us to use in the insert in a couple of years time.

If you're near 24 pm me and I can give you the company's details. 

[Tony F Dordogne]

We just got a devis to have a local reputable company come round to our inaccessible back garden/part of our wood to remove a number (12 or so) dead or dying oak trees and a couple of other types, which are close to the house, cost E2300, they tidy and clear site, leave the wood neatly cut in 1m and .5m lengths for us to use in the insert in a couple of years time.

If you're near 24 pm me and I can give you the company's details. 

[Christian]

Gabe

If you are just about to get a wood burning stove, you are going to need a chainsaw, unless you plan to buy the more expensive cut firewood. The promos for chainsaws are just beginning to start now. You could ask a neighbour to do the actual felling and cut the rest up yourself. Green Oak is much easier to cut than seasoned Oak.

Christian

[Gabe]

Tony, we are based in S.E. Gers (32) so probably not practical but thanks for the info. Patf will have a look at Gersbois as Seissan isn't to far. Christian, I am already looking at Chainsaws as had to borrow one of my neighbour last time. Think I will "fish" to see if he or any of his contacts can help with taken the trees down. As you say good ready supply of fire wood, although I won't underestimate how many years it will take me to chop up a whole tree.

Gabe

[Bones]

Hi Gabe, I cut up and chopped quite a few trees last winter: it's not easy and can be dangerous.

A small petrol chainsaw might do the job but forget it if you don't learn and practice the basics of maintenance (sharpening/cleaning/chain tension etc) and even if you know the safety MUSTS you have to watch against complacency or you may well lose a limb!

A larger decent chainsaw will cost more but will make your job twice as easy if well maintained.

Here are some tips: as taught to me hands on by a gard - champêtre (assuming he was right that is!).

When you get your 'rolls' of logs - place them face down and cut a groove into them, then either smack them with a decent axe or stick a splitter in (wouldn't advise a twisted splitter - you might end up pulling it out of your shin) and smack that with the hammer end of the axe: takes a bit of practice with the blade end alone. Next, 'half the half' and you've got some nice chunks (this is assuming you are dealing with a really thick trunk).

Dead parts of the tree might appear (in part) as virtual sawdust: you can still split them and they are pleasantly light to carry!!

The oak will take some time to age but is a good burner - you can burn it 'new' though (I can get a burn from any new wood - it's just less efficient).

It's hard work but strangely rewarding - when you finaly get the chunks into your woodstore and can hand hatchet them into smaller chunks with some proficiency you feel, well, all outdoorsy! 

I was considering getting a decent chainsaw but haven't had any requests for work so far this year - otherwise I may've offered my services.

Final word: If you go ahead and tackle this yourself, make sure there's someone else present if only for safety's sake. 

 

  

[Bones]

Forgot to add a couple of things (though you probably already know most of this):

 If you see a faint hairline crack on the face of the 'roll' - smack it there and it will fall open as if by magic. 

 Don't waste time trying to split down a knot in the wood - you'll be there all day. **Also when I mentioned 'the hammer end of the axe' I was reffering to those axes with a proper sledgehammer type end on one side.

Make sure you have 2 splitters if the rolls are really big as you may well need to apply both on occasion.

Now have at it man!

[Gabe]

Thanks Bones,

Advice noted, particularly about the splitter. As to taking the trees down myself, probably not the best idea so will have to spend some money up front. Longer term the wood should pay for itself anyway.  Even if it doesn't the trees will have to come down for piece of mind, as they are to close to my neighbours border. Otherwise I could wait for nature to take it's course and save the money.

Gabe