The mighty bowsaw

Sane people only use a bowsaw for relatively minor cutting of small branches.  On Hardwood Hermitage, the bowsaw, powered strictly by elbow grease, continues its heroic work of cutting down bigger trees.  Four red maples were recently dropped with this excellent tool, pictured below.

Two red maples were dropped on the hill south of the house. In addition to about 3/4ths of a cord of firewood from two trunks, the downed crowns will increase winter solar production; the low sun that time of year gets blocked a bit by several trees.

One red maple became a dreaded "barber chair" during the felling operation.  During a horizontal cut, a tree sometimes starts to crack vertically.  This adds to the fall's level of unpredictability.  Evidence of the barber chair is shown by the thin wood above the cut in this photo.  The top of the remaining trunk is 9 inches in diameter.

The two trees gave in without much trouble, even with the barber chair.  They now crisscross each other on the hill.  The top of the second tree's remaining standing trunk is seen in the picture, as well. 

Two other red maples were downed west of the house, so we'll have about a cord of wood without moving much up hill.  When we cut on the south hill, we actually move the wood down to the stacking pile or wood shed.  That will be a pleasant change of pace.