Cutting Down a Big Cottonwood Tree

[Bird]

Quite a number of years ago, one of my brothers went and got a pickup load of what he said was cottonwood that had been cut down for a power line right of way in Alaska. He thought it would be good firewood since it was free, but said when they burned some, it smelled so bad that he loaded the rest of it back on his pickup and hauled it off. However, in Texas, I used a bunch of cottonwood for firewood one year and didn't notice any unusual odor. It burned up fast, but since it was free (except for me cutting, hauling, and splitting it) I thought it was just fine. Of course, what I used was some that there was no telling how old it was. It had fallen long ago and we only had to cut it up to proper lengths, so it was quite dry. I don't know whether what my brother tried was too green or whether it was a different kind of wood.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Cottonwood usually smells like cat urine when I am cutting it down. Plus if the roots get half a chance they will grow into septic systems. Then it smells pretty bad as well. I don't even burn it out in a burn barrel. Just a huge weed would be a good description..Another thing I don't like is it can be very brittle to climb and cut down. Large branches can snap easily. I tend to avoid bidding on large cottonwoods because they can be dangerous to climb. Along with the fact of a very large moisture content. They are heavy. It takes a long time to dry the stuff out.

 

[Egon]

There are places where a variety of the poplar tree is the only tree growing. That leaves you with poplar for firewood.

Ever smelled red oak fresh cut?

 

[case685]

I cut down a huge cottonwood in my woods a few years ago, took 3 eight foot logs out of it and milled them with my chainsaw mill. The boards have dried really well, staying nice and straight with little cracking. The wood isn't much to look at but I think as Egon stated it will make a good secondary type wood. Also, I didn't find it smelled to bad when cutting it. The only wood I've found noticably pungent was elm. Gerry

 

[psj12]

I hired a guy who ran a tree buisness to take down several big maples around my house. Like your contractor he utilized no safety equipment to speak of. (climbers had safety ropes).

He bragged to me he had been in buisness for 20+ years and never had an accident. After watching him and his crew for about a half hour I couldn't watch any more. it was too scary with limbs larger than my body girth falling close to other workers who were not watching etc.

He finished the job without incidet and I paid him.

The following week I read his obituary. He was killed on the job by a falling limb.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

I have been taking my Dad who is 80 come along to help on tree jobs for several years now. Mainly because he likes to shoot the Bull with my customers. And it gives him and I something to do together. The last tree job I took him on a few weeks ago he would not move out of the danger zone. I kept telling him to move further back. He wouldn't do it so I canned him from anymore tree jobs. That is tough to do because I love the old guy.
But I am not going to risk him or anyone else doing this work. Even a small branch falling can kill or hurt a person badly. Cottonwoods are notorious for falling branches.