# how best to bucking small diameter, bent wood, and lots of it?



## KiwiBro (Dec 3, 2011)

Buzz saw on a tractor 3ph pto like this one:
Vermont Woodsman Buzz Saw
Or perhaps more of a bench saw like this one:
Portable bench saw for firewood - large | Agrimetal

Now, if it were straight, it could be pushed togcrether, picked up with a grapple and you just come at it from both ends with a chainsaw/s until you are left with the 70-ish" of the grapple width to cut down on the buzz saw, but this stuff aint straight and there's muchomundo of it to get through. If it's really small diameter then I don't suppose it matters a great deal if the ends aren't cut reasonably square b/c it's not going to be split but other rounds will be and I hate splitting crookedly cut rounds.

Any bright ideas fellas and fellesses? I actually favour the non pto variety of buzz saw at this stage. Sure, it's one more engine to deal with but it's not clocking up hrs on the tractor and can be used independently of said tractor.


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## spike60 (Dec 3, 2011)

Thanks for those links; I enjoyed reading about both types of buzz saws. Never ran one myself, but I know in pre-chainsaw days they were a popular way to produce firewood. 

Looking at the two options, I agree with you about the one with the separate engine being the better way to go. For one thing, I think that 5.5 Honda would be more economical to run than the tractor. Plus, it leaves the tractor free to do other tasks.


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## leon (Dec 3, 2011)

*firewood*

The safest and quickest way to block up your odd misshapen wood is 
to simply make an 8 foot sawbuck with 12 inch space between each 
cross to give you complete control over cutting.

It is the best way with the least kick back possible wherein you could 
use a sawz all with a 12 inch wood blade.

The sawz all would be less taxing than a saw and the speed will not be a 
problem when ripping through numerous odd pieces stacked on one
another.


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## DSS (Dec 3, 2011)

I'd like to know how many hours I spent throwing blocks from one of those. No such thing as a guard on any one I ever saw. Driven by a flat belt off a pulley on the tractor.

Things got interesting in a hurry if you jammed it. Looks like the most dangerous piece of machinery in the world, and it probably is, but I can't ever remember so much as a scratch from one. You can put a tremendous amount of wood through one in a day. Lots of them still in use here.


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## lfnh (Dec 4, 2011)

:agree2:

Ran em belted off tractors, Ran em v-belt off 10 hp electric. ran 6-8" bolts of oak and hickory without a problem. Touched and set teeth will last a long time - longer than carbide.

idk, about the the Honda unit and crooked wood.
sharpening won't be cheap.


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## KiwiBro (Dec 4, 2011)

leon said:


> The safest and quickest way to block up your odd misshapen wood is
> to simply make an 8 foot sawbuck with 12 inch space between each
> cross to give you complete control over cutting.
> 
> ...



If the wood's straight-ish, what's left in the grapple is getting dumped into a wooden floored cradle so many logs can be bucked with a chainsaw(I can't see a bread knife on steroids being as fast, sorry) at the same time, although your sawbuck suggestion is probably a better way, thanks, so I'll have to give that a whirl. It's the small-ish bent ones (of which there are many) that I can't find a quick way to buck en mass. 

Just buck'em into the biggest lengths possible that will still keep the bending small enough to stack them in the sawbucks?


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## Steve NW WI (Dec 4, 2011)

.I have a 22" blade saw rig belt driven on the front of my 1947 M farmall. It's a happy machine singing a song when cutting 4" and under stuff, bigger pieces cause binding when the moron holding the wood binds it up...Hey wait that's me...

They are best operated with a conveyor moving the wood away, leaning down under one to pick up the cutoffs is asking for trouble, and it doesn't take but a minute or two of cutting to pile it up underneath to where one could get grabbed by the blade.

Like DSS says, not at all OSHA approved, got a "kinda looks like one" guard on one side of the blade, but mostly open. The fear instilled by it's looks is warranted, know a few older guys with pieces missing from running a saw rig. With some caution though, there's not a better machine for small diameter stuff.

I'll try to add a pic tomorrow.


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## KiwiBro (Dec 4, 2011)

Steve NW WI said:


> I'll try to add a pic tomorrow.


 That would be great, thanks. I've a new found respect for anything sharp, having ripped my fingertip off 10 days ago, so I can assure you I won't be taking any risks. Rather than the conveyor, I have plenty of slope to work with, although a small, light but sturdy conveyor would be a great thing to own. One day...


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## zogger (Dec 4, 2011)

quickest cheapest easiest is maybe pound in some fence posts by the pair, as far apart as you need the cut pieces to be, throw a heap of small diameter in there, start at the top, cut your way down, right down the middle the farthest away from the fence posts. Have sacrificial pieces at the bottom so you don't have to cut right down into the dirt. Perhaps big cookies you have cut before for the bottom layer. Make the pairs just shy of your bar length so you clear all the pieces cutting from one side. And I'd load it biased thicker pieces towards you.

I've used an arbor saw (pto/belt/tractor) with a swing table for five years before in the winter to cut a lot of small pieces. Ya sorta dangerous but you stand off to the side of the blade and swing the wood into the blade.


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## Dalmatian90 (Dec 4, 2011)

> throw a heap of small diameter in there, start at the top, cut your way down, right down the middle the farthest away from the fence posts. Have sacrificial pieces at the bottom so you don't have to cut right down into the dirt.



Hmmmm...you're giving me ideas Zog...this is dangerous...


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## cantoo (Dec 4, 2011)

I bought a used buzz saw to use on these types of pieces. I bought a bush full of tree tops so likely over half of the wood is under 8". There is also a large amount of standing dead wood that we are cutting down and using. These are usually under 8" too so more use for the saw. I haven't run it yet but we did have a huge pile of branches/small logs piled up and before I had a chance to try it my BIL had cut it all into pieces. He couldn't believe how fast and easy it was compared to chainsawing. We've got a few mores piles ready but no time to cut it up yet and I don't need any more wood for a couple of years. There are pics of the buzz saw on my thread (my firewood tools) but none of us using it yet. There is also pictures of the trailer I built to cut up limbwood, we have run alot of loads thru it and it works great.


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## zogger (Dec 4, 2011)

*Bwaa!*



Dalmatian90 said:


> Hmmmm...you're giving me ideas Zog...this is dangerous...



I know what you might be thinking..do the fence posts and just fill it up, cut them and that's your stack! Just leave them right there. Need more stacks, pound some more fence posts in.

I just got done doing my branch pile from a big standing dead poplar. I used my batt saw and three batts to get most of it. (the around 5 inch or so and under, the rest got cut up with my 3400 and 245A) Serious PITA because all the branches broke off when it hit the ground. Boom! Chunks went flying everywhere. As such, I didn't milk it out quite as much as I normally would, but still got around 1/3rd cord of small rounds cut to size. 

To *me* the best way to cut smaller branches is right there on the tree, the tree holds them perfectly. That's why I normally start at the top end and work my way back, taking my time.

I do need to get my pole saw running again though, for those overhead cuts once the tree is down, you always wind up with good stuff way overhead.

Ya, was thinking about a holder the entire time I was cutting. I like the design of the baileys automagical log holder.

An arbor saw is downright fast as snot though if all you have is loose tops. They are expensive though, either PTO or stand alone.

So is a big commercial chipper..... whack a few good ones off the butt end and chip the rest. Garden..firewood..it don't matter.


edit: following the "pics or it didn't happen" rule, here is my pile of small rounds today. Did it all with the Oregon battery saw, all those $%^&*([email protected] branches that broke loose when the tree hit the ground

quantity is a ...standing farmer's about face cord..pile..load.







(actually just a scosh under 40 cubic feet) Yep, a system or holder would be nice sometimes......think I am going to start another change jar saving's plan for that bailey's firewood/small log branch whatever holder, the folding jobber.


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## Wood Doctor (Dec 4, 2011)

*Band Saw?*

I usually use a band saw for small diameter stuff. Cutting at an angle, you can easily make 18" long small logs, even if bent wood. Saves a lot on gas after awhile. I just carry 6' lengths into the workshop and turn on the band saw. It also works better than the table saw.


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## turnkey4099 (Dec 4, 2011)

Something like this only larger? That is my limbwood saw buck. Just did come in from cutting up a good batch from the waiting pile of limbs.






After cutting they mostly stay right there for easy pick up:






Takes longer to load up than it does to cut them. Doing it again it would be both wider and taller. As is it is 14" inside dimension width and height. It also folds up.

Harry K


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## bullseye13 (Dec 4, 2011)

This has got to be the first i ever heard of someone afraid to clock hours on the tractor. I dont care what it looks like, restored or original....if I own it I use the crap out of it without a care in the world about hours. Besides, powering a sawbuck is cake work for a tractor compared to some manuvers...haha

There arent any laws about disconnecting the hour meter that i know of :msp_tongue:


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## zogger (Dec 4, 2011)

*OK, now that's nice...*



turnkey4099 said:


> Something like this only larger? That is my limbwood saw buck. Just did come in from cutting up a good batch from the waiting pile of limbs.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



--I like your design for larger branches and small logs, but what about the side branches? See, I would rather something like the bailey's tool, as you can stick the butt end of any branch into it, no matter how many smaller side branches there are, then work your way down. Grab the whole branch *once* then milk it out (if the branch isn't on the tree). Several more cuts on the branch leading to more wood in the pile. yes, smaller chunks, but they burn, too, and using your smallest lightest saw, it really isn't that much hassle or additional work (well, if you consider sawing fun, any excuse to do that like I do)

I guess I would like both type holders. I get both type oddball chunks that are harder to deal with.

Ya, I know I am odd duck here on taking and using smaller pieces..I still get all the large rounds that everyone else gets, the smaller are just frosting to me, plus no mess leftover, nothing of note.


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## Philbert (Dec 4, 2011)

turnkey4099 said:


> Something like this only larger? It also folds up.



Thanks for posting this photo Harry. 

I recall a thread on it a few years back and was dreading having to search for it. I remember liking the fold-up feature of it, even if that was not originally intended - gives it a little portability. I also recall suggesting that if the steel at each station was welded as an 'H', instead of as a 'U', the wood would be supported up off of the base runners and you would not cut into them at all.

(P.S. - I suggested that Zogger place swing-out 'J' hooks on the side of his firewood trailer to do the same thing).

Philbert


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## rottiman (Dec 4, 2011)

This is how I handle the stuff up to 10" Works like a chop saw and nothing flys around. Irun the saw with my left hand and pull the piece forward to a 16" stop using a simple pulp hook with my right hand. If you have a second person you can really fly. Have cut over a hundred cords with it and it cost me about fifty bucks in material to build. Works like a champ.


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## Philbert (Dec 4, 2011)

rottiman said:


> This is how I handle the stuff up to 10" . . . Irun the saw with my left hand and pull the piece forward to a 16" stop using a simple pulp hook with my right hand.



Really nice. I like the simple design, especially the spring.

Keeping it simple, what if you added a rope and pulley (on a pivot), so that you could push the wood forward with one hand, and pull down with the other to run the saw through the cut?

(No hydraulics, no air cylinders, etc.)

Philbert


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## KiwiBro (Dec 5, 2011)

bullseye13 said:


> This has got to be the first i ever heard of someone afraid to clock hours on the tractor. I dont care what it looks like, restored or original....if I own it I use the crap out of it without a care in the world about hours. Besides, powering a sawbuck is cake work for a tractor compared to some manuvers...haha
> 
> There arent any laws about disconnecting the hour meter that i know of :msp_tongue:



Lol. There isn't a tool I own i'm "afraid" to use. It's more about right tool, right job. 50Hp doing a 5HP motor's job all day long just seems like a waste of money and opportunity to better utilise the tractor on other tasks for which there is no better tool. If a PTO saw was the best way to get through a mountain of branches, then I'll cut a bigger landing and stack-em up so when i am not using the PTO winch, I can go for days bucking small branches, but that's burning through more fuel than a 5HP motor ever would, surely?

I'll leave the disconnecting or winding back of hour meters to the shady pricks of this world. There are plenty of the am lready without me adding to the numbers.


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## KiwiBro (Dec 5, 2011)

turnkey4099 said:


> Something like this only larger? That is my limbwood saw buck. Just did come in from cutting up a good batch from the waiting pile of limbs.
> 
> 
> After cutting they mostly stay right there for easy pick up:
> ...


Thanks. That's certainly my line of thinking too. Where it doesn't work so well is on the bent branches that will also need splitting. It's troublesome keeping the cuts on those ones square-ish enough for easy splitting. But I'm thinking those would need to be cut to a fairly short length to be easily handled on the PTO buzz saw anyway and if they are still so bent they don't stack well in a cradle like yours then I'm better off cutting those from the tip to trunk with the chainsaw as it arrives on the landing.

But I like throwing these things open to the great AS knowledge base because there's always plenty of things I've never considered and much smarter, more lateral firewood thinkers than I'll ever be on here to learn from.


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## turnkey4099 (Dec 5, 2011)

Philbert said:


> Thanks for posting this photo Harry.
> 
> I recall a thread on it a few years back and was dreading having to search for it. I remember liking the fold-up feature of it, even if that was not originally intended - gives it a little portability. I also recall suggesting that if the steel at each station was welded as an 'H', instead of as a 'U', the wood would be supported up off of the base runners and you would not cut into them at all.
> 
> ...



That was an interesting thread. "sawbuck for limb wood" is close to the thread title.

Harry K


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## turnkey4099 (Dec 5, 2011)

zogger said:


> --I like your design for larger branches and small logs, but what about the side branches? See, I would rather something like the bailey's tool, as you can stick the butt end of any branch into it, no matter how many smaller side branches there are, then work your way down. Grab the whole branch *once* then milk it out (if the branch isn't on the tree). Several more cuts on the branch leading to more wood in the pile. yes, smaller chunks, but they burn, too, and using your smallest lightest saw, it really isn't that much hassle or additional work (well, if you consider sawing fun, any excuse to do that like I do)
> 
> I guess I would like both type holders. I get both type oddball chunks that are harder to deal with.
> 
> Ya, I know I am odd duck here on taking and using smaller pieces..I still get all the large rounds that everyone else gets, the smaller are just frosting to me, plus no mess leftover, nothing of note.



I also save limbs/branches down to around 2" guage. I clean off everything and cut them down to at most 8' long, toss on truck and offload onto a pile. Slow day, grab the saw and have some fun. I hate cutting/loading small chunks in the field and then having to off load them - a lot of handling. Much better to haul home in long pieces and finish processing there IMO.

Harry K


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## zogger (Dec 5, 2011)

Philbert said:


> Thanks for posting this photo Harry.
> 
> I recall a thread on it a few years back and was dreading having to search for it. I remember liking the fold-up feature of it, even if that was not originally intended - gives it a little portability. I also recall suggesting that if the steel at each station was welded as an 'H', instead of as a 'U', the wood would be supported up off of the base runners and you would not cut into them at all.
> 
> ...



--weird, I have no recollection of that (not saying you didn't do it, I just don't remember right at this time). and I have only been here a year, not years, and use a cargo box on the 3 point hitch, not a trailer, so.... now I do remember you forwarding a link to a truck trailer hitch attachment that held a branch in place up off the ground, similar in theory to the bailey's tool.

Either way, swinging J hooks are interesting as well.

I thought about building a conventional set of Xs sawbuck that fit on top of the cargo box, but decided against building one, just more clunky weight and a big "thing" I don't want to travel with me all the time.

*Usually* I have no probs with branches as I don't immediately just whack all of them off the tree. Starting at the top and working your way back, the tree itself holds them in place. Now really large big branches that go way up high, sure, I drop those to the ground, but they are so large they are like trees themselves, so the same thing, start at the tops and cut my way down to the base.

I guess professional volume cutters (a lot of them) just walk down the trunk and take them off, necessitating some way to do mass quantities of goofy branches. Of course most I think are just left in piles in the woods, I have seen a lot of that over the years. "Slash piles". Sometimes just left, sometimes bulldozed into a big pile of green wood, doused with diesel, set on fire, then the dudes leave, three days later still a smoky pile of mostly unburnt stuff. Seen that a lot as well. 

Small saplings I do by what I can reach. Go up, trim what I can, that high, hit a 90 degree turn and cut my rounds off right down to the base. (not many obviously, but I am talking 3-4 inch at the base stuff, so I get 4-5 rounds from it). the left over top is small for even me so they get toted to some area that has runoff issues and used for erosion control. Larger than that I fell normally and cut from the top normally.

edit: Philbert's brain FTW! He is too modest, he remembered and I didn't.

I claim a SENIOR MOMENT! hahahahaha!


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## Philbert (Dec 10, 2011)

turnkey4099 said:


> That was an interesting thread. "sawbuck for limb wood" is close to the thread title. Harry K



Somehow, I think that some of the original photos got switched (?), but post #9 has a good close up of one that follows your design:

http://www.arboristsite.com/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/87226.htm

Philbert


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## turnkey4099 (Dec 11, 2011)

Philbert said:


> Somehow, I think that some of the original photos got switched (?), but post #9 has a good close up of one that follows your design:
> 
> http://www.arboristsite.com/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/87226.htm
> 
> Philbert



Yep. TDhat is where I learned not to delete pics from Photobucket. It changes every picture you ever posted.

I've beenwondering if one couldn't delete the oldest ones without that happening.

Harry K


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## Philbert (Dec 23, 2011)

*Saw This Today*

Looks like a commercially available version of turnkey4099's set up. It has incorporated the 'H' design I was suggesting to keep the saws off of the ground

Only saw it on line (Northern Tool) - can't tell you how well it's made. Takes apart for shipment/storage - if you look close you can see where the 2 parts of the uprights fit together, just above the cross bars. Might be an option for those who can't weld? Actually, might be able to make something similar out of plumbing parts. . . .

Philbert
*


*

_(replaced deleted photos)_


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## CRThomas (Dec 24, 2011)

*Chopsaw*

I use a chop saw with two hold downs hooked into one handle stop kick back. Chop saw are not that high priced little change and you got a good way to chop wood to your length. They make a blade that cuts steel or wood for nails that happen to be grow in the tree keep you from getting a face and chest full of steel . Later


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## KiwiBro (Oct 13, 2012)

*hmmmm*

[video=youtube;4IyGAOmINIs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IyGAOmINIs&feature=related[/video]


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## danthe (Oct 13, 2012)

This jig is wath I would want to buck small stuff


Can Cervera - Chainsaw support now with safety bar, firewood processing. - YouTube


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## CTYank (Oct 13, 2012)

Wood Doctor said:


> I usually use a band saw for small diameter stuff. Cutting at an angle, you can easily make 18" long small logs, even if bent wood. Saves a lot on gas after awhile. I just carry 6' lengths into the workshop and turn on the band saw. It also works better than the table saw.



I use a 16" Grizzly bandsaw for essentially everything that goes into my little stove. (Initial c/s/s to 16" long for stacking; bandsaw to 8" long for stove, when it comes time to make a batch ready.) The height limit of 6" of the bandsaw is not a problem with what I feed this stove. Ripping pieces no problem.

Stacking as 16-inchers keeps the wood ready for others, too. (Ever try stacking 8-inchers?)

Prospects for safety are excellent, relative to chainsaw or circular saw. Blade costs ~$10. 1hp motor rips through 'em. Narrow kerf wastes min wood. And ... bandsaw can be used for many other purposes. At $445 from Grizzly, it was a no-brainer IMHO,


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## Philbert (Oct 14, 2012)

A large bandsaw is an interesting idea. The fence sets the length. Some type of sliding table could speed things up while keeping your hands farther from the blade.
(We used versions of these in the packing plants to basically slide half a cow through, so 16 inch wood should not be a problem with the right blade).

Philbert


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## Philbert (Oct 14, 2012)

danthe said:


> This jig is wath I would want to buck small stuff
> 
> 
> Can Cervera - Chainsaw support now with safety bar, firewood processing. - YouTube



Nice - I did not see this when you first posted it, but it also led me to these YouTube Videos:



It took me a few views to see that the bar he contacts with the wood controls the throttle. A variation on the tractor driven 'buzz-saw'.



This one looks a little more 'finished', plus he cuts with the bottom of the bar, which I like. A vertical bar up front, to the right of the saw, might help to keep the feeding hand out of the cutting zone.

Each of these set ups would be better with some type of stop gauge to cut things to equal lengths.

Philbert

_updated video links_


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## turnkey4099 (Oct 14, 2012)

Philbert said:


> Nice - I did not see this when you first posted it, but it also led me to these YouTube Videos:
> 
> <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/y_1Jh4ETLCM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
> 
> ...



I am too lazy to spend all that effort freehanding a limb through a saw!

Harry K


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## Philbert (Jan 23, 2014)

OK, been a while, but I just ran across this on YouTube. Appears to be a commercially available version of what some of us have been talking about. Has the 'Oregon' brand, but I have never seen it. European? Anyone seen this?

Philbert

"OREGON® Easy Cut Saw Horse"


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## Philbert (Jan 23, 2014)

Another. There are a few more if you look for them.



Philbert


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## Speed (Jan 23, 2014)

I will agree with the others that have said it, a buzzsaw cannot be beat in 8" and under wood. I spent years on one growing up. BUT, if the stuff you want to use it on is all twisted AND you want square ends on every piece, forget it. You'll lose all your time twisting the piece for every cut. Also, the wood should be tight up against the table so you don't bind the blade. 

As far as fuel usage, I can't speak for the PTO saws, but the belt driven saws run barely above an idle. Fuel usage is minimal. And the hour meter thing? That just kills me. I've got a friend that would rather let the tractor sit and do things by hand than to click that hour meter. And he inherited the thing for free, to top that I know he'll never sell it. If I was worried about the hour meter I wouldn't own the thing. My tractors were bought to save me as much time/labor as possible.


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## Poindexter (Jan 24, 2014)

I am a small operation, just cut for myself. Straight pieces light enough to throw in the truck I'll bring out at 6-8 feet long, I got a saw buck for those. 

The twisty ones from 3ish to 6ish inches diameter I want to burn, I dropped the tree; but I don't want to fool with them anymore than I have to. What I do is unzip them, or stripe them, by running the tip of the blade up the branch while it is still attached to enough of the tree that it holds still. Just a deep enough cut to get through the bark and into the wood. 

Then I cut them off wherever makes sense, 16" or shorter. Once I get them home, they go straight on the stack to be burnt two years from now without having to be split, so they don't have to be cut square.


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## Oliver1655 (Jan 24, 2014)

While saw buck can be handy, I believe the OP is talking about bent/ twisted pieces that will not works well in a saw buck.

If I am cutting for a home owner or have a helper who will be doing the clean up I work from the top of the tree down. For the limbs pointing up, after clearing the ones under it, I will cut it part way by the trunk & let it hinge down. This helps to keep it off the ground.

If by myself, I cut to 8-9' lengths & load them on the trailer to take home & process there. I really like the stationary mounted saw. I will be making one with a length gauge & tall enough to have my 3'x4' lawn cart under it to catch the splits. I really don't like picking rounds off the ground if I don't have to.


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## Islero (Jan 24, 2014)

Since we use alot of branches for our wood stoves and outside baking ovens, we use a saw buck. Specifically, we load the branches on the saw buck, then use ratched straps every three of four feet and strap the branches very tight so they won't go flying everywhere. Once the straps are tight we cut them the size we need with the chainsaw.Once cut we gather the pieces and place then in a 8' x 8' x 2' foot bin that keeps the wood off the ground and organized.


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## ETpilot (Jan 24, 2014)

I made a wooden holder similar to the smart wood holder. It works great for those unruly limbs. I like to keep a good supply of thin limbs for kindling. I have a pallet full now.


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## 513yj (Jan 24, 2014)

Look around on here in sawbuck threads for the firewood processor some guy built using a chainsaw that attaches with a hole in the bar and a pin for a pivot. At some point I'm going to make one like it.


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## mainewoods (Jan 24, 2014)

I have cut a lot of small -crooked wood with my chop saw(miter). Use a cross cut blade, it helps prevents binding. If it doesn't cut all the way through just flip it over and finish the cut. Pretty fast once you get going. I wouldn't be without one.


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## mainewoods (Jan 24, 2014)

Of course a multi station saw buck works great also. I load it up with small crooked pieces and lay 1 or 2 large logs on top to hold the others in place. The larger logs hold the small ones in place right to the last cut. Quicker than strapping them down.


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## Philbert (Jan 24, 2014)

Many people do not have tractor-mounted buzz saws, and as a 'safety guy', I have lots of concerns about them.

The sawbuck I posted above (posts#36, 37) and turnkey4099's set up, help to 'corral' bent and twisted pieces for cutting, especially if used with some type of top bar/chain/strap, like the Oregon one uses, to keep them from rotating or rising up. I would consider this primarily for longer, branch type materials that were probably not going to be split later (up to 6 inch diameter?), as opposed to logs.

I have a smaller wood stove, and burn recreationally. So I am happy to burn branches, limbs, tree tops, pretty much anything over 2 inches in diameter, etc., without splitting (smaller stuff gets cut with an anvil loper for kindling). Something like these look like they would be much more efficient. 

P.S. - I fixed some of the links in post #34 which show some mounted chainsaw cutters - not vouching for the safety of these either, but with some guarding, training, awareness, . . . .


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## philoshop (Jan 24, 2014)

Not really a high-volume setup, but it can go pretty fast with two guys.
Adjustable jaws for different branch diameters and it breaks down for transport.


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## Philbert (Nov 16, 2014)

Here are a few more I ran across:





Philbert


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## zogger (Nov 16, 2014)

Philbert said:


> Here are a few more I ran across:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Both pretty fast and spiffy!

I still want a 50 cc gas powered jawsaw, with around twice as long of jaws as the electric versions. Because you could do crookedy branches right there at the tree, fast! The log holders need straight wood for the most part, most of the branches I get are crookedy, but there's a lot of wood in there. If I drag whole branches back where I can plug in the jawsaw it works, but still limited in size, it's really only designed for around 3-4 inch and smaller, I'd like something up to 8 inches maybe, all the way down to one inch.


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## palmrose2 (Nov 16, 2014)

I spent a couple of days on a 3 man crew with a belt driven buzz saw about 30 yrs ago. I thought that I could have cut the stuff faster with a chainsaw, especially if I had two guys humping wood out of my way. I still think that way. A buddy I cut with used to use a saw buck and electric chainsaw at home, then he bought a 50cc saw and watched me wade into a top and whack it to length as I went. 

Some cutting, handling, transporting, handling, cutting, and stacking IMHO takes longer than cutting, handling, transporting, and stacking.


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## CUCV (Nov 16, 2014)

My father made a little setup for the Super splitter to cut limbs. Basically he has a movable ram stops he sets 6" from the wedge. Kiwi ya got the right tool just make up some stops and crank thru the limbs.


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## KiwiBro (Feb 17, 2015)

Hmmm, for the sub-4" stuff, can anyone beat this?


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## zogger (Feb 17, 2015)

KiwiBro said:


> Hmmm, for the sub-4" stuff, can anyone beat this?




I'd like to see something beat that on smalls. That's pretty impressive. You need clean limbs, but whut the heck.


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## KiwiBro (Feb 17, 2015)

Was thinking the same thing about the limbs. Perhaps shoot or convey the output to a tumbler/screen/filter/grill to sort into firewood and rough chips, rather than spend too much time cleaning unwanteds from the input?


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## Philbert (Feb 17, 2015)

Pretty cool. Several more variations if you follow the YouTube link. Look basically like brush chippers that don't not grind as fine as what we are used to. Could make some perfectly serviceable stove wood.

Philbert


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## sb47 (Feb 17, 2015)

turnkey4099 said:


> Something like this only larger? That is my limbwood saw buck. Just did come in from cutting up a good batch from the waiting pile of limbs.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I made something like this but out of wood. Works great. Pile it in and cut it with a chain saw.


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## zogger (Feb 17, 2015)

KiwiBro said:


> Was thinking the same thing about the limbs. Perhaps shoot or convey the output to a tumbler/screen/filter/grill to sort into firewood and rough chips, rather than spend too much time cleaning unwanteds from the input?



I do not have a good answer for that, not a commercial answer anyway. Those limbs look to have been stripped pretty well *somehow* but I have no idea how they did it. I have seen the big harvesters that do that, but not aware of any small scale machines that strip the little bitty twigs off. I don't think that machine would work well with branches and side branches like you would stuff into a chipper.

When I work up smalls it is extremely tedious and labor intensive, all done with a small saw or axe/hatchet. Obviously not commercially viable for big scale.


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## Philbert (Feb 17, 2015)

Zog, if you follow the YouTube link, and look at the related videos, you will see some where they feed in multi-stem branches, just like a brush chipper. E.g.



Philbert


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## zogger (Feb 18, 2015)

Philbert said:


> Zog, if you follow the YouTube link, and look at the related videos, you will see some where they feed in multi-stem branches, just like a brush chipper. E.g.
> 
> 
> 
> Philbert




They must use that output in some sort of biomass heater/boiler with an automatic feed of some kind.

Or something. Would be a lot of grab a handful and stand there and feed the stove doing it by hand.


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## Philbert (Dec 13, 2015)

Here is another design from another thread:



stihly dan said:


> That is my sawbuck. Each post is exactly 20 inches so every piece is cut at the same length every time. A can get 120 pieces/rounds out of 5 cuts.






Philbert


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## reddogrunner (Dec 14, 2015)

I just build a jig out of 2x4's that can be folded and moved to whatever site. Build whatever intervals you want into it, but I like have 2 posts per section to hold the wood better and a V seems to work better to funnel the wood down to keep it from spinning or jumping too much. I also added a section of plywood to one end to butt the limbs up against. I stack them in there, cut 3 times or 4 depending on length and then grab wood without bending over and move to appropriate stack, etc. Works great - but I DON"T HAVE A PIC!!!! I'll get one


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## turnkey4099 (Dec 14, 2015)

reddogrunner said:


> I just build a jig out of 2x4's that can be folded and moved to whatever site. Build whatever intervals you want into it, but I like have 2 posts per section to hold the wood better and a V seems to work better to funnel the wood down to keep it from spinning or jumping too much. I also added a section of plywood to one end to butt the limbs up against. I stack them in there, cut 3 times or 4 depending on length and then grab wood without bending over and move to appropriate stack, etc. Works great - but I DON"T HAVE A PIC!!!! I'll get one


Somewhere in my poking around I saw the Stihl has something similar with tubes bent in a U.

Harry K


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## *ryan (Dec 15, 2015)

KiwiBro said:


> Hmmm, for the sub-4" stuff, can anyone beat this?




does anyone have any more info on this thing?
looks awsome
would love to make one


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## Philbert (Dec 15, 2015)

*ryan said:


> does anyone have any more info on this thing?
> looks awsome


There are several versions shown on YouTube if you search for the words in the video above ('Rebak Walcowy'). Many show working details. All seem to be eastern European.

Philbert


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## *ryan (Dec 15, 2015)

Philbert said:


> There are several versions shown on YouTube if you search for the words in the video above ('Rebak Walcowy'). Many show working details. All seem to be eastern European.
> 
> Philbert



thanks
that would be great for branches to make them usable for a wood stove
not too much a fireplace but jamming a wood stove full


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## Philbert (Dec 15, 2015)

Once you see something like that, it's hard to imagine doing it any other way, for production use. Could also be a good alternative to chipping for a larger scale wood boiler or furnace. 

Philbert


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## briantutt (Dec 15, 2015)

That thing is impressive. 

Brian


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## Oldman47 (Dec 15, 2015)

The only thing about them that I don't find impressive is how short they make the pieces that come out the other end. I just watched maybe 15 videos and the longest product I saw coming out the other end was only about 9 or 10 inches long on a very large model that was designed to accept branches over 11 cm in diameter.


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## Philbert (Dec 15, 2015)

I thought about that also. They might need larger diameter chipper wheels in order to get the longer lengths. The larger wheels might need a more powerful motor, in turn, to drive them, or make a much larger machine. 

Just speculating. 

Philbert


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## Oldman47 (Dec 15, 2015)

I am guessing they could be modified to increase the length of the cut by replacing some of the cutting blades with blanks that would just keep the branch moving forward. That way every other location on the main blade support axles would be a gap to the next blade. It would turn a 9 inch cutter into an 18 inch cutter.


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## trukn2004 (Dec 15, 2015)

I made this out of scrap lumber and decking cutoffs. Very similar idea, but great for small limbs and saving your back. Heck, I even load decent-sized pieces in it so I don't have to bend over a ton.





unloaded. Distance between the X's is about 20"


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## KiwiBro (Dec 15, 2015)

Settled on one of these for all but the really bent stuff. Delivery should be in a few weeks.


Still have no great way to do the really bent stuff.


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## Philbert (Dec 15, 2015)

Vary cool! Is there a saw in there, or chopper blades, or . . . ?

What's the capacity - looks like about 6 inches in the video ? Find a local dealer, or did you have to import one?

Philbert


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## KiwiBro (Dec 15, 2015)

This has some slo-mo's of the shear/split action


Imported from the very helpful manufacturer in Finland. There are no dealers here.
Had them put a few spare parts in the crate, just in case, and also a shearing blade without the splitting wedge for when doing the smaller stuff. This is just in case I find it creating too much messy scrappy stuff. Supposedly up to 8" softwood but I am thinking more along the lines of feeding it a diet of predominately sub-5" dense wood.

Somewhat of a leap of faith, so I guess time will tell. Was just thinking the other day that everything I have, that was made overseas and imported direct has held up rather well, and yet, sadly, almost every significant bit of machinery I have purchased new from NZ manufacturers or distributors has, in relatively short order, turned into a massive disappointment and shitfight.


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## Philbert (Dec 15, 2015)

I like that the feed chute keeps you back aways from the point of operation. Did not realize that it also split!

Hope it works out - maybe you can become the South Pacific distributor/rep?

Philbert


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## KiwiBro (Dec 15, 2015)

That would mean dealing with 'the public' and, frankly, that's a can-o-worms I'd rather avoid. Besides, jury is still out on how good it is for south pac wood. Will take a year or two of testing to arrive at a verdict.


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## Sandhill Crane (Dec 16, 2015)

Interesting post KiwiBro. I've become interested in the PackFix by Posch for palletizing, and getting away from stacking. There are two models, one is a double with turn table. I found an importer through Canada. The machine is affordable, but shipping is outrageous. When I asked why so much they explained it was to ship it in a 20' container. Were talking several thousand dollars, as in six thousand! Did not make sense to me, as they import other equipment from Posch as well. He did say when I put money down they would revisit the shipping cost issue. Good luck. Hope that works out well for you. Followed your posts with interest for some time. Hey, maybe you could buy the PackFix and send it to me. Apparently Posch is not interested in a US market.


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## svk (Dec 16, 2015)

trukn2004 said:


> I made this out of scrap lumber and decking cutoffs. Very similar idea, but great for small limbs and saving your back. Heck, I even load decent-sized pieces in it so I don't have to bend over a ton.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Right here. This is the most simple, best design there is.


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## Wood Doctor (Dec 16, 2015)

Here's my recent edition. I made it shorter for heavy logs, but dang it, I like it for the smaller branches also. I sometimes stack five or six on at a time.



Plans:



BTW, Philbert encouraged me to build this last year. I used 8/4 oak from the sawmill and made two of them. One of my friends uses the other one.


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## Oldman47 (Dec 17, 2015)

Too much work for me. Glued and screwed after miter cuts? Get real. A cross buck can be put together in just a few minutes and will last until you cut it up too much with your saw.


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## kyle1! (Dec 17, 2015)

But the wood doctor has some mad wood working skills. It would be out of character of him to put something together with bent nails, short pieces of chain and a 2x4 from menards.


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## Oldman47 (Dec 17, 2015)

It may well be out of character but sometimes it is all that is needed.


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## Philbert (Dec 17, 2015)

Oldman47 said:


> A cross buck can be put together in just a few minutes and will last until you cut it up too much with your saw.


Mine are made that way - not as pretty, but I sometimes hit things while cutting!

Philbert


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## Wood Doctor (Dec 17, 2015)

Oldman47 said:


> Too much work for me. Glued and screwed after miter cuts? Get real. A cross buck can be put together in just a few minutes and will last until you cut it up too much with your saw.


There are no miter cuts in these plans. Miter joints are notoriously weak, so I avoided them entirely. I have no idea where you are coming from.


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## JeffGu (Dec 17, 2015)

Yeah, you can buy a corded electric Remington chainsaw at Menards for $60 that will cut a stick or two. You better sell those Stihl saws and get down there during 11% off days!


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## Wood Doctor (Dec 17, 2015)

JeffGu said:


> Yeah, you can buy a corded electric Remington chainsaw at Menards for $60 that will cut a stick or two. You better sell those Stihl saws and get down there during 11% off days!


But, I can never find electricity available out where I work. So, what most guys buy are Poulan Wild Things and use them for a few hours until they give up. Then they give them to me to fix.


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## JeffGu (Dec 17, 2015)

Wood Doctor said:


> Poulan Wild Things and use them for a few hours until they give up.



That's a great racket... you can sell them to the _next_ guy coming down the street looking to save a few bucks!

Wait... you mean they actually make replacement parts for those things?


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## Wood Doctor (Dec 18, 2015)

JeffGu said:


> That's a great racket... you can sell them to the _next_ guy coming down the street looking to save a few bucks!
> 
> Wait... you mean they actually make replacement parts for those things?


Believe it or not, they do, but replacement parts add up rapidly to more than the saw cost them initially. So, if parts are involved that I cannot cannibalize from a parted out saw, the broken saw is usually parted out also.


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## JeffGu (Dec 18, 2015)

Wood Doctor said:


> ...replacement parts add up rapidly to more than the saw cost...



Yeah, I couldn't imagine that a $90 saw could be repaired for less than a new one, without scrounging parts off another one.
I did own one, briefly. Customer gave me one he bought and only used a few times, thought I might want it. I used it to grind small stumps out, until I finally couldn't sharpen the chain anymore and the bar was looking pretty sad. It was still running, so I gave it to a friend for parts. Maybe they have other models that aren't so cheaply made, I really don't know.


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## Philbert (Dec 20, 2015)

Here's a variation of the sawhorse I linked in Post #45:


Philbert


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## Wood Doctor (Dec 21, 2015)

Philbert said:


> Here's a variation of the sawhorse I linked in Post #45:
> 
> 
> Philbert



The only other criticism that I immediately see is that is seems far too easy to run the saw down into the long center beam. That beam is going to get beat up with cut marks all over it.


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## Philbert (Dec 21, 2015)

Wood Doctor said:


> The only other criticism that I immediately see is that is seems too easy to run the saw down into the long center beam. That beam is going to get beat up with cut marks all over it.


Agreed. I commented that I would probably raise each of the 'tilting cups' up on an extra block of 2X scrap to provide additional clearance for the saw. Still, that 2X10 (or whatever it is) might be something that gets replaced every few years. I like the idea, but I also like the metal cups, shown in the earlier video, better, and would like a more stable base (watch how it moves when he cuts).

Philbert


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## Wood Doctor (Dec 21, 2015)

Philbert said:


> Agreed. I commented that I would probably raise each of the 'tilting cups' up on an extra block of 2X scrap to provide additional clearance for the saw. Still, that 2X10 (or whatever it is) might be something that gets replaced every few years. I like the idea, but I also like the metal cups, shown in the earlier video, better, and would like a more stable base (watch how it moves when he cuts).
> 
> Philbert


I also noticed that the base moved as he worked, rocking, That would drive me bonkers. The T-shaped legs set this movement up, resting on a ground that was not level or flat, and seldom will it ever be level or flat. If you look at your sawbuck and the Pics that I posted for my sawbuck, the horizontal rails are at least 5" further down from the bottom of the V that supports the limbs or logs.

I can just see a big guy dropping a saw down on that beam and cutting it right in half. It's a nice idea to supply a dump-wheelbarrow system of scoops, but I say back to the drawing board for that vertical beam tolerance.


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## Philbert (Jan 1, 2018)

turnkey4099 said:


> Something like this only larger? That is my limbwood saw buck. Just did come in from cutting up a good batch from the waiting pile of limbs.


Updating some lost photos: @turnkey4099 sawbuck for cutting limbs:










Philbert


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