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

[KiwiBro]

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.

 

[spike60]

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.

 

[leon]

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.

 

[DSS]

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.

 

[lfnh]

: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.

 

[KiwiBro]

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.

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?

 

[Steve NW WI]

.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.

 

[KiwiBro]

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...

 

[zogger]

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.

 

[Dalmatian90]

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...

 

[cantoo]

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.

 

[zogger]

Bwaa!

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 $%^&*($@ 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.

 

[Wood Doctor]

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.

 

[turnkey4099]

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

 

[bullseye13]

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:

 

[zogger]

OK, now that's nice...

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

--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.

 

[Philbert]

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

 

[rottiman]

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.

 

[Philbert]

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

 

[KiwiBro]

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.