My firewood tools

[Dalmatian90]

My 2011/2012 Essentials Collection, basically what I load up every time I head out:

MS360 (used from CL, $350)
024 AV (used from CL, $150)
Logrite Peavy / Timber Jack
Fiskars splitting axe
Helmet
Chaps
Toolbox -- files, extra chains, spare 20" bar, safety glasses, twisty ties (keeps the chains from tangling), wedges, Fiskars hatchet, flagging tape, carpenter's crayon (if I'm cutting a larger log I'll grab a 16" stick to measure and mark my cuts with the crayon), Sharpie, tie-on labels (so I can write myself notes what's wrong, like chains that want to cut to the left or right instead of straight), etc.

039 is in the garage...I really should sell it but it has sentimental value.
Might occassionally use other stuff like logging chains, tow straps, sledge, splitting wedges, but so rarely none of that is essential to me.

Over the last couple years I've gotten comfortable enough with the 360 as my skill and fitness have improved that I'm actually starting to shift into semi-justifiable need for a 440 / Dolmar 7900 class saw...I find myself on larger trunks waiting for the saw to finish when I want to move on to the next cut. Not comfortable enough with my mechanical skills to practice some of the tricks to get more performance out of the 360 while it remains my "go to" saw.

 

[cantoo]

Had some help cutting today. My son came with me to play with a 360 he just rebuilt. Worked great other than I forgot to sharpen the chain.

 

[cantoo]

This guy came walking up the trail, he was pretty tired out. I actually had my son put earmuffs and a stihl beside him but I screwed up the pic. He was friendly so likely had rabies, so if I quit posting you know what happened.
http://www.arboristsite.com/attachments/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/207842d1321751346-****-jpg[/url]
PS, my hair really isn't that gray, it must have been the reflection of the sun.

 

[cantoo]

Sometimes you get what you pay for. Big piston is from the 660 I just bought and the smaller one is from a 360 that I bought awhile ago. Stihl dealer says the 660 was run with no oil. I ran about 3 tanks through it and just had him pull it apart to see why it was tough starting. It was running fine but was just a tough start. I am pretty fussy about my oil and mixing so maybe it was previous damage. We use alot of 2 stroke stuff so fuel was fresh and oil was mixed properly, I use marked containers and always put oil in the jug before putting gas in it. New cyclinder and piston coming for it, my son will do the work. He has already put new cyclinder and piston in the 360 and it's working great. Even with the repairs the 660 saw still isn't a real bad deal, at least I'll know what I have now. I've switched over to Lazer oil but I ready don't think the Stihl oil had anything to do with it. I've had no issue with any of our other 2 stroke stuff and we run a lawn business so we use alot. View attachment 208806

 

[stonykill]

Sometimes you get what you pay for. Big piston is from the 660 I just bought and the smaller one is from a 360 that I bought awhile ago. Stihl dealer says the 660 was run with no oil. I ran about 3 tanks through it and just had him pull it apart to see why it was tough starting. It was running fine but was just a tough start. I am pretty fussy about my oil and mixing so maybe it was previous damage. We use alot of 2 stroke stuff so fuel was fresh and oil was mixed properly, I use marked containers and always put oil in the jug before putting gas in it. New cyclinder and piston coming for it, my son will do the work. He has already put new cyclinder and piston in the 360 and it's working great. Even with the repairs the 660 saw still isn't a real bad deal, at least I'll know what I have now. I've switched over to Lazer oil but I ready don't think the Stihl oil had anything to do with it. I've had no issue with any of our other 2 stroke stuff and we run a lawn business so we use alot. View attachment 208806

the piston in my Jred 2150 looked the same way 1 year after it was rebuilt. I'm a stickler for fresh gas and oil mix. I think it has more to do with today's gas than anything. Last fall I bought the 2150 with a new top end in it. This fall I had a new piston and used jug put in it. Hopefully it will be the last time

 

[Ductape]

You sure that isn't your pet and you are just playin' us ???? :msp_w00t:

We had a raccoon for a pet when I was a kid. Loved Hi Ho crackers and shrimp ! Yep..... his name was Rocky.

Cool pictures.

 

[cantoo]

Not this one ducttape. When I was younger we always had pet *****, at least until fall and then you better stay away from them they always got a little too rough playing. There have been lots of reports of ***** having distemper this year, the roads are covered with dead ones and lots of people are shooting them on sight. This one was a little too friendly but when we tryed picking him up he reminded us that he was still wild. We just let him watch and left him alone when we were done.

 

[cantoo]

Bought another batch of supplies for my cheap heat. Looks like I have way too many saw so I ordered some new bars and some chains. I'm planning on switching bars on different saws depending on how much weight and what I'm cutting at the time. I have some big (4 to 5') maples that I might cut down at some point so I ordered a 36" bar and chains to go on my 660 that's getting rebuilt right now. They said it was back ordered and wouldn't be in until March, yup march of next year. I don't need it right now so I cancelled it and I'll just get it elsewhere. I was to lazy to go see how many chains I had left so I just ordered a few more of each. I even ordered new bars for my loaner huskys. My wife stoked up the stove, we have snow outside and I'm cooking in here. The new fan is really pumping the hot air out, should have switched it out years ago. View attachment 209563

 

[cantoo]

Why does this always happen when you are the furthest away from your 2nd saw? Simple little bind cutting the 2nd last branch. Looks like a little branch but the tree top was laying on it. That's why I always carry a couple saws. View attachment 209960

 

[cantoo]

heres the rest of the top. View attachment 209962

 

[cantoo]

Lots of trees like this in the bush. Some are bigger and cutting them is sometimes tricky. This one ended up falling the opposite way of the top. I usually cut a birds mouth on both sides and watch for tension to decide which way it is going to go. Sometimes hook a chain on them and pull but I think it's safer to just cut both sides and let the tree decide. You can tell from the background (my truck) that I'm not a professional tree cutter, I park my truck far out of the way. A pro would park beside the tree, confident in his ability.
View attachment 209964

 

[turnkey4099]

I hate dealing with brushy tops like that. I once stuck both my saws in the same overhanding branch. That was in the days of the outboard clutch and getting the power heads off was a real struggle.

That site looks like it is in dire needs of heavy thinning.

Harry K

 

[cantoo]

My son went away today and left his keys in his truck so I went to my gravel pit and staged a few pics. I posted them on facebook where him and his girlfriend will see them. View attachment 209965View attachment 209966

 

[cantoo]

Harry, that's typical of bushes around here. Logged every 10 or 15 years or so and nothing done in between. There are bushes around here that have not been touched since the 30 or 40's. An ash bush across the road is being cut soon, looks like almost everything is being cut down for flooring, won't be logged again for many years. My Dad remembers cutting in it when he was a young man 60 yrs ago, no one been in there since.

 

[war-wagon]

awesome thread, lots of great ideas going on and it's feeling like i'm overdue to build something. I've got about 15 acres of slash, stumps and unwanted logs from a clearcut on my land. i'll leave the stumps for the dozer, the rest needs some cleaning up.

 

[cantoo]

Finally found another Steiner to use at the bush, around home and for our business. I screwed up and sold my last 2 and didn't find anymore so my wife bought one off a Dealer. Seeing as I buy everything and anything at auctions her going to a Dealer didn't make me happy but we've been without one for too long. I very seldom sell the attachments so we have everything we need for it. My brother in law has 4 of them, he's as bad as me. I've replaced the seat already and added a weigh bar for the back. View attachment 231518

 

[cantoo]

Spent last saturday in the bush, I was by myself so to be safer I decided to cut a bunch of Swedish Candles instead of cutting anything down. We bought a bushfull of tops which included a bunch of standing dead pine trees. Perfect for making candles, I cut a bunch last year and everyone liked them. There are maybe 75 or more trees there so I should have enough candles for awhile. View attachment 231519

 

[cantoo]

Built a firewood wrapper and made some rookie mistakes. It's too big, it's 14 1/2" square which is way too heavy to lift so I'm adding angles at the corners to make round bundles instead of square ones. This should also help keep the plastic tighter. My next ones will be made different now that I have a prototype to compare too. It's way over built and heavy as heck which means expensive to "mass" produce. View attachment 231520

 

[cantoo]

Wrapper pics. Yup, that's a tire iron for a handle, I didn't want anybody thinking I wasn't a real redneck. And the main frame is an engine stand. It was taking up space in my barn, I don't do no engine work. View attachment 231521

 

[cantoo]

I just love finding red spots on the trees, it means the loggers missed them and they are mine. Going to be rotten at the bottom but will be good firewood. Red slashes mean they were to cut them down because there was a danger of them falling over. They missed a bunch of them too. These trees are over 4' across. There is a really nice cherry with red dots on it too. View attachment 231525