I must be more resistive to the powers of suggestion than y’all because AS hasn’t cost me a penny. I’ve been a member for over a year now and haven’t purchased one single new (or used) firewood related item. Still using the same Stihl I’ve had for 20-years, pulling the wood out’a the woodlot with the same 40-year-old Craftsman, splitting it with the same 30-year-old splitter, and burning it in the same lord-knows-how-old furnace. I’m not dreaming about new saws (I’m not impressed with any of the new offerings anyway), nor am I perusing Craig’s List for used. I’m not looking at new splitters (I walk right by them at the fleet stores), nor am I planning to build one. My 50-year-old little modified yard tractor starts at -20[sup]o[/sup] and pulls the loads efficiently, and its size allows me to get into extremely tight places. I have stopped and looked at new wood-burning appliances once or twice… but one glance at the price tag vs. what you get and my interest instantly vanishes.
I’ve never understood the mysticism of “bigger-is-better”… I want my equipment just as small and light-weight as possible, as long as it can get the job done in a reasonably efficient manner. In other words, I consider power-to-weight-ratio as the most important aspect when comparing equipment (as long as it has sufficient power to do the job)… I will pay more for less weight and smaller size, even if it has a bit less power! Sure, there are occasional times when a bit of extra power would be nice, but I’m not willing to live with the extra weight, bulk and expense 97% of the time just because I might want it 3% of the time… it just flat ain’t worth it. Maybe, if firewood was a business to me, rather than just a heating source, my attitude would be somewhat different… but not much.
The piece of firewood equipment that baffles me the most is splitters. I just cannot fathom why anyone would want one of those monsters they market now-a-days… My splitter weighs less than 200 pounds and I can load it in the back of a pickup by myself, and only on the rare, extremely nasty crotch has it failed to do its job. I can roll it round the shop, yard or woodlot using just one hand… meaning I move it to the round being split, rather than moving the round to the splitter… work smarter, not harder!
The other thing I don’t understand is some people’s choice of chainsaw. For example, why would anyone buy a MS440 when the MS460 offers a larger engine and more power, yet weighs exactly the same? In my mind, the MS360 makes more sense than the 440… and if the 360 isn’t enough to get the job done than the 460 is the only logical next step up. And don’t tell me it’s about the price… I already said I’ll pay more for less weight and bulk.
Awwww well… just me……….
