How To Become A Chainsaw Guru?

[Ambull01]

I think you'll get it and do fine.
As for the hour;'s drive..only with a trailer, make the trips count. "Noodle" the bigger pieces to make lifting easier. Noodling is, cut piece laying on the ground, cut long ways right down with the grain. You get loooonggg chips then called noodles. Should be easy with a cs590 and a 20 inch bar on normal 16 inch blocked up wood. Also noodle nasty crotches and knots when hand splitting, no sense wearing yourself out and getting frustrated hand splitting when you have a saw. The fiskars flies in good clean straight wood..not so much with crotches and knots, use the saw. the fiskars also comes pre coated with teflon, but it eventually wears off, what I do is lightly spray the axe edge and sides with teflon spray, I get it at home despot, but you can order online as well, makers a big difference in not getting it stuck in a round and aids splitting. Well worth the 4 bucks a can. You can use the same on any axe or maul, helps a bunch, and keep it sharp.

Oh, split inside a tire! And use a low chopping block if possible.

OK, you grok "body armor" it's a good idea, with chainsawing, chaps or cutting pants, helmet, ear muffs, cutting boots..cheapest insurance you can buy, and the best insurance you can get is experience and keeping "situational awareness" as you cut. Biggest thing to remember is wood is always heavy and gravity *always* works, this helps you to read pinch points, etc. Just think, as you look at logs and trees, gravity is working, what happens when you remove wood-chips from cutting- from x location?

Grab some plastic felling wedges, you can use them blocking up big logs, slip them in the cut, the kerf, once past half way through or thereabouts, give em tap, helps to keep the bar from getting stuck.

Happy cutting and burning man, wood heat is the bestus! Try to get at least two years ahead, seasoning wood is like money in the bank accruing interest.

Thank for the the noodling explanation. Heard that term before but never thought to look it up. So that's what people do!

Thanks for the spray teflon tip, I'll definitely try that. I'm starting a notebook with all the pertinent info I think I'll need to keep myself alive cutting firewood. I used to use a 6-8 pound maul. It worked okay but I had a habit of over swinging. Broke a few handles so I bought this huge ugly red monstrosity. I bent that thing but it was indestructible. As for splitting, it really sucked. Probably was too wide and it was too freaking heavy.

Good point. Reading the "wood is always heavy and gravity always works" makes me think of something. How to buck a log that is supported by the ends with pressure or whatever you call in the middle. I'll have to look it up on the BC site tomorrow. May not be able to sleep thinking about it though lol.

Yeah, wedges seem to be almost mandatory. Man I can't wait to get all decked out in my PPE. Maybe a little tree feller belt with plastic wedges, one of those flexible rulers to measure stuff, a protractor to measure my notch, etc. Metro-sexual feller lol

Thanks sir. I would love to have about 3 years worth cut, split and stacked. Then I can be a little firewood scrounger snob and only get hardwoods. I can get wood pallets for free use for kindling and to get the hardwoods to burn.

you need to learn to file, its not that hard and it will make the day go by so much nicer. we will help you with it if you get stuck.

Do you prefer the regular guides or the bar clamp guides?

 

[Philbert]

Do you prefer the regular guides or the bar clamp guides?

Each type of file guide works a little differently. In other words, it can be hard to switch from one to another, because the resulting cutter angles may be slightly different.

So it is best to pick one and stick with that until you get good with it.

The 'flat' file guides are the simplest, cheapest, and easiest to carry. The clamp on, Granberg style file guides, are a little fussier to learn. Once you get it, however, they will provide very consistent, sharp cutters.

Philbert

 

[Ambull01]

Each type of file guide works a little differently. In other words, it can be hard to switch from one to another, because the resulting cutter angles may be slightly different.

So it is best to pick one and stick with that until you get good with it.

The 'flat' file guides are the simplest, cheapest, and easiest to carry. The clamp on, Granberg style file guides, are a little fussier to learn. Once you get it, however, they will provide very consistent, sharp cutters.

Philbert

Didn't know that either. I have the flat guide. Would have thought the clamp on guide would be the easiest to learn. Seems like it would be the most dummy proof because it takes away the opportunity to misjudge angles.

 

[zogger]

Thank for the the noodling explanation. Heard that term before but never thought to look it up. So that's what people do!

Thanks for the spray teflon tip, I'll definitely try that. I'm starting a notebook with all the pertinent info I think I'll need to keep myself alive cutting firewood. I used to use a 6-8 pound maul. It worked okay but I had a habit of over swinging. Broke a few handles so I bought this huge ugly red monstrosity. I bent that thing but it was indestructible. As for splitting, it really sucked. Probably was too wide and it was too freaking heavy.

Good point. Reading the "wood is always heavy and gravity always works" makes me think of something. How to buck a log that is supported by the ends with pressure or whatever you call in the middle. I'll have to look it up on the BC site tomorrow. May not be able to sleep thinking about it though lol.

Yeah, wedges seem to be almost mandatory. Man I can't wait to get all decked out in my PPE. Maybe a little tree feller belt with plastic wedges, one of those flexible rulers to measure stuff, a protractor to measure my notch, etc. Metro-sexual feller lol

Thanks sir. I would love to have about 3 years worth cut, split and stacked. Then I can be a little firewood scrounger snob and only get hardwoods. I can get wood pallets for free use for kindling and to get the hardwoods to burn.



Do you prefer the regular guides or the bar clamp guides?

Here is one way to do the bucking cuts with compression at the cut points. I take one of the stout limbs, say 3-6 inches diameter, and make a square cut, then 16 inch down a long diagonal, then another square cut at another 16 in. I have two pieces to scarf later, not the best, but burnable. Now, those two pieces you have are wooden wedges. Figure out where a couple of bucking cuts will be on the log (using your fancy tape maybe...), and sledge hammer/ back of the maul them dudes in right slap under the cut. This will lift the log and relieve compression pressure. cut right down into them, chances are real good, zero binding, nice clean cuts. Then just retrieve the wedges and proceed down the log.

Really hammering in wedges in the kerf will lift a log as well, but I have found the wooden wedge underneath more sure and easy enough to do, given reasonably solid ground underneath.

When felling, I will lay some handy local smaller logs under the fall zone, so the trunk will eventually be suspended (if it looks necessary, judgement call, tree to tree).

I also cut down small, and fill my stacks with not only split wood, but small rounds. Lotta nice fun trigger time with a dinky saw, and some guys start with a pole saw to reach branches. You get a lot more wood out of the trees when you cut down small.

 

[treeslayer2003]

Thank for the the noodling explanation. Heard that term before but never thought to look it up. So that's what people do!

Thanks for the spray teflon tip, I'll definitely try that. I'm starting a notebook with all the pertinent info I think I'll need to keep myself alive cutting firewood. I used to use a 6-8 pound maul. It worked okay but I had a habit of over swinging. Broke a few handles so I bought this huge ugly red monstrosity. I bent that thing but it was indestructible. As for splitting, it really sucked. Probably was too wide and it was too freaking heavy.

Good point. Reading the "wood is always heavy and gravity always works" makes me think of something. How to buck a log that is supported by the ends with pressure or whatever you call in the middle. I'll have to look it up on the BC site tomorrow. May not be able to sleep thinking about it though lol.

Yeah, wedges seem to be almost mandatory. Man I can't wait to get all decked out in my PPE. Maybe a little tree feller belt with plastic wedges, one of those flexible rulers to measure stuff, a protractor to measure my notch, etc. Metro-sexual feller lol

Thanks sir. I would love to have about 3 years worth cut, split and stacked. Then I can be a little firewood scrounger snob and only get hardwoods. I can get wood pallets for free use for kindling and to get the hardwoods to burn.



Do you prefer the regular guides or the bar clamp guides?

neither........freehand

 

[Ambull01]

Oh, just thought of another question! I know I mentioned a two saw plan because I've read that is the ideal way to go from this site. Only thing is, I don't really understand exactly what's the benefit lol. Lets say I only cut up 24" dbh logs. I'll probably get either the 5020AV or CS 590 with a 18-20" bar. They both probably weigh about the same, give or take a couple pounds. My crappy little 33cc Homelite feels heavy, haven't weighed it or felt the need to look it up. It has a 16" bar. Assuming I get the CS 590, WTH will I need another chainsaw that is only about 2 inches shorter? The CS 590 will be able to buck and limb just as well as the crappy Homelite. The both will probably weigh about the same. What are your reasons for having a multiple saw plan?

 

[treeslayer2003]

It was back in '10 or '11 I believe. Anyway, here's how it went. No $hit there I was .... lol No seriously, I was cutting the tree from a knee. I had no idea about face notches, back cut, etc. Guess I saw you're supposed to cut out a chunk from where you want the tree to go so I did that. Then I started to cut the tree from the other side, still in the kneeling position. The tree had a lean toward my house (lets call it east) but a lot of the branches were toward the west. Tree was right along the fence of my yard, neighbor's shed and in ground pool was nearby as well. Never heard of a hinge so I kept cutting until I reached the notch. Trunk slide off the stump and landed directly on my foot. Top part of tree fell to the west and landed on the neighbor's pool fence. No damage, except my steel toe boots. Praise Jesus I wore the steel toes that day, usually didn't.



Yep, if I only knew then what I know now I may still have those trusty $20 steel toe boots.



There's logging operations on the eastern shore? Sooo, ummm, you guys ever have firewood grade stuff you need to get rid of?

i haul logs to suddlersville almost weekly........yea plenty of it lol. fire wood is in high demand right now, every one is low. not much on the job im on now, mostly big pine.

 

[fearofpavement]

op, consider a good used saw. Get two for the price of one new one... Lots of posts on here of how to pick out a good one or buy one from a seller on here that has a good reputation.

I can see that a year from now you will have five saws. Just check back and re read this thread in the fall of 2015 and see how that happened. (I think I have about 40 or so saws in my shop now)

 

[Ambull01]

neither........freehand

Freehand, not possible lol. I'm going to You Tube to see if people can actually free hand file a chain.

 

[treeslayer2003]

Oh, just thought of another question! I know I mentioned a two saw plan because I've read that is the ideal way to go from this site. Only thing is, I don't really understand exactly what's the benefit lol. Lets say I only cut up 24" dbh logs. I'll probably get either the 5020AV or CS 590 with a 18-20" bar. They both probably weigh about the same, give or take a couple pounds. My crappy little 33cc Homelite feels heavy, haven't weighed it or felt the need to look it up. It has a 16" bar. Assuming I get the CS 590, WTH will I need another chainsaw that is only about 2 inches shorter? The CS 590 will be able to buck and limb just as well as the crappy Homelite. The both will probably weigh about the same. What are your reasons for having a multiple saw plan?

back up..........get the biggest saw you can handle all day/afford to buy.

 

[Ambull01]

i haul logs to suddlersville almost weekly........yea plenty of it lol. fire wood is in high demand right now, every one is low. not much on the job im on now, mostly big pine.

Oh man, you drive right by me! I'm in Centreville (damn I hope there's no terrorist arborists on here, I've been posting too much info about myself).

Big pine sounds good. I'll burn anything until I get my first chimney fire.

 

[treeslayer2003]

Freehand, not possible lol. I'm going to You Tube to see if people can actually free hand file a chain.

sure it is, guys do it everyday.
if your to unsure, the granberg type jigs seem to be popular

 

[Ambull01]

op, consider a good used saw. Get two for the price of one new one... Lots of posts on here of how to pick out a good one or buy one from a seller on here that has a good reputation.

I can see that a year from now you will have five saws. Just check back and re read this thread in the fall of 2015 and see how that happened. (I think I have about 40 or so saws in my shop now)

No..I...must...resist lol. You don't know how long its taken to narrow down my selection to the CS590 and the 5020AV. Lots and lots of works ours lost.

Why do you have 40 saws!?

 

[treeslayer2003]

Oh man, you drive right by me! I'm in Centreville (damn I hope there's no terrorist arborists on here, I've been posting too much info about myself).

Big pine sounds good. I'll burn anything until I get my first chimney fire.

no, we come from a little further east........denton, goldsborrow, barclay up 313.
don't mess with pine, to many better woods here.

 

[Ambull01]

sure it is, guys do it everyday.
if your to unsure, the granberg type jigs seem to be popular

Yep, you're right. Damn that's impressive. Just learned something else from watching the You Tube video. Evidently the chainsaw is supposed to do all the work. Freaking things were cutting through logs like a hot knife through butter. I have to man handle mine. Chain's probably dull I guess.

 

[treeslayer2003]

thats what im saying..........learning to file and doing it every time you cut will be the single best thing you do saw wise.

 

[Ambull01]

no, we come from a little further east........denton, goldsborrow, barclay up 313.
don't mess with pine, to many better woods here.

Pine burns nice and hot though! At least from what I've read lol. Supposed to season quick too.

Must be nice being a logger. Get paid to use a chainsaw, outdoors, etc. Everything sounds great except the potential to seriously injure yourself. Damn I chose the wrong profession.

 

[CTYank]

Oh, just thought of another question! I know I mentioned a two saw plan because I've read that is the ideal way to go from this site. Only thing is, I don't really understand exactly what's the benefit lol. Lets say I only cut up 24" dbh logs. I'll probably get either the 5020AV or CS 590 with a 18-20" bar. They both probably weigh about the same, give or take a couple pounds. My crappy little 33cc Homelite feels heavy, haven't weighed it or felt the need to look it up. It has a 16" bar. Assuming I get the CS 590, WTH will I need another chainsaw that is only about 2 inches shorter? The CS 590 will be able to buck and limb just as well as the crappy Homelite. The both will probably weigh about the same. What are your reasons for having a multiple saw plan?

One reason for 2-saw plan: bigger (heavier) saw for felling and bucking the larger wood; smaller saw for limbing, where most of the work is for a firewooder. Having a GOOD (not a fake Homie) limbing saw reduces fatigue-factor, improving safety. No matter how you try, you will pinch the occasional bar. See where the second one comes in here?

Do take a serious look at the 42 cc and 50 cc Dolmar saws. Great saws, great prices, on Pro Quality saws, making stihl look bad.

Chain-sharpening is critical, as mentioned earlier. Safety-booster too, can greatly reduce reactive forces. No matter what, touch up a chain until it''s for-real sharp at least once per two fill-ups.

Chainsaws are very dangerous. (So is driving on the BQE.) Median injury: 125 stitches. Can hurt you really bad, if you allow it.

OTOH, trees are deadly. They can crush you in an instant, and are wildly unpredictable. Always be ready to move instantly, and LOOK UP! Never let yourself get complacent or "pose for animal-crackers".

Winch, chains and high-tensile tow-straps are a big plus. Big thumbs up for lots of 5" & 8" wedges.

Good attitude and open mind is what I'm seeing here. Best Wishes.

 

[treeslayer2003]

well, i was born to it.......3rd gen logger. its not for everyone and ya won't get rich. there is alot more to it than falling timber.

pine sucs, get oak or hickory

 

[Guido Salvage]

No..I...must...resist lol. You don't know how long its taken to narrow down my selection to the CS590 and the 5020AV. Lots and lots of works ours lost.

Why do you have 40 saws!?

Heck, I have 400 and don't even burn wood. I already had a dozen when I found this site so I can't entirely blame these guys.

Think I looked at a Studebaker truck up your way a few years ago.