Hey guys. For you cruisers and foresters, what sort of borer do you use? Is it worth it going with 3 threads VS 2, or does it take significantly longer? Anyone have a line on one in good condition that won't break the bank? Thanks!
Increment Borers
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forestryworks
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3 will help you get a better bite.
In pine, it'll squeal on ya.
Make sure it's level and aim for the pith!
In pine, it'll squeal on ya.
Make sure it's level and aim for the pith!
Yeah, I'll be in the PNW, so mostly pines, firs, spruce, hemlock etc. Should I just stick with a 2 sided?
The way I hit the pith is to put the handle tangent to the bole. Sounds obvious, but the trick is to worry about the handle and the tree, not the bit. The bark is liable to be uneven, so perpendicular to that may put you well off-center. Look to the handle and it'll work way more often.
I gotta admit, I was actually looking in to simply getting a boring drill bit for a cordless drill as well
But good luck finding one 16" long.
Generally, I only carry an 8" borer because I'm only interested in the last 5 years' growth; we know the age of our stands already. Longer bits are easier to break because of the additional torque. Be aware, also, that anything in the wood -- metal, grit, or even old pitch -- can break the cutting edge very easily. I've had to grind several back 1/4" or more to put them back in service. Sharpening these things when they're damaged is a treat, as well. I grind the face flat, then put about a 20 degree bevel on it by holding it against a wheel and rotating it. It's delicate. I take the feather edges off by hand with a narrow round stone. The threads will be flat from this treatment; I grind those down by hand with a stone as well. They never cut as well after damage as they do when they're new, so it's best to be careful with 'em. Regular maintenance is a must. Carry WD to cut the pitch and prevent rust. When the extractor bends, you might as well order a replacement, because it's going to break soon. I like the ones with the fewer, larger gripping teeth rather than the more numerous, smaller ones. I've also seen older Haglofs handles threaded differently than modern Suuntos. The fix is to swap the plastic tip off to the other end and re-tap the unthreaded end to match the Suunto extractors. If you think of any good uses for a busted bit, let me know. They're expensive enough that I hate to just throw them away. We usually bust a couple every year.
Find a use? Hell, I am tempted to come by yer way simply to resharpen mine when the time comes. All the bits I have found for power drills are much too large to use on standing trees. I was actually considering making my own with a mig welder. Still am. I'll have to charge it at a laundromat, I guess.
Has anyone dealt with Construction Safety Products, Inc.? CSP Outdoors
ChrisIsThis
ArboristSite Lurker
I've dealt with Construction Safety Products before they're very helpful, and I never had any problems.
Also:
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr25.pdf
For all you ever wanted to know about increment cores.
Also:
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr25.pdf
For all you ever wanted to know about increment cores.
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