Mark a log for firewood?

[clearance]

Selling wood by the cord, heres the deal. Most bucking tapes have marks every 16" for laying out studs or joists, 16"x 3=48"=4' (4'x4'x8' cord) So stick the nail in at the end of the log, mark it every 16" with a lumber crayon. If the logs are decked you don't have to mark every one. I did this once, very fast method. Spencer tape, 50' about $50.

 

[Finnbear]

Children's sidewalk chalk

Sidewalk chalk. I "borrowed" some from my kids. It is about 1" dia and 6" long and easy to use with gloves on. I have a 16" 1x2 in my saw box that I sometimes use as a gauge for marking before sawing. You can buy the chalk at a dollar store and it works great. Low tech sometimes is best.
Finnbear

 

[sawn_penn]

Yes, but why waste time measuring, marking and then cutting when you can just measure and cut? Or for those that are daring enough, eyeball it, and just measure every once in a while to check accuracy.

Or do we need to subscribe to the "measure twice, cut once" approach for firewood now?

I guess my point is that marking for firewood seems like overkill.

No, I wouldn't mark firewood either. I just thought I'd answer the original question...

 

[sawn_penn]

Then you can mount an external laser behind the bar and line everything up perfect!

Ah yes, but if you used an industrial laser you could do without the bar & chain entirely!

Then again, you might need to start selling "Firewood, $x per cord, partially used"

 

[THALL10326]

Ah yes, but if you used an industrial laser you could do without the bar & chain entirely!

Then again, you might need to start selling "Firewood, $x per cord, partially used"

haha, good one..............................

 

[kkesler]

I use a piece of 2x4 for bigger stuff. I can get close by eye on the smaller logs, but the bigger ones I always cut short, so I toss my 2x4 (19" long for my use) on the log and start cutting. True, I have to chase that 2x4, but I don't end up with 14" long firewood.

 

[dieseldodge]

Try using the edge marker from the front of a plow on a truck. Bend the matal mounting bracket on a 90 and mont it to the bar nut. I have one made for 16" it works pretty good if you ask me. It doesnt break cause they are flexible.
jason

 

[Patrick62]

nothing under 14", nothing over 18"

I wonder if that is what those numbers on the clutch cover of my Jred are for? Hmmm, I will go look at that.

Sharon has the "proportional" problem. Her larger pieces tend to get longer, and the small stuff gets cut into some really cute little pieces! Oh well, it is all good!

There is no way I would try the stick hanging off the side of the saw method.

-Pat

 

[Vincent]

Marking tool

Hi,

Here another suggestion of a marking tool.

Sharpen a screw like this:



Side view:


Drill holes in the lenght you need in a small board. It looks like my security officers hold in their "hands".



Cheers Vincent

 

[Gologit]

A stick of wood the length of your firewood and an axe or hatchet...low tech but reliable. If you're cutting for resale length is important.

 

[cbrslider]

I use a lumber crayon on dry wood and a paint stick on wet wood. The paint stick is like a crayon but must be pushed out from the little tube its housed in. It is like a partially dried up tube of paint. Dont forget to put the cap back on it after using it because it will dry up. It goes on without a problem on wet wood. Yellow shows up really good. The lumber crayons dont work very well on wet wood.

Ray

 

[SawTroll]

Easiest way of all is take ya saw and saw ya marks up the log. Just hit it with ya saw and leave a small cut and she's marked for blocking..

I often do that, eyeballing along the log, in the woods, when cutting into logs for transportation - my aim is avoiding odd/compromise lenght firewood pieces when doing the final bucking.

 

[Newfie]

The lumber crayons dont work very well on wet wood.

Ray

I've had no probs w/ the red lumber crayon on wet wood after a couple of hundred full cords. It's not as bright as on dry logs. The other colors suck on wet wood, except for white,but it sucks in the winter.

I do as Clearance suggested and use it conjunction with a spencer tape. Doesn't take any longer than any of the bar length methods. It allows for consistent quality product. Customers that have stoves that will take 16" don't want 17" or 18". Neither would I,anymore than I would want boiler size splitting as opposed to stove size.

 

[CNYCountry]

If it's a decent sized trunk (20" or over) I go down it with a tape measure because I am going to get a bunch of split pieces out of each round. I just measure and then cut through most of the way, then measure and repeat, then roll or wedge the log to finish the cuts. One round that's off = a bunch of split bolts the wrong length. Anything smaller gets the check occasionally with a paint scratch on the bar in addition to eyeballing.

Something nobody said, besides obviously not being able to fit it in the stove, summerwood is harder to get stacked in a nice firm stack that won't fall over. The longer the better for a good stack as long as it is still short enough to fit the stove. A straight cutting chain and measured wood = nice stacking wood.

 

[Cut4fun]

Quick Stix

Anybody tried these things? http://store.baileys-online.com/cgi-bin/baileys/5182?mv_session_id=EDs2g2Wz&product_sku=47150

 

[Bad E]

After 20+ years of cutting 16-18" firewood..this year I'm installing an outdoor wood boiler that will accept up to 42" chunks. I have to retrain myself to cut bigger pieces.Not 42" though but about 26-30" pieces.

 

[toolmaker]

I like to cut my firewood about 20" to 22" because my firebox is 24" long.
With the 20" bar on my MS460, I just turn the saw sideways on the log and eyeball from the tip of the bar to right between the side cover nuts. No fuss, no muss.

 

[smokechase II]

wood length

If you've got a new guy that is needing a little help.

Take a dead smaller dia. 14' -16' stick from where you're working, (in the land of dead Lodgepole finding one of those isn't a Corps of Discovery journey). Lay out a tape measure and spray paint the 16" spacing or whatever you need.

Just put it beside the tree you're cutting.

New guy gets the hang of it. Life gets better.
If the new guy can't control the location of his bar and he cuts the stick. Get a new guy.

 

[victorytea]

Finnbear; bought some sidewalk chalk at the dollar store. Have a dozen huge pieces of chalk and will try it and let you know how it works for us. Thanks, Paul F B

 

[HickoryNick]

My cookstove only takes up to 17" peices. With the MS290's 16" bar I could just lay it on the log, lift up th saw nd pivot the tip of the bar where it was, then mark it. Pretty simple. Course, I prefer an 18" bar which is what i"m going back with once this mess get's straightened out with my MS290...