My new toy

[RupeGoldburg]

I posted lastweek that my Mac cat was acting up, when I went to drop it off at a real repair shop I walked out with a new Stihl 280. I am just so excited about cutting wood, there's plenty of power and the saw runs non stop.

I purchased 2 new chains also but had to change one when I hit a nail. You guys helped me get realize that Mac cat was a Lead balloon.
Thanks

 

[Jacob J.]

Rupe- the 280 is a fine saw. I opened one up when they first came out and it's definitely built along Stihl's consumer line but I would say it's best of that particular line-up.

 

[sedanman]

RupeGoldberg, Welcome to the forum. Glad you came to your senses and bought a modern quality saw. Did you save the Mac Cat? It could come in handy at a timbersport event........chainsaw throwing for distance.LOL!

 

[don]

great !

Sounds like a great saw!

What kind of wood are you burying it into?

 

[cbfarmall]

If you want to get into shape, go buy a splitting maul and go to town on that pile of wood.

Chris B.

 

[jbrody44]

True Farmall, I would be a lot fatter than I am now if I rented a splitter. I split all of my heating season's wood by hand and actually enjoy it, people say I am nuts, but it is great exercise and kind of therapeutic to me. I got this great maul at lowes last year, it's called a Super splitter (stupid name I know) by woodings. It's like a 4 lb head and looks like a wide body wedge. That thing is awesome for splitting hardwoods, and it is pretty light too. It splits better than my standard 6 pound maul hands down. I split mostly oak and maple and some hickory and ash. Just that splitter and a couple wedges and a sledge and I am in business.

 

[tony marks]

got to agree ,,split that with an 6lb. after u done with a cord or so ,,u good an tired ,,an a thousand dollars to the good.
broke my good handle yesterday.

 

[jokers]

Hey Tony, how is that Fiskars axe working for you? Did you get the true splitting maul with the 4# head or the splitting axe with the 2 1/4# head? It seems that I got the latter and it just doesn`t work in the tough stuff. I`m anxious to hear what others have to say about the model with the 4# head.

Russ

 

[Qatanlison]

I've been splitting wood with every axe-type there is over some 10 odd years and my conclusion is that the type that works the worst is .....
The splitting maul!
And the best, by far, a 4lbs Kelly Vulcan double bit from the fourties (Wisconsin pattern) with a custom made 35" straight grain, slim taper hickory handle. Ax-designers just don't know what it takes nowadays...

Call me traditional, but meet me by the splitting block and I'll prove my point...

/Ola

 

[jokers]

Nothing wrong with tradition when it works, rather cool in my mind.

It`s funny that you like an "American" pattern axe when the Scandinavians such as Fiskars and Gransfors seem to be very efficient within their limitations. They also share a slimmer, sleeker head pattern with your doublebit.

How did you even come to possess a Kelly axe in Sweden, are they common?

Russ

 

[Qatanlison]

Jokers,

No, Kelly's are NOT common. I believe I'm the sole preserver of the US logging-heritage in Sweden. I've never seen or come across anyone else that carry US axes. I have a number of US made axes which I got from ebay. And it's just what you mention about the slim taper, thin edge that works best for splitting, for me anyway; I have yet to come across a piece of wood that wont bend to my will...

The Swedish brand, Hultafors, Gränsfors Bruks, SAW are all very nice, well made axes - but a bit too small and light for some serious work in the woods.

Later,

Ola