Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[dancan]

I built my own one ton truck for firewood but eventually it’s going to carry diesel fuel to the skidder, my plan. I had 72 leaf springs in it, 20 in the front, 52 in the rear. Locking diffs. Duallies in the rear. I made it 4x4. She was good for 15k lbs. gvwr.

You'd best put up a pic of the build !
We like pics cause we can't read directions lol

 

[rarefish383]

You'd best put up a pic of the build !
We like pics cause we can't read directions lol

Sometimes I even have trouble reading the pics.

 

[woodchip rookie]

What?! I can't hear your fingers!

 

[Philbert]

So my mate and I were talking last night and the conversation got onto what file size we use for our .325 pitch chains and it turns out that different manufacturers recommend different size files for their particular .325 chain. One would have thought that the same file could be used on them all but that's not the case as we found out.

'Pitch' only measures the average spacing of the chain rivets. It says nothing about the height, width, or profile of the cutters. Through the years, there have even been profile differences between same pitch, but different models, of Oregon or STIHL chains. So a different file size may make a difference.

These companies have controlled testing equipment to measure small differences. I was surprised to see Oregon narrow-kerf, low profile chain (Type 90) recommending a slightly larger diameter file than their narrow-kerf chain (Type 91). But I tried it and it did cut better! Oregon rep said that the cutters have different profiles.

Some people don't notice a difference in their cutting, or prefer a different size than the manufacturer recommends. One advantage of sharpening your won chain is being able to experiment, and then do what you want.

Philbert

 

[MustangMike]

Nice thing about square file is I use the same one for everything … 3/8 and .325!

 

[MustangMike]

Had a good day cutting today, and got done way before the people we were cutting for predicted. Nice to have lots of good running saws in lots of sizes. Was not as much big wood as I was led to believe, but still got to play with a 660 and 710 with 36" bars.

A large Red Oak (over 36" at the base) went down, and took a medium size Smooth Bark Hickory with it (mostly hidden beneath it). It was growing in the middle of one yard, went across another yard taking out the chain link fence on both side, plus the deck and BBQ grill, and the tops of both trees were in a third yard.

Had to be careful of metal in both trees, and the chain link fences, deck and BBQ, but Harold and I got it all cut up with my saws in under 4 hours. The home owner told us it was goin to take us two full days!

Weather was great, people were nice, and I got to work with my friend Harold … a good day!

 

[crowbuster]

You and Harold left a good impression. Good on you !

 

[svk]

Well this arrived today from @MillerModSaws. To say I’m pleased with how it runs would be an understatement. Carl does one heck of a job on his saw builds. If I can get a video to upload I’ll put one up but going off of 1 bar of LTE service may take a while.

Bought the .325 bar and chain combo (with full chisel chain) for $29.99. L and M fleet appears to be going totally to Tri-Link as the only Oregon chains left on their shelves are in the oddball DL counts. I asked an employee if they were going away from Oregon and he wouldn’t confirm or deny, just stated “people have been happy with Tri Link”. I said “I know, I’m one of them”. Chain cuts great and throws huge chips although I’d like to take the rakers down a bit.

I’ll throw 3/8 on it and try when my wife brings my saw stuff up. Some guys swear by 3/8 and others by .325. I guess I’ll have to figure it out myself. The saw definitely has the nuts to pull 3/8.

 

[Cowboy254]

Last 2 loads of pine for 8 total. His neighbor has an equal number of loads he wants gone. And said he would load his truck also and follow me to my place to dump it. Oh darn.

It's no Mt. Cowboy, but the 2 piles are getting quite large.

Ahh, I miss Mt Cowboy.


I don't think I'll ever be able to replace it. Note how happy the Cowkids are to be standing in front of it. Cowlass ripped her pants a moment earlier, and being a good father I sent her off to school in them.

Anyway. We lost a member of the family today.


The saw family, I mean. There it was in September 2008, my first ever chainsaw, sitting on my first ever trailer. Bought them both on the same day. One of those momentous days in life, just like your wedding day, the birth of your children or the first time you tipped 100kgs (220lbs) on the scales.

And here we are nearly a decade later and he still has the original Farm Boss sticker on the side, bless him.



I sold it to a local lady (works at the local Parks office - like your Forestry folk) who was looking for a reasonable used chainsaw. She wanted to use it for cutting ~12 inch eucalypt. I'm assuming girls just can't handle more than 12 inches. I mean, I have found they can't handle.... Anyway. I had just had it serviced and made a coupla test cuts today to make sure that they didn't cock it up. They put a new chain on it and I must say it wasn't cutting half bad. And thus being warm, it started first pull when she turned it over. She was happy, didn't want to make any test cuts herself. $575 is helping to ease the pain of giving up my first saw. So we're back to being a three saw family now. Not sure that's enough.

 

[rarefish383]

Ahh, I miss Mt Cowboy.

View attachment 654252
I don't think I'll ever be able to replace it. Note how happy the Cowkids are to be standing in front of it. Cowlass ripped her pants a moment earlier, and being a good father I sent her off to school in them.

Anyway. We lost a member of the family today.

View attachment 654253
The saw family, I mean. There it was in September 2008, my first ever chainsaw, sitting on my first ever trailer. Bought them both on the same day. One of those momentous days in life, just like your wedding day, the birth of your children or the first time you tipped 100kgs (220lbs) on the scales.

And here we are nearly a decade later and he still has the original Farm Boss sticker on the side, bless him.

View attachment 654256
View attachment 654257
I sold it to a local lady (works at the local Parks office - like your Forestry folk) who was looking for a reasonable used chainsaw. She wanted to use it for cutting ~12 inch eucalypt. I'm assuming girls just can't handle more than 12 inches. I mean, I have found they can't handle.... Anyway. I had just had it serviced and made a coupla test cuts today to make sure that they didn't cock it up. They put a new chain on it and I must say it wasn't cutting half bad. And thus being warm, it started first pull when she turned it over. She was happy, didn't want to make any test cuts herself. $575 is helping to ease the pain of giving up my first saw. So we're back to being a three saw family now. Not sure that's enough.

View attachment 654255

Whats the car the saw and trailer are hitched too? I can't imagine a three saw family. I just put a bid in on 25 saws. I think I was a day late. I offered more than the first guy, but the owner told him they had a deal, and he's supposed to pick them up today. If something falls through, I get them. One of them is a Disston DA211 two cylinder, two man saw with a giant Bow Bar. It's the first one I've ever seen.

 

[bigfellascott]

Same as 3/8 - Stihl suggests a different size than others, and some of us use two different sized files on the same chain depending on how long the cutters are. It's like striped socks - some evil genius marketing guru dreamed up a way to sell more. I reckon I might start a petition to seek a citizens initiated referendum to enact a new KISS law so that manufacturers are penalised for making complicated for the consumer that which could be achieved with ubiquitous design. No more striped socks unless you make 'em yourself. All chains being one size, gauge, type, needing only one file.

Make engine manufacturers use one of three different type/size of oil filters and air cleaners or they can't sell their engines here.
Same goes for a bunch of spare parts. There's a good albeit old, book called The Waste Makers warning about the wicked ways of consumerism. Fifty years later we still haven't got the message.

'Pitch' only measures the average spacing of the chain rivets. It says nothing about the height, width, or profile of the cutters. Through the years, there have even been profile differences between same pitch models of Oregon or STIHL chains. So a different file size may make a difference.

These companies have controlled testing equipment to measure small differences. I was surprised to see Oregon narrow-kerf, low profile chain (Type 90) recommending a slightly larger diameter file than their narrow-kerf chain (Type 91). But I tried it and it did cut better! Oregon rep said that the cutters have different profiles.

Some people don't notice a difference in their cutting, or prefer a different size than the manufacturer recommends. One advantage of sharpening your won chain is being able to experiment, and then do what you want.

Philbert

Thanks for that info Philbert, it was a surprise to both of us that there was a difference between the brands, but you live and learn I guess.

Cheers mate

 

[bigfellascott]

Nice thing about square file is I use the same one for everything … 3/8 and .325!

I will have to do a bit of research on the square file thing, what's the advantage in it over the round file?

 

[JustJeff]

Square file is faster. At least in every video and every thread about it. I’ve never tried it but I’m thinking about it when my round file wears out. Which may be a while, not sure what kind of file it is. It came with an old homelite I picked up and had a homemade handle but it cuts twice as good as the Oregon one I bought.
Square they say dulls faster so you’ll definitely need 10 saws. Right Mike?

 

[svk]

I didn’t notice any difference between round and square as far as how long it stays sharp.

 

[svk]

Not bad for 45 cc’s

 

[Erik B]

Whats the car the saw and trailer are hitched too? I can't imagine a three saw family. I just put a bid in on 25 saws. I think I was a day late. I offered more than the first guy, but the owner told him they had a deal, and he's supposed to pick them up today. If something falls through, I get them. One of them is a Disston DA211 two cylinder, two man saw with a giant Bow Bar. It's the first one I've ever seen.

Here are a couple of pics of a bow saw. It needed an external engine to get it started.

 

[svk]

As soon as I throw down one more coffee I’m going to go out and split some of the aspen I cut yesterday. It was 63 earlier on its way to 88 again so I’ll be doing lighter duty tasks once it warms up.

 

[rarefish383]

Here are a couple of pics of a bow saw. It needed an external engine to get it started.
View attachment 654299 View attachment 654300

That's a pretty nice one! The Disston looks a good bit bigger. I talked to the seller a little while ago and the price is out of my range, so I passed it on to a collector friend. I might still try to get one of the little 3.5 HP Disston Bows, he has 3-4 of them. What model power head is that?

 

[rarefish383]

I just went back and looked and the Bow on the DA211 is a LOT bigger. Wish I had the funds to get in the game for that one.

 

[MustangMike]

In my experience, Square stays sharp just as long as full chisel round.

According to Madsen's website, Full Chisel is 10-15% faster than Semi Chisel, and Square is 10-15% faster than Full Chisel.

IMO, Full is 20% faster than Semi, and Square is 5% faster than Full.

I can sharpen Square just as fast as I can sharpen round, so I don't see any downside to it. If a chain gets rocked, I can have it machine sharpened, then re convert it to square.