Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[MustangMike]

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't have a stock saw in the house. All are either ported, or heavily modified, and when I go out to do a days work with them, you would have a lot of uncut wood at the end of the day with a bone stock saw.

Some people may enjoy "cutting with the saw", I enjoy "cutting through the wood". The more productive I am, the better I feel about it. And if my ported 261 cuts like a 60 cc saw, I can keep going a lot faster and longer.

Likewise my worked over (but not ported) 044 and 440 will out cut stock 460s, and weigh almost a pound less.

 

[chipper1]

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't have a stock saw in the house. All are either ported, or heavily modified, and when I go out to do a days work with them, you would have a lot of uncut wood at the end of the day with a bone stock saw.

Some people may enjoy "cutting with the saw", I enjoy "cutting through the wood". The more productive I am, the better I feel about it. And if my ported 261 cuts like a 60 cc saw, I can keep going a lot faster and longer.

Likewise my worked over (but not ported) 044 and 440 will out cut stock 460s, and weigh almost a pound less.

Mike you do realize that even if you went out with a bone stock saw you would still come home with more wood than probably 99% of the guys out there cutting wood for firewood right .
Maybe no-one has told you, but your not the average guy .
More proof of that, how many guys drive around nice mustangs with more than 10 saws in them(or any for that matter), I'm only aware of one, did I say your not the average guy .
It's a compliment for sure as there are not many who will attain the knowledge you have, the work ethic, or the stamina to do what you do.
That being said most folks will not recognize the benefits of grinding the baffles on the 365xt, but they may see the benefits of a sharp chain pay off in many ways .

 

[chipper1]

View attachment 666275 Stihl price list in Canadian dinero.

Well at least the price on the 880 doesn't seem so bad compared to what they get us for them .

 

[svk]

Remember that one guy who was around here last winter with the propane tank muffler? He said the 461 was going to be selling for $2000 soon

 

[chipper1]

Remember that one guy who was around here last winter with the propane tank muffler? He said the 461 was going to be selling for $2000 soon

How could those who saw that mess forget it .
I think at least some of those threads were pulled down because of the threats he was making .

 

[LondonNeil]

Sorry chipper, I was feeling grumpy and reacted overly sternly to your poke.

I hadn't looked into the detail, because I wouldn't do it. As a chartered engineer and someone that is moderately practical and enjoys fixing stuff, i would describe it as fairly easy from your description, it sounds like something that a practical guy with no special tools could do with care. But I don't have the time. If I did... Well.... Night Hunter wouldn't have a ms660.

Noticing the difference/needing the extra for productivity? No. Most here are doing wood for fun, and if the saw is part of that fun then great. That's all. I'll say it again.... It's in my signature block still I think....an ms180 and patience will do all i need. I just ran out of patience and a bigger saw brings the fun back. I won't run it often. I'd love a 441 or 461 just because I think Stihl are better looked after in the uk, dealer wise. But looking at saw per pound sterling, and I've settled on the makita..... If they ever fix the recall issue. I hit them via the Makita UK Facebook page last night, so maybe I'll get some info.

 

[woodchip rookie]

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't have a stock saw in the house. All are either ported, or heavily modified, and when I go out to do a days work with them, you would have a lot of uncut wood at the end of the day with a bone stock saw.

Some people may enjoy "cutting with the saw", I enjoy "cutting through the wood". The more productive I am, the better I feel about it. And if my ported 261 cuts like a 60 cc saw, I can keep going a lot faster and longer.

Likewise my worked over (but not ported) 044 and 440 will out cut stock 460s, and weigh almost a pound less.

You dont get done faster cuz you got faster saws. You get done faster because theres less room in a mustang than a truck. If all I had to fill was the passenger seat of a mustang I would be done in 15 minutes also.

 

[chipper1]

Sorry chipper, I was feeling grumpy and reacted overly sternly to your poke.

I hadn't looked into the detail, because I wouldn't do it. As a chartered engineer and someone that is moderately practical and enjoys fixing stuff, i would describe it as fairly easy from your description, it sounds like something that a practical guy with no special tools could do with care. But I don't have the time. If I did... Well.... Night Hunter wouldn't have a ms660.

Noticing the difference/needing the extra for productivity? No. Most here are doing wood for fun, and if the saw is part of that fun then great. That's all. I'll say it again.... It's in my signature block still I think....an ms180 and patience will do all i need. I just ran out of patience and a bigger saw brings the fun back. I won't run it often. I'd love a 441 or 461 just because I think Stihl are better looked after in the uk, dealer wise. But looking at saw per pound sterling, and I've settled on the makita..... If they ever fix the recall issue. I hit them via the Makita UK Facebook page last night, so maybe I'll get some info.

I accept your apology, but I wasn't offended.
I agree it's rather easy for anyone who is mechanically inclined, and can certainly up the fun level.
One thing I try to remember is it's not just us reading what we are posting, there will be many people who do not subscribe to this thread who will read the things said(and I wasn't saying all that directly at or to you particularly). I don't want someone reading thinking it's all about the saw and how fast it will cut cookies, although that is fun and to me makes the experience better and me more apt to cut wood . But what most guys trying to cut firewood what they need is how to scrounge wood as in finding it and getting out of the woods and home, how to process it once it's home(you start here most times cause you that lucky guy ), then how to stack it, and how to burn it. When I look at it as a whole the process involves so many aspects and it seems much focus is on the saw which pains me because it's a small aspect of the process.
Here's how I think about it from a motorcycle perspective; guys tell me they want to buy a bike because it will save them money on fuel. I ask them, will they ride when the temps are below 50, will you ride in the rain, if they answer no to those I may ask them how many miles there drive is to work but I usually know this and can stop them right there in their trying to justify the bike by saving money on fuel. Point being if you want a bike by it, but to sell to me that you are saving money on fuel is a lie to me themselves and anyone else they tell it to, I have a calculator and it doesn't lie if I put the right numbers into the equation .
As @Duce was saying it takes the fun out of working on them, maybe, but I think theres a lot more fun to be had when we are honest with ourselves and others. Yes sometimes I'm a fun sucker .

 

[Marine5068]

Now that is a slab of wood!!! The max for my stuff would be about 32"

My saws, with square file, will mill a 26" (2" thick) Red Oak 7.5' in about 5 min, but you will have to re fuel the saw about every 3-4 cuts, and sharpen the chain about every 6-8 cuts.

A dull chain will really slow it down, and the cut does not look as good. Milling dulls your chain the fastest.

I plan to mill some Tulip this year (sold as Poplar for lumber). It is a much softer hardwood, and the milling should go much easier. (They are really Magnolia trees).

Everyone around here says Poplar when most are actually Trembling Aspen.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't have a stock saw in the house. All are either ported, or heavily modified, and when I go out to do a days work with them, you would have a lot of uncut wood at the end of the day with a bone stock saw.

Some people may enjoy "cutting with the saw", I enjoy "cutting through the wood". The more productive I am, the better I feel about it. And if my ported 261 cuts like a 60 cc saw, I can keep going a lot faster and longer.

Likewise my worked over (but not ported) 044 and 440 will out cut stock 460s, and weigh almost a pound less.

Will agree with you to a point. For most wood cutters it's more about how sharp you keep the chain. Are you throwing chips or blowing dust, like I see every now an then.

 

[woodchip rookie]

Is poplar tulip?

 

[Marine5068]

I accept your apology, but I wasn't offended.
I agree it's rather easy for anyone who is mechanically inclined, and can certainly up the fun level.
One thing I try to remember is it's not just us reading what we are posting, there will be many people who do not subscribe to this thread who will read the things said(and I wasn't saying all that directly at or to you particularly). I don't want someone reading thinking it's all about the saw and how fast it will cut cookies, although that is fun and to me makes the experience better and me more apt to cut wood . But what most guys trying to cut firewood what they need is how to scrounge wood as in finding it and getting out of the woods and home, how to process it once it's home(you start here most times cause you that lucky guy ), then how to stack it, and how to burn it. When I look at it as a whole the process involves so many aspects and it seems much focus is on the saw which pains me because it's a small aspect of the process.
Here's how I think about it from a motorcycle perspective; guys tell me they want to buy a bike because it will save them money on fuel. I ask them, will they ride when the temps are below 50, will you ride in the rain, if they answer no to those I may ask them how many miles there drive is to work but I usually know this and can stop them right there in their trying to justify the bike by saving money on fuel. Point being if you want a bike by it, but to sell to me that you are saving money on fuel is a lie to me themselves and anyone else they tell it to, I have a calculator and it doesn't lie if I put the right numbers into the equation .
As @Duce was saying it takes the fun out of working on them, maybe, but I think theres a lot more fun to be had when we are honest with ourselves and others. Yes sometimes I'm a fun sucker .

Well said. I owned some bikes and they are cheap to run, but most won't drive in Winter or in rain etc.
We do most things because we like to. That's why we're all here on this site.
I just love seeing things to do with wood and trees and all that.
Yes sometimes we get grumpy and I take no offence at that. I get grumpy too.
But let's remember that we like what we do and we like each other for sharing same interests.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

I accept your apology, but I wasn't offended.
I agree it's rather easy for anyone who is mechanically inclined, and can certainly up the fun level.
One thing I try to remember is it's not just us reading what we are posting, there will be many people who do not subscribe to this thread who will read the things said(and I wasn't saying all that directly at or to you particularly). I don't want someone reading thinking it's all about the saw and how fast it will cut cookies, although that is fun and to me makes the experience better and me more apt to cut wood . But what most guys trying to cut firewood what they need is how to scrounge wood as in finding it and getting out of the woods and home, how to process it once it's home(you start here most times cause you that lucky guy ), then how to stack it, and how to burn it. When I look at it as a whole the process involves so many aspects and it seems much focus is on the saw which pains me because it's a small aspect of the process.
Here's how I think about it from a motorcycle perspective; guys tell me they want to buy a bike because it will save them money on fuel. I ask them, will they ride when the temps are below 50, will you ride in the rain, if they answer no to those I may ask them how many miles there drive is to work but I usually know this and can stop them right there in their trying to justify the bike by saving money on fuel. Point being if you want a bike by it, but to sell to me that you are saving money on fuel is a lie to me themselves and anyone else they tell it to, I have a calculator and it doesn't lie if I put the right numbers into the equation .
As @Duce was saying it takes the fun out of working on them, maybe, but I think theres a lot more fun to be had when we are honest with ourselves and others. Yes sometimes I'm a fun sucker .

No, you are a Debbie Downer! Enjoy the whole experience! But, I hate cleaning peoples saws that lack basic maintenance and ask what could be wrong. I enjoy all of it, just leave me alone when I am in my garage! Just giving you a . It's all good fun as long as no one gets hurt.

 

[James Miller]

Got a call about a bunch of pin oak this morning. Only problem is it's an hour each way. Trying to get my buddies dad F350 and 16 foot trailer. Not worth the trip in the 150.

 

[MustangMike]

Is poplar tulip?

Technically no. Tulip is called that because the leaves look Tulip shaped. It is really a Magnolia Tree (if you cut one down in the Spring, you will see the flowers on the top). However, the wood has a greenish center, and is sold as Poplar in Lumber stores.

Most wood sold as Poplar is really Tulip/Magnolia.

Aspen is also often called poplar. I think it is just a generic referring to "soft" hardwoods that can be easily worked.

One of my Carpenter friends asked me to save any "unusual" grain wood so he could turn it on a lathe. I gave him some beautiful chunks of Chestnut Oak from the base of a forked tree. He got back to me that "they were too hard to turn", and he ended up using them as fire wood.

 

[MustangMike]

A sharp chain is one of the most important aspects of a good running saw, which is why I run square file on all my saws. Nothing like a sharp chain to make any saw look good, especially in some of the softer hardwoods.

When I look back at the milling of the Ash post + beam for my cabin, with my stock 441 and 044, I wish I had the knowledge and resources then that I have now. It would have gone so much faster with a 90+ cc saw and square file chain.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Took a friend of my oldest sister's a pickup load of cherry for turning and he said, will take all you can bring me. Second load, he was out sealing ends and replied I could stop now, he wanted some apple or crab apple to turn.

It's just hard to make people happy, but he was very grateful for a 5 years supply of cherry.

 

[James Miller]

Technically no. Tulip is called that because the leaves look Tulip shaped. It is really a Magnolia Tree (if you cut one down in the Spring, you will see the flowers on the top). However, the wood has a greenish center, and is sold as Poplar in Lumber stores.

Most wood sold as Poplar is really Tulip/Magnolia.

Aspen is also often called poplar. I think it is just a generic referring to "soft" hardwoods that can be easily worked.

One of my Carpenter friends asked me to save any "unusual" grain wood so he could turn it on a lathe. I gave him some beautiful chunks of Chestnut Oak from the base of a forked tree. He got back to me that "they were too hard to turn", and he ended up using them as fire wood.

Iv seen all kinds of colors in poplar around here green,blue,purple,pink. Cut one up for fire wood for my cousin last winter that had all those colors in the same tree.

 

[svk]

Everyone around here says Poplar when most are actually Trembling Aspen.

Same. Evertything here is "popple" to most folks and the people further south call it poplar. I refer to it as aspen. We also have balsam poplar which is also incorrectly but commonly called balm of gilead, and bombagilian. We have trembling and bigtooth aspen. Besides the leaves, the trembling aspen has a green tint to the grey portion of the bark and the bigtooth has a slight orange tint. Bigtooth also gets it's leaves about 2-3 weeks later than trembling.

 

[svk]

Iv seen all kinds of colors in poplar around here green,blue,purple,pink. Cut one up for fire wood for my cousin last winter that had all those colors in the same tree.

Some guys specifically look for storm damaged/blowdown because of the blue/black/purple stains and they mill it into paneling.