Mingo Marker?

[Old Greenhorn]

Just wondering if anyone else uses a mingo marker. Got one of these last year and it has made life a lot easier. I used to use a stick and a crayon or some marking paint, but this works well for me. It has a roller and drops a paint dot at your cut length, you just run the log and cut. Outside of our area, I have never heard of them.


 

[logman81]

I use one works pretty good I think.

[DR Buck]

I've had mine for about 10 years.   Works very well.

[Old Greenhorn]

I've been pleased with mine too. The wheels are a little pricey for what they are, but it does the job and saves my back. I hesitated a long time because of the price, but I am glad I got it. I just haven't seen anyone else here mention though I did find some old posts.

[doc henderson]

I love mine, I have the wheel set, but if you know what length you want you can just do that.  I do my firewood 16 inches so I can load my stove front to back with a little room.  it stacks so much better if it is all the same length as well.  I have not used the other diameter wheels for the diff sizes.

[Old Greenhorn]

I use the 18" wheel, also have the 16 that came with it, never used it. I plan on giving it a workout this weekend. First I have to do some maintenance work on my Mule, seem to have a coolant leak.

[Wallys World]

I use mine a lot, sure saves the time. My wife marks it, I cut.

[petefrom bearswamp]

Does it work on wet stuff?
How do you handle crotches an lots of crook?

[Old Greenhorn]

The paint is only needed for cutting right after marking. You can see it on a wet log, or mud. You just walk it down the center of the log in a straight line. It works well, but it is not a vernier caliper. The user still has to decide how to cut crotches, etc. I mark 1-3 logs at a time, cut, clear them out of the way, then queue up and mark a few more.

[doc henderson]

it works with a toothed wheel with a nub on the side that deflects the "upside down" paint to make a mark.  the straighter the log, the better, and to start I rotate the wheel until the nub is against the paint tip, to start at the beginning of the log. if you wind up with 6 inches at the end, you can divide it over the number of sections of log, say 6 and just use it as scale adding and inch more to each segment.  you need a good can of paint to make that quick mark, or if setting around, needs to be well shook and the nozzle clean.

[47sawdust]

Pete,What do you mean crotches and crooks?Aren't your logs all gun barrel straight.The mingo marker can be an adventure at times.It certainly provides entertainment for my older brother who comes by to heckle and offer advice.It loves to skate on smooth beech so a 16'' cut quickly turns into a 4 footer.Also for a tall person it requires a lot of bending.
Not a perfect tool but I still use it.

[GRANITEstateMP]

  What 47sawdust said :D

  It's not to be used on a frosty morning on Beech or Black Birch :-\  I have a bunch of different wheels for it.  I use the 12in wheel the most.  We cut 24in wood for me and a couple of my helpers, we get the ugly, and the oversized stuff.  Run the ole' Mingo down marking every 12in and start to chop, if it's got a real ugly section that gets cut out and goes on up to the farm into the OWB.  It's not perfect, but it's a tool that has it's place in the toolbox.

[petefrom bearswamp]

does it use a spray can of paint?
Can you set it for any inch increment you wish?
We cut at 22 to 23 inches so it will fit on our 24" splitter which I built in 1978.
And yes all our firewood logs are gun barrel straight.
I lift the logs to just under waist height with my tractor forks so no bending over, except for the crooked and crotched logs which we NEVER have.

[Old Greenhorn]

Yes, it uses those surveyors spray cans that have a straight nozzle and spray upside down. You have to put in a different set wheel for each length. They have wheels for 16, 18, and 12 I think. But you can get the details on their website which is easily searchable. Sheldon Hill caries the line also. BTW Doc, the handle is hollow, so you could shove a modified broomstick in there to eliminate bending. I should try this, as much for reaching over the log pile, as I often cut the logs while they are stacked when it is convenient for me.

[John Mc]

You can get separate 14", 16" or 18" wheels for the marker. You can also get one that marks at either 6", 12", and 24"

I tried a friend's out on one log. It seemed handy, but more so if I were cutting firewood on a landing, rather than out in the woods, as I generally do. No more room to hang anything on my tool belt, and if I don't, it will surely get lost in the woods.

[Dan_Shade]

I use one, I like it  

[Magicman]

Can you set it for any inch increment you wish? We cut at 22 to 23 inches so it will fit on our 24" splitter

Pete, I guess that with oddball lengths...


 


we will have to continue to use a "story stick".

[petefrom bearswamp]

Stick and crayon here and we tried 24" early on but 1/4 inch mistakable in cut or mark (too long) wont fit on my splitter, hence the shorter stick.
I'll stick with the stick, pun intended

[doc henderson]

We used to use a story stick in roofing to make transitions, say from a porch roof onto the main roof, so the reveal was consistent. If you have your marks you can then angle the stick so it reduces the linear length up the roof to give an even reveal to mesh up with the rest of the roof.  I always have friends who know I have wood, that come to get some for a fire pit, fireplace, scout campfire.  I think I will try to have a crate to throw in odd pieces that won't stack or fit the stove well.  If you really want to use the marker, the length between marks is based on wheel diameter.  could modify a wheel if you wanted