Cutting small pole wood

[Bruno of NH]

Cutting small pole wood
Anyone have a setup I can look at.
I have some to cut and would like an easy way
Thanks

[GAB]

Jim:
Are you talking short or small diameter.
If small diameter: what are you aiming for as a sawmill finished product?
When toying with small diameter material I lose a lot of blades to the first log stop.
I've hit mine so often that I've lost track of the frequency.
I have the rollers on my log stops and I should rotate the bolt for it 90 degrees so when I hit it good again I'll then be able to use either a phillips or flat blade screw driver to turn it.
I know I'm a slow learner.
Gerald

[Bruno of NH]

I'm looking for a setup to cut firewood out of limbs and tops 
6" and under

[GAB]

Jim:
I sure did not properly interpret your original post.

Have you considered using a chainsaw with a long bar and making a chop saw style set up with it.
You need to remember that the wood stop would need to be on the opposite side.
The long bar is so that you can drill the bar for a pivot point and not affect the roller nose.

Another idea would be a Woodsman saw.  Your tractor is definitely large enough to operate one.
Gerald

[york]

For starters try this:

Vermont Woodsman Buzz Saw

[hedgerow]

Any time I have small pole wood 10 inches and under the buzz saw is my go to tool. I cut a lot of hedge for firewood on my buzz saw. 

[ButchC]

As they said you need to look into a buzz saw or as they say in the east, a cord wood saw.

Around here a belt driven one with decent blade can be purchased for $100. The 3 point hitch PTO models go $250 or so.  

We quit cutting up small stuff with the chain saws quite a few years ago. Much easier to load it on the truck or trailer in 8' lengths and cut it up with the buzz saw, can cut up an entire pick up load in 20 minutes or so. We have equipped ours with an elevator to pile or load the trailer. Also use the same set up to cut up slab wood from sawmills.

My sons cutting up some slab on one of our buzz saws
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYYh5Rx6Eh8

[hedgerow]

ButchC
Nice looking buzz saw. I have owned several over the years. Started with one that was on bridge planks and we would stake it down and run it with a G JD tractor and a flat belt. Then I had one on the front of a B JD had a three point PTO home built one for a while. Then I built one that has a sliding table like yours and a 13 Hp engine running the saw. I like the sliding table a lot better than the other ones I had that the table folded to cut the wood. 

[ButchC]

Thank you, That one is home made as you likely noticed and the blade was kinda dull when I shot the vid.  The Listeroid will run it all day on a 1 1/2 gallons of diesel fuel.  We have both types and the sliding table one is my favorite also. We run them with whatever suits  our fancy at the moment. tractors, engines old and new etc. 

[Hilltop366]

With using a chainsaw for minimal additional investment I can think of two main methods, either stacking the wood on a saw buck or between poles to cut a bunch at a time or cutting one at a time and have the saw on a hinge, I have seen you tube vids of a saw hinged on the end of the bar or on the engine.

In my mind the second method looks the easiest on the body if set up so there is minimal moving around and lifting. I'm right handed so I would want a log deck (or a set of forks on the loader) to my left with a tray in front of it that extends in front of me and the saw on a hinge on my right at the end of the tray.

Load the deck (or forks) with your tractor then load the tray by rolling a stick off the deck on to the tray and slide the stick into position for cutting. It could all be made from wood and a few pounds of nails but perhaps some puck board or old truck box liner on the tray would help make it easier to slide the log along.

I think that the chainsaw on the hinge is a much safer option as the blade is not turning when you are not sawing but the addition of a guard for the chainsaw blade to rest in when not sawing would not be a bad idea as well.

If you can buck the wood into a bin that can be lifted up with your tractor it will help with sorting and splitting the wood after, I made a bin out of a old 200 gal oil tank.

[mike_belben]

Not my fav but it works




This has been much better. i load the deck with skid steer so its mostln No lift no bend while cutting.  Working on no pickup after cut and a mechanical sort for split vs no split but thats not fully figured yet.



Hay rake springs hold stuff pretty well and still let it slide thru.  








3/8 hole in the saw bar.  Rebar uprights to backstop the limb.  Kids training wheels help get the butt in the box without sticking against the rebar.  I tend to cut on the push side of the bar and i use a hatchet with a hook to pull the limbs with one hand while other stays on the saw.  Requires drilling a hole in your bar.  Wont harm it.

[47sawdust]

A Woodsman pto saw works very well for me Anything 6'' and under I cut into manageable lengths then buck into preferred lengths,for me that is 16''.I have reference marks  in 16'' increments marked on the table for easy reference.I also made an adjustable infeed to handle longer lengths.
These saws work very well and are frequently available on NH CL.I run mine on the highest pto rpm on my tractor and you run the tractor at lower rpm.I had my blade sharpened and set by a saw shop in Henniker NH.A conveyor would be a great addition both for safety and handling.

[GRANITEstateMP]

Bruno,

Do you have a tractor with grapple?  

Also do you sell or use any 3 or 4 foot wood?  Whenever I get the small(er) stuff, I usually sort it out to the side and cut it 3 or 4 ft and drop it at my in-laws for their outdoor boiler.  I will also put it through my processor with the wedge removed if it's going to one of my regular customers.

Matt

[Bruno of NH]

I was selling the pole wood in 4ft lengths to one of my neighbors. He bought 8 racks and doesnt want anymore this year.
I'm got together some parts and pieces to make a chainsaw chop saw.
Just got to put it together. 

[mike_belben]

Would like to see how you do it.  

[69bronco]

 

 I load the small stuff in my slab rack and use a 3' bar. I grew up on the business end of a cordwood saw, had enough of that.

[cedarquist treefarm]

I bought this firewood holder from Baileys. It works well for smaller batches. While not as automated as some of the set ups shown, I wanted to post it as an option. I burn about 6 cords a year. Most in a Charmaster furnace. Some in an older Jotul 118.
Cheers
Scott

PHOTOS MUST BE JPG PDF NOT ALLOWED  THEY SUCK UP ALL OUR SERVER SPACE

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