The Daily Firewood Picture Thread

[Wlmedley]

Tom, I don't know if it's a X cut or not. All I know is that it's a 325 and my 372 uses 3/8 . I bought a new X cut for my 372 a couple years ago at the Paul Bunyan show but haven't tried it yet. I ordered a roller guide for this saw and I don't know if it would be different for a X cut or not. I don't really know a lot about the different kinds of chains. Since I started using the roller guide when sharpening seems my chains last and cut good a lot longer.

[Old Greenhorn]

Bill, the X-cut will have one gold connecting link on it. I use that as my marker when sharpening. The X-cut uses a different roller guide than other chains and it's important to know the there is no drop angle on the file, you hold it square, not at the normal 10° drop for most chains. Getting the resharpening right on these chains is the key to happiness.   I am very happy with X-cut, until of course you rock the chain, which sucks on any chain.  I just had to buy a new one for my 350 18" bar today and after paying too much for it at TS I was still amazed that the guide sheet they pack in each chain STILL does not include the filing and angle data for the X-cut, which is not only baffling, it's just stupid. Where are their marketing people and what are they doing? It took forever before the X-cut roller guides were available, I had to order one from my dealer. None were 'out there'.
 But I digress, it's a great chain and I am sticking with it, it rips along very nicely.

[Wlmedley]

Tom ,my chain does have one gold link in it but I didn't know what it meant . Good to know because I probably ordered the wrong guide. I just thought it was meant to be used as a starting and stopping point when sharpening which seemed pretty nice as I always used a dob of paint.

[barbender]

Well actually it means both, Bill- it's a reference point, and it let's you know it's an X cut😊 Stihl uses a green link, i think. Oregon just let's you peer at the tooth and try to decipher if you sharpened it yet😬

Glad to hear that saw is feeling good👍

Talking on this thread I believe, reminded me that I prefer a semi-chisel chain. I wanted to try one of the X-cut chains in a semi-chisel. My new 562 mkll has an X cut chisel chain. 

I just prefer semi-chisel. It's not as grabby when you're limbing, and I don't notice the difference cutting on the little sticks I cut. But finding the X cut S85, which is the number for 3/8, .058" semi chisel chain seems a bit impossible. I could probably have the dealer order me a loop (maybe) but Husqvarna's site and no where on the internet has it. You can get S83, which is .050" gauge.

I really, really hate the multiple gauge configurations in every pitch. Having multiple pitches is confusing enough for folks, and then add in 2 or 3 gauges (which have zero purpose that I can see) and it makes a 2 or 3x chance of people getting the wrong chain. I understand all of the nomenclature and can get myself the chain I need, but if you think it's simple, try explaining it to the uninitiated sometime. 

I spent over an hour one day helping a guy sort through all of his bars and chains. Matching chains to bars, and bars to saws. He had both .050 and .058 3/8 pitch bars, and realized that his employees would never keep them straight, so he sent me home with a 28" b&c for my efforts and to prevent future mixups. 

Congrats on that saw, Bill. I'm sure it will serve you well👍👍

[MS362C]

New poster long time lurker, i have always enjoyed this thread!

[Magicman]

Welcome MS362C.  Wonder what chainsaw you are using. 

[SwampDonkey]

Nice buggy load. 

[beenthere]

MS362C
Welcome to the Forestry Forum.

I like the split wood rack you have fashioned. Looks simple and secure.



Leads me to wonder if some straight 2-3" diameter poles of limb wood or upper branch wood could suffice for the treated wood 2x4's stuck in the concrete blocks ??

[SwampDonkey]

Some of you guys cut too perfect to length than I do.    But, if I didn't use treated, I would use cedar wood. Lots of straight, post sized, cedar grow in my woods and I can drive the buggy up to it within a few feet. Get a couple with some fatter ends, square them off for the concrete holes so they don't roll. I assume the runners on the bottom are nailed to the treated 2x4's?     I would have to lay that out on a gravelled surface up here or the spring thaw would upend it. ;)

[Magicman]

      I like the treated.  It's outside and they are straight, strong, consistent, and will last for many years. 

Just a note;   The gallery's purpose is to only retain posted pictures.   All pictures in the gallery should be either posted or deleted.

[cutterboy]

Welcome MS362C
Nice buggy and you sure are not afraid to load it up.

[MS362C]

Thanks for all the replies and welcome's! I took advantage of the nice weather this eve to split some rounds and enjoy the fresh air, the wind finally laid back a little at sunset. Hoping to go cutting again this weekend, got my eye on some more ash that has freshly fell in the winds we have had

[thecfarm]

I did not saw anything down, just up. 
I had red oak, white maple, aspen and EWP was in the up mode today. The oak had some size to it, 18 inch bar would not go all the way through it for a few cuts.
Usage of firewood has dropped off a lot during daylight hours.
Night time temps are around freezing still.
Woods are still soft, which is normal for this time of year.
Where I saw up my firewood is soft in some places and still froze in others. A 4 inch covering of sawdust keeps those parts frozen for a while.
I drag the bucket and scrape it down on places to hurry the melting process.

[SwampDonkey]

I've got 2" to 14" of snow in my woods, depends on where you stand. I tried walking in it today, I went to the bottom in every step. So I stuck to the patches with less snow to sink in.  I can drive up there in the buggy but not the truck, the buggy just leaves prints in the wet mud compared to what a truck would do. And there is up to a foot of snow in the road in the shaded places.

[g_man]

This afternoon I started blocking up the wood I pulled out last week. It was 14 degrees this morning and low 20's after lunch so the ground was solid. According to the weatherman it will be good all week - at least mornings. So I can do a little at a time. I use a geezer friendly method. Good footing, no bending, and I can zing them off pretty quick. Just takes time to take them off the pile one by one. But it is good practice and keeps things simple.





This was the last log/stick today.



 

gg

[Magicman]

I think that 'bout everything I do is by the geezer friendly method. 

[Wlmedley]

Trying to make my firewood setup a little easier. I used to do all my splitting before stacking any wood and just threw sticks in a rough pile away from the splitter. Then I had to pick them up again and haul to the woodshed. Now I park my buggy close to the splitter and when it's full I haul to the shed and unload. Did a couple loads today and quit before my back got to sore. Can always find something else to do for awhile. Also modified one bay in my shed so I could stack without ricking up my stacks which I used to do to keep pressure off the walls. It's a lot easier and plus more wood will fit in a given area. May not dry as quickly but I'm trying to stay a couple years ahead so should be fine.

[Wlmedley]

Two buggy loads in shed. I figure eight loads to make a cord.

[Wlmedley]

I think I finally understand a little more about my chainsaw chain. When I bought my new saw dealer said he had chains on sale and if I bought one I would get another for $5.00. I agreed as I wanted a spare. Chains were Copperhead brand which he said were good chains but they charged $35.00 for the first so I had $40.00 in two. After I learned here that chain that came on saw was a X- cut and the roller guide I ordered (which came yesterday) was also for a X-cut I decided I didn't want two different chains. I took the ones he sold me back and told him I would like to exchange them for Husqvarna X-cut chains because I had a sharpening kit for X-cut chain and the angle was different. He didn't have X-cut chain and tried to tell me what he sold me would be ok. He didn't know about the angle difference. Got a refund and found Husqvarna X-cut chain to fit my saw for $37.00 on Amazon for two chains. Learned that Copperhead is a Chinese brand and pretty cheap online. Ordered.325 ,50 gauge, 72 drive links,semi chisel x-cut chain.Thanks guys for the info I think I understand a little better. Still wondering why they make different gauges being my 372 is a 50 gauge also which as I understand it is the size of the slot in the bar. Some have.058 and I can't see.008 making much difference in strength of chain or what the purpose would be.

[barbender]

Yeah, I was gonna ask what kind of Chinese trash he was selling you, and not any cheaper than the Husqvarna chain to boot.

[SwampDonkey]

I went up to the woodlot and cut some firewood this morning and knocked down some weak looking trees. Made some spruce corduroy poles from ones that didn't look to healthy. Most of the firewood was aspen, a couple small ash sticks in the mix. Nice, no heat, no flies, not too much snow. I'm looking to add 4 more cord to the pile for next winter. Did I say I like working on flat ground. 

I did need the winch on the SxS though. Going in this morning the snow was froze hard, coming back out I hit a deep spot and the wheels were not touching dirt. So I hooked on to a spruce, hit the button. Click....again...click. Hmm. Looked under the seat, the winch positive wire was not hooked up. No screw driver with me so wedged it under the starter cable. Worked, I'm here to talk about it.   Add that to the something dumb thread.  

[barbender]

That's why I always have a Leatherman in a holster on my belt, Donk😊

[Magicman]

Church and bed are the only places that I go to without my Leatherman.  I've used it a half dozen times today.

[SwampDonkey]

I like to live dangerously. I haven't carried a knife or handy gadget tool on me in years. 

I also went to the woods without my files this morning, but that's not as important because coming home early isn't a big deal.   But I just touched up the chain, ready for tomorrow morning. 

[doc henderson]

My dad always carried a knife and would always say the phrase "be careful, it is sharp!"  He took great pride in having the answer to a problem in his pocket.  He would use the knife to carefully open Christmas, presents by cutting the tape.  not sure if that is from growing up poor and reusing the paper, or he just wanted to hear the kids saying, "come on dad!"