New to wood burning

[Currently]

Wow that looks like a handy little tool! I'm just scared I'll do more damage by not setting it up right. I think the guy told me my chain is 28 degrees. Does that sound right? Although maybe 30 degrees wouldn't make any difference from 28 degrees.

It's fixed, you can't screw up a chain once it is set. It takes 15 seconds to set up the first time. Now it takes me less than five seconds. Watch the videos. Read the review thread ...


http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/180488.htm

Waited a long time before ordering it. It pays itself off in fifteen sharpenings that are as close to factory edge as I ever seen on any tool I ever used.

Stihl chain comes from the factory at 30*

 

[war-wagon]

Just came across the thread and wanted to say welcome to the dark side. Won't be long and you'll be adding saws and other various equipment to your arsenal. It's worth it. Really worth it! Pretty soon all you'll have into heating your house is barn and chain oil, gas and mix. So that will justify the cost of the toys.

 

[7sleeper]

I find the basic price quite steep! Although I am sure it is well made. Don't forget you will need replacement bits quite soon. For that amount of money I can get a bunch of files! Well as always, some people see it as money well spent.
Great to hear that you already had a very good introduction in chainsaw maintenence! That kind of help is priceless! Hope to see some future progress & action pics.

7

 

[ShaneLogs]

Should be about 12 full cords



Now to get cutting and splitting......I cut a little bit today but my chain is getting pretty dull. I could sharpen it but I have no idea what I'm doing. I think I'm just gonna get a couple new ones. What chain should I be using on my MS310?

I run a Semi-chisel chain on my saw when I am cutting skidded wood that is dirty. The semi-chisel chain keeps a edge longer when the wood is dirty. You could look into a carbide chain from Stihl but that might cost you a pretty penny. Carbide chains will not wear in the dirt and you can also cut roots and stumps with it too. What size bar you got on your MS310 ? You could look into a full-skip chain too. Are you running saftey chains also ?

 

[Oliver1655]

Welcome to the AS group.
- That is a nice looking pile of logs, fairly clean.
- In regards to chain: Stihl semi chisel chain is indeed set at a 30 degree angle, however the full chisel chain in set at 20 degrees. With dirty wood use semi chisel, with clean wood full chisel will cut faster & hold an sharp edge longer.
- Does your saw have a roller tipped bar or is it hard nosed. The hard nose bars are great with real dirty work but are said to use 20% more power to operate.
- Who will be feeding the OWB? My wife lets me harvest & prepare the wood, but does the majority of the stove feeding. Therefore I size the wood not by what the stove can handle but what my wife wants to handle.
- I have worked up a handout using MS Word for folks who are interested in buying or building a hydraulic wood splitter. It shows different styles & briefly covers pros & cons of each. If you would like a copy private mail me: [email protected] & I would be happy to send you a copy.
- Even with using smaller logs, I still will split them at least once to speed up the drying time. I have learned over the years that if I cut & split the rounds right away, the wood cures much faster, it is easier to handle, & it is easier to not get overwhelmed. Working with fire wood should be a way to relax instead of stressing.
- If the person you purchased the saw from is knowledgeable about using one, PLEASE have him/her give you some instructions.
- When using a splitter always keep your hands on the sides of the rounds to where you can not end up with your hand/fingers caught between the round & the wedge or press plate.
- If using a dedicated horizontal splitter with the wedge fasted to the beam & the wood should get stuck on the wedge, do not try to wrestle it off. Take a 6-8' length of 1/4" chain & with the push slide/pressure plate up against the round, wrap the chain around the slide & piece of wood (But not the wedge) & retract the slide & pull the wood off the wedge using the power of the hydraulic cylinder. Most of injuries to hands/fingers while using splitters can be be avoided keeping these things in mind.

Hope burning wood become a pleasure for you & not just a chore!:smile2: John

 

[waldershrek]

I run a Semi-chisel chain on my saw when I am cutting skidded wood that is dirty. The semi-chisel chain keeps a edge longer when the wood is dirty. You could look into a carbide chain from Stihl but that might cost you a pretty penny. Carbide chains will not wear in the dirt and you can also cut roots and stumps with it too. What size bar you got on your MS310 ? You could look into a full-skip chain too. Are you running saftey chains also ?

My saw has an 18" bar on it. I guess I don't know what safety chains are :msp_unsure:

Welcome to the AS group.
- That is a nice looking pile of logs, fairly clean.
- In regards to chain: Stihl semi chisel chain is indeed set at a 30 degree angle, however the full chisel chain in set at 20 degrees. With dirty wood use semi chisel, with clean wood full chisel will cut faster & hold an sharp edge longer.
- Does your saw have a roller tipped bar or is it hard nosed. The hard nose bars are great with real dirty work but are said to use 20% more power to operate.
- Who will be feeding the OWB? My wife lets me harvest & prepare the wood, but does the majority of the stove feeding. Therefore I size the wood not by what the stove can handle but what my wife wants to handle.
- I have worked up a handout using MS Word for folks who are interested in buying or building a hydraulic wood splitter. It shows different styles & briefly covers pros & cons of each. If you would like a copy private mail me: [email protected] & I would be happy to send you a copy.
- Even with using smaller logs, I still will split them at least once to speed up the drying time. I have learned over the years that if I cut & split the rounds right away, the wood cures much faster, it is easier to handle, & it is easier to not get overwhelmed. Working with fire wood should be a way to relax instead of stressing.
- If the person you purchased the saw from is knowledgeable about using one, PLEASE have him/her give you some instructions.
- When using a splitter always keep your hands on the sides of the rounds to where you can not end up with your hand/fingers caught between the round & the wedge or press plate.
- If using a dedicated horizontal splitter with the wedge fasted to the beam & the wood should get stuck on the wedge, do not try to wrestle it off. Take a 6-8' length of 1/4" chain & with the push slide/pressure plate up against the round, wrap the chain around the slide & piece of wood (But not the wedge) & retract the slide & pull the wood off the wedge using the power of the hydraulic cylinder. Most of injuries to hands/fingers while using splitters can be be avoided keeping these things in mind.

Hope burning wood become a pleasure for you & not just a chore!:smile2: John

My saw has a rollomatic bar on it. I'll be putting the wood in the stove although my girlfriend might do it every once in awhile. I will be splitting everything in at least half just to dry it quicker so she should be able to handle it. I don't have a splitter at the moment. My buddy is gonna come over and bring his for the few pieces I can't split with an axe (assuming there is any).

For now wood is pretty enjoyable. Maybe that will change as I get on in years

 

[CTYank]

Splitting anything bigger than kindling with an axe is definitely sub-optimal. Axes evolved for cutting wood by hitting the wood at a small angle off parallel to the grain. As in felling or limbing. Their bit is of much too acute an angle for splitting.

OTOH, most mass-produced mauls are instruments of torture- mild-steel, dull edge, much too chubby cheeks. This was confirmed to me when an Austrian (Muller) maul arrived here in early March. Waaaaay better than the previous ones I had. Some European smiths have been forging mauls for centuries, so they've had time to learn how. For examples, search Wetterlings, Gransfors Bruks, Iltis Ochsenkopf, Muller in random order.

A serious maul costs much more than a cookie-cutter maul, but works so much better, and seems to be so much more durable, that there's no comparison. IMHO it can make splitting mountains of wood fun. No hydraulics to leak.

 

[zogger]

Regular chain is now called "Pro" chain. All it has is a cutter tooth and a depth gauge in front of it. Safety chain, designed to help lessen kickback, has either this depth gauge itself modified to be larger, or has an additional piece to act as a buffer against too much "bite" especially at the very tip.

Stihl chain has a green colored link on safety chain, and a yellow link on professional or "you are on your own" chain.

either will cut wood. Safety chain is very hard to do fancy cuts, such as bore cuts for felling.

For what you are doing, bucking horizontal logs, safety chain will be perfectly fine IF it is maintained and sharpened correctly.

You will need to visit some links here to learn to sharpen correctly. Must be a hundred links on
it, good luck! bwahahahaha I have no idea which one is the best for actually showing the diferences with pictures.

I don't have one of those little tools to sharpen with, but they do look cool. I have just round and flat files. I had an ancient old phart who ran a sharpening shop show me how to file a long time ago. He showed me sawchain, axes, crosscut saws. Why I ain't sure, I think he just liked to talk, and so do I so I hung out and watched him do stuff one afternoon. After that one time I was on my own.

I would say my chains are mediocre to "OK" in quality, they cut wood, nothing to brag about, but it gets the job done. Nothing like the pros here who sharpen freaking hundreds/thousand feet of chain a season. Guys get really into it, use calipers on the cutters, etc, make every link a perfect match to every other link.

I do know enough to stop and touch up or swap chains (actually I just swap saws then mostly, usually carry several with me when I go cut, sharpen back at the ranch) when they start throwing dust and not chips though, right then, it doesn't matter, don't ever cut with a dull chain if you want your saws bars and chains to last. Next to straight gassing it's the worst thing you can do to your saw, trying to cut with it dull, it'll overheat bigtime, you won't cut nuthin, and stuff breaks.

 

[waldershrek]

Splitting anything bigger than kindling with an axe is definitely sub-optimal. Axes evolved for cutting wood by hitting the wood at a small angle off parallel to the grain. As in felling or limbing. Their bit is of much too acute an angle for splitting.

OTOH, most mass-produced mauls are instruments of torture- mild-steel, dull edge, much too chubby cheeks. This was confirmed to me when an Austrian (Muller) maul arrived here in early March. Waaaaay better than the previous ones I had. Some European smiths have been forging mauls for centuries, so they've had time to learn how. For examples, search Wetterlings, Gransfors Bruks, Iltis Ochsenkopf, Muller in random order.

A serious maul costs much more than a cookie-cutter maul, but works so much better, and seems to be so much more durable, that there's no comparison. IMHO it can make splitting mountains of wood fun. No hydraulics to leak.

Sorry I may have used the wrong term when I said axe. I think what I meant was a maul.

Regular chain is now called "Pro" chain. All it has is a cutter tooth and a depth gauge in front of it. Safety chain, designed to help lessen kickback, has either this depth gauge itself modified to be larger, or has an additional piece to act as a buffer against too much "bite" especially at the very tip.

Stihl chain has a green colored link on safety chain, and a yellow link on professional or "you are on your own" chain.

either will cut wood. Safety chain is very hard to do fancy cuts, such as bore cuts for felling.

For what you are doing, bucking horizontal logs, safety chain will be perfectly fine IF it is maintained and sharpened correctly.

You will need to visit some links here to learn to sharpen correctly. Must be a hundred links on
it, good luck! bwahahahaha I have no idea which one is the best for actually showing the diferences with pictures.

I don't have one of those little tools to sharpen with, but they do look cool. I have just round and flat files. I had an ancient old phart who ran a sharpening shop show me how to file a long time ago. He showed me sawchain, axes, crosscut saws. Why I ain't sure, I think he just liked to talk, and so do I so I hung out and watched him do stuff one afternoon. After that one time I was on my own.

I would say my chains are mediocre to "OK" in quality, they cut wood, nothing to brag about, but it gets the job done. Nothing like the pros here who sharpen freaking hundreds/thousand feet of chain a season. Guys get really into it, use calipers on the cutters, etc, make every link a perfect match to every other link.

I do know enough to stop and touch up or swap chains (actually I just swap saws then mostly, usually carry several with me when I go cut, sharpen back at the ranch) when they start throwing dust and not chips though, right then, it doesn't matter, don't ever cut with a dull chain if you want your saws bars and chains to last. Next to straight gassing it's the worst thing you can do to your saw, trying to cut with it dull, it'll overheat bigtime, you won't cut nuthin, and stuff breaks.

Looks like my chain has the yellow link. I've been driving my girlfriend crazy watching youtube videos on sharpening :msp_laugh: Prior to having these chains sharpened it was spitting straight dust, no chips. I'm anxious to see how she does now but haven't had a chance to cut anything with it yet.

 

[waldershrek]

I was cutting a little more today and one problem I ran into was moving the logs. How do you guys move your logs? You can see from the picture that they are in a big pile and I'm worried about a few things one being I'm gonna try and move a log and it or the whole pile is gonna fall and roll into my garage or worse yet over me. The other problem is I need a log stand badly. right now I'm cutting the logs down to a size where I can man handle them and then I put a piece of wood under one end so it's up off the ground.

Can somebody tell me what the difference is between a peavy and a cant? They look the same besides the point on the peavy.

*edit*

Just came across the explanation of the difference on the LogRite site.

 

[zogger]

I was cutting a little more today and one problem I ran into was moving the logs. How do you guys move your logs? You can see from the picture that they are in a big pile and I'm worried about a few things one being I'm gonna try and move a log and it or the whole pile is gonna fall and roll into my garage or worse yet over me. The other problem is I need a log stand badly. right now I'm cutting the logs down to a size where I can man handle them and then I put a piece of wood under one end so it's up off the ground.

Can somebody tell me what the difference is between a peavy and a cant? They look the same besides the point on the peavy.

*edit*

Just came across the explanation of the difference on the LogRite site.

You can use a loglifter or logjack or several diferent names for them. It's a long handle with a pivoting arm thart grabs the log, then you pull it over and it goes up and rests on a foot. site sponsor bailerys has them, tractor supply sells them, lot of places sell them.

You can cut most of the way through the log, go right down it, just to the point it almost binds, stop there, then roll it over, with your peavey or by hand and finish all your cuts. I do this a lot because it is the easiest. Minimum sitting and idling time with the saw, most cuts per fuel, as long as I can roll the log by hand or with my lifter/roller tool. Big ones, whopper logs, no choice, I wedge the cut and just cut right on through, sometimes sledge hammer in a short piece right under where the cut will be.

You can cut down until around 3/4s of the way, then mash in a plastic wedge hard, that separates and lifts the log a little, then finish the cut, with some finesse, out of the dirt.

https://www.baileysonline.com/search.asp?SKW=TIMBERJACK HANDLE&catID=11507

I have the cheaper tractor supply version of one of those, works OK on medium logs, too big, you can't budge them, too small, no good bite (but those you can do by hand anyway)

 

[ponyexpress976]

I was cutting a little more today and one problem I ran into was moving the logs. How do you guys move your logs? You can see from the picture that they are in a big pile and I'm worried about a few things one being I'm gonna try and move a log and it or the whole pile is gonna fall and roll into my garage or worse yet over me. The other problem is I need a log stand badly. right now I'm cutting the logs down to a size where I can man handle them and then I put a piece of wood under one end so it's up off the ground.

Can somebody tell me what the difference is between a peavy and a cant? They look the same besides the point on the peavy.

*edit*

Just came across the explanation of the difference on the LogRite site.

Common sense being dead these days...never try and roll one off from the middle of the pile. Always from the end and always have an escape route planned while wearing your running boots (just like when falling a tree). Once you get one wrestled away from the heard, jam a block or some other form of wedge under both ends of the pile. Sometimes it takes a minute for things to shift. Make sure the log you are working on is between you and the pile. At the very least you have something else between you and the train of hurt headed your way. You might even be lucky enough to see it happen and get outta dodge before a poop flinging device starts to operate in your vicinity.

 

[waldershrek]

Well I took a trip to Tractor Supply and back to the local hardware store where I left my chains to be sharpened the other day. Picked up a 8lb splitting maul and a log cant/stand at Tractor Supply and a file and guide at the hardware store. I didn't do a whole lot of cutting today but I did start splitting by hand some of the rounds:

Here's my tractor supply goodies

and my file and guide

I've never seen one like this. All the ones I saw were longer but it works ok.

 

[zogger]

Cool! You also need a flat file to do the depth gauges, those sharkfin looking pieces in front of the cutter. Besides that, you look all set! later on you might want to investigate a more modern design splitting axe or maul (I use a fiskars and up above was a list of the higher end brands)..but every young man needs some hours with ye aulde heavy chunka iron models, to build up muscles if nothing else!

 

[7sleeper]

Very nice setup! I especially like your filing kit. I do agree that there are more modern (and lighter) designs of a splitting maul, but as above mentioned good for muscle improvement, but be careful it will tire you out quickly if you are not used to it. If you want to do a simple modification to improve splitting quality I would recomend giving it a little bit more sleek edge. That is one of the secrets of the fikars. With the sharp edge it "enters" the wood easily and then "pops" it apart from "inside".
Further I would recomend that you check your technique. The maul should only be lifted above your head as far as your hands are above your forehead and not above your head. Do not lift your shoulders when doing the forward stroke. It will fatigue you much quicker. Then another idea, you should think about steel toed shoes. Definately a good insurence in case the worst scenario happens.

7

 

[owbguy]

Well I took a trip to Tractor Supply and back to the local hardware store where I left my chains to be sharpened the other day. Picked up a 8lb splitting maul ....

Look for a Fiskars splitting axe. Try the x27. You will put that maul on the ignore list. Trust me. :msp_thumbup:

 

[Steve NW WI]

The Husky filing guide is one of the best out there. I have 2, and they're the only pieces of Husqvarna equipment I own (which means they've outdone Stihl 2:0 at this house!

I know a couple guys that can wail out a chain with one of those in about the same time it takes me to change one. In my hands, it's not that fast, but it is effective.

Things to remember when hand filing:

Always push the file through the cutter, don't pull.
Keep even pressure on the file, not real heavy pressure, just enough to keep it cutting.
Twist the file a little at a time so you use all the file, not just one side.
Start with the worst tooth on the chain, and count how many strokes it takes to clean up, and then file all teeth the same number of strokes.
After a few sharpenings, if the chain starts pulling to one side or another, take it in and let the grinder straighten it out.
A file card (actually a short-wired wire brush) will keep your files cutting better by cleaning the buildup out of them.

Probably the boys can add more filing tips, it's late and my brain is shut down for the night.

 

[waldershrek]

I was surprised how well that maul split to be honest. I didn't think it would touch some of the big chunks but it does pretty good. Man was I smoked afterwards :msp_sleep:

 

[owbguy]

Man was I smoked afterwards :msp_sleep:

Use the Fiskars and you won't be...

 

[waldershrek]

I was surprised at how fast even the rounds have dried just sitting there for the last 2-3 days. I've decided I'm just gonna cut all this wood and then go back and split at least the big chunks. I have some chunks that are barely moveable by hand so they should be more manageable when split. Plus they should dry a little which will only help things. I'll take some pics tomorrow of the progress. I'm also probably gonna end up getting the fiskars axe. What's the biggest chunk anybody has split with one?