Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[woodchip rookie]

Does Husky make a wider cover that comes with the full wrap kit?

 

[JustJeff]

The huskies do like to gather noodles. My 365 would pack em in there. Gotta be cheap cover on eBay that you can butcher up.

 

[Logger nate]

Does Husky make a wider cover that comes with the full wrap kit?

Don’t know if it will work on your 395 but this is part # for the 372 wide clutch cover

 

[James Miller]

Does rip/milling chain work better for noodling than regular chain or is it just better for milling? When I put the 32 on and cut big logs to 18" lengths I then noodle into quarters or eighths to be able to pick it up, these big ash trees around the corner from my house are alot bigger than I thought they were and I have to do alot of noodling to get the pieces down to size. I cant even get quarters off the ground.

And another thing, this stump is not turnable. I measure 18" from the base, cut down a little, put a wedge in the top, then cut down almost to the ground. Pull the saw, measure 18" to the next cut, repeat. I had like 6 cuts made almost to the ground then just cut the last little bit of each chunk all the way to the ground knowing I was probably going to get into the dirt on some of the cuts. I knew I was going to be changing to the 20" for noodling and I had spare chains with me, and I knew I could file the chain when I got back home(a mile away) anyway, so it wasnt a big deal. I just got done filing that chain and it actually wasnt bad. Just dirty. The ground out there is really soft so I think I got lucky, but what do you do in a situation like that to keep the chain out of the dirt? When I made the face cut I put the wedge right in line with the tree so when it fell the wedge would prop the tree up a little bit. Yea right. That 36" 15ft tall trunk came down and buried that wedge 6" into the ground. When it hit the ground it didn't roll, bounce, tip or anything. Just THUD. And thats where it stayed planted. It was like dropping a bowling ball on a beach.

With the big oak I did not long ago I'd noodle down till there was about an inch or two put the wedge in the noodle cut and smack it with a sledge. It would pop the last little bit no problem. Did the same to break the rounds off.

 

[turnkey4099]

The huskies do like to gather noodles. My 365 would pack em in there. Gotta be cheap cover on eBay that you can butcher up.

I asked my Stihl dealer for one off a junker. I also found that removing the chain catcher cuts down a lot on the noodles jamming.

 

[turnkey4099]

With the big oak I did not long ago I'd noodle down till there was about an inch or two put the wedge in the noodle cut and smack it with a sledge. It would pop the last little bit no problem. Did the same to break the rounds off.

Noodling? Cutting a log into rounds is not noodling, just bucking. Noodling is cutting with the grain, i.e., cutting rounds in half or quartering to get them small enough to pick up.

Maybe I am misunderstanding something.

 

[Cowboy254]

Noodling? Cutting a log into rounds is not noodling, just bucking. Noodling is cutting with the grain, i.e., cutting rounds in half or quartering to get them small enough to pick up.

Maybe I am misunderstanding something.

I think James meant that it often works with finishing off bucking cuts as well as noodling cuts. In the right circumstances.

I asked my Stihl dealer for one off a junker. I also found that removing the chain catcher cuts down a lot on the noodles jamming.

You could do that. Or you could just go and buy a Stihl .

 

[James Miller]

Noodling? Cutting a log into rounds is not noodling, just bucking. Noodling is cutting with the grain, i.e., cutting rounds in half or quartering to get them small enough to pick up.

Maybe I am misunderstanding something.

I know what noodling is. I break the rounds off then noodle them in half and use sledge and wedge to break the last inch or so to avoid getting the chain in the dirt.

 

[woodchip rookie]

I need to try that for sure.

 

[JustJeff]

I’ve been wanting to make one of these, I have everything I need except the motivation. Lol. Too many projects on the go.

 

[rarefish383]

This is the biggest I have seen ash around here. And the biggest tree/trunk I have felled. They cut the trees off about 15ft up and left the trunks standing. I didn't see evidence of EAB, bark seperation or trails, so I don't know why they cut them. Two trunks right next to the road in the grass in between the road and the beanfield. A mile from my house. I have been eyeballing these for months but I had to wait till the right time. I swear trees get bigger as soon as I get the saw out. They didnt look that big from 50ft away. Had some 1on1 time with the 32" bar on the THREE NINE FIVE throwin chips roadside beanfield style C'MON.

I made the mistake of not walking down to a tree for an estimate one time. It was pouring rain, I walked out on the back porch, and figured I could see everything well. Big yard, no obstructions, easy take down. When I gave the price the lady jump on it. When we came to take it down I just shook my Head. I could have put another $1000 on it and still been low bid. Live and learn,

 

[Philbert]

I’ve been wanting to make one of these

Interesting variation on a timberjack: this one does not roll the log.

Philbert

 

[rarefish383]

As far as timber jacks go, I like that one. But, most of the wood I cut is too big for that. I cut most of the way through, stick a twig in the gap, so it can't pinch, move to the next. After five or six cuts I dig under with my hand, or, punch a hole through with a digging bar. If I have to I'll use a little saw like my MS170 to slowly finish the cut then roll.

 

[James Miller]

So I decided to swing the maul a little this morning.Then I got carried away and did the whole tree.I read that cherry seasons pretty quick compared to other hard woods any truth to that?

 

[chipper1]

Does rip/milling chain work better for noodling than regular chain or is it just better for milling? When I put the 32 on and cut big logs to 18" lengths I then noodle into quarters or eighths to be able to pick it up, these big ash trees around the corner from my house are alot bigger than I thought they were and I have to do alot of noodling to get the pieces down to size. I cant even get quarters off the ground.

And another thing, this stump is not turnable. I measure 18" from the base, cut down a little, put a wedge in the top, then cut down almost to the ground. Pull the saw, measure 18" to the next cut, repeat. I had like 6 cuts made almost to the ground then just cut the last little bit of each chunk all the way to the ground knowing I was probably going to get into the dirt on some of the cuts. I knew I was going to be changing to the 20" for noodling and I had spare chains with me, and I knew I could file the chain when I got back home(a mile away) anyway, so it wasnt a big deal. I just got done filing that chain and it actually wasnt bad. Just dirty. The ground out there is really soft so I think I got lucky, but what do you do in a situation like that to keep the chain out of the dirt? When I made the face cut I put the wedge right in line with the tree so when it fell the wedge would prop the tree up a little bit. Yea right. That 36" 15ft tall trunk came down and buried that wedge 6" into the ground. When it hit the ground it didn't roll, bounce, tip or anything. Just THUD. And thats where it stayed planted. It was like dropping a bowling ball on a beach.

I like using a milling chain angles for flush cutting a stump as it will cut very straight in the root flair and will hold an edge longer, but it does not cut faster as it doesn't have the sharp point, but I don't see any advantage using it to noodle. For very large pieces I will noodle them into 6 or 8 pieces(depending on how my back feels or who's helping). I try to do the least amount as possible because it makes a huge mess, but if it's on a property you don't have to clean up like in the woods or at the house then I don't care.
As far as cutting to the ground as you did that's what most guys do and then they roll the log if possible, still remembering not to pull the mud/dirt through the cut, but to throw it off. A little tip that helps a lot when cutting wood with bark on is to watch the color of the chips, when you get close to the bottom the chips will change color as you are cutting more bark(this doesn't help as much if there is no bark or the log is buried in the mud).
Watch the color of the chips at the end of the cut, other woods will change to a lighter color. I kept it throttled up in the video, but obviously when bucking a log up on the ground you slow up and it gives you a bit more time to watch the color of the chips.

You need padding to put down before dropping it. IE sacrificial branches/parts of the stem.
Here's an example of it used to protect the driveway/yard, but it's the same with regards to mud.
Watch his vids, lot of learning in them.

If you can leave the right branches on the tree when you drop it that helps to protect drives and can also keep it off the ground too. When bucking these up I make a few bucking cuts until the bar starts to pinch, then I will bore cut just below the top and go all the way through the bottom, the piece drops and then you nip off the holding wood that was above the bore cut and the log can be rolled to finish the partial bucking cuts.

 

[chipper1]

So I decided to swing the maul a little this morning.View attachment 637961Then I got carried away and did the whole tree.View attachment 637962I read that cherry seasons pretty quick compared to other hard woods any truth to that?

Nice work James.
That's very true as does walnut and locust(sure there's others, but I don't cut them as often(spruce lol).
Cherry will get punky quickly if not kept of the ground as does walnut, but black locust will set on the ground for decades and still be solid .
I like that snob wood in the right bottom of that picture .

 

[svk]

I like using a milling chain angles for flush cutting a stump as it will cut very straight in the root flair and will hold an edge longer, but it does not cut faster as it doesn't have the sharp point, but

This is a great idea.

 

[farmer steve]

So I decided to swing the maul a little this morning.View attachment 637961Then I got carried away and did the whole tree.View attachment 637962I read that cherry seasons pretty quick compared to other hard woods any truth to that?

that cherry will rot pretty quick. you better bring it up here for proper disposal.

 

[chipper1]

that cherry will rot pretty quick. you better bring it up here for proper disposal.

You finally ready to burn that tree in the field .

 

[James Miller]

that cherry will rot pretty quick. you better bring it up here for proper disposal.

I' rather have a pare of big mulberries laying in my field then cherry . I'd really like to mix the cherry with a bunch of ash to fill the 2 small racks I have left close to the house. Trying to stack the new oak as far away as possible so my FIL leaves it alone till 2020.