Maybe it was 'ironwood'? A 'blue' spruce hybrid?
Philbert
Philbert
Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)
- Thread starter mainewoods
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New firewood from the winds a few days ago about 100 feet from the house. It broke off about 25 feet from the ground and was hung up near one of my trails but I figured I would let nature take care of it. I wasn't disappointed because it came crashing down yesterday. And now I see the problem on what otherwise appeared to be a healthy tree. Ants all over in it with almost no healthy wood in one small section.
Took out part of the cherry tree just to the right of it that may have to come down also.
It's basswood so it's not all that great for firewood. Oh well.
Took out part of the cherry tree just to the right of it that may have to come down also.
It's basswood so it's not all that great for firewood. Oh well.
I’ll put the pics in the runnin loads thread.
The kids carried rounds and stacked splits while I did the splitting and noodling. Put up 3/4 cord of large and twisted aspen. Did the whole project in about 90 minutes. Sure goes fast with 5 extra sets of hands.
The kids carried rounds and stacked splits while I did the splitting and noodling. Put up 3/4 cord of large and twisted aspen. Did the whole project in about 90 minutes. Sure goes fast with 5 extra sets of hands.
Iowawoodguy
ArboristSite Operative
Helped a neighbor farmer clear some bushes out of his fieldline. Got a small pile of mullberry.
He said I could take any or all the trees I wanted. Would've stayed longer if it wasn't 90°.
He said I could take any or all the trees I wanted. Would've stayed longer if it wasn't 90°.
Finished up the silver maple with the battery saw.
That was my plan for the day -[ begin work on the truckload of silver maple logs dumped here a month ago. Not to be. Wild wind, rain, cold. I did get the two top handle saw chains sharped, Stihl 193T and a Husky T435.
That 2 saw plan worked well for me two days ago at the small locust spot. Fell a fair size one up hill. Burn pile at the bottom of hill, tree about 20' up hill. Had to drag it all down to add to the burn pile. Left Husky at the pile and the Stihl at the tree - used to cut up tree to sizes I could drag. Used Husky at the pile to cut the pieces down to a size I couldf pitch on the pile.
Got the noodler sharpened up. Need to tighten the chain then going to do up another pickup load of aspen later.
thought people might like to see something on the chinese fake 2in1 files and since my little ms180 needed a tickle on the chain anyway I grabbed it and tested the file as well as comparing it to the real stihl 3/8P 4.0mm 2 in 1. If you've ot seen them, there are fake 2 in1s from china on ebay at about 1/3rd the cost of the pferd/stihl/husky real ones.
construction method is identical, same various plastic bits moulded identically and popped together. plastic feels slightly less robust maybe? it feels ever so slightly lighter but not loads, it feels sturdy enough to do the job but perhaps if being slung around in a tool box it might suffer quicker than the stihl, but maybe not, not much in it.
I did notice the guide rails are slightly thinner, and i noticed there is a larger gap between the flat file sides and the round file....maybe the flat file isn't as wide? I just thought, i should see if the stihl flat file fits it. if its not the file then the spacing must be different but flat to round spacing doesn't matter so long as the height is right. The round files look the same, again I should check if the stihl ones fit but they are the same length and shape and marked 4mm, the cut is slightly different with a twirl to it and feeling more aggressive...but maybe my stihl files are losing their edge. all these differences are small.
construction method is identical, same various plastic bits moulded identically and popped together. plastic feels slightly less robust maybe? it feels ever so slightly lighter but not loads, it feels sturdy enough to do the job but perhaps if being slung around in a tool box it might suffer quicker than the stihl, but maybe not, not much in it.
I did notice the guide rails are slightly thinner, and i noticed there is a larger gap between the flat file sides and the round file....maybe the flat file isn't as wide? I just thought, i should see if the stihl flat file fits it. if its not the file then the spacing must be different but flat to round spacing doesn't matter so long as the height is right. The round files look the same, again I should check if the stihl ones fit but they are the same length and shape and marked 4mm, the cut is slightly different with a twirl to it and feeling more aggressive...but maybe my stihl files are losing their edge. all these differences are small.
as you can see, 1 round file is stuck.. and it IS stuck. can't pull it out even with needle nose pliers, can't even twist it with vice grips...maybe when it's worn it might come out before the holder breaks but well, I'm not confident tbh. and since i can't even twist it, one side of that file will never do any work...the other will wear fast.
So the fake might not have along life...we will find out in time whether the file comes out before the thing breaks or not.
the other test is of course, does it work? well ..yes! better than the stihl one! I'll start be caveating, I only have this trouble with the 3/8P 2 in 1, the standard 3/8 and 5.2mm version works great on my bigger chains but wit hthe pm3 stuff i have 2 problems. firstly the flt file never does anyhting more than kiss the raker, even on a chain that is right down and losing cutters. I have put this down to a possibly over hardened chain but wasn't convinced as even at the end of use on the chain both sets of guide rails would properly ride along the teeth either side of that one being sharpened. The other problem, although the chain still seemed to cut ok, the round files seem as if set too high and I never got any hook to the cutter. the cutter would go straight up to the working corner, or even backwards by the time the file was really worn. The chinese fake has the flat file/raker problem BUT does seem to get a better shape on the cutters.
not perfect...this tooth still seems a bit straight up.
So the fake might not have along life...we will find out in time whether the file comes out before the thing breaks or not.
the other test is of course, does it work? well ..yes! better than the stihl one! I'll start be caveating, I only have this trouble with the 3/8P 2 in 1, the standard 3/8 and 5.2mm version works great on my bigger chains but wit hthe pm3 stuff i have 2 problems. firstly the flt file never does anyhting more than kiss the raker, even on a chain that is right down and losing cutters. I have put this down to a possibly over hardened chain but wasn't convinced as even at the end of use on the chain both sets of guide rails would properly ride along the teeth either side of that one being sharpened. The other problem, although the chain still seemed to cut ok, the round files seem as if set too high and I never got any hook to the cutter. the cutter would go straight up to the working corner, or even backwards by the time the file was really worn. The chinese fake has the flat file/raker problem BUT does seem to get a better shape on the cutters.
not perfect...this tooth still seems a bit straight up.
better though. this is a newish chain but has been sharpened before as you can see. the cutter this side, you can see from the dirt, I've yet to tickle with the fake file and you can see the backward shape the stihl file creates. it only gets worse as the teeth get shorter. compare the shape to the 2 cutters either side/the other side, which you can see i have tickled..actually it was a god 10 strokes i think. these have a better hook. now remeber, i don't get this trouble with the bigger chain/2in1, and the chain still seems to cut anyway, but to me the fake seems to have left the chain 'sharper'
oh and chain is semi chisel obvs. I've no idea what the stihl 2in 1 wold do to a full chisel PM3, if such as thing exists. i suspect semi chisel is more forgiving on the filing as the 'working corner' is....well...not a corner as such.
so in conclusion....mleh, the fake is cheap, it does a fair job I think, but if it breaks when it comes to getting that stuck file out then it works out expensive compared to the real thing.
Oh and please be gentle now as you critique my filing! hahahaha! the bigger stuff on the 365 looks better, honest!
so in conclusion....mleh, the fake is cheap, it does a fair job I think, but if it breaks when it comes to getting that stuck file out then it works out expensive compared to the real thing.
Oh and please be gentle now as you critique my filing! hahahaha! the bigger stuff on the 365 looks better, honest!
Now I know some of you have expressed your concern for my personal safety with me driving a high mileage wheelbarrow for my firewood scrounging. But this week I have been doing some maintenance on it. When I'm done with the BLO on the sledge handle I have been using the leftover to coat the handles on the wheelbarrow.
I'm sure some of you woodworking types must be wondering how I get such an antique patina. Well I'm going to let you in on my secret: Do nothing but use the wheelbarrow for the first 25 years, perhaps occasionally overload it, and always, ALWAYS leave it outside. Then coat it with a BLO and paint thinner mix. That's it! All you really need is time. You're welcome.
I'm sure some of you woodworking types must be wondering how I get such an antique patina. Well I'm going to let you in on my secret: Do nothing but use the wheelbarrow for the first 25 years, perhaps occasionally overload it, and always, ALWAYS leave it outside. Then coat it with a BLO and paint thinner mix. That's it! All you really need is time. You're welcome.
Had several other commitments today but did make some time to play with one of the big logs. The MS460 with a 25" bar was definitely not too much saw for the task. Good thing it's a Magnum and not just a regular MS460! Lol. Managed to cut most from one side by bucking over the top and only had to roll it with the tractor for one cut. I have about 6 trees to drop tomorrow for a friend, most of them smaller, 14" maybe max. So I mounted the 20" bar and touched up the chain. Gear all ready for the morning. Dagnabbit, just noticed I put the bar on upside down. Now I'll have to make all my cuts from the bottom!
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Delaware County, Pa over here.
Chester County is georgous. Graduated from West Chester University and this year had the chance to bow Hunt Marsh Creek State Park.Very scenic part of PA!
Thanks for doing the comparison.
I am lukewarm on the 2-in-1 file guides, but a lot of guys like them, and if they work for them . . . .
I am always concerned about cheap files. The ones in the fake STIHL/OREGON/Valorbe guide bar dressing tools were disappointing, but in that case, the plastic parts were worth it to replace a cracked piece. Replacement files for the STIHL version of the 2-1n-1 ($1 - $2 each for the round ones, and $14 for the rectangular one) add a lot to the cost of the cheap eBay models if they do not hold up.
Philbert
Kinda nervous about posting this with Dan on here but figured it’d take at least 3-4 days fir the Canadian spruce thief to get here so should be safe.
Guy had 10 trees he wanted down and removed from his lot, mostly spruce
. One nice red fir, 2 white fir and a aspen. Biggest spruce is probably 3’. Scrounged skid steer from work and my son, his pickup and trailer and started on it yesterday 
Wild boar bacon and beans and shrimp jambalaya for lunch
Lots of moisture in this area they grew pretty fast
Not hard wood but it was pretty heavy
Guy had 10 trees he wanted down and removed from his lot, mostly spruce
. One nice red fir, 2 white fir and a aspen. Biggest spruce is probably 3’. Scrounged skid steer from work and my son, his pickup and trailer and started on it yesterday Wild boar bacon and beans and shrimp jambalaya for lunch
Lots of moisture in this area they grew pretty fast
Not hard wood but it was pretty heavy
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The red fir leaned back towards a power line, was going to jack it but the spruce next to it leaned the other way so I let it pull the red
Nicely done!
Glad you liked it Philbert, I thought you might. I thought given the price that they were with a look. In a manner, anybody on the fence about trying the 2 in1 could do worse than buy a cheapy to try, but I reckon the stuck file issue (btw, I've read others say the files are stuck) will mean it gets tossed and if I needed another I'd get the real thing. As you say, I dont expect the files will be high quality and long lasting either, so i expect it'll be tossed sooner rather than later.
I have the Oregon raker file and gauge. For the cutters I have an unknown round file jammed into a makeshift wooden handle. It came with an old homelite I bought once. Its the best cutting file I've ever had and I will be sad when it finally goes
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