fred bergman
ArboristSite Operative
after years of cutting firewood many different lengths, I can now see that all one size would be better.. how do you keep your cuts all the same size ?
16'' cuts ?
- Thread starter fred bergman
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
I use the bar on my saw. Heavy way to measure sometimes though. If I am cutting large diameter logs I will sometimes mark it with my kids sidewalk chalk.
Highbeam
ArboristSite Guru
Mingo marker. Always perfect, this is the solution.
after cutting a few cords you can usually guess with in a 1/2" give or take...its like riding a bike or tying your shoe, it gets done automatically by repetition.
I have a dowel rod painted bright yellow with a cord loop in it. Keep it in my back pocket with a little camping saw. Make quick cuts along the length. Here's another great option:
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/tap-and-cut-firewood-marker.259758/
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/tap-and-cut-firewood-marker.259758/
And with your experience they are measured with a micrometer!
I have tried bar mounted rods - get in the way but it is fast.
Mark on bar - get's tiresome turning the saw 90 degrees twice each cut.
Pre-marking (Mingo, tap tools using chalk) - not good as one ALWAYS needs to adjust a cut when coming to forks and crooks which throw off all marks after that.
Stick or similar to measure each cut - that's what I currently use. A bit slower than some others but at least it works.
Mark on bar - get's tiresome turning the saw 90 degrees twice each cut.
Pre-marking (Mingo, tap tools using chalk) - not good as one ALWAYS needs to adjust a cut when coming to forks and crooks which throw off all marks after that.
Stick or similar to measure each cut - that's what I currently use. A bit slower than some others but at least it works.
sledge&wedge
ArboristSite Operative
This may or may not work for everyone, and it in fact is no longer how I do it, but I used to keep a piece of dowel rod with my gear that was 18" long. I'd move down the length of whatever I was cutting with the dowel, taking a quick chop with my hatchet to mark 18". Then I could fly down the length of the log always knowing where my cut should be. Takes a few minutes to mark a lot of cuts, and is relatively fool proof.
Tape measure and sidewalk chalk. Layout a bunch of cuts......cut, layout some more. Works pretty well for me.
I use a 16" piece of firewood painted bright orange as my guide...spray paint the cuts along the tree and then make my cuts. We have also used a 16" piece of 2x4 painted bright orange as well. The reason we paint the guide is to easily spot it when you need to find it on the ground when needed.
Fred Wright
Addicted to ArboristSite
A couple methods that have worked for us: Use the bar as Moondoggie said. Hold the saw with bumper dogs at the end of the log, pivot and cut where the bar tip was. Works great with an 18" B&C on smallish to medium logs. With longer bars, make a mark on the side of your bar that will indicate the length you want your rounds to be.
Another method, not used as often but very useful for longer, larger logs ~ use a tape measure and hatchet to mark the log where you want your cuts. This saves some time as you won't have to measure each cut as you go.
Hope it helps.
Another method, not used as often but very useful for longer, larger logs ~ use a tape measure and hatchet to mark the log where you want your cuts. This saves some time as you won't have to measure each cut as you go.
Hope it helps.
My neighbor uses something attached to his front handle on the recoil side. I wish I had a pic how it clamps on but all I remember is that its flexible. It might have been a thin diameter fiberglass rod of some sorts or maybe something he made out of a cable type dip stick. I just eye the length or use my saw bar. Its easy to get consistent if your saw bar is close to the length you want your rounds cut.
hardpan
Addicted to ArboristSite
As chucker indicated, repetition trains the eyes but on the bigger stuff I use a scrap piece of PVC pipe, highly visible and if you do lose it you only lost a piece of scrap. My stove will take a maximum length of 22" and my prefered length is 18"so I cut the PVC at 22" and mark the pipe and wood at 18". If I stray beyond the max of 22" it is easily measured and that piece of wood goes to the camping/fire pit stack. I sometimes cut crooked at about 40"diameter. If you have 2 pieces of PVC you can play "rock star drummer" on a hollow log. Remember, you are in the woods and nobody is watching. LOL
When we were cutting the geriatric trees from my woodlot we had my buddy's son along with an 8' pole and he walked along with me to mark the logs once the trees were on the ground. Could put marks at whatever interval you wanted to buck at.
I have been cutting for years and am still not accurate. My rounds will all be between 15 and 22 inches LOL
I have been cutting for years and am still not accurate. My rounds will all be between 15 and 22 inches LOL
Dalmatian90
Addicted to ArboristSite
In my case if you ride a bike after a couple bottles of wine.
Then again I all but need a level to hang a picture.
My firewood is done with a carpenter's ruler and a piece of chalk, 18" except where another length makes more sense (and my stove can do 24" IIRC, so I have plenty of room for oddballs).
Highbeam
ArboristSite Guru
The mingo marker works just fine. As you're rolling along the log making marks, if you find a crotch or something where you want to stop the 16" interval and restart beyond it you simply pick up the wheel and roll it backwards until it stops. Then start rolling again on good log and 16" later will have another dot.
Your eye might work fine with practice if you have a large tolerance and your logs are always the same diameter but when you get real logs up to 40" diameter, your eyes play tricks on you and your 16" grows to 20".
My backup method, what I do when I'm out of paint, is to find a stick and cut it to 16" long. Thin stick, like 1/4", since it will be held in the throttle hand while cutting and then used to visually locate the next cut as I'm bucking.
Your eye might work fine with practice if you have a large tolerance and your logs are always the same diameter but when you get real logs up to 40" diameter, your eyes play tricks on you and your 16" grows to 20".
My backup method, what I do when I'm out of paint, is to find a stick and cut it to 16" long. Thin stick, like 1/4", since it will be held in the throttle hand while cutting and then used to visually locate the next cut as I'm bucking.
Similar threads
