Is it possible to cut 24" logs with a 18" bar?

[frofro666]

Hey guys. I got 3 cords of maple delivered and there are a few 24" logs in there that I need to buck and quarter. How do I cut them if I only have a 55 rancher and 18" bar without going to buy a bigger saw?

Thanks!

 

[lone wolf]

Hey guys. I got 3 cords of maple delivered and there are a few 24" logs in there that I need to buck and quarter. How do I cut them if I only have a 55 rancher and 18" bar without going to buy a bigger saw?

Thanks!

Yes start on the far side and cut down as low as possible then work your way back.Or just cut the way you normally do then go to the other side to finish what was out of the bars reach.

 

[Nailsbeats]

For real guy? Cut from both sides. Set a plastic wedge in the top of the cut to keep it open as you finnish and stay out of the dirt.

 

[lone wolf]

For real guy? Cut from both sides. Set a plastic wedge in the top of the cut to keep it open as you finnish and stay out of the dirt.

What about the overbucking method?

 

[Ironworker]

Do you own a pair of chaps?

 

[dancan]

Hey guys. I got 3 cords of maple delivered and there are a few 24" logs in there that I need to buck and quarter. How do I cut them if I only have a 55 rancher and 18" bar without going to buy a bigger saw?

Thanks!

Run to the store fast and get a 372 with a 24" bar , you neeeeeeeeed another saw .





I mean it .
or you could cut from both sides

 

[Fuzly]

You need a 36" bar so you can have a foot of bar sticking out of the other side.:yoyo:

Or you could work both sides like the others said. How many of the larger logs do you have?

 

[frofro666]

Maybe a cord of the real big stuff?! I'm only asking because I never have cut wood that size.....

 

[Fuzly]

Yeah, keep your Rancher sharp, be careful re-entering a cut, shouldn't take too long, unless you really want and can afford a big saw.

 

[Whitespider]

Wow, when I first read the title to this thread I thought it was either a trick question or a joke… but now I see you’re 100% serious.

Yep, you can cut 24-inch wood with an 18-inch bar… you can easily cut 36-inch wood with an 18-inch bar. Just cut down one side of the log, walk around the other side and finish what the first cut didn’t reach. Use wedges as needed and keep a firm grip on the saw, stand a bit to the side of the cut… when the bar-tip is buried like that kick-back becomes more likely. Actually, you can cut much bigger than 36-inch wood using the slice–and-dice cutting method.

 

[computeruser]

Yup, like others said - work from both sides or cut the far side first or something like that. Regardless, it is entirely doable and entirely common. One year, just for kicks, I did almost all of my firewood cutting with a 13" bar on a 238 Husqvarna. Worked fine, even on bigger stuff.

 

[J.W Younger]

Hey guys. I got 3 cords of maple delivered and there are a few 24" logs in there that I need to buck and quarter. How do I cut them if I only have a 55 rancher and 18" bar without going to buy a bigger saw?

Thanks!

You can even if you have less than 18" of useable bar but it may be a back saver to noodle first then buck your quarters off.

 

[tawilson]

What about the overbucking method?

Really. Someone must have a cookie cutting video of this method to show the op.

 

[zogger]

Maybe a cord of the real big stuff?! I'm only asking because I never have cut wood that size.....

Ya, you can do it, it isn't hard. go back and forth from either side in the same cut. KEEP THE TWO CUTS IN THE SAME PLANE. Nice and reallll straight. Real straight. Both sides. Straight. You are making one big cut, not two cuts that kinda sorta are in the same area. One big nice straight even cut, just from two sides.

Take your time, let the saw do the work. Once down a ways, whambo a wedge in the top. Now you have to enter the bar under the wedge when you switch sides (if you do it more than once of course), danger will robinson! Potential kick back here. Take your time, ease into it.

The straighter your two cuts, the less you might need to use a wedge.

Ya, that saw will do it. I did a bunch of almost that size with my last year one saw plan husky 137 with a 16 inch bar. That's like only...what..about 1/2 the horsepower or sumthin lak dat, from your saw.

Did I mention make both cuts straight? That's what works, no binding up then, and let the saw cut, no need to lean on it, it'll get there, you ain't in a timberboi sports competition.

Do you have sharp chain, correct depth gauge raker height? Joe critical for cutting, especially when you are sorta "pushing the envelope" on a saw.

Are these logs laying on the ground? If so, they will want to pinch at the bottom of the cut, hence the wedge will help again, and/or, sledge hammer a small piece of wood, like a cut off branch chunk, whatever ya got handy, directly under where you cut will be. A "timberjack" is also a handy tool to have, works great on medium beefy logs like that, it picks them up off the ground nicely. In fact, 24" is an ideal size to use one with, say like on ten foot or so logs.

Guys do this everyday, it is doable. After you do a few it'll seem normal. Just remember those kinds of cuts your saw is doing the maximum work it can do at all, it needs all the help it can get, which is you the operator not pushing it too hard, making sure it is getting the oil down the bar good, that it doesn't overheat, all of that.

A really good sharp chain takes a tremendous load off a saw compared to pushing a dull chain. Dull chains kills saws just as fast as six month old ethanol gas left in a can in the sunshine with the top off.

 

[mama]

I used an 18in for close to 25 years on anything and everything until I bought a new saw with 20in bar. I just picked up a saw with a 24in bar about two weeks ago for the bigger stuff.

 

[branchbuzzer]

What about the overbucking method?

Really. Someone must have a cookie cutting video of this method to show the op.

Are these logs laying on the ground? If so, they will want to pinch at the bottom of the cut, hence the wedge will help again, and/or, sledge hammer a small piece of wood, like a cut off branch chunk, whatever ya got handy, directly under where you cut will be. A "timberjack" is also a handy tool to have, works great on medium beefy logs like that, it picks them up off the ground nicely. In fact, 24" is an ideal size to use one with, say like on ten foot or so logs.

I prefer doing this by over-bucking some, then using a peavey and finishing the cuts with the top of the bar. Just be careful of kickback on the finish cuts as you enter the kerf. Gives nice even cuts.

 

[fields_mj]

Yep, you can cut 24-inch wood with an 18-inch bar… you can easily cut 36-inch wood with an 18-inch bar.

Not exactly. The bucking dogs will likely stick out far enough to reduce the effective length of the bar down to somewhere between 16" and 17". The point being made is true though. My 036 weares an 18" bar, and I regularly cut rounds that are well over 20" with it. The only time I use my 064 for bucking is when I know I'm going to have to buck several rounds that are over 24".

As far as technique, I start with the front of the saw sitting about dead center on top of the log, and I rotate the saw down allowing the bar to cut as it goes being carful to keep the tip out of the dirt. How far I rotate the saw depends mostly on the size of the round. On large rounds, when the bar starts getting close to vertical, I pull the saw back towards me about 6" or 8". If the round is close to 30", I will again rotate the bar allowing it to cut until it gets to about 45 degrees. If the round isn't quite that big, then I just skip that and buck the remainder of the round like you normally do. On big rounds I have to either go around to the other side to finish a small section of the cut, or roll the log over and finish the cut from the side that I'm already on. Probably not a real good description, but since there haven't been any vids offered up yet, hopefully it will give you the general idea.

Just my 2 bits.

 

[Jwalker1911]

088 with a 4 foot bar would easily cut through 24" logs

 

[slowp]

I take it these are logs perfectly laid out in your cul de sac driveway so no need to worry about them rolling on top of you and smashing you and your saw whilst you are working on a steep slope on the downhill side?
Or no worries about tension and bind so one sawing method fits all?

Just get out the sawsall and go at 'em.

Nice trolling job.

 

[promac850]

Yeah, it can be done.

It's a PITA to walk or step over to the other side of the log to complete the cut, though.

Get something with a 28" bar on it and go to work.