big trees what size saw?!
- Thread starter aaronmach1
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aaronmach1
ArboristSite Operative
couldnt make it out there last night and its been raining non stop. Looks like rain all day today also. Hopefully tomorrow ill get at it. Talked to the land owner last night and he said i cand use his loader tracter so that will help get the big chunks home to the splitter at least. Its only about 6 miles away so that helps too.
RandyMac
Stiff Member
Yeah, better than nothing.
KenJax Tree
Terraphobic
I hear ya on the rain we waited for 3 hours yesterday for it to stop before calling it a day so we just went back to the yard and sharpened chains,cleaned saws and maintained equipment.
aaronmach1
ArboristSite Operative
ya not looking good. says rain for tomorrow now too.:msp_mad:
KenJax Tree
Terraphobic
This thread is sort'a funny to me... I do 3-4 foot oaks all the time with an 026 and a 20-inch bar, including the felling.
It does require a bit of planning, and ya' gotta' keep a razor sharp chain or you'll beat yourself up... but it ain't all that much work. I've got something over 15 cord of oak stacked, cut the last two seasons, all from trees 3 ft or larger.
It does require a bit of planning, and ya' gotta' keep a razor sharp chain or you'll beat yourself up... but it ain't all that much work. I've got something over 15 cord of oak stacked, cut the last two seasons, all from trees 3 ft or larger.
aaronmach1
ArboristSite Operative
this gives me some inspiration. now can u fix the weather
Anyone ever seen stihl umbrella hats?!
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KenJax Tree
Terraphobic
Its practical cutting fire wood, but it would be a long day sometimes if i only had a 20" bar on the truck.
Steve2910
ArboristSite Guru
As soon as I read the OP, I started wondering when you were going to check in...
You got more time than me then.
I own a damn good running 260Pro with a 20" bar and a nice supply of good sharp chain...on it's best day it's not half as fast in a 36" Oak log as my 066 running a 32" bar.
Maybe because I'm not a hobbyist when it comes to saws/firewood my opinions are a little skewed but I want to get done cutting/loading as fast as possible when I'm scrounging.
I take three saws to every mess I get my self into..260 for stuff upto 16"..my MS440/26" for stuff upto 30" or so and the rest for the 066/32". It's proven to be a fast and efficient method..run a tank or two through a saw then grab a bigger saw..never overworking any one unit.
Well, first, I’m not a scrounger… I cut I my own property only, so I’m never feeling rushed and I can cut whenever I feel like it, for as long or as short amount of time as I feel like.
Second, I’ve been around a couple MS260’s and some later 026’s… they just ain’t as strong as my very early 026, but that ain’t sayin’ it’s a 440 either.
Third, efficiency can mean different things to different people… I think it’s pretty darn efficient use of fuel and an 026 cutting 40-inch plus diameter trees. Add in the cost of buying, maintaining and feeding a second or third saw, more chains, different file sizes, and whatnot… I think I make my firewood pretty darn efficiently. But, as I said, it means different things to different people.
And last, I don’t feel I overwork my 20-some-year-old saw… I take good care of it, after all, it is the only one I have.
But hey, we all do what we do… and we do it the way it works best us.
Second, I’ve been around a couple MS260’s and some later 026’s… they just ain’t as strong as my very early 026, but that ain’t sayin’ it’s a 440 either.
Third, efficiency can mean different things to different people… I think it’s pretty darn efficient use of fuel and an 026 cutting 40-inch plus diameter trees. Add in the cost of buying, maintaining and feeding a second or third saw, more chains, different file sizes, and whatnot… I think I make my firewood pretty darn efficiently. But, as I said, it means different things to different people.
And last, I don’t feel I overwork my 20-some-year-old saw… I take good care of it, after all, it is the only one I have.
But hey, we all do what we do… and we do it the way it works best us.
imagineero
Addicted to ArboristSite
Appreciate your post whitespider, but time is the rarest commodity thesedays, and the most expensive one. For myself, running a full time crew needs to bring back about $200/hour. At that price, paying for new chains is cheaper than sharpening. Even for guys scrounging firewood.... Time spent doing that is still time. I've got an early 026, and I've owned a few of them. I think they're a great saw, and wouldn't replace it with a 261 or a 346xp. But I wouldn't go bucking up a 4' tree with one either. They're great up to about 12".
Efficiency is a hard thing to measure for sure, and it depends a lot on your workload. If you're only doing the odd bit of firewooding on your own property, are not employed, and have endless time... then why not go for a handsaw? you'll get there eventually, and for very little cost. If you're like most people, and your time is worth at least minimum wage, then getting a bit of gear sure speeds things up. If I was ever going to be a 1 saw man, it would be a 70cc saw from whatever manufacturer I favoured. They don't really cost that much over the life of the saw. In fact, I've bought and sold 044's at the same price even after a couple years use, effectively making them free to own (minus the cost of fuel, bars and chains). My 026 is one of my favorite saws to own, and while I could hack up a 4' tree with it, honestly.... I wouldn't. Especially if it was my only saw. I'd just find another smaller tree. Maybe something around 20", where I could work efficiently.
Shaun
Efficiency is a hard thing to measure for sure, and it depends a lot on your workload. If you're only doing the odd bit of firewooding on your own property, are not employed, and have endless time... then why not go for a handsaw? you'll get there eventually, and for very little cost. If you're like most people, and your time is worth at least minimum wage, then getting a bit of gear sure speeds things up. If I was ever going to be a 1 saw man, it would be a 70cc saw from whatever manufacturer I favoured. They don't really cost that much over the life of the saw. In fact, I've bought and sold 044's at the same price even after a couple years use, effectively making them free to own (minus the cost of fuel, bars and chains). My 026 is one of my favorite saws to own, and while I could hack up a 4' tree with it, honestly.... I wouldn't. Especially if it was my only saw. I'd just find another smaller tree. Maybe something around 20", where I could work efficiently.
Shaun
alleyyooper
Addicted to ArboristSite
I agree with the white spider. I would just use the saw I own with a 20 inch bar and chain, two wedges and a sledge. After all I'm just cutting up some storm damaged trees that might be a once in a life time thing. I will not and refuse to borrow stuff from people who are my friends today and will still be tomorrow and the cost of a new 70CC saw for what might be a one time deal isn't in the buget either. Now if I made my living doing storm clean up and cutting on/for other peoples property I would already have a 70 CC saw.
That cross cut sharp and a friend would make very short work of those trees. Used one with my dad first, mom and then brother for lots of years. Still have aq couple too.
That comes from being a farm kid in northern Michigan. Only pulp cutters had chain saws.
Ifin I lived in Oakley Michigan I sure would not be gruging any amount of rain. Your farmer neighbours are probably way beyound this helping this years crops but it might give the hay farmers a second cutting, or make some beans on late planted fields.
Once the forecast couple inches ends tommorow we will still be down about 3 inches for June July and now August.
Al
That cross cut sharp and a friend would make very short work of those trees. Used one with my dad first, mom and then brother for lots of years. Still have aq couple too.
That comes from being a farm kid in northern Michigan. Only pulp cutters had chain saws.
Ifin I lived in Oakley Michigan I sure would not be gruging any amount of rain. Your farmer neighbours are probably way beyound this helping this years crops but it might give the hay farmers a second cutting, or make some beans on late planted fields.
Once the forecast couple inches ends tommorow we will still be down about 3 inches for June July and now August.
Al
Yep, like I said, efficiency means different things to different people.
Personally I think it would be horribly inefficient to drive my pickup in order to gather firewood for personal use; I don't believe my pickup has ever hauled a single stick of firewood, yet I know that's how many here gather theirs... my little tractor hauls a whole lot of firewood on a single gallon of gas, and I'm never more than 5 minutes from the house. I also think it's horribly inefficient to load/haul firewood before it's split, then unload, then split, then reload and haul to the stacking area/shed. I save a lot of time (and back strain) by splitting right in the wood lot, nothing gets loaded until it's ready for the stacks or the house... just splits get loaded, as they come off the splitter (and I further save time because I ain't got any clean-up... ever). Also, I never waste time moving rounds to the splitter... I can easily roll my splitter right next to the round with one hand while it's running.
So in the total scheme of things who's more efficient, who's eating up more time and fuel? The guy driving around in his gas-guzzler pickup with three saws and loading heavy rounds, hauling home to unload, then split (while moving rounds to the splitter), then move to the stacks, and finally cleaning up the mess... or me? (Yeah, I'm fully aware not everybody else does it that way) I'm willing to make a friendly bet that I make more firewood with my one little saw, in the same amount of time and using a lot less fuel, than many guys toting 3 saws around in their pickups.
Like I said, efficiency means different things to different people.
Personally I think it would be horribly inefficient to drive my pickup in order to gather firewood for personal use; I don't believe my pickup has ever hauled a single stick of firewood, yet I know that's how many here gather theirs... my little tractor hauls a whole lot of firewood on a single gallon of gas, and I'm never more than 5 minutes from the house. I also think it's horribly inefficient to load/haul firewood before it's split, then unload, then split, then reload and haul to the stacking area/shed. I save a lot of time (and back strain) by splitting right in the wood lot, nothing gets loaded until it's ready for the stacks or the house... just splits get loaded, as they come off the splitter (and I further save time because I ain't got any clean-up... ever). Also, I never waste time moving rounds to the splitter... I can easily roll my splitter right next to the round with one hand while it's running.
So in the total scheme of things who's more efficient, who's eating up more time and fuel? The guy driving around in his gas-guzzler pickup with three saws and loading heavy rounds, hauling home to unload, then split (while moving rounds to the splitter), then move to the stacks, and finally cleaning up the mess... or me? (Yeah, I'm fully aware not everybody else does it that way) I'm willing to make a friendly bet that I make more firewood with my one little saw, in the same amount of time and using a lot less fuel, than many guys toting 3 saws around in their pickups.
Like I said, efficiency means different things to different people.
Chris-PA
Where the Wild Things Are
After all the larger blowdown trees I got last fall I spent $100 on a 24" B&C for my Mac. It's not fast but it certainly pulls it well, and it is a time saver on the larger wood - there are more trees I can get through from one side, which is safer and much faster. But it's still only 24" and won't go all the way through the bigger stuff. The thing is, these trees were some of the biggest I have, and they're gone now. It was worth it for the 7 trees I had to cut up, but that won't likely happen again. And in fact I could have cut them all up with my 18" 42cc Craftsman, not to mention the 20" Poulan. Sure the cutting part would have taken longer, but saw time is still a tiny fraction of the time I spend. Cleaning it up, hauling, splitting and stacking take far longer.
Steve2910
ArboristSite Guru
I started out w/ a pair of used Echo CS-3450s. I have upgraded over the years as deals on better saws have come my way & sold the old saws for more $$ than I had in them.
Mac88
Addicted to ArboristSite
For what it's worth
Recent pic of 70-80 foot silver maple, Stihl 025, taken down earlier this year. Yea, we do that.
It was a "double". Got it down in 1 piece, with a little tug from the Ford and a lot of "pucker factor".
Recent pic of 70-80 foot silver maple, Stihl 025, taken down earlier this year. Yea, we do that.
It was a "double". Got it down in 1 piece, with a little tug from the Ford and a lot of "pucker factor".
Steve2910
ArboristSite Guru
I cut this Hickory a few years ago w/ a 50cc saw & 20" bar. I don't remember it seeming to take"that long"... Guess ignorance is bliss.
Mac88
Addicted to ArboristSite
I cut this Hickory a few years ago w/ a 50cc saw & 20" bar. I don't remember it seeming to take"that long"... Guess ignorance is bliss.
I think I'd have to pass. I could probably find someone to cut it down and chunk it. The silver maple was
a lot easier to cut, I'm sure.
