Cutting larger Pine logs

[Ted Jenkins]

I have about 200 pine logs that are well seasoned, but these are proving to be a challenge. These logs measure from 20'' to 40''. Tried 3 different saws thinking that chain speed mattered. Chain types do not matter. So I am puzzled what to do. The problem is that short of carbide plated chain which is about $3000 per loop are the knots. The saw always has to parallel with the knots or a chain will not last more than 5 seconds or less. Thanks

 

[turnkey4099]

I grew up with pine and fir as the firewood, didn't have any problems with knots and that was with crosscuts and dragsaw. Using chainsaws since 1953 and same deal. Just finished last winter cutting up several very knotty red fir, no problem,

Pine is a fairly soft wood and the knots are (as in all species) dense but shouldn't be a problem. Tried to think of a recent cutting in pine but couldn't come up with any.

 

[benp]

I have about 200 pine logs that are well seasoned, but these are proving to be a challenge. These logs measure from 20'' to 40''. Tried 3 different saws thinking that chain speed mattered. Chain types do not matter. So I am puzzled what to do. The problem is that short of carbide plated chain which is about $3000 per loop are the knots. The saw always has to parallel with the knots or a chain will not last more than 5 seconds or less. ThanksView attachment 531507

You are having these problems bucking the logs or noodling them? You had the same experience using semi chisel?

I have cut through frozen pine with semi chisel that shredded the teeth on a full chisel chain.

I was noodling a big piece of white oak that full chisel floundered on but semi ate right through.

It is my goto chain in anything remotely hard or dirty wood with zero issues.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

So far I have tried at least 10 of the major brands of chain in both chisel and semi chisel. As soon as they have a glimpse of a knot they start laughing at me. I have at least a 100 cords of Oak and a few Black Oak. With the semi chisel with or without knots can make a dozen cuts. Sometimes with well planned cuts can go through a half a cord of Oak without touching the chain. With the 3' and 4' diameter Oak can usually go through the knots and all while only needing to sharpen maybe three times. I can noodle the large Oak rounds cutting the knots in any direction with out any issue, but I hate to noodle any wood because it then is not marketable wood. A half a cord of Pine with knots will consume a brand new chain while sharpening it maybe 8 to 10 times. Last year when I first tried this process I had to sharpen after 10 seconds of use and thus made 4 or 5 cuts and threw away the chain that had 120 seconds of use on it because it was completely worn out. That yielded me about 1/4 cord of wood. Pine logs are easily 600% more tough than any Oak I have ever cut. What I am doing is cutting just what I can see where as I know that I am not cross cutting any knots then winching the log a quarter of a turn to expose any knots and cutting only what I can see then moving the log until the rest of the log is exposed. Just thought some body would have a hint on how to cut large Pine logs. I can not recall ever having an issue with green Pine. When I worked a thinning project a few years ago I could go a couple of hours without touching the chain. Thanks

 

[svk]

Have not heard of this. What species of pine are you cutting?

 

[Motorsen]

Something do not add up here... Never heard of any problems so far with dry wood. Have these logs been skided and have dirt and gravel embedded in the dry cracks?

Motorsen

 

[KiwiBro]

Are you sure it's the knots and not just windblown dirt/sand in the cracks?
If not shelling out for carbide chain then how about trying a chipper chain?

 

[Efisher26]

Does skip or semi skip help?


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Just a home owner that likes the older better made machines

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[cantoo]

If you are ruining a new chain in 120 seconds then you need a new watch. Our pine here is relatively easy to cut no matter how dry it is, we don't have it that big though. Has to be some reason why the chain is not cutting. Post a cutting video?

 

[PSUplowboy]

I can usually get two cord cut, at 24" length, before I touch my chain up. That's in about any wood skidded or not (as long as it hasn't layed by a road and gotten full of chips during winter). I cut about 4 cord of dead standing red pine last year, and I'll say that locust is a lot tougher on the chain than that. Seems like you have something going on that I've never seen. I'm interested in hearing what the folks on here figure out.

 

[p61 western]

Are you sure that stuff isn't petrified wood, that's about all I can think of.

 

[KiwiBro]

Is there a prevailing wind direction? If you take two new chains, use one cutting rounds from one side of the log and when that dulls, cut rounds from the other side and see if there is any significant difference in how many rounds get cut, staying on the more productive side from then on. I'm thinking one side might see more dust/sand/dirt/sun (case hardening kinda).
Otherwise, if no chipper chains, and you aren't seeing actual rocks just premature dulling, and given you have about 200 logs, a TC chain might represent good value even if hideously expensive.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

The fact seems to be the knots are very hard. Considerably harder than any Oak at the exact same location. When I can line up 16'' to 18'' logs I often can make 30 cuts in an hour including time to move the rounds around a bit. I think I can go through maybe a tank and a half of fuel without touching the chain. When the logs are close to 24'' then the progress all but stops. Yes the logs are petrified with the relative humidity currently at 17% with a high of 22% and a low of 9% later this week so no cutting for awhile. The knots are saturated with pitch and crystallized. The larger knots are about 10'' diameter with the average in the larger logs about 6''. The logs are for most part are very clean. I noticed awhile back that few states have dry conditions ever during a whole year and places like Canada never ever have dry conditions. I was hoping that I was wasting my time and doing some thing wrong. Yes did check my watch and conclude that I was being too generous with the chain longevity in that it was lucky to last 60 seconds of actual operational time before being discarded. I am trying to come up with an efficient MO for moving the logs around to get the cuts made. Included is a diagram of the situation. Was hoping some old timer would say this is how it is done sonny and I'm 64 with about 25,000 cords that I personally cut split and stacked. Thanks

 

[Woos31]

That stuff should cut awesome seasoned that well. I cut that size pine often as well as pitch stumps cured for several decades. I use full chisel skip chain square ground and that eats it up both stumps and logs bucked into firewood. Um............I'm stumped too, stihl 460 with 32" bar is what I use and no troubles. You'd peaked my interest too sir

 

[Jeffkrib]

I've had this problem due to termites dragging sand and quartz grains through hollowed out galleries in the log but that was with chisel chain not carbide.
I think most people would stand there look at the log and look at the chain then scratch their heads. You may have conditions very specific to your area.

 

[turnkey4099]

Are you sure that stuff isn't petrified wood, that's about all I can think of.

I first thought of driftwood that is commonly full of sand but the pic doesn't look like it.

 

[PSUplowboy]

Does petrified wood burn in your stove, or are you doing something other than using it for firewood? Seems like a lot of grief - I'm sure you are frustrated. You must cut a lot to average 500 cord a year for 50 years. The most dad and I did was 1500 one year, but that was using processors.

 

[Ryan'smilling]

25,000 cords, eh? That's impressive.

 

[Big_Al]

Just curious what size saws you're running?

 

[cantoo]

Well, I'm outta here. My neoprene waders have a hole on the bottom near the ankle so my feet get wet quick.