Full-blown newb advice

[Droppinloads]

I'm a total city-slicker, who's operated a chainsaw twice in my life (one time I got the thing stuck in a downed tree). I'm a pretty handy person in general, so I'd be comfortable using a chainsaw after some basic instruction. Anyway, I'm moving to rural Vermont & renting a house that requires wood for heat. The owners estimate I'll need 4-5 cords for the winter. I've searched this site & others a lot & i'm trying to get an idea of what size/type chainsaw I'll need. I've figured I'll probably need a 50cc or thereabouts? Is something like the Husky 455 rancher appropriate for this? Just trying to get some collective wisdom. Most of my friends have just told me to buy the wood, which will probably happen, but I'd like to maybe do half of it myself. Thanks!

 

[Sierradmax]

That will handle 4-5 cord a year no problem but not wood for this year....

 

[Droppinloads]

^right, thanks- I was made aware that anything I cut will need 12mos for seasoning

 

[GrJfer]

For a one saw plan a 60cc would be a better choice. That being said the 555, or the Echo timberwolf 590 would be great choices.

Now my question for you is. Do you have somewhere to cut wood from? If not then spending money on a saw may be moot point.

 

[Droppinloads]

Yeah I'll have 10 acres & the owner is going to show me why I can/can't cut. He said I'll be able to cut a large amount from branches/trees that have already hit the ground from storms, etc.

 

[Marshy]

A 455 is plenty of saw for a newbie (no offense) and should keep you more busy than a one armed monkey with two peckers. You might want to plan on buying half/all of next years wood and soon. That way everything you can cut in your spare time will be for next year. I think the biggest thing new people underestimate is the amount of time and effor it takes to cut it up, drag out and split and stack the wood (second to the actual amount needed for a heating season).

How do you plan to get it out of the woods?

 

[Droppinloads]

^well I'm not sure exactly about getting it out of the woods- the woods back right up to the property & I know there are all kinds of logging roads back there. Also, the current owner is 70yrs old & he does it, so I'd imagine he has some kind of system (wheelbarrow or something?- again I'm a full newbie). As far as splitting, he has a hydraulic log splitter I can use, so I'd imagine that's useful.

 

[SAWMIKAZE]

That would be a hell of a lot of wheelbarrow trips outta the woods..

 

[showrguy]

do you know how many wheelbarrow loads it takes to make up 5 cords of wood ??
i don't either, and i don't wanna find out...

 

[jus2fat]

If you're only gonna have one saw...I personally would want a 60cc saw. A Husky 455 with 16"-18" B/C might do..??

I have a lady friend in Vermont and she told me that it snowed so much this winter that many times she couldn't even get out.

You couldn't hold a gun to my head to made me move to Vermont...but I certainly wish you well..

J2F

 

[Droppinloads]

^ nope, but I know it's a lot. I'd be doing this over time, not just 1 weekend or anything. I have no idea what his system is, but he has one. I have a Jeep wrangler, which i'm thinking may come in handy for something, but it's not like I can drive it into the woods. But the 10acres of woods are literally 50ft from the house. There are corralls for the split wood set up in the yard for seasoning.

 

[Droppinloads]

If you're only gonna have one saw...I personally would want a 60cc saw. A Husky 455 with 16"-18" B/C might do..??

I have a woman friend in Vermont and she told me that it snowed so much this winter that many times she couldn't even get out.

You couldn't hold a gun to my head to made me move to Vermont...but I certainly wish you well..

J2F

Yeah there was lots of snow this year, but I like snow-I'm a skier. The house is on the side of a mountain too

 

[farmer steve]

do you know how many wheelbarrow loads it takes to make up 5 cords of wood ??
i don't either, and i don't wanna find out...

depends on the wheelbarrow size and if it's ported or not.

 

[7sleeper]

I would get a timberwolf 590 and with the money spared get some ppe = personal protection equipment = chainsaw chaps, helmet, eye & ear protection and at least steel toed boots. That will, as a complete newbee, help protect you better.

7

 

[sunfish]

Husky 455 will do fine, but a Husky 555 is higher quality, lighter, more power, for not that much more money...

 

[SAWMIKAZE]

If i was you..the only thing i would get would be the phone number for a local firewood guy.

 

[Marshy]

Yeah there was lots of snow this year, but I like snow-I'm a skier. The house is on the side of a mountain too

You might want to ask the owner if the 10 acres is on the uphill or downhill side of the property! If its all on the uphill side then you can buy a big ice fishing sled and ride it down the hill.
I'd tell you to ask the owner if he has a tractor you can use to get the wood out with but if its on a hill and you have no experience using a saw or tractor you mught be better off buying your wood. Tractors are dangerous in the wrong hands and risk for personal injury is exponential when you dont know what your doing on a grade.

 

[juttree]

I lived in northern Vermont (northeast kingdom) for five years with only wood heat. The best and cheapest way was ordering a truck load of log length wood and cutting and splitting it yourself. I had an 028 that served me well.
Personally if I were you with your experience I'd buy an ms291 or a used 290, I think you would be more than satisfied with those. Your not gonna be lugging anything too big out of the woods and in every truck load I've ever received there's never been anything too big either. Both those saws could be had at a pretty decent price. I like the 290 better but not for too many reasons

 

[showrguy]

this thread scares me for some reason !!!

 

[Duane(Pa)]

this thread scares me for some reason !!!

Chicken. Seems like you have a small stove at least your fire wood is cut pretty short... Oh, and wheelbarrows are for people that dont have a backhoe ; )