Is this Dumb?

[Wood Scrounge]

I bought an old cheap 12" miter chop saw with a ripping blade at a garage sale to cut small branches 1.5"-8" diameter for firewood. I just found that I had tons of branches around and wanted to get some heat out of them. I don't see anything particularly dangerous about it but maybe I am over looking something. Any thoughts?

 

[rx7145]

I cut wood with my table saw all the time. Should be as safe as the operator.

 

[wdchuck]

A mitre saw with a ripping blade just ain't right, anyways, the biggest thing to be cautious about is binding, take it slow and easy through the cut and you'll be fine. Binding can bend the vertical fence of the saw, then the binding gets worse each time, and then, the saw is only good for cutting kindling wood, because it won't cut square ever again.

Been there, done that.

 

[kevinj]

I bought an old cheap 12" miter chop saw with a ripping blade at a garage sale to cut small branches 1.5"-8" diameter for firewood. I just found that I had tons of branches around and wanted to get some heat out of them. I don't see anything particularly dangerous about it but maybe I am over looking something. Any thoughts?

Don't Do It ...

I made the mistake 2 yrs. ago with my radial arm saw.
Tried to cut small coaster size rounds from apple wood.
Then I must have came across a knott,
That whole dang thing exploded on me.
It happenened SO QUICK !!!
Luckily, no injuries.
Don't risk it.

Also, blew the bearings on the carraige.

 

[Moddoo]

This won't help with your stash, but-
I've learned to cut small stuff to size while it's still on the trunk.
Start at the small end and work toward the trunk.

So much easier than dealing with a bunch of long branches later.

 

[grandpatractor]

This won't help with your stash, but-
I've learned to cut small stuff to size while it's still on the trunk.
Start at the small end and work toward the trunk.

So much easier than dealing with a bunch of long branches later.

+1

 

[NWnewguy]

I've tried it with a few different tools. The saw you are talking about will work fine with stuff maybe 3" or under. 8" is way over what I would think is sane, plus a 12" saw will only cut about 5" on each side so while you could do it by rolling the whole log, it wouldn't be any faster than a chainsaw. What works the best is a buzz saw, but I don't have one of them. I have a Milwaukee Super Sawzall that actually works good on small stuff with the right blade. Anyway good luck with whatever you try.

 

[Woodsrover]

This won't help with your stash, but-
I've learned to cut small stuff to size while it's still on the trunk.
Start at the small end and work toward the trunk.

So much easier than dealing with a bunch of long branches later.

+2

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

This is called a chainsaw buddy, I've heard it works very well on stick wood and keeps the saw out of the dirt.

They cost less the $50

 

[habanero]

...What works the best is a buzz saw...

Exactly! I can rip through a cord of 4-6" limb wood in about 30 minutes with mine. Certainly not the safest solution in the world, though, and I wouldn't recommend one for novice use.

 

[Wood Scrounge]

Thanks all for your comments, I asked the question to begin with because it did feel unnatural to use a chop saw on raw wood like that. I may continue to do it on the small stuff (less then 3").

 

[daemon2525]

I cut small stuff on my radial saw all of the time.

Not for firewood , but because we do crafts and things like turning limbs on the lathe, etc.

 

[papossefan]

What exactly are you guys talking about when you say a buzz saw? I am just curious.

 

[Uncle FooFoo]

What is a buzz saw?

A buzz saw ia a saw with a blade like a circular sawmil uses only smaller.They were popular back in the 20's to the 50's. Farmers used them to cut up their winters wood.They were faster than a cross cut saw.Most were powered by a tractor using a leather belt with a pulley.When I was growing up we had a wood cook stove and that was how a lot of the wood was cut using a buzz saw.Some of the buzz saws that can be bought today use the pto on the trator to power them.They are also 3pt hitch.I hope this explains what they are.You could do a search for buzz saw or cordwoow saw.Later Uncle FooFoo

 

[blunt]

This won't help with your stash, but-
I've learned to cut small stuff to size while it's still on the trunk.
Start at the small end and work toward the trunk.

So much easier than dealing with a bunch of long branches later.

+3


Thats exactly what I do. Although my mate made up this saw horse type thing that you can sit smaller diameter branches on so you can cut them to length. Still easier to do it while still attached to the trunk.

And I actually like burning branches rather than split rounds in my log burner becuase they give off more heat (talking Pine here). 5 small diameter branches gives off a heap more heat than one slab of split pine. Sure you have to keep shovelling it in ... but thats half the fun

 

[Stihl 041S]

Wood Scrounge;

If it is wrong than I'm WAY WRONG.

I use a Hitachi 15" chop saw for the same thing. Like folks said, watch for binding and should be no trouble.

And they start a lot easier than the 066 in the cold, and not near the noise or smoke in the basement.

 

[wahoowad]

I'm wrong too. I chop the heck out of branches to make kindling. I also trim up splits I cut too long. Just wear eye protection and keep your darn hands out of it.

 

[2FatGuys]

I've been on both sides of this discussion in the past. After seeing a piece that pinched shoot across the basement like a missle, I don't typically use my chopsaw / radial arm / tablesaw for firewood any more. I prefer to cut it while still attached to the limbs that I've dropped. The situation is typically much more predictable and safe.

 

[piney1]

I use a worn out 12" 0 one all the time for firewood and I even have a spare worn out one.

 

[kellog]

for the guy who wanted to know what a buzz saw was, check out this thread post #1
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=45233&highlight=monkeyman