Large Rounds / Too Heavy to move

[Bushmans]

While your back heals work on sharpening techniques. Noodling should not be any harder than cutting regular. If your having trouble noodling or think your no good at it than your chain is not sharp enough.
I don't noodle all the way through either. Go about half way and stick a wedge in there and pop it. It's fast and easy. Your 311 with a sharp chain should be fine for big, hard stuff.
Key word for the day......SHARP!

 

[Dalmatian90]

I know I can noodle them down, but I just seem to suck at that, and it take forever.

Silly question...since noodling can be slower then bucking, but I wouldn't call it "forever"...

This is how the saw looks noodling:

This is how the saw looks ripping...and that I would call "taking forever":

Bucking makes chips (as long as the chain is sharp!), ripping makes sawdust, noodling makes...noodles.

I wouldn't rip something with a standard saw & chain more then the shallow cuts some of the other posters made to start wedges.

 

[mhrischuk]

And sometimes you don't have a choice cutting through a "y" with grain going in different directions.

 

[trophyhunter]

Noodles save backs.

Easier than dinking with winches.

Just give it some time and you'll get good at noodlin'.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

Does it ever, a 70cc + saw is a blessing to own and WAY more cost effective than back or spinal injuries. Noodling is your friend when it comes to dealing with the bigger stuff. That old saying amonsgt hunter's "bring enough gun", applies to dealing with the big stuff when it's only you and manpower getting the truck or trailer loaded or getting them into the splitter.

 

[mhrischuk]

Here's my tool..

 

[upsnake]

Ok so on the topic of sharp chains.
Right now I have the Stihl file set, does anybody use something like this? If so does it work decent?

Granberg Bar-Mount Chain Saw Sharpener, Model# G-106B | Chain Saw Sharpeners, Maintenance Repair| Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[Bushmans]

Ok so on the topic of sharp chains.
Right now I have the Stihl file set, does anybody use something like this? If so does it work decent?

Granberg Bar-Mount Chain Saw Sharpener, Model# G-106B | Chain Saw Sharpeners, Maintenance Repair| Northern Tool + Equipment

I use a standard file and plate guide that rests on top of the chain. All movements are guided by hand.
Look for one of those big magnifying glasses on a stand that they use for tying fish flies. It is critical to have the right angles while sharpening. Practice, Practice, Practice.

 

[Currently]

Or get a timberline sharpener. I had three inch plus noodles doing forty inch pine.

It does a better job than my grinder.

 

[motoman3b]

Heres how I handle big rounds

 

[mhrischuk]

That's a great idea. I use a vertical but still find it sometimes a job getting a big round under it. Love to see a video of it in action.

 

[dingeryote]

Ok so on the topic of sharp chains.
Right now I have the Stihl file set, does anybody use something like this? If so does it work decent?

Granberg Bar-Mount Chain Saw Sharpener, Model# G-106B | Chain Saw Sharpeners, Maintenance Repair| Northern Tool + Equipment

Got one, tried it, drove me nuts with all the dinking around setting depth, and when changing from left to right.

I went back to the clamp on file guide or Husky roller guide, and the eyeball, for correcting all the field file ugliness.
The Granberg is pretty brilliant for what it is and does, I just lack the appreciation for the fussing required.

If you get down this way, stop in. It's on the floor, next to the busted catch plates off of the Blueberry harvester, in the far corner of the barn shop.
Take it with ya when ya go.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Perk]

Two round fill up the truck!!

Here is the 60" DBH White Oak that I'm working on now.
Back at the house I have a 27 HP compact tractor that has a 3pt hitch mounted lifting arm with a log grapple that I use to position the quarters on the vertical log splitter. I use a cordless drill and screw a lag-eye bolt into the quarters, back the pickup to them and then jack them up and into the truck bed with the el-cheapo HF hydraulic jack lift boom mounted on the rear corner.

 

[zogger]

Here is the 60" DBH White Oak that I'm working on now.
Back at the house I have a 27 HP compact tractor that has a 3pt hitch mounted lifting arm with a log grapple that I use to position the quarters on the vertical log splitter. I use a cordless drill and screw a lag-eye bolt into the quarters, back the pickup to them and then jack them up and into the truck bed with the el-cheapo HF hydraulic jack lift boom mounted on the rear corner.

Thats some whopper big oak you got right there, and good way to move it!

 

[ClimbMIT]

I made cross cuts to get the wedges in. Sure made splitting them a heck of a lot easier....

Nice work! is that Hickory?

 

[ClimbMIT]

I Have to admit I noodle and worried I was would get laughed at by the bigger tree companies. I am just starting out 2nd year of having my own business and i look a little like Sanford and Son, with lighter complexion! Lol! It really isn't that bad just a truck, two trailers, saws, and climbing gear. Anyway new here on the firewood forum. Very useful thread! I now know I am smart to noodle I just didn't know what other guys did.

 

[hardpan]

I Have to admit I noodle and worried I was would get laughed at by the bigger tree companies. I am just starting out 2nd year of having my own business and i look a little like Sanford and Son, with lighter complexion! Lol! It really isn't that bad just a truck, two trailers, saws, and climbing gear. Anyway new here on the firewood forum. Very useful thread! I now know I am smart to noodle I just didn't know what other guys did.

An open minded person can do well here. There is more than one way to skin a cat, as they say. I think the one thing we all have in common is the need to safely turn big wood into small wood. If I was much younger I could easily get deep into the climbing, still have my rappelling gear but that is much easier, never owned an ascender.

 

[upsnake]

I went ahead and ordered a Timberline sharpener, I read sever of the threads here talking about them and it seemed all positive, hopefully that will help with keeping the chain sharp which will then help with noodling.

 

[turnkey4099]

Got one, tried it, drove me nuts with all the dinking around setting depth, and when changing from left to right.
What "dinkig around" - change to angles once (it should still be set from last time) and depth stop once maybe 5 seconds total. The file and you KNOW every tooth has the same angles and depth

I went back to the clamp on file guide or Husky roller guide, and the eyeball, for correcting all the field file ugliness.
The Granberg is pretty brilliant for what it is and does, I just lack the appreciation for the fussing required.

If you get down this way, stop in. It's on the floor, next to the busted catch plates off of the Blueberry harvester, in the far corner of the barn shop.
Take it with ya when ya go.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

I get it that you don't like a simple tool.

Harry K

 

[dingeryote]

I get it that you don't like a simple tool.

Harry K

On the contrary.
The file alone with a depth guide is a simple tool. That is why it is consistent, and reliable.

The granberg is a Rube Goldbergian contraption in comparison.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[ClimbMIT]

An open minded person can do well here. There is more than one way to skin a cat, as they say. I think the one thing we all have in common is the need to safely turn big wood into small wood. If I was much younger I could easily get deep into the climbing, still have my rappelling gear but that is much easier, never owned an ascender.

Yes there is, I just turned 38 and want to be the best I have ever been for once in my life. I started climbing in 1996 for a Top Rated tree company left there in less than a year started a tree service and didn't have a clue. Now after several jobs in between I am back and determined to succeed with my own business! Thanks for the post.