new guy here...looking to get into the wood game.

[dave_376]

Where in CT are you from? I started out cutting wood the winter before I got my stove installed (3years ago). I split my first 5 cord with a maul and sledge/wedge along with a fiskars x27 that I wasted $50 on. The fiskars definitely split wood but it was not some miracle tool I can't live without.

When I decided to switch to burning wood instead of oil it was because I was spending close to $5000 a year in oil. Money was tight, I got by with a hand me down maul and wedges and a 14" 35cc echo chainsaw. I cut some 25" oak and hickory. I was painfully slow to cut, splitting was much more productive. I then picked up a poulan 3400 56cc saw off craigslist for $25 and I was amazed at how much more productive I became. I cut up and brought home 5 more cord and borrowed a H/V splitter which made me even more productive. I cut faster and I split everything the first try not fooling around with a maul and then getting out the wedges to power though the tough pieces.

I watched craigslist for a year before I snagged a splitter, Yard Machine 27 ton with a honda engine in like new condition of $350. I also picked up a trailer cheap off CL. I also picked up a dolmar 7900 off this site for $300.

My advice to you having just gone through it would be to.
1. get your wood cut and split now, if that means a loaner splitter from a friend I would take it.
2. get the trailer
3.get a splitter I like mine only because I got a deal on it. If I was buying new I would look at the Ariens or Husky 22 ton on sale from tractor supply.
4.save money for a newer saw 60cc range stihl 291 391 or a 362 if you have the money(highest resale), huskvarna 460 555 562, or a dolmar/makita 6421 (Cheap)
5. Work on a wood shed. If you can get a few years ahead on wood and and store it under a roof the wood should have less moisture in it.

I am planning and saving for a wood shed / pole barn for next year. The humidity has been so high in CT the past few years that I feel it impedes the drying process of the wood and it is compounded by the rain, we get rain the a humid streak and the more rain. At least witha roof you keep the rain off it and you can still have air flow whereas a tarp restricts air flow.

If you need to buy a new splitting tool I would buy the Stihl maul over the fiskars.

 

[rygar]

Where in CT are you from? I started out cutting wood the winter before I got my stove installed (3years ago). I split my first 5 cord with a maul and sledge/wedge along with a fiskars x27 that I wasted $50 on. The fiskars definitely split wood but it was not some miracle tool I can't live without.

When I decided to switch to burning wood instead of oil it was because I was spending close to $5000 a year in oil. Money was tight, I got by with a hand me down maul and wedges and a 14" 35cc echo chainsaw. I cut some 25" oak and hickory. I was painfully slow to cut, splitting was much more productive. I then picked up a poulan 3400 56cc saw off craigslist for $25 and I was amazed at how much more productive I became. I cut up and brought home 5 more cord and borrowed a H/V splitter which made me even more productive. I cut faster and I split everything the first try not fooling around with a maul and then getting out the wedges to power though the tough pieces.

I watched craigslist for a year before I snagged a splitter, Yard Machine 27 ton with a honda engine in like new condition of $350. I also picked up a trailer cheap off CL. I also picked up a dolmar 7900 off this site for $300.

My advice to you having just gone through it would be to.
1. get your wood cut and split now, if that means a loaner splitter from a friend I would take it.
2. get the trailer
3.get a splitter I like mine only because I got a deal on it. If I was buying new I would look at the Ariens or Husky 22 ton on sale from tractor supply.
4.save money for a newer saw 60cc range stihl 291 391 or a 362 if you have the money(highest resale), huskvarna 460 555 562, or a dolmar/makita 6421 (Cheap)
5. Work on a wood shed. If you can get a few years ahead on wood and and store it under a roof the wood should have less moisture in it.

I am planning and saving for a wood shed / pole barn for next year. The humidity has been so high in CT the past few years that I feel it impedes the drying process of the wood and it is compounded by the rain, we get rain the a humid streak and the more rain. At least witha roof you keep the rain off it and you can still have air flow whereas a tarp restricts air flow.

If you need to buy a new splitting tool I would buy the Stihl maul over the fiskars.

Im in shelton.
great advice. i scour craigslist everyday at work looking for free wood (pictures only), trailers and splitters. im sure ill find a steal at some point.

 

[TreePointer]

I wish you luck. Around here, decent splitters hardly ever show up on CL or similar places. When they do, the price is so high that folks are often better off buying new with a warranty.

As a reference point, I like to match what is found used against a new Huskee 22-ton for $999 (frequent sale price).

 

[zogger]

If you have a business, IDE say sure spend thousands of dollars on chainsaws. I use a saw with a 20 inch bar and cut everything from the small up to 40 inches. This is the firewood forum not the arborist forum. So most firewood is going to be 5 inches up to probably 30 inches. This kid doesn't have skid steer to move bigger stuff anyhow. If you can carry a 20'' saw you shouldn't cut wood. He doesn't need a saw bigger than 20 inches because he is starting out and doesn't have equipment for big wood

who said thousands? You can get real decent mid size to larger saws for a hundred bucks to around 350, in running shape. Much cheaper that need some work, you see it about daily on the chainsaw forum, guys score some great deals.

Ya, brand new saws are expensive, so are dang trucks, I buy 500 dollar junkers and make them run.

I don't have a skid steer either, although I do use a normal tractor (borrowed), because I live and work on a farm. When I was younger I did all my firewood and sugaring wood by HAND with a bowsaw, plus drug it all in myself, 4 cords heating, another 1-2 sugaring,. and year round cooking. So why do you even need any saw with an engine at all?

I think having at least two saws is a dang good idea, and it doesn't have to break the bank if you shop carefully and get used. It doesn't have to cost "thousands". I got a nice runner that cost me ten bucks a few weeks ago now and cut up a quarter cord with it yesterday. Ten bucks as a non runner, zero money else into it besides some carb spray. If ten bucks is breaking anyones bank, they need a better job. I bet I am the lowest paid dude on this whole forum, short of anyone totally out of work and so broke the only way they get here is from the library computer, so I know frugal, believe me. You can find nice saws and make them work with a little effort. I take advantage of peoples laziness and unwilliness to learn anything new, their loss, my gain. "Oh you don't need that when the store and small engine shop is down the road"..must be nice to have disposable cash to go buy new or pay someone to do simple mechanical work..me, I do it myself. if I don't know how, I research and learn how and muddle through somehow.

If you don't think two saws as in the common "two saw plan" is a good idea, fine, we will agree to disagree on this.

 

[biglogging]

who said thousands? You can get real decent mid size to larger saws for a hundred bucks to around 350, in running shape. Much cheaper that need some work, you see it about daily on the chainsaw forum, guys score some great deals.

Ya, brand new saws are expensive, so are dang trucks, I buy 500 dollar junkers and make them run.

I don't have a skid steer either, although I do use a normal tractor (borrowed), because I live and work on a farm. When I was younger I did all my firewood and sugaring wood by HAND with a bowsaw, plus drug it all in myself, 4 cords heating, another 1-2 sugaring,. and year round cooking. So why do you even need any saw with an engine at all?

I think having at least two saws is a dang good idea, and it doesn't have to break the bank if you shop carefully and get used. It doesn't have to cost "thousands". I got a nice runner that cost me ten bucks a few weeks ago now and cut up a quarter cord with it yesterday. Ten bucks as a non runner, zero money else into it besides some carb spray. If ten bucks is breaking anyones bank, they need a better job. I bet I am the lowest paid dude on this whole forum, short of anyone totally out of work and so broke the only way they get here is from the library computer, so I know frugal, believe me. You can find nice saws and make them work with a little effort. I take advantage of peoples laziness and unwilliness to learn anything new, their loss, my gain. "Oh you don't need that when the store and small engine shop is down the road"..must be nice to have disposable cash to go buy new or pay someone to do simple mechanical work..me, I do it myself. if I don't know how, I research and learn how and muddle through somehow.

If you don't think two saws as in the common "two saw plan" is a good idea, fine, we will agree to disagree on this.

Getting a decent saw for 10 dollars is highly unlikely. The only thing it needs is carb cleaner is also unlikely.

 

[Steve NW WI]

What do you need a trailer for? Every pickup I've ever seen comes with a handy box on the back, capable of hauling wood in.

Unless you're some sorta yuppie that can't scratch his status symbol...

 

[CTYank]

If you want the wood to season best leave it outside. Building a shed is a waste of resources. Unless you live in a rainforest. The wood will season better and faster outside. If your concerned about rain put a tarp over your the top of your stack a month or two before you sell.

What is "seasoning"? It's subjective- meaningless. Talk instead of "air-drying."

Leaving wood out in the rain is not going to dry it. Doh. A very simple roofed enclosure, or two, really help me to dry wood, and keep it dry. They both face south, open to SW breezes. Incidentally, this is what commercial lumber processors do to get their lumber dry; failures cost them lots of $.

Oak is the difficult wood to air-dry, not "hardwoods"; commercial processors will tell you "twice as long to air-dry oak as other hardwoods."

About splitting tools, most "mauls" (the cheap ones) are really crude bludgeons. Main problem is lousy head shape- faces should be much flatter, with sharp edge. I found this to be true after experiment, on seeing what a really good maul (Mueller) could do. The good mauls, Stihl, Ochsenkopf, Gransfors Bruks, Wetterlings, Mueller, and by reports Council, cost more than the crappy ones. Their steel and heat-treating alone set them apart. The Mueller I have, for instance, shows zero wear after going on 2 years. Bailey's have a good price currently on the Wetterlings 5.5 lb (~$110) and Stihl's (Ochsenkopf) goes for ~$80. Don't tell Stihl dealers that it's a bargain!

The metallurgy of Fiskars "splitting axes" is questionable to be polite. So what if the handle is indestructible, if the head is sacrificial!

You'll want at least one moderately powerful saw, like in the 40-60cc range, for felling and bucking. IMHO for limbing, bulk and weight are critical- less is more. You'll find some great buys at VMInnovations (dot) com, and from nmurph and others here. Try a 455r (~$300) for bucking, and you won't go back to the little Homie.

Only one saw just will not do. You're not trying hard enough if you don't pinch a saw now & then, even with wedges. (Trees are VERY unpredictable.) 2-strokes are cantankerous, when they feel like it, too. So a couple of saws, minimum, get it done best. Think ~40 cc limbing and 50-60 cc felling/bucking. For limbing, even a pound of extra weight is something you want to avoid.

The big challenge with chainsaws, for most folks, is filing chains. Not so much so, with Granberg's "File-N-Joint" going for ~$24 right now at Bailey's. Couple of different file sizes and that tool, and you're in business for a huge variety of chains. They are in my tool bag heading off into the woods. Chain filing has been hugely important since the days of the 2-man saw, and it can be really simple.

Shelton's not far from me. Sometimes a little show-and-tell can simplify things. Much simpler than arm-waving here.

 

[bodhisoma]

While you're at it, get a felling wedge or three. They are not only good for dropping trees, but they can get your saw out of a pinch when bucking firewood.

I've been cutting down a lot of blowdown and boy, I need to get a few. Get pinched on the regular, especially with large stuff flat on the ground that wants to sag and I can't get under to cut upward.

 

[rygar]

What do you need a trailer for? Every pickup I've ever seen comes with a handy box on the back, capable of hauling wood in.

Unless you're some sorta yuppie that can't scratch his status symbol...

The bed gets smaller wheels and i use a hand truck to get large rounds onto a trailer.

Also, id prefer to get the most out of each trip.

 

[zogger]

I've been cutting down a lot of blowdown and boy, I need to get a few. Get pinched on the regular, especially with large stuff flat on the ground that wants to sag and I can't get under to cut upward.

Yes, wedges are good for that. Another trick is cut bottom cut wedges from other handy small rounds. Cut an angle on one end, then sledge hammer or back of the axe hammer it in directly under where you want to cut. This lifts the log enough you can cut right down through it. Estimate and do it a few points up and down the trunk, then you can lift and flop the big ones over some branches, etc.

Real big, cut part way, roll with a tool (peavey/can't hook, log jack grabber, etc), then finish the cut.

 

[zogger]

Getting a decent saw for 10 dollars is highly unlikely. The only thing it needs is carb cleaner is also unlikely.

Lot of guys here have gotten free or cheap saws that needed not much at all to get them back to being good runners. I have gotten quite a few that just needed cleaning, and perhaps new lines, which are cheap.

the one I was just talking about is a poulan 4620avhd. Ten bucks, near new bar and chain, the filter was bad on it, carb got plugged up. I got it as a non runner/barely ran, took carb off, cleaned it out, it was fulla junk, added a used but still good enough filter from my junk stash, back to running and cutting.

I have swapped off two I got like that and turned back into runners just this past month. One cost me one dollar, runs fine now, just gave it to a friend of mine who wanted a small one for making a motorized bicycle. And I have more I can do, I am way behind in repairs/restores. I just grab cheap saws and when I feel like it, tear into them and make runners or save for parts, just depends on the condition of the piston and cylinder. This is just a casual hobby deal, I don't even push it or I could do a lot more.

I have or have had numerous saws in the way under 100 bucks total purchase and parts to make run if needed category, frm 33 cc to 74cc. A whole lot of them are under 20 bucks total, carb clean and or kit, new lines, adjust.

Hmm..thinking about it, right now, I can go in my saws pile and take out three good runners, a three saw plan, total is around 120 bucks for all of them, purchase and repairs needed, 38cc poulan s25cva, poulan 3400 at 56 cc, poulan 245a at the mentioned 74cc. And all three of those are pro saws, split mag case, etc.

 

[ChipMonger]

Rygar,

First, welcome to AS.

Second, i see that you are in Shelton. I am close by in Norwalk, if you need a hand with anything let me know; i am more than happy to help and always have the itch to cut wood, also have saws and other gear for big stuff too if needed.

In my opinion, the wood you have in your pics needs to be split and stacked ASAP, hopefully it will be ready for next year. I remember you saying that you had a bunch of oak (I used to live in Sandy Hook and everything was red oak where i was, soaking wet and toke forever to season) plan on it seasoning for atleast a year. You would be well served to get a moisture meter to check the moisture contents of you splits after you initially split the rounds you have and after several month of being split; it will help you determine when they are ready to burn.

In regards to your insert, lets talk about that for a minute...Did you do the install? Was the chimney cleaned well before hand? If a liner was used (im assuming it was) did the liner get wrapped with insulation?

 

[rygar]

Rygar,

First, welcome to AS.

Second, i see that you are in Shelton. I am close by in Norwalk, if you need a hand with anything let me know; i am more than happy to help and always have the itch to cut wood, also have saws and other gear for big stuff too if needed.

In my opinion, the wood you have in your pics needs to be split and stacked ASAP, hopefully it will be ready for next year. I remember you saying that you had a bunch of oak (I used to live in Sandy Hook and everything was red oak where i was, soaking wet and toke forever to season) plan on it seasoning for atleast a year. You would be well served to get a moisture meter to check the moisture contents of you splits after you initially split the rounds you have and after several month of being split; it will help you determine when they are ready to burn.

In regards to your insert, lets talk about that for a minute...Did you do the install? Was the chimney cleaned well before hand? If a liner was used (im assuming it was) did the liner get wrapped with insulation?

thank you for the offer and feedback. this moisture meter sounds like a great tool