thoughts on cutting muddy poles from tri-axle load

[pafire]

Just started to cut up a tri-axle load of poles and alot of the pole have caked mud on them. I have been using a bark spud to remove as much as I can when cutting the poles into billets. Looking for other ideas as to how to remove this embedded mud. Thought of using a pressure washer, however that seems to be more work than just sharpening my chain after several cuts. What would you do ??

 

[ashy larry]

kick what i could off and just be prepared to sharpen often.

 

[Lander]

When I scrounge dirty wood, I typically just stacked them off the ground and the rain takes care of the mud for me. Obviously, it isn't quick.

 

[TimberWolf530]

Powerwasher?

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Semi chisel chain isn't too fussy about mud. Rocks will kill it still though.

 

[zogger]

If you have the means, I would think a pressure washer would be quick per pole. Besides, even if you sharpen frequently with them muddy, you want to split and stack up muddy wood?

 

[msmith]

kick what i could off and just be prepared to sharpen often.

This. It also helps if you can position the wood so that the chain is coming out where it is muddy and going it where it is clean.

 

[Del_]

That's a nightmare, IMO and hardly worth cutting.

The raw material is of so little value.

Next time I'd shop around for a cleaner source of wood.

 

[Zale]

Wire brush and lots of files.

 

[moondoggie]

Hatchet and noodles.

 

[jgoodhart]

Roll it over to the cleanest side for the chain to go into the wood.

 

[Motorsen]

Clean it by the easiest means. That's up to you. But cutting dirty logs kills off every chain faster than a horse can run. Cutting and sharpenig is the head to the wall with a heavy hit. Even chopping the bark of with an axe where every cut will be is faster than cutting in the dirt. Del's got a point. But now you are stuck in it deep you have to get the best track out. Clean 'n cut!

Motorsen

 

[ashy larry]

This. It also helps if you can position the wood so that the chain is coming out where it is muddy and going it where it is clean.

This is what i do. For the "hardly worth it" guys...yall are nuts.

Give up good firewood over a little mud. You live in Arizona? Get real.

 

[Trx250r180]

When i have a skidded log to mill,a hose gets most of it, sharpen your chain 10 degrees on top plate instead of 30 ,it will last longer between sharpens ,.404 chain helps some too,when cutting eyeball a clean spot .bore in and cut from inside out,does not pull the mud into the clean wood so bad.

 

[chipper1]

That's a nightmare, IMO and hardly worth cutting.

The raw material is of so little value.

Next time I'd shop around for a cleaner source of wood.

This is very true for the next time, although not always a viable solution. We skid or winch most of ours through some nasty muck, fortunately there are not many rocks in it just plenty of dirt. We get by very well with semi chisel chains and a file til they get home, then I hit them with the grinder or in a vise with a file on the bench. It sure beats paying for it or hauling it all out with the quads. I can have 4 chains in bad condition(not totally rocked) cleaned up with minimal tooth loss in a 1/2hr or so on the bench.

I would roll the logs so the dirty side was down, cut to length desired(but not all the way through, then roll the muddy side so it's right in front of you and finish the cut, pulling the dirt away from the wood, not through the wood. If you can not roll the log and the mud is on the top or back plunge cut in where clean and work from the clean spot out. You will be cutting with the top side of the bar from the middle of the log up using this technique and can it be modified depending where exactly the mud is.

when cutting eyeball a clean spot .bore in and cut from inside out,does not pull the mud into the clean wood so bad.

Guess you beat me to it, went to another message then came back lol.

Have fun and be safe.

 

[Ironworker]

I power washed, pretty easy. You only have to clean every 16"