How do you mark your cut lines?

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Dmitry

Dmitry

Minister of Fire
Oct 4, 2014
1,153
CT
I'm in a process of cutting several trunks on my property. My stove accomidates 20" logs . I put marks on my 24" bar and use it to measure log length when cutting . I'm wondering what other wood enthusiasts do. May be someone got better idea ?
 
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Here's one example of a tool to help here http://www.amazon.com/THE-MINGO-Mingo-Firewood-Marker/dp/B0013LGQ3A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1439605795&sr=8-1&keywords=log marker

I just do as you do, and know that 16 inch cuts are to a hole in my bar, and 18 inch up to a certain rivet. When doing this, I always cut starting at the left of the log, working my way to the right, as I find it is fastest.

In the days of doing firewood for a fisher stove that took splits much longer than I'd ever want to deal with, I never paid any attention. With my "new" stove at home, I do pay attention and just make a habit of working down the log as mentioned and moving the saw to the side to make the measurement. Some folks have found ways to attach a "stick" to the bar, and use that so they don't have to rotate the saw.

If it works, it works. I just try and keep it simple. The few seconds it costs me per log make up for themselves during the burn season when I know everything that's in the house will fit right in to the stove.

On a side note, had a buddy bust my chops for doing that, I made mention that those few seconds save me from getting a panicked call from the wife on the rare occasion that I'm not home and she's loading the stove,,, like when I actually stop somewhere for a beer, go fishing / hunting, etc. It's the grease like paying attention to this detail that keeps the wheels turning easily and saves my sanity on those few moments that I take to myself away from home. During these times, there are lots of other things that can happen to interrupt, I can control the firewood and make it a non-issue, so I do.
 
I too burn 20" length. I cut with a 16" bar, and using the aiming line on chain sprocket cover of the saw as a reference which produces 20" lengths. A quick gauge as I'm bucking, moving along the log yields accurate cut log lengths (+/- 1/2").
 
I have a 20" stick the correct length and I painted it yellow that works but I found that using a mark on the saw, as those posted above, is much easier. If you have a helper (your kids) with you, it is easiest to have them make the marks for you.
Once a tree is down, I prefer to cut from the outside branches in. Having marks is a big help so that you don't end up with half a piece when you get to a main 'Y'.
 
DougA said:
If you have a helper (your kids) with you, it is easiest to have them make the marks for you
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When I process my wood the "kid" suddenly has tremendous amount of homework or previous engagements.
The kid is 23 years old .Its to hard to haul the firewood for him to keep our asses warm in a winter , but it's OK to spent 3 hours at the gym pumping iron with no practical help for household. Damn.

I just cut 4 trunks today and was thinking how to catch "the kid" off guard when asking to help me tomorrow.
 
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I wish I had some kind of high-tech glasses that would show me marks on a trunk . May be Google glasses can do it.:cool:
 
Bigg_Redd said:
I use a tape and a can of spray paint.
Click to expand...
I use a telescopic magnet like this and have it taped to the length that I want. Pop it on the side of the bar and off. Easy peasy.
 

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I use 18 inch splits and use my 18 inch bar on my 353 husky. Sometimes I buck with the bigger saw that has a 20 inch bar. I use a sprocket rivet close to the end of the bar to get my 18 inches. Sometimes I get off with it though. Recently I had a 25 inch black oak trunk to buck up and I had a 24 inch bar on the bigger saw. I fired up the husky saw just to get my 18 inch marks with the bar. I am pretty particular at trying to get the right lengths, others seem to guess and say that is good enough. Each to their own....
 
I have a mingo, wouldn't buck without it. FAST, and ACCURATE
 
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I cut off an old piece of tie down 17 inches. I stick it in my pocket. I use this and a sharpie. I quickly make my marks before bucking. Unfortunately without marks it is easy to fall prey to the illusion that makes large rounds too long.
 
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Bigg_Redd said:
I use a tape and a can of spray paint.
Click to expand...

I used to do this as well. Now I just pretend I'm smart enough to know what 20" looks like and "free-cut" <>. The end result is 16" - 24" pieces that are unstackable. Tape and spray paint is the best option if you're cutting long logs.
 
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Using marks on the bar is the fastest. I occasionally use the marks to confirm my be eye measurement. I have 18 and 24 inch marks. I just turn the saw sideways, eye up the new cut location and sometimes put a chip in the bark. Once in a while I will mark the whole log.

My stove will take a "25 split. So when i get to the stump end , making one cut that produces two "24 rounds is a big work saver.
 
xman23 said:
Using marks on the bar is the fastest. I occasionally use the marks to confirm my be eye measurement. I have 18 and 24 inch marks. I just turn the saw sideways, eye up the new cut location and sometimes put a chip in the bark. Once in a while I will mark the whole log.
Click to expand...

That's the method I most often use. I have 16" and 18" marks on a 20" bar.
 
Dmitry said:
When I process my wood the "kid" suddenly has tremendous amount of homework or previous engagements.
The kid is 23 years old .Its to hard to haul the firewood for him to keep our asses warm in a winter , but it's OK to spent 3 hours at the gym pumping iron with no practical help for household. Damn.

I just cut 4 trunks today and was thinking how to catch "the kid" off guard when asking to help me tomorrow.
Click to expand...
My son is almost 18 and the same with the gym. He busts my balls about not working out any more. I've invited him to help me with the firewood on numerous occasions and nothing.
 
Problem with that is both kids keep their doors shut and use little electric heaters. I gotta pick my battles also. This time next year hopefully we will be getting ready to drop his arse off at some college. It doesn't bother me too much, when I say I'm gonna cut/split/stack wood, NOBODY bothers me.
 
I use GPSr and a laser . . . ;)

OK, I'm just a hick, I'll admit it. I eyeball it with the 18 inch bar on the saw since I use 18-20 inch lengths and have never felt compelled to be all that exact . . . as long as it isn't too long for the firebox.
 
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claydogg84 said:
I used to do this as well. Now I just pretend I'm smart enough to know what 20" looks like and "free-cut" <>. The end result is 16" - 24" pieces that are unstackable. Tape
Click to expand...

Did that too now I use a Stick 20" long and spray paint,
I mark the whole tree.. some times if I get too tired, I can come back anytime and it's already marked!
 
I eyeball it, too. As long as it fits in the stove, it's alright. Shorties go on top of the stack when I stack it.
 
Yeah same here, I used to measure with the bar until it got pretty much instinctive. My stove takes a 20" Max log, so I'm happy with a 16"-20" log, which is easy enough to eyeball.
 
I got a mingo marker a few years back and love it. It is the fastest way to mark logs accurately. I kid you not. I roll several logs off the stack and set them about two feet apart. Then run the marker down each log. Set the marker down and start cutting like a mad man. After all cuts are made I roll all logs 180 to finish the cuts without hitting the dirt. No fiddle farting around, saw is almost never at idle.

Previously I measured each cut with a stick. Lots of jacking around and time without chips flying.
 
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claydogg84 said:
I used to do this as well. Now I just pretend I'm smart enough to know what 20" looks like and "free-cut" <>. The end result is 16" - 24" pieces that are unstackable. Tape and spray paint is the best option if you're cutting long logs.
Click to expand...

Most of my life I cut wood for a huge Kodiak insert - it was nearly impossible to cut too long - so eyeballing worked just fine. I had to start measuring my cuts when I installed the Spectrum Classic because it didn't have a bottomless pit for a firebox. Turns out that when all your cuts are the same it makes everything else easier too - hauling, stacking, actually knowing how much wood you have, etc.
 
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TreePointer said:
I never tried one, but I always thought the tap-and-cut chalk system was clever:

Click to expand...

Thanks for that! I hadn't seen it, and shamefully, I hadn't even thought of it. It's a good idea and doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how to make it... I think I'll make one
 
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