How do you mark your cut lines?

Looks like it is just a T made out of PVC with a thin slit cut in one end and filled with chalk line chalk. A tap will leave behind a line.

Highbeam said:

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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Yup, way faster. Great tool.

Being long or short a couple of inches is not big deal to some, when you stack multiple layers deep, it matters. I buck about 20-25 cord a year at a minimum, and can tell you the mingo is a time saver, and people appreciate the consistent and beautiful splits.

I use a painted stick. No marking of logs.

I use my bar when I have to, eyeballs the rest of the time. Good to a couple inches.

I think if stacking multiple layers deep, a couple inches +/- might be a good thing - would make for some air spaces in between the layers.

Ha. Those air spaces between stacks develop even with same-size splits, from shrinkage, I guess. Then they fall over.

Oldman47 said:

Looks like it is just a T made out of PVC with a thin slit cut in one end and filled with chalk line chalk. A tap will leave behind a line.

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You probably aren't even a rocket scientist and you figured it out

I would say the handle part probably has a screw-on fitting for easy chalk refills or one of the joints isn't glued (just pressed together) so it can be taken apart.

You could even make it a bit longer than normal and just mark cut lengths out on the end that doesn't have the slit in it...

That being said: how far under max stove length does everybody cut their wood? Under ideal conditions you could cut it ~1/4" under but you would have to load really careful and be sure to cut really straight. I typically cut ~2" under max length. Is anybody cutting their wood closer to max length than that?

CountryBoy19 said:

You probably aren't even a rocket scientist and you figured it out

I would say the handle part probably has a screw-on fitting for easy chalk refills or one of the joints isn't glued (just pressed together) so it can be taken apart.

You could even make it a bit longer than normal and just mark cut lengths out on the end that doesn't have the slit in it...

That being said: how far under max stove length does everybody cut their wood? Under ideal conditions you could cut it ~1/4" under but you would have to load really careful and be sure to cut really straight. I typically cut ~2" under max length. Is anybody cutting their wood closer to max length than that?

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It's worse than that. Most stoves don't burn well when you stack wood in tight like hot dogs in the package. You need some air passages. I cut about 2" smaller than the firebox would allow. I cut at exactly 16" which BTW is a standard length so if you need to lend someone some wood, sell it, or give it away, they won't have to fight the overlong pieces.

CountryBoy19 said:

You probably aren't even a rocket scientist and you figured it out

I would say the handle part probably has a screw-on fitting for easy chalk refills or one of the joints isn't glued (just pressed together) so it can be taken apart.

You could even make it a bit longer than normal and just mark cut lengths out on the end that doesn't have the slit in it...

That being said: how far under max stove length does everybody cut their wood? Under ideal conditions you could cut it ~1/4" under but you would have to load really careful and be sure to cut really straight. I typically cut ~2" under max length. Is anybody cutting their wood closer to max length than that?

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My fire box is about 1 inch longer N/S than the stove manufacturer's recommended "best" length. If I mess up and cut a bit too long I can always go E/W another 4 inches.

18" long pc of welding wire soldered to a nut that i thread on to my bar stud.......simple, quick, cheap +/- 1/4"

Highbeam said:

I cut at exactly 16" which BTW is a standard length so if you need to lend someone some wood, sell it, or give it away, they won't have to fight the overlong pieces.

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"Standard"? What standard controls the length of firewood?

I could see "most common length"... that being said, I'm just messing around. My way of looking at it is, I don't sell wood. I'll happily help out a friend or family member that finds themselves in a pickle by giving them free wood. And because my wood is most likely too long for their stove they get to burn my punks, chunks, and uglies because that's the only thing that will fit. And I haven't had any of them complain. As a matter of fact, the guy that I gave a bunch to a few years ago came back to me last year and said he might need a little more but he wasn't going to let me give it to him for free. I got rid of my uglies (to a close friend) and I can burn all my long, nice stuff in my own stove...

18" is standard here....my son works for a company that has firewood processing equipment and that's what they consider "standard" as well.......I burn everything and anything that I process. I see guys become so selective in the woods. They want perfect cuts, splits, stacks and leave valuable remnants in the woods.......I take them and burn them........I'm far from proud when it comes to free heat.....there is always a way

I have the Mingo and it's one of the most important tools in the kit.

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.

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I free-cut also. I am pretty good at guessing 16-18" on logs up to 12". When they start getting to 24" diameter I start cutting narrower and end up with a lot of 12-14". I need to start cutting at 16-18". Stacking and loading would be much better if they were all even. I like the idea of marking the bar because I am always in too much of a hurry to tape and mark them.

Spencer tape and folding saw (Silky Pocketboy). My Spencer tape has 16" intervals marked for framing and on the back it has 10 cm. markings. 40 cm is almost exactly 16" also.

I use a stick and kids chalk. When I use my bar as a guide I sometimes get a few splits that are 19.5 inches instead of the desired 18. Its only a few per truck load but I still like my chalk.

all the wood I cut I give away, a few cords a year. if you complain about the length, no more free wood.

Mingo marker. Just wheel it down the log

CountryBoy19 said:

That being said: how far under max stove length does everybody cut their wood? Under ideal conditions you could cut it ~1/4" under but you would have to load really careful and be sure to cut really straight. I typically cut ~2" under max length. Is anybody cutting their wood closer to max length than that?

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With a 20" Max I like my like my logs 18", but I can also load logs <16" transversely which can be useful during a restart with low coals. So I shoot for 18" but anywhere between 15" and 20" is fine with me, which is easily within eyeball range. One of these days when I have my 3 year supply of wood built up I may start selling some, at which point I will probably be a little pickier.

20" stick in left hand, top handle saw in right. I can mark off a 20' log in seconds, and those marks are indelible kerfs for the big saw to use as a starting point.

I also use the guide bar as a gauge when bucking. That's how I was taught years ago. It's easy, fast and ya don't need to fuss with tree markers, rulers, spray paint or gadgets.

Good thing, too ~ with these bifocals, eyeballing cuts ain't even horseshoes and hand grenades anymore.

When I finish a cut I lay the saw sideways, bar against the log with the bumper dogs at the kerf. Swing the saw around and begin the next cut where the bar nose was. With an 18" bar, we get consistent 16" lengths every time. If you're running a longer bar, make an indelible mark on it.

I prefer consistency in length... have had stacks fall due to uneven split lengths in delivered loads. Dad used to say that there's never enough time to stack it right but there's always time to stack it over.

I use my bar sideways, I cut them at 24"( splitter opens up to 25 1/4" max).
After seeing this Mingo, I will be ordering one, slick tool for fast accurate cuts.

My almost current wood pile.

About 12 cord.

silverram323 said:

I use my bar sideways, I cut them at 24"( splitter opens up to 25 1/4" max).
After seeing this Mingo, I will be ordering one, slick tool for fast accurate cuts.

My almost current wood pile.

About 12 cord.

View attachment 160765

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Must be nice to have a large area to work. I'm on a 50X100 lot including house and shed. Things get a bit tight.

Don't worry, Dmitry, after cutting for over 30 years, you'll just trust your eyes.

bodhran said:

Must be nice to have a large area to work. I'm on a 50X100 lot including house and shed. Things get a bit tight.

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Yeah me as well. Nice stacks silverram.