How do you measure your firewood length?

Just curious as to how other people measure their firewood when cutting it from log length. I try to cut my wood around 18" ( my furnace takes 20") so I have a little wiggle room. The bar on my saw is 18" so I just use that as a gauge. I've seen people use a story stick and a hatchet to mark every piece exactly....I'm not that anal I guess. What do other people do?

From the tip of the bar to a black mark on the saw to the length you want.
After a while you don't need anything you can just tell.

I just mark the saw, 22", and cut. My neighbor sells fire wood and uses a 2x4 cut to length. He has more patience the me.
Ed

Using your bar as a guide is a pretty simple way to do it but after a while you'll realize that it doesn't make that much difference if it's a little short.I have 2 different size wood burners so I burn the shorter pieces in one and bigger pieces in the other.If I have some real small pieces,I burn them during the day and safe the pieces that fit right so I can stack them full at night.

measure?

I've stared at the inside of my stove so often I can eyeball everything fairly well. I usually alternate on size when bucking - 2 logs long for E-W splits, then 1 log short for N-S splits.

It depends. If I'm cutting up logs I just eyeball it. But often I cut up butt-ends and being shorter and fatter they are tricky to eyeball, so I use a tape measure.

For big pieces I sometimes use the bar as a guide, but mostly I eyeball it. A little short is OK, a little long is a pain.

Three ways.
1 From the tip of my bar to the handle on the side.
2 From the 20 inch spacing of the legs on my bucking horse.
3 From the notches every 20 inches on my 80 inch measuring stick.

bar and eye

almost never judge a round too long
happens all the time with branches


anything too long goes in a basket/barrel for donations

By eye only and I'm always within an inch.

Same here!

I have found a method that produces consistent results without that much effort:

I purchases some lumber crayons from Baileys and simply tied a 16" long piece of string to it and on the other end I tied a long dry wall screw. I place the screw at one end of the log and pull the string tight and make a mark with the crayon. I then put the screw on the mark and keep going all the way down the log. When I get to the end of the log I simply bunch it up and put in the pocket of my sweatshirt. I have made up about 4 or 5 of these and have them in all my work close pockets so they are always handy when I need them. I only cut my wood to one length, but it would be easy enough to use different color crayons to be able to quickly tell them apart. It is simple, light weight, fits in any pocket, and a box of lumber crayons will last a LIFETIME.

If I have a lot of logs to cut, I start out using the bar of my saw......but after a while I just eyeball it, and it seems to come out just fine.

Any time I put a sharp pointy screw in my pocket, the point always finds itself embedded under a fingernail when I put my hand in my pocket.

I used to use a lumber crayon and a 20 inch long stick but got tired of bending over. Remember those over-sized compasses they had in school for drawing circles on the chalkboard? Make a compass like that to hold two lumber crayons and just "walk" it down the log. A lot less bending and you make two marks at once.

I lay down a pair of skids and roll out a dozen or so logs, aligning their butts. I then lay down my notched stick on one and score parallel lines across the tops of the logs and go to it.

What? Nobody uses the rolling spray paint dot contraption? That thing was slick looking.

I use a straight alder branch that was cut to length with a tape measure. The branch is easy to lose so I make a few. My chainsaw is slow to cut so I can spend a bit of time to make sure the cut is in the right place.


I cut 18" long for my stove that is supposed to take 21" wood.

That's great when you're cutting for yourself but the guys I've watched, when they cut that way to sell, the truth comes out and +/- two or three inches is not acceptable to some people.

If you cut the same a few thousand times you get pretty good at it never had a cord refused yet!

I had two specific local people in mind. Nothing personal to the rest of ya's.

I suppose it would work but might be a pita if using a sawbuck: http://www2.northerntool.com/logging/chain-accessories/item-11800.htm

Why would you recommend such garbage? Did you read the reviews or even look to see what it was rated?
You must sell this crap ehh?

I have used the bar on my chainsaw as a guide. The last bunch of logs I cut, I used a scrap piece of wood 15 " long to measure my cuts. I'm stacking it three deep on some standard pallets which works out perfect. I'm working on next years supply.
Jim

My stove will only take 16",17" max,most stuff I can eyeball but the larger logs are more difficult so I cut a few 15" 1x1 sticks and painted them orange (so I don't loose them).I simply lay the stick on the log and cut beyond the end.

Screw that plastic thing, it breaks! I made this out of some scrap steel laying around, and welded it up! It measures 18" from end to end. I hold it with both hands on the top two end pices, and the oposite ends are sharp. I set it on the log, and scratch, move it down and scratch. The scratch mark doesn't wash off, and it is accurate, and it will cost u nothing. I painted it orange so when u set it down in the woods, you will find it!

Where the **** in my post did I recommend it ? I just put up related info. for the original poster.

Unacceptable language deleted, following temper tantrum replies deleted! - Moderator