Question about cutting wood

[Chad S.]

I have an unreal amount of wood availible to me from my employer. For 30 bucks (trucking) I can get a 30 yd roll-off (dumpster) of wood dumped at my house (mostly elm). There is always a HUGE (probably 20 ft tall, 20-30ft deep and 10-15 feet tall) in an area that needs to go bye bye (I work for a waste co. --Garbage Man-- and they are not allowed to put wood in the landfill so.............) Obviously its a no-brainer 30 bucks for 3-4 cords F-yeah!!. Question is: A lot of it is Huge nasty stuff about 3-6 feet in diameter with metal bands in it (it comes from the Milwaukee Forestry Dept). How hard and long would it take to chunk out the huge stuff with a 16-20" bar saw? Should I get a metal detector so I don't wreck the saw blade?
Also, the only person that took loads this year was a guy that we work with named "farmer". He took 16 loads and there is still a crapload to go around!! He always get the reasonably sized stuff cause he is a 30 year employee. Unfortunatley the general publiuc can't get these loads due to liability reasons but I can For now..........

 

[vwboomer]

Don't be afraid to drop a dumpster in my yard! You're a little far away tho.
I'd take it chains be damned. At least one load to get a taste for just how much crap is embedded in it.
But then, I don't generally have a source of wood so I'll take whatever I can get whenever I can get it.

 

[wood spliter]

I recommend getting a tool to roll the logs. It has a handle with a pick on the end and a hook to catch the wood. I can't think of the name but I will post it when I remember. I'm sure you will be needing to roll the big logs during the cutting process.

 

[charly]

Log Peavey ;-)

 

[flyingcow]

Seems to me, this gives you a very good excuse to but a bigger saw. Long blade, etc. Wood at that price would justify it. Make life easier.

A Timberwolf TW-6 would be a nice add on also, but maybe next year. Seriously, what have you got for a splitter? those sizes would be a bear to split by hand. Or pick up to put on a splitter, unless you have one that goes vertical.

Great score for wood. And yes a log peavey would be a must.

 

[Jack Straw]

I definitely see a splitter in your future. Either rented or owned.

 

[LLigetfa]

Log Peavey ;-)

or cant hook.

http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Cant_Hook_Versus_Peavey.html

 

[SolarAndWood]

Cutting a 6' diameter log with a 20" bar is going to get real old unless the middle third is rotten. All of my wood comes from the city with all kinds of metal perils in it. It is only a matter of time before you wreck your first chain and only a matter of time after that one of them takes a bar with it. But, I've processed about 40 cord of free wood and only lost 2 chains and a bar so far. Probably not worth the time or expense of a metal detector.

 

[drdoct]

Sounds like a great side business for you. I'm tempted everytime I see $100 a pickup load ads on craigslist because that $100 would actually pay for my equipment instead of indirectly paying by saving me money. I don't have enough to start selling though. Maybe soon. Don't worry about the metal... bet you don't get but maybe 1 or 2 in your whole time processing 30-40 cords. Chains aren't cheap, but they're not really that expensive either.

 

[Chad S.]

Mostly the wood is 3-4 feet with occasional giant logs. Ah, what am I worried about, I'll have 2 friends (one owns a 37 ton splitter!!) helping me anyway. Hopefully I can still get some in the spring otherwise i'll have to wait until fall.

 

[Chad S.]

Cutting a 6' diameter log with a 20" bar is going to get real old unless the middle third is rotten. All of my wood comes from the city with all kinds of metal perils in it. It is only a matter of time before you wreck your first chain and only a matter of time after that one of them takes a bar with it. But, I've processed about 40 cord of free wood and only lost 2 chains and a bar so far. Probably not worth the time or expense of a metal detector.

Thanks for the reply. I suppose if I get say, 10 cord for the cost of a couple bars and chains and fuel I'll be way ahead anyway. Thats like 30 bucks for a cord!!