Question for people buying log length firewood-

[MarcM]

Often times the only sources for log length firewood are land clearers and loggers, who more often than not skid their logs after they're harvested.

I'm concerned about bucking logs full of dirt, and the amount of chains I'd go through in the process. For anyone that buys log length currently- do you find you can wash the dirt off with a hose or pressure washer enough so it doesn't eat your chain to buck the logs or does it get too ground into the bark... if so how else would you deal with it?

Thanks for the help.

 

[grizzly2]

I bought logs once. They were full of dirt. My usual chopped, split and delivered wood supplier also got logs that were full of mud. They bought a pressure washer to wash the logs. It worked well, but they hated the extra work. You can't wash they hole pile at once. You would have to wash the top layer, let it dry, saw those up, then wash the next layer etc.

I have cut standing wood, on a leased wood lot that was a lot less work than that. I also found sawing logs dumped in a pile to be a real pain from an acces and safety standpoint due to potential of kickback when your saw tip grabs an ajoining log. I would take a pile of hardwood muddy logs for free, but that is about all. %-P

 

[MarcM]

Well, there aren't too many options... aside from getting a good source a guess that keeps the skidding to a minimum.

The other option is to see if you can get them from an arborist, but even then.... they take trees from people's yards a lot and those are often full of metal treasures waiting to be discovered by an unfortunate chain.

 

[savageactor7]

All week long I've been cutting through ice encrusted muddy logs...I hated to do that but made the decision that production came first. True mud will dull a chain but its really the rocks you have to worry about. I cut about 25 FC's a year and maybe will go through two 20" chains a year.

 

[Stevebass4]

haven't had any problems with my log length it's all clean. the only issue i ever had was one log full of metal

the guy just dropped off a load today

 

[michaelthomas]

The load that I got was not muddy at all as I got it in the dead of winter and the ground was snow covered and any signs of mud had been gone many months before. I could see that as being a problem with spring and summer cut loads.

 

[chad3]

Let it rain for a few times, should wash off most of the dirt.
Just a thought.
Chad

 

[Henz]

yeah, most of my firewood logs are cut right about now. Expecting my load to be delivered in a week or so..I wil post pics!