I barely got my cord plus with a fresh full chisel Oregon tonight and even then it was ugly. I knocked the dirt off the logs where I was cutting that I could but it certainly wouldn't have passed a white glove test. Any recommendations?
Chain recommendations for cutting bulldozer piled wood
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smokinj
Minister of Fire
simi chisel would be the best bang for the buck...But I would bring a dozen full chisel chains and just let the good times roll! (kinda like a gun and ammo do not run out) lol
LLigetfa
Minister of Fire
Borrow a chainsaw from someone you don't like. Buy them a 12-pack after you return it. Make 'em drink half of it , then cut something- "WHAT- you can't cut that!, You are gonna need a new chain!"- works on occasion, don't ask.
savageactor7
Minister of Fire
Pretty much any chain will dull cutting that dirty wood...maybe a stump vice for more frequent sharpening will prove useful. Anyway good luck with that pile S&W
ironpony
Minister of Fire
go to lowes and buy a bunch of 2pack chains
burn them up and throw them away
around here the 2 pack is about 16 dollars
burn them up and throw them away
around here the 2 pack is about 16 dollars
zzr7ky
Minister of Fire
- Jun 12, 2006
- 1,053
Hi -
I keep any old, abused, or 'safety chain aside for such occasions. If you don't have low value chains then I would just keep the file handy and file a stroke or 2 every tank of fuel or so.
I've also been known to 'pop' the bark off really dirty or rocky bark when the trees are letting go of the bark relatively easily. While we don't like cutting dirty stuff, when you're on the clock with tat type of work it is not oncommon. Just do it.
I keep any old, abused, or 'safety chain aside for such occasions. If you don't have low value chains then I would just keep the file handy and file a stroke or 2 every tank of fuel or so.
I've also been known to 'pop' the bark off really dirty or rocky bark when the trees are letting go of the bark relatively easily. While we don't like cutting dirty stuff, when you're on the clock with tat type of work it is not oncommon. Just do it.
zzr7ky said:
+1 When I picked up my MS170 on CL for a little bit of nothing it had the safety chain on it. The first thing I did was take that bar/chain off, but I keep it around just for the dirty jobs.
It also came with 3 brand new safety chains, still not sure what to do with those. Thought about maybe taking them to the local dealer and seeing what he would give me on trade for them.
Ran into the same situation with logs on my own property, years ago. If you have an way to bring a water supply, pressure wash the logs. My neighbor had the same situation years later. Had three dumpster loads of free locust dropped off, full of dirt. he spent more time sharpening then he did cutting. He finally got the pressure washer out and then cut away. I agree 100%, stihl chains do hold a good edge when hitting small sections of dirt. A logger I talked to said he use to plunge cut dirty logs , cutting the whole inside and then come out of the wood at the end, otherwise he said he'd get no production, he'd be swaping chains or sharpening too often. You have to be careful plunge cutting if you never did it before. Myself I'd try to wash them somehow. Good luck!
I've also had good luck doing something similar to plunge cutting. Find a clean spot to begin your cut on the log and then work your way around it ensuring that the chain is exiting the wood anywhere there is dirt on the exterior. Doing it this way normally knocks little pieces of the dirty bark off the tree before the chain contacts the dirt. It's far from perfect, you'll still do a number on your chain just because it's not always possible to do it that way, but it's better than just cutting straight into dirty wood.xclimber said:
Thanks guys, I'll order some semi chisel for the next time. I'll sharpen some of the full chisels out of the discard pile. Hopefully, I'll get a few more loads out of there before it turns into a free for all this weekend. For those that demand proof that it happened, its the smaller diameter stuff in the foreground.
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gpcollen1
Minister of Fire
That is one of the reasons I have 3 chains for my Husky. You never know when you will hit some dirt or dirty wood. I bring all 3 chains with me when i go out with the saw. I drop them off for sharpening ASAP after they are off the saw and pick them up on Saturday.
Hey Blimp, I've been in Saco all week, vacation, great weather
That's what I say. Pressure wash and save some major time fooling with chains. Plus the dirt doesn't stop at the cutters, it loves the bar oil and eats everything else up too.
That's what I say. Pressure wash and save some major time fooling with chains. Plus the dirt doesn't stop at the cutters, it loves the bar oil and eats everything else up too.
I have a decent pressure washer, I guess I could put a pond liner in the trailer. The steel goes up 2', so I could probably take about 500 gallons with me.
lowroadacres
Minister of Fire
I too have gutted it out on bulldozer piles of wood. We finally got to the point where we would use a loader tractor and a cable and loop top drag wood out a few days before cutting it..... And then pray for a rain!
The other members are right though in recommending using up old chains and going at it in a way that lets you treat them as throwaways.
We don't live anywhere near where bush is being cleared by dozer anymore so it isn't an issue currently.
The other members are right though in recommending using up old chains and going at it in a way that lets you treat them as throwaways.
We don't live anywhere near where bush is being cleared by dozer anymore so it isn't an issue currently.
There are closer, easier and cleaner sources of wood. I can be patient as I am just about done with the 2012 wood.
LLigetfa
Minister of Fire
Back in my pipelining days I did a lot of cleanup work of dozer pushed wood and went through lots of bars and chains. The money though really made up for it. Also, in the old days we skidded out all the wood and it got real dirty at times.
Most large operations use modern harvesting techniques and don't skid anymore. They cut with feller/bunchers and haul the wood out with forwarders. Now when I buy wood, I specify only Winter cut logs that haven't been skidded through mud. I can buck up 6 cord now on a single filing.
I had an old stiff broom that I used to sweep off logs before bucking them. A pressure washer would be good too if one is close enough to a source of water. Peeling off dirty bark is also an option.
Most large operations use modern harvesting techniques and don't skid anymore. They cut with feller/bunchers and haul the wood out with forwarders. Now when I buy wood, I specify only Winter cut logs that haven't been skidded through mud. I can buck up 6 cord now on a single filing.
I had an old stiff broom that I used to sweep off logs before bucking them. A pressure washer would be good too if one is close enough to a source of water. Peeling off dirty bark is also an option.
Hey Rich. I crack them all in half even though they are about my ideal split size 8x8. Seem to dry better, stack easier, load easier etc.
SolarAndWood said:
Amen to that.Though I'd still be tempted to put 4 or 5 of those round on the bottom for that good long long burn.
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Pee on the spot where you wish to cut. Drink lots of beer before so your bladder works overtime, just don't drink too much. One could always do the drinking and peeing one day and the cutting the next....
No beer Sav, have to drive home. And the neighbors in their new houses might be offended enough to call local law enforcement. As I was cutting until dusk, I thought they were going to call them anyway. Felt good about not going back and wrecking any more chains with my maple score last night. Didn't even have to start the saws for it.
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