Splits too long
- Thread starter cbscout
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If going corded I would forget The 14 ga. cord. Of course you can calculate the amps and cord length but sticking with 12 ga will generally provide needed power as you add lengths.
A reciprocating saw would be cheaper, safer, and faster than a chainsaw.
also, if your "face cord" ( a unit of measure that really doesn't exist, btw) consists of wood longer than 16", then you got more wood than you paid for. Excellent!
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also, if your "face cord" ( a unit of measure that really doesn't exist, btw) consists of wood longer than 16", then you got more wood than you paid for. Excellent!
Thanks - will the reciprocating saw cut through just as easily?
If only my insert took 19-20” splits! 😎
EbS-P
Minister of Fire
It’s probably the slowest of any of the options but it’s easy to operate.
Thanks, EbS-P. I was wondering what the speed and efficiency of the Sawzall would be like.
Please dont buy a reciprocating saw. Have you ever used one? You will be cutting your firewood up for 12 years. Id sooner SELL what I had and get properly sized wood than use a reciprocating saw lol.
Use a mitre chop saw and just RIP through those logs. Miter saw will take 2-3 seconds if you slowly go through them, the reciprocating saw will take like 30 seconds or more, and how are you going to hold said log while using the reciprocating saw? You dont. A miter saw you hold the log with one hand and chop down with the other.
Or get a chainsaw, it will create more sawdust but is quick. Problem is you need some sort of jig like people are showing to hold the log while you cut it. I 'solved' my problem by bundling about 15 pieces together in a big ratchet strap in the middle, flipped the bundle on the side, then just started carefully cutting pieces. I wasnt leaning over the saw as I was cutting on my knees with a good arm extension and stiff arms to ensure kickback was mitigated. I havent used chainsaws a ton, but have done so for many years. Ive only had a few 'scares' whereas the saw jumped on me and that's usually when Im tired or I get the saw bound up as a long log starts to fold in on my blade.
Simonkenton
Minister of Fire
I would not buy a Sawzall for this project. Safe and easy to use but slow.
I had to cut flush a roof overhang , 24' length, with about 6 layers of shingles on it. Yes, 6 layers. That includes the rafters and plywood. I went through 10 'sawzall' blades. Those shingles absolutely destroy blades as you can imagine. I really considered using a chainsaw, I really did.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Late to the party, but 2 face cords isn't but an hour of work with the right tools. I had 30 full cords of split wood too long, when I switched from Jotuls to BKs in 2015. I built a jig, featured in at least a few past threads in this forum, which would allow me to cut 1/8th of a cord in a single swipe. Big saw required, I was using an old 064 AV.
There may be better photos of it loaded up and working in the archives of this forum, here's the only one I could find real quick:
This was just made from scraps I had laying around. It was chewed up enough after the first 15 cords, and I had developed enough new ideas about how to build and use this rig, that I made an improved "version 2.0" for the second or third year I was doing this process (10 cords per year, and I had the obligatory 3 years-worth CSS'd). For anyone copying this to process any real volume of wood, then it goes without saying that all joinery near the chain needs to be wood-doweled and not nailed, as you will be chewing into it over time. Go ahead and use your pneumatic nailer or the stuff not near the action.
Oh, and make it at least a few inches narrower than the length of your saw, to keep the bar tip out of the action, as all sorts of funny binding can happen when splits are stacked together like this. I built mine to 2' internal width, which gave me 27" OD on my 28" bar, but the farthest splits were only 25.5" from the dogs, nowhere near the sprocket tip.
There may be better photos of it loaded up and working in the archives of this forum, here's the only one I could find real quick:
This was just made from scraps I had laying around. It was chewed up enough after the first 15 cords, and I had developed enough new ideas about how to build and use this rig, that I made an improved "version 2.0" for the second or third year I was doing this process (10 cords per year, and I had the obligatory 3 years-worth CSS'd). For anyone copying this to process any real volume of wood, then it goes without saying that all joinery near the chain needs to be wood-doweled and not nailed, as you will be chewing into it over time. Go ahead and use your pneumatic nailer or the stuff not near the action.
Oh, and make it at least a few inches narrower than the length of your saw, to keep the bar tip out of the action, as all sorts of funny binding can happen when splits are stacked together like this. I built mine to 2' internal width, which gave me 27" OD on my 28" bar, but the farthest splits were only 25.5" from the dogs, nowhere near the sprocket tip.
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I tried to shorten some splits with a miter saw. It worked ok for a while. But a miter saw isn't made to cut firewood. Eventually, the blade got caught and boom the wood was flying through the air - never again, very dangerous. Chainsaws are made to cut thick irregular wood. Build a jig like the ones shown.
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That's why you have to make sure your wood is against the fence, and if you are using a small miter saw then yes that will happen. Happens even with larger ones when Im cutting 4x4 posts and only need to trim it a bit. Nothing like a 4" piece of wood flying through the sky.
I do ALOT of paneling and have been tired cutting a say, 12" to 9", and not holding the piece very firm with the left hand cutting with the right and the whole piece picks up and pulls up into the saw. There is a thick metal guard Ive watched get destroyed because of this.
I absolutely would build a jig if I had alot of wood to cut up. I often get 18-24" pieces and just use my method of bundling it and chainsawing, but I might have two bundles to do and I can usually get that done in 20 minutes.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Hardly rocket science!
I got the idea from some other past members here. I did fail to mention that I'd lay a 2" ratchet strap on the ground before putting this rig atop it, so that I could draw the strap up around the bundle to hold everything tight together while cutting. If you don't do that, the first few splits at the top of the bunch can jump around a bit, as you're getting started.
thewoodlands
Minister of Fire
I forgot the camera yesterday when I cut down a trailer load of pine we put in before the rain today, I've been using one bungee cord but will start using two, one in the front and back.
I'll get a picture tomorrow before I start working.
BrownT10
Burning Hunk
Is this a trick question? Lol. I ran into the same scenario last year. I have a sawhorse and my wife put each piece on and I cut the ends off and burned them. It goes pretty quick. Don't overcomplicate it.
Simonkenton
Minister of Fire
Stelcom66
Minister of Fire
I use a chop saw often, recently put a new blade on it. It's fine for small diameter cuts or cutting a jagged/irregular end so it's flat so it could set upright to be split, or set in the kindling cracker. Mine is usually in the garage. The only thing is, tons of sawdust.
thewoodlands
Minister of Fire
Sorry for the delay @cbscout , I had a deer tick get me last Sunday morning and even though they didn't think I would get Lyme disease from it, they put me on Doxycycline. Being in the sun did bother me so I took some days off from being outside.
This is the small stand I made for cutting down some wood.
This is the small stand I made for cutting down some wood.
Sounds good, then. I can't afford to be cutting it forever, and then I'll have the chainsaw around for when I need it again.
Please dont buy a reciprocating saw. Have you ever used one? You will be cutting your firewood up for 12 years. Id sooner SELL what I had and get properly sized wood than use a reciprocating saw lol.
Use a mitre chop saw and just RIP through those logs. Miter saw will take 2-3 seconds if you slowly go through them, the reciprocating saw will take like 30 seconds or more, and how are you going to hold said log while using the reciprocating saw? You dont. A miter saw you hold the log with one hand and chop down with the other.
Or get a chainsaw, it will create more sawdust but is quick. Problem is you need some sort of jig like people are showing to hold the log while you cut it. I 'solved' my problem by bundling about 15 pieces together in a big ratchet strap in the middle, flipped the bundle on the side, then just started carefully cutting pieces. I wasnt leaning over the saw as I was cutting on my knees with a good arm extension and stiff arms to ensure kickback was mitigated. I havent used chainsaws a ton, but have done so for many years. Ive only had a few 'scares' whereas the saw jumped on me and that's usually when Im tired or I get the saw bound up as a long log starts to fold in on my blade.
Wow, Ashful. Pretty cool. I'm going to take a couple ideas from this jig, too when I put mine together. You made pretty quick work of that.
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Hope you are doing ok and are feeling better.
Awesome. My stand will be about the same size. I see how you kept that stand off the ground. I remember when I was first thinking about building it several weeks back, I didn't think about building it so it was up higher off the ground. Hadn't considered yet that running a chainsaw into the dirt might be a possibility. Then I started watching videos on running a chainsaw and saw that would be a real issue. LOL
