I’m just getting started doing my own. My buddy who’s been in the tree business for years recommended a Granberg. It’s kind of a contraption but works pretty good. The operator (me) needs more practice with it. About $90 from Bailey’s.
Maggie’s The Woodchuck and Firewood Hoarders Thread
- Thread starter bogeybrown
- Start date
I always see the electric sharpeners for about $50 more, do any of you use them?
Someone on here purchased one a few pages back. My Stihl shop has an automated one that’s fun to watch. It’s $20K...
Watching all of the Guilty of Treeson youtube channel I posted a while ago he gets stuff from Madsen Chainsaw. Haven't called them or anything but they seem to be a good resource that sells all types of chainsaw stuff including grinders.
Hand filing round
Hand filing square
Machine grinding square
Simple shorter guide by someone else for hand filing.
Hand filing round
Hand filing square
Machine grinding square
Simple shorter guide by someone else for hand filing.
The third video is a very good example of how to set up a chain.
I don't sharpen my stuff anymore because I don't cut enough wood.
I do have 10 sharp chains on hand for emergencies or just because.
I do like an aggressive chain,something that will throw matchbook sized chips.
Go to Madsen Chainsaw website and look in the photo collection, WOW.
There are a few oldschool McCullough Pro's doing some big work.
I don't sharpen my stuff anymore because I don't cut enough wood.
I do have 10 sharp chains on hand for emergencies or just because.
I do like an aggressive chain,something that will throw matchbook sized chips.
Go to Madsen Chainsaw website and look in the photo collection, WOW.
There are a few oldschool McCullough Pro's doing some big work.
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The websites and videos have a bunch of good info. I am looking for a electric sharpener, I cut a lot of wood and it takes too much time doing it by hand. Had the local shop do the last batch of chains and the new kid wacked the shit out of them, after waiting 2 1/2 weeks they are worthless. Need to invest in one but there are so many it's hard to tell.
Thanks for the input so far, figured putting out so feelers would help. The last wind storm blew down about 47 big firs so I will be cutting for a while
Thanks for the input so far, figured putting out so feelers would help. The last wind storm blew down about 47 big firs so I will be cutting for a while
You can hand sharpen a blade while you are getting sharpening jigs and machines set up. Takes about 5 min for one of the shorter chains and you can feel if the depth guides need filing. Plus the chains last longer because you aren't taking as much material off. Unless you've let it get dust dull or hit something, all it takes is 3-4 swipes with the file per tooth.
Get yourself one of these and learn to use it
www.oregonproducts.com
This will take most of the work out of filing in the field
www.oregonproducts.com
Get yourself one of these and learn to use it
File Guide with File, 5/32" | Oregon Products
Assembled 5/32 inch file guide including one round file and one wooden handle. Get product specs at OregonProducts.com.
This will take most of the work out of filing in the field
Filing Vise | Oregon Products
Re all of the chainsaw sharpening questions this page has lots of good explanations of what to do and the why's with lots of good pictures. They also go into chain types, bars, sprockets, maintenance of these, and other stuff. If you're more if the reading than watching sometimes rambling people this is more up your alley.
Guide Bar & Saw Chain Menu
A menu of topics on guide bars and saw chain for pro saw users.
www.madsens1.com
I'm getting through my firewood. got the cutting done, splitting now, stacking soon.
I just freehand the sharpening, with a round file in the blade, and a flat file on the depth gauge.
I just freehand the sharpening, with a round file in the blade, and a flat file on the depth gauge.
Old oak died over a year ago and I dropped it last fall. Stump has a 290 w a 20” bar for perspective
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Here's what I want to do.
Since I retired I started to use my saw more again.
I been looking at a lot of companies that came out of this thread.
I have a Husqvarna 350 "Class of 2007" and I'd like to put a new jug and piston in it to freshen it up.
Madison's has high quality kits, how far can you normally go up on these big bore kits before everything else changes?
I want a reliable saw no if ands or buts,so would it be abnormal to go 5 to 10 CC's over stock?
My saw runs pretty good but has cut a shit load of wood over the years but it has also sat for the last 3-4 years
It's Not like I can't afford a new saw or several, I just like my 350
Since I retired I started to use my saw more again.
I been looking at a lot of companies that came out of this thread.
I have a Husqvarna 350 "Class of 2007" and I'd like to put a new jug and piston in it to freshen it up.
Madison's has high quality kits, how far can you normally go up on these big bore kits before everything else changes?
I want a reliable saw no if ands or buts,so would it be abnormal to go 5 to 10 CC's over stock?
My saw runs pretty good but has cut a shit load of wood over the years but it has also sat for the last 3-4 years
It's Not like I can't afford a new saw or several, I just like my 350
View from the office today. Getting the rounds split up.
Had a 32” poplar blow down and it took this pine with it. Only 9” or so across but check out the grain. I stopped counting around 100 rings. The rings that look like a single big ring are really about 10 to 15 rings. It’s at the mill now. Can’t wait to see it 1/4 sawn.
ok ok...
im not making this up, i fucking swear...
you know we sell firewood and wood slabs, right?
folks come in and look and touch and ask all kinds of questions, cool. they tell me what they want to make out of the slabs, blah blah blah...
well, i just sold 6 slabs worth 270 bucks and the clowns told me that they were going to make them into bondage boards...
i need to puke
im not making this up, i fucking swear...
you know we sell firewood and wood slabs, right?
folks come in and look and touch and ask all kinds of questions, cool. they tell me what they want to make out of the slabs, blah blah blah...
well, i just sold 6 slabs worth 270 bucks and the clowns told me that they were going to make them into bondage boards...
i need to puke
Good to see you guys wearing head protection while cutting. I wear it when I cut 99.99% of the time.....but you know, it only takes one time to get hurt.
I was trimming out some dead fall from a storm at the farm and didn’t have my hard hat with me. While cutting a branch with my pole saw I hadn’t noticed the vines weaving throughout the branches. When I cut through one branch it brought this one down with it.
It caught me directly across the top of my head, pushing my head down to my right shoulder. Best I could tell it fell from about 15’ which meant about a 9’ fall before making contact.
Why I didn’t get hurt any more than I did is a mystery. Neck muscles on the left side were sore for about a week but that was the only long term pain.
I know I got extremely lucky and will not ever cut without head protection again.
I was trimming out some dead fall from a storm at the farm and didn’t have my hard hat with me. While cutting a branch with my pole saw I hadn’t noticed the vines weaving throughout the branches. When I cut through one branch it brought this one down with it.
It caught me directly across the top of my head, pushing my head down to my right shoulder. Best I could tell it fell from about 15’ which meant about a 9’ fall before making contact.
Why I didn’t get hurt any more than I did is a mystery. Neck muscles on the left side were sore for about a week but that was the only long term pain.
I know I got extremely lucky and will not ever cut without head protection again.
Too often, folks thing "I'm tough" and don't need that PPE shit.
Face-guards,
Helmets,
Bucker's Pants,
Gloves,
Hearing Protection,
They ALL exist for a reason. And on top of that, ya'll know what a saw can do in a millisecond. Thing is, stuff can't get 'un-cut' no matter how hard you wish. Or Pray. Or even BEG.
Keep your shit together, wear your PPE. If you don't have it, then GET IT.
Face-guards,
Helmets,
Bucker's Pants,
Gloves,
Hearing Protection,
They ALL exist for a reason. And on top of that, ya'll know what a saw can do in a millisecond. Thing is, stuff can't get 'un-cut' no matter how hard you wish. Or Pray. Or even BEG.
Keep your shit together, wear your PPE. If you don't have it, then GET IT.
I built a storage shed for my smoking wood yesterday. I need to finish the roof, chop up and stack some pecan wood I got last weekend 
PPE is for pussies. It’s hot, it’s heavy, it slows productivity, etc...
I wear it all the time. My cutting britches and helmet are beat to shit, but I’m not.
back on the wood pile, any of you guys out there want a job or has kids that want a job splitting, come running, ill put you on the books at 15, a guy who can run a saw and throw the rounds in a pile and not act like a pussy, ill put you on the books at 20
I would love to burn a week vaca and just spend time running a saw, sweating, and being sore.
I do miss cutting all that wood for hours on end. Exhausting, but darn good times.
I do miss cutting all that wood for hours on end. Exhausting, but darn good times.
Yup. And you can/will eat like you’re 18 again.
I’m old, so you better start me at 15 cash. If I can hang, I’ll take the 20
Barely got started today with light rain in the forecast. Burned through a tank of gas just to get enough weight on the ass end to get me out of there. Nice Black Cherry though courtesy of the derecho.
PSA for guys getting started. Big, heavy, trees hit the ground hard. Squish you like a bug/dead hard. This tree center punched a steel fence post/T post and drove it into the ground square and plumb. It’s less than 12” high now. I’ve never seen anything like it. Tree was 16”-18” DBA and 50’+ tall.
Good PSA @tnichols
I probably have said this and will dog pile on to the safety talk and say it again. Carry a Tourniquet on your belt. Has to be able to be reached by both hands.
I believe the CAT gen 7 is the easiest to run 1 handed. This or the SOF-T wide. Dont buy a knock-off for cheap.
I have seen more than 1 instance of where the tourniquet saved a life (last pics I got were from just east of Des Moines from the derecho clean-up) and I have more than a couple stories of guys who perished from seemingly small lacerations that hit arteries, but didn't have a real tourniquet.
I probably have said this and will dog pile on to the safety talk and say it again. Carry a Tourniquet on your belt. Has to be able to be reached by both hands.
I believe the CAT gen 7 is the easiest to run 1 handed. This or the SOF-T wide. Dont buy a knock-off for cheap.
I have seen more than 1 instance of where the tourniquet saved a life (last pics I got were from just east of Des Moines from the derecho clean-up) and I have more than a couple stories of guys who perished from seemingly small lacerations that hit arteries, but didn't have a real tourniquet.
I’m old, so you better start me at 15 cash. If I can hang, I’ll take the 20
You can hang, I know it.
Well start ya at 17.5.
We've got a small ranch a little north of here and yearly we take the leaners on the fence line down. I remove the wire but leave the t poles. I've never driven a t pole that far in. But, it's scary the force of a log coming down
Just took in anouther 50 yard truck full.
These guys are great.
These guys are great.
Helping a neighbor split today. Found some bar chain getters...
Now, is/was that all 'innocuous' in the sense that someone used the tree as a fence-post, OR, is any of that a typical "spiking" type of thing? Those 3 nails together look to me to be something attached on purpose, like a swing, or something.
The wind storms hit here in south central Washington hard on Fathers Day weekend. I have over 60 big firs down that I know of so far. Just limbing/cutting the ones off my fences and trails so far. I'm sure there are more to found if I get the time to look. One drove down my swinging plate rack from the lumber companies land and I haven't found the last leg yet One fence post was blasted into bits.
Wood won't be ready to burn till next year so I am cutting them into 11' pieces and bringing them down on the forks of my tractor at 3-4 at a time. Slow process by my self.
Starting to stack them off the ground (pallets on the bottom) under a utility shed roof out back to season. Just was out yesterday limbing and pulling them out and of course I find another two leaners that I had to drop too.
One fence post was blasted into bits.Wood won't be ready to burn till next year so I am cutting them into 11' pieces and bringing them down on the forks of my tractor at 3-4 at a time. Slow process by my self.
Starting to stack them off the ground (pallets on the bottom) under a utility shed roof out back to season. Just was out yesterday limbing and pulling them out and of course I find another two leaners that I had to drop too.
Typical yard tree. Full of metal. Hang a sign, string an electrical/phone line, etc...
Helping a local tree service as we’re slow at my day job. Getting saws ready this morning. Run this all day and I’ll shake your hand and call you sir...
I'd be happy taking a healthy poo.
It's been wacked since I finished chemo in the spring
I'm about caught up on firewood for this winter. Just in time too, looks like we'll get 6-12" tomorrow night, and temps dipping below zero.
I hate people that have perfectly stacked wood! It triggers me! I want to kick down your piles!!!!!!!!!!!I'm about caught up on firewood for this winter. Just in time too, looks like we'll get 6-12" tomorrow night, and temps dipping below zero.
You, you, perfect piller!
I hate people that have perfectly stacked wood! It triggers me! I want to kick down your piles!!!!!!!!!!!
You, you, perfect piller!
He did stack the wood perfectly but it did lack in artistic arrangement so his score is 7.5
Year after year, his stacks are perfect. Nice work.I'm about caught up on firewood for this winter. Just in time too, looks like we'll get 6-12" tomorrow night, and temps dipping below zero.
At my parent place- can’t find the saws so I picked up a little electric for some yard work
I don’t think they have used the saws in a long time. Last time I ran one of theirs was 1998. Electric worked for a smaller apricot tree and some other nonsense.
I more frustrated that I can’t find their sharpening tool set.
somewhere we have a file guide that helps with the process
what do you all use to sharpen the chains?
I don’t think they have used the saws in a long time. Last time I ran one of theirs was 1998. Electric worked for a smaller apricot tree and some other nonsense.
I more frustrated that I can’t find their sharpening tool set.
somewhere we have a file guide that helps with the process
what do you all use to sharpen the chains?
put a deposit down on the stihl ms500i in 25 inch. arrives mid december cause no one has any in stock.
anyone have any experience with the ms500i? looks the goods, but my experience is limited to husky.
anyone have any experience with the ms500i? looks the goods, but my experience is limited to husky.
Above mentioned tree service is getting one as well. I’ll report back once we have the chance to use it some.
I have a 15 or so year old MS480.
I am a dumb homeowner that buys shit way over the capabilities Ill likely ever need.
That 480 rips but it is a weighty beast. It works me out as much as I work it.
On occasion Ill have a tree fall in the adjacent conservation land that I cut/clean up to be my chimenea pile.
Chips fly.
I get most use on my camping trips clearing around the camp as well as trail cutting to get in.
Chips fly.
Cant recommend enough using Stihl fuel or True Gas.
Couple pulls, a burp on the DeCompressor, kick up the choke, next pull I am in command of the master of wood.