chainsaws, chopping stacking and general firewood advice pls?

[bimble]

Anybody here got a proper woodpile ready for the winter?
Always love seeing a proper pile of logs, gives a feeling of comfort and security just to look at them and am wanting to make my own one now. Current state of things in pic below. It's piled in a corner of living room, liable at any moment to fall on the cat. Also its mostly from some giant slices of a fallen tree that I found under the house so its sort of cheating to use wood that belongs to the landlord and also whatever type of wood it is is not that great, takes a while to get going even though its really dry. Bought a chainsaw the other week but am thinking maybe you really need two people to use that safely which is not ideal. I'm in an actual forest and theres good fallen branches all around (ash and beech mostly) but wonder has anyone got any seasoned facepalmadvice for a newbie woodsperson to help me achieve the woodpile of my dreams or just an aspirational proper woodpile pic pls.

 

[Chilli.s]

Chainsaw possibly the most dangerous tool in the toolbox. Always check blade tension before use and use safety kit.

Yer woodpile looks great, well cut, nicely dry, top marks!

 

[Cid]

 

[Cid]

It's kind of a tricky one though, as you probably shouldn't wander round your local woods taking mature trees (or have you moved to the US or something?) and fallen stuff will only get you so far. Obviously green timber also needs seasoning. Chainsaws scare the shit out of me and you probably want an experienced user to supervise you to start... Protective clothing, secure working area, stuff like that.

I reckon that's a nice woodpile though, better than my efforts in previous workshop, which were just piles of wood and broken pallets. The cat will perch calmly on it for a bit, then - as it slowly topples - look slightly perturbed, leap gracefully to one side and stroll off to terrorise some voles.

 

[prunus]

This is a fantastic book. Recommend.

As well as a chainsaw you’ll want a splitting maul (axe) [though presumably you have one of these to make that pile?], and for kindling a hatchet. The book recommends makes for all of these things.

A thick slice of tree makes an ideal splitting anvil.

Chainsaws as has been said are hella dangerous. Get a good one (see book), and keep it maintained. A chain sharpener is essential. Ideally go on a chainsaw usage course (half day thing, explain the basics of how not to kill yourself (and use the thing efficiently)) - especially if you plan to fell trees - there are so many ways to die (and things that aren’t immediately intuitive - tensions in limbs and trunks for instance).

It’s an enormously satisfying thing to do (felling chopping splitting and drying your own wood).

Buy the book, go on course, buy the tools, chop the wood.

 

[DownwardDog]

I used to have a huge firewood operation going when we lived in Belgium. The novelty wears off after the first year then it's just backbreaking drudgery.

Top tips:

1. Buy a hydraulic log splitter. Splitting is more work than cutting.
2. Season firewood for at least a year in advance.
3. Use the log spikes on the chainsaw to take the weight when cutting. I didn't do this for years and cursed the weight of the fucking chainsaw until my neighbour put me right.
4. Buy a chain sharpening jig and use it very frequently!

 

[bimble]

Thanks people. Book is on its way now and will get the proper gloves and a visor before using the chainsaw again. Good to just have it confirmed that that thing really is bloody scary it's not just me.

 

[DownwardDog]

If you're into safety (I'm not) then chaps are the most important piece of equipment. They have fibres in them which will stall the saw before you cut your leg off.

 

[bimble]

i've just watched a youtube video of a man in a cowboy hat actually chainsawing his kevlar (?)-chaps coated legs. Not sure whether i really needed to see that or not but impressive.

 

[WouldBe]

Alternatively don't take the chainsaw to your leg in the first place.

 

[planetgeli]

I have a sledge axe



Bow saw and Stile hand saw. I gave up with the chainsaw after a couple of years. It broke and I always felt a milisecond away from losing a limb. I love burning wood, woodburner and open fire.

 

[pug]

I don't use the gloves as they never fit but the trousers definitely a must have and the helmet with the visor because getting a woodchip in the eye can be really painful and steel toecap boots.

 

[JimW]

Don't burn elder wood or a witch will sit on your chimney. Only piece of advice I ever got, so just passing it on.

 

[JuanTwoThree]

Think of how much wood you will need.

Triple that amount.

Triple it again.

Now add a bit.

 

[wiskey]

Think of how much wood you will need.

Triple that amount.

Triiple it again.

Now add a bit.

This!

I pay a bloke to deliver me wood to the woodstore at the bottom of the garden .... We always run out.

And just to echo the rest of the thread - chainsaws scare the crap out of me!

 

[mx wcfc]

Don't burn elder wood or a witch will sit on your chimney. Only piece of advice I ever got, so just passing it on.

"Elder be the Lady's tree, burn it not or cursed ye'll be."

 

[dessiato]

Chainsaws are dangerous as others have said. Get training and safety gear, and make sure you use it properly.

 

[Rebelda]

I would give my back teeth for a wood burner. One day

 

[mx wcfc]

Thread reminded me that one of my jobs today was “being in more firewood”..

ours arrives wood burner sized in a pallet based cube. I cut it in half and put a roof on it. The lumps on the right cane from a neighbour who got rid of an old tree stump. That lot needs a year before I burn it but it will need splitting.

 

[Chilli.s]

i've just watched a youtube video of a man in a cowboy hat actually chainsawing his kevlar (?)-chaps coated legs. Not sure whether i really needed to see that or not but impressive.

Yeah, the chainsaw trousers are a must. You can live without a few fingers but cut femoral artery is the end. This is supposedly the main cause of chainsaw fatalities.

 

[davesgcr]

Good points here all round - always check that the chainsaw is well lubricated. Makes a difference.

We do the sawing as a team - feeding and holding the wood , and sawing. If doing old house rafters etc , always check for nails. Over the years we have scrounged wood flooring and rafters etc from house renovations etc - and some of this old , bone dry wood burns really well - (Canadian Pine etc) - better cremated than ending up in a landfill or being chipped.

Always wear good strong gloves in case of "kick-back" , ditto stand well back when sawing.

I have a 2 year rolling plan with 2 seperate wood stacks. Creating the stacks is deeply satisfying - and I have seperate piles for "special event" wood for Xmas etc.

 

[bimble]

davesgcr go on whats in the special kept for best woodpile?

 

[JimW]

Sandalwood briquettes?

 

[kebabking]

davesgcr go on whats in the special kept for best woodpile?

Vegans and Jehovah's witnesses.

 

[davesgcr]

davesgcr go on whats in the special kept for best woodpile?

Big ,chunky bits of apple wood / oak / ash. Long burning with aromatic smells. Tend to bring in maybe 24 hours before use and stack on the top of the wood burner and you get that nice smell before fuelling.

As opposed to "run of the mill" pine / silver birch etc. All of which are decent. Sometimes a bit fast burning. Holly burns nicely - even buddleia if thick enough.

 

[davesgcr]

Vegans and Jehovah's witnesses.

Railway privatisers also

 

[bimble]

Just lit the stove.. my research suggests that sitting by a fire made of home made logs is approx 7 times more cosy than the stuff I used to buy on the internet before moving out here where there’s trees. : )

 

[JimW]

Just lit the stove.. my research suggests that sitting by a fire made of home made logs is approx 7 times more cosy than the stuff I used to buy on the internet before moving out here where there’s trees. : )

I lived in a caravan in the woods for a couple of years, never been cosier or slept better (burner properly damped down).

 

[davesgcr]

Just lit the stove.. my research suggests that sitting by a fire made of home made logs is approx 7 times more cosy than the stuff I used to buy on the internet before moving out here where there’s trees. : )

Pretty much every fire in the stove is different. Heat , combustion patterns. Ours is a Stovax - about 10 years old now and the best ever - it has an "air wash" facility for efficiency - and maybe every 3 days or so I brush the air vents at the back out , to expose the small holes and clean out ash , so you get really nice looking "wood-gas" jets coming through as well as the main burn.

I come from family links where my grandfather worked in Kensal Green Gas works pre 1914 - and then in a coal burning power station in the Swansea area in the 1920' and 1930's , so there are some genetical linkages I suppose.

Just don't burn anything with paint / creosote / glue - NDF crap. Wine corks are fine.

 

[davesgcr]

I lived in a caravan in the woods for a couple of years, never been cosier or slept better (burner properly damped down).

We took a stroll along the Grand Union canal earlier - good to see the residential narrow boats with (coal) fires going , - but some had "foraged" wood on top to eke out the purchased fuel. Tidy.