Chainsaws

[RETIRED]

Careful... female woody speaking here, lol

Oops.

[Black Cat]

I prefer autumn tones lol, but yes, a sound idea - one I will pursue locally. Thanks!

[Black Cat]

lol @ !!

[DJ’s Timber]

Oops.

[Black Cat]

Oh now that's just plain mean!!! lol

[Black Cat]

Getting back to DZCook's enquiry re the oven - yes it is Nectre - forgot to say that. And I emailed them with my little list of complaints and comments and they have just responded.

Apparently the door handles are both supposed to be at the same angle but sometimes get bumped in transit. I gather a little elbowgrease will get the upper handle back where it belongs as the steel will bend even when cold.

ditto the damper - seems it might have been knocked in transit, but since it works fine once the oven is hot, I won't be too fussed about that one.

The temperature gauge issue is one they are currently working on. Apparently the back of the oven heats up faster than the front (makes sense as that is where the flue is) so the temp at the front, where is it measured is accurate, but not at the back. They are reviewing this and considering two options - one to have a simple hi/medium/low measure like on the old ovens. The other is to provide a separate thermometer that sits inside the oven like we used to use in the good old days.

They are very helpful and prompt in responding - always a good sign and most unusual these days so they have my full recommendation any day.

[BobL]

Another good idea is to buy a set of chainsaw chaps.

Especially if you'll be using the chainsaw on a regular basis. They tend to be expensive... but they only have to do their job once to pay for themselves.

Save your money, chaps do not work against electric chainsaws. They have too much low speed torque.

BC, you are right to be wary of your saw. I operate some of the biggest chainsaws you can buy and I reckon that electric chainsaws can be more dangerous.

[Calm]

A bit hard in the lounge room but i have used 4, 6 or even 8 steel posts driven in the ground, stacked mill ends/off cuts up then cut right through the lot in one go.

You could do the same thing, drive 4 posts in the ground (in pairs, a distance apart that the chainsaw will reach across) so that they catch the ends of the logs then fill with wood and cut straight through to the ground doing a few blocks at a time. Just be careful not to hit the posts or the ground with the saw.

Cheers

[hammeredmoore]

get a saw bench have the whole 6t done i a couple of hours!

[Calm]

get a saw bench have the whole 6t done i a couple of hours!

Sorry cant agree on this one - with peices of wood 18 inches long to be cut in half I think a saw bench would be extremely dangerous - even to an experienced used let alone a novice.

NO dont get a saw bench unless you get an operator. For longer logs they are quicker and a lot safer but not short stuff.

Cheers

[hammeredmoore]

does no one realise how short they already are safety first

[hammeredmoore]

i am no novice i have been cutting fire wood for the last 25 years all blocks cut at 11" thank you!!

[Calm]

....................... The wood is between 14 and 18 inches long and needs to be closer to 9 inches. So I need to cut it in half.

....................

Read the length of the log

i am no novice i have been cutting fire wood for the last 25 years all blocks cut at 11" thank you!!

I am not disputing your credentials, i am saying for a novice to hold a 14 to 18 inch log and cut it in half with a saw bench is extremely dangerous and i have no doubt that before the first ton is done there will be an injury.

As i stated for logs 6 or 8 feet long pick them cut into 9 inch peices with only the last cut to be a "short hold" cut is nowhere as dangerous.

Remeber you are giving advice/your opinion to someone you have never met and have no idea of their ability or experience. Also as a woman one could assume her experience with a sawbench is probably less than with a chainsaw. SO i maiontain my orignal line

Sorry cant agree on this one - with peices of wood 18 inches long to be cut in half I think a saw bench would be extremely dangerous - even to an experienced used let alone a novice.

NO dont get a saw bench unless you get an operator. For longer logs they are quicker and a lot safer but not short stuff.

Cheers

Cheers

[Black Cat]

Goodness, I seem to have stirred up a bit of a hornets nest. OK, I think that for me if I were to do the whole 6 ton in one go the process would become quite mesmerising and that would lead to carelessness and danger, so I am doing it in bitesized pieces and will continue to do that rather than spend say, a morning, cutting wood.

The chainsaw balances quite well and I get that I should not allow it to contact anything other than the wood it is cutting. I will also not be using it on recycled timber (I don't use any of my power tools on recycled timber).

I have considered using my compound mitre saw for the job, but concluded that a) with a 10 inch blade I would have to split the wood a bit thinner than I would want it to be for maximum burning efficiency and b) the mitre-saw is more of a precision tool and one I would want to keep away from excessively large knotty bits of wood until I become more familiar with this particular saw's capabilities. Similarly the table saw seems a bit of overkill and with such short logs, potentially dangerous even with a pushstick and fence.

I am rather more familiar with workshop saws than I am with chainsaws, the one I have used for making various bits of furniture from scratch or restoring others, the other (the chainsaw) is a new experience.

I consider all power tools (including my drill) to be armed and dangerous at all times and approach them with caution, but not timidity. And I always observe appropriate safety measures - it drives most men mad at how long it takes me to get started. But my hands, arms and legs are the most important tools I have and i prefer to keep them where they are.

Having said that, I am fully aware that despite all precautions accidents can happen.

So thanks guys for the help and the various suggestions. I will post on this thread once more when I have worked up a solution based on my interpretation of all these great ideas.

[artme]

I think most state forestry or Depts. of Primary industry run chainsaw certification courses BC. Might pay to check this out and enroll in such a course.

I know some here may think that's a bit woosy but for a complete novice I think it is a sensible start. I've been handling chainsaws since I was about 15 and despite all my experience I wouldn't mind doing such a course.