Thread: Firewood or Slabs?

Returned today to find the remaining three sticks have been blocked up so thought I may as well collect some more firewood. A different and much slower method of loading the timber today though - hooked the trailer to the front tow bar and used the winch to drag them aboard. Some of the blocks would weigh aroung 150kg.

Hijacked thread and all that but this reminds me of a similar job here a couple of years back. Slightly different tools. Dunno the tree but it was a large eucalyptus, dead standing wood that a storm had bowled over roots and all. I was able to drive to it low range. 22 inch chainsaw bar needed two bites. Had to use the high lift jack to keep the deck and crane level for loading and unloading. I have since put a HCPU deck on the truck and when I need the crane, a sub-frame bolts to the inside of that for the modified crane so still have it all working.

Where there is a will there is a way!

Firewood Crane (8).jpg

Originally Posted by Xtreme

Returned today to find the remaining three sticks have been blocked up so thought I may as well collect some more firewood. A different and much slower method of loading the timber today though - hooked the trailer to the front tow bar and used the winch to drag them aboard. Some of the blocks would weigh aroung 150kg.

Perhaps try your hand at some chainsaw sculpture?

Originally Posted by Xtreme

Returned today to find the remaining three sticks have been blocked up so thought I may as well collect some more firewood. A different and much slower method of loading the timber today though - hooked the trailer to the front tow bar and used the winch to drag them aboard. Some of the blocks would weigh aroung 150kg.

I hope you've got a splitter Roger, or are you the splitter!

Originally Posted by Slunnie

I've certainly looked into it and would love to, but havent had anything to do with them.

The Lucas Mills Slabber certainly seem to be popular from what I have seen and the company at least are out at the Field Days a lot. They're expensive!

One of my ex-students however did get a slabbing chainsaw with a massive bar. I cant comment too much on it, but it looked like it did the trick.

I've seen the Lucas Mills operating at the Orange Field Days and they are certainly impressive but for the price you'd need to be using them to earn an income. I'm considering a much simpler and cheaper device as it will probably only be used for the two sticks I picked up yesterday - but who knows, if it works well it might get a bit more use.

The other factor is the fact that the largest saw I have ATM is a Stihl 038 which can only run up to a 24" bar, which means I'm also up for a larger chainsaw.

Originally Posted by OldGuy

I have a slabbing chainsaw attachment, will dig it out and post a photo if you are interested. Have not used it for some time and the chain needs to be spot on and for it to be more efficient the chain pitch/angle should be reduced to a lesser angle. You would certainly need a larger bar for your timber.

Very nice pieces of wood

regards
Geoff

Thanks Geaff, yes I would be interested is seeing a picture of it and also any comments you have re it's operation & what size bar you were using with it?
I have heard that 10 deg is the ideal angle for ripping/slabbing.

Will dig it out tomorrow for you. It's a bit cold, wet and generally not pleasant outside at the moment

Regards
Geoff

Originally Posted by Slunnie

I hope you've got a splitter Roger, or are you the splitter!

I am the splitter Simon so I carefully selected the blocks with the nice straight grain today.
I still have most of the load I picked up a month ago to split also but no need to rush these things, I plan on just knocking off a few every now and then to keep my under cover storage topped up.

However, these Landy people seem to like to drop in often to share a mug of Billy tea - made in an old blackened billy on a real fire and swung three times one way and twice the other to settle the tea leaves so I won't only be burning wood during winter.