How to Cut Firewood with a Chainsaw

How to Cut Firewood with a Chainsaw

Any person can assemble this design quickly; materials for making a goat for sawing firewood are almost always at hand. However, in all its apparent simplicity, it is worth first drawing a drawing or sketch. And it will be easier to work, and the errors do not have to be fixed. Be sure to take into account the height of the person who will be sawing the firewood, and the type of saw that the firewood will be sawed into. two-handed or a chainsaw.

How to make do-it-yourself goats for sawing wood with a chainsaw

Sawing firewood is more convenient and much easier with a chainsaw. Especially if the logs were brought to you thick and raw. Saw the firewood car quickly, performance with a chainsaw is completely different.

For sawing wood with a chainsaw, you can use the goats, assembled according to the traditional scheme. But there is one serious inconvenience. the chain saw will certainly be clamped when you finish the cut. This happens when the cut is made between the posts (the end of the saw log protruding beyond the edge of the structure can be cut off without difficulty). To prevent clamping, the log must be turned with the saw down. This is an additional and rather hard work, especially when you have to turn hefty logs alone.

Craftsmen have developed (or maybe some of them "in Chinese" copied) designs to avoid clamping the saw chain. And even patented their designs. Such goats for sawing wood with a chainsaw can be divided into two types. The first includes metal structures in which the short end of the log is clamped by a chain or toothed gripper, and the long free end protrudes far beyond the limits of the goat. In these goats supporting "heel" made so that the log cannot disturb their equilibrium position. This design resembles imported factory-made goats. Our only look simpler and the documentation for them (protected by a patent!) Is much cheaper.

Another design protected by a patent for sawing firewood with a chainsaw is wooden:

The advantages of this design include:

  • The ability to cut logs alone, because there is no need to move them in the process.
  • There is no danger of chain clamping.
  • An opportunity to regulate length of blocks on which the log is sawn. Pads when working on such goats get the same length.
  • Sawed off pads, due to the design features of the goat, roll down in the direction opposite to the saw cutter.
  • Compact when folded. In the hozblok near the wall they will take up very little space. the thickness in the folded position is only 12 cm.

How to make do-it-yourself goats for sawing wood with a two-handed saw

Who ever sawed a large number of logs with a “friendship” two-handed saw (just like that, with a small letter. This is not a brand of saw, but a hint of friendship between two sawyers), he knows how important the correctly selected height of the log on the gantry is important. It is believed that the most convenient height is from 90 to 110 cm. You do not need to bend your back much in an inclination forward, you do not have to squat, it works conveniently and quickly. Indeed, long work in an uncomfortable position the next morning will liken you to a rusted lumberjack. your back and knees will bend with great difficulty.

In order to make goats for sawing firewood, we need:

  • Bar 100×100 mm, length 1100 mm. He will go to the foundation of the design. As a basis, you can also use an even dry and not very thick log.
  • Bar 50×50 mm, four sections of 1100 mm each. They will become the "legs" of the goat.
  • Bar 50×50 mm, two sections of 350 mm. We will make “horns” of them.
  • A beam of 50×50 mm, two pieces of 1100 mm for tying the "legs".
  • 5×100 mm screws, total about 30 pcs.
  • Impregnation "Biosecurity".

On the beam, which will serve as the basis, we make cuts. We make 12 cuts, two for each groove. We will need 6 grooves, each 25 mm deep, for “legs” and “horns”.

With a chisel and a hammer, we select the grooves according to the planned cuts. In the grooves with force we drive the prepared pieces of the bar: four “legs” and two “horns”. We twist the screws. Saw off the ends of the beam, which serves as “legs”, with a hacksaw, so that the goats stand firmly and evenly on the ground. The base of the goat is assembled.

We make the binding of the "legs". We fix one end of the beam to the “legs” on the inside, the other on the outside. Now we are sure that the “legs” will not go apart. Transverse “leg amplifiers” are also fixed with self-tapping screws. If the ends of the beam protrude, we cut them “flush” with “legs” with a hacksaw. We process biosecurity and you can start cutting firewood.

In addition to the "classic" version of a goat made of wood, you can make metal goats. This design will be lighter and last longer. They are made from a steel pipe of a rectangular profile with a side of at least 50 mm. For ease of storage, it is better to fasten the crosses and the harness with bolts, rather than welding. When bolted, the structure can be disassembled.

Pieces of pipe are fixed to each other at an angle of 45 °. The resulting three crosses for rigidity are tied with the same pipe horizontally and diagonally.

As you can see, goats for sawing firewood can be quite simply made with your own hands. Material for their manufacture requires very little, and it is available. Only it should be remembered that the goats must be stable, strong and consistent with the growth of the sawfly.

A chainsaw is a technically complex and dangerous tool, for this reason, when working with a saw, certain rules must be observed. Inexperienced users are often less attentive to working with a chainsaw and violate the rules, this leads to injury to the operator or damage to the tool.

In this article, we will consider how to properly prepare a chainsaw for work, what are the rules and methods for felling and sawing trees, talk about how to properly saw with a chainsaw, and dwell on safety precautions.

Preparation for work

The first thing that starts working with a chainsaw is its assembly. The assembly diagram of various models is practically the same. The saw bar and chain are installed on the saw, the chain is tensioned.

A chain can be considered properly stretched if it does not sag on the tire and is easily scrolled by hand. If in order to crank the chain you have to apply too much effort, then it is overtightened and you should slightly ease its tension.

Next, you need to check the sharpening of the chain, for this the cutting edge of each working tooth is visually inspected. The edges should be smooth without dents or nicks.

The next stage is refueling the chainsaw. The fuel mixture is prepared in a certain proportion, which you can find out by reading the user manual that comes with the saw. Basically, the fuel mixture is diluted in a proportion of 1:50, that is, for one liter of gasoline grade AI. 92, you need to add 20 grams of oil for two-stroke engines.

Video: How to Cut Firewood with a Chainsaw


Important: when pouring fuel and oil to lubricate the chain in tanks, you must be extremely careful and not confuse. If you add oil to the tank for the fuel mixture, then the chainsaw will not work. To restore operability, it will be necessary to rinse the fuel tank with gasoline, as well as clean the fuel line and carburetor, which is quite difficult.

Tools for felling trees

In order to dump a tree in a certain direction, professional loggers and not only use special tools. The most common of these are felling forks, wedges and shoulder blades. Special hydraulic or mechanical jacks may also be used.

In order to have an idea of ​​the jacking jacks, we recommend that you watch a video which shows how, with the help of this device, a lumberjack cuts down and places a pine in the direction he needs.

Feller blades work on the principle of a wedge, they only have a lever, thanks to which the operator can increase the effort and help the tree fall in the right direction. The principle of operation of a feller blade or also called a lever can be found by watching the video below.

Feller position

In order not to get injured when cutting a tree, the feller must always choose the right position. Correct is considered such an arrangement in which the feller can at any time get away from danger. For this reason, before felling trees, the operator must clear all the small shoots that you can trip over and fall over. During felling, hold the saw with both hands and be in the area opposite to the one where you plan to dump the tree.

It is allowed to be in the tree fall zone only in order to cut a wedge, which is done first.

Safety Precautions and Personal Protective Equipment

A chain saw is source of increased danger, working with it requires compliance with certain rules.

  1. The operator must be in normal condition when working with the tool. The use of chainsaws in alcohol or drug intoxication is prohibited.
  2. It is forbidden to touch the saw set with your hands while the engine on the chainsaw is started.
  3. To prevent the sawdust from getting into the eyes, the operator must wear safety glasses or use a face shield when working with the saw.
  4. The chainsaw works loudly, so you need to take care of protecting your hearing. Use headphones or special earbuds.
  5. In the process of felling a tree, there is a risk of dry branches falling onto the operator, so work must be done in a helmet or helmet.
  6. Shoes should be durable and non-slip, it is best to use special shoes in the socks of which protective plates are installed to prevent injury if the chain breaks and gets into the leg.
  7. Clothing should tightly fit the body, this will reduce the risk of it falling and winding on the chain. The material from which the clothes are made must be dense and durable.
  8. Working with a chainsaw alone is not recommended.
  9. It is impossible to refuel fuel in the room, as well as directly at the place of work, after refueling it is necessary to check the tightness of the cap of the neck of the tank.
  10. It is forbidden to refuel the saw while the engine is running.
  11. Transporting the saw in assembled condition is only permitted with the tire protective cover on.

This is not the whole list of rules that must be remembered and observed in order not to get injured. detailed instructions can be found in the manual that comes with all chainsaws.

How to cut a tree with a chainsaw

Now let’s figure out how to cut a tree with a chainsaw. The first thing you need to start with is harvesting small shoots around the trunk. This is a necessary procedure, because small branches not only interfere with access to the tree, but can also cause the operator to fall, which is quite dangerous, given that the chainsaw is working.

Next, you need to determine the direction of the roll. It is not difficult to determine the direction of the felling of a tree standing at a slope, because almost always it is laid in the direction in which the center of gravity is shifted.

This is interesting: in order to topple the tree to the opposite side from the slope, professional loggers use special heavy equipment or tie a cable to the top of the tree and pull the trunk with the winch in the desired direction.

An upright tree can be dumped in any direction, but the location of the branches should be taken into account. Dumping the trunk in the direction on which there are more branches is a little easier than the opposite.

At the next stage, it is washed down from the direction of the roll. The gash is performed in the form of a wedge. The depth of the cut should not exceed 1/3 of the diameter of the trunk, otherwise there is a risk that the tire will be clamped, since the trunk will weaken and tilt toward the cut. A correctly executed wash should not cause the tree to tilt.

Further, on the opposite side of the gash and 3-5 cm above it, a direct incision is made. The chainsaw should be directed so that the risk of felling on the chainsaw is directed to the intended location of the fall of the trunk. After that, using a wedge, fork or feller blade installed in the cut, the tree is helped to start falling in the planned direction.

It is important that when performing a cut, which should lead to a fall of the tree, the operator should be as careful as possible. This will allow you to retreat to a safe distance in time if the tree began to fall without additional use of a fork, wedge or shoulder blade.

Below is a video on how to cut a tree.

How to cut a thick tree with a chainsaw

There are several ways to cut a thick tree and all of them require the use of special equipment. The first way, this is felling the tree in parts, this method is shown in the video below.

Thick trees are more difficult to cut, so you should not try and risk your health if you did not have to cut trees earlier.

Another way is to roll the whole tree with the trunk stretched in the right direction. The cable is fixed on the trunk at a height of at least 5-6 meters, after which a wedge is cut from the side of the planned fall of the trunk and the cable is pulled. You can pull the cable with a winch, as well as with a tractor or a car. Further, the feller cuts the trunk from the opposite side of the sawn wedge. If the tire length is not enough, then another cut is made at a height of at least 30 cm from the previous one, after which the wood between the cuts affects. This is necessary so that the feller has the opportunity to deepen the tire to a greater distance.

It is worth noting that the process of felling thick trees is purely individual and depends on many factors. It is for this reason that felling a large tree without experience is very difficult and dangerous.

How to file branches off a fallen tree

In the process of cutting branches from a fallen tree, there is a risk of tire clamping, therefore, when cutting, you must adhere to several rules.

  1. Branches should be sawn from the side opposite the slope.
  2. The branches cannot be sawed with the tip of the tire, because with this method of cutting there is a risk of rebound and injury.
  3. Clamped branches should be filed on the load side.

Often during the sawing of clamped branches, they can bounce, so when cutting, you need to choose a safe distance.

How to cut wood into chocks

Sawing a trunk of a fallen tree is much easier than cutting a tree on the vine, but there is a certain risk. For example, improper cutting of trees can lead to a pinch in the trunk and then you will have to use a jack or lift the trunk with crowbars, which will take a lot of time and effort. In order to avoid such situations, it is necessary to pre-evaluate the position of the barrel and first saw it in those places where there is tension.

It is better to cut the trunk from the top of the head, gradually moving towards the butt.

The cut can be either upper or lower. The upper cut is performed until the trunk begins to lower and press the tire, after that, if possible, it is necessary to finish the trunk from the bottom. If this is not possible, then a few more are made next to the first cut, until the tire is no longer pressed.

After the trunk is cut into several large parts that can be rolled, they are cut into chocks with a top cut.

Conclusion

The consequences of improper operation of the chainsaw can be very sad, so you should never neglect the rules for working with the saw. It is important to observe safety precautions and use personal protective equipment. We advise you to familiarize yourself with the operating rules that are in the user manual before sawing with a chainsaw.

How to choose a chainsaw for logging

Being engaged in the preparation of firewood in the forest, we must take care of acquiring a good, correct ax and chainsaw. Finding the right ax for felling is another art. But we will not consider this point in this article. Let’s pay attention to the choice of an automatic saw according to the parameters necessary for work. Define several areas of use:

  • professional tool for felling;
  • semi-professional models;
  • compact devices for small jobs.

A professional saw should have a capacity of more than 6 kW, equipped with a tire up to 60 cm, with an engine capacity of 60-120 cubic meters. cm Duration of continuous operation. up to 8 hours and intermittently. up to 16 hours.

The most advanced units have an emergency brake, and high power and a long tire allow you to cut huge trunks at a time. Accessories with a high degree of wear resistance will extend the life of the device.

Semi-professional units are designed for wooden construction. With their help, logs, timber are easily sawn, technological holes for doors and windows are cut. A power of 2-3 kW allows you to carry out almost all operations with wood. The duration of continuous operation is limited to 4-6 hours. The tire length reaches 45 cm and not a single bar can stand in front of it. The service life of branded products is 10 years. The most famous brands are Husqvarna and Stihl. Such models, like professional ones, are equipped with an anti-vibration system. It is needed with a large tooth pitch. This arrangement increases productivity, but at the same time adds vibration.

The advantage of these models is a wide price range, the presence of an emergency brake, and accelerated chain tension adjustment.

Disadvantages. the high cost of original spare parts, the mismatch of the width of the power slot of the device, which contributes to the bite of the tire.

Household devices are characterized by a short tire length. only 25-35 cm. A small engine does not provide high power, so the device is used only for short-term work. cutting knots, thin blocks, infrequent use in construction.

The low price determines the disadvantages of the tool:

  • 1-2 hours of work without stopping;
  • the impossibility of a thick cut;
  • lack of simplified chain tension;
  • quick wear of components.

How to cut firewood correctly and quickly

Operation of the chainsaw may seem uncomplicated, but in inept hands using the tool leads to injuries, breakdowns. Clumsiness is contraindicated.

First you need to ensure safety when working:

  • Do not touch a running tire;
  • protect yourself with glasses from sawdust, slivers;
  • wear tight lined pants;
  • legs are put on massive shoes with a metal tab in the toe;
  • a protective helmet is useful to prevent damage to the head. it will protect against flying branches and accidentally bounced parts.

Basic rules for cutting firewood:

  1. Hold the saw closer to your body. Thus, the instrument is easier to control and the hands do not get tired.
  2. When sawing a beam or logs, fix the opposite end to the cut. Do not saw off with the end of the tire. hopping is guaranteed.
  3. Saw only 1 log at a time. Sawing up several logs at the same time threatens tire jamming and injury.
  4. Control the position of the body, do not bend, so as not to lose your balance.
  5. When cutting branches, contact with the drop zone can cause the tool to drop.
  6. Do not work above shoulder height. This method is strictly prohibited, as it can lead to disastrous consequences.
  7. Before starting the saw, put it on the brake.

A correctly selected saw will be an excellent assistant in the work. Careless selection of parameters will lead to disappointment in the device. Remember that a chainsaw is a traumatic tool. When working with it, you must observe safety precautions and personal protection.