If you have a stove ( like me ) that takes up to a certain length of firewood ( mine's 18" ), I like to cut as much of mine the same length to be able to stuff the max in the stove when loading. ( No, I'm NOT just being anally retentive....ahahahaaa) Here's a little trick I discovered recently. I was at a local hardware store and ran into a mechanics magnet normally used for picking up small parts/nuts/bolts/tools you might drop in a real un-handy place. The magnet head it pretty strong, and the handle telescopes in/out from about 8" to about 30". Amazon carries one ( don't know if it's the same as the one I found, but looks real similar) Amazon.com: SE 15Lb Magnet Pick-up Tool, 33" Long, Stainless Steel: Home Improvement Anyway, I extended the handle to 18", and duct taped the extension part so it won't move, then stick in on the bar of my saw. I go down a log, marking the log with a small cut using the handle of the magnet as a guide, and when I get to the end of the log, pop the magnet off and stick in my back pocket...then go back up the log cutting nearly perfect 18" pieces !
Well, while we're on chainsaws....here is THE coolest accessory you can buy for a chainsaw, IMHO. Rubber grommet that slides over the bar ( take one end loose and slide it over ) and holds your bar wrench right on the saw. ( you can't see the hole for the bar wrench in the sorry photo, but it's there )....WHERE YOU NEED IT !. I've lost a lot of wrenches in the woods when they fall out of my pocket, or it's back in the truck when the chain needs tightening or flies off because I was running it too loose....this little $3.99 jewel has made my life a lot easier ! Bailey's - Scrench - Bar Wrench Holder
When i was a kid it was my job to mark logs for my father. After school me and my sister would go out to mark the pile. She would take the stick and measure it out then i would use a small hatchet to make a nice mark where to cut. This worked great until she pointed to the spot where i should mark then didn't move her finger in time. I chopped her finger. Fortunately it was a very light cut that a band-aid covered up. After that incident we started using a marking crayon which worked well. Mostly my retired grandfather would mark the logs for my father. When he died my dad needed a quick way to mark the logs while working by himself. Last year we bought him this - Bailey's - The Mingo Marker Firewood Marker He has used it with great success. We drag the logs out with a Farmi Wench then he just rolls this down the log and it sprays a spot of paint every 18". My 11 year old now can help him with this tool. Jason
Silly me, I just put a mark on the side on my chain saw at the correct length, and just turn the saw sideways put the tip of the bar at the end of the log look at where the mark falls on the log and cut. Sent using Tapatalk
I do not understand this thread at all. Can't you just look at the log and cut the end off at the correct length? I have never marked a log and cut thousands of sticks every year that fit in my stove just fine. Just cut 18 inches off at a time then cut off the next 18 inches. You ought to be able to eyeball it within an inch every time, or maybe I'm just wired different.
Not everybody is good at eyeballing distances. I know my fire box will only accept a 18" piece diagonally and then I can not fit that many. My fire box works best with 14"-16" pieces. Others might not need to worry about having exact length but for me it is a concern if I want to stoke the fire for the evening. Putting in a large mild steel wood stove was not an option for me. So to answer your question my fire box is probably much smaller than yours, so exact length is quite helpful.
We cut all our wood for our Maple Evaporator, 2 outdoor furnaces and one barrel stove 18" for the simple reason if the wood is good enough to sell (no rotten, or curved or knotty) we sell it. You would be surprised how picky people are if they pay for 18" wood and get 17", of course they never complain if it's over. When we get to junky wood that gets eyeballed the rest gets measured out and sold. Over the years we have sold enough wood to buy a farmi skidding winch. It was worth the extra time to cut and sell ;-) Tractor Mounted Winches - Farmiwinch.com
Yep....nothing like a tractor mounted winch for skidding out logs and firewood. Mine is an Igland brand from Norway.
We burn from 1" to large butt cuts that need several splits. Have never measured my cuts and never get over 18". I prefer 14-16" cuts instead of filling the box from end to end. I often shorten the sticks to avoid knots/ etc. On knotty wood that needs splitting the cuts get shorter for ease in bursting. Have been known to throw in two short pieces end to end. Need to "steal" my bud's splitter so I can start measuring like Tn Andy.
That is pretty much what I do too. If you are selling wood I can see the logic of marking logs. I don't sell any wood so I only have to please myself. My firebox is 18 inches so I cut anywhere from 16 - 18 and that is just fine. There are always little pieces that get cut smaller limbing etc. too to fill any gaps.
This how I do it as well. Our main stove will take a 28"x12" log. I cut them around the 22-24" size. It makes it easier to get in the stove. Anything 16" or sorter we put aside for our small stove. BWM
Here, if you want the wood cut to the same length and split, then get one of these! Wood Cutting & Splitting Attachment - YouTube
