Dirty Wood

[Loony661]

I’ve seen this discussed a time or 2, about cutting dirty wood, and have read guys saying that they bring “X” amount of spare chains along, or they bring 17 saws so that they don’t have to change chains, etc. . .

I took a few pictures today after bucking up my log landing, to help show what’s possible with the right technique. I did this more for an example and discussion, to help those who may struggle with cutting wood that’s not clean.

 

[Loony661]

Here’s my chain AFTER I was done bucking 53 mud/dirt packed trees into logs. This is Oregon EXL 3/8 .050 and it was not new at the start. This chain was brand new a week earlier at the Twin Cities G2G and had been hand filed 5-6 times then. So this chain started with a little wear and tear. As you can see, it needs to be filed again, but a couple-three strokes of a sharp file will have it back to shape.


Next is 3 pictures of the dirt and mud packed into the bark on a few logs. EVERY tree I cut was like this, some on 3 sides, others only on 1.




As you can see, these logs had some thick debris that could easily kill a chain. Now I have to apologize, as I thought I took a picture of my saw in the cut to show the proper way to cut these, but I must not have. The biggest thing to remember is to cut so that the chain pulls the dirt AWAY from the log, not into and through it. You can cut a lot of wood this way before needing to touch up with a file. I hand filed maybe a half dozen times today as well, but most of that was because I dropped my chain into the ground trying to get my cuts complete (while trying to make good time). Each time I filed, the chain would still pull itself through the wood, just not as fast, if you know what I mean.

And here’s a picture of the landing all done, with more logs behind me.

 

[ferris]

Can u explain ur technic a little bit more

 

[Loony661]

Can u explain ur technic a little bit more

The biggest thing to remember is to cut so that the chain pulls the dirt AWAY from the log, not into and through it. You can cut a lot of wood this way before needing to touch up with a file.

Best way I can elaborate on this, is whenever possible, keep the dirty side of the log facing your legs, so that the chain naturally pulls the debris off and away from the wood. Make sense?

If it’s dirty on more than 1 side, you may have to plunge first, then pop up to creat a clean cut to start. Sometimes you have to stop mid-cut and switch to cutting from the other side of the log. With a little effort like that, a lot of time can be saved.

 

[ZERO]

Touch up filing is as important as trying to stay out of the dirty wood. I have ruined too many good chains by not keeping up with the touch up filing. As the degraded chain pulls ever slightly to one side, drive links wear out causing the chain to never cut straight even when the bar is maintained properly. Once at the end of life, as the kerf closes, the whole operarion stalls out.

 

[Stump Shot]

Best way I can elaborate on this, is whenever possible, keep the dirty side of the log facing your legs, so that the chain naturally pulls the debris off and away from the wood. Make sense?

If it’s dirty on more than 1 side, you may have to plunge first, then pop up to creat a clean cut to start. Sometimes you have to stop mid-cut and switch to cutting from the other side of the log. With a little effort like that, a lot of time can be saved.

Yes, and if it's real bad you are down to chopping a clear channel through the bark with a hatchet or small axe enough to get your cut started.

 

[Wilhelm]

Here’s my chain AFTER I was done bucking 53 mud/dirt packed trees into logs. This is Oregon EXL 3/8 .050 and it was not new at the start. This chain was brand new a week earlier at the Twin Cities G2G and had been hand filed 5-6 times then. So this chain started with a little wear and tear. As you can see, it needs to be filed again, but a couple-three strokes of a sharp file will have it back to shape.
View attachment 400024

Next is 3 pictures of the dirt and mud packed into the bark on a few logs. EVERY tree I cut was like this, some on 3 sides, others only on 1.
View attachment 400026
View attachment 400032
View attachment 400033

As you can see, these logs had some thick debris that could easily kill a chain. Now I have to apologize, as I thought I took a picture of my saw in the cut to show the proper way to cut these, but I must not have. The biggest thing to remember is to cut so that the chain pulls the dirt AWAY from the log, not into and through it. You can cut a lot of wood this way before needing to touch up with a file. I hand filed maybe a half dozen times today as well, but most of that was because I dropped my chain into the ground trying to get my cuts complete (while trying to make good time). Each time I filed, the chain would still pull itself through the wood, just not as fast, if you know what I mean.

And here’s a picture of the landing all done, with more logs behind me.View attachment 400034

That is "clean" , and those logs are spread wide & far so You can choose from which side to buck.

THIS is dirty!



Neighbor claims mud was dripping off the logs as they hung off the trucks crane during unloading.

 

[Wilhelm]

Which way to buck this one?


Didn't really matter.


The chain...


Yeah, I held back on utilizing new and Carbide tipped chains knowing they'd get ruined!

 

[Loony661]

Which way to buck this one?
View attachment 400687

Didn't really matter.
View attachment 400688 View attachment 400689

The chain...
View attachment 400692

Yeah, I held back on utilizing new and Carbide tipped chains knowing they'd get ruined!

That’s some nasty stuff, for sure. Could you pressure wash them first?

 

[Wilhelm]

That’s some nasty stuff, for sure. Could you pressure wash them first?

Not worth the extra work/trouble.

Also, no room to move/roll the logs, no way to wash out all the mud and gravel on those splintered logs.

Besides, this pile is in a front yard, pressure washing all those logs would certainly make a mess.

I am utilizing bigger saws and worn chains.
I just keep swapping the latter when they stop cutting.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

That looks like a nightmare! How well would a carbide chain last cutting that wood or is it mud? I know carbide chains are slower, but would they last longer? Or would the gravel just chew them up too fast?

 

[Wilhelm]

That looks like a nightmare! How well would a carbide chain last cutting that wood or is it mud? I know carbide chains are slower, but would they last longer? Or would the gravel just chew them up too fast?

Carbide tipped chain, Stihl Rapid Duro 3 in my case, works wonders in sand and dirt covered logs.
If any gravel and/or stones are present You do not want to use an expensive Carbide chain though - one encounter of the Carbide inserts with gravel/stone will make them shatter.

No, nasty stuff like this gets dismantled with worn near retirement chains or dirt cheap China made chains.
I don't stock any of the latter so I am utilizing about a dozen "stumping" chains, killed/retired one yesterday.

 

[Moparmyway]

I’m sure that we could amuse each other all day long with tales of our worst examples that we had to deal with. To me, the point of trying to cut smartly, while still being fully aware of the dangers that piles of dirty wood brings us, can extend chain sharpening intervals and help the work get done.

 

[Moparmyway]

Carbide tipped chain, Stihl Rapid Duro 3 in my case, works wonders in sand and dirt covered logs.
If any gravel and/or stones are present You do not want to use an expensive Carbide chain though - one encounter of the Carbide inserts with gravel/stone will make them shatter.

No, nasty stuff like this gets dismantled with worn near retirement chains or dirt cheap China made chains.
I don't stock any of the latter so I am utilizing about a dozen "stumping" chains, killed/retired one yesterday.

This is stump chain stuff. Old worn out 404 semichisel is king for this kind of work

 

[Duce]

I would use a MATCH!

 

[Wilhelm]

This is stump chain stuff. Old worn out 404 semichisel is king for this kind of work

Close to a dozen stump chains finished this crap job.



These splintered pieces were flying all over, mud in every crack & crevice.

 

[Wilhelm]

I would use a MATCH!

That thought crossed my mind, two issues though:
1) not my log pile
2) dripping wet & muddy

 

[davidwyby]

Has anyone noticed oregon semi chisel being prone to cut crooked? Dry dirty euc.

 

[Duce]

Has anyone noticed oregon semi chisel being prone to cut crooked? Dry dirty euc.

Old bar, did you re-dress bar when installing new chain?

 

[Wilhelm]

Dirty wood chains, I also have a couple 24"/84DL ones.
Well, technically those are stump removal chains - but they sure came in handy bucking that ugly log pile last weekend.