My Firewood Saw

[Bullshop]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/bullshop/100_1041.jpg
The thread about sharpening a saw chain got me to thinking maybe I should show how I cut my firewood. It still needs to be sharpened but its done with a flat file. Just like a sharp and properly maintained saw chain a sharp well maintained circular saw will feed itself into the wood without having to push it. Although it is fairly hard work lifting the pieces up to the saw table I find the job a peaceful escape from the cares of the world.

[MBTcustom]

Looks like a good way to git-er-did!
Very nice.

[Screwbolts]

I really like the built in coffee cup holder. :-)

[tonyjones]

I'll bet your setup would easily take care of my flux requirements.

TJ

[waynem34]

wow nice big sky.

[Wayne Smith]

What is the diameter of your saw? Dad had one that was at least 36" - ran it off the tractor with a belt. One of his businesses was selling firewood in the winter and pulp to the paper mill. He never had a chain saw, all of the felling and cutting into 8' lengths was done with a one man buck saw and the splitting was with axes and wedges, green and in 8' lengths. He used the circular saw to cut the 8' lengths into stove wood when it was dry.

[Bullshop]

I have not measured it but guess its about 36" I don't use a hand saw but do use a chain saw for felling and bucking.
I cut the big ones with a chain saw. What your seeing in the pic is lodge pole and is about as big as they get. When I cut up a big red fir into stove length I use a chain saw. A big red fir here might go 3 to 4 feet on the stump but most will be under 3'. The buzz saw is good for wood up to about 18" diameter. The conveyer is nice because I don't have to stop cutting to move wood away from the saw as it builds up quickly then interferes with the operation of the saw.

[DeanWinchester]

Although it is fairly hard work lifting the pieces up to the saw table I find the job a peaceful escape from the cares of the world.

Like you could hear the cares of the world over the saw anywho!

[obssd1958]

I'm thinking the coffee might get a little chewy, with the cup sitting there...

[Bullshop]

Like you could hear the cares of the world over the saw anywho!

Actually is much quieter than a chain saw. This one is set up with a double v belt drive on a very old two cylinder Wisconsin engine. With the saw kept sharp and adequate set maintained I run it just above an idle. The carb is equipped with a governor that will open up the throttle with a load on. Once a heavy piece of wood is on the pivoting table the work is in holding it back so it wont feed too fast not in pushing it into the blade. The cut starts at the balance point (tdc) of the table so the table gets heavier the deeper the cut gets because as the cut progresses you are progressively going farther past TDC on the table so you need to limit the feed by holding back the table a bit. Not too hard and can be done with one hand.
This is not a commercial operation but just the means to supply my substantial annual energy needs.

[Bad Water Bill]

Now tell us how many arrow heads and boolits the kids have dug out of that log cabin?

[leeggen]

Those old Wisconsins are just real die hards, and easy on fuel. Nice setup.
CD

[Alstep]

I still use a buzz saw to cut my firewood. Has a sliding table rather than a tilting table. A lot easier and quieter than a chain saw. Belt my John Deere model B or H to it for power. Sometimes I'll get out a hit-n-miss engine for power. It's amazing how powerful my 1915 8HP Associated engine will go through wood. It's got a 6 3/4" bore and 10" stroke, 44" flywheels, and weighs a ton. All that for 8HP. But what torque. Made in 1915. A 99 year old engine still put to good use.

[Bullshop]

Bill we find lots of old stuff. This place was the original stage stop and livery. I have a garden right behind that wood shed and we find lots of old cartridge casings. Day before yesterday I found a loaded round head stamped --30usg -WRA co in the garden. The Red Rock River is close enough behind that wood shed to pee into. Well maybe not now but when I was younger and had better range.

[Bullshop]

I still use a buzz saw to cut my firewood. Has a sliding table rather than a tilting table. A lot easier and quieter than a chain saw. Belt my John Deere model B or H to it for power. Sometimes I'll get out a hit-n-miss engine for power. It's amazing how powerful my 1915 8HP Associated engine will go through wood. It's got a 6 3/4" bore and 10" stroke, 44" flywheels, and weighs a ton. All that for 8HP. But what torque. Made in 1915. A 99 year old engine still put to good use.
I would love to see that old one lunger perform in person. I used to have another saw I ran off a belt to a 9-n Ford. It had a flat sliding table like yours. It cut good too. Gotta remember to put half a twist in the belt to get it to stay on.

[Bad Water Bill]

The Red Rock River is close enough behind that wood shed to pee into. Well maybe not now but when I was younger and had better range.

:oops:And how many young ladies would be embarrassed:oops: if they looked out the window and saw their father polluting their drinking water.:bigsmyl2:

[skeettx]

Another question, do you use the sawdust?
Thank you.
Mike

[buckwheatpaul]

I like it.....

[Bullshop]

Mike
Yes we do use the saw dust, twice. First use is animal bedding and from there it goes in the garden.

[skeettx]

Thank you, I did not know if you had a special pellet heater to burn the dust.
Good use for bedding and compost/fert :)
Mike

[monadnock#5]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/bullshop/100_1041.jpg
The thread about sharpening a saw chain got me to thinking maybe I should show how I cut my firewood. It still needs to be sharpened but its done with a flat file. Just like a sharp and properly maintained saw chain a sharp well maintained circular saw will feed itself into the wood without having to push it. Although it is fairly hard work lifting the pieces up to the saw table I find the job a peaceful escape from the cares of the world.

It is at precisely those times that occasionally an answer to a question that has bothered me, or some profound insight will burst into my mind unbidden, that I figure that there is only one place it could have come from.

[fastfire]

Mike
Yes we do use the saw dust, twice. First use is animal bedding and from there it goes in the garden.

Do not forget fluxing the smelting pot:cbpour:

[Johnch]

I also have one of those saws
But mine is set up with a old Hit and Miss , with a 5' fly wheel

Mine has only been used 1 time by me , about 10 years back
But I let Dad and his friend use it at the old tractor show every summer
They like to show the younger crowd how wood was cut many years back

I guess I am spoilded but the Stil chain saws that hang out in the basement most of the time

John

[Bad Water Bill]

Dan

Did you bring that setup down from Ak or build it at your new homestead?

[Frank46]

First time I think that anyone mentioned the old hit and miss engines here. Gotta give the old guys credit as they sure knew how to build them way back when. I have a little 2 hp detroit stationary engine and will be starting to make a gas tank for it from a old 105mm shell casing. I could go down to the local shop here in town and probably buy one but I like to keep the hands busy and besides think it will look cool being brass and highly polished. Frank

[Newtire]

First time I think that anyone mentioned the old hit and miss engines here. Gotta give the old guys credit as they sure knew how to build them way back when. I have a little 2 hp detroit stationary engine and will be starting to make a gas tank for it from a old 105mm shell casing. I could go down to the local shop here in town and probably buy one but I like to keep the hands busy and besides think it will look cool being brass and highly polished. FrankThere's a few people I know who belong to groups who specialize in those old Morse-Fairbanks Engines but I had no idea so many companies made them. Once I saw how simple they were, it amazed me how come they are not still built. They only work hard when they have to and for light duty jobs, a pint of gas lasts all day.

[Mk42gunner]

I like the how you have the old bale elevator doing the off-bearing for you. That was the one job that I kind of liked even though I didn't really think it was safe.

We had a portable mower/ buzzsaw setup with a 24" blade and stationary tables for cutting pole wood. Ours had a 3½ HP Clinton engine on it. it used less fuel for the work done, than a chain saw.

Robert

[Bullshop]

Dan

Did you bring that setup down from Ak or build it at your new homestead?
In Alaska I had a John Deere model M with a saw frame set up for a three point hitch and a belt drive off the PTO.
I had to sell it to get moved so I have been looking for another. I saw this one advertised to be sold at an auction so I went to the auction with a single purpose in mind. It was very difficult to keep focused because they sold some other stuff before the saw that I would also like to have. Funding was limited so I had to hold out. The saw was one of the last things to be sold and I was determined. The only other bidder didn't want the saw but only wanted the elevator. Final bid was $470.00 for both. After bidding it up the other fella came to me wanting to buy the elevator but I told him since I was willing to bid what I did I would just keep it. If he had asked before it was bid up we both could have made out better.
Still I am satisfied with what I got. It is something that with my lifestyle I need.

[reloader28]

Cool.
My Dad built the same setup several years ago for selling wood. It got ALOTTA use.
Ran it off a PTO.
We dont sell wood anymore as between Dad, my brother and me we use way too much to part with any.
We still have the saw but dont have the elevator anymore.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I have an old wheelbarrow with Iron tire...just like the one in the photo !

[bearcove]

We got one too 36" runs off PTO. 3 guys can make a huge pile of fire wood out of small stuff.

[doc1876]

looks like a good saw for a good feller