# Noodling



## ckarotka (Jul 28, 2010)

Does cutting this way dull a chain faster or not? Been doing some noodles and haven't really noticed any big diff but it would make my life alot easier to do more with the current batch od wood.


----------



## midwestcoast (Jul 28, 2010)

don't see how it would make too much difference & I haven't noticed any when I've noodled. You are ussually cutting more wood when noodling vs bucking, so it may seem to dull a bit quicker I guess. I say if it makes things easier, noodle-away!


----------



## smokinj (Jul 28, 2010)

Dont cut dead center and its not to bad!


----------



## Wood Duck (Jul 28, 2010)

I thought this thread was about catching catfish bare handed, so I'll have to adjust my response on the fly, but here goes... I don't see why wood would dull a chain any faster in one direction than another. I don't really think cutting wood dulls a chain much at all, but rather the dirt on the wood dulls the chain. It seems like if you could cut perfectly clean wood, your chain would never go dull, but in reality there is always dirt that dulls the chain. So, this makes me think it is not the orientation of the wood, but rather the cleanliness of the wood that matters.


----------



## smokinj (Jul 28, 2010)

Wood Duck said:
			
		

> I thought this thread was about catching catfish bare handed, so I'll have to adjust my response on the fly, but here goes... I don't see why wood would dull a chain any faster in one direction than another. I don't really think cutting wood dulls a chain much at all, but rather the dirt on the wood dulls the chain. It seems like if you could cut perfectly clean wood, your chain would never go dull, but in reality there is always dirt that dulls the chain. So, this makes me think it is not the orientation of the wood, but rather the cleanliness of the wood that matters.



The wood is harder when noodling or milling cross cutting is much easier on chains and saws, But with that said if you go off center its not quite as hard on the chain and saw. (Ripping is much more difficult than cross cut.)


----------



## fire_man (Jul 28, 2010)

I bought a special ripping chain for my Husky 455 Rancher because I was dulling my regular chain so much when I noodled. The teeth look much different on this chain, the angle is much less on the cutting edge. If nothing else, it must be easier on the saw and bar to use the ripping chain when noodling. Why else would there be cross cut hand saws and ripping hand saws?


----------



## Battenkiller (Jul 29, 2010)

Wood Duck said:
			
		

> I thought this thread was about catching catfish bare handed, so I'll have to adjust my response on the fly, but here goes... I don't see why wood would dull a chain any faster in one direction than another. I don't really think cutting wood dulls a chain much at all, but rather the dirt on the wood dulls the chain. It seems like if you could cut perfectly clean wood, your chain would never go dull, but in reality there is always dirt that dulls the chain. So, this makes me think it is not the orientation of the wood, but rather the cleanliness of the wood that matters.



Steel wears no matter what you are cutting.  The very best old socket slicks (harder than chain cutter steel) that I have put shaving-sharp edges on wear down in about an hour or less of hand paring, even in a very soft wood like northern white cedar.  They'll still cut with some effort, but they won't shave hair at all anymore.  Not a speck of dirt on this stuff since it's all been re-sawn into planks and run through the planer.  On a hard wood like white oak, I'm lucky if I get a hundred cuts before I need to touch them up.  If you think about how many separate cuts a chainsaw cutter makes as it's going past the wood fibers at 45 MPH, it's a miracle they cut at all after a few minutes.


----------



## smokinj (Jul 29, 2010)

fire_man said:
			
		

> I bought a special ripping chain for my Husky 455 Rancher because I was dulling my regular chain so much when I noodled. The teeth look much different on this chain, the angle is much less on the cutting edge. If nothing else, it must be easier on the saw and bar to use the ripping chain when noodling. Why else would there be cross cut hand saws and ripping hand saws?



Good question ripping chain is cut to 10 degrees and is for a smoother surface only...With that said I do think the saw runs smoother with 10 degrees when ripping.


----------



## ckarotka (Jul 29, 2010)

Thanks guys,

I know how to cut wood with table/mitre saws, 60tooth vs ? for cross cuts and stuff. I figured the same rules would apply with a chain. I know when I use a 60tooth blade to rip on the table saw (cuz I'm to lazy to change it for a couple of cuts) I smokes the blade.


----------



## smokinj (Jul 29, 2010)

My dad gets hurt way more often than I with his cabinet shop. (and he has a stop saw)


----------



## wendell (Jul 29, 2010)

Remember when you are noodling you are going with the grain and shaving the wood (thus the noodles) like a plane. When you are ripping when milling you are cutting across the grain. Very different.


----------



## smokinj (Jul 29, 2010)

wendell said:
			
		

> Remember when you are noodling you are going with the grain and shaving the wood (thus the noodles) like a plane. When you are ripping when milling you are cutting across the grain. Very different.



noodle and milling are very close to the same thing your just hitting it dead center(when milling) and makes it harder, Thats why its best when noodleing to hit it off center. Both taken from the end of the log.


----------



## wendell (Jul 29, 2010)

I guess in Indiana you must do things different. Everywhere else we noodle from the side.  ;-)


----------



## smokinj (Jul 29, 2010)

wendell said:
			
		

> I guess in Indiana you must do things different. Everywhere else we noodle from the side.  ;-)



uh, guess my next question is what you calling the side because everwhere else stands them on end and saw through them like a spliter does. Thats noodling.


----------



## wendell (Jul 29, 2010)

smokinjay said:
			
		

> wendell said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Nope, that's ripping. Noodling is cutting through the bark. I've never seen anyone cut through the end.


----------



## wendell (Jul 29, 2010)

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=139468&highlight=noodles


----------



## smokinj (Jul 29, 2010)

wendell said:
			
		

> smokinjay said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



lol Thats why they call it noodling and yes you cut right through the end here what the shaving look like noodles....And you right its alot like ripping but you do not want to go dead center it will make it a little eaiser.


----------



## wendell (Jul 29, 2010)

And just to show you that Stihl jockeys do it that way too:

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=139929&highlight=noodles


----------



## smokinj (Jul 29, 2010)

wendell said:
			
		

> And just to show you that Stihl jockeys do it that way too:
> 
> http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=139929&highlight=noodles



I am following you now I have alway cut them from the butt end and stright down. This stihl jocky dont always play by the abroist rules...lol


----------



## wendell (Jul 29, 2010)

And here's a whole bunch more.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=106522&highlight=noodle+videos

Not an end cutter in sight.  ;-)


----------



## smokinj (Jul 29, 2010)

wendell said:
			
		

> And here's a whole bunch more.
> 
> http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=106522&highlight=noodle+videos
> 
> Not an end cutter in sight.  ;-)



huh, guess I better stop then. What you think?


----------



## wendell (Jul 29, 2010)

Well, I'd try it both ways but I'm sure you will find it a lot faster and a lot easier on your saw cutting through the bark. Try it and let us know what you find out.


----------



## smokinj (Jul 29, 2010)

wendell said:
			
		

> Well, I'd try it both ways but I'm sure you will find it a lot faster and a lot easier on your saw cutting through the bark. Try it and let us know what you find out.



I have done it both ways and most of the time we try to get it in the splitter, and if its to much it get it in there I cut it where it lyes and that normally butt up...I will give it another shot .


----------



## smokinj (Jul 29, 2010)

wendell said:
			
		

> And here's a whole bunch more.
> 
> http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=106522&highlight=noodle+videos
> 
> Not an end cutter in sight.  ;-)



Hey I am an end cutter I am always insight..

.


----------



## bsearcey (Jul 29, 2010)

Definitely noodle from the side not the end.  You won't get any noodles if you don't.  Have to cut parrallel to the grain to get those.

BTW - that vid of the Aussie noodling was great - and holy cow that spotted gum is beautiful.  Wish I could get some of that for flooring.


----------



## smokinj (Jul 29, 2010)

bsearcey said:
			
		

> Definitely noodle from the side not the end.  You won't get any noodles if you don't.  Have to cut parrallel to the grain to get those.
> 
> BTW - that vid of the Aussie noodling was great - and holy cow that spotted gum is beautiful.  Wish I could get some of that for flooring.



You get noodles from the end you just need to be off center. Thats how I got the pic, but they look much longer from the side.


----------



## muncybob (Jul 29, 2010)

I've done it both ways since I wasn't really sure how to noodle....I'll take thru the bark every time now!


----------



## Slow1 (Jul 29, 2010)

Very interesting.. 

I have only noodled when cutting crotches and other "oddball" pieces.  Then it is more a matter of strange grain patterns.  I have done a little bit on a few really bad pieces to set a wedge (obviously from the end).

It seems to me that doing it from the side (aka through the bark) would be harder unless you do something to keep the log from rolling.  That would be the main benefit of doing it from the end I would think.  Man I do like the speed those videos show, somehow I don't think my saw can cut nearly that fast, but then again I suppose oak might be a little different to cut than what they were cutting there...


----------



## Battenkiller (Jul 29, 2010)

Slow1 said:
			
		

> I don't think my saw can cut nearly that fast, but then again I suppose oak might be a little different to cut than what they were cutting there...



I thought that Aussie spotted gum was pretty dense stuff.


----------



## Slow1 (Jul 29, 2010)

Battenkiller said:
			
		

> Slow1 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



No clue - in any case nice demo videos.  I'll probably try a 'through the bark' noodle job now just to see how it goes.


----------



## okotoks guy (Jul 29, 2010)

This might seem like a dumb question,but is there a reason guys want noodles?
I assume the only reason to cut a round through the middles with a chainsaw is to 
make carrying/splitting  easier.Does it matter whether you get chips or noodles?


----------



## Backwoods Savage (Jul 29, 2010)

I'll still leave the noodling to you fellas. I still don't like it...


----------



## muncybob (Jul 29, 2010)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> I'll still leave the noodling to you fellas. I still don't like it...



Me neither....I only do it when I can't get a round into my truck.


----------



## Slow1 (Jul 29, 2010)

muncybob said:
			
		

> Backwoods Savage said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



When I had a bunch of rounds I had to load that were too big I took my fiskars and split them in half or quarters (slabs actually) as necessary so that I could lift them.  I think it is much faster than the saw franky and probably wastes less wood (think of all those noodles laying around... how much tinder do you really need?).


----------



## muncybob (Jul 29, 2010)

I'll be trying the same this year...didn't have my splitting axe when my neighbor decided he wanted 2 large cherry's taken down last summer. I'm starting on a downed large ash tonight so I'll have to remember the axe when I get to the big stuff!


----------



## Battenkiller (Jul 29, 2010)

I never would have dreamed of cutting firewood that way.  Only log I ever ripped smoked a brand new bar and safety chain.  Of course, it happened to be a 4' long log of mountain mahogany, one of the hardest and densest woods in North America, full of metal-dulling silica.  Now that I have a new and more powerful saw, I may give noodling a try just to see how it goes.  It seems to me it'd be a hell of a lot easier on the cutters than regular ripping is.


----------



## bsearcey (Jul 29, 2010)

This past year it seems I've had to noodle just about everything I've gotten.  You can noodle a big round way faster then splitting it with a sledge and wedge.  Really for me it depends on the wood.  Right now I'm working with some tulip poplar thats between 18" and 24" (maybe bigger) diameter.  Believe me I've tried splitting without noodling, but you can't especially while it is still green same thing was true with that big hackberry.  The force of the blow is just abosrbed by the wood.  I can get it to split with sledge and wedge, but why go through the trouble when I can noodle it in half real quick.  Once I half the round that's all I need to be able to split with the FSS.  Now if I owned a decent splitter especially a vertical one this would all be pointless.  Like someone else said it's also a good way to reduce the size of the round in order to pick it up.  Maybe you have to sharpen your chain a little more, but no big deal.  It's worth it.  I do think you have to watch your bar more.  Seems it speeds up uneven wear on the rails.


----------



## quads (Jul 29, 2010)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> I'll still leave the noodling to you fellas. I still don't like it...


I don't like it either.  On the very rare occasion that I can't split one with the old maul, it stays in the woods to rot.


----------



## firefighterjake (Jul 30, 2010)

quads said:
			
		

> Backwoods Savage said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Never noodled . . . never will . . . I rarely get a round so large that I can't get it on to the trailer to split it . . . and the rare times in the past that I have got rounds so large that I have not been able to get the round loaded myself or with a buddy I have used Dad's tractor to load it and then let the splitter take care of the round when I get it home.


----------



## SolarAndWood (Jul 30, 2010)

The guys I get wood from can drop through a 2 or 3 ft diameter round of hardwood in about the time I can get 2 swings of the maul in.  They make it look effortless.


----------



## fire_man (Jul 30, 2010)

okotoks guy said:
			
		

> This might seem like a dumb question,but is there a reason guys want noodles?
> I assume the only reason to cut a round through the middles with a chainsaw is to
> make carrying/splitting  easier.Does it matter whether you get chips or noodles?



I had no choice but to noodle. My last Grapple load contained a stinking Cottonwood monster that was 48" diameter at the base. My 18" bar had no hope of bucking it so I noodled with my ripping chain. This wood has been a nightmare - the 27 ton splitter strained and tore it more than split it. And the worst part is that the BTU's are lousy in Cottonwood, they stink worse than the wood.


----------



## oldspark (Jul 30, 2010)

fire_man said:
			
		

> okotoks guy said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I dont burn the cottonwood that is even on my place, goes into the burn pile, however there was a post over on the arbor site by a guy who said he liked it better than soft maple.


----------



## wendell (Aug 2, 2010)

okotoks guy said:
			
		

> This might seem like a dumb question,but is there a reason guys want noodles?
> I assume the only reason to cut a round through the middles with a chainsaw is to
> make carrying/splitting  easier.Does it matter whether you get chips or noodles?



It's not that you "want" noodles. As others have said, you just do it to the big pieces so you can lift them into your truck or trailer. If you get noodles, it is easier on your chain and saw since you are going with the grain.

In the videos I linked, several guys are just noodling for fun in pieces much smaller than you would normally do it to.


----------



## Skier76 (Aug 9, 2010)

I sorta did this over the weekend...I had a large pine stump I wanted to cut down a bit. It was a bit large for the 16" bar on the MS250. So, I started cutting from the top. I didn't get any noodles, rather, I had more of a fine dust. I thought my chain had gone dull in a matter of seconds...but once I started making a few side cuts, the nice big chips started flying again. 

Oh, and I found not one, but two friggin nails deep in the stump. What are a chances? Luckily, they didn't ding the chain up.


----------



## wendell (Aug 9, 2010)

Here is a video I made on Saturday of one of the rounds of elm. Too big to lift on to the stack waiting to be split and with elm, since it is virtually impossible to get a piece this big to actually split off, it saves having to horse the whole round over and over until you can finally get a piece to separate. I should've sharpened the chain first but it is what it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPCyU8MI0aY

Sorry for just posting the link but I can't figure out how to get the video to embed on this site.


----------



## smokinj (Aug 9, 2010)

wendell said:
			
		

> Here is a video I made on Saturday of one of the rounds of elm. Too big to lift on to the stack waiting to be split and with elm, since it is virtually impossible to get a piece this big to actually split off, it saves having to horse the whole round over and over until you can finally get a piece to separate. I should've sharpened the chain first but it is what it is.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPCyU8MI0aY
> 
> Sorry for just posting the link but I can't figure out how to get the video to embed on this site.






Nice video seems it only noodles in spots?


----------



## wendell (Aug 9, 2010)

You only get noodles when you get the bar a the right angle. This was one of my worst efforts. I think I was camera shy.

How do you get the video to embed? When I do it, all I get to show up is the code.


----------



## smokinj (Aug 9, 2010)

wendell said:
			
		

> You only get noodles when you get the bar a the right angle. This was one of my worst efforts. I think I was camera shy.
> 
> How do you get the video to embed? When I do it, all I get to show up is the code.



In youtube there is a button thats say do you want to share push that button. Copy and paste that here under the button youtube.
pretty easy after you done it a couple times.


----------



## wendell (Aug 9, 2010)

That's what I tried but when I previewed the post, all that showed up was the link between the YouTube markers.


----------



## Jags (Aug 9, 2010)

I don't noodle often, but when I do....Its cuz I NEED to.


----------



## smokinj (Aug 9, 2010)

wendell said:
			
		

> That's what I tried but when I previewed the post, all that showed up was the link between the YouTube markers.



you push the wrong button on you tube, its a very short address under share and I think it also says facebook.


----------



## smokinj (Aug 9, 2010)

Jags said:
			
		

> I don't noodle often, but when I do....Its cuz I NEED to.



Is that all you got? lol


----------



## Jags (Aug 9, 2010)

smokinjay said:
			
		

> Jags said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Those where the heaviest logs I have ever dealt with.  I would guess them way into the 400 pound range at 20" thick.  One guy trying to use a spud bar to slide them - couldn't budge 'em.


----------



## smokinj (Aug 9, 2010)

Jags said:
			
		

> smokinjay said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That oak even the little splits are heavy!



44 inch on this one.


----------



## Jags (Aug 9, 2010)

DBH was 47".  At the butt my 25" bar couldn't take it in two swings.


----------



## smokinj (Aug 9, 2010)

Jags said:
			
		

> DBH was 47". At the butt my 25" bar couldn't take it in two swings.



I was running my rakers much lower doing a lot of silver maples (quick tip for softer woods but sucks in very hard woods) hit that red-oak and it vibrated enough to blow my elbow's to hell and back!


----------



## ckarotka (Aug 9, 2010)

Well with the load I had I have now done my fair share of noodling. I haven't notice any fast decrease in the sharpness of the chain, actually this chain seems to have held an edge longer than chains past. I don't think it has anything to due with noodling.

Anyway, the rounds I had were twisted and chalked full of knots to get any decent splits from, and were were also too large to pick up to get rid of. I've noodled to manageable sizes that one guy can pick them up.

I went through the bark side and the had to stop alot to clear the noodles from the saw. I now have large piles of noodles all over the yard!

IMHO I prefer the smaller rounds up to 2' in diameter. This 40" stuff seems like it's more work work than it's worth.


----------



## wendell (Aug 12, 2010)

test


----------



## smokinj (Aug 12, 2010)

wendell said:
			
		

> test




It works NICE!


----------



## wendell (Aug 12, 2010)

I did exactly the same this time as before. Not sure why it works now. But, glad it does.


----------



## Flatbedford (Aug 12, 2010)

Noodles make great firestarters. I couple hand fulls and a few pieces of kindling works great for me. I try to keep a box of noodles around. I only make noodles in really knotted twisty stuff. I have been lucky to scrounge mostly Red and White Oak this year and 98% of it split by Fiskars with little or no effort.


----------



## bsearcey (Aug 13, 2010)

Wendell.  Nice looking saw you got there.  Is that a true 7901 or a 6401 with an upgraded P&C?  Just wondering because I have a home depot 6401 and am definitely going to make the upgrade, but don't know yet if I'll go with with OEM 7901 upgrade or the aftermarket 84cc upgrade.  The extra cc's are very tempting, plus the price difference.  Definitely going to the the HD airfilter too.  Also how is the carlton bar working for you.  The HD saw came with an HD branded bar and a low kick back chain.  Definitely need to replace those soon.  Wish I had before having to tackle all the noodling I was doing on some big tulip poplar.


----------



## wendell (Aug 13, 2010)

It is an upgraded HD 6401. I went with OEM so I could mod it if I wanted to down the road. Love the Carlton bar and pretty impressed with the RSC chain I put on it.

The brain new bar and chain it came with are just hanging in the garage and will doubtfully ever see wood. I think the 20" bar it came with is almost the same weight as that 28" Carlton.


----------



## bsearcey (Aug 13, 2010)

Wow...28" bar.  Didn't even catch that.  Ever bog down on you?  I like the 20" bar (length) that I have, but with the upgrade I was thinking about going up to 24".  That should handle anything I want to mess with and I know that won't give me any issues.  Reading through everything posted about these saws and the upgrading I've read about guys pulling 36" with the 84cc upgrade with no problems.  

What additional mods can you do with the 79 upgrade that you wouldn't be able to do with the 84?


----------



## wendell (Aug 13, 2010)

The modder that i may use said he will only work on the OEM since it is of much better quality that the BB kit. That being said, there are a number of guys who have the BB kit and love it and also some that have modded it with no problems.

I have got it to slow a bit but never anything I would call bogging down. I love the saw!! My 7300 is getting jealous.


----------



## wendell (Aug 13, 2010)

I also got the Carlton/Tsumara bar in 24". I'm not sure if Bailey's has any of them left but if they do, snatch one up!!


----------

