# Need to shorten some firewood



## PaulF (Nov 19, 2005)

I have some seasoned wood that was cut for a woodstove that takes lengths around 20 inches. Some of the pieces are as long as 24 inches. My woodstove needs 16 inch lengths. 

I plan to sort out the pieces that are too long for my stove and use a chainsaw to make them fit after I get a batch.  Has anyone seen an easy and safe way to support the wood while sawing it?

PauF


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## michael (Nov 19, 2005)

Yeah, that was me asking for suggestions.

I think Elk came up with the idea of laying the log on a pallet for support while cutting. My buddy volunteered to step on the log and stabilize it while I shortened them with my chainsaw, but I just knew it was going to mean a trip to the local ER. "Hold my beer and watch this".

With no feasible way to shorten the logs (read safe), I ended up burning about half of it in the fire pit at a small outdoor gathering. We had an intense blaze that night!

Don't bother with a sawzaw BTW. It makes a great pruner, but an inefficient log shortener.


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## begreen (Nov 19, 2005)

If this isn't for a massive quantity, a chop saw with a coarse blade might work pretty well here. I had to do that when the boy scouts delivered a cord of wood that was about 20% out of spec (16 ").  This gadget was mentioned in an earlier post and looks interesting: http://www.chainsawbuddy.com


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## RedSleds (Nov 20, 2005)

Personally, I would use a bandsaw, but that is because I have access to industrial vertical and horizontal saws.  Sometimes, being a machinist has its benefits.   :coolsmile:


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## Corie (Nov 20, 2005)

Shoot, just being allowed to use machinist tools once in a while has it's benefits


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## DavidV (Nov 21, 2005)

I have an idea of something easy to make that would help. Take a pallat and attatch a piced of wood to the back end of it so it's a few inches above the palat.  put a gate hing on that wood and a 3 or 4 foot section of 2x4 so that it comes toward the front when you lower it.  Place the wood under the 2/x4 and step on the 2x4 and cut away.  That way your foot isn't anywhere near the wood.  Kind of a moot point now that you had your bon fire. but there will always be more wood.

I usually jusput my smaller odd length wood on a few stacked logs and hold it down with my foot but I can definately see a desire for a safer way to use the saw.


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## wg_bent (Nov 21, 2005)

I saw this technique somewhere for general purpose wood length cutting:  attach 4 vertical 2x4's to a base such as a 2x6, 2x8 etc... such that they will hold the logs in place.  Lay the 2x6 on the ground, and attach the 2x4's to the corners so they are vertical.  Now drop your logs in between the 2x4's so that the logs are laying on top of the 2x6.  Then you can cut down through the stack of logs all at once.  the logs will go no where, and if you need to have someone hold the jug, their hands should be a safe distance from the chain.

Warren


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## houblon (Nov 21, 2005)

Warren,

   if the vertical 2x4s are not parallel, but V-shaped, it should be good for variable size logs, they should be wedged in tightly. Off course you no longer can do the batch processing but only one at a time. I'm going to try this.

B


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## begreen (Nov 21, 2005)

I built a rig like that to hold small limbs and pieces of deadfall from our property. Does the trick.


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## BrotherBart (Nov 21, 2005)

Yep. A sawbuck has been getting it done for a couple of thousand years now.


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## annette (Nov 22, 2005)

I got a lot of longer wood with my delivery, too.  I think combining the ideas may work well--if I rig up a pallet with wooden Vs to hold the split, and place the area I want cut over a gap in the pallet, then I should be able to cut 4" or 8" or whatever off the piece without sticking the saw in the ground or into the wood work surface.  Anyone see a good reason not to do it this way?


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## Eric Johnson (Nov 22, 2005)

Everything about firewood is labor intensive.

I like BG's rig. Time tested technology. I don't think there's a safety issue, Dylan. You can set the saw down while it's idling without putting yourself in any danger (contrary to what the chainsaw manual says). If you want to take it to the extreme, you can engage the chain brake before setting it down.

But shortening up firewood, especially after it's been split, is a lot of extra work anyway you slice it.


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## Stump_Branch (Jan 14, 2011)

Zap has a unquie saw buck. do a search something like why i buck...not sure of the rest. basically its a homemade box that is sized for looping off the ends and what ever is in the box is onsize. I have been toying with the notion of making one but ah time isnt on my side.


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## LLigetfa (Jan 14, 2011)

Holy old thread batman.  Did you have a court order to exhume this corpse?


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## tynman (Jan 14, 2011)

Miter saw works the best in my opinion


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## Stump_Branch (Jan 14, 2011)

LLigetfa said:
			
		

> Holy old thread batman.  Did you have a court order to exhume this corpse?



eh Im guessing my work out had me all confused and i hit last rather then next....

that work out consists of the 12oz curls


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## termv (Jan 14, 2011)

Put it in a splitter the opposite way you would to split it.   Run the wedge against it and then saw to whatever size you need.


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## nate379 (Jan 14, 2011)

What the heck is the issue with throwing it on the ground, hold with one foot and cut?  I have cut trees like that many many many times and I still have all my hands and feet and never had a "close" call.

Bandsaw, chopsaw, Ginsu knife etc... leave those for what they are made for... not cutting firewood!


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## Stump_Branch (Jan 14, 2011)

I dont think anything is wrong. might dull the chain hitting the ground so much. if you dont have a lonf enough bar that could suck bending over and being off balenced...but hey it only ever takes one time. but I'll do just that cut half way then roll it over to finish it. makes short enough work i guess. only problem i have now is i want o cut all of mine 8-10 inches in length for n/s burning.


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## wood-fan-atic (Jan 14, 2011)

Heres mine....works great for me....

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/66266/


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## joel95ex (Jan 14, 2011)

I put 2 large diameter logs on the ground, and place the piece to be trimmed on  top of the two with the end hangin over and trim it.  just make sure the two large pieces are stable----I place an already-trimmed piece on the ground as a "ruler" to get the correct length. I trimmed everything to 18"  If you have some longer pieces, you could just half them


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## Backwoods Savage (Jan 14, 2011)

NATE379 said:
			
		

> What the heck is the issue with throwing it on the ground, hold with one foot and cut?  I have cut trees like that many many many times and I still have all my hands and feet and never had a "close" call.
> 
> Bandsaw, chopsaw, Ginsu knife etc... leave those for what they are made for... not cutting firewood!



Nate, many of us has cut wood down low but just throwing it on the ground would be a sorry way to cut off lots of these things. Also, not everyone would be able to do this without kissing the ground with the end of the saw so would get lots of practice shrarpening! The ideas of building a jig or even the milk crate idea works much, much better and is a whole lot faster to boot.


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## Stump_Branch (Jan 14, 2011)

wood-fan-atic said:
			
		

> Heres mine....works great for me....
> 
> https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/66266/



loving that. How'd you get a crate for perfect length cutting? you know the milk man?


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## Stump_Branch (Jan 14, 2011)

by the way those shorts on the ground were all I had to burn for quite some time, loved them though was like burning coal.


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## Jutt77 (Jan 14, 2011)

I use my miter saw but I'm liking wood fanatics milk crate rig


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## offroadaudio (Jan 14, 2011)

http://www.amazon.com/Rockwell-RK9000-Jawhorse/dp/B0018MRUN4

Dad got me the Jawhorse for Christmas.
I'll never buck without it again. It holds a surprisingly large log and I can work from both ends with no fear of kissing dirt.
It's fast and hands free to clamp and release.
Pricey.


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## wood-fan-atic (Jan 15, 2011)

Got a new stove this summer, and started burning N/S. I had to shorten my ENTIRE supply (5+cords).  I go out each Sunday and shorten a weeks worth of wood. It doesnt take long at all. I had SO MANY cut-offs, that I had to start giving them away, I bring 'em to work and give 'em to a guy that has a fireplace and burns pretty green wood -- he loves 'em. i'd suppose theyre pretty good for BBQ, too.


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## nate379 (Jan 17, 2011)

Could just set the logs on top of a pallet or something so the bar doesn't hit the dirt.  I just have an 18" bar on my saw and it's not bad for bending.


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## flewism (Jan 17, 2011)

Jutt77 said:
			
		

> I use my miter saw but I'm liking wood fanatics milk crate rig



Me too!


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## nola mike (Jan 17, 2011)

Similar problem--I'm using a regular 5 gal pail (originally for drywall mud, paint, etc), which is just about 15" in depth.  I can fit about 5 or so splits in there at a time.  Works great.  But that's a mighty fine lookin' milk crate, I'd use that if I could find one...


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