Log length guide...

[nola mike]

Had been eyeing these things for a while, but haven't gotten them because of the bad reviews. I tried a few of my own ideas, including using some metal strapping under the tension bolts, but it snapped off fairly quickly. Finally I tried using a length of metal coat hanger with a loop bent in the end. Seems to be a better solution so far. Of course it will fatigue eventually, but the replacement is always on hand, free, and takes about 30 seconds to fashion. I'll post a pic if anyone is curious, but I think (?) it's self explanatory.

 

[jwoair23]

I've never seen anything like that tool you linked too, it seems like a pretty neat idea, but looks like the implementation was poor as you mentioned with all those reviews saying they broke.

I know they also make firewood markers like this:

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=265

But that seems a little excessive possibly? The reviews are good though.

Your idea is also very creative and sounds like it works too!

 

[nola mike]

Well, the nice thing about the attached markers is that you don't need to stop to measure.

 

[jwoair23]

Agreed, I think your idea going off that other tool is more practical! How did you attach the hanger? Just around one of the studs on the bar?

 

[Lewiston]

Simple solution, but it works. All my longer bars are marked on both sides and touched up when needed.

 

[nola mike]

@jowair: yeah, just around the stud. I'll take a pic.
@ Lewis: I tried that too, but again, you're not measuring in "real time". For those of us with small stoves, being off by an inch or two makes a big difference.

 

[Prof]

Clever ideas--I just guess most of the time. Often I find that the log tells me how it wants cut by how it is formed or how it is positioned. Of course, I have a cumberland gap stove, which does not have a square fire box, so a few short pieces actually help me out when packing it full.

 

[DexterDay]

I just ordered the Quik Stiks off Baileys on Monday. They are scheduled for next week! !!

But for the small price, I dont think you could go wrong. I am a "Particular" length cutter too.

I have been using the same 18" piece of yardstick for awhile now. If these dont work, I am gonna try the Mingo Marker. Its more money, but its not attached to the saw and is prob less apt to break..

 

[swagler85]

I just figured how long my hand was stretched out and measure two handwidths. Simple enough and don't need to put the saw down or have something strapped o the side to get in the way and break. Also marked my bar if I need to measure using that.

 

[bogydave]

Here is an old post of a jig I made that hooks to the bar. The Video is with it on my old Husq 61 a few years back.

got one at 17" & one at 16" , on & off with a wing nut. Works great for me.
Can cut most stuff if the log is off the ground, most times I just walk down the log & mark 17" with the chain, then take it off & make the cuts.
Sometimes it's on a small saw I use it to mark 17" .

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/bar-attacmt-jig-4-wood-length-video-20-sec.46459/.

 

[Ashful]

My 50cc saw has a 20" bar, and 20" is a nice length to buck for the Jotul Firelight 12. No other measuring device needed. Was thinking about painting a line at 20" on my larger bar.

When I used a smaller saw, I used to have a scrap of lumber (1 x 2 furring strip) cut to my bucking length. No need to pick it up and hold it against the log, as you could eyeball the length if it was sitting on the ground close to your workspace.

 

[jeff_t]

I have a stick with notches in it 17" apart. I steal some sidewalk chalk from the kiddos and go along and mark the whole log. Only takes a minute or two.

 

[velvetfoot]

I also use a stick, painted a bright color so I don't lose it, but I don't mark the whole log anymore, just move the stick on the log, eyeball where the end is, and keep holding the stick while cutting.

 

[firefighterjake]

My chainsaw bar is 18 inches . . . I cut my wood 18-20 inches long . . . I use the bar and eye ball it . . . most of the stuff gets cut pretty darn close to 18-20 inches . . . which is good enough for me and my woodstove.

 

[ScotO]

I cut my wood around 20-22", that leaves a little room in the front and back of the stove. I like to get as much of the stove filled as I can, gives you more time between reloads that way.

 

[chainsaw_mike]

Check out this video of The Mingo Log Marker in action. Pretty cool.

http://www.chainsawsdirect.com/Mingo-265/p3884.html

 

[mecreature]

I cut mine 20 + if I can. sometimes you take what you can get.

Last year I had 4 trees on the ground trimmed the branches and made small cut marks where I wanted to cut.
all of that was pretty much the same length.

makes for nicer stacks.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Had been eyeing these things for a while, but haven't gotten them because of the bad reviews. I tried a few of my own ideas, including using some metal strapping under the tension bolts, but it snapped off fairly quickly. Finally I tried using a length of metal coat hanger with a loop bent in the end. Seems to be a better solution so far. Of course it will fatigue eventually, but the replacement is always on hand, free, and takes about 30 seconds to fashion. I'll post a pic if anyone is curious, but I think (?) it's self explanatory.

I use a tape measure and make dots at regular intervals with a can of spray paint. Yes it's an extra step but it's easy and I don't have some ridiculous hunk of metal hanging off my saw.

 

[HittinSteel]

18" is ideal for my stove, so I have an old axe handle cut to 16". I just go down the log and with a hatchet mark the bark.

 

[ScotO]

I wing it, myself. I've cut so many trees it just comes natural. They all end up between 20-22". The ones that end up smaller go in the uglies section (the void between the two rows of splits!)

 

[Nixon]

I use an inverted spray paint marking wand with a piece of all thread cut to the desired length to mark poles.

 

[jeff_t]

I wing it, myself. I've cut so many trees it just comes natural. They all end up between 20-22". The ones that end up smaller go in the uglies section (the void between the two rows of splits!)

I used to not care. My Hotblast furnace would take anything that would fit on the splitter. Loading E-W in the stove is more of a pain than cutting them shorter, since I can't stuff it for a two day burn I'll have all those long ones trimmed up and burned sometime this winter.

 

[ethanhudson]

Simple solution, but it works. All my longer bars are marked on both sides and touched up when needed.

View attachment 70800View attachment 70801

This is exactly what I do except I measured from the tip of the bar back toward the dogs. That way I line up my mark with the saw horizontal, then lift my saw to a vertical position maintaining the location of the bar tip on the log, slide the chain so the saw is in proper position to cut, and let chips fly...

 

[mywaynow]

I bring the stove out to the woods and jamb the end of the log inside the stove, mark the max point and remove the log, cut and check for fitment.

Just cut. Use the bar as a reference and don't go over. Extra effort will be thwarted by large logs and non-square cuts. Every log is a good length, so long as they are not too long.

 

[osagebow]

Simple solution, but it works. All my longer bars are marked on both sides and touched up when needed.

View attachment 70800View attachment 70801

.

I do similar but mark the bottom of the saw housing