[Womble]

My colleague's neighbour recently paid a cowboy £500 to take down a small tree in his back garden...... but was then left with a garden full of 6' logs, which we have now inherited for firewood (more hassle than we needed, but the poor fella was in his eighties, and had been taken for a right old ride).

Most of the lengths are only arm thickness, with a few at thigh thickness, but TBH I just don't have the time to tackle them with a bowsaw. So, I got to looking for chainsaws to buy / hire, but got a bit scared when I saw they were offering cut price blood coagulant powder with every purchase (yes, seriously!).

So, what would you do?  I really don't fancy a chainsaw now (I like my arms and legs too much). Am I just being a wuss, or is there another, better alternative that would handle light logging duties for firewood etc?  In particular, I was wondering about an alligator saw, but I wonder how good it would be for cutting wet / green wood?

Don't mind spending a wee bit of cash here if I'm going to get a good tool that'll last a long time. Any opinions folks?

[sandy]

Just get yourself a good bow saw, my partner cuts loads of logs with one, chain saws are not necessary and they are very dangerouse as a kick back or slip can be leathal, anyway, cutting logs with a good saw is like going for a work out, I love it too but not offering, far too much to do!!

[carl]

When I was in my youth I used to cut all our household firewod with a bowsaw. Now I am not so fit, so I use both a bowsaw and a chainsaw. If they are only as thick as you say, maybe an electric chain saw will do the job quickly and less sweat. If I just want to cut up a little wood I still use`the good old bowsaw, but when there is a pile, or they are more awkward or thicker, then it is worthwhile going crazy with the two stroke. If you are sensible and follow the instructions then you will find it a doddle reducing majestic trees into piles of tidy logs. just be carefull.

[sandy]

Is there any more people out there who love piles of neatly stacked wood? Instead of turing his head to look at women or cars he looks at log piles!!! Some years ago, when my partner was asked what would be an ideal present he said a bonifire, how strange!! several houses and coal/log fires later he now has a log shed and it is soo neat, he spends ages moving them around so one day I went in and put some numbers on them in chalk!!! he now sometimes goes in to check if any are missing, no seriously he dose...one day I lit a fire and used a lot of kindling...bear in mind we have cut several trees down and have a lot of wood, he told me off fo using so much so, this year he may just get a bonfire!!!!!!!!

[carl]

You've gotta love nice neat stacks of logs. i have a big shed full of logs sorted into neat piles. Large, small etc  ashe, wilow,birch etc  new,one year and two year old. i have split logs and whole logs, depending on what heat or look I want by the fireplace. i also have sacks of kindling because it is too small and random to stack neatly. sad, i know but cheaper and more usefull than vintage cars or motorbikes. Whatever rocks your boat.
I hate to see badly cut wood. It burns the same, but looks shabby.

[sandy]

My OH is impressed and would love to see them!!!!!! He always looke anxiouse when I go in "his" log shed

[Womble]

My OH is impressed and would love to see them!!!!!! He always looke anxiouse when I go in "his" log shed

But she said
There's something in the woodshed
I know because I saw it
I can't simply ignore it, darling
So he said Now baby don't be stupid
Get this into your sweet head
There ain't nothing in the woodshed (except maybe some wood)

 

[sandy]

My Oh loves Divine Comedy Another Log memory was when we went out in our VW Camper, a barbie pink one at the time, we saw  a huge log but it was a bit too long to put it in the back so my OH stood on one end while I jumped up and down on the other   THe farmer drove by very slllllllllllllllooooooooooooooowly

[carl]

I can't resist bits of wood. If I see them I have to weigh up the usefullness and work out the possibillity of taking it home. Last friday i was walking down in the woods and found a piece of oak tree, should I carry it home? I got half way before it became too heavy and embarrassing evry time anyone came by. It is dumped in the side, waiting for my next trip.

[sandy]

Bin there 

[HappyHippy]

Womble, we've used chainsaws (electric and petrol ones) for years without cutting off any limbs  
You can get reinforced leg protectors if you're at all worried about it, but unless you're going to be doing lots of cutting they'd probably work out a bit expensive.
As long as you're sensible, have plenty of working room and don't have kids/animals running round as you come over all texas chainsaw maracre you'll be fine.
Carl, I'd also love to see photos of your wood shed, sounds really impressive and organised  

[Snoopy]

When I was in my youth I used to cut all our household firewood with a bowsaw. Now I am not so fit

Carl, you've ruined my image of you - aint it funny -  I get a picture in my head of how someone looks even
though I have never met them, and I had you down as a blonde haired blue eyed cheeky faced 35 year old.

How near am I 

[carl]

Older, by 13 years, darker with a few greys. blue/ grey eyes. cheeky? wiry build. fit enough, but not for hours of sawing by hand. do bursts of sawing, splitting and stacking, but not huge trees like my brother and I used to do 30 years ago.( he is blonde blue eyed and cheeky looking, but now 51). we had @5 acres of woodland at our parents, and used to practise woodcraft. coppicing etc. it kept us out of mischief and we always had a good log fire in the house and brilliant bonfires on guy fawkes night.

[Snoopy]

Memories - Brothers - Woods - all sounds like a fairytale - which is what childhood was
back then in the 60s and 70s before computer games and tv.

I used to love winter, sledging in the snow down hills on an old board, making go carts
with the boys on the street, playing hop scotch and whip and top, chasing leaves through the woods in
Autumn, going chumping, and making a guy, Toffee apples parkin pigs, wow those were
the days Carl - I am in betweeen you and your Brothers age, but feeling it, unfortunately

Thanks for the memories 

[Le Recoignot]

I had used a chainsaw for many years and thought I knew all that was needed to know, until last September when I enrolled on a Lantra course (safe use, maintenace, cross cutting and felling) 4 days in total, at a local land based college. the course was excellent and i would recommend you look for a similar course.

In terms of the type of saw forget electric. you need a 50cc engine with between a 14" and 18" bar.
Petrol chainsaws loosely fall into 3 categories:

Domestic logging
Estate use ie (infrequent use on say a farm)
Proffessional (forestry etc)

You ideally should look at the 2nd category, I have 2  chainsaws an old Partner (logging) and an Oleo Mac 952 which to date I have been very impressed. What you would need to spend is around £200-£400.