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Maggie’s The Woodchuck and Firewood Hoarders Thread

I'm finally covering in the woodpile - just about able to call it a wood shed.
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Found his number.

Anybody running a ported saw, a couple of questions;

Hard to start?

Temperamental?
Hard to start? Not usually.

Temperamental? Sort of Yes.

seems like the more performance you try to get out, they become incrementally more sensitive to mix, tuning, filter being dirty, etc. ie. temperamental.

Its not bad if you want performance. All the local loggers get them ported, cylinders shaved, etc. And, they wear em out and replace the saws like frequently.

I buy a large enough stihl for what i need, and leave em mostly stock. They run for many years with simply adding gas, cleaning air filter often, and change plug annually. Cutting 5-6 cord annually is all i do.
 
Thanks for the info.

I know if you want one thing you most likely give up something else.

With cars, I always wanted them faster. With pickups I wanted them louder. Bikes, both faster and louder.

Now, I want the saw faster and louder.

Guns might be the only thing that you aren't giving up something to get better / more performance. Well, other than the money you have to give up!
 
I think a mild woods port is fine to do if you have the money to spare. To me though as said above, I like reliability and less noise. I used to run ported mufflers and such some but these days I like things quieter.

I have a 440 with a factory style 2 port muffler but the rest is stock and my 261C is stock. Both have great power as is and start EVERY time without worry.

I sold my 362 and 241 recently, both bone stock and running perfectly.

I do believe I will buy a 500i but not because I need it, I just want it so I do understand “mores” disease. I drove very modded cars as daily drivers a long time and I know the satisfaction but I also know the aggravation 😂
 
Found his number.

Anybody running a ported saw, a couple of questions;

Hard to start?

Temperamental?
Hard to start? no
Tempermental? No, as long as it’s not some race port that needs race fuel. I don’t tune mine to be on the ragged edge for that last little bit though, I keep them a hair rich. You do have to pay attention as every now and then they can fall out of tune, but I’m not constantly adjusting them or anything.
 
When I was a kid, I would go with my dad to cut wood (we cleaned out fence rows and wood was a by-product). You never knew if you would do anything because 1/2 the time the saw would not start.

When my BIL and I had a car we would drag race, I told him I was in for anything until it was to radical to drive on the street. That is also what I'm thinking on the saw. If that does not work, well I guess I am still learning and this is just another lesson.

Truth be told, I hope the lessons never end, maybe somewhat more under control, but,,,,,
 
This year they started logging next door to me, big fuel reduction project. So my fear of wildfire has been diminished.

Got some good firewood out of the slash piles, along with a bunch of logs not long enough for the logging truck, and the loggers set them aside for me. Nice that it's been delimbed.

Some of it being Douglas Fir, which has more BTUs than the Lodge Pole Pine I usually burn.


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This year they started logging next door to me, big fuel reduction project. So my fear of wildfire has been diminished.

Got some good firewood out of the slash piles, along with a bunch of logs not long enough for the logging truck, and the loggers set them aside for me. Nice that it's been delimbed.

Some of it being Douglas Fir, which has more BTUs than the Lodge Pole Pine I usually burn.


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Some nice sticks in there.
 
This year they started logging next door to me, big fuel reduction project. So my fear of wildfire has been diminished.

Got some good firewood out of the slash piles, along with a bunch of logs not long enough for the logging truck, and the loggers set them aside for me. Nice that it's been delimbed.

Some of it being Douglas Fir, which has more BTUs than the Lodge Pole Pine I usually burn.


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I miss living where Douglas Fir grows.
 
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Dragged this stick out of the woods the other day. The small rounds will make good all nighters in the wood stove. It'll be next year's wood though.

There were two of these little water oaks growing up either side of a small but good looking pecan tree. I cut them to let the pecan fill out. This one was the only one worth saving.
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So for the mesquite cutters in here: do you guys have issues with boring larvae in your firewood? I have had that my whole life. You stack it and can hear them in there. I have tried to cut the tree and let it sit all summer to season before I cut it up to see how that works - better, but not really any kind of preventative. It’s not just the ones that are in there, but others that come along after it’s down. It’s the small diameter ones that really suffer. The only wood that gets a free pass is that which is standing dead for so long the bark has fallen off of (read:HARD). And I hate to use the trunks on those as there is good wood for projects in there.
 
That looks like a massive grapple.

Can't wait to get behind one and clean up our property.
It's a little heavy for my machine, but it was a grand cheaper than what I was looking at. Picked it up at auction.

It's probably better that it is on the heavy side. It keeps me from trying to do things that would probably just tear up my tractor.

You're gonna love your grapple. I especially like mine cleaning up tops and blown out limbs that you would otherwise have to cut up and pile on the bucket. The grapple is so much easier on you. Just bunch them up, bite down and drive off.
 
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What in the small peepee is this?
Sorry @XP1K couldnt pass it up.
I didn't know how much I didn't like a lifted truck until I owned one. It was pretty from a distance. Sucked to pull with. Sucked to work on. The only plus side was being able to sit up underneath it when changing the oil and the fuel filter. Sold it a little over a year ago.
 
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Indeed, it is. Quite possibly the best tractor accessory ever. It saves so much on your back and just time in general. It got a workout after beryl came through last year. View attachment 8736303
Very similar to mine. I built it in 2014. Figuring up the weight just by the materials it's probably >800 lbs, but I tried to build strong enough I couldn't tear it up.
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Man, that looks good!
Thank you. I have 1 regret with this thing. It was built out of mild steel throughout. Only AFTER I built it did I learn of the existence of something called "T1" steel, which I'm told is much stronger and tougher than the mild steel I had access to. It could have been built much lighter with the same or greater durability. Other than that, I consider a grapple the greatest tractor attachment known to man if you live in the woods. My advice to every tractor owner is to get a grapple ASAP if you do anything other than dirt work with your FEL.

ETA: It was a newbuild in that pic--not nearly as pretty now.
 
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I think first attachment will be a grapple with a rock bucket bottom.

I watched video where they were grooming land with it and collecting rocks that stayed in the bucket.

They pretty much ripped plowed, then raked \ smoothed it down by going in reverse in one slick operation.
 
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I think first attachment will be a grapple with a rock bucket bottom.

I watched video where they were grooming land with it and collecting rocks that stayed in the bucket.

They pretty much ripped plowed, then raked \ smoothed it down by going in reverse in one slick operation.
Depending on the soil in your area it might work great.

My ao, I'd have wads of palmettos and black gumbo stuck all in it in about 5 minutes. I hate our dirt down here.
 
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Place has poor soil mostly, some small tillable patches. A batch of clay, pee gravel, sand, ceaders, oaks and brush.

I won't live long enough to see it finished but will enjoy watching it shape up piece at a time.