It works great! It’s very easy to walk down a log and mark lengths with whatever wheel you’re using. I don’t cut w/o it. My firebox fits 25” and what I did was added a second ramp to the 14” wheel to spray every 7”, then cut to 21”. After a couple seasons like that, I realized the larger/heavier size splits are harder on my hands, so I’ve switched back to 18”. Super easy to swap wheels. For a couple years, I used a tape measure pulled out 12-15’ and would make a mark w the saw every 18, move the tape rinse/repeat. For a while I did the whole turn the saw and use the bar to measure lengths. That got old but was quickest when I was processing pushed over apple trees. Found the Mingo and never looked back. It’s quick and it works perfectly. Just make sure to not let your paint in the truck over freezing temps.
Never have used one. Im content with a folding ruler and chalk. If I was cutting from a log deck with lots of straight pieces I imagine it would make it easier.
Trying to use one of those in the woods where you are having to walk thru brush and going uphill or down, it doesn't work all that well.
I use it on long straight pine trees. The oak trees around here grow with a lot of limbs and never straight. The Mingo hates that.
I marked every limb on this tree w the Mingo, no problem at all. Zoomed in you can see my orange dots. Once you get used to it, it’ll go down a crooked limb just fine.
piece of PVC pipe ( 16 inches) and a lumber crayon or chalk for me. Pipe is white so a little harder to lose. Inexpensive and works just fine.
Well mines on its way ... cutting mostly ash and oak they don't have a lot of lower branches so I have a good piece of straight wood with no branches to work with . Thanks Ernie
I've got too much OCD for the Mingo. I do measure, but a tape/rule allows 'editing' of a log much easier. Knots and crotches get cut out and split into the ugly pile. Sometimes I'm making a couple different length splits off the same log or branch, depending on if it is adventageous considering 'defects'. The upcoming (hopefully) wood sales will further enable my nonsense. lol Was looking at a bunch of ads for 'baby splits' yesterday for the pizza oven and porch fire folks. It looked like kindling to me, but I guess that's what those devices use for fuel.
I have one & it seems to work well most of the time. It doesn’t work particularly well on barkless logs as they can be slick & it slides around. You just have to adjust for bends as you move along, tilt up/down. I prefer yellow paint, it seems to show up best in all conditions. I have used orange & white paint but the yellow just works better for me.
I just use the zip tie trick. Works better around crotch wood too. Like Chris at “in the woodyard” I have pink zip ties because they are nothing natural and really easy to see
What if you don’t cut your firewood at one of their predetermined lengths? Is there a way to adjust for say 18” or 20” ?
They have multiple wheels. 14,16,18 then 24. On the 24” one, you can add multiple ramps to make it spray every 6 (4 per revolution), 12 (2 per) or one for 24. Here’s the 14”, you can see the spray ramp. I added a second one to that, sprays every 7” and I cut to 21”. Very versatile. And I agree. I used while paint once and it was terrible. High vis colors are my choice.
