A tree service buddy offered to bring me "a few loads" of logs. He likes bringing me wood since I don't turn up my nose at a big spruce or willow, as long as there is some mulberry, oak, or maple mixed in the load. In any event, he brought me 6 loads with a big dump trailer. A lot of wood, which I like. He's always brought me clean logs, but this time, they look like they were sitting on wet ground for a while. They almost all have at least a little bit of dried mud or loose dirt on them. If I had known I was getting dirty logs, I would have politely declined. But they are my dirty logs now, so I need to figure out what to do with them. I try to always cut with razor sharp chains, and I take care to keep my saws clean. So I am not looking forward to running any chain into a visibly dirty log. (I have 6 or 7 Dolmar and Makita (Dolmar) saws, ranging from 30cc to 79cc). Has any ever tried pressure washing logs before cutting them? That sounds time consuming and perhaps not terribly effective. Should I try to strip the bark on the biggest logs? Any easy way to do that? Carbide chain? Or should I toss them deep into the woods and forget about them? I'll post a few photos of part of the logs. They are not THAT dirty, but I can't buck them up without cutting through a lot of dirt.
I should add, they really are dirtier than the look in the photos. I'm not whining about a few dirty spots. Many logs have dried mud running the full length of one side.
Pictures don't show too much, but you said that. If it were me I'd probably just see how a chain would do or maybe take a garden rake and scrape a bit.
I’d let some rain wash em. They don’t look that bad in the pics, but I know conifers can scoop up a bunch of grit in their bark. I will use a broom to brush and on scaly bark I mark the log and take a hatchet to where my cuts will be. There are occasions when I just cut and know I will have some filing to do.
One idea that I learned here was to undercut the dirty side. This way you ‘cut’ thru the dirt from under and toss the dirt with the chips immediately and hopefully much of the dirt doesn’t even make contact with the chain. As opposed to pulling the dirt thru the kerf to the other side of the log while it continues to grind on your chain if you cut down thru the log.
Mark your cuts and buck with the muddy part closest to you so its not being pulled through the cut. Try using a machete or hatchet to remove dirt where you cut. A wire brush helps too. Try running semi chisel chain. Not as fast as full chisel but doesnt dull as fast. Ive never used carbide chain but it might be worth the investment if you have a lot of dirty logs to cut.
Interesting idea, thank you. I do the same thing when there are a ton of chips and oil packed in under the clutch cover -- which usually happens when the chain gets dull and it's making more dust than chips. If I don't feel like stopping to clean everything out, I will use the top of the bar as much as possible since the chips shoot out the front and don't have to pass under the clutch cover.
Thanks, Brad. That makes a lot of sense. I don't post on here much (although I lurk a lot more). But when I do post a question, you are always quick to respond, which is kind of you.
Now that's an interesting suggestion about not pulling the dirt into the kerf. I have some dirty logs I skidded up from the creek and will try that!
Thats nothing. Cut from the opposite side of the dirt as said above. Ill use a axe or hatchet and knock the dirty bark off where Im gonna cut if its real bad. Was actually looking at a debarker last night because well why not.
Do you have a saw and bar that will run .404 chain? It's a lot more robust and will cut through dirty wood for a long time before it needs to be re-sharpened.
I often collect dirt and mud in my logs when skidding them despite my best efforts. I position them with the dirty side up if I can and wait for some rain. Cutting 'towards' the dirt helps also. If I'm in a hurry I will knock of the really bad stuff with a hatchet. I just cut the bark with dirt in it off my cut spots a couple inches wide. Doesn't take very long usually. I run hillbilly chains, so they stand up to some dirt pretty well. If all else fails (lazy, hurried mode), I'll chop it up and run the file a couple swipes afterwards.
Wait until the dirt is dry and use a broom to brush off the dirt just where you will cut. Doesn't take too long and is minimal effort.
Like others have said, cut so the chain is going through the dirt as it comes out of the log, semi chisel chain and carry on. When logs are drug out w a skidder, they may have 1-½" of dry caked mud on them. Your logs look sanitary to me!
Lots of good advice. Thanks everyone. Years ago when I got my first saw, someone beat into my head to keep the bar out of the dirt and not to cut dirty wood. I guess I took that to heart and I assumed that any dirt would almost instantly dull the chain to the point that it won't cut. I guess I was mistaken. I don't have a .404 set up, but I'll see if I can find a semi-chisel chain for my Dolmar ps-7900 with a 3/8" bar and sprocket. I know I have semi-chisel in .325 / .50 for my Dolmar ps-6100. (I love that setup for smaller stuff, with an 8-tooth sprocket and a 16" bar.) But the .325 cutters are smaller, and I gather that bigger is better for cutting dirty wood. So I'm probably better off with a 3/8" semi-chisel.
Don't encourage me. My first thought was -- why not buy something to debark them? But that kind of thinking is why I have a whole bunch of tools and equipment that I hardly ever use. So I am resisting the urge.
