Eucalyptus Firewood

[Mick F]

Hi guys!
Just come in from hard graft and sitting down with a beer (or three )

Photos attached.

Bought a longer bar and a new chain. Perfect, but not cheap! No probs though, coz it'll pay for itself over the years. I know the Husqvarna chainsaw has.

Set to straight away and cut shorter lengths so I could carry them. TBH, I think they were too short so had difficulties with the splitter. Managed ok though. I couldn't split some chunks as they were too knotty, so I'm going to have to saw them up a tad.

I was looking very closely at the damaged chain, and it's ruined only on one side. The teeth alternate left and right, so it's just one side so consequently the saw cuts a vertical curve. Yes, I could continue to grind away the teeth but the chamfer on them is maybe an eighth of an inch long. As far as I'm concerned, the chain is scrap as it's not worth the effort.

I have a bench grinder sharpener thingy. The uppity bits (nubs?) can be touched up against the side of the grinder wheel. I have a depth gauge to get them right, but I don't use it. Back in the old days, I used files and a file-guide, but that's too much like hard work when a bench grinder makes it so easy.

One of these. Not mine, but very much like it.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/oregon-compa ... 230v/7448v

The new bar was superb. Much better for the job, and no doubt much better generally. It's not a huge amount bigger, but just enough to make a difference. The old bar cover doesn't quite fit all the way but that doesn't matter.

Done enough today. Back's aching a bit and arms are tired. Full barrow of split wood now!

[francovendee]

Chainsaw maintenance is a must, especially the chain. I learnt the importance of this when having a very large tree felled.
It was on a boundary and too risky for me.
The guys that cut it down and logged it would run a file over the chain each time it needed more fuel. I spoke to the boss about this and he said if you kept the blade really sharp it always cut well and speeded up the job.
I don't do it every refill but do it after two tanks. It is tedious but not too bad if it's my small saw, the bigger one just takes a bit longer. All it needs is one or two strokes with the file on each tooth.

[[XAP]Bob]

Looks lovely - shame you can't set up a pole lathe and make something beautiful rather than just burning it all.

[pwa]

I wouldn't mess about trying to fix a truly damaged chain either, as opposed to one that is simply blunt. I've heard the stories of what can happen when a chainsaw chain snaps in use.

[[XAP]Bob]

Try cedar…

[Mick F]

More firewood?
Seems we have Ash Dieback here. The trees (just like the Eucalyptus was) are on the border between us and next door.

Photos.
Good Ash further up the garden vs the Bad Ash further down.
Bad Ash will be very difficult to fell due to position and power-lines and out-buildings.

[[XAP]Bob]

Might be a bit far for the guys in the video to travel, but I'm sure there is a local firm that would do the initial felling, leaving you to clear up.

[Mick F]

Yes, I'm sure we (and the neighbours) could pay someone to fell them ............. but why would we bother?

There's tens of square miles of woodland round here. Just coz I've seen a group of Ash only a hundred yards from us, doesn't mean they're the only ones. Must be hundreds of them within a mile of here unloved, uncared for, and un-attended and perhaps un-owned.

We have a couple of acres of woodland, but surrounded by acres and acres of other woodland. I do my best with ours and clear it of weeds and brambles and ivy and stuff, but the other woods are basically nothing more than jungles. Who knows what's in there.

Ash - healthy or otherwise - are fare game for me so long as I can fell them safely. Excellent firewood.

[Paulatic]

Ash die back appears to be everywhere this year. Looking from my chair at a lot of Ash die back. They are about 30ft the only problem being they are the other side of the WCML. Hopefully get the guys to throw some over the fence when they get around to felling them.
All the Larch has now gone from this area. All felled as a fire break for Larch tree disease.
I wonder which species will be next?

[[XAP]Bob]

Ash - healthy or otherwise - are fare game for me so long as I can fell them safely. Excellent firewood.

Bad Ash will be very difficult to fell due to position and power-lines and out-buildings.

It was the position with power lines that would potentially make it enough of a risk to have someone do it properly

[PDQ Mobile]

^^
Tell the power company they are a hazard to their equipment and when they come and fell them tell them you'll tidy up!
Just a thought.

[Mick F]

There was a local company some years ago who came round cutting trees away from the power lines - LV and HV lines. They were contracted by Western Power Distribution and entered people's land to do the jobs.

Not seen them round here for some years. Name of Silvanus Services.

They accessed our place and cut loads of Sycamore away, but it's all grown back again and is rubbing on the LV mains cables. Maybe they aren't needed now because all the LV mains cables have been renewed into a thick/strong single insulated cable rather than twin bare ones with porcelain insulators on the poles.

All the HV stuff is always cleared though. They are three phase and two phase cables with bare wires ......... totally different kettle of fish.

[thirdcrank]

If some sort of maintenance routine is being neglected, my first explanation would be just that: neglect. I thought PDQ's suggestion was astute and certainly worth a try.

[Mick F]

Sorry, should have added that to my post.
I'll give the trees a good looking-at and have a chat with our neighbours. The line to our place come across the field and is clear, but it's FROM our place to their's that's becoming an issue. The Sycamores are ours, but the Ash are on our border line or maybe their's.

I'll have a shufti and a chat and see what should/could be done ....... maybe nothing.

[[XAP]Bob]

The idea of asking the power company to do it if you are uncomfortable working near the lines is a very good one.