Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
Just for last night...
Camping - Firewood Gathering Tools
- Thread starter lysol
- Start date
We used one when we forgot the chainsaw to cut downed trees from a jeep trail. It worked very good for that purpose. It could be hard on your fingers if used for a long time.
Around here there are quite a few dead trees still standing. You just have to actually LOOK for those. Some are beetle kill, others are just random dead trees.
When we find one, out comes the small chainsaw to fell it. Then the length of chain to drag it a short distance back to camp. By the time its at camp it will have de-limbed itself and is ready for bucking and splitting.
Won't go anywhere without the chainsaw and an axe or maul.
When we find one, out comes the small chainsaw to fell it. Then the length of chain to drag it a short distance back to camp. By the time its at camp it will have de-limbed itself and is ready for bucking and splitting.
Won't go anywhere without the chainsaw and an axe or maul.
java
Expedition Leader
MY thoughts exactly! I learned something today!
Inyo_man
Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining.
The above post is our exact punch list when snow camping.
The women folk love a nice, big, roaring fire in the winter.
We normally spend a solid couple of hours "gathering" all the wood we need for the intended duration of the trip.
This way the "work" is done, and we are free to "relax".
I'd never go winter camping without a chainsaw.
Summer is a different story...bow saw and a sharp hatchet will work just fine.
Cold Steel Bolo machete is what I have for clearing brush, bamboo and small trees/branches up to about 6". I don't know that I would want to use it to cut a pile of wood. It's cheap. I won't cry if I hit a rock and chip the edge. I hit with a grinder then my knife sharpener.
Other choices.
http://www.coldsteel.com/Category/5_1/Machetes.aspx
BigSwede
The Credible Hulk
I'm thinking about picking up one of these though. When I was a kid, I used to split wood with my dad. I really enjoyed the "crack" followed by the wood splitting wide open. Obviously, I would want the longer X27.
$50
http://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-7884-..._1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382574986&sr=8-1&keywords=x27
I have the X25. Does a good job of chopping and splitting both, though perhaps not optimal at either. Just used it a week ago to chop through a downed oak tree on the trail...took a while (frozen oak is HARD!) but we got 'er done.
A good compact-packable version of the bow saw is the Sven Saw. Between the Fiskars X25 axe and the Sven Saw I have pretty good capability in a small space.
TireTracks
Its Better on the outside
Depends on where I am. My fires are normally small affairs. I do not want to risk starting a forest fire, and Big fire= big plume of sparks with the Pine and fir I burn.
I Leave a Estwing Hatchet in the camper. I've taken a Double Bit axe along once. A bow saw would also be good if your wood is small enough for it to cut. If you want ultra compact, I have seen Bow saws made from tubing that nest together.
I've got a few old 2 man saws that could be lugged along, if you were serious about man powered wood gathering.
I Leave a Estwing Hatchet in the camper. I've taken a Double Bit axe along once. A bow saw would also be good if your wood is small enough for it to cut. If you want ultra compact, I have seen Bow saws made from tubing that nest together.
I've got a few old 2 man saws that could be lugged along, if you were serious about man powered wood gathering.
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Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
Tenmogger brought his hydraulic chainsaw on our last trip on Thanksgiving (powered by the PTO on the front of his Mog). Between that and my maul we made a very nice stack of firewood.
The saw was so quiet that my wife didn't hear it; she was near the river walking the dog, about 200 yards away.
The saw was so quiet that my wife didn't hear it; she was near the river walking the dog, about 200 yards away.
SWITAWI
Doesn't Get Out Enough
I would love to see/hear that! Got any pictures or video?
Just FYI, take note that Fiskars has what they call Chopping Axes and Splitting Axes - http://www2.fiskars.com/Gardening-and-Yard-Care/Products/Axes-and-Striking-Tools
The Choppers are more what we think of when we think 'axe'. The Splitter's edge starts out in a shallow grind almost like a regular axe, but then flares out to be wide like a maul.
Most of the time an actual axe works better for chopping, but these split pretty well.
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
I wasn't clever enough to grab the camera from my wife when we started to cut up the log.
I think he'll be down our way next month and I'll try to remember to coax him to take out the bad-boy again. I'm pretty sure it was a Stihl, btw.
01tundra
Explorer
This is all I carry in my truck and it's always done a great job for us, plus it's very compact -
http://www.svensaw.com/
http://www.svensaw.com/
Scoutn79
Adventurer
I usually will gather wood in the method that requires the least amount of effort. I like small fires you can sit next to and fiddle with compared to a fire you can't get any closer than 5 feet to. That being said the size of the fire will vary depending on how cold it is. If I can gather wood the right size for the fire without any tools I will but if the only wood available is larger in dia. than required I will use the saw to cut to length and if needed split it with a axe. Under most circumstances I don't need wood more than 2" dia. To me, and the people I camp with a huge fire is just a waste of wood that could be used the next night and would require us to cut larger, and more, firewood than really needed...
This is the saw I use...It seems to be discontinued.
http://www.amazon.com/Trail-Blazer-TBS-24-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B000LW1Q1E
The axe.
http://www.estwing.com/ao_campers_axe_long_handle.php
YMMV
Darrell
This is the saw I use...It seems to be discontinued.
http://www.amazon.com/Trail-Blazer-TBS-24-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B000LW1Q1E
The axe.
http://www.estwing.com/ao_campers_axe_long_handle.php
YMMV
Darrell
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