Homemade Stuff

[bigfellascott]

I thought I'd just post a few pics of a few things I've made over the last week to help make things easier for me when it comes to cutting firewood, we burn around 10 ton I guess a year and I also cut wood for others whom may not be up to getting it for themselves for various reasons.

First item is my vice setup, I wanted something that could hold my saws still whilst I sharpen them (nothing worse than trying to sharpen a saw when it's moving all over the place) I tried a stump vice but found that to be lacking and a PITA to be honest so fired I had to make something I could use out bush (I have a vice at home that I clamp my saws into to sharpen but needed something out bush when I needed to sharpen out there (I also carry spare chains etc) but I prefer to sharpen rather than swap chains etc unless I really have too.


The T-Locknut setup works very well and allows me to rotate the setup quickly so I can sharpen the other side.


I designed it so I could have the tailgate down and use that as a workbench which really works a treat to be honest.


Gave it a run out bush the other day and man was it nice to have, no more stuffing around on the ground which is another reason I designed it the way I wanted it as my back ain't real flash and bending down just smashes me at the best of times so I try and limit it as best I can to save on the days of agony why usual ensues after doing a lot of bending etc.



Been getting stuck into this ol girl



I also decided I needed to put a Bucking Dawg on the ol Jonsereds saw as it was missing so used some of the leftover plate I had from the vice setup, I used a grinder and file to knock that into shape and once satisfied I put it in the ol wood oven for a few mins until it was glowing red then dropped it into a pot of motor oil until it was cool to touch then into the wood oven for a few hours to cook, it came up great and I put it to the test the other day and it worked a treat too so was very happy with that, it didn't take long to make either





My mate also gave me this - I wasn't sure about it at first but after using it a few times now it really is a great little setup for those smaller logs that can be a bit of a PITA to cut up on the ground as I would normally do (again very hard on my back and unpleasant to do for too long but this little cutting stand works a treat, I just back the ute up to it, drag the logs out onto it and cut them up and repeat, really does make life a lot easier when it comes to this little job and anything that makes it easier to do is a winner for me.


I also have one of these Hooks to use out bush if I need it which works well also but I think I prefer the stand to be honest as it's just that much easier on the back.

[pete1]

Looking good haven't seen one of these Hooks before interesting.

[bigfellascott]

Looking good haven't seen one of these Hooks before interesting.

Neither had I until recently, seems like a handy bit of kit to help keep the saw out of the dirt, here's a vid on how they work, simple and efficient to use. That one of my mates also pulls out star picket posts (that's that funny U shaped thing up near the hook) haven't tried it yet but that tree came down smack bang on one one and bent it like a pretzel so I guess we will find out soon enough how it goes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1FP9sof1Kk

[<<Genesis93>>]

Good stuff bf, great to be self-sufficient..

Interesting note; that hollowed log you've cut up - in Vic, on 'public' land where permitted to cut firewood we would specifically NOT be allowed to go near such a thing.... its HABITAT you see...... for f%^s sake we are on a downward slide, it will be maybe 5, 10 yrs at most we'll need a permit to even enter these supposedly 'public' lands...

[bigfellascott]

These little Stihl 2in1 sharpeners are a great little thing too, the sharpen the cutters and reduce the depth gauges down at the same time which saves a lot of time and effort, not cheap at around $80 or so now but well worth it to me, I have one two and if I ever get a bigger saw I will definitely be buying one to suit.

http://www.stihl.com.au/STIHL-Products/ ... older.aspx

Video
The guide actually has pics of which direction to use it (sounds like ol mate hasn't spotted them yet) it really is a great little tool to get a great job fast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpQ8LEjJdQ4

[bigfellascott]

Another vid on the 2in1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p57zA9OOjs0

[bigfellascott]

Good stuff bf, great to be self-sufficient..

Interesting note; that hollowed log you've cut up - in Vic, on 'public' land where permitted to cut firewood we would specifically NOT be allowed to go near such a thing.... its HABITAT you see...... for f%^s sake we are on a downward slide, it will be maybe 5, 10 yrs at most we'll need a permit to even enter these supposedly 'public' lands...

Yeah stupid world we live in mate, thank god we don't have to worry about cutting wood on public land. This bugger flattened the fence line so had to go so we could repair it. We cut it all up the other day and just loaded what we needed for firewood for a few families and will be back out this week or next to get another load.

Good wood to burn by the way, puts out plenty of head and coals up nicely but can take a bit to get going but once she's going it's fine.

[Mongrel]

Nothing more satisfying than building stuff to make your life easier
Nice job on the designs....they look simple to use aswel.

[bigfellascott]

Nothing more satisfying than building stuff to make your life easier
Nice job on the designs....they look simple to use aswel.

Cheers mate, I like making stuff to suit my needs, it really has made a world of diff to me, no more struggling to keep the saw still whilst I sharpen it and comes in handy when I service it too, I checked the spark plug and cleaned the air filter and gave the saw a general clean and adjusted the chain tension all whilst sitting in the vice, only thing I can't do is top up the oil and fuel but I can do that on my tailgate so all good, no more straining the back YIPPEE!

[Mongrel]

Nothing more satisfying than building stuff to make your life easier
Nice job on the designs....they look simple to use aswel.

Cheers mate, I like making stuff to suit my needs, it really has made a world of diff to me, no more struggling to keep the saw still whilst I sharpen it and comes in handy when I service it too, I checked the spark plug and cleaned the air filter and gave the saw a general clean and adjusted the chain tension all whilst sitting in the vice, only thing I can't do is top up the oil and fuel but I can do that on my tailgate so all good, no more straining the back YIPPEE!

Work Smarter not harder i say

[Gwion]

Lookin good, mate. Now just bring it down my way and help fill the shed!

[bigfellascott]

Nothing more satisfying than building stuff to make your life easier
Nice job on the designs....they look simple to use aswel.

Cheers mate, I like making stuff to suit my needs, it really has made a world of diff to me, no more struggling to keep the saw still whilst I sharpen it and comes in handy when I service it too, I checked the spark plug and cleaned the air filter and gave the saw a general clean and adjusted the chain tension all whilst sitting in the vice, only thing I can't do is top up the oil and fuel but I can do that on my tailgate so all good, no more straining the back YIPPEE!

Work Smarter not harder i say

Bloody oath you can get away with it when you are young but not when you are older and your body is broken.

[bigfellascott]

Lookin good, mate. Now just bring it down my way and help fill the shed!

I'm too busy trying to keep up with demand around my joint let alone a trip to Tassie, sounds like we might have snow coming on friday going by what I hear, see what happens I guess, supposed to be a max of 5 but bet it don't get there!

[Die Judicii]

Hey Scottie,
If you don't like sharpening,,, avoid the hollow stuff thats usually full of grit and sh!t.

Another real good investment is one of those carbide tipped chains.
Stihl sell em.

[bigfellascott]

Hey Scottie,
If you don't like sharpening,,, avoid the hollow stuff thats usually full of grit and sh!t.

Another real good investment is one of those carbide tipped chains.
Stihl sell em.

I don't mind sharpening chains mate, I kinda enjoy it to be honest, just can't stand it when you have to fight to keep the saw still so to speak and yeah hollow trees can be hard on chains for sure, it's not often we have to worry about them but this sucker was on the fence and had to go and we weren't go to leave that monster where it was so we just got stuck into it, she's all cut up now and waiting for us to cart it out when we need it.

Those Carbide Chains are bloody expensive and don't handle stones well from memory and can be a PITA to get Sharpened again but they certainly do stay sharp for a bloody long time.

[Harper]

I'd like to get myself welder and learn a bit of this stuff.

Won't highkjack by starting a 'which welder' thread in here haha.

Will start separately and be back in a few months

[darwindingo]

Good stuff bigfella !

That vice setup is excellent !.. I like how you can just rotate the saw without removing it from the vice...



Jeff

[bigfellascott]

I'd like to get myself welder and learn a bit of this stuff.

Won't highkjack by starting a 'which welder' thread in here haha.

Will start separately and be back in a few months

Yeah it's definitely something I want to own to mate, well worth having I reckon, for now I will learn using my mates gear and when funds are available I will definitely be getting one and some gear to make knives too I reckon, I wouldn't mind having a crack at making a few of those too.

[bigfellascott]

Good stuff bigfella !

That vice setup is excellent !.. I like how you can just rotate the saw without removing it from the vice...



Jeff

Bloody oath Jeff, one of the better things I've made of late, makes life so much easier when it comes to sharpening a saw, sharpen one side, undo the t-lock, rotate the saw and lock it up, dead bloody easy and I love how I can service it using the vice too, saves the back and keeps it nice and steady.

That little Stihl 2in1 is a bloody ripper idea, so simple and quick to sharpen chains now and they come up great, very pleased with them and can highly recommend them if you want a quick sharp chain.

My little bucking Dawg works well on the Jonsereds - I gave it another good workout today and it's made a world of difference to how I can cut wood now.

This Chainsaw cost me $25 from a Garage Sale - she goes like the clappers and it a real torqy motor and the oiler is a bloody rippa it pumps the oil out like nothing I've ever seen, when the fuel tanks dry so is the oil tank. I went through 2 tanks today cutting a load for myself, filled up my mates ute and a 8x6 trailer too (mostly ironbark and some peppermint) we also cut a heap up and left it to dry out a bit more as it had a little bit more moisture than we expected but won't take too long to dry and be usable.

[darwindingo]

Hey Bigfella

It's yet another great Aussie design ! You could make a $ from such an ingenious design mate !.... As you didn't reference a patent I'll be making one for myself, royalty free of course ....

I hear you on the 2 in 1 mate they are the ducks nuts ! of field sharpeners

Here is my baby with the awsome 2 in 1..



Been a good saw, thus far..

That J was a sweet buy mate ! Now a days It's all pro or homeowner gear.. Most of the older gear was pro quality...

Be careful though, No inertia activated chain brakes or chain brakes at all on most of the good old girls.. "...

They are from a time when the operators were so bloody hard they didn't have to worry about such meaningless things "



Jeff

[Die Judicii]

This Chainsaw cost me $25 from a Garage Sale - she goes like the clappers and it a real torqy motor and the oiler is a bloody rippa it pumps the oil out like nothing I've ever seen, when the fuel tanks dry so is the oil tank.

That's the way it should pump Mate. One tank juice / One tank oil

[bigfellascott]

Nice one Jeff, those 2in1's are a brilliant idea aren't they, saves a lot of stuffing around and most people forget or don't bother to adjust the depth gauges and wonder why their saws don't cut properly, this solves that problem completely, you sharpen the chain and adjust the DG in the same action, can't get any simpler than that hey.

Yeah the ol Johnny was a great little find, they wanted $75 for it originally but I got em down to $25, ol school all the way with this ol work horse, it's a real pleasure to use and yeah she ain't got any of that fancy safety stuff so you have to be careful (same goes with all the safety type saws) so far all good and I only use this one to cut downed trees etc, she's a heavy ol bitch compared to the Stihl 029 super I have but I find it a great saw to use none the less but the stihl gets the felling duties because it's lighter and has some safety features - I've been thinking about getting a bigger saw but not sure I really need it to be honest as I seem to be getting the job done with what I have now without too much fuss.

My Chainsaw mechanic loves the ol girl, he was real excited when I rolled up with it I can tell ya, he nearly fell over when I told him how much I paid for it! LOL He gave it the once over and gave the carby a clean out and changed the fuel lines and put a new spark plug in it and did a little bit of fiddling with the carby as these things can be bitches to start when they get real hot, basically you never switch them off once they are going and have been used for a while, what happens is because the bodies are made of cast magnesium they heat up which basically causes the fuel to get hot and causes evaporation issues I think it was (you can actually hear the fuel tank hissing away when its been running for a while LOL, anyway he did something to get around the issue and it will start no worries at all even after running non stop on one tank.
He was telling me about a McCulloch he owned years ago that had the same issues, he launched it into the scrub one day in frustration and went home came back the next day and first pull it starts LOL
Only problem with these old saws is getting parts (air filters are a rare as rocking horse s**t now apparently) although my mechanic did have one sitting on a shelf he gave to me a while back which was really lucky for me - I've got it tucked away until this one is completely shagged.

[bigfellascott]

This Chainsaw cost me $25 from a Garage Sale - she goes like the clappers and it a real torqy motor and the oiler is a bloody rippa it pumps the oil out like nothing I've ever seen, when the fuel tanks dry so is the oil tank.

That's the way it should pump Mate. One tank juice / One tank oil

Yeah I know Ed - and pump she sure does, only thing I don't like about it is it just keep pumping it out even when you aren't using it but a small price to pay I guess - I've got to adjust the Stihl, it ain't pumping enough out for my liking.

[Die Judicii]

I'd like to get myself welder and learn a bit of this stuff.

If I may be so bold as to offer a little advice,

If you haven't had any experience or tuition thus far,, forget (for the time being) any notion of buying a welder.

Sign up for a vocational course at TAFE or similar,,, and get some basics first, then expand a bit more.
After that you will have a much better idea of what type and what size welder you want, and can then purchase wisely.

Above all,,,, do not be advised by anyone that sells welders for a living.
Get your knowledge from your training course. That way it's not biased or sales orientated.

I've lost count of the guys I've seen over the years that have gone to the Welder Shop and bought what the salesman advised, and walked out with a little booklet telling them how to weld,, and a machine that quite often isn't particularly suited.

It invariably ends up as a disaster, and they realize too late, that they have completely the wrong type of welder, and or just a toy.
And believe me,,,, the booklets don't impart much useful information, and certainly don't teach or polish any skills.

After you've achieved some real knowledge and skills you have a much better idea of what you really need to buy.

[bigfellascott]

Good advice Ed, definitely get someone who knows welding to help you get some idea of what's what (bloody mind boggling this welding caper) so many diff types etc - just starting down the learning path myself with the help of my mate who welds for a living.

[Die Judicii]

Yeah I know Ed - and pump she sure does, only thing I don't like about it is it just keep pumping it out even when you aren't using it but a small price to pay I guess - I've got to adjust the Stihl, it ain't pumping enough out for my liking.

Yep, when I had the following explained to me, I suddenly saw the daylight.

While cutting, it pumps oil into the channel, and the chain which carries and holds the oil. (more oil than you would think)
PLUS,
The bigger the bar and chain, the more oil there is.
After you finish cutting and set the saw down, all that oil starts to drain back and downwards because the bar is inclined.
So you end up with a puddle of oil under your saw.

It makes sense when its put that way.
I always used to think my oil tanks had a leak, until it was explained to me.

[Gwion]

Unfortunately a lot of TAFE welding courses are only open to apprentices.

Both a mate and myself have found it impossible to find a basic welding course for home/hobby users here in Tas. I have a small and pretty cheap arc welder for odd jobs. It's duty cycle is crap and I over heat it all the time. Sometimes I can lay a really nice weld and others it's just a mess! Really need to learn more about setting amps and choosing the right sticks for different jobs.

[bigfellascott]

Yeah I know Ed - and pump she sure does, only thing I don't like about it is it just keep pumping it out even when you aren't using it but a small price to pay I guess - I've got to adjust the Stihl, it ain't pumping enough out for my liking.

Yep, when I had the following explained to me, I suddenly saw the daylight.

While cutting, it pumps oil into the channel, and the chain which carries and holds the oil. (more oil than you would think)
PLUS,
The bigger the bar and chain, the more oil there is.
After you finish cutting and set the saw down, all that oil starts to drain back and downwards because the bar is inclined.
So you end up with a puddle of oil under your saw.

It makes sense when its put that way.
I always used to think my oil tanks had a leak, until it was explained to me.

Yeah makes sense to me when it's put that way too Ed, my Stihl doesn't seem to leak oil when its just sitting which to me suggests it's probably not feeding enough oil so will definitely see if I can up the oil to the chain on that one and I notice it doesn't need to be topped up as much which I guess is also an indicator.

I've got more wood to cut today for the kids as they are going camping down at the local dam and it's still quite cold here even through the day at the moment (snow expected Thurs/Friday this week going by the forecasts).

I just used the vice setup to sharpen the Johnny chain and to service the filter and adjust the chain tension, and also topped up the oil/fuel whilst I was at it, so she's ready for action again - best thing I ever did was come up with that Vice setup, life is good for this ol worn out wood cutter now.

[bigfellascott]

I needed a couple of Bar Covers so figured I'd make a couple quickly, they are made out of some RE Cor flue and some 100mile hr tape, should do the job nicely and protect stuff in the ute from being damaged when the chainsaws are in there.

I was thinking about buying a couple but no doubt they will be overpriced for what they are - anyway this only cost a few mins of my time and some tape and there's always plenty more of that stuff when this lot wears out.

[darwindingo]

Good stuff mate !

Cheap, effective and should do the job nicely.. What's not to like about that.?.



Jeff