Best tool for the job?

[WillieJimny]

Is WD-40 a good lubricant for the chain of a chainsaw?

[Steady]

Is WD-40 a good lubricant for the chain of a chainsaw?

No. Chainsaw oil is what you need.

[KoosBraai]

I dont think I would want to use a mitre saw for this.

So any alternative to a band saw that you would suggest?

[KoosBraai]

Is it not easier to just fetch wood than cutting it yourself?

But then what do I do with the large pieces of wood that I fetch if I dont also cut it?
Or by "fetch" do you mean "buy" wood?
In addition to the financial aspect of having free braai wood available to me near my house, I do also enjoy the activity of collecting/ prepping a mountain of wood and the satisfaction that comes with it.

[KobusDJ]

I have used my Ryobi mitre saw to cut down a few long pieces of mopani.

Got a wake-up call as the blade went in the first time. Luckily I was on high alert.... still have all my fingers.

DO NOT do what I did.

[4ePajero]

To me, the chain saw just sounds right.
The reactive action of the wood on the other tools is where it can go wrong very quickly.
With the chain saw, you are 'removed' from the wood you are cutting.

I have cut wood with a circular saw, but was very aware that I was doing something very dangerous - not again.

[KobusDJ]

How about a jig for the wood. Then use the chain saw.

(You want to keep the piece of wood firmly in one place and then both hands on the saw.)

Like this:



Or a sawbuck. Space the legs to the length you want to cut.



.

[EttiennedK]

A bit OT, but to the OP:

I had a wine farm for more than 3 decades. A dry "wingerd stompie" turns to ash quick-quick when burnt. Whilst still wet it is the bee's knees for coals. See if you can get hold of the bulbous looking bit or "knoets" that sits underneath the vine, just below the surface, that the roots grow out of. Much denser wood, easier to store, easily chopped with an axe once dry. Gives great coals even when dry.

[EttiennedK]

How about a jig for the wood. Then use the chain saw.

(You want to keep the piece of wood firmly in one place and then both hands on the saw.)

Like this:



.

Have you ever seen the shape of a grapevine's wood, Mate?

[KobusDJ]

Have you ever seen the shape of a grapevine's wood, Mate?

Yes.

The idea is to get some sort of jig going.

[plunger]

So any alternative to a band saw that you would suggest?

A mitre saw is a precise instrument. We got lucky and picked up a heavy duty bandsaw with a decent throat.
I would think some kind of guillotine apparatus could work for small branches.

[KoosBraai]

A bit OT, but to the OP:

I had a wine farm for more than 3 decades. A dry "wingerd stompie" turns to ash quick-quick when burnt. Whilst still wet it is the bee's knees for coals. See if you can get hold of the bulbous looking bit or "knoets" that sits underneath the vine, just below the surface, that the roots grow out of. Much denser wood, easier to store, easily chopped with an axe once dry. Gives great coals even when dry.

I know exactly what you're talking about. The pile of removed wingerd that I have access to is the most beautiful wingerd I've come across for braaing. Heavy, dense, thick wood with plenty big knoetse making the most amazing coals. Hence me trying to stock up as much as I can, as neatly as i can. At the moment they are not yet completely dried out which I'm sure contributes to the nice coals they are making. I think at the moment an axe wont do that much to it unless its a "meneer" one.

[Andrew V9X]

I use my 115 cordless battery grinder.
I bought a wood cutting disc for it and it is extremely useful and quick.

One thing is with any grinder I never remove the guard and always unplug or remove the battery to change blade or disc.

Always remember accidents happen only on public holidays or Sundays. Be careful out there.

[KoosBraai]

How about a jig for the wood. Then use the chain saw.

(You want to keep the piece of wood firmly in one place and then both hands on the saw.)

Like this:



Or a sawbuck. Space the legs to the length you want to cut.



.

Yeah I was thinking of doing something like this. I have a bunch of gumpoles lying around that I could fashion into something.
Alternatively, Im sure if I just cut the wood with a chainsaw to size in the field where it tends to be fairly attached to each other due to its bendy, scraggy shape it may be relatively stable and safe. These members are mostly T-shaped, with the vertical part being the prized braai wood so stepping on the horizontal part may make it possible to saw the vertical from its free end rather safely unless the newly cut short piece is turned into a projectile once loose.

[KoosBraai]

I use my 115 cordless battery grinder.
I bought a wood cutting disc for it and it is extremely useful and quick.

One thing is with any grinder I never remove the guard and always unplug or remove the battery to change blade or disc.

Always remember accidents happen only on public holidays or Sundays. Be careful out there.

Good to know! I have wondered about the effectiveness of the wood cutting disc on the baby grinder as I am yet to hear of anyone using it. What grinder/battery size do you use and how long does it last when fully charged?

[Andrew V9X]

Good to know! I have wondered about the effectiveness of the wood cutting disc on the baby grinder as I am yet to hear of anyone using it. What grinder/battery size do you use and how long does it last when fully charged?

I have a Total grinder with a 4ah battery. Braai wood is a breeze with it as you only need one hand for holding wood and other one for holding the grinder.
I bought the grinder during a bad time of load shedding and now I never use my corded grinder anymore.

Total and Ingco use the same batteries.
Same factory.
I have 4 batteries as they interchange between my Inco and Total tools. Charge time is no more than 1 hr.

4ah is best for the grinder though and a fair bit of cutting before it needs a charge.

[KoosBraai]

I have a Total grinder with a 4ah battery. Braai wood is a breeze with it as you only need one hand for holding wood and other one for holding the grinder.
I bought the grinder during a bad time of load shedding and now I never use my corded grinder anymore.

Total and Ingco use the same batteries.
Same factory.
I have 4 batteries as they interchange between my Inco and Total tools. Charge time is no more than 1 hr.

Oh I'm a big fan of Total. Apparently made from exactly the same parts as Ingco in the same factory. Although I just recently sent back a cordless reciprocating saw with a 2AH battery as the use time fully charged pretty much halved from day 2 to day 3. So I lost a bit of faith in their batteries. Perhaps I was just unlucky.

[Andrew V9X]

Oh I'm a big fan of Total. Apparently made from exactly the same parts as Ingco in the same factory. Although I just recently sent back a cordless reciprocating saw with a 2AH battery as the use time fully charged pretty much halved from day 2 to day 3. So I lost a bit of faith in their batteries. Perhaps I was just unlucky.

Maybe a dud battery. Generally I use my 2ah on the drill and 4 ah on the grinder. I use my tools daily.

[KobusDJ]

O.T.

Now I need/want this.

[PsyPhin]

I picked one of these up for like R399.
Thought it was cheap enough for some fun. But I find it quite useful even though its obviously a cheap Chinese thing

Works quite damn well