Cordylines & Chainsaws

Discodog

Anyone discovered any tips for cutting Cordylines with a chain saw ? They clog the saw & stop it cutting. Several contractors around here refuse to cut them. I am guessing that my beloved 200T may have too fine a chain.

Red Harvest

And the leaves will clog up the stongest brush cutter

How big a trunk diameter are we talking about? I've never really had that problem with the small 4inch trunks I've cut but then I'd cut in long lenghts and dump them (I have an area of the garden for slow rotting rubish). Can you turn the oil pump up and down on the 200T? If so I'd try turning it up high and stopping regularly and fast idle the saw for a bit to keep it well oiled before going back for more. Might also be an issue with how sharp the saw is, not many contractors that aren't tree surgeons would be very knowlegable at saw sharpening.

magicbastarder

the leaves, when dried, burn really well.
the 'wood' burns like wet asbestos.

Theprogardener

It is the leaves that clog the saws, never had a problem taking down cordylines before and never had a saw jam. Just keep away from leaves. Wood has to be bone dry before you can burn it.

bmaxi

Cordyline is really soft anyway. It's not really wood, just layers of leaf stalks, you could cut it easily with a hand saw.

Fiskar

Downed 4 of them in the past year with a chainsaw , no problem. Yes they are soft and mushy but cut through a clean section by pulling the leaves off.

Used the leaves in wraps for fire starting and cut the trunks up for shoulder season firewood.