Is cutting frozen wood harder on your chain saw

[DrRod]

OK, this might be a bit esoteric but I was out cutting some wood last week and it had been below freezing for a while so I would assume that the wood is frozen. Assuming that its not water logged [which isn't good in wood whether frozen or thawed] would the freezing make the wood harder and thus dull your chain more rapidly? Would it use more energy to run the chain through it? Enquiring minds want to know.

 

[ArlyA]

Gee Rod, I've done plenty of both and I've sure not noted any difference....

 

[DrRod]

Actually, I haven't either. But maybe a physicist out there will let us know.

 

[Wasmeneh]

I don't know about cutting but I have always found it easier to split frozen wood than non frozen.

 

[ArlyA]

I should add that while working in snow, its much easier to hit the ground..... So I guess it is harder on chains..:laughing:

 

[RayfromTX]

If the wood is wet and stringy like willow it might help for it to be frozen but in Oak and Cedar I can't say it makes a difference because the difference caused by nicking one rock would make way more difference to me. I may have done that a time or two.......

 

[Jstpssng]

I've never really noticed the difference although when bringing the wood out through snow it stays cleaner, so I don't file as often.
My father always believed that frozen wood lasted longer in his furnace. That doesn't really answer the OP's question though.

 

[Deere Dude]

I always considered that in the winter most of the sap left the tree for the roots. It won't hurt anything because the chain will warm it up real quick.

 

[Stimw]

They always show those Yahoo's on the Alaska Shows cutting holes in ice many feet thick to get water or put traps.
A much bigger thing to worry about is dirt/sand in the bark.

 

[Coyote machine]

Ever tried to scoop frozen ice cream?:confused3::licking: Same with a saw chain. The frozen wood molecules make the chain work harder to cut through the wood UNTIL the point of equilibrium is reached and the the frozen wood cools the chain and keeps the teeth sharper due to less frictional coefficient effect. Then the wood warms enough to allow the chain to cut without excessive wear, like a hot knife through butter, or a hot ice cream scoop through frozen ice cream. Additionally, the 2nd law of thermodynamics comes into the equation: energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only change phases and go from greater to lesser. Additional heat from the saw chain moving through frozen wood creates a zero sum result and Entropy results. No loss, no gain - merely the illusion of energy wasted when no such thing has occurred. ath::biggrin::yes::wizard::hypnodisk: