Ten top tools for preparing wood for the winter fires

With the bitter recent weather many of you will have been supplementing the central heating system with an open fire or woodburner.
And you will be a little alarmed at the rate at which the wood store has diminished as well.
So now is the time to replenish the store, so here are our ten top tools for preparing wood for the fire.

You will certainly need a chainsaw and the Sanli CE1800 Electric Chainsaw is perfect for most home users.
This has plenty of power provided by a 1800 Watt engine – enough to fell small trees as well as cut branches into wood suitable for the fire.
The guide bar is 40 cm long and the cutting chain is from a top manufacturer which gives very low kick back should it encounter an obstruction like a tough knot.
Tensioning is easily adjusted by an auto-tensioning dial and there is automatic chain lubrication to prolong the life of the chain, again by a simple knob.
Another safety feature is a hand guard which also acts as a chain brake.
This machine costs just £69. It was £79 and the maker’s recommended price is £99, so it is a real bargain.
Delivery is free the next working day and there is a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
You can also buy a helmet with visor and muffs, chainsaw gloves. Chain oil, spare chain and a basic saw horse at special prices when you order this model.
A chain saw exclusive to us and on special offer at the moment is the Einhell BG-PC 1235 Petrol Chain Saw which has a free starter kit worth £100.
Einhell is a leading German machinery company and this chain saw has a 37.2 cc engine designed for easy starting with an automatic choke and primer.
The guide bar is 35 cm long and again the chain is from a leading manufacturer to give excellent cutting power.
The bar itself has a sprocket nose to give better chain speed and increased safety.
A centrifugal clutch stops the engine stalling and the chain is lubricated automatically.
Light to handle and less tiring to use thanks to the low levels of vibration it has a comfort grip handle and a front hand guard which acts as a rapis-acting chain brake.
The claw grip helps held hold on to thicker logs which are being cut.
With this machine comes a free safety helmet with visor and ear muffs, work gloves, fuel mixing bottle, chain sharpening file, spare chain and carrying bag.
There is a two year manufacturer’s guarantee and free next working day delivery. And it costs £139.95.
Another exclusive chain saw offering great value for money is the Oleo-Mac GS-350 Pro Petrol Chainsaw which comes with a free starter pack.
This is a perfect machine for cutting branches from trees and sawing firewood.
It has a 38.9 cc engine and has a 14 in guide bar and uniquely has simple instructions printed on the body of the machine itself.
The on off switch and choke are linked together on one lever to keep it simple and it has transparent tanks to monitor oil and fuel levels. Chain lubrication is fully automatic.
A full anti-vibration system makes it less tiring to use and the front hand guard acts as an inertia chain brake.
With this machine come special gloves, safety helmet with visor and ear muffs 2-stroke oil, chain oil and mixing bottle, all free. Other accessories can be bought at special prices.
It costs £179.95 compared with the recommended price of £289.95 and has a three year maker’s warranty.
Another machine which is exclusive to Mowdirect is the Greenworks 40v 30cm Cordless Chainsaw.
This machine is powered by the latest lithium-ion battery technology and provides great power from a lightweight machine with the benefit of great cutting power without trailing cables.
The batteries mean you can charge at any time and it will not lose power between sessions.
It has a 30 cm guide bar and a transparent oil reservoir means you can keep an eye on the level.
The hand guard acts as a chain brake and protects the user should the chain come off.
It comes with a charger that tells you the level of power in the battery.
This is a really powerful machine, light in weight and simple and safe to use. It costs £199.95 compared with the maker’s recommended retail price of £299.95.
Delivery is free the next working day and there is a three year maunfacturer’s warranty.
Additional Greenworks machinery can be purchased at special process when order this chain saw.
Yet another exclusive is the MD Saw Horse with chainsaw attachment.
A chainsaw bench like this makes preparing firewood much easier and safer for those uneasy about using chainsaws.
Made of solid steel it incorporates a simple to use attachment for the chainsaw and has a y-shaped cradle to hold the logs.
The sheath attachments pivots so logs can be cut as they are pushed along making the whole process faster and safer.
It is adjustable and can take logs up to 25 cm in diameter. It folds flat for easy storage and is very light to carry around.
It costs just £49.95, is delivered free the next working day and has a two-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Now a great little device for sawing large amounts of firewood, the Einhell BT-LC 400 Log Cutting Saw / Bench Saw.
This is the perfect device for those nervous of using a chainsaw and the saw itself sits on the bench and works by pivoting to cut the wood on the cradle.
The saw has a 2200 Watt electric motor powering saw blade with 40 teeth and will take branches up to 125 mm thick.
There is a log stop so you can cut the same size logs each time.
This device is currently on special offer so you can save £150 on the maker’s recommended price as it is only £249.95.
It has a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
Now a really handy machine which will save hours of time trimming back taller trees.
The Mitox 266-PP Long-Reach Pole-Pruner has an overall length of 226 cm and a 25 cm chainsaw head with a 25.4 cc engine. The engine is easy to start and the whole machine weighs only 6.1 kg making it easy to use for longer periods.
It also has an anti-vibration system making it easier to use over longer periods.
It costs just £199 with free delivery the next working day.
Once you have sawn your wood to the correct lengths you will need a splitter to save an aching back hacking away with an axe.
The MD 4-Ton Electric Horizontal Log Splitter is perfect for domestic use with 4 tons of pressure exerted against a triangular splitting wedge by a hydraulic ram.
The power is from a 1500 Watt electric motor and it is safe to use as both hands are needed to work the mechanism.
Transport wheels and a hand grip make it easy to move from one pile of wood to the next.
The recommended retail price is £279.95 but we have it on special offer for just £159.95.
A stand which makes it possible to work at waist height costs £40.
Delivery is free the next working day and there is a one year manufacturer’s warranty.
A more powerful machine for tougher jobs is the MD 5.5-Ton Electric Vertical Log Splitter.
This has a 2800 Watt electric motor and can handle all sorts of wood even tough and twisted hard woods.
The base plate is adjustable so it can handle logs from 54 cm to 105 cm. And it can be used with logs up to 32 cm diameter.
Clamps hold the logs in place while they are being split.
You need both hands to operate the splitter, a useful safety feature, and there are shields to protect the hands from flying splinters when it is in use.
It is lightweight considering its power and can be moved around on transport wheels.
It costs £389.95 compared with the manufacturer’ recommended retail price of £599.95.
Delivery is free the next working day and there is a one year maker’s warranty.
And finally we have a special offer on a splitter which not only offers terrific power but is designed to speed up the operation.
The MD Pro 12-Ton Quick-Split Petrol Log Splitter is a dual speed machine with the wedge travelling towards the wood at a faster speed and then slowing when it encounters the wood to be split.
This is a strongly built machine made of steel with a rusts resistant finish.
It has an easy to start petrol engine which is easy to start and has good emissions figures.
It can deal with twisted and knotted wood with ease and again needs two hands to work it.
Rugged tyres make it easy to move around and give good traction and as an added feature the front stand flips up to become a practical tow bar.
You can save £400 on this splitter as it is only £699.
Delivery is free the next working day and there is a two year maker’s guarantee.
We may still be in for a bit more snow so have a look at our special pages on snow clearing equipment.
And the next task will be to turn over the vegetable plot or allotment so keep an eye on our pages for exclusive products and special prices on garden tillers.