stove or chainsaw?

G'day Cackles

In all my years of travel I have never needed a chainsaw to collect firewood.

A chainsaw might be a handy item though to have in the High Country or in forests where there is fallen timber

A two burner stove and akg gas bottle works well for us for when we do not have fire wood or an open fire is not allowed

Cheers

In most places you can not rely on a fire for cooking all the time. We have a fire whenever we can, but don't count on it for cooking.

I think you need to provide for both. I wouldn't travel without some form of gas cooking.

IMO, a chainsaw is not necessary and more trouble than it is worth for firewood. I carry a good axe. It takes up less room, doesn't use fuel or leave a mess in the vehicle. And I get a bit of exercise on the way. Even the axe is often only needed if I want some bigger wood for coals for camp oven, baking bread etc.

I'd only bother with a chainsaw if you are likely to need to move fallen trees from the road etc.

In some National Parks I believe even the possession of a chainsaw is illegal. You might want to check on this, depending on where you are travelling.

I think you have to take the chain off before entering a national park, something like that anyway.
I should clarify that I have no intention of vandalising the environment, but it would be good to have a fire and the other half reeally wants one.
might go the stove anyway, better safe than hungry.

cackles

Hey cackles,
In my limited experience we have found a chainsaw an almost necessity, especially as we get a bit older. During our travels around WA and NT we found that many camping areas have no firewood, but do alert you to this fact prior to entry. We can stop quickly, and get a good load of wood in minutes, chuck it on the roof rack and presto..lovely fire for cooking and heat. I have a small Stihl carried in a plastic box in the car with a small fuel can, oil and a spare chain. He even has a nick name ...'choppy'.
Steve

I personally have used all the options listed above. I have 2 butane stoves, a 2 burner gas stove with a 1kg and 2 kg bottle, a bow saw, axes, hatchet, and chainsaw.

When i went to cape we took the butane stove and a 2 burner coleman fuel stove as we know we can get petrol anywhere. The butane can't be beaten first thing for a quick cuppa or even when it is smoko.

I like the bowsaw as it is small and easy to use, and the axe is also quick if you have a good quality one that is sharp, there are some $80 ones at bunnings (can't remember the brand!) but are black and orange and are MAGIC.

I don't go to the Vic High country or Otways without my chainsaw. Its in the stihl case, always fueled and lubed before i go and i can't see why taking the chain off in a nat park will do anything, i have a 230C and the chain is put on in about 20 seconds with no tools!

So basically, I can't answer your question directly but can say i use all the options but it depends on where we are giong. I LOVE a good fire and getting the camp over out though... and man its easy to get wood with the chainsaw especially when it is snowing!

Steve

I would stick with the butane stoves just to avoid carrying such a large gas cylinder. The butane refills are available from many supermarkets and are dirt cheap.

Re changing to a wood fire for cooking- just keep in mind the 30 mins to build up coals, 30+mins to put it out, the need for longer untensils, a heavy bbq plate, heavier pots and pans etc. Two minute noodles become 2-hour noodles.

space isn't a problem when we have the trailer with us, but I think I will have to tell him to toughen up and use an axe!

cackles

We've never needed or wanted a chainsaw, and we use the fire 99% of the time. Coleman ULP stove is a great backup - no cylinder to store, and can top up with ULP when you're away. Small 2-burner is about $200.

Just thort I would put my 2 bob's worth in. I have a Husky136 chainsaw that I put in when we travel. It only gets used if we are in an area where available bush wood is plentyful and we feel the need for a campfire in the evening. We use Gasmate stoves all the time. Pick em up on special at K mart etc. for around the $20 mark and a pack of 4 canisters for $6-7 . Can't go past them. We travel with a couple in the camping gear and one in the caravan. Combined with a cast iron griddle for doing your steaks and eggs and bacon and your usual pots it's all you need. It's not quite bush cooking but I recently used heat beads to cook up one of the best roasts we have had in the bush. Used the camp oven and about a dozen heat beads, done in about 1 1/2 hours, little mess and easy to control the heat. Had a friend that cooked up the finest batch of scones in a caravan park using his camp oven and heat beads in a defunct electric frypan to contain the heatbeads. Apart from the delicious aroma nobody was aware he was cooking outdoors.

GeeTee

well now I'm not sure what to do, maybe I should just let him decide seeing as i'm hopeless at woochopping.
I have a butane stove and reckon they're pretty good, no worries with cold in north queensland and they are great in the wind, short term I may buy another and be done with it.

will have to mull it over more

Cackles

Hope you are confused now Cackles. Have travelled with people with chain saws and never seen them used. Interesting thing to note is that they are the people you really don't need in the bush and have no appreciation of it. Gas stoves are good but I have also cooked on fires from the high country to ....lots of places really.

Hi

If you think that you will be cooking every meal on the fire than your kidding yourself, sometimes it is raining, sometimes your trying to get your fire going and dont want to kill it just so you can cook. Fires are good for cooking on but in the end cookers are just easier and faster. Especially if you are having a quick bit of lunch or cooking breakfast and the fire had gone out. Dont get the gas stoves either you CAN NOT go past the coleman duel fuel cookers, and lanterns for that matter, quick, hot, efficent, cheap to run, and extremely high quality. Gas cookers these days are mostly cheap chinese crap, ( i have worked in a camping store)

Just a little hint for you....with so many people touring this country , wood , is in places hard to find...as we found out...but we did have the foresight to carry enough for 2-3 days supply ...we only used it for cooking and on a small cooker made from a spinner tub from from an old twin tub washing machine..cheers

what a great thread...1. open fire 2. Coleman dual fuel. 3. Trangia

As a pending "old Fart" (I even drive like an old fart these days and getr indignant with "P" platers and police) I sue a 2 burner stove, as as already been said you have to have them in some places, easy clean, hair left on arms and legs after cooking.....ugh the smeel of burnt hair is forever gone.

the fire for ambience the stove for cooking

the chainsaw for BIG ambience