Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[MechanicMatt]

Took the family hiking, Mt Beacon. It used to have a cable pulled rail car that ran up the mountain. My dad used to tell me stories about it being a steep ride, after seeing the remnants of the tracks..... that must have been a white knuckle ride!!

 

[svk]

I got to get over this tearing saws down and letting them set on the bench for months before putting them back together. I got a 55 thats been setting for almost a year. new bearings, seals, oem p/c, broke the ring putting it back together so just left it setting until I was ready to order some other parts. Meantime, buy a 272xp that needed a new piston and a muffler. Went to order a meteor piston and ring, out of stock, so there it set along side the 55. Finally got around to ordering the parts for both saws and picked them up today. Installed piston in the 272 and start to bolt on the muffler, uh, no bolts. OK, build the 55. Uh, where are the bolts for it. I think I gave them to svk when I gave him a old parted out 51, anyways cant find them. ( thats been a good while back). Looks like a trip to the saw shop Monday to see what kind of junk I can rob bolts out of. I hate to have to do that, I always endup bringing something else home to work on. Got a 346 setting in the corner waiting on some attention, but I think I will wait to tear it down until I have parts in hand to fix it with.

I still have the box of parts plus more, what do you need for the 55?

I took the parts from you plus two other non runners and made one running 55 so I have lots of other parts.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Here's the cover of a book a just googled about it

 

[MustangMike]

I was gonna say, your pics, and even the book cover, don't do it justice. Your Dad and I were on it a few times when we were kids, before the Beacon/Newburgh Bridge was built (there was only a ferry).

It was built by the Otis Elevator company, and was the steepest inclined railroad in the world (at the time).

There is a not for profit that says they will restore it, but they have been saying it for decades.

It goes up North Mt Beacon. So Mt Beacon is the tallest mountain between the Catskill Mountains and the Ocean.

The pic is from So Mt Beacon, with Thor (departed) and the Bridge. The white spot in front of the Bridge on No Mt Beacon is where the pavilion used to be (the terminus of the Inclined RR). The views were great.

 

[MustangMike]

Does anyone know what kind of wood this is by looking at the pictures?
This wood has been sitting here for almost 3 years. How long will it take to be fireplace ready?

Not sure what the wood is, but does not look like Oak. Yes it should be ready to burn, unless it picked up moisture from being on the ground.

 

[MustangMike]

Yep, I can get 3 maybe 4 slabs off a 24-30 inch Oak, 7 1/2 feet long, and have to put a couple strokes on each tooth. I'm using a 660 with 36" bar. I've got mostly Chestnut Oaks on my place. A 3" slab is HEAVY, Joe.

Sounds the same as my experience with Red Oak, and I use the same saw/bar, and square file chain. But this stuff is very dead and dry, so I'm worried it will be worse. Also have a regular White Oak log to mill. I'm thinking the two woods may contrast very well!

 

[farmer steve]

Today's haul, and my first official scrounge (most of my fire wood in the past has come from helping friends or family remove unwanted trees). I managed to bring home 2 loads in my Tucson.

I picked this up at the sportsman's club at which I am a member. We did some range renovations 2+ years ago and this is just piled up on one of the ranges that we shut down (for safety reasons). I started the day with a brand new semi-chissle and had to sharpen it 3 times. It's the first time that I sharpened a chain, so maybe I just suck at it. More practice is needed. It didn't help that I hit a couple of well aged bullets while cutting - bullets that were 2"-3" into the wood, so they've been there for a while.

I don't know what kind of wood this is, but it is hard as all hell. Even with the oil turned all the way up, things were smoking. The end grain looks like oak. It does have a slight oak smell, but not the strong assertive [read as James Earl Jones] "I am oak" smell (perhaps because it's spent 2+ years seasoning ?? ). It splits like a dream. 1 or 2 good hits on a single wedge and the thing is in 2 pieces. Once it's cut down to axe size pieces, 1 medium power hit and it explodes apart.


I have 2 questions:
Does anyone know what kind of wood this is by looking at the pictures?
This wood has been sitting here for almost 3 years. How long will it take to be fireplace ready?

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almost looks like tree of heaven from the bark peeling off.

 

[muddstopper]

I still have the box of parts plus more, what do you need for the 55?

I took the parts from you plus two other non runners and made one running 55 so I have lots of other parts.

I can probably scrounge up what I need, If I look hard enough. Thats the problem with tearing a saw down and letting it sit for months before putting it back together. You get a little project and need the bench so you shove everything down to one corner. Next you pile stuff on top of it. Do that a couple times and you forget what you got and where you put it. Pure case of of putting fishing ahead of getting things done.

 

[abbott295]

Bobby Kirbos: maple, possibly?

 

[JustJeff]

Today's haul, and my first official scrounge (most of my fire wood in the past has come from helping friends or family remove unwanted trees). I managed to bring home 2 loads in my Tucson.

I picked this up at the sportsman's club at which I am a member. We did some range renovations 2+ years ago and this is just piled up on one of the ranges that we shut down (for safety reasons). I started the day with a brand new semi-chissle and had to sharpen it 3 times. It's the first time that I sharpened a chain, so maybe I just suck at it. More practice is needed. It didn't help that I hit a couple of well aged bullets while cutting - bullets that were 2"-3" into the wood, so they've been there for a while.

I don't know what kind of wood this is, but it is hard as all hell. Even with the oil turned all the way up, things were smoking. The end grain looks like oak. It does have a slight oak smell, but not the strong assertive [read as James Earl Jones] "I am oak" smell (perhaps because it's spent 2+ years seasoning ?? ). It splits like a dream. 1 or 2 good hits on a single wedge and the thing is in 2 pieces. Once it's cut down to axe size pieces, 1 medium power hit and it explodes apart.


I have 2 questions:
Does anyone know what kind of wood this is by looking at the pictures?
This wood has been sitting here for almost 3 years. How long will it take to be fireplace ready?

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I have no idea what kind of tree that is. I have had good luck posting in the tree id section. If you split it this spring and stack it for the summer, it will be good to go for the fall.

 

[MustangMike]

almost looks like tree of heaven from the bark peeling off.

Very interesting. I'm supposed to fell a tree today, it is near a lot of Black Walnut, but it is not one of them. I presumed it was Butternut, but perhaps not!

Any tips on ID this time of year (no leaves or nuts)???

 

[Hutchinsonkw]

I finally got a new saw! Took my echo 490 out for a load of mostly ash yesterday. After cutting for 2 hours my buddy brought up his tractor to make easier paths to get to the wood. There are probably 20+ more loads of this size for me. It’s going to be a busy spring/summer!

 

[Cowboy254]

I can probably scrounge up what I need, If I look hard enough. Thats the problem with tearing a saw down and letting it sit for months before putting it back together. You get a little project and need the bench so you shove everything down to one corner. Next you pile stuff on top of it. Do that a couple times and you forget what you got and where you put it. Pure case of of putting fishing ahead of getting things done.

This is understandable.

I finally got a new saw! Took my echo 490 out for a load of mostly ash yesterday. After cutting for 2 hours my buddy brought up his tractor to make easier paths to get to the wood. There are probably 20+ more loads of this size for me. It’s going to be a busy spring/summer!

Nice! Always good getting your hands on a new saw, car or woman. Lots of pics, please !

Welcome to scrounging, BTW.

 

[JustJeff]

Chickens say “Thanks for burning all that pesky wood so we can sit here”.
I have been picking away at the pile, doing some hand splitting. Usually there is way too much snow for this. I’m running out of hand splittable pieces, mostly the big and gnarly ones destined for the splitter or saw.
Got maybe 3 facecord of hardwood left to split and maybe 2 of pine. I’ll be on the hunt for hardwood this year!

 

[Bobby Kirbos]

Here are some close-up shots of what I scrounged yesterday. Hoping for someone to be able to ID this wood

 

[dancan]

Today's haul, and my first official scrounge (most of my fire wood in the past has come from helping friends or family remove unwanted trees). I managed to bring home 2 loads in my Tucson.

I picked this up at the sportsman's club at which I am a member. We did some range renovations 2+ years ago and this is just piled up on one of the ranges that we shut down (for safety reasons). I started the day with a brand new semi-chissle and had to sharpen it 3 times. It's the first time that I sharpened a chain, so maybe I just suck at it. More practice is needed. It didn't help that I hit a couple of well aged bullets while cutting - bullets that were 2"-3" into the wood, so they've been there for a while.

I don't know what kind of wood this is, but it is hard as all hell. Even with the oil turned all the way up, things were smoking. The end grain looks like oak. It does have a slight oak smell, but not the strong assertive [read as James Earl Jones] "I am oak" smell (perhaps because it's spent 2+ years seasoning ?? ). It splits like a dream. 1 or 2 good hits on a single wedge and the thing is in 2 pieces. Once it's cut down to axe size pieces, 1 medium power hit and it explodes apart.


I have 2 questions:
Does anyone know what kind of wood this is by looking at the pictures?
This wood has been sitting here for almost 3 years. How long will it take to be fireplace ready?

View attachment 628490
View attachment 628491

View attachment 628492

View attachment 628493

Props for scrounging with the Tuscon
I had to retire the wife's Echo last week and got her a Kia Sorrento , I wonder if she'll let me use it for scrounging duties , it is 4 wheel drive I let her know

 

[95custmz]

Here are some close-up shots of what I scrounged yesterday. Hoping for someone to be able to ID this wood
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Looks like American Beech. I'm going by the bark, which looks smooth, with no ridges.

 

[dancan]

46* here today , scrounged spruce in the furnace keeping the damp chill out of the house all day
Here's a pic of "Witches broom , a disease that will affect some spruce .

 

[James Miller]

... here we go ...


Any trouble I had was related to the chain. The PH did its job perfectly fine. It's a 50cc saw and had plenty of power. The fresh chain was grabby and the clutch slipped out if I got into it too hard. Once I let the chain do the cutting, it just cranked along. Could I have used more saw, sure. I have a 70cc class saw in my 3 saw plan, but right now my CAD fund is depleted.

Until reading posts on this forum, I never had a well dialed in carb on my saw. Thanks to the knowledge gained here, I let the thing sit and idle for over 5 minutes and it didn't miss a beat.

Until I joined this forum I couldn't file a chain or tune a carb. Also didn't know there was anything wrong with the echo saws till I joined AS .

 

[svk]

Until I joined this site I thought I only needed two saws and two chains for each saw.