Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[chipper1]

They are a steel toe .
I have the same pair that I bought 5 years ago and still going strong plus a pair of the Steplite X that I wear in spring/summer/fall .
Polly the most comfortable boots I own , flexible and I don't have any issues with the weight .
Traction with the Thermolite is excellent in the winter , the soles remain flexible but wear very well .
They have a wide foot pattern so no pinching for me .
If you get a set Bekinas or even the Dunlops (I also own a pair of them) make sure you try them with the socks you wear in the winter . You need them to have airspace around your feet for them to work well , if they give you a nice compfy snug fit with a thin summer sport sock they will be tight around your foot with a winter or wool sock which will restrict blood flow .
If I could have found a stocking dealer that had the Agriltes in stock I would have a set for the summer .
For me they are an awesome boot for bushwhacking or scrounging in the winter with excellent traction , comfort and warmth .
ymmv

Thanks for the response/advice.
Do you find they run small for you, or are the sizes pretty accurate.
I can get a pair with the composite toes(Bekina Steplite X X290GB) delivered for $85 USD, seems reasonable, not many places to price shop them here.
Bummer is I won't be able to try them out, the only size I can get close to what I wear is a 9 which is what I wear .

 

[rwoods]

Tried to get our church to do a firewood ministry, no dice. So I just help out where I know I can with different people.

It is a big commitment. Ours was started after two local churches realized they both had men cutting firewood for the needy. It has grown from 70 loads or so to over 1300 loads last year. IIRC a load is the equivalent of a single axle trailer load. The ministry is separately incorporated and multiple churches, civic groups, and businesses, as well as the city and county, support it from donating equipment, operating funds, meals, repairs and labor. We now have three skid steers, three dump trailers, several tandem trailers, 3 or 4 Super Splitters, 3 or 4 hydraulic splitters, a skid steer mounted splitter and a recently acquired tractor with a grapple. This picture was taken about a month ago, and despite many deliveries the stockpile is growing and the grass area to the middle right is now stacked with logs. The building (an old practice bomb manufacturing plant) is packed with splits ready to be delivered. The building and lot will empty out around March. Unfortunately, the demand is greater than our ability to gather, split and let cure. Last year we were going from log to the stove before the season ended. Ron

 

[Deleted member 149229]

It is a big commitment. Ours was started after two local churches realized they both had men cutting firewood for the needy. It has grown from 70 loads or so to over 1300 loads last year. IIRC a load is the equivalent of a single axle trailer load. The ministry is separately incorporated and multiple churches, civic groups, and businesses, as well as the city and county, support it from donating equipment, operating funds, meals, repairs and labor. We now have three skid steers, three dump trailers, several tandem trailers, 3 or 4 Super Splitters, 3 or 4 hydraulic splitters, a skid steer mounted splitter and a recently acquired tractor with a grapple. This picture was taken about a month ago, and despite many deliveries the stockpile is growing and the grass area to the middle right is now stacked with logs. The building (an old practice bomb manufacturing plant) is packed with splits ready to be delivered. The building and lot will empty out around March. Unfortunately, the demand is greater than our ability to gather, split and let cure. Last year we were going from log to the stove before the season ended. Ron

View attachment 682838

Great work. James 2:18.

 

[cantoo]

rwoods, what do your local firewood suppliers think of your group? We have a local church group that does car repair work for people who can't afford to pay shop rates. Some church members were mechanics that worked for local shops that looked after the people who were doing the actual work. When they first started there was a lot of grumbling about liability, taking work from local people etc. I live is a rural area so the drop in business could surely be felt by local companies (Repair shops) I haven't heard much about it lately though so not sure if they still do it or not. I do realize there is a need but ?

 

[cantoo]

oops, forgot to mention the Town is only about 3000 people.

 

[rwoods]

rwoods, what do your local firewood suppliers think of your group? We have a local church group that does car repair work for people who can't afford to pay shop rates. Some church members were mechanics that worked for local shops that looked after the people who were doing the actual work. When they first started there was a lot of grumbling about liability, taking work from local people etc. I live is a rural area so the drop in business could surely be felt by local companies (Repair shops) I haven't heard much about it lately though so not sure if they still do it or not. I do realize there is a need but ?

Don’t really know, but I have thought about it and paid attention. I don’t believe it has really affected them as the receipants are all screened by the local food bank. They can’t afford $150 for a pickup truck load. I used to think the tree services would be upset by the trees I fall for free and especially for those who can afford to pay, but so far the services are happy to have a free place to drop their logs.

Our county is around 65,000 and the major town is 15,000. We have wide support because almost everyone benefits - the city provides roll-off containers for our uglies and waste / they get the benefit of less wood at the landfill, less wood to pickup after storms and citizen trimmings; the Sheriff provides inmates / we get free labor / the inmates get fresh air and homecooked meals as well as interaction with some folks who want them to do well after their sentence is served; the tree services get free disposal of hardwood logs / we get logs; the power company get assistance with wood disposal / we get logs; a bunch of old farts get exercise / folks get heat; folks that like to cook get to put on a feast / we get full bellies; wives get husbands out of the house for awhile / we get out of the house; etc.

Ron

 

[pdqdl]

For me it’s a matter of risk vs reward. Unlike a lot of guys on this thread, I’ve only been running saws for a few years and lack the experience and know how to tackle sketchy stuff. I’m young enough to want to do the work and old enough to know what I shouldn’t be doing. I will fell a tree if it doesn’t matter which way it goes but I stay away from anything near houses or power lines or anything that could be dangerous. There’s lots of easier pickings available for me.

That's a pretty healthy attitude. Just don't fool yourself into thinking that you have eliminated the risk by picking the easy trees. I had a very experienced climber die on the job because he was working in a easy tree with no real risk. You must ALWAYS fear and respect the risk, even when it seems straightforward.

I pretty much don't want to do any of it any more. It's just a matter of staying the course for me, at this point. If what you do includes cutting down trees, well...when your customer calls you up, you go do the tree. The difference is that I do it for the money, not the fun. Furthermore, I don't ever get to tell the customer I'm not qualified for that tree.

I looked at a really big dead elm tonight (in the dark). Another contractor wants to pay me to come cut it down for him. Sure! No problem.

...except for the giant decaying branches overhead that will probably cascade down on me and the adjacent house when I trip the tree against the lean. So much liability hanging 60' up in the air!​

 

[James Miller]

Just got a new Fiskars hatchet on sale at Walmart. Use it for kindling and to remove branches from felled trees. Those little fu**ers are sharp. Had it holstered in my carpenter pants loop and was loading the truck with rounds. As I Swung a round into the truck, the palm of my hand grazed the hatchet. Blood everywhere. Small cut on my hand, but damn, that fiskars is sharp . [emoji2955]


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Amazing how quick they can cut you. I got the one in the picture just rolling a Gransfor brukes in my hand to look at it at the gun show last Saturday. Couldn't bring myself to drop $100+ on an axe but it was a nice piece.

 

[chipper1]

View attachment 682879
Amazing how quick they can cut you. I got the one in the picture just rolling a Gransfor brukes in my hand to look at it at the gun show last Saturday. Couldn't bring myself to drop $100+ on an axe but it was a nice piece.

Dang, it must have been sharp .
Surprised they don't have a "you cut yourself with it you bought it policy" lol.

 

[Scandy14]

Just come to Panama City, FL and get all you want. I have never in all my 62 years seen anything like this. Total devastation. Won’t be a good year for folks selling firewood this year.


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[row.man]

The city took the top of this tree down and left it. I got two good trailer loads out of it.
I wonder if they'd mind if I dropped the trunk

 

[95custmz]

View attachment 682904
The city took the top of this tree down and left it. I got two good trailer loads out of it.
I wonder if they'd mind if I dropped the trunk

What kind of tree is that?


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[row.man]

Maple?

 

[woodchip rookie]

Thats no maple.

 

[Bobby Kirbos]

View attachment 682904
The city took the top of this tree down and left it. I got two good trailer loads out of it.
I wonder if they'd mind if I dropped the trunk

Call them and ask if they would mind. This is one of those cases where I would ask for permission rather than forgiveness. If they say yes, you may also be able to find out why they left it, and if they left it because there is something in it - like a wrought iron fence from 1890.

 

[panolo]

Maple?

Looks like the big silver maples we get around here bark wise but I don't remember the inside color. Also some of the leaves on the ground look like maple.

 

[chipper1]

Thats no maple.

Pretty sure it is, unless that was the setup to say it's firewood .

 

[MustangMike]

Looks like Sugar Maple to me.

 

[Deleted member 149229]

Maple.

 

[panolo]

Looks like Sugar Maple to me.

Sure could be. The older thicker bark could just make it look shaggy.