Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[bigfellascott]

Hey Scott, just curious how many cubic meters are you burning through per year up there in the hills?

Not 100% sure mate but it's up around 10 ton I guess or about 10 ute loads (my mates ute with the mesh tarp) or about 20 loads in mine All I know is I just get out most weekends and cut wood for myself as a rule plus help get others theirs when they need it too.

It's getting harder and harder to do now sadly, even after giving up the drink and exercising at the Gym I'm still struggling big time this year compared to years before, hopefully it improves as I have a long way to go before winters finished!

 

[bigfellascott]

Think of all the firewood equipment you can buy now with that money saved!

Yeah true enough, mind you I really don't need anything else in that regard, got 3 chainsaws, a ute there's really nothing more I need than that to get the job done TBH.

 

[Saiso]

Yeah true enough, mind you I really don't need anything else in that regard, got 3 chainsaws, a ute there's really nothing more I need than that to get the job done TBH.

And sometime and job gets done quicker with some beer. Damn.

 

[turnkey4099]

Think of all the firewood equipment you can buy now with that money saved!

I didn't quite totally, still have a few a bedtime. Used to 12+/day. Didn't save much - had to spend the savings on buying new cloths to fit the downsized me

 

[turnkey4099]

Sorta a good day in the 'patch. Working up a Willow that I put down yesterday. Got some ways to go to get back in shape. Put in 3.5 hours with the last half hour pretty much just wandering around picking up brush. 1. Failure Ms362 isn't running right. Run fine for awhile then bogs in the cut and I have to jazz it. 2. Failure (mine) 2 diferent 20" chains I supposedly sharped for sure weren't up to snuff. 3. MS361 spit out parts of the sprocket. Spares in the toolbox but no tools to operate on it. Rebar'd the 441 from a 32" to a 24". Except for the weight it was a delight to run.

I did get it down to the bare log with all limbing done. It was propped on the stump and a large main limb propped on a stump. I cut all the prop limbs on the off side hoping it wood roll off the stumps. Nope. Last try I whittle the shreds of the holding wood at the stump and it roled over like a ***** cat.

Came home will beat out. My age (84 today) is showing. Work on the 361 and re-sharp those two chains - I suspect the rakers need lowering. Take it to the dealer on Monday to have him massage the carb screws. I have never learned that trick.

Fail again. Set up for surgery on the busted sprocket at the dining room table, where else?. A 'tack remover' Has a v notch in what wouild be screwdriver tip and a bend in the blade is an ideal tool for removing a circlip..along with a nut pick and a very small screwdriver. I didn't even loose that Jesus clip. Too bad all the spare rim sprockets I had were the wrong size. So I gave the saw a good blow job. Cleaned the filter - I find doing that every year or two helps . So off to the dealer in the morning.

 

[Cowboy254]

It's a Beer hey. I gave up drinking beer about 2mths ago now (was good for 90-120 beers a week but it wasn't doing me any good really so decided to stop! I just drink now.

I think I had that many on Saturday night after we took out our cricket grand final on the weekend. I was very slow moving yesterday morning. One of my teammates is a professional photographer and brought his camera down and took some great shots of the day. Since I was swinging the willow (bat), I figure that's close enough for a firewood forum.

 

[Deleted member 149229]

I think I had that many on Saturday night after we took out our cricket grand final on the weekend. I was very slow moving yesterday morning. One of my teammates is a professional photographer and brought his camera down and took some great shots of the day. Since I was swinging the willow (bat), I figure that's close enough for a firewood forum.

You wear dress whites to cut wood too?

 

[bigfellascott]

I think I had that many on Saturday night after we took out our cricket grand final on the weekend. I was very slow moving yesterday morning. One of my teammates is a professional photographer and brought his camera down and took some great shots of the day. Since I was swinging the willow (bat), I figure that's close enough for a firewood forum.

That's the great Aussie spirit we used to do a lot of what we called 6pk runs, we'd take a few 6pks and go for a drive looking for our next firewood spot in the pines, was great fun just crusing around looking for decent wood to cut, now my 6pk will have to of the water variety

 

[bigfellascott]

And sometime and job gets done quicker with some beer. Damn.

And in some cases it doesn't get done at all cos of all the drinking mind you we made sure we didn't drink beer until all the work was done cos when we drink we really drink so work first play after for us.

 

[dancan]

Well ,,, it sure was a Big Sky Day !!!

This is a road ,, right ?

Nothing spectacular but there's some of that fresh cut wood in the furnace as I type .

 

[dancan]

Thanks. Yeah sounds like a lot of the US got hammered pretty good this year. Had record snow fall here. One of the many things about logging I really miss, sure kept me in better shape. I’m not very good about doing regular exercise unless it’s chainsaw related. Hope you guys get some good weather so your able to get than new 9010 broke in.
Went for snow machine ride last weekend with my buddy, between trying to hang onto a 200 hp modded sled the additive adrenaline rush of full throttle (mid life crisis thing?) I couldn’t hardly stand up at the end of the day, I hurt for 3 days after. Did find some real nice firewoodView attachment 725335just not sure how to get it to the road...

They say that a Scandic is what you need lol
More dead tops at the left of your pic so I'd say a sled would be a worthwhile investment

 

[rarefish383]

My climbing buddy turned 65 and was planning on retiring this year. A month ago he blew a disc in his back and had to have surgery. He's doing well, but says he's done climbing. He has a brand new, less than 1 hour MS 261 with 20" bar he paid right at $600, He might have said he had extra chains and bar for the saw, I forget, a snatch block he paid $200, lanyard for the block $50, 3/4 inch bull line $200, new saddle, spikes, hand saws, other smaller ropes. He asked if I knew any one interested? If any of you PA guys want to make an offer I'll pass it on. I'm going over to take a load of stuff to an auction. He has a big generator for the house, a Troy Built Horse tiller. Ill get a better inventory tomorrow and some pics. I'd buy all of his tree gear, but I'm already buying his JD with a 4'snowblower and leaf bagger, so I'm tapped out. I can meet anyone in the G-burg area, Reading, or some half way points. If some one wanted to get into climbing he has all the modern gadgets, descenders, and most of it's brand new. He said he would not sell any old climbing gear or ropes, just the new stuff.

 

[Logger nate]

They say that a Scandic is what you need lol
More dead tops at the left of your pic so I'd say a sled would be a worthwhile investment

Lol, we had a ski doo tundra in Alaska worked good for getting trees out of the bush. Yeah I was really wanting some kind of snow go after that day. My buddy really wanted to try to pull some of them down to the road but firewood season in that area (federal land) doesn’t open till May 15 and after thinking about the possibility of fines and possibly having saws and sleds taken decided probably not a good idea. Counted over 22 dead standing red fir with bark coming loose, prime firewood for this area.

 

[Saiso]

Well ,,, it sure was a Big Sky Day !!!

This is a road ,, right ?

Nothing spectacular but there's some of that fresh cut wood in the furnace as I type .

What do you have for tractor? It’s something like yours that I’d like to buy. Did you find it locally in NS?

 

[dancan]

What do you have for tractor? It’s something like yours that I’d like to buy. Did you find it locally in NS?

Which one ?

Lol
That one is a Yanmar 336d , We bought 1 from a salvage yard years ago , two were parked beside a garage that burnt, the first one was patched up by the yard for 2400$ , a year later they called me and offered the second one for parts at 1200$ .
Fast forward several years and a fella stopped at the shop asking if the tractor that I was using to move trailers around was a 336d .
He had one , but he had a hole in the block , I told him what I wanted for mine and what I'd pay for his , he bought a new tractor and I bought his for 2500$ , I then swapped my good motor into his .
I have a Massey MF1020 with a loader , I bought that one for 1500$ , it had a broken front hub , cost about 1600$ to get that running .
I have a Kubota L285 , 2000$ but it came with a new 48" snowblower , beater woods trailer that we're now using and a Kubota loader bucket that I'll mod to fit the Yanmar .
The MF135 was spendy , 4k$ but it came with chains and an Igland 4001 .
I also have a B8200 that I bought a 1K$ car to trade the owner for , he was thinking of turning it into a woodsplitter , took me a year to convince him to sell , it has a loader and a backhoe , it's beat , pins worn out , I only use that around the house when I need a shovel lol

I think that's it .

 

[Saiso]

Which one ?

Lol
That one is a Yanmar 336d , We bought 1 from a salvage yard years ago , they offered the second one for parts , both were parked beside a garage that burnt, the first one was patched up by the yard for 2400$ , a year later they called me and offered the second one for parts at 1200$ .
Fast forward several years and a fella stopped at the shop asking if the tractor that I was using to move trailers around was a 336d .
He had one , but he had a hole in the block , I told him what I wanted for mine and what I'd pay for his , he bought a new tractor and I bought his for 2500$ , I then swapped my good motor into his .
I have a Massey MF1020 with a loader , I bought that one for 1500$ , it had a broken front hub , cost about 1600$ to get that running .
I have a Kubota L285 , 2000$ but it came with a new 48" snowblower , beater woods trailer that we're now using and a Kubota loader bucket that I'll mod to fit the Yanmar .
The MF135 was spendy , 4k$ but it came with chains and an Igland 4001 .
I also have a B8200 that I bought a 1K$ car to trade the owner for , he was thinking of turning it into a woodsplitter , took me a year to convince him to sell , it has a loader and a backhoe , it's beat , pins worn out , I only use that around the house when I need a shovel lol

I think that's it .

Awesome! Can you recommend how to find decent older tractors in our neck of the woods? Kijiji and Facebook probably easiest? What should I maybe avoid completely? My family and I hope to buy one soon enough but I’d be going in half blindfolded

 

[dancan]

Awesome! Can you recommend how to find decent older tractors in our neck of the woods? Kijiji and Facebook probably easiest? What should I maybe avoid completely? My family and I hope to buy one soon enough but I’d be going in half blindfolded

I don't know what to tell you to avoid , I've even owed a Belarus , that thing would start at -20C without quickstart
If you're buying a used tractor , only spend what you can afford to loose .
Kijiji has had some good deals , I see more tractors in NB , if you're not mechanically inclined or have a friend or family that is , you might want to look long and hard at new with warranty .

 

[Saiso]

I don't know what to tell you to avoid , I've even owed a Belarus , that thing would start at -20C without quickstart
If you're buying a used tractor , only spend what you can afford to loose .
Kijiji has had some good deals , I see more tractors in NB , if you're not mechanically inclined or have a friend or family that is , you might want to look long and hard at new with warranty .

Understandable. Many around me are mechanically inclined. One’s a car/truck mechanic. Others are heavy machine operators. I want to learn also, hence wanting an older one that is in good shape and hopefully treats us well for a while. Thank you

 

[cantoo]

Saiso, the trouble with older ones is that they can be expensive to repair very quickly. I also never buy new but with zero interest for 3, 5 or 7 years for some tractors it really make sense for someone just starting out. You will likely keep the tractor for a very long time if you buy right the 1st time. There will be no surprise repair bills other than you doing something with it that you shouldn't be doing. I've only had a couple of tractors and really liked them both. Both were more tractor than I needed when I bought them but turned out really good. I now have a Kubota L35 TLB which means it is an industrial tractor with a quick attach back hoe. I needed a basement drain installed and the money I saved by doing it myself paid for half of the tractor. If you are planning on a bandmill at some time then I would buy a model that can lift some weight and 4x4 is a must. Few older tractors are 4x4 and most don't have the rear hydraulic outlets which will be handy for attachments which you will need or want at some point.

 

[JustJeff]

I bought my little Kubota new. 0% for 5 years. Just paid it off and not a seconds trouble out of it. They hold a good value and are hard to come by used. Kioti also makes a good small tractor.

Sent from my CLT-L04 using Tapatalk