Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[zogger]

-6 overnight in Albany. Sure wish I could be burning some of that hardwood I've been cutting. The little propane heater in our cabin doesn't quite keep up at these temps. But still slept plenty warm in our sleeping bags.

Weirdness, one might think any cabin in el norte would have a provision for burning wood..hmmm

Next two nights it is supposed to get single digits here, so, seeing as how it is all my fault by popular decree, I call SECRET DOUBLE POLAR VORTEX!!

Let the primo hardwood burning commence or continue, as the case may be!

I'm bringing in three year old dried oak and some two year old ash, and a few sticks of two year old hickory.

 

[mainewoods]

-17* here with just a slight breeze. Not too bad, considering what it's been lately. I would take jakewell's 7 day forecasted high's in a heartbeat.

 

[MustangMike]

I gotta agree with Zogger, a cabin w/o a woodstove .... Sacrilege!!!

 

[svk]

Weirdness, one might think any cabin in el norte would have a provision for burning wood..hmmm

Next two nights it is supposed to get single digits here, so, seeing as how it is all my fault by popular decree, I call SECRET DOUBLE POLAR VORTEX!!

Let the primo hardwood burning commence or continue, as the case may be!

I'm bringing in three year old dried oak and some two year old ash, and a few sticks of two year old hickory.

It's one of two insulated cabins on the grounds of a summer camp. When the camp director lived in this one there were two heaters, one of which since has been nabbed for use in another building.

There is an uninsulated cabin, maybe 12x20 with a pellet stove, but can't take a chance with a my 2 year old roaming around.

I do blame you for this cold weather. I think you've been doing vortex dances to bring all of this cold down

 

[wudpirat]

Too much snow for scrounging, The supply of easy wood is dewindling and the Polar Vortex continues.
Hope Logger buddy Billy comes through with more wood. I'm burning that maple I scrounged in Sept.
A couple sticks of dry Ash to get up the heat and in it goes.
It pains me that the firewood is almost gone but under those big piles of snow out next to the splitter is enuff wood to take me into May.
Now the blame game, it's all Zogger's Polar Vortexes, What does he plan next? A Mini Ice Age ?

My DR Power Wagon is a life saver, not that great empty but with a load of wood, it powers thru the snow.
Only neg is the Cali. CAB engine, it's jetted too lean for the cold weather.

WX report from Icebox,ND.
Don't go outside, it's friggin cold out there, you'll freeze your balls off.
Next WX report due April 15th.
Over and out, time to drag in more firewood.

 

[zogger]

Too much snow for scrounging, The supply of easy wood is dewindling and the Polar Vortex continues.
Hope Logger buddy Billy comes through with more wood. I'm burning that maple I scrounged in Sept.
A couple sticks of dry Ash to get up the heat and in it goes.
It pains me that the firewood is almost gone but under those big piles of snow out next to the splitter is enuff wood to take me into May.
Now the blame game, it's all Zogger's Polar Vortexes, What does he plan next? A Mini Ice Age ?

My DR Power Wagon is a life saver, not that great empty but with a load of wood, it powers thru the snow.
Only neg is the Cali. CAB engine, it's jetted too lean for the cold weather.

WX report from Icebox,ND.
Don't go outside, it's friggin cold out there, you'll freeze your balls off.
Next WX report due April 15th.
Over and out, time to drag in more firewood.

Hmm..mini ice age...sounds good for business! I'll get right on it!

 

[zogger]

OK...mini ice age is being worked on, now to start harassing the bioscience nerds to shake a leg on those cloned wooly mammoths! We're all gonna need "organic" tractors with FEL soon......

 

[MechanicMatt]

Brought home the first load of wood in the F150, I'm gonna need to add a leaf in the rear. Being spoiled with 2500HD's for the last couple years had me forget just how crappy a half ton is. She brought the wood home no problem, but man was her a$$ dragging. Big plus was that straight six didn't hiccup a bit. Got the truck for 400 another 250 for a alternator, front shocks, serpentine belt and tensioner and she's bringing home the heat so I shouldn't complain tooo much, but man do I miss the stiff springs in the rear.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Oh yeah, Zogger, NO mini Ice ages!

 

[1project2many]

OK...mini ice age is being worked on, now to start harassing the bioscience nerds to shake a leg on those cloned wooly mammoths! We're all gonna need "organic" tractors with FEL soon......

Sure... and next we'll all need to grow hair from head to toe to stay warm, then we'll move into caves to take advantage of natural insulation, switch to spears to eliminate CO2 from firearms, all in the name of progress.

So, thinking ahead, do Neanderthals suffer from male pattern baldness?? Kind of a shame to have fur everywhere and still need a winter hat.

 

[1project2many]

We've had 60"+ in the last few weeks. My first scrounge of 2015 should be sometime in May.

Looks like you're working on 70" right now?

 

[wudpirat]

5732 Posts, 287 pages
I have to thank Mainewoods (Clint) for starting this thread, one of my all time favorates.
A welcome relief from the oil and how to sharpen my chain threads.
I run 40:1 for those that are interested.
I file mostly free hand but use the grinder to get things straighten out. Now that thats out of the way.
How you guys holding up? Cabin fever set in yet?
My saws are ready and the chains are sharp, might spin a few more loops of 30LP for the baby saws.
Sorry Zogger, I had to pick on someone and I'm bigger than you.
And the winner is Dancan, he has more toys and getting more.
Waiting for a call from Billy to come and get another load of wood. He has to get the prosseser up and running, fill some orders and than we get our load. I just hope it's not all ice covered like the last load, what a PIA that was.
I just filled the bird feeder and they'er back. Must be over 50, all kinds. I like to see the Cardinals, must be a dozen, and the squirrels also, blasted tree rats. Oh well, I'll have toget another 50# of sunflower seeds soon.
You all take care, more cold and wind predicted for tomorrow and snow for the weekend.

 

[Marine5068]

Brought home the first load of wood in the F150, I'm gonna need to add a leaf in the rear. Being spoiled with 2500HD's for the last couple years had me forget just how crappy a half ton is. She brought the wood home no problem, but man was her a$$ dragging. Big plus was that straight six didn't hiccup a bit. Got the truck for 400 another 250 for a alternator, front shocks, serpentine belt and tensioner and she's bringing home the heat so I shouldn't complain tooo much, but man do I miss the stiff springs in the rear.

All regular vehicles have soft springs unless it has a tow package. Companies say it's what customers want, to have a nice soft ride, but I say they cheap out nowadays and go for thin, cheap, Chinese steel.
My Jeep Cherokee with 5'x10' trailer hauled half-cords of wood for over tens years without any problems. It did have a tow package and added two leafs in each rear spring set though.

So if one cuts and splits wood in Sept. of last year, it's ok to burn now, four months later?
Me thinks that's how the house down the road just burned to the ground from a chimney fire. My firewood is one to three years seasoned before burning. How about you all?

 

[svk]

How you guys holding up? Cabin fever set in yet?

I have plenty of wood to cut but no time to cut it! Kids just finished basketball, soccer clinic is ongoing, and soccer league starts soon. As soon as that starts to wind down, we've got little league starting up.

To make things more difficult, we had a two week run with only one vehicle which means no sneaking off to the cabin for me because everyone else would be stuck at home.

With the very mild winter we are having in MN, I really wish I could have been out there making wood. Next weekend I hope to get out and drop a bunch of trees to take advantage of cutting while the trees are still at low MC during the winter.

I've got 5 loops of chain for the big saw that still have plenty of life and will be converting the small Johnny to 3/8 lo profile shortly. Mac needs a new recoil rope and she should be back into the rotation also.

After I get through the spring wood haul, I am going to do a 77cc BBK for my Husky. I've located all of the parts to get it done finally.

 

[Ambull01]

Wind chill values as low as -14 tomorrow, just in time for my all day scrounge. I'll have to move with a purpose to keep warm. For all those that think it was silly of me to return the too thick Husqvarna b&c oil, bite me! lol. Probably should have just cut it with something to thin it out but I had no idea you could do that.

 

[Philbert]

I have an oil problem with my battery and electric saws when used in cold weather. Obvious in hindsight, but there is no combustion, or muffler, to heat up the bar and chain oil reservoir . . .

I have found that, even when thinning the oil, it helps if I keep it in a warm place for a few hours before cutting: in my house (I don't want to do this with gasoline, but OK with bar and chain oil, or 2-cycle oil), or near the heater output in my car.

Coincidentally, the ice carvers use electric chain saws without any bar and chain oil - the ice and water keep the chains cool and lubricated.

Philbert

 

[Ambull01]

I have an oil problem with my battery and electric saws when used in cold weather. Obvious in hindsight, but there is no combustion, or muffler, to heat up the bar and chain oil reservoir . . .

I have found that, even when thinning the oil, it helps if I keep it in a warm place for a few hours before cutting: in my house (I don't want to do this with gasoline, but OK with bar and chain oil, or 2-cycle oil), or near the heater output in my car.

Coincidentally, the ice carvers use electric chain saws without any bar and chain oil - the ice and water keep the chains cool and lubricated.

Philbert

I was actually wondering about electric chainsaws for a while now, just haven't had the time to read about them yet. Not sure if I mentioned it but my son probably flushed a whole freaking wad of those Clorox cleaning wipes down the toilet. He claimed it was toilet paper but I found an empty Clorox wipe container on the kids sink. I tried a plunger, one of those wire thingies I had to buy from Ace Ripoff Hardware, a wet/dry vacuum, dish soap and hot water, and a fancy plunger. Finally took the toilet off and noticed the seal was completely gone from one side of the pipe.

Anyway, sorry about my boring plumbing story. I wasn't sure if a electric chainsaw needed 2 cycle oil. I'll look it up now. Also, I bought two roles of the Woodland Pro (I think that's the name) semi-chisel from Bailey's. The plastic clamp on filer I have seems to work great but takes a while to set up and wastes a lot of my time while I'm scrounging. I'll bring three chains with me all sharpened to just switch out. Thanks for the chain info.

 

[X-S-FLA]

I tried a plunger, one of those wire thingies I had to buy from Ace Ripoff Hardware, a wet/dry vacuum, dish soap and hot water, and a fancy plunger. Finally took the toilet off and noticed the seal was completely gone from on side of the pipe.

Yep Brother, you've got cabin-fever!

 

[zogger]

I was actually wondering about electric chainsaws for a while now, just haven't had the time to read about them yet. Not sure if I mentioned it but my son probably flushed a whole freaking wad of those Clorox cleaning wipes down the toilet. He claimed it was toilet paper but I found an empty Clorox wipe container on the kids sink. I tried a plunger, one of those wire thingies I had to buy from Ace Ripoff Hardware, a wet/dry vacuum, dish soap and hot water, and a fancy plunger. Finally took the toilet off and noticed the seal was completely gone from one side of the pipe.

Anyway, sorry about my boring plumbing story. I wasn't sure if a electric chainsaw needed 2 cycle oil. I'll look it up now. Also, I bought two roles of the Woodland Pro (I think that's the name) semi-chisel from Bailey's. The plastic clamp on filer I have seems to work great but takes a while to set up and wastes a lot of my time while I'm scrounging. I'll bring three chains with me all sharpened to just switch out. Thanks for the chain info.

No, they need bar oil, not two cycle mix oil, and thin stuff, so the TSC is fine. I also do what Philbert does, electric or gas saws, when it is cold, bar oil comes in to warm up the night before. If driving to a spot, on the floormats passenger side with the heater blowing on it on the way to the scrounge.

 

[svk]

No, they need bar oil, not two cycle mix oil, and thin stuff, so the TSC is fine. I also do what Philbert does, electric or gas saws, when it is cold, bar oil comes in to warm up the night before. If driving to a spot, on the floormats passenger side with the heater blowing on it on the way to the scrounge.

A good point.

At about -40, injection oil can fail also. I knew people who would premix for their modern snowmobiles when they were running in extreme cold.