Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[Marshy]

Im completely empty, done for the year. My yard is tiny, only have room for 2 cords, need to come up with a new plan there.

What are you going to burn for the rest of this season?

 

[SteveSS]

Im completely empty, done for the year. My yard is tiny, only have room for 2 cords, need to come up with a new plan there.

Ouch! So what now then? Electric? Sorry to hear that. Sucks for sure.

 

[Ambull01]

Im completely empty, done for the year. My yard is tiny, only have room for 2 cords, need to come up with a new plan there.

No way to scrounge pallets?

 

[1project2many]

People from Boston have no clue.

You're right.
Wait, you were just talking about the snow?

The trouble in Boston, and to a lesser extent around here, is U run out of places to put the snow.

Right. I get calls to pull buses out of alleys and streets because the snow banks encroach on the roads so much there's nowhere for vehicles to go and in some cases, nowhere for the banks to go. People are complaining about it but the guys that plow are the same guys that run the sidewalk snowblowers, and they're the same guys that run the dumptrucks that carry snow out of town, and they're the same guys that run the cranes and loaders to remove and install the sanders and plows when converting from snow mover (dumptruck) to snow plow. They're gettin' killed this year. Heck, today was the first time I took the plow off my truck since December and I probably will need it again tomorrow to move snow around the shop as we dig vehicles out. I'm not kabitsin, mind ya. Those folks down south, now they've got it bad.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/power-poles-snap-trees-sag-tennessee-ice-storm/story?id=29127640

Im completely empty, done for the year. My yard is tiny, only have room for 2 cords, need to come up with a new plan there.

This doesn't sound good at all. Pallets? Scrap wood? Anything you can do to tighten up the house and cut back on heat loss? How big is your house? I've got a small-ish ranch and we use 3-3.5 cord in an average year with a secondary combustion type stove.

 

[svk]

You're right.
Wait, you were just talking about the snow?

Yes LOL. IMO Bostonians like to complain about EVERYTHING but deep down they are good people. OTOH I've been done wrong by a few New Jersey slicksters so if you are from the Garden State you need to work a little harder to earn my trust.

 

[svk]

Thought maybe you guy's that scrounge wood, might share some of your scrounging methods with the seemingly growing crowd of newbie wood burners. From what I have been reading, they would be quite appreciative to hear how you score, and where you score. There is a lot of useful and interesting information scattered throughout the firewood forum. I thought it might be nice to share some of your experiences in one thread, for those who are just starting out and maybe those who are struggling a bit. Thanks to anyone who cares to share.

Happy 1st birthday to this thread! Way to go Clint!

 

[SteveSS]

Im completely empty, done for the year. My yard is tiny, only have room for 2 cords, need to come up with a new plan there.

Any saw mills where you are? Around here they sell oak slab wood for $40/cord. Might be an inexpensive way to get you through the rest of the burn season.

 

[MechanicMatt]

My job throws out pallets like crazy, that's where I get my emergency wood from. No shittin I can grab 5 pallets a week, and large ones that stacks of bed liners get shipped on. Not the best smelling coming out the chimney, but great heat coming off the stove.

 

[MechanicMatt]

And the boss likes when I take them because then the hourly kid doesn't waste a day busting them up so they fit in the dumpster.

 

[Ambull01]

Any saw mills where you are? Around here they sell oak slab wood for $40/cord. Might be an inexpensive way to get you through the rest of the burn season.

$40 a cord? Umm, why are you scrounging!? Just buy slab wood cords, whatever that is.

 

[MustangMike]

Matt, I may want some of them in the future, need to make a place to keep the wood off the ground.

 

[MechanicMatt]

No problem, we get the big ones and the small ones.

 

[SteveSS]

$40 a cord? Umm, why are you scrounging!? Just buy slab wood cords, whatever that is.

I've never burned them personally, but see them advertised on CL quite often. Some of the guys that I've talked to that have burned them say they burn pretty quick and can sometimes be a hassle. It sounds like they would be a good addition to regular cut oak as an extender, but I don't know that I'd want to burn them exclusively based on that feed back. In an emergency, out of wood for the season situation, I'd burn the heck out of them though. They're the part of the milling process that's left over after the logs are squared and other pieces, so there can be quite a bit of bark, but not always. Sometimes you get nice pieces that would equate to a 2x3 or even bigger, and they look like 4' lengths in the pics I've seen. Oh......and all of the sellers around here make you come get them. The closest place to me is about 40 miles and I'm not equipped to haul enough to make the trip worth while. If they'd deliver, I'd buy 3 cord just to play with. Worst case scenario, I'd use it as hillbilly paneling on a new wood shed that I hope to build this summer.

 

[Ambull01]

I've never burned them personally, but see them advertised on CL quite often. Some of the guys that I've talked to that have burned them say they burn pretty quick and can sometimes be a hassle. It sounds like they would be a good addition to regular cut oak as an extender, but I don't know that I'd want to burn them exclusively based on that feed back. In an emergency, out of wood for the season situation, I'd burn the heck out of them though. They're the part of the milling process that's left over after the logs are squared and other pieces, so there can be quite a bit of bark, but not always. Sometimes you get nice pieces that would equate to a 2x3 or even bigger, and they look like 4' lengths in the pics I've seen. Oh......and all of the sellers around here make you come get them. The closest place to me is about 40 miles and I'm not equipped to haul enough to make the trip worth while. If they'd deliver, I'd buy 3 cord just to play with. Worst case scenario, I'd use it as hillbilly paneling on a new wood shed that I hope to build this summer.

I would love to find something like that near me. $40 a cord sounds awfully good.

You going to cover up the sides of your wood shed? I thought that was a no no.

 

[SteveSS]

Here's a sample pic of someone selling cedar slabs @ $40/cord. The oak pics are similar, but half as long. You'd get two bundles with the oak.

You going to cover up the sides of your wood shed? I thought that was a no no.

I'd only cover the east and west ends......the short sides. Front and back would be open to the wind.

 

[stihly dan]

Days above 32°: 19 Boston, 0 Syracuse

This I believe to not be true. I am a bit away from them but I have only had 1 day in the 30"s this month and Boston only runs a few degrees warmer generally. Oh, and I HATE Boston. well, any city for that matter.

 

[Marshy]

This I believe to not be true. I am a bit away from them but I have only had 1 day in the 30"s this month and Boston only runs a few degrees warmer generally. Oh, and I HATE Boston. well, any city for that matter.

The news never lies. Take your skepticism to the political form. Lol

 

[Philbert]

I bought a couple of 'bundles' of oak many years ago, when we first installed our fireplace insert. They were delivered in the city.

A lot of bark, but perfect sized for our insert, which uses stove-sized wood. Cut the pieces to length, split very easy, dried very fast.

I would do it again.

Philbert

 

[Jakers]

The news never lies. Take your skepticism to the political form. Lol

 

[mainewoods]

This thread was started in the middle of a vicious "polar vortex" last year, and I was surprised at how many people were out of wood, or nearly out, by Jan. I thought perhaps a few of you guy's might share some techniques and ideas to help out the ones that were obviously struggling to find enough wood to make it through a winter, and then some. You guy's sure came through! Many years of experience, trial and error, and knowledge about scrounging can be found in this thread, thanks to you fellers. Every one of you graciously shared your knowledge in a friendly, non- condescending manner, which is pretty darn impressive in itself! Hopefully we can keep it going. There is always room for improvement! Glad to know every one of you guys, and I appreciate the gracious way in which all of you have contributed!! As Dan would say, scrounge on gentlemen!!