Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[spike60]

This kind of sounds like bragging, and I guess it is, but WTH.

I've been cutting to 16" for so many years that I can pretty much nail every single one of them. Got to pay attention when the log diameter gets real big, or when doing limbs, but I'm generally right on. Was helping a buddy and he was giving me the "ya gotta mark 'em off" speech. I told him I don't need that thing and cut the log up. He still had a puss on his face when I finished, so I told him to go and check it with his dopey stick. Every piece was within a half inch or less of 16". He just grunted a "you suck". I still needle him on that.

Now I'll admit that if doing different lengths I'm not going to be able to do that. But 16's are just automatic.

 

[svk]

This kind of sounds like bragging, and I guess it is, but WTH.

I've been cutting to 16" for so many years that I can pretty much nail every single one of them. Got to pay attention when the log diameter gets real big, or when doing limbs, but I'm generally right on. Was helping a buddy and he was giving me the "ya gotta mark 'em off" speech. I told him I don't need that thing and cut the log up. He still had a puss on his face when I finished, so I told him to go and check it with his dopey stick. Every piece was within a half inch or less of 16". He just grunted a "you suck". I still needle him on that.

Now I'll admit that if doing different lengths I'm not going to be able to do that. But 16's are just automatic.

Are you looking for likes with a smug post like that? ha ha

 

[spike60]

I'm not getting involved in that discussion at all.

 

[MechanicMatt]

@stihly dan I think I get all my rounds within 1-1.5 inches of themselves, and they stack just fine. But my BIL is a super anal type guy, he measures....... and his stacks are like freaking perfect, I swear he uses a level on them. They look tooo good when he's done, that said I've never had one of mine fall over, bit I only get a year ahead never 4-6. BIL is two years ahead type of guy.

 

[stihly dan]

It's tough having stacks years ahead. Especially on uneven ground. My stacks are on the border of my property which goes up hill as a privacy fence 6 to 7 ft high. You have to fight frost heaves, settling, mud, frozen ground, shrinking, and quality of stacking. Plus stacking sucks, so the more consistent the better.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Yeah I get pallets from work, level them the best I care/can and then stack my wood on them. I actually spend a bit of effort makingb as many "square" splits while splitting to make up my ends, then fill in inbetween. Works for me.

 

[svk]

@dancan you can do this on top of all of that ice you have.

 

[MustangMike]

Now that is cool!!!

Now about the length, just eyeball it an get it close, and if your anal, just don't put it right against the wall, just line up the outside and no one will know they are not all the same length! Trust me, they burn just the same!

 

[Philbert]

you can do this on top of all of that ice you have.

Now THAT, is a self-feeding chain!

Philbert

 

[dave_dj1]

OK, to get this thread back on track! LOL My brother and I started cutting and splitting on my buddies property. He had it logged again and there is literally tons of wood left there.
I'll post some pics as soon as I figure out how to get them from my phone to my pc. We hauled a couple of small loads Monday afternoon, then Tuesday we took out two dump trailer loads and the same yesterday. I have my splitter up there and a friend has his min excavator there so he stacked some up for us.

 

[SteveSS]

Very nice! Looks like you're almost out of snow.

 

[wudpirat]

Overnite the rain,fog, and above freezing temps have done a number on the snow pack.
My wood pile is peeking out of the snow, the trade off, there's always a trade, we have lots of mud.
Not a proberlem the ATV with the Gator tires just loves mud, trailer just follows along.
Yesterday, I took down the standing dead oak, a 10" pecker pole. Just finished the back cut and was reaching for a wedge, when a wind gust closed the gap. Couldn't get a wedge in there, SO, I cut the hinge thru the face cut and let it fall. Rats, now I have a hung leaner.
Fence posted it in 5 ft lengths 'til it fell, away from me for a change, called my son to bring the ATV with trailer and hauled it to the splitter. Five wheelbarrow loads into the cellar, next to the furnace to warm up. It's burning now.
Hauled a cherry round from the snow bank, noodled it, run it thru the splitter and let it dry couple days, it's burning now along with the oak.
Next job, attack that pile of Pine I have out there, we have couple months of burning left.
I'm getting too old for this chit, but if I don't do it, it don't get done.

 

[MuskokaSplitter]

Havent done much scrounging lately but just enjoying all the hard work from last year.


Basswood burns nicely imo.

 

[mainewoods]

No pics, but I scrounged up a dozen white ash trees today. 4 footed 'em in the woods and lugged 'em a ways to the jeep for loading. Snow's still too deep to drive over so carrying them is the only way to get 'em out. Felt good to be scrounging again, but hard work walking through the snow with a 4' foot stick of hardwood. A half a cord was all I wanted to do, but it's all cut up and split by hand and I'm still standin'. Think I need to learn a little more " moderation" though. I ain't 25 anymore!!

 

[Sawdust inspector]

My scrounging is done for a few weeks. I had a doctor racing around in my knee with his scope today. Feels weird to be told to walk on it already.

 

[SteveSS]

Hauled a cherry round from the snow bank, noodled it, run it thru the splitter and let it dry couple days, it's burning now along with the oak.

Man, you guys must get some big cherry tree's in CT. I've cut and burned a few here that were all good to go as rounds. Biggest one I've come across around here was 10 - 12" diameter max. I like the coals that it makes though. I have a few rounds stashed for something.....too many durned projects. First full year in a house seems like nothing ever get's done, but you never stop working. Sheesh!

 

[MechanicMatt]

I've got a feeling that the ash beetle is gonna be a friend of mine. Lil story for you boys, I left the dealership today after work, was driving to the other shop I work at. I drove past a driveway that's property seemed to just have had its trees near the road "serviced" I stopped to inquire about the pile left behind. Owner was a elderly gent, said the town came by and trimmed all his dead trees back, told him there gonna be going around doing all the dead ash near the roads. Yay! He also said take as much as I want, Yay! So I put a hub in a fellas buick as well as a post cat O2 sensor then head home, I stop at the local Mobil on my way home to grabmy wife a snack. There is another old guy walking out the place as I pull in, he's got three bundles of wood in his hands. I ask if he heats with wood, he nods. I tell him "me too", then I load the back of his ranger full with dead ash, he told me he had no money, o replied I got it for free so its free to him too. I figure there is gonna be plenty of dead ash this year for me, and seeing a old guy needing some fire wood........

 

[MechanicMatt]

Oh yeah I love having a pickup truck! It is awesome! I filled it up was great having handy

 

[svk]

I've got a feeling that the ash beetle is gonna be a friend of mine. Lil story for you boys, I left the dealership today after work, was driving to the other shop I work at. I drove past a driveway that's property seemed to just have had its trees near the road "serviced" I stopped to inquire about the pile left behind. Owner was a elderly gent, said the town came by and trimmed all his dead trees back, told him there gonna be going around doing all the dead ash near the roads. Yay! He also said take as much as I want, Yay! So I put a hub in a fellas buick as well as a post cat O2 sensor then head home, I stop at the local Mobil on my way home to grabmy wife a snack. There is another old guy walking out the place as I pull in, he's got three bundles of wood in his hands. I ask if he heats with wood, he nods. I tell him "me too", then I load the back of his ranger full with dead ash, he told me he had no money, o replied I got it for free so its free to him too. I figure there is gonna be plenty of dead ash this year for me, and seeing a old guy needing some fire wood........

Nice work. If he's trying to heat the house with bundled wood you helped him big time.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Has been three years since I had my own pick up. I forgot how handy they were to daily drive