Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[farmer steve]

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 BIRTHDAY @mainewoods: Hope you're Stihl scrounging Clint.

 

[rarefish383]

It doesn’t sound familiar.

When I had my hernia surgery last year, for three days, I couldn’t sit up to get out of bed, so I watched movies all day. I was down to old “B” movies and saw that one. Best part of the movie was the song.

 

[rarefish383]

I was loading up the ute to take some scrounged wood to my customer today. Look at this bunch of layabouts.

View attachment 1084244

Counted 28 today which I think is a record.

One of my favorite Brew Houses had Roo Tacos for the special of the day. Now when ever I see one I’m looking for the ”tortilla’s”

 

[rarefish383]

It doesn’t sound familiar.

Looked it up and it’s called “The Worlds End”

 

[rarefish383]

50' and there's an end Lol.
Even at 3600 I would have done what I am myself, I really enjoy running equipment, maybe I should get a job doing that .

I was buying some 500-1000 pound flat stone to make a walkway through our flower beds. They had a giant articulated fork lift for loading tractor trailers. Told the cashier, I’d love to play with that thing all day! She said, “we are hiring?”

 

[JimR]

I

Can't find any Archer lite bars...source?

I should have said these bars from this company.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

The yota is ready to go get some firewood and try out it’s new shoes.

 

[JimR]

Think it's a design flaw . We have a very bumpy lawn so the deck bounces a lot . The bracket was welded on one side only so it most likely flexed and fatigued the deck . I welded both sides we shall see if it helps . She tends to go around at fast speed so I'm sure that dont help . There was no evidence of hitting anything

The high speed banging in the deck will do it. I did the same on a few Cub Cadets that I have owned over the years.

 

[JimR]

I'm back from shopping and a trip to the dealer. He convvirmed what I already suspected. I am just not pulling them fast enough. I demonstrated my starting technique - giving it 5 pulls. Handed it to him and it was runnjing on the first pull. This may be my swan song summer. As I told him "I have never had a problem starting saws before...but then I've never been 88 before either". Thinking back to that day I had no problem starting any of the saws that morning. The trouble hit when I was trying to start them with temps near 80 and already very tired.

Group at coffee call this morning suggested starting fluid so I bought a can. Dealer said that is a no-no as it is too hot for such small engines and would burn them up. Said to use Carb Cleaner instead. Bought a can of that. I am headed back to that huge Horse Chestnut in the morning.

I got a clean bill of health from the doc on my last checkup - all systems "normal" to "excellent". But I am now loosing weight at rate of about 1lb/day in spite of trying to double how much I eat. Not a good sign.

Go get a CT Scan. You should not be losing a pound a day. Your life may depend on it. Mine did 19 months ago.

 

[JimR]

I do all the welding outside . Not a good mix 150 year old wood and sparks . My barn was built in the early 1800s .

I know that feeling about welding over at our farm next door. Our 36' x 60' barn was built around 1865. Although the new floorboards are Oak they are 40 years old now.

 

[JimR]

Not a wood scrounge, but...$100
A Jons 2050 came with it for another $50
View attachment 1084227View attachment 1084228View attachment 1084229View attachment 1084231

Nice catch.

 

[JimR]

The yota is ready to go get some firewood and try out it’s new shoes.View attachment 1084309View attachment 1084310

I run the Cooper A/T MAXX on my RAM 2500. I love those tires.

 

[svk]

The definition of Happiness:

- Being in good health,

- Having good family and friends,

- Earning more money than you spend, and

- Loading more bullets than you shoot!

- Enjoyable hobbies,

Having nice toys (cars, saws, guns, bikes etc.) also helps!

Amen to this. Can’t stress enough how important it is to have the right people around you!

 

[svk]

Not a wood scrounge, but...$100
A Jons 2050 came with it for another $50
View attachment 1084227View attachment 1084228View attachment 1084229View attachment 1084231

L65 is my favorite saw so I’ve always wanted one of those!

 

[chipper1]

Kinda funny sounding, I know. Basically it's going to be a shallow beach swimming area on one side and with a deep hole on the other for fish to survive the winter. I personally would make a more meandering natural shape like yours. I think it looks better than a round hole in the ground.

Good work on yours! I don't think I could dig my own with my tractor here, the water table is only about 6-8 ft down. I'd have to have an excavator do it.

I was totally joking, which I think you knew. It's nice no matter the size just to have something on your own property.
Since I shortened mine up I think it looks more like a square hole in the ground(with round corners lol. I think it's mainly because the deep end makes it look shorter. Depending on how much dirt it takes to fill the dam and grade everything else out I may have to make it even more square, we'll see.
If you have that high of a water table it's tough using a small piece of equipment unless you have a way to pump it while you work, I wish I had that problem out back.

Yea, I'm thinking a good size excavator. Major problem is I'm 2 miles in on a windy 4wd road with some steep sections, so no truck that can carry heavy equipment can make it, they would have to drive the excavator up, which is a lot of "track use".

Some guy (on the road before my place) tried to have them haul up a shipping container and they had to get a bulldozer to go up and finish the job! He is from NYC and has much deeper pockets than I have.

Even at a few miles an hr it wouldn't take long compared to how long some jobs take. I spent about 6 hrs on my Kubota yesterday and Friday evening, I'm down to a quarter tank of fuel and filled it Fri before starting.
Made some good progress though. The dam is way wider across the top bot from front to back and side to side, it's moving up and out, but slower now.

 

[svk]

I'm back from shopping and a trip to the dealer. He convvirmed what I already suspected. I am just not pulling them fast enough. I demonstrated my starting technique - giving it 5 pulls. Handed it to him and it was runnjing on the first pull. This may be my swan song summer. As I told him "I have never had a problem starting saws before...but then I've never been 88 before either". Thinking back to that day I had no problem starting any of the saws that morning. The trouble hit when I was trying to start them with temps near 80 and already very tired.

Group at coffee call this morning suggested starting fluid so I bought a can. Dealer said that is a no-no as it is too hot for such small engines and would burn them up. Said to use Carb Cleaner instead. Bought a can of that. I am headed back to that huge Horse Chestnut in the morning.

I got a clean bill of health from the doc on my last checkup - all systems "normal" to "excellent". But I am now loosing weight at rate of about 1lb/day in spite of trying to double how much I eat. Not a good sign.

Just a thought, perhaps some sort of starter mechanism could be formulated with an electric impact?

Being that you’re physically able to do every other part of firewooding, would hate to see you stop because of not being able to start the saw.

 

[kshansen]

Just a thought, perhaps some sort of starter mechanism could be formulated with an electric impact?

I would not even try an electric impact to state a motor. I can almost guarantee you will either strip the nut out that holds the flywheel on or split the flywheel. If needing to use some outside source of power to spin it over I would use an electric drill without the hammer drill option.

 

[svk]

I would not even try an electric impact to state a motor. I can almost guarantee you will either strip the nut out that holds the flywheel on or split the flywheel. If needing to use some outside source of power to spin it over I would use an electric drill without the hammer drill option.

Just brainstorming here, you know what I’m trying to get at…

 

[svk]

Well, it’s an overcast day here. I think I’m going to try to get some work done in the garage and maybe find a few things to put up for sale to try to clear things out a little bit. We’ve acquired four riding lawnmowers in the last 72 hours so now we need some more room.

Yesterday was one of those days where there was two hundred things to do and I got about six of them done. I ended the night with going to an orchestra concert at the high school auditorium where I went to school. They are tearing the school down in June, so it was the last concert other than the high school band concert next week. Our auditorium was arguably the second nicest high school auditorium in the state. It’s sad to see the building go but at the same point it’s better for it to be torn down there to watch it go into despair like a lot of public buildings do after they’re left empty.

 

[chipper1]

I was buying some 500-1000 pound flat stone to make a walkway through our flower beds. They had a giant articulated fork lift for loading tractor trailers. Told the cashier, I’d love to play with that thing all day! She said, “we are hiring?”

I've never ran one of those, it does look fun. I actually saw a small one on Craigslist yesterday for 5500, it needed a rear differential, he said he couldn't find one anywhere. Searching the model I believe him, hardly anything came up and when you clicked the link half the time it was gone, but I tried .
Could have really used something like that yesterday. Who was it that said something about fish habitat (don't think I don't know (nice score BTW).
Found a vein of clay, and it was full of rocks. This one was to heavy to lift(1400 I'd guess) pushed it up the bank and was able to get it in the bucket and then the loader up in the air about 3'. I carried it up out and when I got onto the flat area up top it fell out.