Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[svk]

Dancan, have you considered using a trailer?

@Oliver1655


Theres no challenge in loading a trailer...this way @dancan is loading a minivan to the hilt to get cool pictures

 

[dancan]

Since I need the physio , I'm fellerbuncher , porter , firewood processor and stacker .
The UTV holds about 1/3 of a cord +/_ so that gives me enough of a workout that I know I've done something , if I'm having a good day and can get 2 runs in I go for it and I'm getting pretty good at hauling out enough stuff to make a pile for a load .
3 loads is the most I've done but most of it was already at roadside .
This small patch where I'm getting most of my wood will soon come to an end but I should have a years worth of wood for me and hope to be able to have a winters worth of wood given away to the retired couple that I give wood to .
Luckily the lot owner has a gated road even closer to home on a large lot that a forest fire went through a couple of years ago , I was talking to him this passed weekend , he said " Geez , the wood should be getting far to haul , I'll get you a key to the gate , should be a bit of stuff still good for burning back there "
So right now and since the winter , the UTV was plenty of wood to do at a time , enough for me to handle , process and put away without it being too much and it never seemed like work even on the the bad and very trying days , I can tell you there were and are plenty of them trying days , I'll just never let you guys know which loads sucked but there were quite a few days that I wanted to throw my gear in the van and go home LOL
Now if I could get that dog to haul a sled .....

 

[steved]

Scored about two, maybe three cords of pine today. Just logs, bigger stuff, already limbed. And easy access on the way home.

The guy is going to keep my number in case he gets another tree job.

Yeah, it's pine; but I got enough tonight to heat my house for a week.


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[steved]

I got another load tonight. ..I have at least a cord sitting here and I'm not even half way through the logs. And that might be why nobody wanted it...most of it is 12-inch plus, some of it is over 24 inches. Not many have equipment to handle that.

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[svk]

most of it is 12-inch plus, some of it is over 24 inches. Not many have equipment to handle that.

It's amazing how many people don't know that you can noodle big pieces. Oh well, more for us

 

[steved]

Most guys around here have small cc saws, with maybe a 16" bar if that (sort of like my little 14" Homelite that I use for limbing). More than once I've had comments about my MS391 and 18" bar being "overkill"...and I don't consider it a big saw. One of my next purchases will be a bigger bar for just these instances (saves noodling at the source).

But for now, that's my plan...noodle on the spot so I can even pick it up. Bring it ALL home...

So far I figure its cost me right around $5 for what I have gotten...assuming the equipment has paid for itself. I talked with my neighbors a few weeks ago, and they were paying $1300/month for propane last winter...we went through $300 for the heating season. So I figure my stuff is paid for.

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[nomad_archer]

Most guys around here have small cc saws, with maybe a 16" bar if that (sort of like my little 14" Homelite that I use for limbing). More than once I've had comments about my MS391 and 18" bar being "overkill"...and I don't consider it a big saw. One of my next purchases will be a bigger bar for just these instances (saves noodling at the source).

But for now, that's my plan...noodle on the spot so I can even pick it up. Bring it ALL home...

So far I figure its cost me right around $5 for what I have gotten...assuming the equipment has paid for itself. I talked with my neighbors a few weeks ago, and they were paying $1300/month for propane last winter...we went through $300 for the heating season. So I figure my stuff is paid for.

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I dont understand how is a bigger bar going to save you from noodling at the source? If its too big to pick up its too big to pick up. I am all for bigger saws and bigger bars. I have a 50cc ms271 with a 16" and 20" bar and I havnt had anything that I couldnt deal with with some patience. No granted I havent had to deal with a 4" diameter oak but I am not sure that I really want to. Although any excuse for a new saw.... But back to the original question. How is a bigger bar going to save you from having to noddle a round that you cant pick up?

 

[NSMaple1]

I dont understand how is a bigger bar going to save you from noodling at the source? If its too big to pick up its too big to pick up. I am all for bigger saws and bigger bars. I have a 50cc ms271 with a 16" and 20" bar and I havnt had anything that I couldnt deal with with some patience. No granted I havent had to deal with a 4" diameter oak but I am not sure that I really want to. Although any excuse for a new saw.... But back to the original question. How is a bigger bar going to save you from having to noddle a round that you cant pick up?

I don't think that's what he was saying.

 

[nomad_archer]

One of my next purchases will be a bigger bar for just these instances (saves
noodling at the source).

But for now, that's my plan...noodle on the spot so I can even pick it up. Bring it ALL home...

I don't think that's what he was saying.

That is how it reads. That is why I am looking for some clarification.

 

[steved]

Yeah, what I was thinking and what my fingers typed didn't come out right...

I can cut these with two passes, but need to noodle them to lift them into the truck. If I had the trailer, I'd just roll them on wholesale.

Anything bigger diameter, and I would have to noodle just to be able to cut them into "rounds", therefore the bigger bar.

 

[nomad_archer]

Gotcha. What size bar are you thinking about getting? I know anything that I cut that requires me to use all of my 20" bar for both cuts is something that will be a really challenge to roll. I am all for not noodling on site since it takes extra effort. But I wont turn wood down just because it needs noodled. I have brought home lots a wood no one else would touch because it needed noodled.

 

[steved]

Probably nothing bigger than a 24"...that's probably more than a stock 391 could pull if I wasn't careful. With a 24", that would give me an extra 12" in tree diameter. "Rolling" the rounds isn't a problem, I can winch most of them onto the trailer; I'm just being lazy here and using the truck itself since I can take at my leisure.

I still think that's why this pine hasn't moved for the guy, people around here don't think "firewood" until October and/or this is too much work and/or too much log for their equipment and/or its pine. Although pine seems to move quickly in the fall...guys burn it in OWBs. There is some stigma that OWB are ok to burn anything you wouldn't burn in a stove? Some of the CL adds are almost humorous..."free telephone poles, good for an OWB".

 

[Oliver1655]

You should be able to run a 24" bar on you 361 (59cc), just make sure it is oiling properly & let it eat at it's own pace. I have a 25" bar using .404 chain on a Stihl 08s (56cc) & it does fine.

 

[MustangMike]

Although I like a 20" bar as my favorite all around bar size, I've been using a 24" a lot recently on both the 044 and 046 when dropping and bucking several trees with long trunks in the 30" (+/-) range. You have to put a couple of side cuts in after you notch it, but that is not a big deal. The extra power of the larger saws is also nice when bucking hardwood of that size, makes the work go a lot faster. The "in the woods" trees usually have a lot more trunk and not so much top.

I was also pleased that my 24" square file chain stayed sharp after 2 1/2 tank fulls through the 046 yesterday. I don't mind exchanging a little cutting speed for that kind of durability, and it is still faster than round file (at least if the factory angles are maintained).

 

[MountainHigh]

Looks like some nice scrounging still going on here eh! and Dancan's van is still running, albeit with flat springs now

I'm just catching up a bit here after being immersed in latest renovation, 7 days a week, 10+ hours day, for past 3+ weeks, and I've just about had enough - - the place looks flippin great now (from beat down rental to palace in 3+ weeks) and I'll have it listed mid July, if it's not snapped up before then. Looking to get a few weeks R&R SCROUNGING FIREWOOD again pretty soon!

Saws that love to noodle are a treat to work with.
Have a good one guys!

 

[MustangMike]

Good to see you back again Mountain, I was getting ready to send and SOS!

 

[nomad_archer]

Probably nothing bigger than a 24"...that's probably more than a stock 391 could pull if I wasn't careful. With a 24", that would give me an extra 12" in tree diameter. "Rolling" the rounds isn't a problem, I can winch most of them onto the trailer; I'm just being lazy here and using the truck itself since I can take at my leisure.

I still think that's why this pine hasn't moved for the guy, people around here don't think "firewood" until October and/or this is too much work and/or too much log for their equipment and/or its pine. Although pine seems to move quickly in the fall...guys burn it in OWBs. There is some stigma that OWB are ok to burn anything you wouldn't burn in a stove? Some of the CL adds are almost humorous..."free telephone poles, good for an OWB".

Good stuff. I wish I had a saw that could run a 24" bar it would have been helpful a few times this year but not enough to justify a new saw. I'm not too far from you so I see similar craigslist ads. Old deck great for OWB, Free tires great for owb......

 

[MountainHigh]

Good to see you back again Mountain, I was getting ready to send and SOS!

lol - ya me too re the SOS - Power washing today and tomorrow, Dap and touch up base trim and door jams, hanging bifold doors, clean and vacuum ... then final nic nacs and I'm done! Chat more in another week. cheers

 

[MustangMike]

Mountain, I know what you mean, don't know how I used to work a full time job and do all this too!

Between my clients calling, cutting wood for my brother and another person, splitting wood for my daughter, and staining both decks in my back yard (a real pain in the A**), I have no time!!!

 

[dancan]

We might have to send someone out to knock on Clint's door , he ain't been seen since June 18th .