Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[Erik B]

No real garden tractor here. Just mid range lawn tractor that is only good for cutting grass and pulling a mini trailer around. It may take an attachment but I have places I need to move snow that I couldn't get a lawn tractor into. I am now looking at a husky and a ariens entry level models. I don't get that much snow except for a few times a year.

@nomad_archer Back in the late 80's I bought a craftsman snow blower--26" 8H.P. trac-drive dual stage with electric starter. Still works great, especially when I have to clear a path accros the lawn to the wood shed. If you do get the occasional heavy snow storm, having a larger blower is nice. The electric start is great. Mine is an A/C starter, so you have to be fairly close to an outlet.

 

[svk]

Been there done that, wish we had more snow this yr not sure wether to blame you or me for getting a new plow, or maybe it's GM1's fault
Very impressed with what you can do with a plow on a quad. The last one I used was a 60" on a 2000 Honda Foreman with electric shift, it kicked butt. I prefer the manual lift as it is a lot faster and you get a good feel for what your doing especially when stacking snow(it's different than stacking wood).
What quad/plow do you have.

Yamaha Kodiak 400 with a straight 52"

Tires have tread but are rather hard so I dont have great winter traction. Enough to do a paved driveway though.

 

[chipper1]

@nomad_archer Back in the late 80's I bought a craftsman snow blower--26" 8H.P. trac-drive dual stage with electric starter. Still works great, especially when I have to clear a path accros the lawn to the wood shed. If you do get the occasional heavy snow storm, having a larger blower is nice. The electric start is great. Mine is an A/C starter, so you have to be fairly close to an outlet.

I agree Erik.
The best plan is just like with saws, at least a two saw plan.
You should have at minimum one single stage(50cc saw)and one 2-stage(70cc) but it's not a bad thing to have more
If this was a saw thread and you said you cut 2 cord a yr this is what you would need NA

 

[chipper1]

Yamaha Kodiak 400 with a straight 52"

Tires have tread but are rather hard so I dont have great winter traction. Enough to do a paved driveway though.

My buddy has the old big bear, and it does a great job.
I have been impressed with the wear and traction on the Foremans stock tires, but have not ran many others.
If you don't run it on the road much a nice set of chains will decrease your tire wear while plowing and help gobs for traction.
I also find plowing in second works best on the Foremans as first is so low you just spin.
The pile of snow in the GMT pictures today was all stacked by my old quad plow.

 

[nomad_archer]

hoooly moly chipper. With that thing I could put the snow back into my neighbors drive.

 

[chipper1]

hoooly moly chipper. With that thing I could put the snow back into my neighbors drive.

Yeah, the 928, or 724 does the same thing, just on a smaller basis. The tracks are overkill and not needed unless you have steep hills, or have a porch up steps you need to get to, the tracks can climb steps.
They are not as easy to move around though.
A wheeled HS724 is all you need for your place. Easy to maneuver and will do everything in your pictures with 10" of snow on the ground in 30min no problem taking your time. The light is a nice option to have as much of the snow removal I do is after dark.
They are a great high end piece of equipment which you will be wanting to run. You would have trails all over the yard just because you could.
When you own Honda snowblower you can't get enough snow.
Just search the reviews on the Hondas, watch the videos, then do the same for any other blower you look at.
Take your time winter will be gone in a hot second, no rush, besides you can grab the neighbors up one more time this yr if needed and do like SA said and just take him out to eat(which is something you should just do anyway).

 

[nomad_archer]

chipper, my options are limited because I am looking at near entry level or slightly above because I don't need much and I refuse to buy anything made by MTD.

I had a awful experience trying to get my cub cadet lawn tractor warrantied. I bought it from a lawn and garden place that services them etc, etc, etc. Long story short I got it warrantied but had to talk to the head honcho in the warranty department that the customer service reps said that "I couldn't talk to". He didn't want to warranty my issue. He ultimately did because otherwise we were going to small claims court because the repair shop did unauthorized repairs and my equipment and they would not honor my warranty claim and had no proof of abuse or neglect. He claimed my mower with 55 hours was a high hour machine . He also threatened that any future warranty claims would be denied. Which happens to be illegal. So therefore anything made by MTD is off the table.

 

[nomad_archer]

Yeah, the 928, or 724 does the same thing, just on a smaller basis. They are a gigh end piece of equipment which you will be wanting to run. You would have trails all over the yard just because you could.
When you own Honda snowblower you can't get enough snow.

I'm still having a hard time with the msrp on the lowest end 2 stage is at 2$400. It I still lived in the snow belt that would be a no brainer but I don't. I usually only get 1 or 2 snows a year that make me want to have a snow blower.

 

[chipper1]

I get that. Thats why I said I prefer to buy a used one for the price of a new big box store one.
Here's one, use your negotiating skills.
This is the same basic one as the 724, just a bit older. I would remove the skids on the back and put steel rollers on the sides where the new ones have skids.
Hope this helps, and like said above no rush as it's not even a necessity, how long have you lived without one.

 

[Russell larsen]

I look for people putting wood to the curb in the local burbs. Of course i ask first. But most times they put it out for there township to dispose of.

 

[chipper1]

chipper, my options are limited because I am looking at near entry level or slightly above because I don't need much and I refuse to buy anything made by MTD.

I had a awful experience trying to get my cub cadet lawn tractor warrantied. I bought it from a lawn and garden place that services them etc, etc, etc. Long story short I got it warrantied but had to talk to the head honcho in the warranty department that the customer service reps said that "I couldn't talk to". He didn't want to warranty my issue. He ultimately did because otherwise we were going to small claims court because the repair shop did unauthorized repairs and my equipment and they would not honor my warranty claim and had no proof of abuse or neglect. He claimed my mower with 55 hours was a high hour machine . He also threatened that any future warranty claims would be denied. Which happens to be illegal. So therefore anything made by MTD is off the table.

I somehow overlooked this post.
Sorry to hear about that, it's more and more prevalent these days. It seems that customer service is just a dept these days and not a service.

 

[nomad_archer]

I somehow overlooked this post.
Sorry to hear about that, it's more and more prevalent these days. It seems that customer service is just a dept these days and not a service.

It is the most ridiculous thing I ever dealt with. Also this took 3-4 months before my lawn tractor was back and repaired to my satisfaction. I took it in to the service dept at the local shop in march when it was still snowing. I didnt get it back and repaired until July. I guess I made so much noise that they kept putting me on the bottom of the pile. Good thing the neighbor let me use his mower.

 

[MountainHigh]

Hey SVK .... that new saw arrived yet? We need pictures!

Put my 346 back on the shelf and was running my 562xp again this past few days on a few Fir trees brought down during a recent windstorm, and I'm still grinning

 

[MustangMike]

Comparing my ATV with the 5' Dinali plow to the big Lawn Tractor with the 4' plow is like comparing a pro ball player to a little league!

It just really gets it done, moves snow banks etc., and no chains needed!

 

[wudpirat]

My Honda ATV Rancher with the 5 ft plow duz my drive just fine. I have chains but only needed them one time when we had freezing rain covering the snow. It was so slick it was dangerous to walk, but got the job done.
I don't plow much anymore, I leave that to my oldest son, the gearhead.
I do the broom and shovel part,but only enough to get to the wood shed from the cellar door.
Or make a path for the pups to go out and whizz. Ms Kitty is on her own.
I guess I'll have to make a path to the Pine stack, burned up most of what was close by the house. A couple of splits on a bed of coals gets the fire going again. All my noodles are gone up in smoke.
I don't know what to do about the beavers, they are doing a number on my wood lot. Have to talk to my neighbor Ken, they are starting on his woodlot also. I get his dead and blow downs.

When I works, I works hard,
When I rest, I rests easy.
And when I sits, I fall asleep.

 

[svk]

For the first time of the season, I finally get to use my new to me ATV plow tonight. We got about an inch of snow overnight and it is still coming down.

Guess not. It all melted lol.

 

[svk]

My Honda ATV Rancher with the 5 ft plow duz my drive just fine. I have chains but only needed them one time when we had freezing rain covering the snow. It was so slick it was dangerous to walk, but got the job done.
I don't plow much anymore, I leave that to my oldest son, the gearhead.
I do the broom and shovel part,but only enough to get to the wood shed from the cellar door.
Or make a path for the pups to go out and whizz. Ms Kitty is on her own.
I guess I'll have to make a path to the Pine stack, burned up most of what was close by the house. A couple of splits on a bed of coals gets the fire going again. All my noodles are gone up in smoke.
I don't know what to do about the beavers, they are doing a number on my wood lot. Have to talk to my neighbor Ken, they are starting on his woodlot also. I get his dead and blow downs.

When I works, I works hard,
When I rest, I rests easy.
And when I sits, I fall asleep.

Can I ask where you got the chains? Do they stay on pretty well?

 

[zogger]

It is the most ridiculous thing I ever dealt with. Also this took 3-4 months before my lawn tractor was back and repaired to my satisfaction. I took it in to the service dept at the local shop in march when it was still snowing. I didnt get it back and repaired until July. I guess I made so much noise that they kept putting me on the bottom of the pile. Good thing the neighbor let me use his mower.

ON CL, you need to scrounge opposite seasons for the best deals, like now while it is still winter is a good time to get push mowers, riding mowers, weed whacks, etc, then spring and summer look for saws, your snow blowers, etc. Not a real hard exact rule, just what I have seen. Like..don't go looking for a used shotgun a week before turkey season.

 

[svk]

Hey SVK .... that new saw arrived yet? We need pictures!

Put my 346 back on the shelf and was running my 562xp again this past few days on a few Fir trees brought down during a recent windstorm, and I'm still grinning

I'm picking it up the week after Valentine's Day. Can't wait

 

[svk]

@MustangMike too bad it's your busy season when I'm up in Albany in a few weeks. Would love to get together.