Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

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I've used mostly elm for several years now and very much enjoy the challenge of splitting it by hand. I did finally buy a hydraulic splitter last summer, as an acknowledgement that I'm not as young as I once was though. I still split by hand, but it's good to know I have the splitter for when it's just too much, or no longer something I enjoy.

Awesome truck there! That sure brings back a lot of memories for this USA Vet!
 
Hey, I want toys like that!

The problem with toys is that they are always in need of an upgrade! We loaded the logs with a backhoe, but it would be way less work and far more efficient if I had a proper log grapple for the hoe end, like this:

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Guess what I spent the afternoon doing today... That's about half of the load I got earlier this week. My son already stacked the rest of it. Of course, today would have to be another 90 degree day, of which we've only had three this year! The humidity was the worst part though. I couldn't drink fast enough to take in what was pouring out, even sitting in the shade behind the splitter!

I won't get into this until next year possibly, or more likely year after that. Being red oak, I'd rather give it two good years if possible...
 
Here you go Mainewoods. In my area most tree trimmers have beat up truck and trailer they have to cut the logs into small chunks I tell them call me cut the logs into 10 foot pieces I haul the logs off you the brush. Half the time they get there money up front and never come back so I get paid to clean up the whole mess and get the logs to. I have my own dump so I charge 50 dollars a trialer load because that what the city land fill charges. When you have storm just look around the next morning. I have got 3 big Ash from the College. They have another one blown down I bet its was a hundred feet tall. Old people have trees they want down but are on a fix income there is no hazard to cut them down and clean up the mess. If you cut a tree in your woods you wood have to do the same thing. Man told me he had a row of tree's I could have I cut the Ash out give the rest of them to a frend he cut 20 some cord and still not thru he said he had about 2 more miles to go. free firewood is out there but you got to look for it Later
 
About 3 miles up the street, the utility company dropped some Eastern Cottonwood in front of a house with well kept lawn and a Mercedes in the driveway. The wood's been there for several weeks. I usually pass on Poplar / Cottonwood but for some reason this was nagging me so I pulled into the drive on Saturday. I see a stack of hardwood and a barrel stove in the garage so I figure the homeowner wants it. But I ask.

"Well, actually, you can have it. Several people have asked but no one's come back to get it. It's an eyesore. I'll even help you cut it."

I politely decline the help as I don't feel anyone should have to cut wood I'm getting for free, and because I know with my two kids out in the Suburban while I'm cutting there's a chance I'll spend more time dealing with them than getting work done. As I'm cutting the wood up, the owner comes out and says "Why don't you leave your name and number (I'd already planned on it) because I'll be taking those six Ash trees down and I don't want any of that wood, either." No problem. A little time and work invested just might pay back in spades. Although I'll tell ya, I just can't stand the smell of green Cottonwood.

I'd like to see the OP posting again, too. Looks like he's disappeared before, though.
 
About a month ago we had a red oak come down on the church property. It was about 30" at the base. The week after it blew down someone limbed and bucked the log, but left it. It sat there for two weeks. I was talking to one of our pastors on Wednesday night about the cuts just laying out there. He said to come get em. So Mrs. Weld and I loaded up the girls on Saturday afternoon and did just that. We were able to back the trailer right up to the cuts and roll them up into the trailer. We were even in the shade. :D
 
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Not firewood but was helping a buddy load up 2 walnut saw logs from a storm blowdown today. He's an engineer and we used a bit of engineering to load them.
 
Back end was sitting down. Helped get out of the soggy yard though. Had a decent up hill run to get to the driveway.
 
Not firewood but was helping a buddy load up 2 walnut saw logs from a storm blowdown today. He's an engineer and we used a bit of engineering to load them.
Walnut, eh? I thought it was the reddest Red Oak I'd ever seen. ;)

Tight fit for the guy under the cap.
 
I'm glad we are back on track, scrounging firewood. lol

Anyway, neighbor lady says it's a waste of time cutting/splitting/burning ANYTHING but oak....period! SO, I helped her out a bit today and hauled this load away,

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She has more there, so I will be helping her some more, later! :)

SR
 
I'm glad we are back track, scrounging firewood. lol

Anyway, neighbor lady says it's a waste of time cutting/splitting/burning ANYTHING but oak....period! SO, I helped her out a bit today and hauled this load away,

She has more there, so I will be helping her some more, later! :)
SR

What kind of wood is it?
 
My wood connection from last fall called me this afternoon. He's having his property logged again and there is more firewood there than you can shake a stick at (pun intended) LOL
He wants me to leave my dump trailer there and he will have the loggers load it and then call me to pick up and repeat. I had to decline as I really have no place to put it right now.
I'm hoping in a couple of months when they are done that I can help him organize the landing area and actually stockpile some firewood there. He is building a large garage and want's me to make him a stove out of a 275 gal oil tank which I have and I have told him I will build it for him no problem.
 
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