Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[dancan]

Went out to the woodlot yesterday afternoon to haul out Saturday's cuttings to the landing .
Too many turns to haul directly from where they were stacked and I couldn't set a straight line haul because of trees and stumps so I set a snatch block in a tree to redirect and get the logs to the winch .

When it got to that point I would undo the snatch block because from there it was a straight line to the winch .

A couple of twitches later .

More Mighty Mouse cut wood brought to the landing

 

[benp]

I like how you kerfed the logs right away to help with the drying. It helps.

Nice haul as always Dan.

 

[al-k]

Is that the best way to do birch so it doesn't get punky?

 

[JustJeff]

Agent Orange, Lots of Amish selling firewood here, not possible to compete. Lots of other guys selling wood too. Just too many people walking over to the switch on the wall and giving it a flip. Then they complain about price of hydro, oil, propane etc. Nobody on here wants to hear it but if you have a new house, insulated and designed properly it just isn't worth it to heat with wood. I heat 2 houses and a big shop with an owb, I need my tractor for snow removal and our small business use, I can get wood for "free" right behind my house so for me it is worth it. Got lots of neighbours with newer smaller houses and they don't want the bother of real wood heat. The big farmers with big houses are writing off their heating costs on their farms so they don't bother with real wood either. People with old big drafty houses are burning real wood because they can't afford the heat loss using oil, propane or electric. People want less work not more work. Cutting wood is too hard for these people. Most of us here are just cheap bastages and like to be self reliant as much as possible. We are the minority for sure.

I have a new house 2x6 construction and insulated well. I even put sm board on the outside of the foundation and parged over it. The great propane hike of 2013/14 just about killed us and that's when I added a wood stove. I just heat the upstairs of my bungalow as the basement has in floor heat run off the boiler. Now I'm down to one tank of propane every 9-10 months instead of 2 1/2 per year on 6-8 facecord of wood. I figure I have eliminated 1000-1200 dollars worth of propane for $600. That's if I buy cut and split.
Since I've been scrounging, the only costs are fuel and oil and my time (I pay myself $20 an hour in my head) so if I can cut a cord in an hour, split in an hour and stack in an hour, then I figure I'm ahead of the game. The guys around here buying loads of logs for $2200 are paying about 50 a facecord and still have to cut split and stack. It's worth the work for me.

I agree Cantoo, there's no real money in it. I'm can make twice as much welding. I just sell a bit of wood because I'm cutting anyway and dad gets to buy something. I look at those ash trees laying back there and I see a trolling motor and a fish finder......

 

[chipper1]

I have a new house 2x6 construction and insulated well. I even put sm board on the outside of the foundation and parged over it. The great propane hike of 2013/14 just about killed us and that's when I added a wood stove. I just heat the upstairs of my bungalow as the basement has in floor heat run off the boiler. Now I'm down to one tank of propane every 9-10 months instead of 2 1/2 per year on 6-8 facecord of wood. I figure I have eliminated 1000-1200 dollars worth of propane for $600. That's if I buy cut and split.
Since I've been scrounging, the only costs are fuel and oil and my time (I pay myself $20 an hour in my head) so if I can cut a cord in an hour, split in an hour and stack in an hour, then I figure I'm ahead of the game. The guys around here buying loads of logs for $2200 are paying about 50 a facecord and still have to cut split and stack. It's worth the work for me.

I agree Cantoo, there's no real money in it. I'm can make twice as much welding. I just sell a bit of wood because I'm cutting anyway and dad gets to buy something. I look at those ash trees laying back there and I see a trolling motor and a fish finder......

Good morning Wood Nazi.
I agree with that. I make money on the selling the saws/ splitters so I figure why not sell a little wood while I'm at it. I enjoy cutting wood and those 2 things are the main reasons it works for me. I hope to have at least 50 cord to sell this fall, and I will still have much more to get at my buddies property after that.
I hope to have more wood just show up, kind of like the tops offered to cantoo. It works that way when you are going after something and buy it you almost always find it for cheaper right after, that's when I just buy another one to sell and make a buck or two. When I got the loads of black walnut I spied out a nice big oak to get right next door. If you notice in my pictures much of what I get you will see the trailer right next to the wood being removed. I like the easier stuff and will drive a little to get it as it is much cheaper than having a load of logs delivered and I have the equipment to haul it so I might as well do it.
All said and done, I wouldn't recommend wood burning to most people and if I did I would tell them to buy their wood, from me

By the way, I wasn't planning on trading the trolling motor I have for wood.
When do I need to be up there to catch some of those fish anyway.

 

[morewood]

Went out to the woodlot yesterday afternoon to haul out Saturday's cuttings to the landing .
Too many turns to haul directly from where they were stacked and I couldn't set a straight line haul because of trees and stumps so I set a snatch block in a tree to redirect and get the logs to the winch .

When it got to that point I would undo the snatch block because from there it was a straight line to the winch .

A couple of twitches later .

More Mighty Mouse cut wood brought to the landing

I love seeing pictures of you using the winch, I travel to Vermont this weekend to pick up the Igland 3501 I bought. It will lead a much tougher life here than it did in the barn where the guy kept it.

Shea

 

[MustangMike]

Cutting firewood almost has to be a hobby or "enjoyed exercise" cause if you figure your time, there is no money in it. I guess I'm fortunate to be in a not so rural area where most people don't have a clue as to how to run a chainsaw.

I don't need to burn wood any more because we have natural gas, but a lot of people around here with Oil heat still save a lot burning wood, including my daughter!

 

[hardpan]

"A hobby that heats my home."

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

I got a few pics of the neighbor's 'tops' that I was referring to. Still haven't caught up with him, but here's hoping I can at least scrounge some:

Here's a scrounger's breakfast before venturing out to the sugar bush to check my taps, complete with fresh syrup:

And here's the view from the sugar bush:


Scrounge on fellas.

 

[DFK]

USMC615.

Are the Pods on your mistery tree White.
If so, Look up Pop Corn Tree.

David

 

[Erik B]

I got a few pics of the neighbor's 'tops' that I was referring to. Still haven't caught up with him, but here's hoping I can at least scrounge some:
View attachment 489007View attachment 489009
Here's a scrounger's breakfast before venturing out to the sugar bush to check my taps, complete with fresh syrup:
View attachment 489010
And here's the view from the sugar bush:
View attachment 489013

Scrounge on fellas.

There looks to be a lot of good wood in those tops and easy to get to as well.

 

[benp]

Is that the best way to do birch so it doesn't get punky?

The best way is to get right after it and get it bucked and split.

If you can't do that then the kerf helps a bit. Paper birch holds a bunch of moisture because of the bark at least with the kerf you are giving it a way out besides the ends.

 

[chipper1]

USMC615.

Are the Pods on your mistery tree White.
If so, Look up Pop Corn Tree.

David

 

[dancan]

I like how you kerfed the logs right away to help with the drying. It helps.

Nice haul as always Dan.

Is that the best way to do birch so it doesn't get punky?

Thanks Ben .
Yes , the kerf helps in drying , I usually run a couple on each stick , you'd be surprised how little time it takes for the bark to curl and peel on the dead standing stuff .

I love seeing pictures of you using the winch, I travel to Vermont this weekend to pick up the Igland 3501 I bought. It will lead a much tougher life here than it did in the barn where the guy kept it.

Shea

You're gonna love a 3pt winch , you'll be kicking your butt for not finding one sooner lol
Don't forget the pics !!!

 

[Full Chisel]

Scored a nice fat load of black walnut today. Best part is, it was from a neighbor just down the road with easy access from his field.

Anybody use black walnut for cooking/smoking? I hear it's good. If so I will have to add a stack to the cherry and hickory I have stashed.

 

[JustJeff]

Good morning Wood Nazi.
I agree with that. I make money on the selling the saws/ splitters so I figure why not sell a little wood while I'm at it. I enjoy cutting wood and those 2 things are the main reasons it works for me. I hope to have at least 50 cord to sell this fall, and I will still have much more to get at my buddies property after that.
I hope to have more wood just show up, kind of like the tops offered to cantoo. It works that way when you are going after something and buy it you almost always find it for cheaper right after, that's when I just buy another one to sell and make a buck or two. When I got the loads of black walnut I spied out a nice big oak to get right next door. If you notice in my pictures much of what I get you will see the trailer right next to the wood being removed. I like the easier stuff and will drive a little to get it as it is much cheaper than having a load of logs delivered and I have the equipment to haul it so I might as well do it.
All said and done, I wouldn't recommend wood burning to most people and if I did I would tell them to buy their wood, from me

By the way, I wasn't planning on trading the trolling motor I have for wood.
When do I need to be up there to catch some of those fish anyway.

I think U.S. Customs might have something to say about a load of ash anyways. Lol.

 

[JustJeff]

Back in the dark days of propane, this doodad would read 66. Here is what it is 30' from the stove. About 4-5 degrees cooler down the hall and around the corner in the bedroom. Couple hunks of maple and one of ash simmering away in the firebox and it will still be 72-3 in the morning when I get up and enough coals to just chuck another hunk on. Love the wood, especially if it's free!

 

[chipper1]

I think U.S. Customs might have something to say about a load of ash anyways. Lol.

Ok, maybe a load of black locust then.

 

[chipper1]

Scored a nice fat load of black walnut today. Best part is, it was from a neighbor just down the road with easy access from his field.

Anybody use black walnut for cooking/smoking? I hear it's good. If so I will have to add a stack to the cherry and hickory I have stashed.

View attachment 489108

Nice load there FC.
Gotta love the pull up to the tree scrounges, I try to make all mine that way, doesn't always work like that though.

Many people smoke with it, but there is debate wether you should or should not.
Google it and you will see. Most seem to mix it with other woods to add flavor.

I find it interesting how many different uses there are for the many woods we cut, the learning never ends.

 

[beentown]

Not a fan of walnut for smoking. Cherry, oak and hickory are what I use most.

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