Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[benp]

Got through trail #3 with the saw and brush saw. Still need to throw brush off this section but the heavy lifting is done. Nearly two tanks of gas through the saw and one and a half in the brush saw. Both chain and blade are in need of sharpening but my other two blades should be ready soon and of course I have plenty of chains.

A guy could cut for a month back there if you had a Ronco wood trailer to pull behind an ATV or small tractor.

Jack pine rarely top 14" but this one is one of the biggest I've seen.
View attachment 532229

Beast of an aspen. They seem to be largest at a transition of gravel to clay or swamp like this one is.
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When did you get a dolmar? 550 loose its shine? Need a new home?

 

[svk]

When did you get a dolmar? 550 loose its shine? Need a new home?

I bought that in April from Boyd's Power Equipment (AS member wetgunpowder). With the 550 being on vacation in Missouri for the port job I've used this one quite a bit for the small stuff.

It's going to be primarily for strapping to the wheeler and also for the kids to learn on. Cuts decently up to 12" softwood. I picked up a spare GB bar and a couple of chains from LCS as well.

 

[cantoo]

Farmer Steve, you caught me now you know the real reason why I spray mark every round before I cut it. At 16" I very seldom have a piece jamb in the conveyor. When I cut "random" pieces they jamb quite often. Usually it is 2 odd sized pieces that fall on top of each other and they jamb near the top of the conveyer. I moved the electric switch for the conveyor to waist height so I can shut it off quick. I also used a rocker style house (décor) switch so it's easy to shut off. I have the belt real loose so that it slips as soon as there is any real pull on it. There are different widths conveyors out there, mine is a grain conveyor so the slats are low and close together. Hay elevators might work better?

 

[Cowboy254]

A win win situation. She warms her home and you warm your heart, and mine just reading it. Good on you.

The best bit of this arrangement was that I originally just went around to help out and had no expectation of anything in return. Previously most of my firewood came from roadside scrounges but it's a bit hit and miss. Then she offers plenty of trees for cutting so I'm happy. Then of course, I'm supremely motivated to continue this arrangement so I make sure her woodshed is always full before winter and restocked during winter as necessary. And I get to go nuts on any tree on the property so neither party feels like they're being a burden on the other. What goes around, comes around.

 

[JustJeff]

The best bit of this arrangement was that I originally just went around to help out and had no expectation of anything in return. Previously most of my firewood came from roadside scrounges but it's a bit hit and miss. Then she offers plenty of trees for cutting so I'm happy. Then of course, I'm supremely motivated to continue this arrangement so I make sure her woodshed is always full before winter and restocked during winter as necessary. And I get to go nuts on any tree on the property so neither party feels like they're being a burden on the other. What goes around, comes around.

Nothing like helping out a damsel in distress with some, ah, wood!

 

[benp]

I bought that in April from Boyd's Power Equipment (AS member wetgunpowder). With the 550 being on vacation in Missouri for the port job I've used this one quite a bit for the small stuff.

It's going to be primarily for strapping to the wheeler and also for the kids to learn on. Cuts decently up to 12" softwood. I picked up a spare GB bar and a couple of chains from LCS as well.

Nice!!!!!!

I would really like a 421.

My 510 fits perfect in my wheeler back basket. Very handy.

 

[svk]

Nice!!!!!!

I would really like a 421.

My 510 fits perfect in my wheeler back basket. Very handy.

This is a 32. It's a well built little saw. I considered this or the little Echo (310?) and think I chose wisely. The 421 seems like a nice saw but it's the same weight and price of other brands 50 cc saws.

 

[MustangMike]

Apparently, they could no longer get some Carton chains that were not low-kickback, so they had to find a new vendor for some. That is why I suggest asking when placing an order.

Philbert

Great news, thanks, I never order low kickback!

Re: saws for the 4 wheeler, my ported 026 seems to work out just fine!

 

[JustJeff]

I have a $35 craftsman with an absolutely ignorant muffler mod for my off road/snowmobile/boat camping saw.

 

[jr27236]

I have a $35 craftsman with an absolutely ignorant muffler mod for my off road/snowmobile/boat camping saw.

Hysterical! Perfect I don't care saw that won't die probably

 

[farmer steve]

Farmer Steve, you caught me now you know the real reason why I spray mark every round before I cut it. At 16" I very seldom have a piece jamb in the conveyor. When I cut "random" pieces they jamb quite often. Usually it is 2 odd sized pieces that fall on top of each other and they jamb near the top of the conveyer. I moved the electric switch for the conveyor to waist height so I can shut it off quick. I also used a rocker style house (décor) switch so it's easy to shut off. I have the belt real loose so that it slips as soon as there is any real pull on it. There are different widths conveyors out there, mine is a grain conveyor so the slats are low and close together. Hay elevators might work better?

i cut all mine at 16" so that should help. mine is a grain elevator too. i'll check the belt tension if and when we drag it out and give it a test run. thanks.

 

[hardpan]

The best bit of this arrangement was that I originally just went around to help out and had no expectation of anything in return. Previously most of my firewood came from roadside scrounges but it's a bit hit and miss. Then she offers plenty of trees for cutting so I'm happy. Then of course, I'm supremely motivated to continue this arrangement so I make sure her woodshed is always full before winter and restocked during winter as necessary. And I get to go nuts on any tree on the property so neither party feels like they're being a burden on the other. What goes around, comes around.

Yep. When we can, we help someone who cannot, and good things often follow. A fair amount of that is storied here on AS.

 

[Erik B]

Sometimes you just have to ask. I stopped at Kwik Trip to buy some gas and saw a guy delivering bags of salt. I asked him if he recycles the empty pallets and he said they do but if I wanted a couple of them I could have them. He even helped me load them into the car. Pallets are wood and it was a scrounge

 

[Wowzer]

went out to my Shelter this morning to grab a saw and head out to cut some tops and she was really warm in there, it was chilliy out side is that normal? i had a good amount of condensation too on the inside of the shelter?
Also got another half dump trailer load done this morning jsut have to Fiskar it and stack and i think i should have enough for the winter, i'll have 4 - 4'x8' pallets

 

[macattack_ga]

if you don't mind driving to Savannah, GA... lots of scrounging after Matthew.

 

[benp]

if you don't mind driving to Savannah, GA... lots of scrounging after Matthew.

View attachment 532371 View attachment 532372

The only way I would scrounge that is with a trac hoe that had a thumb on the bucket.

Pick what you want and pull it out to a safe operating area.

Crawling around in those piles with a saw will get you hurt or worse.

You boys be careful cleaning up down there.

 

[benp]

Another great scrounge day. I'm actually getting a little nervous about my run of decent luck here. Might have to sacrifice a chicken to the scrounge gods to keep them appeased.

I started of cleaning up the ironwood that was in the spot where the new stove is going and a sugar maple that was blown down by the fuel barrels.

Plus side of the sugar maple is that it was split in half almost the whole way so it was dry.

Next I went on trail cleanup on our property. First was a sugar maple top that was rotted with some bald 4" branches. In the trailer you go branches.

I headed down the trail to a small popple that needed removed. On the way I found 2 sugar maple dead tops like this.


Popple scrounged and split and on the trailer.

Onto a spruce that was in the trail a ways up.



The limbing took longer than the cutting and splitting. Lol

Now I took the trail around to where I got the iron wood the other day and to take the dead one next to it.

I now have a full load.... got turned around and headed out.

For some reason the the foreman was raising hell over by the popple with the blown out base I showed the other day.

All of a sudden.......what.....do.....we.....have......here?????

There's a bald tree about 16" inches at the base lodged between two trees.

I grabbed the saw and cut a wedge out of the top to see what it was. By the way the saw was cutting and the rice like chips I knew it was hard.

I made an upcut from the bottom to see if I could get it to drop. I heard a crack.

Good enough. Yelled at the foreman to get back by the wheeler and I grabbed the fiskars.

I took to beating on the notch from the side and schlump it fell right down.



I cut the end off. No idea what it is except it's not popple or pine and a hardwood.



I got one to split in the field but the next one the fiskars came back at me. So I loaded the rounds up and headed home



Those pieces you see with the cracks split ok. I have 4 that could be noodled but I think I'll leave them since they are standing dead.

Great day considering it started as a little cleanup.

God I love scrounging.

ETA - the foreman is pooped.

 

[farmer steve]

Another great scrounge day. I'm actually getting a little nervous about my run of decent luck here. Might have to sacrifice a chicken to the scrounge gods to keep them appeased.

I started of cleaning up the ironwood that was in the spot where the new stove is going and a sugar maple that was blown down by the fuel barrels.

Plus side of the sugar maple is that it was split in half almost the whole way so it was dry.

Next I went on trail cleanup on our property. First was a sugar maple top that was rotted with some bald 4" branches. In the trailer you go branches.

I headed down the trail to a small popple that needed removed. On the way I found 2 sugar maple dead tops like this.


Popple scrounged and split and on the trailer.

Onto a spruce that was in the trail a ways up.



The limbing took longer than the cutting and splitting. Lol

Now I took the trail around to where I got the iron wood the other day and to take the dead one next to it.

I now have a full load.... got turned around and headed out.

For some reason the the foreman was raising hell over by the popple with the blown out base I showed the other day.

All of a sudden.......what.....do.....we.....have......here?????

There's a bald tree about 16" inches at the base lodged between two trees.

I grabbed the saw and cut a wedge out of the top to see what it was. By the way the saw was cutting and the rice like chips I knew it was hard.

I made an upcut from the bottom to see if I could get it to drop. I heard a crack.

Good enough. Yelled at the foreman to get back by the wheeler and I grabbed the fiskars.

I took to beating on the notch from the side and schlump it fell right down.



I cut the end off. No idea what it is except it's not popple or pine and a hardwood.



I got one to split in the field but the next one the fiskars came back at me. So I loaded the rounds up and headed home



Those pieces you see with the cracks split ok. I have 4 that could be noodled but I think I'll leave them since they are standing dead.

Great day considering it started as a little cleanup.

God I love scrounging.

ETA - the foreman is pooped.

lookin good there Ben. where's all the leaves on the trees? the wood that was fightin the Fiskars looks like elm but don't know if you have that up norf.

 

[benp]

lookin good there Ben. where's all the leaves on the trees? the wood that was fightin the Fiskars looks like elm but don't know if you have that up norf.

The leaves...yeah....they went bye bye the other day. I made that comment to the neighbor the other day. They were just.....gone.

There are elms in the area.

I don't know what it is except a hardwood that is GTG now.

After I am looking up Elm leaves.......I am starting to question things myself.

The Elm leaves and Ironwood leaves look similar. At this juncture don't care...not rotted popple and I know it's not a conifer. I am in.

I like the conifer family and with the new stove coming am not against primo popple like what I cut up today. Something you would never hear me say before.

 

[dancan]

Hey Ben , that spruce looks familiar .... LOL
I scrounged up a new saw this week , the husband bought it for his wife so she could do some chainsaw carving , 2 years later she decides that she doesn't have enough time to do it .

Works great , plenty of power , cuts up scrounged up wood nice and quiet