Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[Philbert]

Got some of my red oak split up, then I missed a swing and hit my foot. Cut through my boot and took a little chunk of my foot.

My first mistake was splitting right after I woke up. Wasn't fully awake and paying attention.

Oh yeah forgot to upload a pic lol. This was before stitches. Foot is really swollen there lol. 7 stitches later it's feeling much better unless I put weight on it.

Ouch.

Steel toes would not have covered that part of your foot. There are 'metatarsal guards', which cover the instep, but as you note, part of that is paying attention.
I like tire splitting also.

Thank you for reminding us all.

Hope you are not out of commission long.

Philbert

 

[Logger nate]

Well haven't been able to scrounge wood for awhile, been busy at work, then this last week had nasty cold (imported by my son from Montana , told him not to be smooching on his sick gf) don't get sick very often in fact this is like the 2nd time in 7-8 years, but this one sure got me. Been great to see and read of you guys adventures though! Hope that foot heals fast, glad it's not worse. This was about 3 weeks ago. amazing what it will pull (its friend of mine) got 2 loads out of that tree. Was able to get out and fill the wood box (scrounged from box splitter came in) .....and had to start the 562 and noodle a block sure do like that saw.

 

[Cowboy254]

Well haven't been able to scrounge wood for awhile, been busy at work, then this last week had nasty cold (imported by my son from Montana , told him not to be smooching on his sick gf) don't get sick very often in fact this is like the 2nd time in 7-8 years, but this one sure got me. Been great to see and read of you guys adventures though! Hope that foot heals fast, glad it's not worse. This was about 3 weeks ago what it will pull (its friend of mine) got 2 loads out of that tree. Was able to get out and fill the wood box (scrounged from box splitter came in)View attachment 536825 .....and had to start the 562 and noodle a block sure do like that saw.

Sounds like man-flu to me, damn near fatal. It's so much worse than the colds that chicks get. They just don't understand.

 

[Cowboy254]

Continuing Cowboy's scrounge-a-thon...

It's happening in dribs and drabs. Family commitments, rubbish weather and work complicate the issue, but I'm working on it. I've got to work on the big long fallen peppermint I posted on yesterday. Started at the distal end and worked my way back. How far would I get before I hit termites? About this far. Still that was a good 16 inches across before the inevitable happened.



Getting worse...



Getting rubbish...



Also getting some dark clouds around so the pics are getting a bit ordinary.



Still, you can split off the good stuff around the edges and toss the termitey bits into the blackberries.

 

[Philbert]

At least the termites will have peppermint fresh breath?

Philbert

 

[Cowboy254]

At least the termites will have peppermint fresh breath?

Philbert

That's probably why they breed so much. Chicks dig that stuff. Termite chicks at any rate.

 

[Logger nate]

Sounds like man-flu to me, damn near fatal. It's so much worse than the colds that chicks get. They just don't understand.

Ya! That's it! You understand, lol .

 

[Toy4xchris]

Not a grade A scrounge but I did help clear the way to be able to get to some better wood and gives me something to burn in my fire pit.

sent from my electronic leash

 

[dancan]

Well , no real scrounging production today , worked the selling woodpile so all I got to show for it is this .

So it looks like I have about 12 garbage cans full to burn before I get into the woodpile
Speaking of the woodpile here's a few picks of scrounged up wood stored at a secluded , secure and secret undisclosed unmarked location .

I'm ready for a good old fashion Zoggafied Polar Vortex
Still got all that wood to haul out of that houselot yet

 

[Cowboy254]

Wudpirat's back!

 

[dancan]

WooWho !!!!
Glad to see you back wudpirat !!!

 

[dancan]

I could have used a bigger saw , but I didn't lol

 

[Marshy]

I ended up taking care of the top of that trunk. I got serious, brought my compact tractor and a trailer with me, got that slab free then tried to load it... my tractor wouldn't lift it (I have some leaky hoses and rams need rebuilding). So I walked around the corner and down a few houses to a guy that I noticed had a compact tractor and asked if he would help. he came over and helped me load the slab. Then I gave him a whole bunch of cuttings for firewood. He was really happy with what he got and said let him know if i need another hand. I was able to get it off with my tractor.






What's left.

 

[Cody]

Ouch.

Steel toes would not have covered that part of your foot. There are 'metatarsal guards', which cover the instep, but as you note, part of that is paying attention.
I like tire splitting also.

Thank you for reminding us all.

Hope you are not out of commission long.

Philbert

I've got a couple pair of them and they sure are nice, wear them loading and unloading and splitting, if you drop a piece of wood it's really no big deal. However, when said piece of wood hits your shin it becomes an issue.

 

[Cowboy254]

I've got a couple pair of them and they sure are nice, wear them loading and unloading and splitting, if you drop a piece of wood it's really no big deal. However, when said piece of wood hits your shin it becomes an issue.

You've reminded me of an incident a many years ago when I was a firewood noob. Bushfires had gone through killing a lot of trees and one big peppermint fell across a road in the hills, then cut into rounds about 3 foot long and pushed off the road. Though it had been killed the top 3/4 was still good. I saw it and went to scrounge. Unfortunately I didn't have my sharpening device or another chain (pfft, noob ) and when I cut dirt things got difficult for the MS310, my only saw at the time. Pertinent to the story is the fact that the maul I had at the time was a cheap one. However, peppermint is normally good splitting wood and I figured I could split 25 inch wide, 3 foot long rounds, and after a number of hits with the maul, I could. I could then carry these long splits up to the trailer (I didn't have @Logger nate 's son to toss the unsplit logs on his shoulder and carry them up).

So I'm on the last round I could fit on the trailer and just needed one last big hit with the el cheapo maul to finish the job. I hadn't been paying attention to the condition of the handle near the head. The handle of the maul snapped just below the head on the downswing as I put everything into it and the head of the maul flew off into the bush, never to be seen again. Without the weight of the head on the end I came down in a much tighter arc, missed the round completely and smashed my right shin with the 1.5 inch headless hickory handle. So that's what a good kneecapping feels like, I've always wanted to know! I didn't know whether to scream or cry or whatever so I made do with swearing and blaspheming for about 10 minutes and hurling the maul handle after the head hoping they could go forth and multiply together. With some excellent periosteal bruising that spot on my shin had a tender bony lump for 18 months afterwards.

 

[Cowboy254]

Didn't have long to scrounge but I do have some splitting to do. For this maul (Hart), I spent the extra 20 bucks and got the most expensive version at Bunnings (discount hardware) and it has lasted me 7 years so far, as opposed to all of its predecessors that would last 6 months if I was lucky (before I'd smash myself in the shin with it).



Here are the splits from another angle...



Then, nature treated me to a nice display. Just look at the serenity.

 

[blkcloud]

Was at a friends house for supper the other evening..admiring his straight nearly limbless oak trees ,thinking how nice it would be to have a few for my processor.. when he says.. I got a bid to remove 4 of these trees.. $1200.00.. I perked up and went and checked them a little closer.. 3 of them were about 20 inches at the base.. straight as a gun barrel.. the 4th was a good 36-40 inch and leaning towards his garage.. i told him.. since we were such good friends that I'd remove 3 of them no charge... and he could get the man with the bucket truck to take down the big leaner... here's the end result!!

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

Different kind of scrounge this weekend. My brother came over to do some turkey hunting, and when he dropped his tailgate...


They are all non-runners, but I think I can get enough parts to just need P&C, and I'll have 3 of the MS261's running. The MS192 has a good P&C, but is missing some parts. The Husky's all need a lot, but I might take a crack at getting a 550xp running, and convert one of the burned up 570's to a 575xp.

Looks like I have a winter project now. I'm sure I'll be asking for help in the chainsaw forum, and posting parts wanted and for sale in the tradin' post.

 

[svk]

Different kind of scrounge this weekend. My brother came over to do some turkey hunting, and when he dropped his tailgate...
View attachment 537111 View attachment 537112 View attachment 537113 View attachment 537114 View attachment 537115 View attachment 537116

They are all non-runners, but I think I can get enough parts to just need P&C, and I'll have 3 of the MS261's running. The MS192 has a good P&C, but is missing some parts. The Husky's all need a lot, but I might take a crack at getting a 550xp running, and convert one of the burned up 570's to a 575xp.

Looks like I have a winter project now. I'm sure I'll be asking for help in the chainsaw forum, and posting parts wanted and for sale in the tradin' post.

Grade A scrounge there!

None of those 550's would happen to have heated handles would they?

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

Grade A scrounge there!

None of those 550's would happen to have heated handles would they?

No, both have plain handles. And broken pull-start handles, so who knows what the P&C look like. I'm sure I'll be getting to them soon. I dug into one of the MS261's last night, and was pleased to find a good jug and piston, so between the 5 Stihl carcasses I have, I should at least get one runner for free.