Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[computeruser]

If anyone didn't already know it...those SuperSplit machines are great. Very impressive. Out-produces my Timberwolf with a 4-way wedge easily. The pace and rhythm of splitting on the SS is really nice; you can keep two or three people busy on that machine, or you can loaf along solo. The engine RPM is low and quiet, so you can actually talk while you work. I'm a convert!!

 

[Toy4xchris]

Dropped another dead pine today maybe 25-30ft. Dang pine Beatles have killed off a crap ton of trees and the previous owners didn't really do any major maintenance in the woods.

sent from my electronic leash

 

[CaseyForrest]

If anyone didn't already know it...those SuperSplit machines are great. Very impressive. Out-produces my Timberwolf with a 4-way wedge easily. The pace and rhythm of splitting on the SS is really nice; you can keep two or three people busy on that machine, or you can loaf along solo. The engine RPM is low and quiet, so you can actually talk while you work. I'm a convert!!

Figured up there was right about 2 cords split once it was all done. About half and half stack-able vs shorts in the bin. Not bad to have handloaded the trailer and get it split by 3pm.

And it really is a 2+ person machine if one wants to maintain the productivity it is capable of. After you left things slowed way down....

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

A little New Year's Day scrounge off of the 4 year dead pipeline log pile:

The maple was about 30" diameter, so I had to cut both sides, and then quarter the rounds in order to be able to pick them up. Plus a little 8" and 20" locust, since it's supposed to be cold later this week.

As a bonus, I mixed up a fresh gallon of mix with a new ipone oil, which smells like strawberries. It was nice compared to the stihl ultra.

 

[chipper1]

I really like mine. It would need to be built pretty stout to take a cord. I put 16" sides on mine, 24" seemed a little much to reach over.

It's a big tex trailer with a 3500lb axle. I'm sure it would be fine as the axle was a good bit back from center. This has always been one of the things that's held me back from buying other small trailers as there are not built heavy enough. Today I found a small tandem trailer that would be another option and about the same price.

They are hard to back up compared to a 28 ft, but I can also back the thing without issues. I use it 3 times a week and I learned to back a trailer with one. The short wheel base means I can get it in tight places too. High means it has ground clearance, if I can fit my truck I can drag the trailer. Ive put a half cord in it no problems, and I think the height is fine. Lower and easier to load then a pickup. It has good shocks and does not bounce like you would think. They are a niche trailer. I can see why you would not want it, but for me they are perfect. By my math this year I have moved about 100k-120klbs of wood in mine since I bought the thing last year and put about 5000 miles, maybe a little more, on it hauling various things. I like that it uses bearings the size of a Dana 70s and truck rims and tires.

I do ok backing a trailer, but just don't like to "work" that hard at it if I don't have to/I'm not getting paid .
I went buy a place today where I saw one along with a bunch of hummers and other equipment and thought about you .
I do a lot of road driving and not much off road, but that would be a sweet setup for behind the tractor. What type of hitch do they have, pintle?

Surge, work surprisingly well for what it is. I dropped one leaf out of the pack and reassembled them. It did not lower it much, but it did help. I plan to put it back together and just flipping a drop hitch upside down when I get around to it.

The surge breaks are nice to have for sure, are they pretty adjustable, I'm listening .

 

[Tenderfoot]

It's a big tex trailer with a 3500lb axle. I'm sure it would be fine as the axle was a good bit back from center. This has always been one of the things that's held me back from buying other small trailers as there are not built heavy enough. Today I found a small tandem trailer that would be another option and about the same price.

I do ok backing a trailer, but just don't like to "work" that hard at it if I don't have to/I'm not getting paid .
I went buy a place today where I saw one along with a bunch of hummers and other equipment and thought about you .
I do a lot of road driving and not much off road, but that would be a sweet setup for behind the tractor. What type of hitch do they have, pintle?

The surge breaks are nice to have for sure, are they pretty adjustable, I'm listening .

I guess if you dont do it a lot they are trouble. I don't mind it too much. Gets easier with time. It has a pintle, it works with a standard pintle hitch I got from a parts store. The surge brakes makes it feel like I am stopping with just the truck loaded when the trailer is loaded. They do next to nothing when the trailer is empty. Stopping mine feels heavier then when it is loaded. The annoying thing was, my state required an inspection, so I had to totally rewire the truck and all the lights to meet DOT standards (side marker lights etc). I failed for having hooks that were 'insecure' and 'could fall off' so I had to go back with 'more secure ones'. I slapped them on in the parking lot and removed them before I left the dmv.

 

[chipper1]

Luckily they cut easy and aren't ivy!

But it did make it difficult when cutting around the cable fence! Lucky I only hit it once.

That's for sure.
The little picco chain sure gives some nice control around those obstacle . To bad you hit the fence, did it do much damage.

 

[chipper1]

I guess if you dont do it a lot they are trouble. I don't mind it too much. Gets easier with time. It has a pintle, it works with a standard pintle hitch I got from a parts store. The surge brakes makes it feel like I am stopping with just the truck loaded when the trailer is loaded. They do next to nothing when the trailer is empty. Stopping mine feels heavier then when it is loaded. The annoying thing was, my state required an inspection, so I had to totally rewire the truck and all the lights to meet DOT standards (side marker lights etc). I failed for having hooks that were 'insecure' and 'could fall off' so I had to go back with 'more secure ones'. I slapped them on in the parking lot and removed them before I left the dmv.

I'm pretty sure I could handle backing it , I'm just lazy lol.
Figured pintle, makes it pretty easy.
Are the brakes adjustable at all as far as the pressure, some of the surge brakes are set up that way so you can change them for varying conditions.
I've felt with DOT more than most, not something I choose to do any more than I have to, which is one of the main reasons I have a half ton suburban.

 

[Tenderfoot]

I'm pretty sure I could handle backing it , I'm just lazy lol.
Figured pintle, makes it pretty easy.
Are the brakes adjustable at all as far as the pressure, some of the surge brakes are set up that way so you can change them for varying conditions.
I've felt with DOT more than most, not something I choose to do any more than I have to, which is one of the main reasons I have a half ton suburban.

Lazy you cant fix. If thats the case, get a straight truck and combination plates. You can get classic plates for any GVW in CT hilariously.

As far as I can tell you get one brake setting and that is that. Are you familiar with surge brakes? I have yet to see an adjustable set up and am unaware that any existed.

I avoid the dot with a 9900 lb GVWR truck, no stopping for weigh stations or need for a DOT number. Combination plates and just emissions inspection every other year.

 

[chipper1]

So computeruser agreed to come out and witness the SS in action. Which is nice cause we can split right off the trailer.

Small utility trailer is for the shorties and oddballs, tote is for stackable wood. Worked well and 2/3 of the trailer done in about 1.5 hours which includes shoring up my new shorties bin and stacking the 2 totes we filled.

sent from a field

So nice working it right out of the trailer, do you have a pickaroon.
Wish I would have know, could have swung by. The picture was at 12:52 today, I was thinking about you, after seeing the pictures now I know why .

Have to let me know when you guys are getting together again. Just west of you guys by 45 minutes.

Man your fast if you can be there that quick.
If it works out I'll head out there with you, I call shotgun .

Thanks for the offer. We are still gathering wood, but if you're interested, this is still in the works.....

http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/anyone-up-for-a-mid-mi-splitting-party.303742/

Subscribed.
If you decide you want some logs I know a guy who may be able to bring a few wether he can make it or not .
Not sure if you want the saws running out there though as it might distract from the initial focus, but let me know either way I will do what I can.

 

[chipper1]

View attachment 547572
Cut a little locust and ash tonight from a neighbor's yard.

Locust .

A little New Year's Day scrounge off of the 4 year dead pipeline log pile:
View attachment 547632 View attachment 547634
The maple was about 30" diameter, so I had to cut both sides, and then quarter the rounds in order to be able to pick them up. Plus a little 8" and 20" locust, since it's supposed to be cold later this week.

Locust .

 

[crowbuster]

Many moons ago we would make the yearly trip to Anderson archery in grand ledge, a 3 day event I think. We always spent a whole day and had a great time. I remember fred bear, noel feather, and many more. We collected the hat pins from many years. We stopped going as we all got married and had young'uns. Sure was a sad day when we learned they closed up for good. We still ordered from them even after we stopped doing the yearly trip. A lot of good folks there. Oh yes, I scrouged some sticks in the yard today. hahaha

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

Locust .


Locust .

Yep. I had a few big (24") rounds behind the house, and when my brother picked up his MS261 on Christmas, I had him cut a 1/2 cookie just to get a feel for the saw. He said the chain must be dull, and that my log was awful green. I laughed and explained that he was looking at the best firewood that grows on the farm, and that the chain was brand new full chisel Oregon. He said he would stick to cherry and ash. More locust for me

 

[chipper1]

Lazy you cant fix. If thats the case, get a straight truck and combination plates. You can get classic plates for any GVW in CT hilariously.

As far as I can tell you get one brake setting and that is that. Are you familiar with surge brakes? I have yet to see an adjustable set up and am unaware that any existed.

I avoid the dot with a 9900 lb GVWR truck, no stopping for weigh stations or need for a DOT number. Combination plates and just emissions inspection every other year.

I'm not trying to fix it, but I would say lazy is a relative term, from what I can tell most of the folks in this thread aren't really lazy.
I have more miles with a trailer chasing me with some of the heaviest loads that make it on the roads than many people have every driven . I really enjoy pulling a trailer and feel a bit off when I don't have one behind me. I prefer to have a trailer that is the appropriate length/weight for the vehicle pulling it as everything is made much simpler then. I will probably be getting into another 20' trailer that will be set up to haul a skid when I get one and my tractor for the time being. I was very tempted to skip getting the tires on my 20' aluminum and go but it, as I was when I shelled out 350 to weld the trailer up and gusset it so it could handle a load better. so now I've spent 350 plus 425 plus another 25 easy in fuel on the one I have and I can't haul heavy with it . Trailers are like saws/bars, there is no perfect one trailer plan .

 

[chipper1]

Yep. I had a few big (24") rounds behind the house, and when my brother picked up his MS261 on Christmas, I had him cut a 1/2 cookie just to get a feel for the saw. He said the chain must be dull, and that my log was awful green. I laughed and explained that he was looking at the best firewood that grows on the farm, and that the chain was brand new full chisel Oregon. He said he would stick to cherry and ash. More locust for me

That's awesome.
I like locust best out of all the wood I've burned here in Michigan. I feel blessed to have the weed on my property here.
There is a good bit of it dead standing (my vertical wood piles) as well as lots of them living. I have a few of them that are already leaning that I will cut and put right into the stove this winter as it saves the time of stacking the wood. I split them where they drop if needed and bring them to the front porch in the bucket of the tractor. I like to bring in the rounds that will fit straight into the stove and stand them up around the wood burner and watch the cracks grow as the last of the moisture goes out from them.
I loaded our stove up with a load of it before church today at 9:00 and then let it rip for 15 mins. We came home at 7 and I moved the coals around and there were still a bunch of big ones so I let them burn for a while longer as the house was toasty. At 9:30 I checked the wood burner and it had dropped to 300 with smaller coals and I filled it with a small amount of red oak to burn the coals up and get me through till I go to bed, then I will stuff it with locust again .

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

My favorite wood for sure. Nothing better than stuffing the furnace at 10:00 before I go to bed on a cold windy night, and waking up at 6 AM to the house being the same temperature and still having 6" of coals and un burnt wood.

My grandfather cultivated 2 locust patches for fence posts when he bought the farm in '62, and I have been planning on thinning both over the next couple years. There is some good sized stuff in there that could keep my family warm for a couple years, and not hurt the productivity of the patch, not to mention the ash that the beetles are currently killing. Being a good steward of the land is a tough job sometimes

 

[chipper1]

My favorite wood for sure. Nothing better than stuffing the furnace at 10:00 before I go to bed on a cold windy night, and waking up at 6 AM to the house being the same temperature and still having 6" of coals and un burnt wood.

My grandfather cultivated 2 locust patches for fence posts when he bought the farm in '62, and I have been planning on thinning both over the next couple years. There is some good sized stuff in there that could keep my family warm for a couple years, and not hurt the productivity of the patch, not to mention the ash that the beetles are currently killing. Being a good steward of the land is a tough job sometimes

Thats great. I didn't know how fortunate I was to have it here when I bought the place as well as when I bought the wood stove. I learned a few yrs later about many of the uses of it and that fence post were one of the main uses here. I try not to cut many of mine as we have a fairly small lot, so I try not to cut anything here unless it is in the way of where I want a building/drive or to manage the next generation of growth, and even then I think through it long and hard.
We have a relatively small firebox on our stove so I don't get as long of burn times as many, but there isn't much wood in the stove and it's burning very efficiently. I have yet to start the furnace here and I think this is our 7th heating season, thanks AS and it's members for all the help.
Be sure to get on the ash as soon as you can and let the locust sit, many of the ones in our area are now rotten and felling left and right, it's a very sad scene as the wood is just going to waste.

 

[Tenderfoot]

I'm not trying to fix it, but I would say lazy is a relative term, from what I can tell most of the folks in this thread aren't really lazy.
I have more miles with a trailer chasing me with some of the heaviest loads that make it on the roads than many people have every driven . I really enjoy pulling a trailer and feel a bit off when I don't have one behind me. I prefer to have a trailer that is the appropriate length/weight for the vehicle pulling it as everything is made much simpler then. I will probably be getting into another 20' trailer that will be set up to haul a skid when I get one and my tractor for the time being. I was very tempted to skip getting the tires on my 20' aluminum and go but it, as I was when I shelled out 350 to weld the trailer up and gusset it so it could handle a load better. so now I've spent 350 plus 425 plus another 25 easy in fuel on the one I have and I can't haul heavy with it . Trailers are like saws/bars, there is no perfect one trailer plan .

If that is the case I can see why you hate a short trailer. Bumper bull and short wheel base is not like a 53ft 5th wheel. I got my M101 for $600 after registration and all of my associated costs (transportation, lights etc), so it was a no brainer. It is my one trailer plan and it works. I can move a full cord at once, and that is enough for me. It does the job without a complaint. It is not the best. A dump trailer would be better, but this is what is handy and in the budget. If you have the cash just get a 12k dump trailer. you can fit a decent sized tractor in it and a good load of wood. They sit low enough to hand load too.

 

[svk]

That's for sure.
The little picco chain sure gives some nice control around those obstacle . To bad you hit the fence, did it do much damage.

Very minor as I was cutting slowly at that point knowing I was close.

 

[chipper1]

If that is the case I can see why you hate a short trailer. Bumper pull and short wheel base is not like a 53ft 5th wheel. I got my M101 for $600 after registration and all of my associated costs (transportation, lights etc), so it was a no brainer. It is my one trailer plan and it works. I can move a full cord at once, and that is enough for me. It does the job without a complaint. It is not the best. A dump trailer would be better, but this is what is handy and in the budget. If you have the cash just get a 12k dump trailer. you can fit a decent sized tractor in it and a good load of wood. They sit low enough to hand load too.

I only did 53' for a short period, I like those as much as hauling to short of a trailer lol. The pup trailers we pulled behind the drywall boom truck were pretty short and with the overhang of the flatbed portion of the truck boy could you cut the heck out of them .
That's a great price on that trailer, around here you'd spend around 9-1200 for one normally and still have to pay taxes and register it .
How big is the deck on them trailers.
That's the bummer, you can never have one trailer to do it all .
I do want one of course, but it's not as easy to load logs, and when I have the brush hog on my tractor it's about 20' long so a 14' bumper pull dump won't work to well. The other thing is I still have my half ton suburban which I like a lot and would need an hd to haul the dump with any sort of load. I missed a deal on a mini skid and a 16' gooseneck dump for 15k last summer, oh well as then I would have had to buy the truck and had to go to work to pay for it.