1st Kansas City CL Scrounge

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Nov 13, 2013
93
Kansas City, MO
Picked this load up today. Guys taking down the tree had it cut up and helped load - even offered us $20 for fuel which I refused. Full 18' trailer load which should be about 2 cords split. Thankfully I had my brother along to help. I think it is some kind of elm which isn't the best but not too bad for 2.5 hours of work. Can anyone ID from these pics? May have to borrow dad's hydro splitter if it gives me trouble by hand. Any chance this might be ready by next year?
 

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Nice score!
It looks like the same thing I have been scrounging this week. I thought it was Pin Oak. Were there any leaves around?
 
Nice score!
It looks like the same thing I have been scrounging this week. I thought it was Pin Oak. Were there any leaves around?

No leaves at all. It was the only tree left in a parking lot right along main street in midtown KC. The tree guys said it was half dead and the property owner paid $2k to have it removed since it was overhanging his building. It wasn't dead because it is super heavy and really wet. I guess it could be some kind of oak. It sure didn't resemble the standing dead elm that I took down last weekend. That one was bone dry and all stringy when we split it. Actually left a couple of big rounds because it was too much of a PITA to split even with the hydro.

Where are you located in N. Iowa? My family's century farm is on the border of Humboldt and Webster counties. Other side of the family is from Mason City. Winters sure are much colder up there than in KC!
 
No leaves at all. It was the only tree left in a parking lot right along main street in midtown KC. The tree guys said it was half dead and the property owner paid $2k to have it removed since it was overhanging his building. It wasn't dead because it is super heavy and really wet. I guess it could be some kind of oak. It sure didn't resemble the standing dead elm that I took down last weekend. That one was bone dry and all stringy when we split it. Actually left a couple of big rounds because it was too much of a PITA to split even with the hydro.

Where are you located in N. Iowa? My family's century farm is on the border of Humboldt and Webster counties. Other side of the family is from Mason City. Winters sure are much colder up there than in KC!


I was getting branches from the tree dump that looks just like that and it had a bunch of oak leaves with it. Either way, it should be good.

I'm in Kossuth, north of Algona, so I'm not too far away from your family.
Your not kidding about the cold. I visited some friends in Topeka, and they couldn't believe that our cars had plugins. LOL.
Its going to be in the single digits tonight. This is our first year burning as our primary source, so tonight is going to be a test.
 
I was getting branches from the tree dump that looks just like that and it had a bunch of oak leaves with it. Either way, it should be good.

I'm in Kossuth, north of Algona, so I'm not too far away from your family.
Your not kidding about the cold. I visited some friends in Topeka, and they couldn't believe that our cars had plugins. LOL.
Its going to be in the single digits tonight. This is our first year burning as our primary source, so tonight is going to be a test.

We lived in Algona for a few years when I was very young. My dad managed the Pioneer seed plant there before we moved to Mt. Pleasant and then to Des Moines. Heading up to DSM next week and will be keeping warm by pulling some logs out of my mom's back yard. I can't say that I miss the cold at all - just wish I could avoid the summer heat too but it gets hot everywhere here in the midwest!
 
Load 1b.jpg Load 3b.jpg Looks like the elm I got last weekend. Mid-range BTU's but dries like maple. Get it split up and it should have no trouble being ready for next season.
 
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Have to admit that I am not certain what it is but I can say for certain it is not pin oak. If it is elm, it is a lot different that what we have here. I could guess what it is but hate guesses. I'd rather be sure.
 
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It looks like red elm- primo stuff IMO because it dries fairly quickly and provides a good amount of BTUs. BTW I think you will find the CL firewood pickings in KC having very little competition for it.
 
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Good score Brick! Hope you have some wood ready tonight. going to be cold around our area. I've got the stove stuffed with red oak and hedge. What part of KC are you from Brick?
 
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Brick - nice score. It looks like elm, or some variant to me. If it smells like cat pee when it warms up, then you'll know for sure! Assuming it is elm, that trailer load should last you a lifetime ...because that is about how long it will take to split it!

JB - I was ready to say 'Shame on you!' for the 'elm is primo...' comment as I saw 'Ozarks' in your 'location'. The Ozarks is hardwood country...and I mean good hardwood...hedge, oak, hickory, etc. But on second glance, I see 'Lake of the Ozarks', so being you're up north, I guess some leeway is called for. LOL :)
 
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Yep looks like Red Elm. Yea, the KC area is prime for scrounging. Keep watching Craigslist and your eyes open when driving around. Quite a few small tree crews working around the metro area.
 
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Not sure if it's red elm, but it's not piss elm (lighter heart wood). Good stuff and should not split all that bad. If it does just let it dry a little or freeze first.
 
Have to admit that I am not certain what it is but I can say for certain it is not pin oak. If it is elm, it is a lot different that what we have here. I could guess what it is but hate guesses. I'd rather be sure.

It's the same as what Stephiedoll posted above so if his is elm so is mine. Another clue is that I couldn't begin to split it by hand, even with the Fiskars!
 
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It looks like red elm- primo stuff IMO because it dries fairly quickly and provides a good amount of BTUs. BTW I think you will find the CL firewood pickings in KC having very little competition for it.

I think you are correct. Just now have started to monitor and reply to some CL postings and it seems like I will be able to get my 5-6 cords per year rather easily if I can find the time to go get it all. Now if I can just find a couple sources who will dump logs at my door . . . .
 
Good score Brick! Hope you have some wood ready tonight. going to be cold around our area. I've got the stove stuffed with red oak and hedge. What part of KC are you from Brick?

My place is just west of downtown in the bottoms. Right next to the haunted houses and a few blocks north of the old stockyard district and Kemper Arena. I have the wood ready but my stove won't arrive for another week. Wish I was up and running because it has been cold!
 
Brick - nice score. It looks like elm, or some variant to me. If it smells like cat pee when it warms up, then you'll know for sure! Assuming it is elm, that trailer load should last you a lifetime ...because that is about how long it will take to split it!

JB - I was ready to say 'Shame on you!' for the 'elm is primo...' comment as I saw 'Ozarks' in your 'location'. The Ozarks is hardwood country...and I mean good hardwood...hedge, oak, hickory, etc. But on second glance, I see 'Lake of the Ozarks', so being you're up north, I guess some leeway is called for. LOL :)

My dad's place is just north of the Gravois Arm of Lake of the Ozarks. 95% of his timber is Oak with a scattering of Hickory and a few cedar trees that we have already removed. Been doing a lot of cutting there but need to scrounge some faster drying stuff for these first two years until the supply is built up.
 
My place is just west of downtown in the bottoms. Right next to the haunted houses and a few blocks north of the old stockyard district and Kemper Arena. I have the wood ready but my stove won't arrive for another week. Wish I was up and running because it has been cold!

I'm 20 miles north of Liberty off I35. I'll be cutting some dead standing in the next month. If you need to add to your stash let me know. I'm glad to see another KC area wood burner on here.
 
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Look like the red elm I'm used to seeing here. It's not walnut bark. Have fun with the splitter.
 
I'm 20 miles north of Liberty off I35. I'll be cutting some dead standing in the next month. If you need to add to your stash let me know. I'm glad to see another KC area wood burner on here.

This caught my attention since I'm in Kearney. I'm on my second season with an eko 40 boiler. I scrounge most of my wood from the kc area also.
 
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This caught my attention since I'm in Kearney. I'm on my second season with an eko 40 boiler. I scrounge most of my wood from the kc area also.

Good to hear from you hartkem. I'm between Lathrop and Polo on 116, if you are familiar. Maybe you can come cut with us.
 
Good to hear from you hartkem. I'm between Lathrop and Polo on 116, if you are familiar. Maybe you can come cut with us.

That would be good. Do you have acreage to cut on? I'm not familiar with your area but we don't live very far apart. I was helping clean up a guys property 20 miles south of KC 2 winters ago and cut about 14 cords worth to get ahead on my stock pile. Used about 6 cord last year. I need to stay on top of it but I have been building a 30x50 shop and its been taking all my free time. I'm insulating it now.
 
That would be good. Do you have acreage to cut on? I'm not familiar with your area but we don't live very far apart. I was helping clean up a guys property 20 miles south of KC 2 winters ago and cut about 14 cords worth to get ahead on my stock pile. Used about 6 cord last year. I need to stay on top of it but I have been building a 30x50 shop and its been taking all my free time. I'm insulating it now.


Congrats on the shop. As far as acreage, yes I live on 10 acres. It's 95% timber. We bought it a year ago. The previous owners didn't take very good care of it. Lots of dead standing and ditch bank push downs. I've been cutting just the dead stuff for the last year. I have about 6 cords CSS and another 7 bucked and ready to split. I use about 3 cords a year myself. As far as location, we are 7 miles east of exit 40 off I35. If you are interested i'll get in touch before I get ready to start cutting again. I don't mind sharing.
 
That would be great. It's more fun cutting with someone else. Good to hear from other KC wood burners. Im on acreage but it's mostly grass.
 
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