Bless Me Father For I Have Sinned

[Battenkiller]

As many of you know, I'm getting booted out of here in a month. Still don't know where we'll land, but I have to keep moving. While packing up the shop I was faced with either saving a butt load of fuglies and short boards left over from years of hoarding, or just burning them and not have to worry about moving them.

Went through the first round at this point, the stuff that was too nice to burn but not quite nice enough to turn - stuff that's been sitting in bins under various benches for up to 20 years now. Talk about seasoned! Anyway, I pulled out a bin and inside were several pieces of pressure treated 2x4s. I vacillated, then said "WTF... throw them in and see what happens". Stove's an old dragon, so it's not like I'm gonna kill the cat (except maybe the outside cat)


About an hour later I went down to take a look, and when I lifted the load door there was the most spectacular display of pretty greenish-blue flames I've ever seen. Copper ions, I'm guessing.

So crucify me, but I just had to confess. I promise I won't burn any more, I really do promise.

Of course, there's about 200 pounds of MDF scrap floating around the place and a mountain of ply scrap I had on hand for small projects. Can I be strong and resist temptation, or will I cave and kill two birds with one stone? Please chew me out harshly so I can be pure. I hate being a burn sinner.

 

[begreen]

Bummer BK. Have you been able to work out a buy on new digs?

As for the mdf scrap, put a craigslist for free sign on it and let it be recycled by someone else.

 

[RNLA]

While I do not agree with burning that junk I can see where your coming from. I would refrain or stop posting about it. I use to burn some real crappy wood and paper garbage but then I was uneducated as well. As an old writer said "better to keep your mouth shut and let people wonder if you're stupid than to open it and remove all doubt." Not throwing stones, just saying "bad BK"

 

[Gasifier]

Batten,

Where is just outside the blue line? Where do you live? I did not know you were going to have to move. Sorry to hear that. The only thing I can say to that is it is an opportunity as well. Put all of your efforts into finding a good place. Doesn't have to be better. Or as good. Although it very well may be. Wherever it is, it will be what you make of it. Good luck my friend.

 

[weatherguy]

What ever happened with that house you were looking at by the lake?

 

[smokinj]

As many of you know, I'm getting booted out of here in a month. Still don't know where we'll land, but I have to keep moving. While packing up the shop I was faced with either saving a butt load of fuglies and short boards left over from years of hoarding, or just burning them and not have to worry about moving them.

Went through the first round at this point, the stuff that was too nice to burn but not quite nice enough to turn - stuff that's been sitting in bins under various benches for up to 20 years now. Talk about seasoned! Anyway, I pulled out a bin and inside were several pieces of pressure treated 2x4s. I vacillated, then said "WTF... throw them in and see what happens". Stove's an old dragon, so it's not like I'm gonna kill the cat (except maybe the outside cat)


About an hour later I went down to take a look, and when I lifted the load door there was the most spectacular display of pretty greenish-blue flames I've ever seen. Copper ions, I'm guessing.

So crucify me, but I just had to confess. I promise I won't burn any more, I really do promise.

Of course, there's about 200 pounds of MDF scrap floating around the place and a mountain of ply scrap I had on hand for small projects. Can I be strong and resist temptation, or will I cave and kill two birds with one stone? Please chew me out harshly so I can be pure. I hate being a burn sinner.

BURN BABY BURN!

 

[Battenkiller]

Bummer BK. Have you been able to work out a buy on new digs?

As for the mdf scrap, put a craigslist for free sign on it and let it be recycled by someone else.

BG the house hunt has been a horrible experience. I thought if we ever ended up getting our own place it'd be the happiest time of our lives. The housing market just sucks now. The sellers are upset that they missed the bubble, but they still want in on a piece of it. Prices are supposed to be depressed but are still very high.

The buyers are wary as a 10-point buck in hunting season and they all (including me) are looking for pre-bubble prices and they aren't to be had. Only thing good is the incredibly low interest rates, but what use is that if there's nothing out there worth mortgaging?

Anyway, a home just got listed and we were the first to see it. We love it, and the price is reasonable and taxes are unusually low. USDA financing means no money down, so I can save that dough for finishing the basement and building a garage... OK... outside shop lol. Not near a lake, but it's on over 4 acres and it has a sweet pond. We are placing an offer tomorrow.

 

[gzecc]

Bummer BK. Have you been able to work out a buy on new digs?

As for the mdf scrap, put a craigslist for free sign on it and let it be recycled by someone else.

BG the house hunt has been a horrible experience. I thought if we ever ended up getting our own place it'd be the happiest time of our lives. The housing market just sucks now. The sellers are upset that they missed the bubble, but they still want in on a piece of it. Prices are supposed to be depressed but are still very high.

The buyers are wary as a 10-point buck in hunting season and they all (including me) are looking for pre-bubble prices and they aren't to be had. Only thing good is the incredibly low interest rates, but what use is that if there's nothing out there worth mortgaging?

Anyway, a home just got listed and we were the first to see it. We love it, and the price is reasonable and taxes are unusually low. USDA financing means no money down, so I can save that dough for finishing the basement and building a garage... OK... outside shop lol. Not near a lake, but it's on over 4 acres and it has a sweet pond. We are placing an offer tomorrow.

Batten, its true there is are a lot of properties on the market that are priced too high. This is what is called buying a listing. The real estate agent gets the listing by telling the seller they can get an unrealistic price for their house.
There are however some good buys that come up in every market. Keep looking in the towns you want, and only look at new (not listed in the last 5 yrs)listing.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Not near a lake, but it's on over 4 acres and it has a sweet pond. We are placing an offer tomorrow.

Sounds sweet BK, good luck. Mortgage rates under 4% almost make up for our property tax rate :shut:

 

[firefighterjake]

Good luck on the offer . . . there are some folks out there that are willing to deal . . . my sister and brother-in-law just put in an offer on a place in Wasilla, Alaska . . . this after they've rented out a place in Portage for years.

 

[joecool85]

Not sure where you live, but there is a nice 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath place with 1.2 acres and a 2 bay garage for $75k here in town.

 

[Battenkiller]

I live just outside the Blue Line, in Saratoga Springs, NY. The Blue Line is the name for the boundary of the Adirondack Park in New York, my favorite place to be in the world. If we get this place we will be closer... but still be just outside the boundary line. At least I'll be able to hike across from there.

BTW I don't know how or why this thread landed in the Wood Shed, but the direction it's taken makes it more suitable for the Inglenook forum. Just wanted to report that after all these years I finally know what pressure-treated wood looks like when it burns. It's very pretty, but don't try it at home, K?

 

[gzecc]

I live just outside the Blue Line, in Saratoga Springs, NY. The Blue Line is the name for the boundary of the Adirondack Park in New York, my favorite place to be in the world. If we get this place we will be closer... but still be just outside the boundary line. At least I'll be able to hike across from there.

BTW I don't know how or why this thread landed in the Wood Shed, but the direction it's taken makes it more suitable for the Inglenook forum. Just wanted to report that after all these years I finally know what pressure-treated wood looks like when it burns. It's very pretty, but don't try it at home, K?

I assumed the blue line was the Mason Dixon line or the supposed north / south civil war divide.

 

[Battenkiller]

I assumed the blue line was the Mason Dixon line or the supposed north / south civil war divide.

Might as well be. Entirely different subset of humanity up that way, and they don't cotton to no city folk, 'cept maybe to empty the wallets of the tourists. Needless to say, a guy like me fits in fine up there. :coolsmile:

 

[Jags]

Good luck on the offer BK. And DON'T be touching the handle of that stove and PT wood at the same time. (consider yourself scolded).

 

[Battenkiller]

Good luck on the offer BK. And DON'T be touching the handle of that stove and PT wood at the same time. (consider yourself scolded).

:red:

Yes sir.

 

[Woody Stover]

Please chew me out harshly so I can be pure. I hate being a burn sinner.

You frickin' knucklehead!! What the hell were you thinking?!!

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

Anyway, a home just got listed and we were the first to see it. We love it, and the price is reasonable and taxes are unusually low.

Probably a reason, just as probably that reason is about to expire. Though property taxes inside the blue line a usually less than places S or E of it.

Do NOT go by the broker or even the homeowner when figuring taxes. Go to the Man and get it straight from the horse's mouth. Better than a suprise later.

BTW, how far inside the line would you go and still be able to commute for work?

Jimbo

 

[DiscoInferno]

I can tell you what PT lumber smells like when it burns, as we quite stupidly burned some in a bonfire when I was a teenager. It was windy, and I suspect it shaved a few years off my life right there and then. Really, really nasty stuff.

 

[Danno77]

BK. come to the Midwest. I can find you an equally eqiped house and property for a third of what you are looking to spend. I'll even let you oven dry splits in the wifey's new convection oven.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Though property taxes inside the blue line a usually less than places S or E of it.

That is true now but I wonder how long it will last. 1.7% of an arguably high assessed value inside the line compared to 3.2% 90 miles away at home.

 

[Battenkiller]

BK. come to the Midwest. I can find you an equally eqiped house and property for a third of what you are looking to spend. I'll even let you oven dry splits in the wifey's new convection oven.

Really? I'm looking to spend $150K on this place. Taxes (looked them up) are $2835 with the STAR school tax assessment reduction. How cheap are you out that way?

I live in a tough area. We are 10 minutes away from the new AMD chip plant, and that alone is keeping properties up to peak bubble levels and it isn't even close too being operational yet. NY is basically broke, so poor school districts that once counted on major state aid have had no choice but to tax the poor more or close the schools down. USDA RD financing is not available even in some obviously rural settings.

If it wasn't for the wife's job and the two grandkids nearby, I think we'd move to NC or even further south. As it is, this place is affordable (barely) and is 30 minute drive for the wife, so it is a good fit for us in this area. But the offer went in early this afternoon and we still haven't heard a word, so I'm not optimistic at all.

That's why the good Lord inventeth scotch whisky.

 

[SolarAndWood]

What is the town tax rate? That is relatively cheap if the assessment is 150K. Are you sure the assessment isn't more like $100K? Most towns are getting pretty quick at reassessing after a closing.

 

[Danno77]

Well, uhhhh, if I say "Yes, really" would that make you come out to look? LoL.

Probably not 1/3, but cheap as you will find anywhere! Just don't expect to be close to anything! Did you post the specs on the house you are looking at? Like bedrooms, baths, sq ft, etc? Well, on second thought, did you say 6 acres? You might be able to do that if it's not great farmland or good hunting ground around here.

 

[Battenkiller]

What is the town tax rate? That is relatively cheap if the assessment is 150K. Are you sure the assessment isn't more like $100K? Most towns are getting pretty quick at reassessing after a closing.

I'm told they can't just reassess an individual home around here, that they have to do it by the entire area, but I know very little about house taxes since this is our first place. Lots of cheaper homes all around it, and the area was just reassessed last year by about 29% of so. House is assessed right now at $99K, with a $27K STAR reduction on the school taxes. Lady BK does all the number crunching on the taxes, so I can't tell you all the rates, but the school taxes are the big one. Property taxes out that way are almost nil.