Confession: I've become an obsessive wood scrounger

[azsteven]

I need to confess that I've become obsessed with scavenging/scrounging firewood. I live in the suburbs, and I have limited storage space, but I've already got 3 cords for this year and 2.5 cords stacked up for next year, in two big stacks along the driveway and the garage.

Look, on Monday I was jogging and heard a chainsaw going, so I stopped to chat with the tree service guy, and he ended up delivering about 10 logs (5-6 feet, up to 12" diameter) from an apple tree he was taking down around the corner from my house. Fine. No big deal.

But here's my problem. When I'm out jogging, or walking to the playground with my kids, I can't help buy notice all kinds of small rounds that would be fine to burn for some small fires during this early season. I'm talking about little branches that fell off in the wind storms, and I'm making mental notes to come back to pick stuff up. Yesterday, I even mentioned this to my wife as we were walking to the town center -- personal monologue went on audible -- and she's giving me a look of "your not playing with a full deck".

Today, for example, I went to dump some leaves at the town recycling center, and I saw a bunch of 2" maple rounds, cut to 16" lengths. I just couldn't help myself and I loaded about 20 into the car. Then, after taking the kids to the playground, while I'm walking home, I saw several 4 or 5 inch diameter branches beside the path in the woods, and made a mental note to come back with the saw. Finally, when I was walking up my street, I picked up a maple branch about 10 feet long, 2 inch diameter, and dragged it up the rest of the street to my house -- while pulling my daughter in the wagon.

How do I restrain myself?

 

[Dune]

Don't try. Keep making neat stacks and hopefully no one else will notice.

 

[mrfjsf]

It is quite the addiction. I am new to this and im already addicted! When I drive past a large plot of wooded land, I almost start drooling just looking at all that wood. I see large branches laying along side the road and just have to grab them. It is my new hobby. I figure if I have way more than I'll ever use before it starts rotting, I can always just sell it and buy more equipment! The cycle just never stops!

 

[fire_man]

I have the same problem. I've got over 4 year's supply on my lot and I still can't turn new wood away. I've finally stopped drooling over downed trees on the side of highways and public roads after a couple run-ins with law enforcement types.

I wonder if there is a club like WSA (Wood Scrounger's Anonymous) that we can join?

 

[mrfjsf]

I've finally stopped drooling over downed trees on the side of highways and public roads after a couple run-ins with law enforcement types.

This is the part that worries me...have you ever got fined?

 

[Jaugust124]

Whew! Glad I'm not the only one. I have become obsessive about wood. I constantly look in backyards to check out people's piles. I often mention to my wife, "Do you think they'd give me some of that if I ask nicely?" I also check out small branches and other stuff and think, "Should I bother?"
I actually noticed a few pieces today as the wife and I were taking a walk, but I forgot to go get them. They should still be there tomorrow (unless someone else grabs them) and if they are, I will get them when I get home. They look to be a few 3"-4" rounds a couple feet long, but what the heck, its free heat.
My new motto is "I'll burn that." As a matter of fact, that line's going into my signature.

 

[thewoodlands]

azsteven, move to the country and buy some acreage it gets worse.



zap

 

[kenwit]

Wow, we're all in the same boat. My neighbors who all have fireplaces can't believe how much wood I have and keep getting more.

 

[shawneyboy]

LOL we are all in the same boat..... Like the way I perk up when I hear a chainsaw, or stop to ask the guys triming for the power company about what they are doing with the cord wood, and, and, and but to add insult to injury I have over an acre of Oak woods and both my neighbors have more than an acre that I have access to. It is really sad, and strange, this obsesion of mine.

 

[Heem]

LOL we are all in the same boat..... Like the way I perk up when I hear a chainsaw, or stop to ask the guys triming for the power company about what they are doing with the cord wood, and, and, and but to add insult to injury I have over an acre of Oak woods and both my neighbors have more than an acre that I have access to. It is really sad, and strange, this obsesion of mine.

Hahah.. whenever I hear a chainsaw I think to myself of asking the guy running the saw.. "So... uh.. you gonna burn that?"

 

[golfandwoodnut]

I am with zap. It gets worse with more land. It started out with me with a large cherry branch that fell in the yard and I cut it and split it but had no where to burn it since I converted my fireplace to gas. I kept cutting and splitting and stacking and built a Holtz Hausen. Bought a wood burner and to replace the gas stove and kept going. Using craigslist, and cutting wood in 4 foot deep snow from downed Locust trees in peoples driveways, etc. Then ended up buying a bobcat so I could get my ATV around my property, I have some really nice trails now. New chain saws, sharpeners, used pickup truck etc. Now I need a pole barn to keep all the new toys. 18 cords cut and stacked nicely a year since it all began. But the way I look at it, wood is money and a good workout. So it is a healthy obsession. Although I could have bought an awful lot of wood with what I have spent on toys. I have to get one of those UTV Rhinos like Zap has.....

 

[dafattkidd]

What the hell is the matter with us? I'm the same way. I'm constantly checking out people's back yards, and wooded areas. I'm ridiculous. I've never had an obsession before. It's seriously nuts. But man I love burning that wood. Even in my little stove, I love it!

 

[allhandsworking]

I want to retire from my job so I can buy a home with land so I can store more firewood! I have started to get over the wood thing and am starting to obsess about chain saws! The sound,power,vibration! I guess that's what it's like to have a Harley! I have a friend that volunteers at the local nature park here in Queens and he is a tree guy. I'm going to join him for the selfish reason of what I cut I keep city property or not! There are about twenty years worth of down trees or standing dead in the park! It looks like a bomb hit it! There are some rare trees and some really old trees! "Hope I can score some". My friend and family are concerned! Are there any "wood guy" therapist out there?

 

[allhandsworking]

.

 

[ckarotka]

Hi, my name is Charlie is it's been 2 days since my last scounged piece of wood. Lol. I'm in on this one. I've converted my side yard to a wood shrine. This years stuff is in the garage now. I've already almost replaced it with new scores and now I'm outta racks and places to stack without starting on the front yard.

Oh ya I then brought home a pick full of either Norway or sugar maple (I can't tell) today, then I'm going back with a dump truck for the rest later this week. Haven't quite figured out where to put it but I'm sure my neighbors would love to tell me where.

 

[wood-fan-atic]

My long lost bruthas!! Made a run to a score I found on Craigslist last nite (Sat.) at 10:30 PM !! I couldnt take the chance it would be gone in the morning. I detour thru the wooded North Shore (ritzy) towns on my way home from work to search their woods for storm damage. I check CL 5 times a DAY! I will NOT pass a tree co. working and not ask them " so, uh... your not taking that wood WITH you,are ya? I'll take some right now". I drive around with my p/u bed empty and my chainsaw gassed and sharp @ all times!! ........and did I mention.....every one I know thinks I"m obsessed.........but they ALL love my stove, and my family is ALWAYS toasty. If this is wrong - I dont want to be RIGHT! SCROUNGE ON ;-)

 

[azsteven]

Haven't quite figured out where to put it but I'm sure my neighbors would love to tell me where.

I got my neighbors trained... Last weekend my neighbor's trimming some branches, and HE knocked on MY door. "Do you want these?" he asked? "Yeah," I replied. Are we talking about a truckload or a wheelbarrow?" (He's got the truck, and he's gone with my to pick up freebees before -- the big 36" rounds that I can't drag down the street myself!) I think all my neighbors know I'm a collector.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Why are "scroungers" "confessing"?

The mark@$$ busters that pay for wood should be confessing.

Just sayin'

 

[RoseRedHoofbeats]

I'm with him. I feel a lot worse about being the n00b who had to BUY wood her first year than I do about scrounging for wood the past few weeks. =P

~Rose

 

[fire_man]

I've finally stopped drooling over downed trees on the side of highways and public roads after a couple run-ins with law enforcement types.

This is the part that worries me...have you ever got fined?

Nope I never got fined. A Police Officer used his Megaphone while I was running my saw to tell me to "stop cutting and come out of the woods". He let me keep the load already on my truck but told me to scram. I was on Town owned land and was removing trees that had already fallen.

 

[Kyle19]

I'm in the same boat.......my wife thinks I'm nuts....my parents think I'm loony....my neighbors want to do a wood intervention on me to see if they can make me stop.......well.....it ain't gonna work.....I enjoy it...I'm outside...fresh air....I love my kids but even they leave me alone when it comes to the wood stacks...the beer is cold....what's so bad about it????? do I sound like I'm trying to convince myself it's ok???? please tell me I'm gonna be all-right

 

[NH_Wood]

Yup - we are all in the same boat. I collect ANY wood that I can - from nice downed trees, to fallen oak limbs, to......oh yeah, anything else! Right now I have a small load of about 8, 2" rounds of maple that I collected from a downed maple branch on the roadside. Stove temp at 400 and chill gone - and free - can't beat wood! I love the fact that wood is the only heat source that WE can control supply and cost for + often get for free! Cheers!

 

[Got Wood]

This type thread pops up here every month or so. The fact that we are here on a wood forum, some of us daily, is probably a good indicator of the obsession. I too, have it big time. Its a good thing though, my 13 yr old daughter was busting my chops about it the other day and I told her... well, I can't just sit around on the computer all day. I need to get outside and move. The wood working is healthy and rewarding. And I aint gonna stop!

 

[azsteven]

my wife thinks I'm nuts....

well, at least my wife likes to come downstairs to a warm family room, and she definitely appreciates that there are always crates of wood on the front porch so she doesn't have to go out to the stacks/shed. So I'll remind her of that the next time she says I'm obsessed!

 

[3fordasho]

Yes it's a problem, for everyone else, not me! My neighbors think I have so much wood that they can help themselfs.. afterall it's free right? When I'm on this site and arboristsite my wife tells everyone that I'm looking at "wood porn"..... Everyone that comes by has to ask if I have enough wood yet? I say of course not!