I feel like a glutton...Is that a bad thing???

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Backroads

Feeling the Heat
Jun 19, 2008
319
Small Town, RI
Well I only burn about 3 cord a year. Last year was a little over 3 and I burned a total of about 50 gallons of oil. I have 2.5 cord from last year split and stacked. I have 2 more cord of white oak and maple split and stacked and it's drying great, already turning gray and ends are cracking. I've got 3.5 MORE cords I just cut from a friends place for free, all standing dead. He still has at least another 25 dead trees he'd like me to take down. I've got 6 trees already down at my in-laws that I need to clean up on Wednesday and my father-in-law also want's me to take down another 8 maples and 2 cherry. I figure by the end of this month I'll have a little over 10 cords...good for 3 years. The wife is a little concerned about my minor obsession with free firewood and the fact I'm starting to run out of room in the yard.

Should I feel bad that I'm contemplating going down the street and picking up all the large stuff that the tree service is leaving behind while they are clearing the powerlines because they can't chip it? Does that make me a glutton? :red:
 
No, makes you self suficent(sp) of course unless you are taking wood from a guy that is working on this year. I always grab the free stuff, but if I am loading and the guy says he is hustling for this year I leave a little room in the truck when I am good. I have come across the same guy 3 years in a row with the same story. Third time there was nothing left. I had knee surgery so I know you can get behind but hey, 3 years in a row? I think you are about there though :lol:
 
No, I would say it makes you someone who strikes while the iron is hot. I just had to lay down 7 more pallets to make room for what is still sitting on my driveway and saw some big rounds of pine by the side of the road last night that I will pick up today.
 
I find that if you snooze, you lose. I have run out the door on Sunday night at 7pm more then once and scored a truck of oak or ash. Work at the front end but you will be glad when its cold...
 
Its not gluttoness, its an obsession, call it what it is, OWD (obsessive wood disorder). See if there are meetings in your area, before you ruin your life.
 
If you feel like a glutton, I can always come take some away... we're not far away in exeter.

Seriously, it never hurts to be way ahead on firewood. We try to stay at least 2-3 seasons ahead so that there is no question the wood is very dry.
 
Why would anyone feel like a glutton when they are just preparing for the future? And if that would make you a glutton with a little over 10 cords.....what does that make me with over 20 cords? Welcome to the club.
 
Thanks for the words of encouragement! If I had 20 cords in the yard my wife would have me committed. OWD, HAHAHA!! I have actually passed up a couple small scores. I figure just like what you suggest, the people chasin after the small stuff because they have to and are collecting for this year. Maybe that's why I've been lucky enough to find several private lots. Only got another month and a half of cutting before hunting season, should be plenty of time to reach my goal though.

Swamp Yankee, do you ever travel RT 102? Have you seen the house with what looks like 15 cords of ALL cherry? I was cutting in the same lot as him this spring over in Peacedale. I almost felt bad for him because I could haul in one load what he could haul in 4...then I drove by his house and that feeling was overtaken by envy!!
 
A 3 year supply is not gluttony but having a small yard isn't conducive to storing that much. It's time to build a woodshed with stud walls and a stable slab floor so you can go vertical and get back some of your yard.
 
Unfortunately before I can build a wood shed I have to build an addition on the barn for another hay burner and another shed for my boys atv and my dirt bikes. I've got a good supplier of nice heavy duty pallets and I can usually stack 6' easily on them, the only problem I have are days like today when they forecast thunderstorms all day and I have to toss the tarp over them.
 
Backroads said:
Unfortunately before I can build a wood shed I have to build an addition on the barn for another hay burner and another shed for my boys atv and my dirt bikes. I've got a good supplier of nice heavy duty pallets and I can usually stack 6' easily on them, the only problem I have are days like today when they forecast thunderstorms all day and I have to toss the tarp over them.

Backroads, you are making more work for yourself that you don't need to do at all. Let it rain and don't worry about the wood. It is not a sponge unless it is punky and if so, you wouldn't be hauling it. Simply put, there is no need to worry about some thunder showers passing through. That little bit of wet will dry off in less than a day. Even if it rains 4 or 5 days in a row. No need to worry. Just leave it uncovered until late fall or early winter.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
Backroads said:
Unfortunately before I can build a wood shed I have to build an addition on the barn for another hay burner and another shed for my boys atv and my dirt bikes. I've got a good supplier of nice heavy duty pallets and I can usually stack 6' easily on them, the only problem I have are days like today when they forecast thunderstorms all day and I have to toss the tarp over them.

Backroads, you are making more work for yourself that you don't need to do at all. Let it rain and don't worry about the wood. It is not a sponge unless it is punky and if so, you wouldn't be hauling it. Simply put, there is no need to worry about some thunder showers passing through. That little bit of wet will dry off in less than a day. Even if it rains 4 or 5 days in a row. No need to worry. Just leave it uncovered until late fall or early winter.

I know you are right, but it's a habit of mine. Peace of mind I guess and it gives me a reason to goof off in the yard. ;-)
 
Wait a minute. Hunting season is less than 2 months away, you have to build an addition on the barn for another hay burner and another shed for my boys atv and my dirt bikes before building a wood shed and you need a reason to go goof off in the back yard?!!!!!!!!!
 
It sounds like firewood is just falling into your hands and you are doing a lot of favors for family and friends. I agree that if you are not taking it away from family or friends that need/want it you might as well get it while the getting is good. As far as picking up cut wood on the side of the street near your home, that is just too good to pass up. It sounds like you enjoy doing it. As far as storage room goes - ask the owners of one of the cutting sites if you can store it there or sell a couple of cords. However, if the nieghborhood kids think your backyard is a maze because there are more stacks of wood than lawn, your spare bedroom is stacked to the cieling with firewood, and your drivway is only used for cutting and splitting wood; then you are a glutton and need group therapy.

I got a pickup load this weekend even though I have plenty of wood. It would have been wasted by being burnt in a smokey brush fire otherwise. I can burn it cleaner and i saved some time and effort since it was already at least partially cut up and accessible with minimal hazards to the truck. I also get to burn a few rounds of other species i would not otherwise have.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
Wait a minute. Hunting season is less than 2 months away, you have to build an addition on the barn for another hay burner and another shed for my boys atv and my dirt bikes before building a wood shed and you need a reason to go goof off in the back yard?!!!!!!!!!

The construction is on hold till a friend comes throught with the lumber. If I'm caught in the house for too long I'll get stuck with some other crazy idea my wife wants! So it's best too look busy before she thinks of another project for me!
 
Backwoods Savage said:
Wait a minute. Hunting season is less than 2 months away, you have to build an addition on the barn for another hay burner and another shed for my boys atv and my dirt bikes before building a wood shed and you need a reason to go goof off in the back yard?!!!!!!!!!

The construction is on hold till a friend comes throught with the lumber. If I'm caught in the house for too long I'll get stuck with some other crazy idea my wife wants! So it's best too look busy before she thinks of another project for me!
 
"Swamp Yankee, do you ever travel RT 102? Have you seen the house with what looks like 15 cords of ALL cherry? I was cutting in the same lot as him this spring over in Peacedale. I almost felt bad for him because I could haul in one load what he could haul in 4...then I drove by his house and that feeling was overtaken by envy!! "

Yep, I'm a couple miles from there... I'm jealous... Very nice stacks. My piles are a mess compared to that guy.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
Why would anyone feel like a glutton when they are just preparing for the future? And if that would make you a glutton with a little over 10 cords.....what does that make me with over 20 cords? Welcome to the club.

Dennis, your a firewood cutting God! :lol:

I have 3 years worth, 2 in the shed and 1 stacked in rounds near my shed. I still have some room for more but the wife and neighbors are starting to wonder what's wrong with me. :roll: They just don't understand, he who has the most wood when dead wins!
 
Todd said:
Backwoods Savage said:
Why would anyone feel like a glutton when they are just preparing for the future? And if that would make you a glutton with a little over 10 cords.....what does that make me with over 20 cords? Welcome to the club.

Dennis, your a firewood cutting ...
Whore.

Just kidding. I think you just enjoy doing it and wouldn't make a good whore cuz you'd do it for free! May as well get it while the getting is good. There are worse ways to spend your free time. If I had any decent hardwoods on my land, I'd be stocking up on it too but alas I pay for wood to be brought in and the alternative (natural gas) is not that much more expensive.
 
Hey, I do enjoy cutting wood. It is funny though; almost everyone who comes here makes some comment about all the wood.....and they don't even see it all.
 
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