Scrounging 101

[Stegman]

I'd like to start getting into the scrounging game, and I was wondering if some of the [many] scrounging experts around here could share some tips for the beginner - essential gear, how to find wood, the ethics of scrounging etc.

For example, on the ride to work today I saw a couple of nice 8 foot logs on the side of my street next to this state-owned swamp. There were literally on the shoulder of the road, just off the pavement. Should I just stop, put on the hazards, and toss them into the back of my truck and drive off?

What should I keep in my truck to aid in impromptu finds?

It'd be nice to have a one-stop source of information for newcomers.

 

[bluedogz]

I am far from the most experienced scrounger, but in your example, I'd have those puppies in the trailer so fast you wouldn't believe it. 'Copurse, you didn't mention species...

Check your state laws: here in MD, ANYTHING on state land is legally fair game. If you ask the right people, they'll even give you a cutting permit for like $20. Deadfall is first-come, first-serve.

And if the union boys leave it roadside, grab it.

As far as "equipment" goes, I only keep glove(s), a bow saw, and a towel. But, there's a couple of reasons for that:
1) it's my wife's truck
2) I am missing an arm

 

[MasterMech]

Keep a maul/fiskars to bust up anything you can't lift. If you have room you could substitute your saw for the maul.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

I'm mostly a CL scrounger. I try to stay local but will travel when things get scarce. The busy times seem to be right after storms, when people want debris removed at no cost to them. I keep my saw, some fuel and a pair of gloves with me in the truck, and a plank in the bed for rolling.

 

[NH_Wood]

If you can, keep your saw in the truck and a maul for splitting big stuff. If the wood is on private property, always ask - I just had someone grab some downed wood from street (on my property) and I was ticked (especially since they can easily see about 15 cord of stacked wood from that spot, so they know I burn). If on the edge of public property, I guess I'd grab it and apologize if you get stopped! :cheese: Cheers!

 

[basswidow]

Always ask nearest homeowner.

Always bring (in addition to your saw) a sledge and wedge, and splitting axe.

I have an orange safty vest and cone I put out to look official! Laugh - but it works. A buddy has a white truck and does this and never gets challenged - even on busy roads!

Check construction sites too.

 

[smokinj]

If you need wood always carry a chainsaw ready to go! Knock on door and you will have more than you can handle very quickly.

 

[Bocefus78]

As already said, keep the saw in the truck...along with gas, spare chains, scrench, fuel, gloves, and oil. when using the trailer, I keep an 8' 2x4. That thing has been used many a time for various reasons.

On your example of the logs on the shoulder of the road, I woulda grabbed 'em being state property and that close to the road. I would not have cut them there....throw and go baby....throw and go.

As far as the orange safety gear to the above poster, I'm not laughing. I have a vest, and 2 reflective highway cones. I am not afraid to stop on the busiest of roads and cut wood.

Other gear I keep in the truck: AT LEAST 2 saws, files, come along, tow strap, chain, 4' pry bar, wedges, gloves, gloves for as many passengers as your truck holds , ear protection, business cards to stick in peoples doors where you see downed wood in their yards and knock but get no answer...offering free removal and piling of brush on their property, proof of commercial liability (may not apply in your case-I have to have it anyway for my business), always have a case of water in there, 2x10 to use as a rolling ramp for the big rounds, and blank liability releases if your not carrying liability insurance.

Now for a couple tips I've learned:

1. Dont go to far. 20 miles is about my max unless I have seen pics of the conditions, tree(s), access, etc. and I know it's at least a cord. Gas in the truck while pulling a trailer isnt cheap, plus your time is worth something....no matter what you mother in law thinks.
2. Dont rely on the homeowners to id the tree for you. If you dont know trees, get a book for your reigon. I reccomend the national audobon society ones.
3. Only cut what you can haul that trip. If I drive by, see you cutting, watch you leave, and you leave a bunch of pre-cut wood laying there, who do you think is gonna have the wood you spent time and money cutting? Hint, it wont be you.
4. Wheelbarrows are your friend for small to medium stuff. Use your ramp and dump....then repeat.
5. If you forget or dont have a ramp, back the truck into the closest ditch.....itll drop the tailgate height dramatically saving your back. If need be, drag the damn log with the truck to the ditch to save even more time.
6. After storms in your area, post CL ads offering free storm clean up. Be ready to work. The phone will ring.
7. Once you get 2+ years ahead on your wood, then you can be picky as far as species go. Until then, if its not rotten, grab it. It'll burn once dry.
8. DO NOT get in over your head. You will see what I mean once you post your first storm clean up ad on CL. You will be tired of cutting wood and answering phone calls from clueless people who want their standing trees cut that are hanging over their trailers, homes, sheds, tents, powerlines, kids, dogs, goats, pigs, chicken coop etc.
9. ALWAYS make sure the person you ask for permission actually owns the property. Tenants dont count--they may lie to ya and you wont know it.
10. Call local tree services and city dumps in your area. They normally are happy to get rid of wood. The worst they can do is say no.

 

[Stegman]

Great stuff, guys. Bocefus, I think you could write a book on this.

I love your motto — "throw and go" — as well as your ruthlessness.

This is all good info. The cone idea is brilliant, for safety reasons and the implied "official business - move along" vibe it projects. Reminds me of the old axiom that if you walk fast, look like you know where you're going, and carry a clipboard, you can get into anywhere.

 

[JDC1]

Get the word, out. Once people found out that I burn wood to keep the house warm, I have more than I can handle.

 

[Bocefus78]

I also have a clipboard lol

 

[SolarAndWood]

My bread and butter has been the small tree guys that don't have the trucks/trailers/time to haul it away. I did 6 cord in one week with one of them last Fall. Make it easy on them and they will happily cut to your desired length and help you load if they are still there when you get there.

 

[iod0816]

I got about 6 cords of sugar maple and red oak from a golf course down the street. Huge piles of wood just sitting there, so I stopped asked and 10 minutes later I had 3 weeks of weekend trips ahead (only open from 6 to 9 wknds). Just had to ask as they were more than happy to get rid of it! Unbucked too. Some of it old monsters but mind the less down for a while and pull your truck up next to closeness.

Gonna go back, just waiting for the poison ivy to go away.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

Craigslist can be a good source but wood can go quickly. There was one post on here about use a news feed. There is a free program called Feedreader that works great, it will search Craigslist for you automatically as often as you want keeping you on top of Free Wood. I do not scrounge any more but I sure did the first year I got going. I still will travel for Locust.

 

[Deron]

If you can, keep your saw in the truck and a maul for splitting big stuff. If the wood is on private property, always ask - I just had someone grab some downed wood from street (on my property) and I was ticked (especially since they can easily see about 15 cord of stacked wood from that spot, so they know I burn). If on the edge of public property, I guess I'd grab it and apologize if you get stopped! :cheese: Cheers!

At least they didn't back up and take your stacks. :lol:

 

[pdxdave]

Check craigslist often, just a quick check once a day is all it takes. Stick to stuff close-by, don't make it harder on yourself than it needs to be. A few months back I found a score on craigslist only about one mile away, about a cord of split and 3-year seasoned douglas fir that needed to go before the home changed owners... free. Also talk to any wood cutters, often they'll have a 'list' of guys looking for wood (they do not want to deal with the hassle), and if you meet them onsite to pick up it's that much better for both of you.

 

[Hass]

Get the word, out. Once people found out that I burn wood to keep the house warm, I have more than I can handle.

Funny, my aunts boyfriend just came by to pick up a panel hoist I picked up off Craigslist for a steal to do my house... He saw my stacks of wood, and said they other day I saw at least a dozen huge 2' maple rounds by the side of the road... but when I drove past it like an hour later they were gone. Do you want me drop off whatever I find in your yard for ya?

What was I supposed to say...? Oh noooo I don't want you to clutter up my cluttered yard!

My very first scrounge... was a cottonwood tree. I needed wood bad, so I figured what the hell, it all burns right?
Little did I know, it was about 5-6' diameter. The power company came out and cut it and hauled away all the branches/small stuff... but left a long length of the trunk. I was trying to get all I could... I had to noodle most of it. The lady's yard was SOOO muddy... After I left, it was pretty dry from all the noodling I did... with piles of noodles everywhere. my poor stihl 390 could only do so much. I was using an axe, wedges, everything I could do to crack it in pieces. needless to say, it was probably about 85-90 degrees and I'm wearing jeans/jacket... I got about a cord of wood from it all before I told her I can't do anymore. There probably was still another 2 cords left. Later I got an email from her saying she got some people to come and cut it up, but they won't take it and neither will the town so it's up for grabs if I want it. I didn't even bother going out there.
The inside was also FULL of ants. the big ones.

Needless to say I learned a lot more on that day than can be learned just by reading here on hearth.

 

[TreePointer]

Around here, the rule is ALWAYS to get permission from someone. Whether the tree is on public or private property does not matter.

 

[pen]

Around here, the rule is ALWAYS to get permission from someone. Whether the tree is on public or private property does not matter.

Agree. Stealing is stealing. On private land it's obvious. Some people think since we pay taxes that they have a right to wood on public lands. That's not a good mentality. In certain state lands around here you can fill 2 trucks with wood for 15 bucks (they say 2 trucks because they don't want you cutting alone) and they are not measuring the size of your truck. They tell you where to cut and to only cut dead standing or fallen wood. Don't ask what it will cost if they catch you there w/out paying the 15 bucks, plus they will want the wood back. Try proving the wood at your home isn't stolen as well.

Do it, but do it right.

pen

 

[Village Idiot]

My bread and butter has been the small tree guys that don't have the trucks/trailers/time to haul it away. I did 6 cord in one week with one of them last Fall. Make it easy on them and they will happily cut to your desired length and help you load if they are still there when you get there.

+1 on the small tree guys.

I had a big silver maple dropped by a small tree company and requested that everything be left on the ground. When the guy asked why, I told him that it was to burn. Next thing I knew, he was handing me his card and said to call any time I needed wood. He doesn't have a lot where he can process wood to sell so he has to pay disposal fees to get rid of it. Close to 100 cords a year.

Now I get pre-bucked wood (mostly maple) delivered for free to my driveway. An embarrassment of riches I know, but there is a negative. My wife no longer feels the urgent need to get that beater truck for scrounging wood that she had agreeded to a few months ago.

 

[Kenster]

I'm getting to a point where I can be picky with my scrounging. I've probably got enough split now to get me into the third winter with only burning a cord and a half to two cords per year. No more scrambling when I start to run out in late winter. Most of next year's wood is in the low 20% right now, in case I need to dip into that stash.

On our property I've got several standing (recently) dead from our killer drought and a few other standing dead that are showing no sign of punk or decay yet.
Still need to get a huge storm downed water oak from the lady down the street. I could be five years ahead before Thanksgiving.

I've pretty much stopped picking up stuff pile on the side of the road. My 'uglies' pile is getting bigger as I get more particular about the wood I split.

My neighbor sells a bit but he scrounges out of his woods. Most of the stuff is down, dirty and punky. Not pretty wood like buyers would prefer. I may make him a deal.
I'll fell, cut and split. He can load it up, deliver and stack it. We split the money. He gets a better quality wood. I do most of the labor. I can keep feeding my wood hobby without having ten years worth of wood stacked up. And I can make a little money on the side. Sound like a plan?

 

[Got Wood]

How long is your typical "burning"/heating season down there?

Too bad you cant burn wood to run the AC

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I'd like to start getting into the scrounging game, and I was wondering if some of the [many] scrounging experts around here could share some tips for the beginner - essential gear, how to find wood, the ethics of scrounging etc.

For example, on the ride to work today I saw a couple of nice 8 foot logs on the side of my street next to this state-owned swamp. There were literally on the shoulder of the road, just off the pavement. Should I just stop, put on the hazards, and toss them into the back of my truck and drive off?

What should I keep in my truck to aid in impromptu finds?

It'd be nice to have a one-stop source of information for newcomers.

1) It's not "scrounging." "Scrounging" is what bums do.

2) No special tools are required - Chainsaw, ax, Peavey

3) Everything on the shoulder of a public road is fair game

4) Put the word out that you cut and burn firewood, then always be ready to go get it

5) #4 is the most important rule

6) re-read #4 and #5

 

[Kenster]

How long is your typical "burning"/heating season down there?

Too bad you cant burn wood to run the AC

Burn season varies a lot from year to year. It was 90 degree here on Monday but the highs the rest of the week are in the 70s. Overnight lows in the low to mid 40s. My overnight target temp is usually 40 before I light a fire. Rarely burn during the day even when it's really cold outside. I might through a couple of splits on the coals in the morning and we'll sit by the stove with our tea and morning paper.

I've burned as early mid November through late February-early March. We are sort of warm natured and enjoy the cool/cold weather after our brutal summers. So, we don't try to keep the house really warm all day long in the winter. 1.5 to 2 cords of wood, at most, each winter.

 

[pen]

3) Everything on the shoulder of a public road is fair game

Can't speak for every state, but that is not true for Pennsylvania.

pen