Ice Road Scrounging (after the melt update)

[Flatbedford]

I finally got back to my scrounging. Between the holidays, too much time at work, blizzards and home projects, I haven't done any significant scrounging since the summer. Back to one of my regular harvesting sites, only about 1/2 mile from home. I nice little dirt road with woods on both sides. One side is the back of a retirement community, the other is county land.

Trees seem to fall here regularly. I harvested about two cords of White Oak, plus the logs that I milled last summer from here. Yesterdays score was a nice load of Black Locust. This went down about a year ago. I took the top back in October from the other side of the road. There are two nice big trunks just up the bank of the road. Easy to cut 'em and roll down to the road for loading.
I started with this one

Rolled down the hill.

Loaded up

split

stacked

An easy morning's work and the beginning of my 12-13 stack.
This is the other one. Hopefully I'll be back soon for it.

Here's some Oak just up the road from the Locust. A little harder to get at, but worth the effort.

 

[basswidow]

Do ya ask first?

Looks like a good spot. I see stuff like that all around me. It's tough getting permission. That black locust will season quick.

 

[Flatbedford]

The trees have been piling up there for years. Town trucks drive by daily when I work there. I am not concerned about permission. When trees fall across the road, the town just pushes them to the side to rot.

 

[smokinj]

Nice pics looks hairy!

 

[thewoodlands]

Nice load of wood flatbedford, you'll get some nice heat from that.


zap

 

[Flatbedford]

I haven't worked with Black Locust in a few years. I forgot just how nice it is to split. I used my new Fiskars Pro Splitting axe with the 2.5 lb head and it was like child's play. I can't wait to get the rest. I just wish some more snow would melt. It is harder work cutting in a foot plus of snow. Kinda hard to see what I am doing too. Some ice melt would be nice too. The old Ford is not 4x4 and I have never spent the money on snow tires for it.

 

[gzecc]

I would definitely separate the locust from the oak when seasoning it. The locust will be ready next year for sure, the oak will be around 35%.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Looks like a nice cutting spot Steve.

 

[Flatbedford]

My plan is to keep the Locust separate. It will all be at one end of this stack. I figure I can substitute it for next year's Red/White Oak mix if the Oak needs some more seasoning time. I'd like to come up with more quicker seasoning stuff before I bring home that Oak. Most of my usual scrounging sites are Oak so that might be tough. What I really need is one more year's worth of stacking space, but on only 1/4 acre, it is hard to tastefully store much more than 10 cords.

 

[JustWood]

A scaffolding pic wood work awesome to roll those rounds off that bank right into your truck! mmmmmmm hmmmmmm.
Nice score .Looks like a nice quiet area to work considering where it is.

 

[Flatbedford]

A scaffolding pic wood work awesome to roll those rounds off that bank right into your truck! mmmmmmm hmmmmmm.
Nice score .Looks like a nice quiet area to work considering where it is.

I have thought about that. I have even considered trying to drag the wood right onto the truck in log length. I have another truck, lots of wire rope, snatch blocks, etc. but I usually work alone. It would be nice if I pulled it off, but it would also suck to crush my old truck if I miscalculated. I had a friend haul some logs to my house from this road last summer so I could mill them with another friend. See here https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/56440/

That cost me a couple cases of beer though.

 

[smokinj]

I use ramps and a old boat winch. 4000 lbs really isnt that tough.

 

[Flatbedford]

Its the down hill part of it that concerns me. I would need to get it moving and be able to stop it too. For firewood, I'd rather cut it in the woods anyway. If I cut at home, I'll have to clean up the saw dust. In the woods, I can leave all the garbage behind.

 

[smokinj]

Its the down hill part of it that concerns me. I would need to get it moving and be able to stop it too. For firewood, I'd rather cut it in the woods anyway. If I cut at home, I'll have to clean up the saw dust. In the woods, I can leave all the garbage behind.

Yea it does look hairy. Its all flat here for the most part.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Town trucks drive by daily when I work there.

Looks like it would be a tight squeeze to get around you on that road-ever have any problems?

 

[Flatbedford]

There are a few spots where I can get the truck off the road. I only blocked the road for a few minutes to load. There is very little traffic. There are no houses on the road. I am surprised the town even puts the effort into maintaining it. The most use it gets is for the town highway dpt, telephone and FedEx guys napping during the day. Well, maybe it is their "lunch break". I would guess that there is some "parking" there at night in the warmer weather too. It is odd that to have a 1/2 mile long dirt road through the woods in what is pretty much suburbia, but it works for me. We have thought about giving guests directions to take it so that it would look like we live in the country.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

There are a few spots where I can get the truck off the road. I only blocked the road for a few minutes to load. There is very little traffic. There are no houses on the road. I am surprised the town even puts the effort into maintaining it. The most use it gets is for the town highway dpt, telephone and FedEx guys napping during the day. Well, maybe it is their "lunch break". I would guess that there is some "parking" there at night in the warmer weather too. It is odd that to have a 1/2 mile long dirt road through the woods in what is pretty much suburbia, but it works for me. We have thought about giving guests directions to take it so that it would look like we live in the country.

Thanks for the reply; that's a real nice set-up you have there on that stretch of road-your own personal "jackpot" lol....

 

[savageactor7]

Nice! You're lucky you can still make production ...we're snowed in here.

 

[Flatbedford]

I finally got back for the rest 6 weeks later! Looks like it will be about 1/2 cord split and stacked.

Most of the bark was off or fell off during cutting and loading. I for got just how nice Black Locust is. Nice dense stuff. This is going on my '12-'13 stack, but I can probably burn it next winter and give all my Oak a little more seasoning time.

 

[bogydave]

I like the cutting on the uphill side & rolling it down. Lots easier.
Sweet set up!

 

[Flatbedford]

There is more wood on this little dirt road, but the problem is that it is on the downhill side. Won't be as easy, but I think it will be worth the effort for what looks like about a cord of Oak that is only 1/2 mile from home. Besides, I need the exercise anyway.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Gee whiz Steve. All the hours you work and you still need exercise!

 

[Flatbedford]

I spend most of those hours at work sitting on my ass! Usually looking at hearth.com on the laptop.

 

[bogydave]

There is more wood on this little dirt road, but the problem is that it is on the downhill side. Won't be as easy, but I think it will be worth the effort for what looks like about a cord of Oak that is only 1/2 mile from home. Besides, I need the exercise anyway.

Winch or pull log up with truck. Pulley (chev) chained to a tree up hill side of the road as high as you can reach, then pull with truck.
You'll find a way. Price is right
I learned to moose hunt up hill after a down hill hunt 6 trips light weight up-hill & 6 heavy pack trips down hill is easier.

 

[Flatbedford]

I forgot to mention that the wood is on the wrong side of a guard rail.