Wood Scrounge Update

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Mo Heat

Mod Emeritus
Hearth Supporter
Nov 18, 2005
848
St. Louis, Missouri
My neighbor is moving. Has about 2 cords of red oak out back, one year old. Ready to burn. I watched the tree guys drop it and him split it. Now... I figure this guy has enough on his plate. Building a new monster home, playing with the kids, working, keeping the Mrs. content. So I ask his wife one day if they are planning to take their monster woodpile with them. She says some of it. I say I'm interested in buying the rest. Days pass. No update. Weeks pass. I ask again. She says, the husband says, "Anything is for sale at some price." I figure he's proud of that wood and wanting a pretty penny. I figure I'll wait him out until moving time gets closer. The standoff is on. Then... one night, late, dark (our street light is out), I hears a "beep, beep, beep" of a truck backing up in his driveway. He's either getting robbed or he's moving that firewood! I notice it's he and his wife. The next day, after about 5 trips, the two cords of red oak is gone. Sigh...

After that, I was feeling a bit down for about two weeks. Dreading a call to one of the local Wood Men. Oh God... Please... No...

Then, four days ago, I awake to the sound of buzzing chainsaws... like a musical solo, beautiful... Those suckers are close, too. I jump into my britches and head out the door. Oh blessed virgin of the woods! It's my neighbor across the street. There are two chip trucks and a monster Bandit chipper, four guys, and two huge white oaks glaring down at them. Those suckers were about 80 feet tall. One was about 16 - 20 inches in diameter, the other around 24 - 26 inches.

I ask one guy for some firewood. He refers me to 'the boss' (el heffe ;). I find el heffe and ask. He says, "We're cuttin' down those two big ones. How much you want?" I say, "Good morning xxx", to my neighbor who is watching me approach with a perplexed expression. Then tell el heffe, "I'll take all you got if you'll buck it up firewood size". He turns to el hombre and says, "16 - 18 inches amigo". And the whittling began.

At the end of the day, after my four new amigos crossed the street with about one cord of goliath rounds, I proceeded to roll them down into my woods for processing. Luckily, my heart held out and there were no apparent strokes in my profusely sweating head. Total cost, four Cokes, a little conversation, and a sore back. My new amigos seemed suitably impressed with the Holz Hausen, as well.

I even scored an old film camera and took a few shots of these guys up high, their equipment, and a few more of the rounds in the back yard. Since they are on film, it may be a while before I post them. Since it's a new, and untested camera, nothing may come of it, and since I don't have a working scanner, there may be yet another delay, and since my dog got bitten by a snake on his eye this morning, and his neck is swelled up to a point that he now looks like a basset hound, there may be a bit more or a delay, even if he survives, which we are thinking looks pretty good after a quick visit to the vet.

To be updated with photos if possible...
 
You forgot to mention the wood was white oak. Might be time to invest purchasing a splitting wedge or two. Remember work the perimeter first. What do you think 2 +- cords. Great score. and white oak to boot. So that's what you been up to.

Good thing the Card are in the national league
 
Good for you MO,
I also scrounged this morning, but didn't score as big as you. I ended up with a half cord of Silver Maple rounds free from the city. I also had my eye on some Oak logs, but someone beat me to them.
 
Great score Mo , Happy 4th to you all
 
Hello Mo,

Congrats on the find...Am relatively new to the forum...Just saw that install with the boar overhead...Nice setup...A guy up the road used to raise them..unbelievable animal...He had a couple big males..amazing the size of the rocks they will dig up...
 
Vintage 181 said:
Just saw that install with the boar overhead...Nice setup...A guy up the road used to raise them..unbelievable animal...He had a couple big males..amazing the size of the rocks ...

This is what I inadvertantly read... was splitting too long today... made me laugh.
 
Good job Mo. I'm happy for you. Here's my tale of woe: I've had leads twice in the past two weeks of homeowners within 5 miles of me who want trees removed from their lots. After checking the situation out, both lots contained several large oak / maple / ash. The problem is the owner's homes are well within the tree fall zones. As much as I would like to start on my 07/08 suppply, I am still too chicken to attempt to take down trees where I could end up in someone's livingroom.
 
chrisN said:
Good job Mo. I'm happy for you. Here's my tale of woe: I've had leads twice in the past two weeks of homeowners within 5 miles of me who want trees removed from their lots. After checking the situation out, both lots contained several large oak / maple / ash. The problem is the owner's homes are well within the tree fall zones. As much as I would like to start on my 07/08 suppply, I am still too chicken to attempt to take down trees where I could end up in someone's livingroom.

Amen brother. Save them some money by doing the removal. After the guy with the big insurance policy cuts them down for them.
 
elkimmeg said:
... What do you think 2 +- cords. Great score. and white oak to boot.

... Good thing the Card are in the national league

I'm guessing one FULL cord, give or take a couple carts full. The trunks were pretty straight, but there are quite a few branch burls, twists, etc., but not as bad as the last white oak I split. At least that's what I'm saying before I've splite more than half a round just to get a feel for the bottom most round with its sweeping base. It's always harder than I expect, though.

It almost killed me to see them chipping all the big branches. I didn't have a chain saw handy and I was saving my back to roll all of those rounds from the front yard to the back, and then down the hill. I'll bet I watched half a cord of 4 - 14 inch branches, some as long as 20 feet, get chipped up by the LOUD, diesel powered, Bandit Intimidator. Apt name. That dude could munch up a 14 inch diameter branch, 20 or 25 feet long, just by starting the big end into its gaping mouth. Then mi amigos retreated carefully, and headed to the back yard for another tasty, Bandit Intimidator, treat.

Rolling the rounds down the hill was kind of fun, but I hit a few of my trees despite placing one round in front of each before I started 'firewood bowling'. Man did that take some bark off quick! Hopefully they will survive. They are all little dogwoods that the Mrs. loves and would provide little heat if harvested.

It's so hot and humid lately here in St. Louis that I am drenched in sweat doing the least bit of work outside, but you should have seen mi amigos. I may need to try and get out there before the crack of noon if I'm to survive summer construction of my 2nd holz hausen. ;)

The cards look like little leaguers lately. Of course it doesn't help to try a squeeze bunt with two strikes. We refer to it as the genius of Tony LaRussa. Don't mean to pick on Tony, but hey... somebody's gotta take the heat, and he called the play. If it had worked, well, that would have been a different story. Razzle, dazzle.
 
Yesterday I stopped to buy corn at a farm, right next to the public works dept. I asked if I could have some wood- Road mgr takes my number, and says he likes people that burn wood, hates just grinding it up-- He says "I'll call you, but you have to take everything..
 
I scored 2 Safari loads of cut/split mix of Oak, cherry and white birch yesterday (about 1/3 cord of wood) and while loading the first batch into the van I felt like I had somehow caught the back of my hand on a peice of the seat springs (I just couldn't imagine how I had done that) so I pulled my hand out of the pile of wood in the van carefully expecting my skin to be caught on something and it moved easily but hurt like hell. Hornets in the wood!!!!!

So just a heads up here guys. Be careful of the bees, hornets etc... It's that time of year.
 
My uncle called and they're having some tree work done - about a 5 mile detour on the way home from work so we said we'll take it all over the next couple of weeks. Looks like it'll be about 5 slightly heaping loads in the Tacoma when all said and done!

Even with 18 acres of woods, there's a lot to be said for the convenience of scrounging...

-Colin
 
Heard the sound of chain saws several weeks ago. Found a tree company dropping many large oaks on a property. Asked for the wood and the guy said I'll deliver... I insist!

He unloaded EVERTHING. So far I got about 3 cords out of it, but, there is a lot of "unsplitable" wood in there. This is one time I could really use a splitter!

Can't complain too much!
 
Sandor said:
Heard the sound of chain saws several weeks ago. Found a tree company dropping many large oaks on a property. Asked for the wood and the guy said I'll deliver... I insist!

He unloaded EVERTHING. So far I got about 3 cords out of it, but, there is a lot of "unsplitable" wood in there. This is one time I could really use a splitter!

Can't complain too much!

Why unsplitable? Knotty? Cut the logs into disks if you have to.
 
Warren said:
Sandor said:
Heard the sound of chain saws several weeks ago. Found a tree company dropping many large oaks on a property. Asked for the wood and the guy said I'll deliver... I insist!

He unloaded EVERTHING. So far I got about 3 cords out of it, but, there is a lot of "unsplitable" wood in there. This is one time I could really use a splitter!

Can't complain too much!

Why unsplitable? Knotty? Cut the logs into disks if you have to.

They are huge "Y"'s with twists. Will have to wack it up somehow, because I can't move them. I just hate running the saw to death... needs a slice from both sides with my 18" bar.

Looks like disks will be the answer. Thanks W.
 
y with twists...Yuck... Those are the worst. I've had Mulberry y's I couldn't split. Mulberry usually is about mid pack on the how hard to split scale. I don't even try any more. I have an unsplittable pile. It's called camp firewood or back yard fire pit wood.

But a whole tree of it...What a delema. Well, at least it usually burns really long.
 
I got lucky today on my way home. Tree crew was just finishing up a large Pin oak they had taken down. I pulled a u-turn and stopped to inquire. Guy told me I could have it all, but they couldn't bring it to me and they were wrapping up the operation when I arrived. I was able to grab (ya...grab lol), more like roll 4 pretty good size pieces off thier truck and into mine. Pieces are in the 3.5' range and around 23" diam. It's not a whole lot, but the best scrounge I've had this summer. I just wish I'd driven by a few hours earlier.
 
Mo heat great score. I would think your quest to find new sources of wood in the St. Louis area given the violent storms over a week ago will be a much easier task going forward.
 
Hot and humid next to Lake Huron last Saturday, the SW offshore wind brought 95º continental superheated air over us and cloudless sky’s. But I saw a front yard full of fresh cut maple rounds. . Yes I got it and the neighbors downed tree, and a pile of small mixed hard wood limbs from a friend’s back yard. Then gave it all to a buddy who was looking for wood for his wood eater fireplace who slaved through the afternoon helping on his day off.

About 2 full cords un-split. I used Lots or water, brakes in the car, and in his house to cool off between loads dumping the wood, and a nice cool white hat. When I was done I took a swim in the lake, its about 80º but cooler deep and had a golden perch dinner( yes they are biting we got 50 8-12 inchers yesterday, Lower Lake Huron Cut between bouys 5 and 7 in the weeds).
 
DriftWood said:
Hot and humid next to Lake Huron last Saturday, the SW offshore wind brought 95º continental superheated air over us and cloudless sky’s. But I saw a front yard full of fresh cut maple rounds. . Yes I got it and the neighbors downed tree, and a pile of small mixed hard wood limbs from a friend’s back yard. Then gave it all to a buddy who was looking for wood for his wood eater fireplace who slaved through the afternoon helping on his day off.

About 2 full cords un-split. I used Lots or water, brakes in the car, and in his house to cool off between loads dumping the wood, and a nice cool white hat. When I was done I took a swim in the lake, its about 80º but cooler deep and had a golden perch dinner( yes they are biting we got 50 8-12 inchers yesterday, Lower Lake Huron Cut between bouys 5 and 7 in the weeds).

Neighbor selling "house by owner" sign & phone number went up last week. Wifey saw him cutting grass today and asked if he would mind if I could take that old (3 ) year wood pile ,rather thean let it sit and rot. The Guy said sure , help yourself. HE wasn't the greatest neighbor ,but at least hes leaving on a good note. 1.5 cords cut split hickory. Thanks neighbor.
 
I had the cruel joke scrounge problem the other day....

Along a road on the way to work. Crew cutting down HUGE 2' across hard maples....cut to 24" lengths...so I stop the Safari to grab a few on the way home...Harumph Can pick them darned things up!!!!! I managed to grab 2 4' lengths that were like 8" diameter...rest was just tooo heavy.

sob sob sob!!!!
 
Yesterday I went to the city recycle/dump area. Noticed some large white oak logs. Came back with my saw and cut up the smaller logs. Went home with about 1/3 cord. If I had a larger chainsaw I could of gotten a full cord or more. Maybe it's time for a big beast of a chainsaw? But then again when I think about it, some of those logs were over 3' diameter, and would be too heavy for me to mess with.
 
I just returned from My DPW brush drop off yard. After the lightning thunderstorms Wed..I figured some of the downed trees would make it there. There is so much there I going back with mu 3/4 ton pk truck and fill it to the side tool box level. This time, it is mostly maple. But its free and loadable without a chain saw needed/ To me, I collect scrounge at least 3 cords a year from this scource.
It won't be ready this year but it is there and free for the taking. I'm working on the 4th year out supply now. One more load after this, I will have 20 plus cords. Scrounging is a year round process, that I have scoped out. A lot of people know I take wood and even call me to pick it up.
 
Stopped over to Mom and Dad's this evening. Dad told me he picked up some wood from the guy next door.

good Grief dad...It's a full cord of cut and split wood. Cherry, Maple, cedar and apple. All around 18" lenghts and dry as a bone.

Oh darn...Gotta go get more pallets.
 
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