Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[SS396driver]

Around here the training opportunities are rather limited. I took the GOL training so I could cut on NYS DEC and NYC DEP lands for Ruffed Grouse Society habitat projects. The government entities ended up squashing every project that RGS and their forestry folks worked out... management turnover was the biggest problem. The NGO trails... outside of construction project crews I believe I'm one of 5 people in the county working on the trails with training and experience--the other 4 got their training in the GOL 1 class I hosted. Part of the problem is there isn't a long formal history for maintenance on these rail trails... Most were abandoned rail corridors that people like me starting using 40 years ago. The NGOs took control of two of them about 10-11 years ago.

I'm helping train the future trainers. If I'm lucky I've got 10 years of cutting left in me... I figured out that I will in fact not live forever!

NYC DEP are a pain . They cut 100 + ash trees on 55a all nice wood right near the road . Asked about it was told if anyone goes in to get wood they will be arrested . They own the road too so even on the shoulder is a no go. On 55 you can pick up wood on the side of the road it's a state road .

The downside of making jewelry boxes for women is that you obligate yourself to filling them...

Nope wife hate store bought jewelry. Very simple tastes would make me return a diamond piece of jewelry in a minute

real nice!

Thanks

 

[GrizG]

I'm pretty sure I told you before that I go by "joe's" place now and then, a buddy of mine now lives within 15-20min of him now lol. I've also offered to go over and help sharpen chains, no interest .

Yeah, that was a bit scary. I think people still watch it just waiting . Yes, the perfect stump .
So I have to ask since you're a subscriber, have you seen anything happen yet .

They are often on the edge of disaster... One of the funnier things on the channel occurred after Wolf Ridge EastonMade gave Joe a wood splitter. Somehow Joe managed to break the hydraulic valve off when a round he was splitting slipped out from the ram and nailed it. I commented that Joe was "good at testing things..." The owner of Wolf Ridge EastonMade understood exactly what I was saying and responded in a laughing way that he got it. Joe also had/has a habit of attacking his critics which can be amusing... Quite frankly, I cannot watch most of the episodes but when I see them felling trees I have to watch.

Updated... brand!

 

[GrizG]

You use a lot of abbreviations I don’t recognize.

Sorry... I'm so used to working with folks who use the jargon that it doesn't occur to me that others don't!

NGO is Non Governmental Organization
RGS is Ruffed Grouse Society
GOL is Game of Logging
NYS DEC is New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (manage state lands, wildlife, hunting/fishing)
NYC DEP is New York City Department of Environmental Protection (watershed/reservoir management)

 

[GrizG]

NYC DEP are a pain . They cut 100 + ash trees on 55a all nice wood right near the road . Asked about it was told if anyone goes in to get wood they will be arrested . They own the road too so even on the shoulder is a no go. On 55 you can pick up wood on the side of the road it's a state road .


Nope wife hate store bought jewelry. Very simple tastes would make me return a diamond piece of jewelry in a minute

Thanks

Yeah... DEP can be a pain... policies and actions that seem to contradict each other is common.

RE the jewelry boxes... That is a joke coming out of my woodworkers club. Some of the guys make huge fancy jewelry boxes which prompted the warning. Come to think of it, I may have been the one who originally made the joke in the club like 20 years ago. I'm good like that.

 

[Brufab]

Two in tandem was also a joke. You really don't think I would purchase a trailer like that to tow behind a 400cc wheeler now do you?

Idk we will see is the 400cc a Honda? Cut safe stay sharp and always be overloaded!

 

[WoodAbuser]

Idk we will see is the 400cc a Honda? Cut safe stay sharp and always be overloaded!

Is KK rubbing off on you?

 

[Brufab]

Is KK rubbing off on you?

Just a little gentlemanly chop bustin'

 

[Brufab]

The guy is way more pro than me. I'm just a weekender/hobby logger/legend in my own mind

 

[WoodAbuser]

Just a little gentlemanly chop bustin'

Just be careful. The WarWagonII could chase you down.

 

[Brufab]

Just be careful. The WarWagonII could chase you down.

Yea I don't want to be bear bait, alot of guys go to Alaska and never seen or heard from again.

 

[MustangMike]

In the early 2000s I began work on building my new hunting cabin - post and beam - from Ash trees that had been blown down in a storm. Luckily, they were all "woods trees" with long, straight trunks and no branches until you got high up.

A few of the root balls fell back in place after I cut off the stems, but there was one that really surprised me. Likely the bottom was either not straight or damaged, so I was cutting it off about 12' up and was therefore very surprised when it rapidly stood up on me! Good thing I was not in the way of it, but it did make me jump back fast! It is right next to one of my old logging roads, so I still walk by it regularly, and the 12' standing stem serves as a reminder to always be careful!

The new cabin is 20' X 24' and two stories high and has plenty of room. The old cabin was 12' X 20' - one story and was like staying in a one car garage! I pre-fabbed the old cabin in my driveway, brought it up in PU trucks, and assembled it in a weekend. It sure beat staying in the tent, but space was tight!

I made the stain from Walnuts. If the stuff were inside, it would have worked great but leaving it outside the rain washed it out and we subsequently used store bought stain.

 

[MustangMike]

All the posts and beams are 6.5" X 6.5". Posts are 12' tall, with notches cut at 8' for the 2nd floor. The top piece is 27' long (24' cabin with 1.5' overhangs).

You may notice the 3rd post is Black Cherry, not Ash. Drilling the holes in the Cherry went twice as fast as drilling the Ash. My "storm ties" are self-made from 4" X 4" angle iron.

Posts are 8' apart to facilitate the plywood sides.

The new cabin gets lots of use! It has a wood stove, a sink and "appropriate furniture" even though we are off the grid.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

All the posts and beams are 6.5" X 6.5". Posts are 12' tall, with notches cut at 8' for the 2nd floor. The top piece is 27' long (24' cabin with 1.5' overhangs).

You may notice the 3rd post is Black Cherry, not Ash. Drilling the holes in the Cherry went twice as fast as drilling the Ash. My "storm ties" are self-made from 4" X 4" angle iron.

Posts are 8' apart to facilitate the plywood sides.

The new cabin gets lots of use! It has a wood stove, a sink and "appropriate furniture" even though we are off the grid.

Awesome photos!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Idk we will see is the 400cc a Honda? Cut safe stay sharp and always be overloaded!

Always! Both "OVERLOADED!!!" and a Honda!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Good advice! First time I cut some more or less 'serious' blowdown was a birch tree, about 25" diameter at the base. I thought freeing up pinched/tensioned branches, as well as overhead stuff, was the most dangerous part about it (took my time, as usual, to do some 'risk assessment' etc.), but when I was cutting +/- 4 feet from the roots the thing decided to fall back to where it came from, and not exactly slowly. Should have taken that possibility into account. Nothing happened to me, but it could have, the part I was cutting off rolled in my direction too... It was as simple as taking a good step aside, but still... Good thing that providing an 'escape route' and clearing the ground of things like blackberry, is something I did learn...

I suppose it has something to do with the fact that some roots were still connected, so alive, and flexible? They made it fall back as if there was 'spring tension'? Not sure though.

Excellent question! Yes, spring loaded roots as well as the weight of the root wad itself! Also, the more dirt STIHL clinging to the root wad.The more it increase the chances of the wad claming shut back to the ground!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

The guy is way more pro than me. I'm just a weekender/hobby logger/legend in my own mind

Oh sure! I'm a pro alright! A professional clown!

 

[Brufab]

Always! Both "OVERLOADED!!!" and a Honda!

A couple thousand miles apart but we speak the same language

 

[Kodiak Kid]

A couple thousand miles apart but we speak the same language

Rock on brother!

 

[turnkey4099]

Not sure if I suggested this to you before, but I put the "D" handles(like a snowmobile or snowblower handle, also they come on rescue/demo saws) on for guys having a hard time getting there saws pulled over fast enough, it's been very helpful for them all .

Thanks. I'll see my local dealer. Oddly, my big snowblower pulls a lot easier than the MS441 at a fraction the HP.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Dropped off today. 2 cord trailer, silver Maple logs.
Now, to get it split and stacked