Lost my Dad, lets share the "Firewood words of wisdom" that Dad passed on to you!

[superwd6]

A great work ethic, always look busy & NEVER drag your feet.A huge love of trees got passed down to me somewhere along the way.Miss my dad the most for talking chainsaws, cars & tractors and of course, a day cutting wood together.Both my parents were terminal at the same time and went 2 months apart in 2008 but during that time I was asked to drive them to a lawyers appointment for unnown reasons. Shocked as we sat in that office and was asked to sign the deed for our 50 acre woodlot for $2. Funny part was I spent money on a coffee and had to borrow the toonie from Dad. Still have the woods and the toonie:msp_smile:

 

[rwoods]

Sorry for your loss. It sounds like you and your dad had a good relationship. My prayers are with you. My dad passed in 2006 in his 83rd year. He didn't have the patience to be a good teacher so you learned from watching him. Didn't learn much from him about the skill side of woodcutting but he did teach us boys to watch your hands, watch the bow (I never saw him use a straight bar until I was a teenager - by then I had held countless "logs" for him as he cut them to firewood length with his MAC bow saw), a cutter needs good footing, watch the cutter as cutting takes all his attention, stay clear of a falling tree and if caught in a bad spot run to the side as you can't out run a tree any other way. Ron

 

[Chris-PA]

I'm sorry to hear of your - it's gotta be hard.

My Dad is 76 this week, and he taught me the basics of how to drop a tree and split a round, though he was no expert. I assume he picked up some helping out on his uncle's farm. He bought a wood stove during the first energy crisis in the 70's, like a lot of folks. I was a teenager and loved it - everything about it. Some of my favorite memories are of bringing loads of wood down on cool fall days with my Dad.

Last year Dad was going through treatments for prostate cancer, and had found out he's got a mild (so far) form of chronic leukemia, and he didn't feel up to getting any firewood. This year he's feeling pretty good and told me he wants to get some dead ash cut up and brought in. I know it's pretty late for getting this years wood, but he never would listen to me about that anyway, and while I'm busy as heck - I don't care, either tomorrow or next weekend I'm going over to work with Dad getting wood, and I will be thankful for every moment he's healthy enough to do the work and I can share it with him.

It's tough finding time when I'm a Dad myself and there is so much to do, but I'll make the time and not think twice. We all know what comes in the end.

 

[DUGs-sawshop]

Sorry for your loss . Good thread idea. doug

 

[lon]

Sorry about your father. Mine has been gone for thirty years and I will always miss him. Worked with my father for over twenty years, but never with wood. I took up wood cutting after retirement as a hobby. One of my father's favorite sayings was, "what your head does not think of, your feet will make up for". For some reason I think about that saying just about everyday, and sometimes twice! Great to read each of your father stories.

 

[Oldtimer]

My heart felt condolences.

My father's wisdom concerning firewood:

1; THAT is NO cord of wood!! It's SHORT by 1/4 cord!!

2; Tear that down and re-stack it- I can fit my finger in between these two!

3; You need a strong back and a weak mind to do firewood for money.

 

[Oldtimer]

Dad always said;

"don't worry about the loudmouth, worry about the quiet one"

My dad aways said "Still water runs deep"...

 

[3fordasho]

Sorry for your loss. Mine passed in 2005 coming home from his lake cabin, his SUV was loaded with tools and his MS210 and 440.
He lost control on a curve, hit a field approach and rolled that SUV at least 4 times. His tools/saws/parts were spread across that frozen corn field. I never got to cut wood with him, I took it up after he passed. Growing up I always helped him with various projects around home, and at the time remember not enjoying it too much - he was a perfectionist and wanted everything done just so. Later I realized that was a valuable lesson, if it's worth doing, it worth doing right.. he loathed jobs done half assed.
That lesson has served me well.

Even though I didn't cut wood in 2005 I knew enough to keep one of his chainsaws... I just wish I knew enough at the time to keep the 440 over the 210! I guess at the time that 440 looked like too much saw:msp_scared:

 

[pdqdl]

I'm not being controversial with this comment, just passing along what I hope all will appreciate.

Don't be sorry for your loss; cherish it. You can be sad that he is gone, but don't wear out a single minute of remorse about his passing. If a man is lucky in life, he gets buried by his children, and they all sit around telling stories that bring to mind the great life they had with him.

The unlucky men get to bury their children. What you are dealing with now was inevitable and he wouldn't have had it any other way...except perhaps, a few years from now.

When I buried my father, all the family sat around stony eyed except for his mother. He just never did what was needed to make people regret his passing. Neither a loving or caring parent, he didn't go out of his way to do for folks what they often wanted. He wasn't an evil fellow, and you couldn't point at him and say "There goes a bad man". On the other hand, he did not build any store of fond memories with his family, and we didn't seem to care much when he died.

Nope. My dad didn't teach me anything about saws or trees, either. I can distinctly recall almost everything he ever taught me, because those were rare events. Even then, they were not shining examples of patience on his part. He did do an excellent job of teaching me how to do things without help or advice from others.

You apparently had a good father, be happy for it. Mourn his passing, and resolve to build on his heritage. I am a pretty good father, but it is because I have resolved to not repeating my fathers behaviors.

 

[Fred Wright]

Please accept my condolences on the loss of your Dad.

My father passed away in '79. He didn't cut or split wood but he did have a vast trove of life experience to pass along.

Pop believed in letting us kids learn things by doing them... and he'd be there to show us the right way. He wouldn't pick up a wrench, he'd say use that wrench. He was like, if I do it for you, you'll never learn to do it on your own.

 

[chucker]

pdqdl theres some truth in your words... for most its not the loss of the being, its mostly the loss of a fathers touch and his words you might want and need to hear in a certain moment or place to remind you that you are your fathers child!! memories can not be taken away but the memories that endure are shared by one with others or cherished by themselves.. the loss of a dear parent or sibling can and does hurt for many reasons only to be known by the greiver!

 

[ft. churchill]

I'm sorry for your family's loss and will pray for comfort for those left behind on this earth. My dad taught me huntin' and fishin' and in a few days we'll all be going to Wyoming for a big hunt. My dad's in his seventies now and we all know that he will not have that many years left for us to all go hunting as a family so I cerish each hunt.

 

[brenndatomu]

Very sorry for your loss. Sounds like he was one of the good ones. My dad is too but, unfortunately buries himself in his work, doesn't make alot of time for family stuff. He might not have a choice now though. Dad and my BIL were in a bad crash last Friday and we came very close to losing them both. Looks like they will be OK now though, just a long recovery. But, nearing 70, maybe dad will have to slow down a little now. Thank God for second chances. Dads work ethic has rubbed off on us kids, but I think us kids all recognize the need for balance, not wanting to be a workaholic like Pa. I would say he taught me that "if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right" and treat people like you would want to be treated. We didn't burn wood growing up, but now, ironically, the whole family does. I have had to learn most things the hard way as far as firewood goes, except for the great ideas I get from all you guys on AS! So, all you guys that got on the job "wood" training as kids, dad really gave you a leg up....

 

[CWME]

Very comforting to read these posts, thank you all for sharing! My prayers go out to those who have posted about losing their Dad or loved ones. To those with Dad's still around it is so good to hear you enjoying your time together. Time is so short. My Dad was 61, love them while you still can!

We burried another good man today. My Wife's grandfather passed on Wednesday the day before my Dad. So we celebrated Grandfather's life today. WWII vet and a great man! It was an honor to have known him. One of his favorite saying was "Well I'll be a dirty bird". Always made me smile. He served with the 85th infantry in northern Africa and then in Italy until the end of the war. He was a modest man and when people would thank him for his service he would tell them that he was honored to serve his country. The Army sent an honor guard to perform a flag folding and play taps for Grandfather. They did an amazing job.

Well anyway, back to the stories!

 

[trees2]

My true condolences. I'm feeling all the emotions here reading all the stories. Crying and laughing just rembering all those memeries of my dad. There is not a day that goes by without thinking about him.I lost him in 2000.I started my career back in 1974 at age 13,so i've been selling firewood for many years now. I think my dads best firewood quote is ( if you don't split it small you'l never sell it all ) never forget your DAD ,he's the best!

 

[jhoff310]

My heart felt condolences.
I lost my dad almost 2 years ago. My dad was a man of few words. He had great work ethic and never bought anything he couldn't pay for. He always put his family first, even before his tool needs for his shop. My dad was a very handy man and held on to EVERYTHING (took me 14 months to clean out his barn)...so my dads words of wisdom

Save that..The hardware store doesnt give that away
You break it...you fix it
DONT LEAVE YOUR TOOLS IN THE RAIN
it all burns
"It's only temporary"...To one of his half-assed fixes, temporary lasted 10 years
Dad didn't use a chainsaw to its full capacity, he claimed he saw too many chainsaw accidents. He was quite amazed how well I could use a chainsaw. He said you were born to handle a saw.
When my dad passed, I knew the torch had been passed on to me. I wanted to pick his brain on more than one occasion since then. I often find myself in the shop working on something wondering what would dad do in this situation. Then after a little cussing and swearing it finally clicks..

Love ya dad

Jeff

 

[Blazin]

Sorry for your loss friend, it takes time but things smooth out...my Dad has been gone for 20 years, and I still hear...."if it quits thrown chips, get yer file out boy!"

 

[Yotehunter66]

I lost my Dad yesterday morning unexpectedly.

We have been sharing stories of my Dad all day long! Very comforting to remember all the great times we had with him. I was thinking about what he taught me about cutting wood and thought it would be fun to post up a tip or trick that our Dads shared with us.

I will start with my Dad always told me to try and split the wood from the stump end towards the top. He also told me it was better to try to split the wood when it was frozen.

My Dad cut and split 7-8 cords of wood a year to keep me warm as a kid. He used a Craftsman yellow top handle saw and a 6lb maul.
He always said that he liked the 6lb maul because he could get more head speed VS an 8lb maul.

What has your Dad taught you? Very grateful for the example my Dad set for me.

View attachment 253718

Pic of my Dad in 2005.

Sorry about your loss.

 

[Chris-PA]

I have to thank you for this thread - I did take the time to go over and cut with Dad today, even though things got pretty busy this weekend. And we both had a great time. Dad scared the crap out of me with dropping the first tree with one of the ugliest dutchman farmer cuts I've seen - kept changing his mind on how he wanted the face cut wedge to be and went half way though. I had to get his attention on the back cut to drive in a wedge because I had no confidence on how that was going to fall. But we lived, and I remembered that Dad really wasn't so expert at falling. I'm not either but..... I dropped the other two. We were using old trails I remembered from my teenage years, and it was like old times. With faster saws. And forestry helmets.

Anyway, I could have bagged because it got complicated, but I thought of this thread and went. Thanks!

 

[Garmins dad]

Sorry for your loss...

Dad.. Dear ole dad.. Taught me lots he did. His says was doing it once do it right.. Now i drive my wife nuts with that. The ole man retired last year at 71.. went back to work this year. He was bored. He is a fountain of information if you want to build a drilling rig. But keep him away from lumber or chainsaws..