Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[zogger]

I'm headed out hunting for the next 4 days but I'm also hoping to bring back a trailer load of wood I can burn this year. I'm pretty much out of the poplar and old oak I had. What I've brought home lately just isn't ready to burn. Must be red/piss oak because man does it smell. Seems super wet and I'm just hoping it dries enough to burn when the real cold starts around here. I know there is a big pine that has been hanging around. We cut about 10ft out of it as it was laying across a trail back to one of our stands. the rest is stll up in the air at least 3 years now. I'm hoping even in log form it's dry enough to burn once split. I will have to see what else is down up there. Hard to find dead standing this time of year with no leaves.

If you have to cut standing and unsure if it will be dry enough, don't cut your normal length rounds, cut fat cookies like around 3 inches thick, then split those. Yes, you will get odd looking splits, but they will dry a whole lot faster, much faster.

 

[zogger]

I was originally thinking about the Frontier or Taco. With a V6 engine though their gas mileage sucks! It's pretty close to the Chevy 5.3l. At that point I may as well buy the larger truck.

Coming any second now, allegedly, will be the new nissan titan fullsize, with the also new cummins v8.

 

[MustangMike]

TSC has both my 22 ton splitter and 5 X 8 trailer on sale for less than I paid, but I'm very happy with both items.

Looking for the dang bar oil to go on sale for $7/gal again, but they don't seem to be doing it!

Oh, and Archer, you left out gardening!

 

[stihly dan]

No little red alerts in a few days, so here are some pics.. this is the rounds from the weekend. Loaded up but not to high, some rough terrain to get out.

 

[stihly dan]

Here is a pic of the mess from that stuck oak and beech. Notice the uprooted hemlock.

 

[stihly dan]

Almost done cutting the crap up. Root ball disappeared like magic. At one point it moved and I had to dive out of the way. It fell a little while later when I cut a branch of it.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Going out tomorrow morning to try and fill my doe tag. I filled a doe tag the last two Thanksgivings so let's see if I can get the hat trick.

 

[nomad_archer]

Good luck Matt. I can't wait to have an opportunity to fill some tags, buck or doe, it doesn't matter to me. Monday can't come soon enough.

 

[Ambull01]

I have a Tacoma with the V6 4x4 4 door cab, a cap on the back and AT tires. I get 20 maybe 21 highway and 16-18 around town. Not much there to get excited about especially when you consider that I only have a 5ft bed. I would have gotten a tundra since it was cheaper used then the used Tacoma but the tundra wouldn't fit in the driveway of the duplex I was renting at the time.

Well actually I could live with 20-21 highway mpg. The small payload would kinda suck though. I like the smaller footprint of the smaller trucks too. I figure most truck owners would probably be better served with a smaller truck but everyone seems to want the massive beasts. The Tundra with the 5.7 is a freaking quick truck.

Better to have more truck than you think you'll need in my mind. Kind of like a firearm. Better to have it and not need it, than the other way around. Plus, you'll typically get more life out a diesel powered truck than you will a gasoline engine. Of course that only works if you plan on keeping the truck for a long time. I typically grow bored of a vehicle after about three years.

True. I don't think I've had a vehicle longer than 3-4 years so far. If I buy a diesel, going to drive it until it falls apart.

If you have to cut standing and unsure if it will be dry enough, don't cut your normal length rounds, cut fat cookies like around 3 inches thick, then split those. Yes, you will get odd looking splits, but they will dry a whole lot faster, much faster.

Jeez, there you go again. I took your advice and cut up the sweetgum rounds into cookies. Then, while trying to tune my carb, I cut a bunch of cookies out of oak rounds. Now I have a ton of crazy shaped pieces on my wood pile. It freaking sucks trying to fill up my stove with all these odd shaped pieces.

Coming any second now, allegedly, will be the new nissan titan fullsize, with the also new cummins v8.

Weren't they talking about a midsize truck with a Cummins? I think it was the Frontier I believe. Can't wait for that. Midsize truck that's easier to maneuver, great mileage, higher resale value, and ability to increase payload with springs. Perfect!

 

[JustJeff]

Well actually I could live with 20-21 highway mpg. The small payload would kinda suck though. I like the smaller footprint of the smaller trucks too. I figure most truck owners would probably be better served with a smaller truck but everyone seems to want the massive beasts. The Tundra with the 5.7 is a freaking quick truck.



True. I don't think I've had a vehicle longer than 3-4 years so far. If I buy a diesel, going to drive it until it falls apart.



Jeez, there you go again. I took your advice and cut up the sweetgum rounds into cookies. Then, while trying to tune my carb, I cut a bunch of cookies out of oak rounds. Now I have a ton of crazy shaped pieces on my wood pile. It freaking sucks trying to fill up my stove with all these odd shaped pieces.



Weren't they talking about a midsize truck with a Cummins? I think it was the Frontier I believe. Can't wait for that. Midsize truck that's easier to maneuver, great mileage, higher resale value, and ability to increase payload with springs. Perfect!

Get you a Ford F-150. They are the best selling truck for a reason.

 

[nomad_archer]

A bigger bed would help with the payload on the little trucks but nothing that you cannot overcome with a trailer.

Nothing wrong with burning cookies. I made a bunch of cookies tuning saws this year. This is the last of them.

 

[JustJeff]

Cut this monster today. That's my 365 on top for scale. I hate cutting these like this but free is free. Cut this one completely from both sides and it never moved....I backed away. Lol. Get the farmer to nudge it with the bucket.
Next one was a double trunker laying with one on top of the other. I made a relief cut in the bottom of the top trunk, then down from the top as it's popping and creaking. I chickened out close to the bottom and decided to do a parallel cut about a foot closer to the root and it was opening up nice and easy until it pinched the bar. No amount of wedging and prying would help so I unbolted the power head and called it a night.

 

[MustangMike]

Always bring more than one saw. Once, I got two stuck on a piece that just wanted to twist. Very frustrating, thought I had the wedges in the right places, but no.

Almost got a doe today, but had the hood up due to the cold. They came in from the back & side, and I did not see them till they were too far in front. Oh well, at least I saw them, next time.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

 

[Marine5068]

I'll tell you what. After having to clean up after temper tantrums and cheap shots on other parts of this site, I sure like to come in and read the posts in this thread.

Me Too

 

[JustJeff]

Always bring more than one saw. Once, I got two stuck on a piece that just wanted to twist. Very frustrating, thought I had the wedges in the right places, but no.

Almost got a doe today, but had the hood up due to the cold. They came in from the back & side, and I did not see them till they were too far in front. Oh well, at least I saw them, next time.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I did have another saw but it was getting dark and I didn't want to risk getting it stuck too. Usually I start at the small end and limb and block my way to the trunk. Less weight and easier/safer to deal with. But we were in a hurry to just stump em and drag em. Supposed to freeze Friday, so maybe I can get back there Saturday morning and hook a chain to it.

 

[nomad_archer]

Happy thanksgiving everyone!

 

[Ryan Groat]

Well actually I could live with 20-21 highway mpg. The small payload would kinda suck though. I like the smaller footprint of the smaller trucks too. I figure most truck owners would probably be better served with a smaller truck but everyone seems to want the massive beasts. The Tundra with the 5.7 is a freaking quick truck.



True. I don't think I've had a vehicle longer than 3-4 years so far. If I buy a diesel, going to drive it until it falls apart.



Jeez, there you go again. I took your advice and cut up the sweetgum rounds into cookies. Then, while trying to tune my carb, I cut a bunch of cookies out of oak rounds. Now I have a ton of crazy shaped pieces on my wood pile. It freaking sucks trying to fill up my stove with all these odd shaped pieces.



Weren't they talking about a midsize truck with a Cummins? I think it was the Frontier I believe. Can't wait for that. Midsize truck that's easier to maneuver, great mileage, higher resale value, and ability to increase payload with springs. Perfect!

The Colorado with the duramax looks pretty impressize. Plus I think it's rated 28-31 mpg.

 

[chucker]

The Colorado with the duramax looks pretty impressize. Plus I think it's rated 28-31 mpg.

lol fully loaded, up hill, towing a 28' dually tandem loaded with a ton or three of feathers into a 60 mph head wind while the parking break was on.....

 

[nomad_archer]

My neighbor got one of the new colorado's with a gas engine. He said he isn't impressed since it has been back twice in two months. One of the issues was the heater went and sprayed anti-freeze all over the inside on the vehicle and on the windshield. It is rated as 3/4 ton gvw which means he gets to pay more for his registration. It only has a small 5ft bed or at least that is what it looks like.

 

[Ryan Groat]

lol fully loaded, up hill, towing a 28' dually tandem loaded with a ton or three of feathers into a 60 mph head wind while the parking break was on.....

No, this isn't a cummins.

Preliminary test show 28-30 mpg, GM hasn't released it full figures yet though. Those numbers come from magazine guys. It's a 4 cylinder diesel. I believe that it'll due pretty good as the diesel Ram numbers have been pretty impressve.