who are we???

[jjett84724]

Great thread!! I am 36 years old. I have been blessed with 5 children and been married for 8 years now. We heat our house with a wood burning stove. I have been a cop for 6 years now and plan on retiring at age 51. My wife is a school teacher. We both love to cut wood and drag our kids into the forest as often as possible.

 

[bohawg1]

Well im 40 yrs old. I work for Blue cross and BLue SHield as maintenance worker for the past 12 yrs. I have a 1557 hot blast that ive had for the last 3 years. Only been cutting for 3 yrs and like it. Really enjoy this site alot... West Virginia here

 

[AIM]

I'm a 41 yr old self employed contractor. Married for 21 years and have 3 kids that are all moved out. (WEEHOOO!)
In my business we do mainly commercial and industrial building repair and remodeling. The only residential work we do is for the guys that own the commercial buildings that we work on.

 

[Zodiac45]

I'm 54 years old and have been burning wood since I was a youngster. I spent about 25 years in corporate life and was an Operations VP with my own little 4 seat er airplane and a 45' sailboat. Our company went public and I cashed out maybe 10yrs ago and bought this 200+ year old house up on the Maine coast. I live simple now, and figure it's either a membership to the gym at our nearby college or bust it on the woodpile. These days I work seasonal as a logger running machinery, have a couple of blueberry fields I tend and am constantly doing something to "this old house". Life's good.

 

[mizzou]

I am 51, 1 wife, 2 kids(32 and 18), 2 grand kids(10 and 5),2 outside dogs, an assortment of outside cats(to amuse the dogs), 1 fat, spoiled housecat. I am an electrician in IBEW local 124. I burn wood because I enjoy using chainsaws and the wife cat complain if there's not a fire burning in the winter. Worked at a sawmill when I was in high school where I learned to use a saw. Cut and sold firewood for about a year before getting a "real" job. First saw I bought was a new Jonsereds 621 that was stolen about 7 years ago. I'm currently using a stihl 028 wb and a stihl ms 210c. Split with a 6 lb maul, sledge and wedge. Currently sitting here warm and toasty watching football and under an official blizzard warning. Loving every minute of it. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

 

[yooper]

I am 39. I usta burn wood but had to stop due to my child's allergies. Some day I will burn again. I own a tree service, give most the wood from it away for free, the wood I dont I throw in a large pile and light er up around Dec 1. I like to catch snow flakes on my tongue.

 

[Steve NW WI]

38 and single here, spoiled dog and cat to keep me occupied.

I work for a metal fabrication company in the cities, officially a pressroom lead, but unofficially the guy that can run and set about any machine in the shop, so I just do what needs doing. It's mainly why I still work there, and the ability to run the occasional "government job" through. We make parts for everything from computer printers to medical devices to heavy equipment, so a pretty diverse range of stuff.

My 80 acre farm has been in the family for 110+ years. I've been kept warm by wood since birth, and see no need to change. 25 wooded acres out back covers my wood needs, but if an opportunity to cut somewhere comes up, I'm on it. Cutting splitting and hauling keeps me from being a total lard butt, and gives some of my old farm equipment a purpose in the winter. Spring and fall I also help a friend with a 400 cow dairy with fieldwork. Little sis jokes that I never grew out of playing with tractors, and I'd say she's right!

I've been a member here for just a bit less than a year, and in that time y'all have taught me a lot and entertained the heck out of me. I hope I've given some of that in return. Of course this site has done "bad" things to me, 2 new saws, a new stove planned for this summer, and designing a remake of my big 'ole tractor powered splitter. And maybe the most important, but hopefully never needed thing, is I've bought and wear protective gear now.

Looking forward to many more visits here!

 

[Beefie]

32, been married 7 and 1/2 years , Two girls 2 years old and 3 weeks old . Was a machinist for 12 years do to the econmy had to change fields now work for a shredding company driving a semi going places and shredding peoples secure documents.

I hace been cutting wood since I was 14 for are hunting cabin .Bought my first new saw at 16 "a new Mac" then discored stihl saws and bought my 044 at the age of 19 . Dealer tryed to talk me out of it said it was to big . I told him thats what I wanted and that if he didn't want to sell it to me I would go somewere else. I can now walk In there and everbody nows me on a first name basis.

Until discovering this site my safty gear was earplugs and safty glasses. Now its helmet, safty glases ,muffs, chaps ,and steel toe boots.

Beefie

 

[WVwoodsman]

I'm 40, married and have one 5 year old daughter. I work as a contractor for the government in the Information Technology industry. I've been burning wood now for about 4 years and will do it as long as my body will let me. When I'm not working on my wood supply, I'm enjoying family time,brewing my own beer, shooting, riding my dirtbike and tinkering on my firebird and drinking a cold one.


Merry Christmas everyone!

 

[howellhandmade]

46, professional musician, artisan pipemaker, three daughters. The lady who lived in our house before us loved trees, just let any darned volunteer grow, so up to now I've heated with locusts that were about to fall on the house plus a little bit of scrounging. In a couple of years it will be all scrounging.

Jack

 

[Johndirt82]

Well , I'm 27 working on wife #2, no kids, 2 labs. Been in the United States Navy for 10 years. My source rating is Engineman. I am an engine specialist, that covers any and all engines, gas turbines, outboards, chainsaws, yes the navy uses them for hummanitarian aid work, auxillary steam , hydraulics and water desalination plants on navy ships, I also do search and rescue as a collateral duty. I grew up in the woods with no running water or electricity so chopping wood and burning oil lamps was a way of life, still own that house, but San Diego is where I reside now and I cut alot of fireburnt trees, mostly oak for firewood for all the yuppie folks who pay way too much for it. That and eastern san diego county is georgeous, had some snow out there today.

 

[bytehoven]

51, married 19 years, daughter (12) boy/girl twins (9), 1 year old black Goldendoodle.

I started a recording studio in 1980. About 10 years ago I transitioned over to more corporate communications work and video production. These days I mostly edit video and produce motion graphics, but honestly I'm semi-retired.

I spend most of my non-work time doing volunteer work: serving on a Police citizen advisory council helping organize community watch programs; going out and painting over graffiti along public roadways with paint/supplies provided by our State DOT; serving as President of our 850 home civic association; serving on the board of CrimeStoppers DE and lastly serving as a board member for a council of civic organization representing 150 civic associations in our County.

We heat our home with NatGas. But during the day, when I am working at home studio, I burn wood instead. I have plans to convert to a wood stove, but for now I just heat the studio area with a fireplace, and turn the house thermostat way down.

Because my wood demand is small, I tend to scrounge the 100s of acres of local County woods for fallen wood that is not rotten. I figure I collect/burn 2 cords of wood a year that would be releasing CO2 anyway, so I am reducing our carbon foot print but cutting back on the NatGas. Switching over to a nice wood stove would be even better.

I have been hanging around AS for a few years and I appreciate all that I have learned from the more experienced members. Thanks for a great website and community!

 

[spike60]

53 and I own my own outdoor equipment store. (Husky/Jonsered/Red Max/Exmark/Cub Cadet/Ariens). For a guy with CAD, that's like an alchoholic owning a liquor store. Used to sell equipment on the road, and always wanted my own store. Opened it in 1995 and never looked back. It's a good business and I enjoy going to work in the morning.

But saws as a hobby didn't really kick in until I found this site and started hanging around with all of you enablers. The collecting thing took hold and I find it very enjoyable.

I built my house in 1992 and have been burning wood since then. 4 to 5 cords a year on average, and I probably cut about the same amount helping a few buddies out. I've never paid for a stick of wood, but scrounging is a little easier for me since I have a good deal of logger/tree service connections from the store. Like tinkering on old saws here at home, I thoroughly enjoy the wood cutting process and don't really consider it work. Yesterday, my Dad, (80), and I ran the splitter for an hour just for a little fun project. I like the excersize, but I get most of that from ice hockey in the winter and bike riding in the summer.

Like some of you have said, life is really, really good.

And Merry Christmas!

 

[nikocker]

I'm 58 and still going to work every day. I'm a creative director at a marketing and printing firm. Prior to this gig my wife and I owned our own ad agency for 13 years and enjoyed success beyond our dreams. Handled the advertising for a bunch of national sporting goods companies. FUN!!

Our business was successful enough to allow us to buy our 240 acres and build a log home up north. We hope to retire there in a few years.

I grew up in northern Wisconsin and spent most of my teenage weekends helping my dad make firewood to heat our home. He was a timber cruiser by profession and taught me a ton about trees and forestry etc. Today my woodcutting amounts to filling the needs for the fireplaces at our two homes as well as maintaining our 240 acres. Trails, roads and timber thinning etc.

We have three grown sons, one sone is married - no grandkids yet. We are truely blessed and coming to this site has proven very entertaining and informative. This is a great place.

Here's hoping only the best for all of my fellow Arboristsite members!

Al

 

[Pcoz88]

I just turn 40 earlier this month.Been married to my Beautiful high school sweet heart for 18 yrs.She cuts hair.Have one son who is 17yrs. old and a daughter that is 15.6 yrs old(just got her learners permit,YIKES!!)Iam a member of the plumbers and steamfitters LU 50 Toledo,Ohio for 10 yrs.Iam a MES(heating and air tech) but for the last 5 yrs I've been doing fitting and plumbing.I work in refineries and nuclear power,coal power plants.Working on my welding certs.Was a machinist before that.Currently laid-off!

I heat with a wood stock soapstone stove fireview model,down in the basement.
Been cutting for 10 yrs.
Live in a log home
One Australasian cattle dog,great dog!!
A mess of cats.

 

[Drago 100]

Hello everyone, I am writing from Italy, is a bit 'that are writing, but I have not written many posts, I am nearly 30 years I do wood for the family and this year has become my main job, l 'My other job (now secondary) is this: http://www.attrezziagricolifebobruno.it/

 

[coog]

Neat.I always wanted a Lamborghini, except maybe a smaller, sexier one.Ciao.

 

[Drago 100]

If you like Lamborghini, here are two photos:

 

[coog]

Nice, especially the one with the nifty grapple.I don't think Lambo's come to the states, although I've seen them in Hawaii.Do they also make trucks?

 

[Drago 100]

The one with the gripper is my favorite (which is my nik name is Drago 100) saves me a lot of effort, the Lamborghini is still built in the same factory, from 70 some years and then were joined by Hurlimann and Deutz Farh http://www.samedeutz-fahr.com/ITALY/it-IT/homeit.html
Truck Lamborghini, has never built, the same is, however, builds a sports car Lamborghini http://www.lamborghini.com/