1st time fuelwood gatherer!

[KHM]

Hey! First time for everything, including posting here!

So I've run out of firewood and now need to be go get some, researched my options and found I can get some permits per cord and headinto designated area in the local forrest and gather some wood.

My problem, and i have to use what I have, is I have a 2015 Ford Explorer with tow pack rated 5000lbs, yup a pickup will come in time!

I'm looking to hire a trailer and was looking for options, i.e from where? Home Depot etc...also the sizing for a safe load given the SUV/trailor combo.

Most likely green wood, pine.

Also if anyone has any experience...yah what is the site about eh.. tips on going out and doing this, got the chainsaw, safety gear, extinguisher, bucket, spade..

Appreciate your time! My home tree felling options have dried up.

Cheers! Go easy I'm Irish and here 5 yrs so relatively newbie...

 

[Eagleknight]

I thought most of those cutting permits were only for downed or dead standing trees. Might check your local rental place for a trailer. If you are going to use it a lot it would be better to buy. I have a 5x10 I pull with my 97 Jeep that is rated for 5000lbs. I put some sides on it and pile it to the top seems to keep it near the correct weight. Though a single axle trailer max you would be at 3500lbs usually because of the axle unless you go tandem.

 

[KHM]

I thought most of those cutting permits were only for downed or dead standing trees. Might check your local rental place for a trailer. If you are going to use it a lot it would be better to buy. I have a 5x10 I pull with my 97 Jeep that is rated for 5000lbs. I put some sides on it and pile it to the top seems to keep it near the correct weight. Though a single axle trailer max you would be at 3500lbs usually because of the axle unless you go tandem.

Thanks for the feedback, i will make further enquiries about the permits but I think you are right, downed or dead standing..looks like something I spotted at the local farm store. I want to probably try rental first and see how it works out, distance, cost etc..

 

[svk]

Welcome to the site!

Uhaul has both open and closed trailers you can rent by the day. Not sure what Home Depot offers.

If you are hauling green pine be sure to lay down a tarp so you dont end up paying to clean sap off a rented trailer.

 

[KHM]

Thanks for the 'tarp' tip..! Had a look at uhaul, seem decent rates for a 6x12 tandem, since I've a 5k pulling restriction, may take a few trips..has anyone done a 'permit run' through a local forrest?

 

[svk]

Thanks for the 'tarp' tip..! Had a look at uhaul, seem decent rates for a 6x12 tandem, since I've a 5k pulling restriction, may take a few trips..has anyone done a 'permit run' through a local forrest?

5k load capacity is well north of a cord of a pine so unless you stack really high you will run out of space long before you overload the truck.

 

[zogger]

If you are going to be burning forever, just buy a trailer, no need for a pickup, much cheaper as well. Plus no "where do the saws go"? questions when loading bulk wood. Saws and gear locked up in the truck, bulk wood in the trailer.

I just got two different trailers recently precisely because I don't like hauling gear plus wood in the same box.

 

[_RJ_]

Saws go in the cab. Kids and dogs go in back with the rounds...

 

[KHM]

Yeah I want to see if it is something I want to do long term myself...be changing two open fires into wood burners next year so the woods gotta come. I've no doubt it will be satisfying but while the edge of the forrest maybe two miles away the designated cutting zone maybe 100 which I have not found out yet as the permits are not avail until later in the month.

 

[_RJ_]

I'm betting our permits will only be issued another month, month and a half before shut down. I just moved too. I'm supplementing wood cutting/gathering with delivered logs. Non marketable logs from private land, cut by logging outfits. I like it because I can still accomplish the honey-do list and get next seasons wood C.S.S. Without much time and expense. Of course my wood cutting zone is 2 cords or 3 weeks whichever comes first per permit. Limit of 3 permits per household per season. Every zone is different though. And you can't touch cedar, period.

 

[stihly dan]

read the scrounging firewood thread, It will tell you everything you need to know and more.

 

[shamusturbo]

I am not familiar with Colorado but here are my 2 cents:

Try to buy the wood in pole form. The going rate for a FULL cord should be in the $100 a cord neighborhood. You just eliminated the transport of the wood. Is the time/mileage/total cost of trailer/ permit/ gas-lube-chains worth it??? To most of us lunatics on here, we love the "sport" of it so getting poles delivered may NOT be the way to go.

If you are gathering, I am guessing that your explorer can only haul a 3000# trailer before you would need a trailer with brakes/require a controller and that will need inspected. Even still, moving 3000#, including the weight of the trailer, should be a full cord and some change. That is a serious amount of wood. And if it is pine and is dead, it should be relatively light. With a small trailer, you would run out of volume before reaching weight capacity.

Why would I go easy on you because you are Irish?!?

-Shamus.

 

[KHM]

There is a 3 permit minimum, not sure max, here. Sounds like pole form might be an option but I do like the challenge of going out and being self sufficient. You should go easy because we burned peat/turf rather than trees, so I'm new to this but willing to learn and provide

 

[zogger]

There is a 3 permit minimum, not sure max, here. Sounds like pole form might be an option but I do like the challenge of going out and being self sufficient. You should go easy because we burned peat/turf rather than trees, so I'm new to this but willing to learn and provide

That's interesting. Got any pics of cutting peat, peat stoves, piles of peat, etc?

 

[Kimberly Lambert]

Uhaul has both open and closed trailers you can rent by the day

 

[unclemoustache]

Trailer: Check your local Craigslist for a decent trailer, and/or ask around. No need to go new. I just bought a nice little 5x10 trailer for $300. Just make sure it has a title!! Seller didn't have one, so I told them I wouldn't buy it. It's much cheaper/easier for the current owner to get a replacement title than someone who doesn't own it. MUCH cheaper.

Permit: I helped a buddy do some permit wood in WA many years ago. Fallen or standing dead only. Wasn't worth the trip, since everything decent was already gone. Unless you know where to go, it might not be worth it. Check that scrounging thread. Lots of great info there.

 

[blades]

Peat = Mother Natures version of compressed fuel. We ain't that smart she's been doing it for eons.

 

[hardpan]

A pick-up is of course the "core" hauling and working vehicle but for pure hauling, loading, and unloading I much prefer using a trailer. The 5 X 10 one pictured above is a great all purpose trailer.

 

[mga]

problem is, when the fever strikes, it strikes hard! got my neighbor into it, now all he wants to do is run off and cut wood...lol

 

[Eagleknight]

A pick-up is of course the "core" hauling and working vehicle but for pure hauling, loading, and unloading I much prefer using a trailer. The 5 X 10 one pictured above is a great all purpose trailer.

I have to agree. Before I started scrounging I was going to get rid of my Jeep and buy a truck mostly because the wife didn't want a trailer sitting around. Luckily I convinced her the other way because it was way cheaper. I put the sides on that trailer and still kept it under $1500. It has made loading big rounds much quicker by rolling them up the back and not having to noodle.