hurray for skids!

[NorthernOntario]

So I've been collecting skids from work to stack firewood on. We tend to reuse a lot of skids at work, so generally the 'firewood' pile isn't great quality stuff (broken, mangled, etc). I brought home a trailer load for the weekend and thought "I could use some nice dry kindling"... Few hours with the skilsaw and I had a couple wheelbarrow loads processed.

Just cutting the slats out and tossing the stringers (or whatever you want to call them). No point trying to cut up the chunks full of nails... they get taken to the dump. (If the dump won't let me scrounge... then they can take my crap!)

Best part is... my wood is still a little wet, so toss in a few chunks of skid with a split, and it gets a good hot fire to dry things out.

Just thought I'd sing the praises of skids... for anyone who hasn't tried one yet. Pre-dried, stacks exceptionally well (essentially no air gaps), and gives you one more excuse to head outside with some powertools!

 

[mga]

i came across about 12 skids recently. they are 6 feet long by 4 feet wide. the tops of them have two rows of 2 x 4's running the length of them, the bottoms are 4 x 4's.

they were perfect for stacking firewood, so i couldn't see cutting them up. i almost have them filled with next year's wood.

but, i also got several other skids with 4 rows of 4 x 4's ...not as nice as the others, so, those turned into fire wood.

can't beat "free" stuff.

 

[NorthernOntario]

Definitely can't beat free!

Now if only I could get some of the crates we ship things in at work... 2x4 construction, plywood, etc... I see the big crates come in and all I can think of is "hmm... new wood shed... new storage shed..."

 

[husky455rancher]

i burn ALOT of skids throught the winter. i use the entire skid. the stringers are the best wood. i use my little husky 142 for the skids and for any other crap wood. youd be surpised how many times you can hit a nail and beat on a semi chisel chain before it cuts like crap. it dosent take much of a chain or saw to cut up a skid

 

[mga]

Definitely can't beat free!

Now if only I could get some of the crates we ship things in at work... 2x4 construction, plywood, etc... I see the big crates come in and all I can think of is "hmm... new wood shed... new storage shed..."

lol.....some old man down the road lets me cut trees in his yard. he built a shed out back (he calls it his private club house) out of skid wood. did ya ever see those pictures of houses with crooked windows and doors? this thing is rather comical...and he laughingly brags he built it without a level.

 

[Upidstay]

I use skids for kindling all the time. I NEVER use a chain saw to cut them up. Are you crazy? Snap a chain after you hit a nail and bye-bye face. I bought a cheap circular saw at WalMart, $30, worked great for 3 years. I sometimes save the "stringers" (is that what they're called??), if I can get to them with my circular saw. Best kind of kindling out there:FREE

 

[Jon E]

I put an old blade in my sawzall and hack away at them. About 20 minutes of getting beat up by a sawzall with a dull blade is enough for me, but it'll get me through a dozen or so. I use the best ones to stack firewood on, and I donated a bunch of old ones to the local fire dept for a company bonfire/clambake. The local feed store always has a pile of them to give away.

 

[powerstroke73L]

lol.....some old man down the road lets me cut trees in his yard. he built a shed out back (he calls it his private club house) out of skid wood. did ya ever see those pictures of houses with crooked windows and doors? this thing is rather comical...and he laughingly brags he built it without a level.

If you use a level things tend to come out a little better:

Just finished it last weekend-it'll hold just shy of 4 cords which gets me through a winter. The pallets were free of course, but the lumber only cost about $30 from the reject pile at Lowes. Technically there's the cost of the stone, the fasteners, etc...but I had all of that stuff laying around. You can see my "burn pile" (all the pallets that are too beat up to build with) in the background. Also-a circular saw with a really aggressive carbide blade is about the best thing I've found for cutting up pallets.

 

[Cambium]

I see skids all the time at work. Whethers its for siding, roof shingles, tiles, sheetrock, ect...I'm always around them...Unfortunetly I dont own a truck and so I have no way of bringing them home.

 

[sawkiller]

For the life of me I can't understand why people would throw out skid parts just cause they have nails in them? I rarely burn them as I mostly use them for stacking but when I do burn them I burn the whole thing those nails go right out with the ashes!

 

[taylor6400]

For the life of me I can't understand why people would throw out skid parts just cause they have nails in them? I rarely burn them as I mostly use them for stacking but when I do burn them I burn the whole thing those nails go right out with the ashes!

If i do cut skids for kindling I cut the top slats and burn the rest in my fire pit. Sometimes i dump my ashes on my driveway...steep blacktop gets slick and the ashes help melt it off with just the littlest sun...but I'd rather not have the nails out there.

 

[Cambium]

If i do cut skids for kindling I cut the top slats and burn the rest in my fire pit. Sometimes i dump my ashes on my driveway...steep blacktop gets slick and the ashes help melt it off with just the littlest sun...but I'd rather not have the nails out there.

Wait a second...you telling me instead of using salt you use the ashes? If that really does work, I might have to send you a gift...thats an incredible idea!

I have a semi sloped driveway and the ice that forms is crazy. I try to use my ashes in my veggie garden but threw out a lot....

 

[Upidstay]

I don't like the nails in the ashes because I use them in my garden and on my lawn.

 

[NorthernOntario]

I'm with the others... trying to keep the nails out incase I decide to mix some ashes into the garden, or toss them on the driveway.

As for getting them home; I've just got a little Ford Escort wagon... but a trailer hitch and a light 4x8 trailer can bring a nice pile home.

 

[Turkeyslayer]

Wait a second...you telling me instead of using salt you use the ashes? If that really does work, I might have to send you a gift...thats an incredible idea!

I have a semi sloped driveway and the ice that forms is crazy. I try to use my ashes in my veggie garden but threw out a lot....

I use ashes on the driveway also, they work good for melting (with sun) and give traction as well.

Edit- My drive is gravel and I dont use it to close to the house otherwise I'm tracking a wet gray mess into the house

 

[trailmaker]

Pardon my ignorance but what exactly are these "skids"? I've only heard the term used to describe foundations for semi mobile sheds.

 

[Turkeyslayer]

Pardon my ignorance but what exactly are these "skids"? I've only heard the term used to describe foundations for semi mobile sheds.

Pallets

 

[trailmaker]

LOL, thanks. Must be regional differences in terminology.

 

[husky455rancher]

well went i cut the skids with the saw i usually do it part throttle amd not wide open. ive been doing this for a long while and never had my face ripped off lol. usually if u just pay attention u can see the nails.

 

[gwiley]

Wait a second...you telling me instead of using salt you use the ashes? If that really does work, I might have to send you a gift...thats an incredible idea!

I have a semi sloped driveway and the ice that forms is crazy. I try to use my ashes in my veggie garden but threw out a lot....

+1 on the ashes. I use the ashes from my OWB as traction aid on snow and ice - the dark color draws the heat from sun wonderfully. Way better than salt IMO because it is free, I have lots of it and it isn't as corrosive.