While I was out with my sons this afternoon doing some random exploring, I came across a roadside cutting. Almost all of it was hauled away already, save for this little bit of ash and one sugar maple round that was worth keeping. I didn’t have a saw with me, so after struggling to get it up the bank, I stood it up, backed the truck up to it, lowered it onto the tailgate, sliding it into the bed gingerly. You can see by the picture that the log was just short enough to where I was able to close my tailgate There’s also a small honey locust limb tossed in there too, from a different spot. Not something I come across at all so I’ll gladly take it. As per the usual for me, not a lot but I’ll add it to the hoard.
Not exactly a score to write home about but still worth my time. That little bit of honey locust looks good. I almost wanted to leave it in the round but with the drying time, I ended up halving them. That one sugar maple round was starting to spalt, with bug tunnels forming but it’s deceivingly solid. The ash on the other hand I knew was past it’s prime by the outer sapwood ring. I tried to split it the best I could by hand to preserve the solid heart wood, and the outer sapwood pieces were added to my outdoor pile. No sense in saving the mealy stuff for the stove when I have much better on hand. In the past I would’ve saved everything. Since having a real inventory, there’s no need to use up valuable space on junk wood. The outdoor wood on the right ~ The stove fodder ~
Missed this thread. Another nice little grab. Reminds me of my roadside scrounging years back. Wrestle them into the PU. Many tailboards (im not gentle with them as you know) were damaged from that. Got a case for a saw? Keep one in the PU for those surprise scores?
No saw case, just a scabbard for the bar. The saw is back in the truck with me for now. I found an elm score on this same road today Still debating whether or not I want to retrieve it. It’s also down a bank a bit, but Goldilocks-sized and close to the road. Of course poison ivy is the only ground cover there.
Who you kidding Eric, of course you do!!! Roadside scrounging this time of year is tough when the wood's been sitting for a while. Got a weedwhacker to bring along? Hedge clippers? Hedge clippers in the PU all the time for me!
If I decide to go for it I’ll just do it. Not too worried about the PI; I seem to be less affected by it as I get older. The only thing that has me on the fence is that this tree was taken alive, as Sandhillbilly appropriately calls it. I know what he’d do in my situation though Buck it, load it up, get it home, leave it stacked in the round for a year +, then split.
Yessir, back in April IIRC. Split easily with hydraulics, with most of it splitting clean without tearing.
My first thought too My mind instantly went back to high school and shortly afterwards, opportunities blown, and mental movies of scenarios I’ve played over and over in my head since then Leave it to a guy named Softwood to have me deep in the philosophical, existential questions on a Monday night
It's the first thing that came to mind when I read the title of your thread. But I didn't know if I should 'go there' on this family friendly site.. And man, I sure wish (sometimes) I would have listened more to my oldest brother and his buddies 'advice' back in the day..
I’m going to call today’s small scrounge a mop-up of this old thread from August. Same location, which now that the ferns and other ground cover have died back, revealed more to be found. One large ash round that I noodled in half, a smaller one, and one black cherry log that yielded several rounds. Also a couple sugar maple odds and ends. Not bad for not deliberately looking for wood today Every little bit helps.
