In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Nicer Thieves

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by FatBoy85, Jul 5, 2017.

  1. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    This morning on the 4th, I was going to be away at my parents and got to thinking that I ought to be careful and look at my stacks in case someone decides to get sneaky and grab some of my wood that hangs outside the gated area in my yard.

    Just as I'm about to sit down for dinner at my parents , I get a text from an unknown number asking for me. It's my neighbor. Two things that this scenario could have played out since I got texted by them...1: my house caught on fire or 2: they were going to grab some wood for tonight. She told me that her husband and her saw a large truck sit outside my mailbox and then they heard wood being loaded and then truck drove off. Ok...naturally I got a little ticked off, been dealt a bad hand with stealing out of my car couple months ago.:mad:

    Well beforehand I sold some pit wood for some people for the weekend and told folks they to come back. Thing is: people seem to come at an hour that I am not here.:hair:

    So when I got home tonight I looked for anything suspicious, then on the front door was this note.
    IMG_2293.JPG
    Turns out its a guy who I sold wood to yesterday and he lives down the street.
    I guess he grabbed some for tonight and left his info for me.

    Although he grabbed some wood, he grabbed some of this stuff:jaw:... black locust that is pretty wet and recently laid out last week after splitting. :headbang:
    damm, had he called me I would have told him to take some of the squarewood and we would have evened up later. Would have been hell of a lot easier to start than some of this BL... IMG_2292.JPG
    At the end of the night I ain't even mad but take without asking first, you're just asking for trouble or in his case a damm-stubborn-to-light fire!:doh::loco: :crazy::rofl: :lol:
     
    Last edited: Jul 5, 2017
  2. CtRider

    CtRider

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  3. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

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    Too bad people just don't talk anymore. He'd have gotten better wood for his campfire, instead of your bubbly, green BL, that is smelly for a campfire even when seasoned. Oh well...

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  4. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    I should mention that I have a sign with my number on a pallet for everyone to see. My neighbors made it for me for this reason. It sits on the rack where the locust is but I really don't indicate that is what I am selling. Anyways he had the opportunity to call me but didn't. Easy thing to do...
    these square woods are kind of impressive as they dont roll so you can stack them well in a pit fire. Heh I wonder if he'll have a sheepish look on his face next time I see him.
     
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  5. yooperdave

    yooperdave

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    Due to the fact that he has bought wood previously and that he left a note to "square up" with you, we'll give him a pass on calling him a thief, OK?

    He could have just grabbed it and driven off with the intention of settling at a later date and then never follow up.

    When you talk with him about how much he owes, that will be the time to let him know that you don't want him stopping by when no one is home.

    "The wood you see here is used to heat my home; and just like fossil fuel, there are varying qualities of the wood stacked. Some burns longer, some burns hotter, and some is not for sale"

    Don't have to be a hard a$$ about it, just thats the way it is.
     
  6. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    Yeah I'll reconsider the "thief" name, it just gives the story as a headliner. I just want to say again wasn't mad at the end of the night when I saw the note nor do I intend to be at him. It may just be enough to prompt some funny silence if he tells me how well it burned.

    Actually I figured if he did stop by, Id just prefer he take wood that is designated for the pit but you're absolutely right about my not being here.
    The reason why I am selling this is to see if I can start something on the side. May not be super popular now but as supplemental income, will help me gather more wood in the future. Plus the bundles at the local Safeway are just a ripoff when its labeled as 15.54 liters. That's .55 cubic feet! I guess using the liters is a way to get people thinking its a bigger measurement but hardly valid. Now if it held wet wood however.....
     
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  7. fishingpol

    fishingpol

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    Maybe time for a sectioned pallet rack with camp wood bundles, price and a lockbox? I'd see how the honesty thing goes and take it from there.

    A quick text message from him would have been decent, and you should not have to go looking for payment.
     
  8. Canadian border VT

    Canadian border VT

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    I say he took time to write you a note.... maybe his cell was broken.. nobody round here leaves notes if cell has service..
     
  9. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    You had me on the right track here now. I had the bundle idea when I asked about some of these plastic strapping that to get wood into. I actually was going to give some away but the need to try and recoup something is what I am trying to do. I won't abandon this idea. But my bundles are 5 cubic feet. That's a good size carload in the trunk or at least half. Thanks Jon!
     
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  10. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    Can't say it wasn't or was. Im more than willing to help someone providing they were honest. This guy was. I went on the word of my neighbors that's all. They told me they were going to watch my yard while I was gone as they knew ahead of time. For that I am grateful. 4th of july in my area is filled with booms and residential housing yet very loose laws about fireworks. With as much dry wood as I have in my yard, I wouldn't be surprised if my insurance decided to raise my rates due to a "large amount of combustible material in yard". What do I gotta do about that? Let it go and keep this guy as a wood buyer. At least I can inform him what to do next time. I got enough wood. It'll get settled.
     
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  11. Splitsnstacks

    Splitsnstacks

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    That's shady no matter how you look at it. Anywho, why are you selling your wood? If my memory serves me correctly, this is your first year using wood to heat your home.. yes? If I were you I'd be stock piling as much as I could as often as I could bcz you simply just don't know yet what your wood consumption per winter will be. And that too can vary from year to year. I mean, after all we are "hoarders".


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  12. Splitsnstacks

    Splitsnstacks

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    Oops, didn't read your previous post. My bad sir.


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  13. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    No worries I checked your other post too Splitsnstacks . I'm an educator for the deaf and hard of hearing, as well as a Hoarder! Let me first apologize for wasting your splitting and stacking time with this post the size of a long horse face...:hair: sit back relax, oh beer up of course.:cheers:

    I'm also getting a wood stove installed and we're in limbo at this point. Just need to get someone to install the chimney/stove pipe and then the other necessaries. I'd do this myself but I really am first time home owner (going for Winter number 3) and first time wood burner for heat. I also just sell my pit wood not my better stacks at all. What I don't sell, I burn. I still collect at a better rate than what I burn as well.

    Now I live in WETTER Washington so Im likely going to have a mild winter compared to folks past the Cascades but hey we never know right?
    Last year was bad so my electricity bill was high, try 300 bucks in a 736 square foot house high. In one month. Hey I might as well throw out money while skydiving.
    When it warmed up a bit to tolerate doing more outside, I just started hoarding like mad. I had a trailer from about January to June, lots of opportunities were made and succeeded on. I grabbed a lot. At least I think so because I found a lot on the daily and sometimes it would be a week or so of something decent but always did and checked. Hard to put a number on it but in terms of processed and ready-to-burn this year wood is close to 2 to 2.5 cord. That's splits, blocks, square wood(4x4's 6x6, 4 by 12 by 12...etc) so check out Stove Tetris thread if I get my stove set up this Summer and get to stuff it this fall. I wanna see if I can dish it out with my stove. Those square woods could really come in handy! :D Hopefully I haven't put you to sleep but here's a link to:
    My stove install-Need some help.
    And an Idea of my problem along with the rest of us...
    Do we need an addiction thread here?
    By the way the yard is constantly changing so these photos are just rough enough to get an idea. This thread was fun to post on though. Time for another beer or whiskey for you sir! :handshake::thumbs:
     
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  14. Butcher

    Butcher

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    Kinda a weird circumstances to me. I have shared far wood with friends and they have done the same to me. BUT! In no way would any of us just pulled in and started pickin and takin with out personal contact. Here in my little spot on the planet we folks dont like others just helping themselves to stuff, nice note or not. Thats how bad situations get started leading to bad neighbors. Just my opinion. Take it or leave it.
     
  15. Splitsnstacks

    Splitsnstacks

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    I didn't realize you have been stock piling for a while, so that's good. You shouldn't burn through too much heating under 800 sqf. So I can fully understand you wanting to sell some. Take a look at the englander Nc-13 I have the nc-30 and it's a heating machine, the 13 is a size down from the 30 it would prolly do you nicely.


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  16. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    Got a Timberwolf 2200 already. Its just sitting in my garage. I thought about the Englander 13 as well. I just managed to get the Timberwolf brand new plus the legs for a really good bargain but probably no warranty involved. Oh well. The 1.9 cubic foot firebox will work for me for the most part. IMG_1481.JPG
    I even thought about the Vogelzang brand with the H.E. model and then the Durango. If I have all these worries, (first time, I'm going to) then Im slowly getting to saying "ok this could just be fine or better than fine."
    Lots of experience here and I'm listening. Its probably the fine tuning that I am looking forward to doing as it's a timing thing with a wood stove.
     
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  17. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    All good and you're right, I don't take kindly to people helping themselves for sure. Goes to show you that patience is not an option for some people.
     
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  18. Eric VW

    Eric VW Moderator

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    Spot on, Butcher :yes:
     
  19. yooperdave

    yooperdave

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    :thumbs:
     
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  20. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    Nice he left a note but :doh::headbang:he got your Black locust! I don't get much BL around here so what I have I would explode if I knew someone grabbed it to burn in a pit!!o_O

    If it were me I would say you grabbed my primo heating wood and it is 1.5 or 2x more than the camp wood I usually sell. If you have almost all BL you cut then you could let it go at the same price I guess.
     
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