Hey all, I'm new to chopping, seasoning, and stacking besides swinging an axe for my dad when I was younger. I also don't have any room for trees on my own property. I am fascinated with the process however (recently read the book "Norwegian Wood" to tap into my family roots) and would like to get some tips on where I can find logs to harvest. Right now my best lead is getting a permit with the local forestry service to clear out dead/fallen logs. Anyone do this regularly or have a better place for me to start? I would really like to do it start to finish as opposed to getting someone to deliver me rounds. I don't really have a strong need for firewood at the moment but I still want a stack I can look on with pride and loan out in exchange for goods with friends and neighbors. Can you all point me in the right direction? Any well known clubs I can join up with (currently living in Southern California near Big Bear). Thanks, Wesley
Welcome to the club, Wesley I! There's lots of great advice here, and there may be some members that live near you, let's see where the thread goes. I'll page Backwoods Savage, as he's one of our esteemed members and a complete heap of knowledge regarding splitting, stacking and seasoning firewood. He wrote a great tutorial and it can be found on our main page.... The basics are this...... You want to split your wood and get it stacked before you can really consider it to be "seasoning". Some species of wood (ash, soft maple, spruce, poplar) season very fast (sometimes in a year or so) once split and stacked. Others like oak can take 2 or 3 years, they really hold the water. Top covering helps once stacked, always get that wood up off the ground so air can travel under it and the wood won't soak up ground moisture. That's some basics, check out that tutorial.
Welcome Wesley l, You've come to a great place, good people. I'm still a newbie too. We used to get wood from the forestry service a long time ago. They would mark the trees that could be cut and we would go and cut them. By the way clean up after you are through cutting or they may not give you a permit again. There were some guys where we were cutting who would get the good rounds off the trunk and then leave a big mess from cleaning the trees. They threatened to quit the program if that didn't stop. You may want to check Craig's list. Also just driving around you sometimes see downed trees where people would be glad if you remove them especially after storms. Have a great time.
Thanks for the reply's! Scotty - just printed off Backwoods' write for some evening reading (hopefully by the fire) Lucy - Great to hear someone has done the forest service method with some success... You are the first person I have heard from who has tried this. Definitely gonna give craigslist a look and will keep my eyes peeled for someone else's trash to turn into my treasure when driving around town.
Welcome Wesley I! For me I'm an opportunist so anything goes. When I set aside time to get wood I'm checking Craigslist everyday looking for a scrounge. I live next to El Dorado National Forest so I also get permits. This is my favorite way to get wood because it get's me out into the forest. It also can get my creative juices flowing because harvesting wood this way requires creativity to get the wood out. While I'm very much a rank amature at logging I'm working to safely build my skills whenever I can. Plus it lets me hook steel cable to my truck and yank logs off hillsides and I don't know a hillbilly that doesn't like to do that. I'm probably getting an ATV next year for "plowing snow" (at least that's what I told my wife), but I'm gonna use it for scouting mostly. I mean ATV+forest+scouting for wood = FUUUUN! (I mean work). Also put the word out at work and with your friends that you heat with firewood. You'd be surprised how many people will beg you to come take a fallen tree off their property.
Welcome to the forum Wesley. No doubt around your area there is not a lot of need for firewood but there is some and it's good to hear you are interested. As for finding firewood, yes, the permits can be good but sometimes can be frustrating because most places you have to get wood close to a road and the early bird gets the worm. Yet at times good wood can be gotten and it is great to just get out there to do some of the gathering. Another source where many get wood is to watch for people who take down trees, especially those who are in that business. Sometimes they will even deliver wood to you if you're not too far from them. Good luck. The best club I know of is called the Firewood Hoarder's Club!
Thanks for the feedback SkidderDone and Backwoods! Checking this forum during lunch is a good way to stay excited! One big thing I have learned from just one day on this site is to prioritize safety... I reckon that even a well kept woodpile won't keep me very warm if I'm bleeding out! I have a good buddy who ran a chainsaw for the wildland firefighters for a good spell. He has agreed to teach me some techniques/good habits and I am looking into some chainsaw specific chaps and boots. I spent 10 years building custom cabinets so I am familiar with general safety around powered saws but have only ran a chainsaw once in my life and DID NOT do so safely... Luckily I made it to 28 years and found FHC! I'll probably be looking for some chainsaw buying advice on some of the other forums soon!
There are other forums? Surely you mean within FHC! Welcome aboard Wesley I In case you didn’t realize, we cover EVERYTHING needed to stay warm/heating with wood, including the coffee/caffeine that gets the day started, to the after work beverage(s) and grub.... and anything in between!
For sure! IMO many people who only use saws or work around wood once in a while don't respect really how dangerous it can be. I have a couple buddies who work for the USFS Fire Department and do tree work in the off season. I was lucky enough to watch them in action when they did some tough tree work for me (all climbing around structure). Outside of the actual work I noticed 2 things. 1. They did not hurry and thought their way through every tree. 2. Always had their safety gear on. Always... You see pictures of guys bucking logs in bare feet and shorts and just go
Welcome Wesley I , very nice to meet you. As you start looking for wood you will come across it here and there in places you never thought of. Especially if you put the word out to friends and relatives, somebody has a downed limb or fallen tree. Like Backwoods Savage said, talk to tree trimmers. Good Luck, and post pics of any scores!
I get a forest service permit almost every year. Rules vary regionally. Tree services usually have wood to get rid of. Some around here keep a list of people who want wood in different neighborhoods.
just start a thread in the power equipment section and... stand back! You'll get all the help you could want! Welcome to the club, Wesley! You have found the best forum on the web!
Welcome Wes but be warned....there aint nothing here but a bunch of old dried, cut and half cut seasoned wood burners. Who think they stack up to the best of them. Some of them are wet others are dry, some like to cover up others bare it all to the elements. Some are addicts and on a three year recovery, others just pine for heat. But don't let me bark up the wrong tree they arn't that bad or I woodnt be here. Enjoy what we all enjoy....................WOOD. FRIENDS
