With much gratitude I went back for a 4th load. I knew what I was doing, what to look for and how to set up the cuts. The best load yet. I cherry picked the piles and got some really nice wood.....and a righteous load of wood. All my storage areas are full.....to over flowing. We are so blessed. A couple of interesting observations: This piece of oak must have at least 100 growth rings. So if it has been in a building for 100yrs...is this piece of wood ~200 yrs old? I think it was in a cabin or room wall as it had very detailed dove tail cuts on the end. Got about 6 pieces out of this log, 16" long. Each piece weighted about 50 pounds. This piece, lying in the pile looked worthless, with all the rot showing. But, cut it and it is an awesome piece of wood. Rock hard. Finally, is this red oak? As I have only ever seen red oak on the rack at the specialty wood yard. I'm going to cut this on the check line and should get 4 boxes out of this one piece. This has really been a fun adventure. ....but, it sure is nice when it is unloaded, have had a shower, something to eat.....and sitting on the patio looking at it...... w/just enough energy left to complete some 12oz curls. I'll see you on the road.
Some of that would have wood turners drooling. Even bone dry, the tight growth rings would make for some nice bowls and spindle work.
I am already picking out pieces for boxes. I'm starting to look at these pieces and see if I can save the surfaces that have the adz marks from when the logs were hewn. Soon as I get some time, I'm going to see if I can drive out some of those dowels.
For the urban wood gatherer, the quest never ends. Got a lead on a trailer business. They receive all kinds of utility trailers and trailer frames. They have all this dunnage that is used to stack the trailers on flat beds to be shipped here. They have all these 2x6, 2x8 blocks that are nailed together to even the loads. They have a lot of full 2x8s that the frames sit on. So, we went down to check it out. I got a load. Should have stacked it in better, but when I started, there was just a small pile. When I was half done, the guy says, oh, yea, there is another pile down below. Anyway, I'm just going to leave the blocks nailed together and throw them in the stove like that. I got 25 pretty nice 8' 2x8s. Enough to rebuild my deck to the patio. That was worth the trip. Wood is wood. A free BTU, is a free BTU. Take it when you can get it. I'll see you on the road.
Big rig dealerships could be a good source too. Trucks come in piggyback, and they use blocks of hardwood to hold the piece that grabs the front axle of the towed truck. Its been over 10 years, but I want to say they used 8x12s for the cribbing.
Free is a relative term. Until it has some sweat equity, it may have no real value. It still has to be processed, c/s'ed. The guy at the trailer place said most people that come down there tell him, "this is too much work." and leave. I will be headed back down on Wed for another load. Nothing is really free. I'll see you on the road
Made a run down to the trailer place. Perspective is everything. One mans, "We have plenty of wood." ..is another man's, that's all there is. He got wiped out just after we were down there last weekend. He got in a new shipment of trailers, so took it right off the unloaded trailers. Which was actually easier than picking it out of a pile. So far, my summer scrounging has netted me 3 1/2 cords of wood. I replaced what we burned last winter and am ahead a couple of cords. If the open space source had not dried up, I would not have as much wood as I do now.
Gotta stay flexible, surf what's available, and stay sweet with your contacts. Great job, getting ahead. My yard is starting to look like yours.
Yes, it can be silly sometimes when someone says there are tons of wood there and you go only to find maybe a part of a pickup load. Then there is the work involved... Most folks don't want to work. It's like jobs. People say they want jobs but all they want in the paycheck and really don't want to work for it.
