Work Done in 2021

[SpaceBus]

@MissMac I just wanted to give it a try. I probably won't be cutting a lot of large trees this year, mostly going to be under 14" at the flare. I have done a few bore cuts with my Stihl MS150 and 1/4" chain, works well for the small trees, but totally unnecessary.

 

[stoveliker]

.Why not use those 16 dollar concrete blocks

I see you mentioning this $16 for these deck blocks. I'm not sure that is correct; they are $6.67 here at the Home Depot (I got them from craigslist for $2.50 though).

If someone quoted you $16, they are taking advantage of you as I don't believe that they should be three times as expensive in CO as on the East coast...

 

[clancey]

I will double check this price on those deck blocks and that's what the paper tag over them said and I saw it for myself--I did question the salesperson who show me where they were saying: "That's really high for these concrete pieces" and he replied--everything is higher so I just assumed that was the price--and I will definitely check into that and 'Hey"----thanks...clancey

 

[clancey]

Look what I found....
(broken link removed)
8.57 cents

 

[Caw]

Yeah the deck blocks in the picture were for the lean to shed I intended to build over this pile before the lumber crisis happened. They'll get put to use eventually. They were about $6 or 7 each last year.

 

[kennyp2339]

Yeah the deck blocks in the picture were for the lean to shed I intended to build over this pile before the lumber crisis happened. They'll get put to use eventually. They were about $6 or 7 each last year.

Lumber should be back down and more manageable by September, hang in there folks

 

[BCC_Burner]

Lumber should be back down and more manageable by September, hang in there folks

I think you mean to say "Lumber will be just as expensive in September 2021, and 2022 and 2023 as it is today, but at least you will be able to get materials."

The odds of lumber prices going down significantly are about as good as the odds of me growing a set of wings this morning.

 

[Caw]

I was at the local lumber yard yesterday getting a few big pallets for stacking and asked the guy about their prices. Pre pandemic a unit of 2x4s (I want to say it was close to 300 boards) was $600 and currently they are getting $3,300 per unit. Pretty crazy.

I'd love to ditch my tarps but not at those prices. If it doesn't get any better by next spring I intend to find a local saw mill and get whatever I can rough cut. Doesn't need to be pretty just functional. The only PT pieces I need are the 4x4 posts anyways.

Lumber yards are hidden in plain sight gems for pallet sourcing for anyone looking. Much better than box stores. The one I go to has dozens and dozens of all sizes ranging from standard up to 20'. I like the 8 or 12' for stacking myself. I've heard motorcycle dealers are decent too for scrap wood.

 

[clancey]

While all you people are sitting on your laurels I have been working thinking of ways to save money like you all are doing..Now I come up with this idea about my future wood shed and I want to run it by you all to see if it might work out okay..I hope I can explain it for writing comes hard for me...First I will put a picture on here of my junk--excuse the mess for I have not attended to this clean up for awhile.. I am thinking of having my carpenter make a lean two with 4 deck blocks hold the posting and a slanted roof that overhangs and on each side I would like to get some of those pallets and nail them to the postings and then I will shove in this metal shelving that I took a picture of and it is 5 foot high and 15 inch depth and 36 inch long. It has five shelves..Now underneath this on the ground I will lay material weed block and pea gravel that I already have and the roof will overhang and might very well have a gutter on it to direct the flow...Here is my picture--do not look at all my junk--sorry it is a mess... I also want to extend the wood out (end of it) about 24 inches on each 15 x 36 inch shelf but the roof will over hang this distance...What do you all think and do you think that my carpenter could make it work..clancey

 

[stoveliker]

You don't need to nail pallets to postings. Just lay them on the ground (on gravel if you so wish).
And I would not use shelves. Likely not strong enough. Just stack the wood. There are plenty of pics on this site showing how to stack, criss cross at the ends (or held back by the posts).

No weed block needed either. Too dark there for anything to grow (when wood is in).

 

[Caw]

95 degrees out? No problem. Woke up early to get started before the heat then just did a bit more when the shade came. I mowed the lawn while it was blazing hot, riding the tractor wasn't bad but doing the edges and rocky spots with the push was brutal. Needless to say I'm exhausted and ready for a few cold ones!

 

[clancey]

I am so glad that I got that imput on my "to be wood shed" and I really think that your shed is the best and I will follow that design but it was fun to think about it..I love your shed.. Only a smaller one...clancey

 

[clancey]

Caw your doggy is "worthless" cooling off by the hose...He ain't stupid...beautiful pictures thanks clancey

 

[stoveliker]

I am so glad that I got that imput on my "to be wood shed" and I really think that your shed is the best and I will follow that design but it was fun to think about it..I love your shed..

I did mine after I saw @Highbeam s shed...
That was the one I was trying to emulate. Function beauty
A few other folks here also gave some input earlier on when I had some rookie questions... And as with everything, I tell my wife to tell me "good job" when it still looks as good 3 years from now.
So we'll see...

 

[clancey]

Nice...

 

[MMH]

Good to see you all putting me to shame as usual! Been hard to get anything done with the little one but I have a training for work in the in laws area and managed to load up the red elm I snagged over the winter. Maybe a little work but something nonetheless! Guessing a cord ish.

 

[Caw]

Another scorcher here but with thunderstorms looming I couldn't procrastinate moving the pile of splits any longer. Took 5 or 6 tractor loads. I stacked them on an 8' pallet next to my fire pit bins with plenty of room for the other half of the rounds when I get to them and the next score. This area doesn't get much sun but this is super long term storage...Ill move it to the primary racks in a year or two. I gave my neighbor 3 loads for his sauna too, paying it forward if you will lol.

Also we had day one of our solar installation! I couldn't complain about the heat looking at those poor bastards up on the roof. Yikes. They're finishing up the install tomorrow then likely 1-2 weeks for the utility to swap the meter and flip the switch. Between the stove, solar, and being a 100% electric house our utility exposure is going to be minimal. Not bad for the middle of suburbia!

 

[SpaceBus]

I've never seen a three angle roof like that. We have a saltbox, but that's a bit further! I really like it.

 

[Caw]

I've never seen a three angle roof like that. We have a saltbox, but that's a bit further! I really like it.

Thanks! I thought it was pretty interesting too when we purchased it. It's basically a Dutch gambrel without the back slope crossed with a New England cape. It's nice not having any dormers or sloped ceilings upstairs and it allowed for both sides to get solar...fitting a 12 kw system up there on a 1700 sq ft house. My only "complaint" about it would be the lack of windows to the front yard upstairs due to the roof but we like how it looks.

 

[SpaceBus]

Thanks! I thought it was pretty interesting too when we purchased it. It's basically a Dutch gambrel without the back slope crossed with a New England cape. It's nice not having any dormers or sloped ceilings upstairs and it allowed for both sides to get solar...fitting a 12 kw system up there on a 1700 sq ft house. My only "complaint" about it would be the lack of windows to the front yard upstairs due to the roof but we like how it looks.

We have a full saltbox built in 1970. South side is two story and the north side is single story with not a single window besides the storm door. The short roof is a "normal" 4/12 and the north side is a super steep 10/12 that also holds the chimney. I would probably go with a roof like yours if we build a house.

 

[stoveliker]

View attachment 279459

Congrats on getting solar! Nice combo of wood and solar. Same here; only thing I'm paying is $13 or so a month to be hooked up to power, and oil for hot water (keeping my oil-hot water heating system; redundancy ...).

I'm wondering though, your fire pit piles do have some of what looks like nice and straight pieces. I'd have stacked those for my stove?

 

[Caw]

I'm wondering though, your fire pit piles do have some of what looks like nice and straight pieces. I'd have stacked those for my stove?

Good observation. The bins are mostly full of green pine that I got for free already split on the side of the road and most of it is much too long for my stove. Free split wood was like Xmas! Since I have 10 cords of hardwood stacked I don't bother trimming it down, it's too laborious.

I like the pine in the fire pit anyways because it burns hot, fast, smells nice, and doesn't leave a big ash mess. Also the free part was good lol. In shoulder season I burn my soft maple and cherry in the stove, then when the cold comes I dig into the ash and oak.

 

[ClintonH]

I'm about 2 cord in (CSS). Father in-law is clearing some fencerow/copses in ag fields and offered to deliver via flatbed (2 hr drive each way). I can't complain The 2nd load he dropped is larger than the 1st, probably 3.5 cord +/-. Oak, ash, hard maple. I'm sitting on over 9 cord CSS in the barn, but I'm finding all kinds of places to jam this in under roof. :D.

 

[Caw]

I'm sitting on over 9 cord CSS in the barn, but I'm finding all kinds of places to jam this in under roof. :D.

Oh yeah I know that feeling. So far I've filled up my usual racks then added a fire pit rack, two fire pit bins, and sacrificed an old picnic table to make room for another 8' pallet for the most recent free score lol. The pit wood doesn't get much sun but that's fine and the over flow stove wood racks will get rotated into main storage next year. Split/covered in shade is still better than left in rounds....gives it a head start!

 

[Caw]

The weather finally broke and we had a beautiful 75 degree, dry, and sunny day today so I spent the day attacking the rounds. Some of the soft maple was stringy but after some A+ swearing and yelling I managed to get through it all.

I ended up with some really nice splits though. My neighbor stopped by to help and with my racks overflowing I gave him a few trailers full of the maple for the sauna. Now I won't simply be freeloading lol.

Nice shady work spot:

Stringy SOBs:

Perfect splits:

Final load:

Now THAT should do it for wood this season...