Update, I was gone four days, three nights over Christmas. I was fully expecting to return to a house that was freezing. When I got back, it was still at 40-degs inside, and my neighbors said we had no sun over those days, snowing lightly, and temps in the single digits at night.
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Maggie’s The Woodchuck and Firewood Hoarders Thread
- Thread starter bogeybrown
- Start date
Any of you guys knowledgeable about sawmills? I've thought off and on about some sort of mill for a few years. First I thought I'd try one of those chainsaw saw mills, but then after looking into them more I knew I wouldn't be happy with one. Now I've been looking at wood-mizer and similar.
I have 10 acres that was pretty heavily treed with ponderosa pine. I took down a bunch of them over the last year and a half and I'm sitting on a fair amount of logs. In talking to an old local boy I know that has done a fair bit of milling in his what 80 years (?), he was telling me ponderosa pine was garbage wood. I'm a tree guy to completely non-tree guys, but I'm no tree guy, so as the saying goes, I don't know what I don't know. Seems like Ponderosa is not a sought after wood for anything but maybe decorative type stuff. Seen some mention of it being used for structural lumber, but not a ton.
All I'd really like to do with it is build some out buildings and covered deck. Wood seems to have come way down in price. Let me help you help me. Should I keep looking into this and try to plan a way down this path?
So the things I know I want to build are:
Greenhouse around 10x15' - 15x30'
Covered deck in the say 1100sf range
Covered parking 25x35'
New pump house 10x15'
Storage shed/s
Roof between my (2) 40' shipping containers
And various other things
Again I don't know what I don't know, but it seems obvious I'd be saving some coin if I went this route. I'm also retired so I have time on my hands.
Lastly say I do forge ahead with a plan to get one, how do I properly size it? I have a problem where I want to buy 'the best' if I can swing it. But I also look at the lowest tier and think, "that would be just fine and would get my by for some time until I know better what I'm after, then I can upgrade." But I have that part of me that says, "that's a waste of time money and effort, go big or go home dumbass."
I have 10 acres that was pretty heavily treed with ponderosa pine. I took down a bunch of them over the last year and a half and I'm sitting on a fair amount of logs. In talking to an old local boy I know that has done a fair bit of milling in his what 80 years (?), he was telling me ponderosa pine was garbage wood. I'm a tree guy to completely non-tree guys, but I'm no tree guy, so as the saying goes, I don't know what I don't know. Seems like Ponderosa is not a sought after wood for anything but maybe decorative type stuff. Seen some mention of it being used for structural lumber, but not a ton.
All I'd really like to do with it is build some out buildings and covered deck. Wood seems to have come way down in price. Let me help you help me. Should I keep looking into this and try to plan a way down this path?
So the things I know I want to build are:
Greenhouse around 10x15' - 15x30'
Covered deck in the say 1100sf range
Covered parking 25x35'
New pump house 10x15'
Storage shed/s
Roof between my (2) 40' shipping containers
And various other things
Again I don't know what I don't know, but it seems obvious I'd be saving some coin if I went this route. I'm also retired so I have time on my hands.
Lastly say I do forge ahead with a plan to get one, how do I properly size it? I have a problem where I want to buy 'the best' if I can swing it. But I also look at the lowest tier and think, "that would be just fine and would get my by for some time until I know better what I'm after, then I can upgrade." But I have that part of me that says, "that's a waste of time money and effort, go big or go home dumbass."
Bigger is better. I've never heard someone say I wish I had less horsepower.
Getting warmed up. Approximately 150yds of trail to go.
Ponderosa pine is nice wood for interior projects, not for anything exposed to the elements as it will rot fast. It machines nicely and is pretty soft. The problem loggers around my neck of the woods have with it is that it needs to get to the mill within a few days of felling otherwise it gets "Blue Stain", where the interior of the wood takes on a blue tint in certain areas. It makes the lumber unsaleable but for personal use I've seen people make nice furniture items with blue stain lumber and its nice looking stuff. You cant go wrong with a wood mizer band mill.
@tnichols Looks like you'll need it for a few days. Same weather here west of you. Thinking back it was the mid 80's when it was this cold for this long.
ETA: just heard the Saturday forecast. Widespread blowing snow. Partly sunny and cold, with a high near -3. Wind chill values as low as -42. Windy, with a northwest wind 31 to 34 mph, with gusts as high as 49 mph. Saturday night Widespread blowing snow, mainly before 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around -20. Windy, with a northwest wind 24 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Total snow since Tuesday 12".
Could be worse except for the wife's Shih Tzu, it hit the ground this morning and was high centered
ETA: just heard the Saturday forecast. Widespread blowing snow. Partly sunny and cold, with a high near -3. Wind chill values as low as -42. Windy, with a northwest wind 31 to 34 mph, with gusts as high as 49 mph. Saturday night Widespread blowing snow, mainly before 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around -20. Windy, with a northwest wind 24 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Total snow since Tuesday 12".
Could be worse except for the wife's Shih Tzu, it hit the ground this morning and was high centered
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One day I'll get a new screw.
Also I hate stumps! Order of the day though.
Had to climb up on my roof this morning.
Last couple nights, the house was filling up with smoke every time I opened the door to the stove to load more wood into it, just enough to give me a sore throat and make the house smell like a camp fire.
Found the spark arrestor in the chimney cap clogged with cresol. Been in the mid-20's last few days, and snowing constantly. I don't like the house too warm, so the wood burner has been dampened down quite a bit, especially at night when I go to bed. Think the combination of that, and the snow created the perfect storm.
It was a challenge getting on the roof, but luckily there was a thin glaze of ice on the steel panels that actually provided a little bit of traction, but the last eight feet it was bare steel and slick, and the anchor that I installed on the roof was just out of reach, but after several attempts, I was able to grab it and pull my self up on the ridge. Another good thing, the seven feet of snow piled up at the bottom of the roof allowed me to transition to the roof without needing a ladder.
Once the cap thaws out, that damn spark arrestor screen is getting removed permanently.
Last couple nights, the house was filling up with smoke every time I opened the door to the stove to load more wood into it, just enough to give me a sore throat and make the house smell like a camp fire.
Found the spark arrestor in the chimney cap clogged with cresol. Been in the mid-20's last few days, and snowing constantly. I don't like the house too warm, so the wood burner has been dampened down quite a bit, especially at night when I go to bed. Think the combination of that, and the snow created the perfect storm.
It was a challenge getting on the roof, but luckily there was a thin glaze of ice on the steel panels that actually provided a little bit of traction, but the last eight feet it was bare steel and slick, and the anchor that I installed on the roof was just out of reach, but after several attempts, I was able to grab it and pull my self up on the ridge. Another good thing, the seven feet of snow piled up at the bottom of the roof allowed me to transition to the roof without needing a ladder.
Once the cap thaws out, that damn spark arrestor screen is getting removed permanently.
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That's at least twice every winter for me. I live in Louisiana and the humidity here seems to increase the creosote buildup. I removed the screen one year and started finding dead birds in the heater, so I put it back in. I use a bristle brush to clean the pipe while the cap's off. I have a shingle roof and very seldom see snow here.
The cresol built up inside the cap was like spray in bed liner, and tough to remove, lucky there wasn't much to speak of in the pipe. Screen now removed.
Rope is staying put, I've got an antenna I need to put up this Summer so I can reliably hit repeaters, as the metal roof prevents me from transmitting from inside without an outside antenna.
Rope is staying put, I've got an antenna I need to put up this Summer so I can reliably hit repeaters, as the metal roof prevents me from transmitting from inside without an outside antenna.
Meh, I use some good ole oak and get the flames jumping up the chimney. cleans it out fine as long as you don't let the creosote get too thick. Usually 2 to 3 times a year. Probably shit for the pipe in the cabin as it's single wall, but the bottom 4 feet usually glow when I clean it out.
Got a chance to get the 066 out for the first time in a while.
Just felt one of the nastiest axe handles I have ever seen. Lowes Kobalt 4lb single bit hickory handle. 1.875" deep x 1" oval. Way too deep. For comparison of something better, fiskars maul 1.5"x1".
You can't hardly buy a good axe, or an axe handle anymore. At least not from any major store.
I am really not sure what to do with them. I didn’t want them to rot away, but I don’t turn or carve wood.
I thought I would reach out to the woodworker club here at work to see if anyone is interested in them.
Suggestions?
I’d take them off of your hands if they’ll fit in a flat rate box. They can be used for many things and I’m sure the guys you work with would be happy! I’d likely slab them into 1 inch thick slabs unless they had truly exceptional figure, and in that case I’d cut 1/8” veneers out of it.
Built a firewood rack for a friend who is finishing a clients 14K sf custom home. Designed to fit approx. a cord of wood if stacked to the top rail. Sent picture this morning of it loaded up with pecan and no telling how much it weighs and a good thing there is a concrete pad under the screenings.
Getting a later than normal start this spring. Just about done with my third Oak top. Several small stacks to be loaded out hopefully this Sunday.
I know it's not firewood but I just finished this!
Nice.
If you harvested the wood it fits here. It also fits over in Wood Shop.
Maggie’s - The Wood Shop
Alright it appears there are quite a few of y’all that do some woodworking around here. Post up your projects! I’ll start off with some cutting boards I did for Christmas.
www.snipershide.com
Maybe also metalworking if you made the legs.
Maggie’s - The Welding and Metalworking Thread
I've always been mesmerized by metal being worked, whether as "simple" as cutting with Oxy/Fuel, all the way to TIG welding or being precision machined. Welding and blacksmithing have long been up there on shit I wanted to better understand, so I'm currently a little past halfway through a...
www.snipershide.com
Wife stacked, I split. She does pretty well. That’s the entire wagon load processed and ready for more.
The smallest Stihl pro saw is the MS 261, 4hp and just over 10lbs, it can run a 16” bar pretty good.I need a chainsaw recommendation to gather firewood for when I go hunting and can be secured to an atv. So no 42in bars
If that’s too big the arborist saws are lighter with a smaller bar. The ms 201 or the ms 194.
Or if cheapest option is the goal the Stihl ms162 is under $200. It only has 1.6hp but still weighs 10 lbs.
ATV Chainsaw Mount | Kolpin
A bracket to securely & safely transport a chainsaw on most ATVs, UTVs and trailers. Designed for quick saw removal to get the job done & get you back to .
www.kolpin.com
This works well. I use it up to my 32”
The 261c is the best small saw around. I run an 18” bar.
can you still get an ms241 in the states ? Never owned one but I hear they're quite the ripper foe a small saw.I need a chainsaw recommendation to gather firewood for when I go hunting and can be secured to an atv. So no 42in bars
An echo 2511T might fit the bill if you want something light.
I will help you narrow your search. Start here:I need a chainsaw recommendation to gather firewood for when I go hunting and can be secured to an atv. So no 42in bars
Husky 550
I need a chainsaw recommendation to gather firewood for when I go hunting and can be secured to an atv. So no 42in bars
I have a 241C with a 16” bar and it is phenomenal. They do not import them into the US anymore and used ones are always $500 plus.
I also have a 261C, 362C and a 440. The 241 and 261 sort of overlap but the 241 is so fun to run. Absolutely a screamer stock.
Honestly a good used 250 is a good ATV saw. They get a bad rap but are lightweight and reliable once you put a chingchong carb on em. Factory carb is garbage.I need a chainsaw recommendation to gather firewood for when I go hunting and can be secured to an atv. So no 42in bars
Made me think of the husky 350. Not a top of the line saw but they were fairly cheap on the used market and ran pretty good.
A friend of mine gave me one that fell victim to the famous husky air leak that kills a lot of those saws. I was able to save the cylinder so I put a new piston in it. I massaged it a little while I had it apart and it ran pretty good.
I ended up trading it to a guy up in Michigan for a spare top end for my 462c. He said it ran as strong or stronger that a stock 261c that he had.
Another vote for the MS261. In my opinion one off the best saws Stihl has made. 18” bar on mine. It does the lions share of our firewood cutting.I need a chainsaw recommendation to gather firewood for when I go hunting and can be secured to an atv. So no 42in bars
Thank you! and Thanks to everyone else here on the hide helping me spend my money
Some nice red/Douglas fir and the last tree to need to go for my range to now be 100m.
