This is how we gather turning wood (black walnut) in the Ozarks.
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Gathering Turning Wood
- Thread starter mlchapman
- Start date
That stump might have some goodies in it. But I like the bigger toys that you are playing with - the loader and the flatbed truck.
ok ... next ...
let see how you clean it and cut it up!
let see how you clean it and cut it up!
I thought my system using a 50 HP tractor with front end loader was the way to go - now I have equipment envy!!!! I will say that loaders of any kind really save strain on the back!
Wilford
Wilford
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
When I first started turning green wood I didn't have any sort of power anything. I cut the logs up into 6 foot or so sections, tied them to a rope that was attached to a backpack frame and drug them out of the woods. That wasn't nearly as hard as cutting 12 inch longs up with a cheap bow saw and then splitting them with a hand wedge and cutting the corners off with a hatchet. I was either nuts, really loved turning wood or both. Kept me in great shape. I would have killed for your loader or truck.
Gathering wood & Burls
I am pretty new to scavaging for wood. Does anyone have suggestions on where to get wood and burls, without cutting down any of the trees in my yard or neighbors yard. 🙂
If I find wood like a down tree in the park, won't I get in trouble for taking it and cutting it up even though it is already down?
How does one go about finding/bringing home some burls? I heard if you cut them off a tree, the tree will die.
thx,
Liz
I am pretty new to scavaging for wood. Does anyone have suggestions on where to get wood and burls, without cutting down any of the trees in my yard or neighbors yard. 🙂
If I find wood like a down tree in the park, won't I get in trouble for taking it and cutting it up even though it is already down?
How does one go about finding/bringing home some burls? I heard if you cut them off a tree, the tree will die.
thx,
Liz
Steve Worcester
Admin Emeritus
Find arborists in your area, find out where they dump their logs, ask club members.crashgtr said:
It is kind of the equivelant to cutting off your friends arm, without a tournaquet. Yes, the tree will die.crashgtr said:
Now that you're looking, the opportunities will present themselves. I find myself doing the double take whenever I see a tree down....
Always ask permission.
Sometimes you can offer a turning in exchange. But sometimes people expect that, so they bring stuff to you even if you don't want it. If you finally get so much wood it can happen. So far I don't have that problem, but members of my club have had it happen.
Always ask permission.
Sometimes you can offer a turning in exchange. But sometimes people expect that, so they bring stuff to you even if you don't want it. If you finally get so much wood it can happen. So far I don't have that problem, but members of my club have had it happen.
I agree with Steve - arborists are the way to go.
Always give them something in return. I typically buy a round of sodas. And I also give them bowls.
That doesn't always work. I went thru several tree trimmers before I found a couple who love bowls. Now I have to kinda turn them away until I get caught up with the roughouts that I already have. And I also owe a nice bowl to the guy who got me the box elder...but he pretty much wanted a turning out of that batch.
Always give them something in return. I typically buy a round of sodas. And I also give them bowls.
That doesn't always work. I went thru several tree trimmers before I found a couple who love bowls. Now I have to kinda turn them away until I get caught up with the roughouts that I already have. And I also owe a nice bowl to the guy who got me the box elder...but he pretty much wanted a turning out of that batch.
Wood seems to come in waves
Over the past few months I have learned to keep an eye out and the wood will turn up. I have had three big successes, and a few smaller ones.
Last November a casual chat with someone who volunteers at one of the green belt sites in North Eastern Mass led us to the caretaker who had to take down a Red Maple that looked to be about 150-175 years old. The tree was damaged by ants and was doomed. We took a couple tons of wood, some of the pieces were almost 3 feet thick. Even with the insect damage and rot there was alot of solid wood left. Because the property that the tree lived on was historic the wood has a nice story to go with it. I promised to donate a piece or two back to the green belt for their charity auctions.
Last month there was a knock on the door and a fellow from the power company informed us that they would be in the area in a few weeks to trim trees around power lines. He wanted to know if was OK for them to cut some branches around the lines near our property. "No problem" I said, "But if they are going to be here in a few weeks where are they working now?" . And off I went in the truck. I picked up some Oak, Maple and Birch. And today they are working very near the house, so more wood will come.
Yesterday was a good score also. It was a nice day so my son and I decided to go for a scavenging ride. We picked up a few pieces along the road, and decided to drive down a street where we think we saw a downed tree a couple of nights before.
..... You start to notice the downed trees, it's one of the signs of the addiction taking hold....
We found the tree and the property owner was cutting it up, FOR BURNING IN THE FIELD. Even better, it turned out that the property owner was a parent of a classmate of my son. So we stopped and chatted. I can take all of the wood I want from the downed tree. And, by the way, there are also a number of diseased Ash trees encroaching on the fence line that need to come out to let the healthy trees come in and give more room for livestock and spring planting. The largest of the trees looked to be about 3 feet at the base, the smallest about 18 inches. On the walk around the property we also found a couple of 9-12 inch red ceder trees that came down last year, they appear to still be pretty solid. They will find their way into the back of my truck this week.
They thanked me for offering to come over and help them get rid of the wood. Most people don't want to see their trees go to waste and they really like the idea of making something nice from it.
The morals of the story's are keep an eye out, don't be shy, keep the chainsaw in the trunk and in the end good wood will happen to kind turners.
Jeff
Over the past few months I have learned to keep an eye out and the wood will turn up. I have had three big successes, and a few smaller ones.
Last November a casual chat with someone who volunteers at one of the green belt sites in North Eastern Mass led us to the caretaker who had to take down a Red Maple that looked to be about 150-175 years old. The tree was damaged by ants and was doomed. We took a couple tons of wood, some of the pieces were almost 3 feet thick. Even with the insect damage and rot there was alot of solid wood left. Because the property that the tree lived on was historic the wood has a nice story to go with it. I promised to donate a piece or two back to the green belt for their charity auctions.
Last month there was a knock on the door and a fellow from the power company informed us that they would be in the area in a few weeks to trim trees around power lines. He wanted to know if was OK for them to cut some branches around the lines near our property. "No problem" I said, "But if they are going to be here in a few weeks where are they working now?" . And off I went in the truck. I picked up some Oak, Maple and Birch. And today they are working very near the house, so more wood will come.
Yesterday was a good score also. It was a nice day so my son and I decided to go for a scavenging ride. We picked up a few pieces along the road, and decided to drive down a street where we think we saw a downed tree a couple of nights before.
..... You start to notice the downed trees, it's one of the signs of the addiction taking hold....
We found the tree and the property owner was cutting it up, FOR BURNING IN THE FIELD. Even better, it turned out that the property owner was a parent of a classmate of my son. So we stopped and chatted. I can take all of the wood I want from the downed tree. And, by the way, there are also a number of diseased Ash trees encroaching on the fence line that need to come out to let the healthy trees come in and give more room for livestock and spring planting. The largest of the trees looked to be about 3 feet at the base, the smallest about 18 inches. On the walk around the property we also found a couple of 9-12 inch red ceder trees that came down last year, they appear to still be pretty solid. They will find their way into the back of my truck this week.
They thanked me for offering to come over and help them get rid of the wood. Most people don't want to see their trees go to waste and they really like the idea of making something nice from it.
The morals of the story's are keep an eye out, don't be shy, keep the chainsaw in the trunk and in the end good wood will happen to kind turners.
Jeff
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