Found Some Firewood Today

[John Hart]

Well, I was driving down the road, minding my own business, when suddenly a small amish sawmill grabbed my truck and pulled me into the driveway! I tried to get away, but the snow and slush was just too much for the little truck to handle. So there I was....stuck looking at this.
Dead Maple Trees56184Dead Cherry Trees56185

They had what they call "slabwood" in giant piles all over the place that they sell for firewood. This is the trimmings from the tree that nobody wants. A bunch of yukky burls and that unmanageable curly stuff that just warps when you make pallets out of it. So I asked how much for a pile of that firewood. He said $13. Hmmm...a bit steep, but I decided to take 2 tons.
It took 5 truckloads like this56186
To end up with a pile like this
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[John Hart]

These two pieces of firewood are from a hard maple crotch. I figure that it'll burn real long. Just perfect for a cold winter's night.
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This is a 6X6 piece of Ambrosia Maple. The colors are striking and travel the entire 10 foot length of this firewood log. I bet the flames will change color as it burns.
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Here's a curly maple slab that is 3 to 4 inches thick. I'll cut that up on the bandsaw for kindling
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This one is curly Ambrosia Maple. More cool colored flames;)
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Melvin...the sawmill owner, was shocked that I gave him a $20 and told him to keep the change....so he gave me a half a dozen curly cherry 4X4's and a 5" thick slab of cherry burl (20X20)

He's looking forward to me coming back and will toss all those nasty burls off to the side for me.

Another good day in Amish Country.:D

[Steve Schlumpf]

Man! What a haul! Great gloat! Looks like you have some really nice stuff there - can't wait to see what yout turn out of it!

[Pete Jordan]

You are just cruel!

Great gloat!

While your at it, would you ask your kind neighbor is there is a Amish saw mill near Lansing MI? I have seen some Amish playhouses north of town but I do not know where they are made.

Thanx

[Gary Herrmann]

:eek:

Clearly, I just don't live right.

Did I mention that I have pear to trade...?

[Jim VanBramer]

John ... you guys on that other coast really know how to hurt a guy!!! :mad: You find tons of piles of wood out here as well (especially after the big wind storm we had about a month ago!), but it's all fir and pine, and all that's good for is burning (and not even very good at that!!!). Here's my zip code (98001) ........ let's figure out shipping rates!:D
Great score John (keeping with the spirit of the forum ... otherwise I've got LOTS of other things to say!;) )
Congrats!
Jim V

[Jim DeLaney]

...Another good day in Amish Country.:D

Man, I just gotta come up there for a visit!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

John...........I'm not sure.....I think this would at least qualify as a "gloat"...bordering on "bragging":rolleyes: :D Nice haul my friend!

[Dick Durbin]

You Yankees are making me so jealous! We have very few hardwoods except oak trees available down here in Baja Georgia.

[Jonathon Spafford]

Is that your wife back there building that igloo after deciding there wasn't enough room for her and more wood in the same house ? :D

Hey, nice haul! Your making me jealous!!!

[Keith Burns]

John, John, John.............................................. ..

[Art Mulder]

Please tell me that they don't make pallets out of cherry. :eek:

[Ed Scolforo]

John, with that Ambrosia Maple comment, I almost choked on my margarita!!

[Ron Journeau]

:rolleyes: And I was having twinges of guilt as I stoked my fire with walnut this morning...guess I must be part Amish..though we don't have cherry to burn...or turn as a matter of fact. Great way to spend a sunny saturday, and a great haul,John..We will be seeing many fine pieces coming out of that pile, so in a way, we all win. Enjoy:D

[Mike Vickery]

Now that is a serious wood gloat!

[John Hart]

Yup...this one was a lot of fun. A lot of work too!! Sheesh! I did all the loading and unloading m'self. Gettin' stronger everyday.;) Seriously, most of this wood is firewood....not much left to turn...but still, I got the chainsaw out for 45 minutes and cut up a pile of firewood for the shop stove, and got 20 decent turning blanks. My rough estimate is somewhere in the neighborhood of 150-200 good turning blanks...most of them will be Natural edge platters and bowls....maybe 30 vase blanks. I'm going out to the shop right now and turn a christening bowl. The shop smells like cherry!!:)


Please tell me that they don't make pallets out of cherry. :eek:

Yep....'fraid so. It's very common around here to make pallets out of Cherry, Walnut, Ash, Maple, and Poplar. Almost a crime.


Man, I just gotta come up there for a visit!
Yes sir! You and I have some cabinets to build sometime this Spring. But you are welcome anytime. Remember we have a lunch date at Mary Yoders.;)

[Bernie Weishapl]

John, John, John. I am so green with envy sir. Great gloat.

[Paul Geer]

Some people have all the luck :mad: :D

[John Hart]

Ok...ran out to the shop and turned this bowl. Man! this stuff is wet!

Sanding went pretty badly and I didn't put a finish on it. It'll probably warp like crazy anyway...but I wanted to turn something so here it is.
Cherry....8" diameter and 2.5" deep...sanded to 600

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[Skip Spaulding]

Some guys get all the luck! Have you tried the microwave for drying? I have had pretty good luck with birch and cherry. A bowl like that I'd try 11/2min. at 40% then a couple at 11/4min. at 40%. Then I put it in once a day for 2 or 3 days . Did have to buy a new microwave day before Xmas, don't know if the wood killed it or not! New one is working so far. Also helps if wife is not around!

[Bob Hallowell]

Man John you keep getting hauls like that and I might have to make a trip out. I only live 2 1/2 hours away and I have inlaw in cleveland. :D :D

Bob

[Barry Stratton]

What a score! I'm guessing one or two of those BIG logs will follow you home once you get the lathe built......:D


.....and, uh, John....is the wood store open again???

[Dennis Peacock]

Well Mr. Hart.....two words come to mind right about now. You Suck!!!! :p :D

Very nicely executed and what a price for such a haul!!!!! Congrats and great going John!!!:cool:

[John Hart]

Well Mr. Hart.....two words come to mind right about now. You Suck!!!! :p :D ...


:D :D :D :D LOL...If I was a Dust Collector, (and sometimes I am), That would be a compliment!!!!:D :D :D

[Jon Shively]

John, bet if you take the neighbor's team for an afternoon drive and give them their heads, they will take you to some more out of the way wood piles/ saw mills, wood stacks!!!! Good score!

[Tom Sherman]

Awsome score John, keeping warm and acquiring turning blanks too. Just too lucky.

[Glenn Hodges]

John, if I ever have to do any mule trading I want to take you along with me.

[Paul Engle]

John, what Keith B. said......:D Nice haul dude!

[David Fried]

John, what Mr. Peacock said ! So it's firewood but you're turning it. Then tossing it in the woodstove?? :D

[John Chandler]

Along with a good wood haul, I think the bowl looks nice too.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Yea, I've got a word for you John, but I think it would be wrong to say here.

Nice haul man.

[Raymond Overman]

You're sure gonna be warm this winter.

[John Hart]

Hey....I found a new use for this stuff! Our basement door exits to an uphill climb that has a tendency to be a tad muddy. The previous owners didn't do anything with this, so we didn't use it for an entranceway. The front door of the house leads into the living room and we've had a horrendous mess this winter....constant cleanup and a mountain of boots at the front door. So yesterday, we decided to stop using the front door except for visitors. I picked out a bunch of these slabs and cut them in two foot lengths...and as I was cutting, my daughters hauled them over to the basement and built a boardwalk (bark side up) out the basement and out to the barn and parking lot. I was shocked at how nice it looked. They did a nice job and it covered about 50 ft up the hill and out toward the barn. Can't take pics because we did it during a snow storm and now it's all white. We'll finish the full run to the parking lot as soon as we get a break in the weather.