Truck Ballast or Turning stock?

[Dominic Greco]

Hi Everyone,

I ask you, "How pathetic am I?"

The weather forecast is calling for 4 to 8" of snow starting this afternoon and ending some time tonight. I have a 2 wheel drive pick up that handles as well as a Camero in snow (for those of you who don't know, that means "not really well".)

The most obvious answer to this dilemma is to drive SWMBO's 4WD SUV. But what is she supposed to drive? So I end with plan "B". Adding ballast to the back of my pick up. During really heavy snow storms, I just shovel snow in the back. That has worked well. But there wasn't enough of an accumulation last night. So I turned to the only other source I could think of. My precious wood pile.

In order for me to get across the sheer lunacy of this situation, I need to set the mood. It's about 7:00 pm. It's dark and VERY cold in my back yard. So cold that my half Husky, half German Shepherd (I call him a "Shepsky") Boris won't follow me outside like he normally does. So here I am with flashlight in hand, trying to select the logs that will go into the back of my truck. And,.....begin,....!

Me: "No way am I putting that apple in there. That stuff cracks if you look at it funny. And I put way too much effort into getting it to risk it as just ballast. Hmmmm,....the Cherry is too big, and has a nice grain pattern (maybe I'll move this piece into the shop right now....). The Box Elder is too soft (and I might want to cut some up tomorrow night). I don't want to move the Walnut. It's drying so nicely there under the tarp. The Osage Orange is under Walnut, so that's out. Unless I get some help, the rock maple stays where it's sitting. I think that piece there weighs 500 lbs! And it's got some amazing figure (I really need to saw up some more of that. Maybe this weekend....)."

So I move to my second wood pile. I call it the "Island of Misfit Logs".

Me: "Here's some nice bland Silver Maple. That will do nicely. Oh yeah, some ugly spalted Ash that has a grain pattern that looks like bad oatmeal. Throw that in. Hmmmm, some Sweetgum that has cracks running through it. And we'll top it off with some Poplar. Just because I hate turning Poplar. (Rotten camouflaged log! Serves it right for tricking me into thinking it was walnut!)"

See anything wrong with this? Up until several years ago, a log was just a log to me. See what turning has done to me? :D

[Bob Lasley]

Dom,

We are a pathetic bunch, aren't we? When I need ballast for the truck, I just pull into the lumber yard and buy 4 or 5 bags of sand. They even load it for you. Come spring, the sand gets used for filling holes in the yard or could be used for ballast to hold a lathe still......stiller. This way you don't have to risk any of your log children! :D

Bob

[Mike Cutler]

Dominic. My "Cord Wood" Guy dumped off 2 cords of the nicest, straightest grain Ash and Red Oak last week, along with some nice hickory,and birch. The grain is so tight and so straight I can almost get it S2S with a splitting Maul. The rays and flecks in the oak are gorgeous. I just gotta find some projects that don't require a board longer than 22". My wife thinks I'm nut for saving pieces of it that are destined to become shop jigs and such. This is a strange addiction that we have, To see the potential of an old log in a wood pile. Take care and drive slow over the next few days. PS. I think a 65' Ford Mustang is much worse in the snow than a Camaro DAMHIKT!

[JayStPeter]

Cinder blocks are cheap and heavy, the bags don't rip, and they don't check or split. Pile 'em in the corner of the garage between snows. My 2x4 pockets in my bed line up nicely to hold them close to the tailgate. $15 buys you enough to lower your rear suspension a couple inches.

Jay

[Dominic Greco]

Cinder blocks are cheap and heavy, the bags don't rip, and they don't check or split. Pile 'em in the corner of the garage between snows. My 2x4 pockets in my bed line up nicely to hold them close to the tailgate. $15 buys you enough to lower your rear suspension a couple inches.Jay

Now that is not a bad idea at all! They are also very useful in keeping your turning stock/wood pile off the wet ground

[Dennis Peacock]

Now that is not a bad idea at all! They are also very useful in keeping your turning stock/wood pile off the wet ground

Dom....

I've got 40 blocks here for FREE is you want to come and get them.!!!

[Jim Becker]

If the Tundra wasn't 4wd, I'd just take the tractor up behind the house and grab some of those nice limestone stones from the wall on the hill and plop them bad boys right in the back of the bed...that way, the turning wood is all available despite the weather! :D Stop up before the next storm and I'll stock you up with some bedrock!

[Chris Padilla]

Cinder blocks are cheap and heavy, the bags don't rip, and they don't check or split. Pile 'em in the corner of the garage between snows. My 2x4 pockets in my bed line up nicely to hold them close to the tailgate. $15 buys you enough to lower your rear suspension a couple inches.

Jay

I keep 7 or 8 of those on the side of the house (the black widows like 'em) that I used as cheap clamps anytime dead weight is needed for a project. I find myself laminating lots of plywood together for some reason lately...black widows ain't happy about it.... :D

[JayStPeter]

Dom....

I've got 40 blocks here for FREE is you want to come and get them.!!!

Sounds like the offer I got yesterday. Left my pile at the old house when I moved. I've never actually paid for my cinder block ballast :)

Jay

[JayStPeter]

Now that is not a bad idea at all! They are also very useful in keeping your turning stock/wood pile off the wet ground

Then you'll be back in the same situation next year. Ya gotta have dedicated ballast ;)

Well ... OK, I've used mine for the same thing as Chris. But, never during a snow storm.

Jay

[Keith Outten]

Dominic,

You poor soul, you are truly sick and in need of professional help :)

I think you have plenty of company as well and I hope that we can find a doctor amoung our members who would offer his/her services to help you guys and gals out. Maybe we could setup a chat session every Tuesday night so that our turners can get medical advice or group therapy :)

With all of the new pen turners your group will most likely grow in the coming months. I hope the Doc doesn't make ya'll quit turning for the sake of your mental health, we would sure miss the pictures of the cool round things ya'll make.....

[Dominic Greco]

....Stop up before the next storm and I'll stock you up with some bedrock!

Yeah! Sure I'd love a 1000 lb block of limestone in the bed of my truck. One question though, "How the hell would I get it back out again?" :D

I can see myself muscling this thing out of the back of the truck, only to have it fall in the driveway, and stay there for a year or two. My wife would love that! (NOT!)

See ya,

[Dominic Greco]

You poor soul, you are truly sick and in need of professional help :)

Hmmmmm Yah think? :D

My wife has despaired at the ever growing wood pile in the back yard. She has decreed that this year it be cut back by 1/2.

So I guess I'll have a lot of time in the shop, over the summer! I don't want to. I have to now. You heard her. I'm only trying to be a good husband.

[Jim Becker]

Yeah! Sure I'd love a 1000 lb block of limestone in the bed of my truck. One question though,[B][I] "How the hell would I get it back out again?"

Naaa, I'm talking about nice 20-50 lbs beauties that are easy to put in and easy to "blend into the landscape" during the warmer months. The only reason to use the tractor to fetch them is that the front end loader helps to avoid carrying them "a long way". Have tool...will use it! Besides, the biggest one I could lift would only be 450 lbs...hee hee

[Michael Cody]

Hi Everyone,

I ask you, "How pathetic am I?"

The weather forecast is calling for 4 to 8" of snow starting this afternoon and ending some time tonight. I have a 2 wheel drive pick up that handles as well as a Camero in snow (for those of you who don't know, that means "not really well".)

The most obvious answer to this dilemma is to drive SWMBO's FWD SUV. But what is she supposed to drive? So I end with plan "B". Adding ballast to the back of my pick up. During really heavy snow storms, I just shovel snow in the back. That has worked well. But there wasn't enough of an accumulation last night. So I turned to the only other source I could think of. My precious wood pile.

In order for me to get across the sheer lunacy of this situation, I need to set the mood. It's about 7:00 pm. It's dark and VERY cold in my back yard. So cold that my half Husky, half German Shepherd (I call him a "Shep sky") Boris won't follow me outside like he normally does. So here I am with flashlight in hand, trying to select the logs that will go into the back of my truck. And,.....begin,....!


See anything wrong with this? Up until several years ago, a log was just a log to me. See what turning has done to me? :D


I see nothing wrong with you at all .. don't want to waste good wood! Me I use shingles .. I have 8 bundles of cheap shingles, throw them in back of the truck (makes 640lbs) .. only fills the bed 3-4" so I can still haul stuff (1 ton springs & overloads).. In the spring put 'em in the back of the shed till next year!

Then to get it to go in the snow, get some decent rubber. I had GoodYear Workhorse M&S radials on my truck. Even with shingles in it, I could snow blow the yard bare couldn't hardly move the truck without sprinkling sand on the ground.. I couldn't even drive over the crown on the road if it was snow covered. I replaced them this year w/215-75r/15 Walmart Super Sports (special order Mud/Snow tires for 4x4's) @ 66$ each on the back and 215-75r/15 Walmart A/T Liberators on the front... total cost under 275$ ... thing handles snow like a dream. Drove across my mom's yard w/12" of fresh snow and pulled up a hill to her storage barn, put some insulation rolls (for my garage project) into the back, then drove out the 150 yrd long driveway (first use of it this winter) which is slightly uphill, stopped in the excess snow at the mouth from the snow plows and pulled out onto the road .... no problems at all. Tires are key here! You can order them online, have them shipped to local Wally world, they will call you when they get in and put them on .. no shipping etc..

That will fix your problems I done guarantee it.

[Ace Karner]

I just figured that I would live where it don't snow enuff to matter LOL