New Meaning to Suburban Wood Cutting!

Kirk_Allen · November 16, 2003, 03:55:13 PM

I have continued to pull out free Cherry from the clear cut up the road from my subdivision and instead of taking the mill AND the trailer to the wood pile every day, I chose to simply set up the mill in my driveway and bring home the logs.

Advantages:
1.I have met neighbors I never knew I had.
2. I have been able to get rid of every peice of slab wood to those same neighbors I never met.
3. I can go in and warm up when ever I want to!

Boy, I cant wait to move back to the farm! 5 more months! 8) 8)

sawwood · November 16, 2003, 04:06:37 PM

Kirk looks like my back yard some times. Hope your city
doesn't mind you cutting at home. The city here has a
7 day liment on any pile left in the front or back. All my
neighbors don't mind but wow does the city.

Sawwood

Kirk_Allen · November 16, 2003, 04:36:27 PM

The Village recently passed a "NO BLOCK" rule for the sidewalks, so now, not only can we not park on the street from 11pm to 6am we can no longer block the sidewalk in our own driveway.

I haven't been ticketed yet but Im sure its coming.

As far as the logs go, I bring home several loads and spend a couple days cutting. When Im done, I stack all the wood on the trailer and shuttle it down to the family farm for storage.

We will be selling the suburban home soon and moving to the farm so I wont have anymore issues with the Village.

They did tell me that I cant park the mill next to my driveway becuase its considered a recreational vehicle. When I asked how they concluded that they told me since it has a motor, its a recreational vehicle. I asked them if they would like to joing me for a day of cutting and see how recreational it would be ;D

I can cut in my driveway forever provided its my own personal wood however I cant cut for hire on my own property.

How do you spell Comunism!

J_T · November 16, 2003, 05:07:39 PM

You got that right.Here our fire dues are now on our taxes ,havent had a fire in fifty years ??? Told them if I am forced to pay it they better keep their truck greased!! ;D

chet · November 16, 2003, 09:13:20 PM

Kirk you ain't some distant cousin to dat Mark character in North Dakota are ya. :D He was into dat suburban sawing too, 'till he bought da tirdy room house. https://forestryforum.com/cgi-bin/board/YaBB.pl?action=display;board=sawmill;num=1053225513;start=0#18

EZ · November 17, 2003, 02:10:04 AM

That sawing at home, really spoils a man. At times if a customer only has 2 or 3 logs, I'll ask him if its ok if I pick them up and saw them when I get time. ;D
EZ

GAV64 · November 17, 2003, 03:08:28 AM

Kirk,
How did you get them on the trailer, I have to do the same thing next week. glenn

rebocardo · November 17, 2003, 09:00:21 AM

Just me being paranoid, but, if you leave your sawmill trailer in your driveway I hope you wrap a wheel block and logging chain (1/2+ that can not be cut) around the wheel and axle and pop the lock up into the wheel. So the lock can be reached by a key, but, not a chain cutter. Boss's relative in FL had his construction trailer stolen with all his tools from someone that just drove in, hooked up, and was gone before anyone knew it.

Isn't it amazing what trees people throw out as trash. Recently someone threw out a perfectly good oak to the curb that was so big I could not even cut it with a 18 inch Poulan (all I had for a saw at the time). I got about a cord of wood from the smaller stuff before the city took it to the land fill.

Yea, I have meet a lot of neighbors just by having the saw out doing firewood. I have cut blocks of wood for the local kids to use for carving and cookouts too.

Kirk_Allen · November 17, 2003, 09:54:11 AM

GAV64 - I line the log up on the back of the trailer so it will roll up the ramps. If its to big to do by hand, I use a Warn 9000 lb winch. Once they are up on the trailer I have to grab one end with a chain and winch it further up the trailer.

By grabing one end it turns the log so it can come up straight on the trailer. Otherwise they roll up to the wheel fenders and stop.

Getting them off is easy! I use a steel rod driven into the ground about 2 feet and hook a chain to it with the other end on the log. Pull the trailer foward and off comes the log.

As far the the trailer in my driveway, I have the hitch assembly removed if I dont have a vehicle parked in front of the mill. This way they cant do as you described.

Kirk

MemphisLogger · November 20, 2003, 07:17:00 PM

Good lookin wood Kirk!

You load your logs like I do but I ain't got room in my driveway . . .

I just parallel park 'em in the street . . .

8)

Mark M · November 21, 2003, 08:06:32 AM

Kirk is right about meeting neighboors. I think I met every person on both sides of the block before I moved. Even had a couple stop by and say they were sorry to see us move cause they enjoyed watching the "action".

I'm getting the saw setup now for sawing at the 30-room house and hope to start making new friends. I even have a chuch pew that I will put by the saw so lots of people can sit and watch :D

Mark

Minnesota_boy · November 21, 2003, 08:36:06 AM

Good idea. Watchers sometimes turn into customers too. 8)

Tom · November 21, 2003, 02:01:43 PM

Mark,
You need a fire pit with a grate in front of that fire pit. That way they can keep warm and maybe they'll make some coffee and if you're lucky, bring steaks. They can burn up your "last months" slab pile. :D

LSUNo1 · November 21, 2003, 04:40:46 PM

Kirk, my method of offloading was similar to yours but I used the base of a metal antenna imbedded in concrete. Operative word is "was". I got a little silly and hooked up a 36"dia. white oak and pulled the thing out of the ground.

I was talking to a buddy who drives timber piles and asked him for a cut off about 4 or 5 ft. long and I was going to bury it and pour a small slab on top, imbed a hook or eye bolt.

He talked me into trying burying a small boat anchor instead. Says he has used one to get his truck out of some bad situations when there was no tree to hook to. Anybody try this? When I get another mill I think Im gonna give it a try.

ksu_chainsaw · November 23, 2003, 06:37:50 PM

In one of my rock climbing classes, we were doing come alpine climbing, and the instructor wanted to show us how to anchor into a snowbank. He has us all turn away while he anchored the rope. When he finished, it took the entire class to pull the rope out. We then discovered that he had buried a BIC lighter at the end of the rope- what a surprise to all of us. A boat anchor buried should hold a lot of things, just depended on the weight rating of it.

Charles

Kirk_Allen · November 26, 2003, 04:22:03 PM

I recieved my "VIOLATION OF VILLAGE RULES" notice today. 8) 8) 8) 8)

They have accused me of running an industrial wood chipping business from my driveway.

Now had they only knocked on the door they would have found out that its a saw mill and not a wood chipper and that it is being used for personal use, not an industrial business.

Turns out you cant run a industrial business in a suburb....duh :

They gave me until Monday to remove the business from the driveway.

I wonder what there going to say when I send them a letter letting them know the facts of the situation.

I thought about callling them but it appears that a paper trail may be in order.

Timeing could not be any worse. I pulled out 5 larger Walnut logs today and they are sitting in the driveway and I have two more cherry logs to get before I am complete with all the free logs I found in the field.

It will be intersting to see the outcome. I will keep everyone posted on the politics of Algonquin 8)

Oh yeah, they also said I cant block the sidewalk in my driveway. Go figure!

My boy is home from College with a vehicle, my truck, my wifes car, and my mill. Cant park on the street because of winter street parking rules. Cant block the sidewalk for some other stupid reason so I wonder where they expect people to park. Good thing I dont have a couple of kids with vehicles, I would really be screwed!

Boy, I cant wait to move back to the farm! 8) 8) 8)

EZ · November 26, 2003, 05:17:38 PM

These worthless non-working people are always afraid a real working man is going to get ahead of them.
EZ

Stan · November 27, 2003, 01:51:37 AM

I think my signature line about covers your situation. :

woodmills1 · November 27, 2003, 04:18:20 AM

If you inten to try to continue your operation let me say a few things from experience. Get yourself a copy of both the village rules, and all of the necessary state laws. Arm yourself with this info because you will need it. I just finished, I think, a long and protracted battle with mytown, even though I am in an area where ,my operation is permitted. And even though I was initially given permission by the town to operate and did so for almost 1.5 years without problem, I ended up going to court at considerable expense to continue.

Frank_Pender · November 27, 2003, 04:34:40 AM

"Only in America" :-/

Kirk_Allen · November 27, 2003, 11:55:16 AM

What a dilema. I thought I would be all done with pulling out logs and I could be done this weekend but this morning opened up another oportunity.

I found a 18' Cherry with a 28" base that was straight as an arrow. Well, I got that one out of the pile and wouldnt you know it, another Cherry that is just as long, just as straight, and at the small end meausre 25 inches! 8) 8)

Not sure how big the butt is because its still beried under multiple trees. I will have to cut for a good 3-4 hours just to get to the base.

I think having all these logs in my driveway monday will be quite interesting. I expect to have the inspector tell me to stop operations. I cant wait!!!!!

According to our village code, I can operate any peice of equipment on my property I wish, provided its for personal use and not a business! The wood I am cutting is for my own use so they are going to have just get over the fact that I cut wood for my own pleasure and use!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will update the situation Monday.

Happy Thanksgiving.

MemphisLogger · November 27, 2003, 07:42:51 PM

Just tell 'em you're going to use the lumber to build a BIG Cherry privacy fence all the way around your property so you don't have to look at their ugly yuppie cars anymore ;D :D

Frank_Pender · November 28, 2003, 06:09:14 AM

Haven't you heard Kirk,we are in America, "it takes a village to raise a family" or was that a "kid". :-/ And besides the "group knows best", not father and mother. Read Anton Checkov's "the Cherry Orchard", it is all "axe plained" in the story line.

PS: I appologize for my sin a sism, but there are to many out there that think they know better how things should operate.

Fla._Deadheader · November 28, 2003, 06:14:27 AM

Well stated, Frank. I gotta get outta here. All the old farts do is walk and look and call the Gestapo. Po leece cheef says this is a great thing :

:

Need to lock and load

;D ;D

Kirk_Allen · November 28, 2003, 04:38:21 PM

I stired the pot today! 8)

Inspector came by and told me to cease my operations today.

This is what they saw when they showed up.

I kept cutting! They do not have the power of a court to tell me I cant cut my wood! My attorney informed me what to tell them! Boy is this going to be an interesting week.

Would this be called curly cherry? Almost every board had very detailed waives in it.

All done for today! 1200 BF cut today 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

650 BF of Walnut
200 BF of Cherry
350 of Hard Maple

Buzz-sawyer · November 28, 2003, 05:57:20 PM

Hey Kirk you still got the spunk of a yung guy...all I can say is ,"STICK IT TO THE MAN"

Frank_Pender · November 29, 2003, 08:22:55 AM

8)I do not know about curly Eastern Cherry. But, it sure is sloaping Cherry. ;D

The next time the fella show to give you some sort of notice I would hand him your attorney's business card. 8) 8)

Stephen_Wiley · November 29, 2003, 09:26:06 AM

Kirk,

I am not certain which you are having more fun with, finding the logs, making nice lumber or playing with the inspector's. :D

Fla._Deadheader · November 29, 2003, 09:36:54 AM

I vote fer option 3. 8) 8) Give 'em what for, I love it 8) 8) 8) :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Kirk_Allen · November 29, 2003, 04:39:57 PM

I think Im having more fun finding free cherry and other goodies in the wood pile!

1.Inspecotrs are a short lived pain in the you know what.
2. Playing with them is just as short lived.
3. Cutting wood and making things from it lasts forever!

I dug through the last wood pile today and found more cherry. Im beginning to think this field used to be a cherry orchard. I cut into the pile for close to 4 hours today and uncovered another 2 cherry trees.

I will post some pics tomorrow. Im going to take the mill to the logs this time.

No, Im not giving into the inspectors. I simply dont have any more room on my trailer to haul logs home because of the lumber I cut yesterday so I will cut it were it lies and use the neighbors truck to shuttle it back to the house and stack it in my back yard.

I wonder if they will accuse me of having a lumber yard? I currently have about 1000 BF of White Oak stacked in the back yard and another 500 BF of Birch. If I add the cherry to it Im confident they will find something to say about.

Oh well, it will have to be their problem not mine. The current trailer load will go to the farm Wednsday and I think I can get the rest of what is strored here in one more trip.

Boy will I be relived to have all this cut and stacked 8)

Kirk_Allen · November 30, 2003, 04:51:06 PM

IM DONE 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
I took an early trip to the farm with the load of wood I had from cutting the other day and I cut up the last of the Cherry in my local gold mine today 8)

This load from today was just over 1100 BF of some great looking wood!

Totals from the wood piles!

Cherry- 8200 BF
Red Oak - 6500 BF
Walnut - 1800 BF
Maple - 700 BF
Ash - 250 BF

Now I guess I have to build a Kiln so I can start using some of this stuff. I have it all air drying in our old chicken barn right now.

I guess now that my local wood supply is exhausted I can take the mill back to the farm. This should make the village inspector happy.

Anyone want to buy some cherry?

Buzz-sawyer · November 30, 2003, 08:58:28 PM

Hey Kirk...looks like your up about 10 grand minimum!
Don

Kirk_Allen · December 01, 2003, 08:38:07 AM

Buzz,
I hope that I can get a lot more than 10K.

I plan on planing one side and edging one edge after its dry and then try to sell most of it.

I do have 400 BF of Walnut sold "as is" and was given a deposit on it Saturday. I got $4.00 bf so Im happy since I dont have to mess with it anymore.

Is that a fair price? I know Rockler and Woodcraft sell if for about $7-8.00 bf but thats dried and planed on both sides and edged on both sides.

I have not sold any of the wood I have cut until this weekend and that was with no effort on my part. When I was unloading the last stack of wood a local woodworker was driving by and saw the trailer full of fresh cut wood and pulled in to talk. One thing led to another and I ended up selling wood on the spot.

MemphisLogger · December 01, 2003, 08:53:17 AM

That's an extremely good price--make that customer happy ;)

Keltic · December 01, 2003, 12:01:17 PM

Beautiful wood, I'm envious. I wish our cherry grew that large, here it's just a weed.

Kirk_Allen · November 14, 2005, 09:04:52 AM

I was asked yesterday what the + and - of living on the farm were and all I could think of was the things I dealt with in the suburbs. Thought I would bring it back to the front for all those new members who are just getting started or hoping to but not sure what to expect in a Suburban environment.

Boy am I ever happy here on the farm 8)