# Does anybody else like to collect wood more than like to turn?



## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

There was a huge ice storm this winter. There are thousands of trees down. I have been happier than a pig in poop with all of the free wood. These pictures are less than 1/2 of my wood collection.


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## preacherman (Nov 29, 2011)

I had a FB friend post about some cherry logs for free if you haul them away. when I called someone was there cutting them up for firewood!!! That was terribly upsetting. But yep we got trees everywhere don't we? I have been eyeing all these bradford pears everywhere. They are pretty good for bowls and such.
Did you guys have any serious damage? We were lucky to only be without power for about three and half days and no damage.


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

Those logs are too big and heavy for you. I would hate to see you hurt your back hoisting them onto your lathe. Besides, your lathe might get a hernia from the strain.....

What? Jealous? Me? Do I sound like I am jealous? In the spirit of helpfulness, I was just wanting to relieve some of your heavy burden, old buddy/friend/pal/Internet acquaintance. :laughing:


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

We didn't have any property damage. We were out of power for 4 days. Some of our friends were out of power for 11 days. A neighbor had several big maples down, but they wouldn't let me have them.


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## 9thousandfeet (Dec 28, 2014)

The problem with an overabundance like that, for me at least, is getting to them before the hyper-dry climate here in the mountains causes serious losses to checking.

Around here it's so dry that anytime the temperature is above freezing I have to put log sections in plastic bags in the back of the truck for the ride home, otherwise I lose a couple of inches off each end to checking in less than a couple of hours.

In the winter I can bury stuff in a snowbank for storage and it will be fine, but once spring hits anything already bucked close to length and left outside will have checks deep enough to be a huge problem in just a couple of weeks even if it's in the shade and out of the wind.

If all that wood was laying around here, I'd have to rummage through all those piles and try to stabilize the most promising pieces as soon as possible.
Otherwise, by mid-summer, a whole lot of it would be so badly checked it would no longer be anywhere near its full potential as turning stock, and some good sized portion of it would be so far gone it would end up as firewood for sure.

Maybe it's more humid and forgiving where you live. I sure hope so.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I would rather collect wood than rough turn green wood. :laughing:


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

I plan to haul all of it to an abandoned building. All of the oak will be fire wood anyway. The building is all concrete. It stays cool and dry. I live in Crossville TN. It is not very humid or dry. I would rather turn green wood vs dry any day. I wouldn't have cut it, but I can't get my tractor into people's muddy yard. I didn't cut any of it I picked most of it up off the side of the road.


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## Horatio (Apr 4, 2012)

My backyard looks something like that. Got some mesquite, some ash, pecan....and alot of it has been sitting for a long while since my turning has been out of commission. I have issues with, especially when not set up the way I want to, saving certain pieces for unnamed future projects when I feel I'm ready or some such nonsense. Still have a monster cedar burl that I don't know what to do with. 

In the process of getting going again but its still going to be a while. Until then, my wood piles will remain and likely accumulate critters.


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

When,
I've had the best luck when acquiring logs like that by cutting the logs into blanks right away and then sealing the end grain with anchor seal. I rough them to a size that will fit on my bandsaw with my chainsaw. My first couple of cuts on each log are to get rid of the pith in the center. They seem to resist cracking that way and are also ready to go on the lathe.
Mike Hawkins


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## Hwood (Oct 21, 2011)

Ya I got a collection as well. Wife never even got here car in the garage last year..and the stuff in the garage is just the stuff I plan to get to soon.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

Here is the rest of my supply


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## Bonanza35 (Jan 20, 2011)

Wood hoarding is no laughing matter. It's a real illness. Your only hope is an intervention by people who care about you and will turn that wood for you. We are here for you! Because we care, of course. What's your address?


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

I only have about 50 cord of logs, and about 5,000 BF of sawed lumber. That is not that bad is it? The neighbor is having 5 big oak trees cut tomorrow. I am going to have to buy a dump truck, and get a job at the sawmill.


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## tewitt1949 (Nov 26, 2013)

I heat my shop with wood in the winter here in winter. Problem is I have to cut much more wood than I use because I check every piece and save it for turning. I'm got more wood than I'll ever turn, but I keep on saving more. Whats wrong with me?


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

I like turning wood more than collecting wood, but I find that collecting wood is a necessary part of turning since I've learned that any wood you buy is not likely to be ready to turn - so, you collect, so when that project comes along, you have a piece that's ready


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## JodyS (Apr 1, 2015)

Oh no.....I thought having a house full of yarn and fiber (knitting and spinning yarn) was a bad obsession.... And now I want to start turning? I'm in BIG trouble here......


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

Here is the rest of my stash.


















Here is another maple tree, but it is in the middle of a swamp.


















This is another huge maple tree a want to saw. It is about 30 inches at the stump.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

I couldn't upload the pictures in the last post.


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## rabies (Apr 3, 2015)

free section on CL people are always listing fresh cut or even old cut up trees around here. 
i actualy went and picked up some black walnut. really wish i had a sawmill in my back yard.
or even a jig for my small chainsaw to slab things for boxes i make.


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## Nial Foster (Mar 27, 2015)

Bonanza35 said:


> Wood hoarding is no laughing matter. It's a real illness. Your only hope is an intervention by people who care about you and will turn that wood for you. We are here for you! Because we care, of course. What's your address?


Ready to join! I guess I have a flair for fresh cut trees and pick the wood everywhere.


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## MGP Roofing (Jul 10, 2010)

I'm in this club too--half of the carport is full as is half the workshop, and a big stack on the drive with a tarp over it. I got all sorts including quite a bit of swamp Kauri. I also have wood stored as living trees on a farm an hour from home in one direction, and an hour the other way is some more swamp kauri stumps I need to go cut up if they're still there...


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## Daniel Jechura (Dec 17, 2012)

I have the same problem, 13 pick up truck load stored around inside my garage and 4 truck loads outside my garage. A friend asked me this week if I wanted any cherry from a tree he cut down, so I brought home 2 more tuck loads and one more next week. If you live near Temperance Mich. contact me maybe we can make a deal. Ambrosia maple, some birch, a little bit of apple, cherry and anything else I can find. South east corner of Michigan, over the line from Toledo Ohio.

Dan


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## rtindell (Apr 8, 2013)

I don't have much stacked up now..but my buddy has a tree removal business and when he gets something still live standing he calls me to see if I want it...have some butternut in garage now I need to cut up...these pieces are like 25-26" diameter I'm excited... Lol..told him he needs to drop some black walnut and cherry.


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