Free Outdoor Stand Materials

[Ramblinrev]

Plus the cardinal rule of hanging... say it with me now... "Never hang from a dead tree...!"

[Cannibal]

A point of reference... A cord of firewood (128 cubic feet) weighs well over a ton. So a 50' log with an average size of 1 cubic foot per linear foot is roughly 1/3 cord. Therefore you could expect it to weigh 1000# That's without the creoasote treatment wi is very heavy. Plus the cord of firewood is porous where as the log is solid. You could be talking 400-500# per length depending on the wood and the size.

Daaaaaang!
I really don't care much for the 'real' world. Oh well, I've been telling myself I need to get back to the weight room again.
I was already ahead of you on the rolling pin concept, but I don't think I'm gonna be able to come up with a peavie. Looks like a fun thing to mount on the wall for home defense.

[Ramblinrev]

Peavie should be fairly easy to come up with. Anyone who deals with firewood would have one and might let you borrow it for an afternoon. Or they should rent for fairly cheap. They are not uncommon in places where wood and logs are handled.

[Cannibal]

lots of national forests allow you to go out and cut standing beetle-kill pine for free too. this might be an option as you could get some more reasonable sized pieces.

you gonna invite me to the house warming party?

Yeah but (my favorite two words ever), there are reports of the beetles infesting urban yards as a result of all the mulch being made from the dead pines. I don't want to contribute to that in the slightest. Free firewood and I won't even go get it for fear of the terrible beetle.

Hells yeah your invited to the house warming party! Anybody else that wants to make a trip to Denver is welcome too. Gonna take us a couple of weeks to get everything squared away, but after that the firepit (did I mention it has a firepit in the yard ) will be on full tilt and the BBQ will be a smokin.

Peavie should be fairly easy to come up with. Anyone who deals with firewood would have one and might let you borrow it for an afternoon. Or they should rent for fairly cheap. They are not uncommon in places where wood and logs are handled.

Firewood place right down the road from the new place. Maybe they'll let me borrow one. Good call.

[salmonofdoubt]

Peavie should be fairly easy to come up with. Anyone who deals with firewood would have one and might let you borrow it for an afternoon. Or they should rent for fairly cheap. They are not uncommon in places where wood and logs are handled.

I know Tractor Supply and Northern Tool both carry logging equipment, you should be able to get one from them. You may also be able to find one at a hardware store that supplies farming equipment.

A winch and a good tractor would probably help as well.

By the time you assemble all of this you're a long way away from free. You may be better off just getting some 4x4"x12' pressure treated lumber from Home Depot. You can tie a few of those to just about any car or truck, and you don't have to deal with all the creosote. Just my 2 cents anyway...

[Ramblinrev]

Don't underestimate the cost of the post hole digger. You will need an auger digger to go down 3' and the largest auger I have seen for home use is about 8" in diameter. That's not going to do much for a utility pole. (My experience with these is not extensive, but I have seen one that size snag a rock and throw the two guys trying to handle it.) You may end up needing a tractor mounted auger to deal with this. A local farmer may be able to supply that but you'd likely have to work around the farm's schedule. The good news is the harvest is a ways off. The bad news is the harvest is fast approaching.

Just how good a mooch are you? Mooching is an art form and not to be dismissed lightly.

[Cannibal]

By the time you assemble all of this you're a long way away from free. You may be better off just getting some 4x4"x12' pressure treated lumber from Home Depot. You can tie a few of those to just about any car or truck, and you don't have to deal with all the creosote. Just my 2 cents anyway...

Well sure, but not nearly as much fun!

Don't underestimate the cost of the post hole digger. You will need an auger digger to go down 3' and the largest auger I have seen for home use is about 8" in diameter. That's not going to do much for a utility pole. (My experience with these is not extensive, but I have seen one that size snag a rock and throw the two guys trying to handle it.) You may end up needing a tractor mounted auger to deal with this. A local farmer may be able to supply that but you'd likely have to work around the farm's schedule. The good news is the harvest is a ways off. The bad news is the harvest is fast approaching.

Just how good a mooch are you? Mooching is an art form and not to be dismissed lightly.

I actually just played a secret ace I've had up my sleeve. When I first moved to Colorado as a 20something, I worked as a caisson hole driller. For those who don't know what that is, in this case they are basically piers that go down to bedrock; keeps the foundations from slipping and are required in most new construction out here. Anybody that has flown into DIA has landed on my handywork since I helped drill the caissons for the runways back in the 90s. Anyhow, when I moved back I made it a point to go visit the old shop (still family owned after all these years) and say 'hello'. I just called them and guess what? They are gonna come drill the holes for me...gratis. Of course, the caisson sleeves are steel so they require a crane to lift into and out of the holes. They said the weight of a 15' section of telephone pole would be no problems at all. Even said they would help me pick them up; ie; no trailer rental either. Only catch is that I have to play 'laborer' again. It'll be good for the back. Good to know dirty people.

[Ramblinrev]

First class moocher...... way to go...

[oldgringo]

Now yer talkin'.

I was already planning a similar project...one pole to supplement a single oak tree on a grassy knoll on some property I own. Just me, a set of posthole diggers, and the pole. This will require adult beverages.

[Cannibal]

Now yer talkin'.

I was already planning a similar project...one pole to supplement a single oak tree on a grassy knoll on some property I own. Just me, a set of posthole diggers, and the pole. This will require adult beverages.

Before AND after.