posted on April 18, 2001 06:00:21 AM new
If people worked as hard at honest work as they do scheming to cheat they would be rich all the quicker.
There was a fellow fired where my dad worked years ago because he would roll a few turns of copper tubing, which the place used a lot of, around his middle before he went home.
One night he was clipped by a car going
across the street from the guard house. He was not hurt real bad but they called an ambulance and insisted he get exaimined. One of the guards who witnessed it went with him and when the medic insisted he shed his coat in the truck he had a big roll of copper around his middle. - OPPS.
Another fellow built a custom trailer for his boat and set it over the fence into the parking lot with the crane during the night.
They caught him because he tipped them off that something was wrong because he was running the crane in the dark. If he had turned the yard lights on like normal nobody would have ever noticed if he set something down 10 foot inside the fence or 10 foot outside.
posted on April 18, 2001 06:04:17 AM newnettak, There is always someone who can't help themselves and will always try a scam. They always get found out.
I don't know diddly about the firewood business so I'm going to ask what might be a daft question.
Do you sell different types of firewood?
By that, are different types of wood dearer or cheaper than others?
eg. Would a ton of redgum be worth more than say a ton of blue gum?
Is there a choice or is wood just wood?
I have an ulterior motive for asking and depending on your answer I will explain.
Bob, Downunder but never down.
posted on April 18, 2001 06:13:56 AM new
If we were talking about Queensland Red Gum, I would say through it in the bin, we would not sell it or the blue Gum for that matter, they are rubbish timbers and our clients come to us for our reputation for only supplying the best, which in our part of Australia is Seasoned Ironbark. By seasoned I mean that it has to be dead at least 25 years, but in fact the older and deader it is the better it will be for burning.
Ironbak is like your River Red Gum, it is a dense timber and will outburn most other timbers around, it emits very little smoke and that is what anyone with allergies is looking for. Even the asthma society will tell you that if you are burning wood, make sure it is Ironbark.
We also sell a mixed hardwood blend, but it is inferior really, and we only started to sell that a few years ago, because the back yard operaters were undercutting us price wise and we had to fight back somehow. We have a lot of clients that buy the mixed hardwood because it is cheaper, but really they are not saving, because they are going to burn 2-3times more than they would if they had just parted with the extra and gotten the Ironbark in the first place.
posted on April 18, 2001 06:18:46 AM new
I forgot to say, Mouse emailed me, she said to say goodnight to you all, as she can not for some reason get back into the thread.
It was a bit slow when I first came in, but it seems okay now.
posted on April 18, 2001 06:21:55 AM new
Thanks nettak, I thought that might be the case.
I have often noticed while out in the bush that different woods will burn better or worse than others.
The other thing I have noticed is the different smells that different timbers give off while they are burning.
It just struck me that with the ever increasing popularity of aromatic oils and the use of incense, would there be a market for "gourmet" woods in small bags for people wanting a particular fragrance to their fires?
Does that sound daft or could there possibly be a niche market for it?
eg. You could have iron bark fragrance one night and River Red Gum another. For something different another night could be Sandalwood.
Bob, Downunder but never down.
posted on April 18, 2001 06:25:50 AM new
Hi Gravid, I didn't mean to be rude and ignore you. I'm just getting my thoughts down while the brain is still ticking over.
You're right about the amount of effort some people will go to just to cheat the system. Had they being honest in the first place it would be a whole lot easier!
Bob, Downunder but never down.
posted on April 18, 2001 06:29:51 AM new
You know what Bob if you know where there is a good supply of sandlewood and we could go into business. They ship that stuff overseas for big, and I mean Big money. They make incense sticks and matches ect with it. Huge money to be made if you have the right supply, I have the contacts but not the wood. I know men that would kill for a good on going supply of it.
It is a good market to bag the wood, but it is very costly and most people will not pay the $$ for it over a long period of time. We charge a fair amount for our bagged wood, but it takes a lot of extra time and man power to get it ready and prepared in the bags.
Some of the continental shops might sell the different scented woods, like the asians ect, but most others just want any type of wood to keep them warm through winter.
posted on April 18, 2001 06:35:05 AM newnettak, Time I went bush again!
Where's my axe and chainsaw!
From memory most of the good Sandalwood is out west in the desert country.
Is there a market for Thong Wood. There's a lot of old thongs down on the beach!
Bob, Downunder but never down.
posted on April 18, 2001 06:35:57 AM new
I also am sorry Gravid, I did not mean to be rude and ignore you, but like Bob, I had to concentrate on what I was saying.
It never ceases to amaze me how much thought some people put into ripping someone else off, you know if they only put the same effort into getting a job or doing the job properly that they do have, they may not have to rip anyone off. Can you imagine what they are teaching to their children. "Oh that's okay son, if you want that tyre for your bike, you just pinch little Jimmy's, his dad can afford another one". It is a sad world we live in.
Bob I forgot to tell you that most of our deliveries are bulk loose loads. But you probably already figured that one out for yourself.
posted on April 18, 2001 06:42:12 AM new
G'day mates, at least it is here. 9:40 AM Wednesday and you are all busy doing business. After a good nights rest I am ready to be silly...I have started a jokes thread and expect some funny stuff from my Mates down under. Nettak and Mouse, nice of you to drop by my poetry thread. Mouse I will try and find the poem you requested. Hello Gravid and Bob Bob, here in the states small bundles of apple wood, and cedar are sold at premium prices for their aromatic qualities. I love the smell of applewood burning, reminds me of Grams baked apples. Where is Pharlap? I'll be counting on you to add some spice to the jokes thread. {{{hugs to you all}}}
[ edited by zilvy on Apr 18, 2001 06:45 AM ]
posted on April 18, 2001 06:44:25 AM new
Thong wood hey! Well that is a newy on me. LOL
Desert country would sound right for the sandlewood. I can not remember the exact sort of money that it is going for, but it is reasonably high, and would be worth the work if you could get 100 odd ton of the stuff. LOL
I don't think I have every told you that we have sent wood to Japan and Denmark.
The first lot that went to Japan, was a few years ago now. When they first rang and asked about it, I actually thought it was a friend having a joke with me. It is a good thing that the fellow that we were dealing with was a really understanding guy. haha
What a job that one was, it rained and the forklift got bogged in the mud, so did the truck, and we had to tow them out with my old car. Which at the time was a HZ holden would you believe. LOL That was so funny.
The wood that went to Denmark always went packed straight into a container, that was an easy job. But when it goes to Japan it has to be packed into bags and they have to be a certain size, the first time it was 25kg bags, and that is fine, but the last time they had to be 9 kg bags and that is a big pain in the butt. It is because the Japanese are lazy and do not want to have to carry anything heavy or at least what they call heavy.
posted on April 18, 2001 06:44:59 AM newzilvy, Good to see you. It's a quarter to midnight here so if we're not careful and still on the net in fifteen minutes time, we all turn into cyber-pumpkins!
Bob, Downunder but never down.
posted on April 18, 2001 06:49:00 AM newnettak, Thong Wood comes from Thong trees. Thong birds live in Thong trees and whistle Thing a thong of thixpence.
They all have lisps!
Bob, Downunder but never down.
posted on April 18, 2001 06:50:02 AM newBob the best burning wood in our area is seasoned oak...we had quite a number of oaks that needed clearing when we first moved here and I was helping hubby off load a good amount out of the back of our ancient station wagon. I kept looking at the bottoms of my shoes and asked to see his...he asked me what the matter was? Well,
I thought one or the other of us had stepped in Dog Dooo (to be polite) it smelled horrible, turns out fresh oak smells like that....I hadn't stepped in anything just had a carful of Phewww aroma!!! It takes a minimum of a year to get rid of that smell. Really clean slow burning wood. Hot fire!!
posted on April 18, 2001 06:52:00 AM new
ROTFLMAO Those poor lisping little birdies, I wonder if they are related to Ita. LOL I am just too funny. hahaha
Could I get sued for that, oh well Stan the man says worse to her and he still has his job.
posted on April 18, 2001 06:54:46 AM new
zilvy, an old timer down here once told me that there was nothing better than old cherry wood for a good slowburning fire.
I've never used it but have no reason to doubt him.
Bob, Downunder but never down.
posted on April 18, 2001 06:55:16 AM new
The Ironbark is a really slow hot burning wood and it burns down to a fine white ash, leaving little or no charcoal residue.
Zilvy, we have a tree called a Bloodwood tree and when it is first cut, it ponks really bad, you would swear that you have tread in something not so pleasant. LOL But it burns very well.
posted on April 18, 2001 07:00:00 AM new
Well I am going to love you all and leave you. It is getting late and I have to work in the morning, okay I know my office is at home but that doesn't stop the phones from ringing ect. Bob have you done your BAS yet, I feel like I have just finished one and the next one is here already. Gosh I didn't know 3 months could go so fast.
posted on April 18, 2001 07:03:10 AM new
A young girl was in the doctors getting examined.
Big breaths, said the doctor.
Yeth, haventh I, she said!
Bob, Downunder but never down.
posted on April 18, 2001 07:05:57 AM new
'Night nettak, I'm going to call it quits too.
Sorry to run out on you zilvy, but bed's a calling.
Catch you all tommorow.
Bob, Downunder but never down.
posted on April 18, 2001 07:40:37 AM new
Looks like I came back too late for the Aussies. Yhey are so polite. If the subjected bored you and you just did not want to reply I would not be hurt.
In Michigan here few people actually heat with wood unless they are really scratching for pennies, but a lot of people have fireplaces and want a fire once a week or so.
The supermarket has plastic shrink wrap bundles of wood that is just enough for one quick fire in the fireplace for sale with a plastic carry handle to make it easy to take home.
I know quite a few people with wood stoves in their out buildings they fire up if they want to work on the car or something in the winter. A lot of people have cabins up in the northern part of the state and bring trailer loads of wood back home so the market is real competative for fire wood. Some people buy a tractor trailer load of logs that are unloaded with a big hydalic arm and cut and split it themselves.
Most of our wood is oak and maple but sometimes you see others. Apple if someone took down an orchard.
A lot of the retaurants have wood fired ovens for pizza and grills and Mesquite is the wood of choice. It is very hard to describe the flavor but it is distinctive. Lighter than Hickory.
I am sad to say I have rarely seen anyone with a sharp ax here, and few know how to cook over an open fire in a camp. I am looking for a source of titanium alloy to make a camp trivot that will allow you to hang things over a fire. steel ones are too heavy.
The street leading to our condo street is lined with tall black walnut - some of them with trunks 3 foot through. I am surprised I have never see one rustled as that can be a problem with them. Some of those trees are worth $15,000. In the fall the squirrels are running everywhere with the huge walnuts in their mouths and the sidewalks and street are a mess from the outer husks. It stains your carpet if you track it in.
posted on April 18, 2001 02:46:49 PM new
Sorry I didn't stick around last night... I waited for ages but no one showed up I'll just post this then pop back in later tonight...
Nettak - Got the peeps!!! Thanks for that I've tried one and I have to tell you that they really aren't bad. I guess you just have to have a really sweet tooth like me I'm leting some of them 'mature' and will try one microwaved today... Anyone volunteering to come over and clean up the mess???
If I ever vanish in the middle of a conversation like I did a couple of nights back please don't think I'm being rude! You were right Nettak - isp throwing me off again
I went to my first RL auction on Tuesday night and what can I say but I'm addicted!!! I couldn't believe how cheap everything was going for!!! It was almost criminal... I met a lovely lady there that goes all the time and she showed me the ropes. She says that this auctionhouse have auctions every Tuesday night. This is a bit of a problem as I usually never have Tuesdays off work (this week was just a fluke). I think I'll have a chat with my manager to see if I can swap my days around otherwise it'll be absentee votes for me (and we know that those are pretty useless...)
Zilvy - I've posted an offensive (to some at least) joke to your thread as requested...
Gravid - good to see you posting here again I'll have to try to be around at the same time so we can have a chat.
posted on April 18, 2001 02:46:56 PM new
Hey everyone, I'm a little late in joining in, or is it that I'm too early?
Gravid, just read your post and thought I'd comment on open camp fire cooking. We actually use Netta's bagged firewood when we go camping - great stuff!!! We have a beaut little contraption that we use over the fire, it is a steel rod that stands erect and we have 4 horizontal rods at different heights up the vertical rod. These allow you to place your pots etc on them to gain different heat temperatures, they swing in any direction. We also use a cast iron camp oven, you put it straight into the coals and cover the lid with coals as well. I made a great Beer Stew the other day when we were camping. Our kettle sits permanently in the coals so we have boiling water all the time.
There's a great little book you can get here in Aussie land, called "Thommos Camp Cooking"
It's full of recipes and ideas, it's my camping Bible.
Hi Netta, sorry I missed you last night, we had that horrid family over last night, them and their 4 kids They got here at about 4.00 p.m. and just wouldn't leave, they bought a carton of beer with them and asked me straight out if they could stay for tea!!!!! Well, I ended up cooking Spaghetti Bolognaise for all of us - 9 of us all together and then they had the hide to leave me with all the cleaning up!!!
O.K. enough of my complaining. I'll come back soon. Has anyone heard from Hepburn?
She hasn't been here for awhile. Hi to everyone else that I missed last night.
posted on April 18, 2001 09:46:53 PM new
Hello dear friends, gosh I wish I could hang in, maybe I'll just have to start getting up earlier, then I will be able to talk ON YA!
Mouse before I forget...MaddieNicks
found your poem...
The Highwayman
Alfred Noyes
The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding -
Riding - riding -
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.
She has posted the whole poem on page 2 near the bottom...just for you. Says it is one of her favs too. I'm glad she came up with it I was having a problem...my searches kept coming up with something called The Happy Highwayman...and I knew he wasn't happy!!
We had snish (snow & rain) April 18th...unbelievable! It didn't stick but it made the day cold and uncomfortable. I need the real SPRING!! Doggone it this is getting ridiculous. Pharlap so girl, you have found the joys of auctioning in RL. Be careful it gets addictive and even if the prices are good if you go home with a trunkful it gets pricey real fast. HAve fun, I love a good auction.
Goodnight to you all...have fun maybe I'll be able to catch you before you all head off.
posted on April 18, 2001 10:22:35 PM new
Hi everyone! Whew, I am so glad I have a head-nerd, um I mean IT Professional, as a husband! It seems my browser crashed last night right after the last post I made. I tried everything to fix it and couldn't. So he gave me a temporary fix tonight, but he's going to have to crap it already and reformat, sigh. I knew this thing was unstable dang it!
Thanks to Netta for telling everyone goodnight for me!
Thanks to Zilvy for letting me know about the poem! That's the one, I'm so excited to go over and read it as soon as I post this!!
posted on April 19, 2001 12:11:27 AM new
Hello Everyone, I am in early today, and I will be in and out because I have to get dinner ready for the hoards. I am a bit tired tonight as well so if I just up and disappear I may have fallen asleep.
We finally got our truck back from the smash repairer. Being one truck down has been a real pain in the behind, I was starting to worry because we are getting rather busy and need all hand on deck as well as all trucks. Anyway the smash repairer rang today and told me it was ready to be picked up. You know what though, we have not heard one word from the insurance company, the only time we heard anything from them was when I had to chase them up to get them to come out and assess the damage and they had to arrange the tow truck to come and take it to the repairers workshop. Wouldn't you think that they would at least have let us know what the heck was going on. We were not even told that they were going to fix the thing, for all we knew they could have been going to write the truck off, because it was very close to the mark for it to be written off. But the fact of the matter is that they did not even let us know one way or another.
Not to worry , I guess the main thing is that we have it fixed and back to work again.
posted on April 19, 2001 01:17:19 AM new
Hi Netta, I'm in early too. Loved your little note that I was ignoring you!!! I've spent most of the day whizzing around all the threads and having a ball. Can't tell I'm bored can you?
Did you see my post about the "gannet" family? You'd know who I mean.
Yes, beloved son has spotted all the Tim Tams, and been given strict instructions to leave em alone. Better post them tomorrow while they are still intact.
I'll be in and out of here tonight.
I am just too funny. hahaha
Hippy wannabe 
~^~