Craigslist firewood story

[Fubar411]

I have had the misfortune of going after "free firewood" posts on Craigslist for the last six months. 90% of the time, it is some homeowner trying to get free work with the promise of keeping some wood, oh but you have to take *all* of it. Yeah, thanks.

So I had a lead on some nice black oak in a richy area of town near my house (only on the other side of the train tracks). They were taking down a ~40' tree and said that I could take whatever firewood I wanted. Sounds great.

Well, I show up in the afternoon to find an othropedic surgeon and his brother, working a rented bucket, with an 16" electric chainsaw trying to bring down a big dead oak. Funny that this guy has million dollar hands and he's trying to save a few hundred bucks.

I do see an new looking Stihl 025 sitting on the ground and ask why they're not cutting with that. "Oh, the chain is stuck". I know I should have just offered him cash for that "broken" saw and be on my way, but I did the right thing and show them how to take off the chain brake. They were more than a little surprised and PO'ed at the poor little guy.

We got the tree down A LOT faster with the gas saw, and I got a great load of black oak for my wood pile.

 

[Tzed250]

One of those people that is too smart for their own good...

 

[logbutcher]

It's Those Damn Silly HOMEOWNERS Again

I have had the misfortune of going after "free firewood" posts on Craigslist for the last six months. 90% of the time, it is some homeowner trying to get free work with the promise of keeping some wood, oh but you have to take *all* of it. Yeah, thanks.

Geez, those damn silly stupid HOMEOWNERS again. They're all over the place doing those Darwin Award acts over and over so that US real men can show them how the smart pros do it. Shouda known.......

Boy, can you imagine, the MD didn't know about a chain brake !! Can you believe it Samantha ? And, did I show show them a thing or two.....
Bet the MD don't know the right end of a proctoscope......I'll show that MD home owner ...you wait. LOO KING, LOOKING, LOOKING.............:chainsawguy: :chainsawguy:

 

[Lakeside53]

I get a few per week with the chain brake on... One guy came in last week loaded for bear "you guys just serviced this damn thing, charged me $75, and now the chain won't move" His rant contiuned on how it cost him an entire weekend of work... blah blah blah.... I liked that one.. so did the store full of customers.. and yes, I was nice to him...

 

[logbutcher]

That's the Pro Way

I get a few per week with the chain brake on... One guy came in last week loaded for bear "you guys just serviced this damn thing, charged me $75, and now the chain won't move" His rant contiuned on how it cost him an entire weekend of work... blah blah blah.... I liked that one.. so did the store full of customers.. and yes, I was nice to him...

Good going Andy....that's the pro way to go. Nice approach that always gives back. Even if the rant guy never appologises for his ignorance and manners. A gold star on your forehead

 

[MNTAINGAL23]

homeowner

THere was a saw a while back for sale on ebay. A guy was selling it for a friend.
The story on it was his friend (pretty well off) needed a tree down. Well he thought he would save some money and do it himself with a new stihl saw he bought.
To make a long story short the guy took down his own tree along with the garage ($12,000 worth) and a few other things in the driveway.:hmm3grin2orange:
Cost him a heck of alot because he didn't want to pay someone to do it for him.
At least he didn't hurt anyone in the process but his pride and wallet.

 

[oldsaw]

I get a few per week with the chain brake on... One guy came in last week loaded for bear "you guys just serviced this damn thing, charged me $75, and now the chain won't move" His rant contiuned on how it cost him an entire weekend of work... blah blah blah.... I liked that one.. so did the store full of customers.. and yes, I was nice to him...

I used to love doing that to customers with big mouths. The ones who like to "rally" the other customers in loud earshot to their side. The customers usually want to see what is going on, ie, what all the commotion is about, then after they have vented, do the minor little thing that they overlooked, and make them look as stupid as they were trying to make you.

What goes around, comes around, except it can gain a lot of velocity on the way. I try to be nice to people first, it saves me from needless embarrassment.

Mark

 

[rreidnauer]

. . . . . with an 16" electric chainsaw trying to bring down a big dead oak. Funny that this guy has million dollar hands and he's trying to save a few hundred bucks.

I do see an new looking Stihl 025 sitting on the ground and ask why they're not cutting with that. "Oh, the chain is stuck". I know I should have just offered him cash for that "broken" saw and be on my way, but I did the right thing and show them how to take off the chain brake.

I doubt I would have been as generous in that situation. Might have brought over my own saw, and asked for the 025 as payment for my services.

 

[logbutcher]

Will All the "Homeowners" Kindly Raise Their Hands ?

That "Homeowner" Proctologist you're not nice to, may..........................:help: :help: :help: .

And, will those "pros" who know everthing, kindly raise their hands ??:hmm3grin2orange:

Then there's the story of my First Sgt Instructor @ Camp Elgin..................:biggrinbounce2:

 

[gasman]

When all else fails read the directions. LOL.

I'd be lost without the little paper books things come with.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[MNTAINGAL23]

When all else fails read the directions. LOL.

I'd be lost without the little paper books things come with.:hmm3grin2orange:

You actually read the directions?

Most men throw them to the side because they know better than the directions.:hmm3grin2orange:

Almost like stopping and asking directions.:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Fubar411]

Geez, those damn silly stupid HOMEOWNERS again. They're all over the place doing those Darwin Award acts over and over so that US real men can show them how the smart pros do it. Shouda known.......

Boy, can you imagine, the MD didn't know about a chain brake !! Can you believe it Samantha ? And, did I show show them a thing or two.....
Bet the MD don't know the right end of a proctoscope......I'll show that MD home owner ...you wait. LOO KING, LOOKING, LOOKING.............:chainsawguy: :chainsawguy:

are you trying to be a jackass?

 

[Mike mandry]

Hey FUBAR......

If your looking for some free wood, I know where there is a lot of good, big oak in Winfield.

 

[SawTroll]

You actually read the directions?

Most men throw them to the side because they know better than the directions.:hmm3grin2orange:

Almost like stopping and asking directions.:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

I do, my wife usually don't, but have actually opened the manuals for the latest saws we got, and started reading..........:biggrinbounce2:

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I have mixed experiences with free firewood posts on Freecycle. One wanted help clearing a fence line. Decent amounts of nice black locust and all I had to do is pile the brush centrally so he could burn it. Nice retired English chap freshly imported to be with his daughter since she married one of us Yanks. He said England wasn't what it used to be.

On the flip side, there were two that wanted me to clean up a bunch of 6" elms in their back yard and drag all the brush to the road and the guy who had 3 pieces of good firewood on a pile of rotten junk, and you bet, had to take it all by wheelbarrow load, no access for the truck. I left it all in his safe keeping.

Ian

 

[Lakeside53]

I do, my wife usually don't, but have actually opened the manuals for the latest saws we got, and started reading..........:biggrinbounce2:

Have you finished yet?:monkey:

 

[Fubar411]

Hey FUBAR......

If your looking for some free wood, I know where there is a lot of good, big oak in Winfield.

Funny, Mike. Very funny.

 

[Sodboa]

Logbutcher:
Do people commonly look at you with a questioning stare when you get done with one of those rants? But I gave you props you have a valid point. Just because someone does something for a living doesn't necessarily make him/her a "pro". Just because I don't make money with a saw doesn't mean I'm moron homeowner either.

I'm sure when the surgeon just started someone had to show him how to use the insturments of his profession. I didn't have the luxury of watching my dad do surgery on someones foot. I got to watch him cut down a few trees, so that is what I learned. It's not black or white, I'm not a pro and I'm not a moron homeowner either.

Now go cut something!:greenchainsaw:

 

[Sprig]

Ya did good Fubar, I am cringing at the image of (probably dull) electric nooby's bucket chainsawin' adventure, iyiyiyiyiyi. Sounds like it worked out just fine though and oak for the fire is nothing ta sneeze at, wish there was more around here available but we mostly have Gary Oak and I believe it is a protected species, really nice to burn on cold winter nights (saves the ol' 4am stoking ). This next winter I'll have some some nice arbutus to mix with the fir, woo-hoo!

 

[Husky137]

Have you finished yet?:monkey:

Shhhh! He's trying to read!:hmm3grin2orange: