Craigslist firewood story
- Thread starter Fubar411
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Friend called and said a neighbor had cut down a big tree, needed somone to haul it away, already cut to stove length and stacked along the road, just come get it. I figured, uh, huh, but went down, thirty miles as my buddy asked me real politely to help them out. Got there, the pieces were cut up alright, but about three to four feet long, largest ones about thirty-inch diameter. I couldn't even roll one [on sod and damp soil]. I literally could not roll them six inches, much less think about getting them up a 2x10 into my truck. Oh, did I mention they were in BACK of the house, chainlink fence across the front yard, too. No gate.
Owner came out, said, well, you should've brought a wheelbarrow. Throw them over the fence, load them up. I asked him to move one single piece, he couldn't. It had been a live tree, so you know how heavy those "rounds" were. I said, there are three ways this can go. One, you can take down a section of the chainlink, get about three more big guys and maybe, just maybe, get this stuff moved out. But probably not. Two, you can let me cut the rounds down very, very small so I can move them, but I don't want to and it would take me hours [very large tree, very green]. Three, they can sit here and eventually rot away.
He said neighbors had complained about saw noise so no more cutting. The fence was not gonna be taken down. I left. Don't know whatever happened to the wood. My buddy called that night, said the neighbor was ticked off at me for not taking the free wood. I told him the story, he agreed with me.
Owner came out, said, well, you should've brought a wheelbarrow. Throw them over the fence, load them up. I asked him to move one single piece, he couldn't. It had been a live tree, so you know how heavy those "rounds" were. I said, there are three ways this can go. One, you can take down a section of the chainlink, get about three more big guys and maybe, just maybe, get this stuff moved out. But probably not. Two, you can let me cut the rounds down very, very small so I can move them, but I don't want to and it would take me hours [very large tree, very green]. Three, they can sit here and eventually rot away.
He said neighbors had complained about saw noise so no more cutting. The fence was not gonna be taken down. I left. Don't know whatever happened to the wood. My buddy called that night, said the neighbor was ticked off at me for not taking the free wood. I told him the story, he agreed with me.
Ductape
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I've been watching for free wood on Craigslist myself...... with less than great results. Most of the people i've responded too admitted the trees in question were leaning over their house, and would need a bucket truck to remove them. How did they know the job needed a bucket??? I'd say they had a couple tree services look at them. Take down the tree and you can keep the wood??? What.... with a $100/hr ++ bucket truck? People are funny... i guess you can't blame them for trying.
However, yesterday i did ok. Found some people who had a couple trees taken down.... free for the taking. Contacted them.... yup... pickup load or more of oak on the ground. Headed there... good forty miles or so from home. What the heck.... its oak, right? And.... it was cut to random lengths, so no cutting there at least.... just load and go. So i took my dump trailer, figuring i'd get it half full. Loaded the trailer till it had all it wanted..... and left close to half a load on the ground! There is a little poplar too.... heck, i'll take it too. So... i guess i'll be heading back to get the rest when i have a chance.
Scott
However, yesterday i did ok. Found some people who had a couple trees taken down.... free for the taking. Contacted them.... yup... pickup load or more of oak on the ground. Headed there... good forty miles or so from home. What the heck.... its oak, right? And.... it was cut to random lengths, so no cutting there at least.... just load and go. So i took my dump trailer, figuring i'd get it half full. Loaded the trailer till it had all it wanted..... and left close to half a load on the ground! There is a little poplar too.... heck, i'll take it too. So... i guess i'll be heading back to get the rest when i have a chance.
Scott
While I was walking my two dogs last Saturday I spied a neighbor with a small electric chainsaw attempting to cut down a small-medium sized 18" sugar maple that had been struck by lightning.
As we came up to the scene of the action, I could see he had cut the top of the directional notch at about a 45 degree angle but had not made the horizonal cut and removed the notch. Then he came in from the otherside with the horizontal felling cut. His blade was small and he had to work from both sides.
I asked him if he needed some help and that I'd run get my 359 Husky (he didn't know what I was talking about, probably thought it was another dog). He stated that he didn't need any help (had done this many times before during his life).
The dogs and I stood way back and watched (I didn't want to miss this one and I figured the least we could do was dial 911).
He finally cut all the way through on the horizontal felling cut (forget this "hinge" business, which he probably never heard of). The tree started to fall (thank goodness it was a windy day and the pressure at the top of the tree was in the right direction). The tree sort of pivoted up on the top of the notch (remember he never made the horizonal notch cut and removed the notch), tore out a big section of heart wood as it fell, just missing the public street. He was very proud of himself and set about to limbing. Not a hint of safety equipment around.
He said he'd cut it up and leave it by the curb so if I wanted any come load it in the pickup. Now that I may take him up on.
As we came up to the scene of the action, I could see he had cut the top of the directional notch at about a 45 degree angle but had not made the horizonal cut and removed the notch. Then he came in from the otherside with the horizontal felling cut. His blade was small and he had to work from both sides.
I asked him if he needed some help and that I'd run get my 359 Husky (he didn't know what I was talking about, probably thought it was another dog). He stated that he didn't need any help (had done this many times before during his life).
The dogs and I stood way back and watched (I didn't want to miss this one and I figured the least we could do was dial 911).
He finally cut all the way through on the horizontal felling cut (forget this "hinge" business, which he probably never heard of). The tree started to fall (thank goodness it was a windy day and the pressure at the top of the tree was in the right direction). The tree sort of pivoted up on the top of the notch (remember he never made the horizonal notch cut and removed the notch), tore out a big section of heart wood as it fell, just missing the public street. He was very proud of himself and set about to limbing. Not a hint of safety equipment around.
He said he'd cut it up and leave it by the curb so if I wanted any come load it in the pickup. Now that I may take him up on.
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