How far do you let your favors go?

[iowawoodcutter]

Cut down about 10 trees for my neighbor the other day. Mostly box elder and other non preferable wood. I have cut down other trees for them before and hauled away the wood, but it is starting to get on my nerves a little bit. They seem to expect me to do it now because I haul most of the wood away for them to burn for myself. Well this time, and almost every other time, it was crap wood, and they never offer to pay for any gas or chains or chain sharpening.

Seems to me if I had someone over doing what has amounted to maybe a grand or more of work, i would offer something.

A logger I know if coming over to down (keep in mind only down it, no bucking or cleanup work) a 30" oak for me next month and he says he is happy to do it for free. I promise you he is not walking out of here with less than two bills, and lots of drinks afterwards.

maybe I am just annoyed and needed to vent....thanks for listening

c

 

[rb_in_va]

What does your neighbor do for a living? Maybe you can work out something for compensation.

 

[mga]

the price we pay when word gets out we'll do it for free.....

the problem is they think they're doing you a favor by letting you take the wood. most people don't have a clue as to what is good wood versus bad.

i've turned down pines, willows, etc because it wasn't worth my time. if i see pine by the road all cut up, i'll take it.

but, hey, box elder can be burned...right?

 

[Backwood]

I guess one mans trash is another mans treasure. I wish I could get ahold of some box elder, not to burn but to turn into lumber. Just dont see it down here.

 

[Wet1]

Drop & buck them, keep the wood, leave the branches, and tell them it will be $200 per tree next time because the crap wood isn't worth your time.

 

[avalancher]

I had a neighbor at the old place that eventually became a good friend. I asked him if he would help me pour some concrete at my place one weekend, and he told me, "the first time is for free because we are friends. The second time is $20.00 per hour so that we stay friends."
I was a little taken back by his candor (or lack of it) but after years of doing favors for friends and never getting anything in return I realized how wise that old man was!

 

[mga]

I had a neighbor at the old place that eventually became a good friend. I asked him if he would help me pour some concrete at my place one weekend, and he told me, "the first time is for free because we are friends. The second time is $20.00 per hour so that we stay friends."
I was a little taken back by his candor (or lack of it) but after years of doing favors for friends and never getting anything in return I realized how wise that old man was!

lol....excellent.

 

[LTREES]

I can't keep my neighbor off my property when I'm doing a project. He's like family, and he's 33 years older than I. Like a best friend, i'd do what ever I could for HIM. Not everyone.

 

[Wood Scrounge]

Some people just don't realize how much work things are and they overvalue firewood. I had a friend of a friend ask me if I wanted his fallen mulberry tree. I cut up the main stem and all the branches over 3" took them home; I piled up everything else nice and neat in the corner of the yard.
He had heart burn because I did not take everything including the stump. I got 1/8 of cord of useable wood but he wanted me to take all the branches and the overturned stump. I explained that I got no more then $50 of firewood and I worked 5 hours getting it and doing my best to make his yard look clean. I also told him if I had to guess a pro would have charged him at least $500 to clean it up. I went back and took all the garbage to just to have peace but will never do anything like that again.

 

[iowawoodcutter]

I had a neighbor at the old place that eventually became a good friend. I asked him if he would help me pour some concrete at my place one weekend, and he told me, "the first time is for free because we are friends. The second time is $20.00 per hour so that we stay friends."
I was a little taken back by his candor (or lack of it) but after years of doing favors for friends and never getting anything in return I realized how wise that old man was!

That is great! Think I might try that out, but only on certain neighbors, some of them, I just don't mind doing stuff for. I think my big problem is I have trouble asking for help or borrowing tools. I would lend my tools to a VERY select few, and those that I would lend them to would never ask. Whenever someone asks to borrow my chainsaw, compressor, drill, wife, whatever...I tell them sure, but it comes with an operator.

 

[husky455rancher]

i cut a few higher limbs with my 142 and a ladder. i know ladder-chainsaw are a bad mix. but it needed to be done and i couldnt afford to pay to have it done so i rolled the dice. everything came out great, no close calls or anything. a few days later the neoghbor was asking my wife if i would go trim some of her high branches for her and i could keep the wood. i told the wife well there really is no wood to speak of and i dont wanna get killed. i didnt even wanna do it on my own land but i did.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I can't keep my neighbor off my property when I'm doing a project. He's like family, and he's 33 years older than I. Like a best friend, i'd do what ever I could for HIM. Not everyone.

Yep. There are a few people you can do that with. A favor here, a favor there, and nobody keeping score. Those people are rare treasures in your life.


With most folks, the best way I know to keep friendship friendly is to keep business business.

 

[Zodiac45]

Yep. There are a few people you can do that with. A favor here, a favor there, and nobody keeping score. Those people are rare treasures in your life.[/B].

+1 too that!

Too address the original venting, the next time it happens ask what species of wood it is and if it's good firewood, take it. If not decline and tell them why. Not worth the expenses and time unless it's hardwood firewood.

 

[Wood Doctor]

+1 too that!

To address the original venting, the next time it happens ask what species of wood it is and if it's good firewood, take it. If not decline and tell them why. Not worth the expenses and time unless it's hardwood firewood.

+2! Zodiac and Mark, I've cut down too much pine and other worthless firewood in my day NOT to agree with you. Last month I decided not to cut down a big oak tree that was leaning right at a building and a power line. Sure, it was exasperating because oak is marvelous, but I walked away from it and told the owner, "Hire somebody with special insurance. I have a great saw, and I know exactly how to drop that tree, but get a pro to do it and pay him some good money."

 

[panhead9]

Thats the easiest way if you really dont want to do it and still keep a friend just tell em' your not insured for that and you really dont want to cause no problems and they probably will have no problem with you NOT doing it. If you dont care about them just say NO! But this will more than likely be friend no more.

 

[rx7145]

Yep. There are a few people you can do that with. A favor here, a favor there, and nobody keeping score. Those people are rare treasures in your life.

+3 Well said!!

 

[hanniedog]

In the farming game we do favors for each other all the time. Some times money changes hands or just trade use of different equipment, usually the latter is the case. On the last 30 acres of wheat the combine decided to upchuck the straw chopper. Talked to the neighbor said he would be there in 2 hours with his machine. Cant ask for better people.

 

[NDtreehugger]

box elder burns good I like it

when dry it turns a nice cream yellow color.

I just got a good size box and am glad i did all I had was 7 cords of ash 1 willow tree and 2 poplar, glad to add the box elder here's the box I just got

If I was given a choise, cut box or ash I would go with ash and would not mis a single day with the ash for the box but on a off day to cut a box would make it a good day

 

[iowawoodcutter]

I guess one mans trash is another mans treasure. I wish I could get ahold of some box elder, not to burn but to turn into lumber. Just dont see it down here.

One mans trash is another mans treasure??? Guess that is what the guy who married my ex-wife must have said!!

 

[husky455rancher]

hahaha