Tree service wood

[Fubar411]

City boy here. For the last few months, I've been trying to track down free wood. I've looked in the classified ads (not much luck), craigslist (some luck, but mostly people wanting free work), and driving around (pretty decent luck).

I called a few local tree services, and because I'm centrally located, I've become the favorite dumpyard of one of them, not that I'm complaining. This is a week's worth of wood.

I figure I'll get at least three cord of wood out of this. I'm surprised that more people don't do this. The guys won't even accept a drink when dropping off, they're happy just not paying the dump.

 

[DDM]

I give wood away to whomever asks as long as there close to a job.
I dont have to pay dumping fees we just pile and burn but i'd rather see it go to good use.

 

[jags]

I have attempted to use this method and have called all of the tree service companies in my area. Turns out that ALL of them sell firewood also. They will let you have all the pine and other crap wood you can handle. They take the good stuff back to the bat cave and process it for selling.

Please do not take offense if you are of the pine burning type. Its just that in my area its not even considered for heating purposes. That stuff goes in the outside fire ring. It takes me the same amount of time/energy to process a cord of oak as it does a cord of pine. You make the call.:greenchainsaw:

 

[DDM]

I'll give away what ever is on the truck.Most people wont take a 90% load of red oak if there is any pine whatsoever in it.

 

[jags]

I don't have a problem with taking the good with the bad, I just don't want all bad.

 

[rb_in_va]

I don't have a problem with taking the good with the bad, I just don't want all bad.

That's a good policy. In my city I can just pile the bad on the curb and the city will haul it away. I've set some pretty big piles of large bushes and other debris. It's always gone when I get home from work! One morning at about 5 am I heard someone out front throwing the gum I had set out there in the back of his truck.. I just shook my head thinking he was going to hate me after he got it home.

 

[habanero]

...It takes me the same amount of time/energy to process a cord of oak as it does a cord of pine. You make the call.:greenchainsaw:

That's certainly true, but if I can get pine for free but have to pay for oak, then I'm happy with pine.

I relish in burning the stuff nobody else wants. Like Mama always said, waste not-want not.

 

[jrclen]

It takes me the same amount of time/energy to process a cord of oak as it does a cord of pine. You make the call.:greenchainsaw:

I cut and split mostly oak and I wish it was as easy as cutting and splitting pine. The oak burns better but it is a hell of lot more work in my opinion.

 

[wdchuck]

Even the low/mid grade stuff sells for $350 for a 5cord load of logs, right off the truck from a job. Silver maple on down to pine or poplar, any real hardwood goes to their owb's, or processed into firewood for sale.

When the county goes through and drops nuisance/hazard trees, the line is forming before the tree hits the ground.


Oak is a real commodity around here, I'd love to get into some for the work of getting it down/out and back home.

 

[goof008]

Jags, try calling your city or county dpw. In our area they are cutting down alot of ash trees that just end up back at the yard.
I was lucky enough to find a tree company that has it's yard about 35 miles away, but does a lot of local work. They did a clear cut and brought me what the logger didn't want, or just didn't take because he ran out of room and wasn't making another trip to get it. Most was oak, with some hickory, cherry and maple. The bad part is, a lot of it was hollowed out by ants. There is still a lot of good burnable wood left in it, these things are still real heavy. The better news is, he told me if I took this load, he'd bring me the 8-9 22" ash trees he is cutting down next week.

 

[jrclen]

When the county goes through and drops nuisance/hazard trees, the line is forming before the tree hits the ground.
Oak is a real commodity around here, I'd love to get into some for the work of getting it down/out and back home.

In my county the oak is laying along side the road waiting for the taking now. The county went around this spring and took out a bunch of road side trees and over hanging limbs. They burn the brush and leave the trunk for the land owner or scavengers. I blocked up the stuff from my land and never hit a nail or chunk of fence. Got lucky. That is the big problem with this wood. Full of nails and fence line. I dropped a dead oak from out back of the house two years ago and hit a nail, moved a few inches and hit an old clothes line hook. Gave up. That log is still near the brush pile waiting to burn. I always wondered if a metal detector would work at finding nails in this stuff. I don't know any one who owns one.

 

[jags]

"Jags, try calling your city or county dpw". Hopefully without looking like an idiot - What is the DPW?

As far as I know, my county (and most others here) use ASPLUNDH for their tree clearing needs. Trying to get in with that group is like getting involve with organized crime, its just better not to go there.

 

[rb_in_va]

"Jags, try calling your city or county dpw". Hopefully without looking like an idiot - What is the DPW?

Department of Public Works.

 

[Bass]

how do you go about asking a tree service to drop off the wood? we have a few companies around here BUT i don't want to sound like joe home owner when i call - do you ask them to only drop hardwood logs and tell them you have an area that is good for trucks??

Thanks

 

[rb_in_va]

how do you go about asking a tree service to drop off the wood? we have a few companies around here BUT i don't want to sound like joe home owner when i call - do you ask them to only drop hardwood logs and tell them you have an area that is good for trucks??

Thanks

The tree service owner will know you are a homeowner when he pulls up and sees the S-10 in your driveway.

But seriously, tree services in most places PAY to dump wood so if they can reduce dumping fees even a little bit it will help them. But you should be willing to take a little junk with the good wood too. That way you will both be helping each other.

 

[logbutcher]

Josie Home Owner

how do you go about asking a tree service to drop off the wood? we have a few companies around here BUT i don't want to sound like joe home owner when i call - do you ask them to only drop hardwood logs and tell them you have an area that is good for trucks??

Thanks

Sorry that you have to live in subsidized housing. Too too bad. There are plenty of "Joe Home Owners" around. Maybe some day you'll become one of the proud, the many.........Some even have more knowledge and experience and pride in their work in real "pro" sawing, and work, than the self-annointed "pros". :monkey:
What is this thing about "homeowners" vs. "pros" ????? :deadhorse:

 

[Bass]

Sorry that you have to live in subsidized housing. Too too bad. There are plenty of "Joe Home Owners" around. Maybe some day you'll become one of the proud, the many.........Some even have more knowledge and experience and pride in their work in real "pro" sawing, and work, than the self-annointed "pros". :monkey:
What is this thing about "homeowners" vs. "pros" ????? :deadhorse:

huh??? i just wanted to ask the correct questions and explain myself clearly when asking the the tree company to bring any extra trees they may have -

oh and i'm the only one who subsidizes my housing only have 18 more years on this darn mortage

 

[Fubar411]

how do you go about asking a tree service to drop off the wood? we have a few companies around here BUT i don't want to sound like joe home owner when i call - do you ask them to only drop hardwood logs and tell them you have an area that is good for trucks??

Thanks

I had to fill out a form mailed to my address (had it printed on the form). It had a spot to draw a diagram of where I wanted the wood. Also had a disclaimer about not being responsible for damage and they wouldn't come and pick up unwanted wood. Oh, and how many loads I wanted.

Don't be scared to call. Most likely you'll be talking to the person that books the jobs and cuts the checks. It works out well for both of you.

 

[goof008]

Bass, just call them up and ask if they even do drop of for homeowners. Some may not. Most of the ones I talked to didn't, but one did, and that was enough. Around here, the Ash borer is taking it's toll, so that is what is cut mostly. And don't be afraid to call services kind far away, they are the ones that would really benefit from unloading their wood at your place. If you find one, and you tell him t drop off what he has when he's in the area, be prepared to be busy. I had a load dropped off on Wednesday, got halfway thru it by friday, went out of town and came home to another load on the one I was cutting up. I'm not complaining, and I knew it was coming, but it came about 3 days earlier than he projected. Having a front yard full of free wood is always better than an empty wood rack!

 

[rb_in_va]

Bass, just call them up and ask if they even do drop of for homeowners. Some may not. Most of the ones I talked to didn't, but one did, and that was enough. Around here, the Ash borer is taking it's toll, so that is what is cut mostly. And don't be afraid to call services kind far away, they are the ones that would really benefit from unloading their wood at your place. If you find one, and you tell him t drop off what he has when he's in the area, be prepared to be busy. I had a load dropped off on Wednesday, got halfway thru it by friday, went out of town and came home to another load on the one I was cutting up. I'm not complaining, and I knew it was coming, but it came about 3 days earlier than he projected. Having a front yard full of free wood is always better than an empty wood rack!

True, you don't want 6 tree services dropping stuff off. You'll soon have trouble getting to your front door!