Turning down "free" wood

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red oak

red oak

Minister of Fire
Sep 7, 2011
1,294
northwest Virginia
Driving home yesterday saw a sign in a driveway that said Free Firewood. So I turned in the driveway to check it out. Elderly lady living at the house had a HUGE tree taken down this past summer. The diameter of the trunk was at least 4 feet and it was already cut into rounds. So basically she wants someone to clean up the yard for her. Only problem was the wood was sycamore. I loaded a couple of the smaller pieces that were up to 2 feet in diameter and told her I'd let her know about the rest. After thinking about it, I hate to turn down free wood, but it's not really free. I have to drive 20 minutes to get it, and it would require a fair amount of noodling just to be able to lift most of the pieces. So I'm going to have to say no to the rest. I think this is the right call, but something just feels wrong about turning down anything free! Can anyone justify going through the effort to get SYCAMORE?
 
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Well, its all up to how desperately wood is needed. If your behind the eight ball, then go for it.
 
Just my opinion
If you don't have 2 years C/S/S then you need it. I know not all wood is created equal, but free is free. If it was oak or walnut would you hesitate? I don't know anything about sycamore, but if you need wood there it is.
 
You're right, green Sycamore is a real "beanbag" buster, so you would have to get it down to size or get some strong help lifting it. Once dry it's super-light. I personally like Sycamore, but I know what you are saying. And it's an elderly lady and in the back of your mind you're probably thinking "she needs help, should I help her?" which is a tough call. But I would think someone else will take it, heck it might be gone already.You can always go back and take some of it, at least that would help and you wouldn't have a ton of it and feel obligated to use it as much next season....
 
Sycamore doesn't really grow natively where I am, but in southern Ontario it does. I have family down there that burn it for shoulder seasons. Pain in the arse to split though.

If it was me I'd take it in a heart beat, but I'm behind and need all the wood I can get. If I was years ahead I'm not sure I would. Like Woodsman said though, it's not like she will be stuck with it, someone else will snatch it up quick.
 
McKeznak said:
Pain in the arse to split though.
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Yep. As was said, if you need it, you need it. If you can be a little more picky, leave it for someone else and grab some easy-splittin' soft Maple, Cherry etc. when it comes up.
 
I have experience processing exactly one Sycamore tree. It was a yard tree from right next door so no way I was turning it down. It was very tough to spit with the Fiskars. I don't have a maul, but I got the feeling it may split better with a maul. It wasn't stringy at all, just took a real hard whack to split clean. I needed a splitter rental day anyway so saved it for that & of course that made it easy work!
It dried fairly fast. Was quite burnable in less than a year (I burned some last year just to see) but should be great for shoulder season this year.
 
PA. Woodsman said:
You're right, green Sycamore is a real "beanbag" buster, so you would have to get it down to size or get some strong help lifting it. Once dry it's super-light. I personally like Sycamore, but I know what you are saying. And it's an elderly lady and in the back of your mind you're probably thinking "she needs help, should I help her?" which is a tough call. But I would think someone else will take it, heck it might be gone already.You can always go back and take some of it, at least that would help and you wouldn't have a ton of it and feel obligated to use it as much next season....
Click to expand...

Those were my thoughts - I wouldn't mind helping her clean her yard, but it is going to be a good bit of work for sure. I'm pretty sure I'll let it for someone else. To answer the other questions, I do not need the wood as I have 20 cords of mostly oak for the next 4 winters. Maybe I'll check back in a month or so if I can get hold of a vertical splitter and see what I can do - but for now I'm content to let it go. Even with the splitter, it would be most of a day splitting, loading, and hauling.
 
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I highly doubt anyone is going to go get all that wood. For one most people dont have a saw with the power to noodle or cut 4ft rounds, some will take most of the small stuff If you dont need it leave it.
 
I know splitting sycamore is tough. I won't split it again without hydraulics. It's below silver maple to me.
 
Bigfoot said:
wow, 20 cords, someone else can use that. Its good wood to be had.......I'd get it if I was 20 miles away but would need to be able to get a cord per trip.
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The 20 cords is what I already have! The sycamore may total 1.5-2 cords.
 
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I'd pass - cost benefit ratio isn't there. I think your time will be better spent getting oak or locust out of the NF!
 
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red oak, get it. If it splits too hard rent a splitter. Wish we were closer as I'd come over and split it for you.
 
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Backwoods Savage said:
red oak, get it. If it splits too hard rent a splitter. Wish we were closer as I'd come over and split it for you.
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That offer would be too tempting to pass up! I'd definitely offer you the food or beverage of your choice for that! Virginia's not THAT far away is it?!
 
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Aside from having dry wood to burn, the main benefit of being 2+ years ahead is you can be more picky about what you scrounge. I split by hand so I don't even bother with uglies and crotch pieces anymore... just isn't worth the effort.
 
I like Sycamore but don't think I'd ever swing a maul at it.
 
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