Free poplar tree already on the ground...

[CountryBoy19]

A guy that's only a mile down the road had some trees cut down last week. After about a week of seeing them lay there I decided to stop and ask. He said I can have a poplar but there is a catch... I have to take the ash tree and at least a couple of the oaks as well. He said to leave the brush lay, just take the big stuff and get it out of there.

So I cut up the poplar and ash tonight in about 2 1/2 hours, gonna do an oak or two whenever I get the poplar and ash out of his yard.

Actually thats not the exact way it went down... he said if I take a poplar then I can take the ash and a couple oaks. I know poplar isn't the best wood for heating, but I'll be able to use it in the fall/spring when I don't need a whole lot of heat. I'll be happy to use the ash during the cold months.

Total he has about 10 oaks, an ash, 4 poplars and a hickory down in his yard. I'm not the only one cutting but he said once it's bucked it's mine and nobody else can take it, he won't allow that kind of "theft" as he put it. After I got done with the poplar I noticed the ash and just had to be sure to get that one bucked to length. I don't have much seasoned wood for this year so I'm hoping I can get that split and drying within the next couple days while we have this upper 90's heat. Maybe I'll be able to use it by January.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

Nice score, as you probably know the Poplar is the worst of the wood (not alot of BTUs and fluffy ash), the Ash will be ready first with good heat, the Oaks are great but can take a couple of years. I wish I had some Hickory, that is supposed to be great stuff. Try to grab that one.

 

[ANeat]

Sweet deal, free is good

 

[thewoodlands]

A guy that's only a mile down the road had some trees cut down last week. After about a week of seeing them lay there I decided to stop and ask. He said I can have a poplar but there is a catch... I have to take the ash tree and at least a couple of the oaks as well. He said to leave the brush lay, just take the big stuff and get it out of there.

So I cut up the poplar and ash tonight in about 2 1/2 hours, gonna do an oak or two whenever I get the poplar and ash out of his yard.

Actually thats not the exact way it went down... he said if I take a poplar then I can take the ash and a couple oaks. I know poplar isn't the best wood for heating, but I'll be able to use it in the fall/spring when I don't need a whole lot of heat. I'll be happy to use the ash during the cold months.

Total he has about 10 oaks, an ash, 4 poplars and a hickory down in his yard. I'm not the only one cutting but he said once it's bucked it's mine and nobody else can take it, he won't allow that kind of "theft" as he put it. After I got done with the poplar I noticed the ash and just had to be sure to get that one bucked to length. I don't have much seasoned wood for this year so I'm hoping I can get that split and drying within the next couple days while we have this upper 90's heat. Maybe I'll be able to use it by January.

Super Score!

zap

 

[CountryBoy19]

I wish I had some Hickory, that is supposed to be great stuff. Try to grab that one.

I might ask him about that tomorrow when I go back. One of the other guys is working on cutting it up and has his splitter set up over by it. I don't want to step on anybody's toes so I'm not sure if I'll mess with it. It won't be the last hickory I have a chance to get.

I guess if I go by his rules I can take whatever isn't bucked, but I'd still like to keep it friendly. The worst thing I can imagine is fighting through all the treetop cutting the small stuff just to have somebody come and cut up and take the larger stuff.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Only buck what you can haul, or so I've been told. Nice score.

 

[SolarAndWood]

As soon as your competition figures out that he has competition, he is going to make the big stuff disappear. The weekend is coming and it will likely turn into a free for all when the weekend warriors show up. Anything you buck and don't immediately haul will likely end up in someone else's truck. This is unless you live in the mythical gentleman scrounger place of course.

 

[CountryBoy19]

As soon as your competition figures out that he has competition, he is going to make the big stuff disappear. The weekend is coming and it will likely turn into a free for all when the weekend warriors show up. Anything you buck and don't immediately haul will likely end up in someone else's truck. This is unless you live in the mythical gentleman scrounger place of course.

Nah, I doubt that will happen. The guy is retired and home all day. He seemed very adamant that anything I buck is mine and won't be touched by anybody else. Either way I plan to get at least 1 load tonight, maybe 2. Then probably another load tomorrow and that should take care of what I have bucked already. Then I'll go back to cutting more. I'll worry about splitting it once I get it home. Hopefully I can get the bigger rounds in the truck without halving them.

Also, free wood around here isn't a huge deal. Most people have access to wood. I don't think anybody is going to get too worked up over somebody else cutting wood as well. There is lots of oak on the ground yet. Plenty of wood to go around so far.

 

[maplewood]

Super score.
Keep the poplar high and dry - it rots quickly.
Free - best price going!
Happy burning!

 

[firefighterjake]

Good score.

 

[SolarAndWood]

There is lots of oak on the ground yet. Plenty of wood to go around so far.

A scrounger's dream.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

A guy that's only a mile down the road had some trees cut down last week. After about a week of seeing them lay there I decided to stop and ask. He said I can have a poplar but there is a catch... I have to take the ash tree and at least a couple of the oaks as well. He said to leave the brush lay, just take the big stuff and get it out of there.

So I cut up the poplar and ash tonight in about 2 1/2 hours, gonna do an oak or two whenever I get the poplar and ash out of his yard.

Actually thats not the exact way it went down... he said if I take a poplar then I can take the ash and a couple oaks. I know poplar isn't the best wood for heating, but I'll be able to use it in the fall/spring when I don't need a whole lot of heat. I'll be happy to use the ash during the cold months.

Total he has about 10 oaks, an ash, 4 poplars and a hickory down in his yard. I'm not the only one cutting but he said once it's bucked it's mine and nobody else can take it, he won't allow that kind of "theft" as he put it. After I got done with the poplar I noticed the ash and just had to be sure to get that one bucked to length. I don't have much seasoned wood for this year so I'm hoping I can get that split and drying within the next couple days while we have this upper 90's heat. Maybe I'll be able to use it by January.

Wow. That sounds like a really raw deal. Lots of work there. It is a dirty job, but someone has to do it.

I hope you find raw deals like that every year! Congratulations.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Grabbed a truck load of ash tonight... Could've done 2 or 3 loads tonight but the wife found a free entertainment center on CL and I had to go after that.

Anybody else cut wood when it's 80-90 out? I actually prefer to do it in the summer as long as I take my time and don't overwork myself. In the winter I don't have much light left after I get home from work so it seems like I never get much of anything done because by the time I get changed and get out there I don't have much more than an hour to work.

 

[weatherguy]

I stacked 4 cords last year in the heat and high humidity, I think I lost 10lbs that day. This year I had all my wood delivered and stacked before the hot weather arrived. Good thing because its been a brutal summer.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Rent a uhaul trailer for the day and get a real big load.

Matt

 

[CountryBoy19]

Rent a uhaul trailer for the day and get a real big load.

Matt

Eh... being only a mile away from home I'm mostly limited by how much I can load, not by drive-time. So renting a trailer wouldn't really help me get more wood. I can just make 3 trips with the truck rather than 1 with a truck and trailer.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Anybody else cut wood when it's 80-90 out? I actually prefer to do it in the summer as long as I take my time and don't overwork myself. In the winter I don't have much light left after I get home from work so it seems like I never get much of anything done because by the time I get changed and get out there I don't have much more than an hour to work.

Normally I only admire the wood pile when it is 80-90 outside! I much prefer doing it when the weather is cool or cold. I do remember when I used to do it after getting home from work and then also had a full weekend of putting up wood. I really did not mind it then, again, so long as it was not hot.

This year I did break the rule a bit because I made some kindling. However, I can do that with the hydraulic splitter and not even have to work up a sweat so it isn't bad. I still prefer doing it when it is cool or cold outside though.

 

[CountryBoy19]

not even have to work up a sweat so it isn't bad.

Ha... when I got home from cutting it all up I don't think there was a dry piece of clothing on me. My pants were soaked over ever square inch, and I was very surprised by the puddle of sweat that dripped out of my shirt over the next hour. My chaps were even soaked from the sweat soaking through... I wouldn't normally do that much work but after I got the poplar cut up and saw the ash behind it I just couldn't pass it up and risk somebody else getting it so I kept going.

I still prefer doing it when it is cool or cold outside though.

I would prefer to do it in the winter as well if I had enough time during daylight. I guess I'm just not afraid to sweat a little. It also helps that I'm still in my 20's. I doubt I'll still be doing this when I hit 50. I'll have to wait until it cools off a little.

 

[CountryBoy19]

got the poplar, last of the ash, and a load of oak tonight. Headed back in the morning to get more of the oak I cut tonight. I should have about 2-3 more loads of oak at least and more poplar if I want. I think I might take more poplar because I'll still be able to use it during the milder months, and when I'm home during the day to stoke the fire more often.

I did notice some ash tops pushed into the woods in a big pile. I don't know if it's worth it to try to cut any wood out of them, it's a huge pile of mixed wood and it would be a dangerous mess trying to cut the ash out. I may ask him if he can pull some of the ash out of the pile for me to cut up.

Also, some of the oak has carpenter ants and possibly termites?? (very tiny specs of saw-dust on the outside of one of the trees), what should I spray the wood with to make sure the bugs don't take up residence in my house? Could I also set up some sort of barrier (granular insecticide?) between my wood piles and my house? The wood will be stacked near the house so I'd like to do some sort of barrier.