Need scrounging advice

[turn_n_burn]

Hey all! I'm getting bit by the woodpile bug again, and want to start scoring some loads. I need advice on where and how to go about it, as Craigslist is going dry and nobody every replies to you there anyway. Any hardened (or seasoned...hee hee) veterans have any advice for a newbie? Are there any other resources that are good to check for this kind of thing? Or does anyone have any technique they'd like to share? I'm in southern Idaho, so I doubt I'll be invading anyone else's territory, as my hometown seems to have just lost US territory status last year or so itself.

 

[prezes13]

Ask tree guys, maybe town or state guys who are cutting trees. Majority of my wood comes from work and I work local municipality. I also hadfew nice loads from private tree guys.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Just keep your eyes open when you are driving around, if you see any potential scores find out who owns the land and ask permission to get it. More times that not people will say "yes" if you ask. Do you have any compost sites around your area? I get some there too, but mostly it's just while driving around and looking for it and using my "wood radar" as my wife calls it! Good luck!

 

[Wood Duck]

Ask people you know who have trees in the yard, acreage, etc. Most of my best finds have been through friends I didn't anticipate would have firewood. If you are willing to fell trees you will have more options, but that isn't necessary. Also keep your eyes open for powerline maintenance crews. They might be trying to find places to dump wood, and at least you'll know where some homeowners have recently cut trees in the yard and might want them removed.

Don't pass up small scores. I have scrounged tons of wood a piece or two at a time. Here it is common for homeowners to put brush on the curb and the township crew will chip it and take it away. Many brush piles include a couple of pieces of nice firewood.

 

[DoubleB]

Craigslist is going dry and nobody every replies to you there anyway.

It feels that way for me, too; however that's what separates the men from the boys. I've been persistent, and I seldom get a reply, and only half the replies lead to anything, but those few replies might be all you might need.

For example, one guy listed a "pickup truck" of pine. I showed up on time, helped clean up, and just made his day easier. Turns out he had 9 more trees to come down, so I ended up with 3 cords. The owner said he had lots of other people call but he had no reason to reply because he had everything he needed with me.

Another guy listed "free pine" to pick up so I took it; added up to 1 cord and it turns out he's a tree service and he has since given me 2 cords of ash and honey locust with more to come, again because I have proven to reliably remove his problems for him so I'm at the top of his list compared to other less-reliable alternatives.

Those two guys alone are 1 year of wood for me.

So it can take a while to develop your contacts, but it might only take a small number to get you rolling...

 

[AmbDrvr253]

Diddo on what the other members said. NO load is too small for me. I have three years sitting around from small loads. ASK! If you don't you wont get anything.

 

[turn_n_burn]

Ironically, I just hit a jackpot tonight. A beautiful hybrid poplar came down, found the ad on CL an hour after it was put up, and filled by pickup bed to the brim. I'm not a wood snob, and this was a great day for me. Just got home with it, sorry the pics are crappy, but couldn't wait for morning to take some pictures. I'm literally covered in brown poplar sap, smells great, no joke.

 

[DoubleB]

Congrats on the score! You make another great point--don't be a wood snob.

1. A real stack of poplar (or basswood, pine, spruce, etc.) is much better than an imaginary stack of oak.
2. Even more important, the experience of scrounging any kind of wood will help you down the road to know when and how to jump on or pass by scrounging opportunities, as well as how to create them.

Once you have a few years of wood inventory and scrounging practice, you'll have less urgency as well as more discerning tastes and contacts to help meet them.

 

[Fred Wright]

Agreed. If you're scrounging you can't be a wood snob. Any seasoned wood will burn, some hotter than others.

Also agreed with the mention of tree companies as a source. You may have to pay a little for it and split it yourself but it's all good. You might get it cheaper or even free if you're willing to pick it up. We have a local fellow who'll deliver a full pickup load of hardwood rounds for $70.00 anytime we want it.

Is there a sawmill nearby? Sawmill tailings, aka slab wood are a good source and dirt-cheap by the pickup load.

Just a note: Scrounging often involves yard trees with many a knot. You may reconsider not using a splitter with some of that stuff.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

1. A real stack of poplar (or basswood, pine, spruce, etc.) is much better than an imaginary stack of oak.

I REALLY like this-great quote!

 

[DoubleB]

DoubleB said: ↑
1. A real stack of poplar (or basswood, pine, spruce, etc.) is much better than an imaginary stack of oak.
I REALLY like this-great quote!

Yea, glad you like it, it's probably at the top of my mind because I often look at my box elder and pine stacks and get envious of those on here who have had better success at getting primo species!

 

[brenndatomu]

Be willing to take anything. Any species, crotches n all, tree trimmers will take you off their list of places to dump if you get snooty, and clean up after yourself if you are doing the cutting on others property. As others have mentioned, doing a good job will sometimes lead to more wood, just talking to people and letting them know you are willing to actually work will go a long ways. I have scored literally tons of wood by being willing to take the HUGE/ugly stuff. I have access to the equipment to handle it but if you don't, just cut it up into manageable size blocks with your saw. Carry spare chains to do this, wedges and a spare saw are real handy too.

A couple years back one of the old school buildings in town was being torn down, there was a monster maple that had to come down and the grocery store next door wanted a 10' long section of the trunk to carve into a giant wooden store mascot. They placed it standing up (better than 6' diameter) in the back parking lot with a crane. When the chainsaw carver started on it, he found the wood in the center wasn't worth working with so he carved out some smaller stuff and left the majority of it. After the trunk sat there a month or so I finally inquired as to what they we gonna do with it, they said they were gonna hafta pay to have somebody come with heavy equipment to haul it away. I said we would do it for free, they said git 'er done! We went in with a dump trailer and a 5k # rated forklift, it wouldn't pick it. We did manage to wrestle it into the trailer eventually, but not before drawing a crowd that applauded once we succeeded. We figure that was a least a 3 ton chunk of wood. Fortunately the heart wood was soft because a 38" saw wouldn't quite cut through to the center, but close enough that it broke free after a lil forklift persuasion. I tried to find a pic, but I think it is on an old (dead) phone

Anyways, just know that scrounging seems to come in waves, feast n famine, just be ready to get it when it's available.

 

[turn_n_burn]

This has been one of the most helpful string of responses I've ever gotten on ANY forum. I'll second the imaginary oak quote. Priceless. I've already started implementing all this advice, and now have another pickup load of apple, a second score of locust, and a ton of good plum wood. I'll post more pictures when I can. Thanks a million, guys! Also, this is the most mature, intelligent-minded group of internet denizens I've ever seen. Most in my generation (Reagan babies) are not capable of typing in anything besides LOL's and other forms of text-ese. Very refreshing.

 

[blacktail]

How far to the nearest National Forest? I doubt they allow wood cutting right now with the fire danger being high, but when they do issue permits they are cheap.

 

[7acres]

In talking with my neighbors I let them know I heat with wood during the winter. I get 90% of my wood from neighbors who use me as their tree guy when they need tree work done.

When they need risky trees close to the house removed or trimmed they have a pro come out. They instruct the crew to leave the big stuff for me to get. The rest gets chipped and dropped off in my yard to use as mulch.

Living in the south is nice as a wood burner. There's more supply than demand. If you're willing to strike when the opportunity arises you will have all you want.

 

[DoubleB]

this is the most mature, intelligent-minded group of internet denizens I've ever seen.

That's great to hear. But don't worry, we get cantankerous too.

 

[jeffesonm]

If you see something down you want to cut, just stop and ask the homeowner... I've never had someone say no. One lady called me 18 months later but it was for locust so the wood was still good.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Hey all! I'm getting bit by the woodpile bug again, and want to start scoring some loads. I need advice on where and how to go about it, as Craigslist is going dry and nobody every replies to you there anyway. Any hardened (or seasoned...hee hee) veterans have any advice for a newbie? Are there any other resources that are good to check for this kind of thing? Or does anyone have any technique they'd like to share? I'm in southern Idaho, so I doubt I'll be invading anyone else's territory, as my hometown seems to have just lost US territory status last year or so itself.

1) Tell every one you know that you burn wood. All the time.

2) Sooner or later, through sheer persistence and tyranny or will you will start to get phone calls/emails/etc from the people you know who know you burn wood because you've let them know that they have a tree or trees down and would you like to haul it away.

3) Be ready to seize those opportunities when they present themselves. I can't over emphasize this. It's easy to want free firewood, but it's difficult to cancel/alter plans to actually obtain it.

4) Repeat steps 1-3

5) If possible, become a skilled tree faller. I have had to pass on a lot of free wood because of my lack of tree falling skills.