so i talked to the owner of a tree service

[Mroverkill]

the company is 3 blocks from my house so i talked to the owner and told him how im looking for LOGS of wood and he said well if you pay my guy his time and gas thats no problem. he said it would be only oak/maple/ash and another kind of good wood he gets he wont touch junk wood he calls it


he asked how much i need i said how much can u give me so he said 50.00 a Maison body truck full



what do you guys think im thinking of getting a load or 2 to start my stacking for next year and what ever else i find i can add to it. i figure after running around and hauling it back home it would cost almost the same.

 

[smokinj]

Whats a madison body truck?

 

[bsearcey]

Sounds good to me. Although not sure how big a Maison body truck full is, but I bet it is bigger than a ford ranger.

 

[Danno77]

I think it sounds like a good deal no matter what, but I'm curious as to how big his truck is. a mason body dump can be on a 1 ton or it can be on a bigger truck than that. He could be giving you a cord a load, he could be giving you two (or more?)

for $50 and you do bucking splitting and stacking for a cord, that's not bad, but for 2 cords that would be pretty good.

 

[Danno77]

guys, mason beds are usually the heavy gauge steel with lower sides and usually a dump. it's the kind you see hauling gravel and such around in (for smaller jobs)

 

[smokinj]

I think it sounds like a good deal no matter what, but I'm curious as to how big his truck is. a mason body dump can be on a 1 ton or it can be on a bigger truck than that. He could be giving you a cord a load, he could be giving you two (or more?)

for $50 and you do bucking splitting and stacking for a cord, that's not bad, but for 2 cords that would be pretty good.

+1 I would jump on a couple loads!

 

[wendell]

It really depends on the size. The dump truck I get holds a cord easy so in that case, I would jump on it. Of course, I get it for free which is even a better deal. ;-)

 

[Mroverkill]

yea its one of those bigger dumps that type that they have shredders towed behind them so its a nice size


i will see in the next week or so what he gives me but if i can get a couple of cords of oak/maple (lots of maple in my area) im trying to save up at LEAST 3-4 cords which what my rack can hold anything after that well then that means i have to build another rack lolol

 

[maplewood]

It sounds worth a try to me. You'll know after a few truck loads.
I bet this could work into a great relationship - they will appreciate having a regular place to drop the wood, knowing a bit of cash will be guaranteed.
Don't forget to mention that the harder the wood the more appreciative you'll be - so you don't just become their softwood dump site.
My dad did this for years: he got paid to clear new city lots, and haul the wood away. He hauled it to me, and I got it for free!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Just remember how long it takes to season that wood, especially the oak. Don't buy any with the thought that you'll burn it this year. Maybe in the winter of 2011-2012 but the oak will still be suspect.

 

[Jags]

A mason body carrying logs should be able to yield a couple of cords pretty easy. Fitty bucks for a couple of cords in log form ain't a bad deal in my opinion.

 

[iskiatomic]

If he has a tree service, what is he doing with a masons truck?


KC

 

[eujamfh]

I worked out a deal with a local guy who dumped for free. He saved the dump fee, I got the wood. It went well for the first few cords which were a mix of oak and poplar. He then had a couple loads where there was some rot - I took it all since it was free and tossed the bad stuff. Then the last time he came with silver maple - and a lot of it was bad. I took about half his load, and explained the rest was so punked it was worthless. He stopped bringing oak - I suspect he realized he could get some cash for the better wood. So, in the end we stopped contacting each other because I towed the line it had to be good burnable wood and was not taking his pine. (I took the poplar since it does fine in the shoulder seasons).

My point...well, I would pay $50 for a healthy cord of good wood regardless if it was green. You have to figure the time in hauling a cord via scrounging and the gas to get it done. Especially since you are looking to jump start the pile. I would get a couple loads, see how good the wood is and how much. If all pans out, I would get at least a year and a half ahead with this guy - and then start the slower process of scrounging. That way you would always be a year plus ahead of the game. And that is a good place to be!

 

[mtarbert]

Just my two cents : these guys work hard and like a few Cold Ones (who dosen't ?) Just have the driver a cold half dozen and tell him you really like Oak and Hickory. You may become a special customer.

 

[loon]

not mine %-P but this is a madison truck

 

[Danno77]

What's this "madison" term y'all keep using? That's a picture of what I call a Mason truck. Ya know, Mason, like having to do with masonry. like rocks and bricks and such... Is a Madison truck some brand name or something, like calling all tissues "Kleenex" or something?

 

[loon]

madison/mason .. same thing aint it??

 

[SolarAndWood]

Loading either by hand would suck.

 

[Jags]

Huh, most mason trucks around here are built off of a 5 ton truck. I don't think I have ever seen one built out of a pickup frame. The pickup frame would limit the weight capacity lots more than a 5 ton frame.

 

[keydiver]

Ok guys. For hardwood. If you can get it for less than $100 a cord either split and delivered or in rounds go for it! Living up in the high sierra i have more access pine for a little sweat and effort that I know what to do with. For hardwood and a higher BTU and not getting up 2 times duuring the night to reloac the stove with pine. I will pay top dollar for a cord of oak split and delivered.

$325 is the going rate for a cord f oak split an delivered from a reputable supplier. After I stack it. If it is ever less he will deliver the difference. I have yet to have that happen. I feel sorry for the people who buy from CL scammers!

Now before laugh and jest at what I pay. My house is warm. My NG bill is still cheaper than if I ran tha forced air NG heater!

 

[fidiro]

This will be my 4th winter using wood. Last year I burned about 8 cords of wood that was delivered to me all free(BUT, my time to cut, split and the saw/splitter and the fuel to run them are not free. With all that work makes you wonder if all that labor is worth it in the end.). This year I have about 5 cords split and have about another 2-3 to be cut and split. I also added a pellet stove at the end of last winter, that will be helping this winter w/2 tons of pellets sitting at home.

Some tree service companies have to pay to get rid of the wood unless they have a huge enough yard to stock logs for splitting and selling.

 

[Danno77]

Some tree service companies have to pay to get rid of the wood unless they have a huge enough yard to stock logs for splitting and selling.

I got a kick out of the local tree service guy here. They come to your place, cut down your tree, buck it up, use the chipper to throw a bunch of mulch into a truck, then they use a big gas powered splitter right there and load up another truck with split wood. Then the owner takes it home and stacks it for burning at his house.

How sweet of a deal is it to cut and split making the mess in someone else's yard? then the icing on the cake is that they actually pay you to do it!! Not knocking the value of a good insured tree service, i'm just saying......