Would you drive for PINE...IF...

This is an interesting example of perspective - if I had access to 30 pine trees an hour away I'd have the truck fired up first thing on the weekend. But given your situation, I think I'd maybe grab the larger trailer, take one load on the way home from your visit (it'll cost ya gas to go visit anyway), if you've got help the cutting and loading should go quick if you do it in 8' logs or so, then buck it at home on your own time. You'd have some wood, only one trip of gas that you're spending anyway, and the cutting and splitting effort you'd have to make regardless of what wood it is.

In March, while there is still time to season it, I think I'd rather be getting some of that pine than driving around looking for and transporting and busting up pallets in November.

the more I think about this, the more I'm not sure I want to do it. That pine of grandpas that I took down last year was quite a bit of work. I'm considering making an offer to take them all down for a small fee. If I could negate gas costs, then I can live with the time/work sacrifice. I still want to see with my own eyes what they look like. I'm thinking of charging 10 bucks a tree or maybe like 100 bucks for the whole mess.

here's that thread from last fall: http://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/63075/

Dan I think you're on the right track now.. People are always looking to get work done for free and they would have to pay someone to take those trees down and clean up the mess.. They should pay you for this service..

Ray

Run Forest Run!

I would have not problem driving for it.

Everyone should read that link above. Seems like a page from a text book.

BTW how did that Norway Spruce burn?

Only have tossed an armful of splits in. they went up fast and hot. I mixed some with hickory that I cut early last fall, that made for a decent burn.

darnit, mispost....

Bingo!

Sure, but which way?

I think part of the original problem was needing seasoned wood for Fall.

If I could get seasoned hardwood delivered for a song I'd sell my saw and run a few desperately seeking scroungers craigslist ads every time a tree blew over in the yard.

+1 - seems like the diminishing returns argument makes the most sense here. You are likely spending a good deal of $ on gas, rental of trailer, etc. + the wear/tear on your vehicle. You will likely be getting close to the cost of a cord of green, split hardwood - not to mention the difference in BTU's between the pine and the hardwood cord. I'd pass. Perhaps you can find a wood dealer who has some white birch/cherry/ash, etc. - the quicker drying species - and order a cord now - it'll be ready by winter if stacked in a good spot. Cheers!

Billb3,

Order a stack of whatever, re-split most to be thinner, and stack in single rows. Bingo - seasoned.

I'd rather cut a couple pine trees down than sit for days making red oak shingles trying to get them to season in this humidity.
Tried that 30 years ago. No thanks.
I'm not in Illinois, either.