A few sticks of wood--

[scotsman]

Last month I negotiated for some wood that I found at a location north of us about 37 miles. I didn't have any idea of how much it might be, but knew it was/is a lot. There are two long rows of piled wood-one row is just about 210 yards long, while the other is about 165 yards long. The piles are rounded and between six and seven feet in height at the tallest and between 20 and 30 feet across the bottom. We have now hauled 4 cords in two trips and have cleared an area at the end of the first pile that is 20 feet long. According to the site manager, the wood is all over 60 years old and has been sitting outside in these piles for that long, but unused for the past 10 years. When asked what their plans were for it, he said the company would probably end up throwing it away. I hastened to suggest another alternative, the bottom line of which was that it became all mine if I would haul it away. I thought about it for 3 or 2 seconds before I agreed. This is Batch "B"!

Then he got this look in his eye and said, "When you're finished with that, we have at least four times this amount at our main plant (in a town that's 120 miles from here). I demurred, saying I didn't think I wanted to drive that far. He laughed and said that he might be able to get them to drop it all off at my place, since I was between that town and the disposal place they had planned to take it. I asked how much THAT would cost me, and he said we'd work something out, since management didn't want to pay to dispose of that much wood, they would come out ahead to bring it to me, so they might not charge anything. I suppose we'll see.

After the first load of two cords, he estimated that there was 600 cords, probably quite a bit more, but he was guessing. Taking 4' as the average height across 25', I've roughly estimated that the amount is 863 cords, which, at 2 cords/load and two trips/month year round, will require 17.95 years to haul home, BUT the wood is all 4" to 10" rounds and 90% of it is 20-24" in length, so all I have to do is haul and stack--no splitting, etc. AND the wood is all about as seasoned as it can get. Some pieces are longer than the average, but my saw should resolve that issue.

Cost: $5.00/load on my 6 X 12 trailer with 4' sides (2.43 cords), plus travel expenses, which I've calculated at $15.00/trip. If I knew how to attach photos, I'd do it, but so far I haven't figured that out.

So, I guess I'd better get busy, huh? Now, if I just had a stove!! <sigh!>

 

[Duetech]

Sounds like you need to get a sign too. One that reads...FIREWOOD FOR SALE...YOU HAUL...(after the company drops off the last load that is). Could you ask them if they have any affiliates in MI? (PM me with the answer though...LOL)

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Wow Texas boy. If all that wood is good, you have a winner. I highly suggest going into the firewood business if that is all good wood. Find out how much it would cost to have a logger with a big semi and pup to haul it to you or somewhere near you. Then for sure, put some ads in various papers, the radio stations and even post some locally. You might even be able to hire someone to do most of the work and you can smile big time by them doing all the work and you getting the dollars! Sweet! Too bad you are so far away....

 

[iceman]

Last month I negotiated for some wood that I found at a location north of us about 37 miles. I didn't have any idea of how much it might be, but knew it was/is a lot. There are two long rows of piled wood-one row is just about 210 yards long, while the other is about 165 yards long. The piles are rounded and between six and seven feet in height at the tallest and between 20 and 30 feet across the bottom. We have now hauled 4 cords in two trips and have cleared an area at the end of the first pile that is 20 feet long. According to the site manager, the wood is all over 60 years old and has been sitting outside in these piles for that long, but unused for the past 10 years. When asked what their plans were for it, he said the company would probably end up throwing it away. I hastened to suggest another alternative, the bottom line of which was that it became all mine if I would haul it away. I thought about it for 3 or 2 seconds before I agreed. This is Batch "B"!

Then he got this look in his eye and said, "When you're finished with that, we have at least four times this amount at our main plant (in a town that's 120 miles from here). I demurred, saying I didn't think I wanted to drive that far. He laughed and said that he might be able to get them to drop it all off at my place, since I was between that town and the disposal place they had planned to take it. I asked how much THAT would cost me, and he said we'd work something out, since management didn't want to pay to dispose of that much wood, they would come out ahead to bring it to me, so they might not charge anything. I suppose we'll see.

After the first load of two cords, he estimated that there was 600 cords, probably quite a bit more, but he was guessing. Taking 4' as the average height across 25', I've roughly estimated that the amount is 863 cords, which, at 2 cords/load and two trips/month year round, will require 17.95 years to haul home, BUT the wood is all 4" to 10" rounds and 90% of it is 20-24" in length, so all I have to do is haul and stack--no splitting, etc. AND the wood is all about as seasoned as it can get. Some pieces are longer than the average, but my saw should resolve that issue.

Cost: $5.00/load on my 6 X 12 trailer with 4' sides (2.43 cords), plus travel expenses, which I've calculated at $15.00/trip. If I knew how to attach photos, I'd do it, but so far I haven't figured that out.

So, I guess I'd better get busy, huh? Now, if I just had a stove!! <sigh!>

wouldn't it be rotten wood after 60 years???
and be careful prolly some really really big snakes in there with everything else that could be living in there prolly as close to getting into heaven a snake will ever get so be caerful

 

[Bigcube]

And here I have problems finding wood that will burn around here. Good score, lucky dog.

 

[scotsman]

Last month I negotiated for some wood that I found at a location north of us about 37 miles. I didn't have any idea of how much it might be, but knew it was/is a lot. There are two long rows of piled wood-one row is just about 210 yards long, while the other is about 165 yards long. The piles are rounded and between six and seven feet in height at the tallest and between 20 and 30 feet across the bottom. We have now hauled 4 cords in two trips and have cleared an area at the end of the first pile that is 20 feet long. According to the site manager, the wood is all over 60 years old and has been sitting outside in these piles for that long, but unused for the past 10 years. When asked what their plans were for it, he said the company would probably end up throwing it away. I hastened to suggest another alternative, the bottom line of which was that it became all mine if I would haul it away. I thought about it for 3 or 2 seconds before I agreed. This is Batch "B"!

Then he got this look in his eye and said, "When you're finished with that, we have at least four times this amount at our main plant (in a town that's 120 miles from here). I demurred, saying I didn't think I wanted to drive that far. He laughed and said that he might be able to get them to drop it all off at my place, since I was between that town and the disposal place they had planned to take it. I asked how much THAT would cost me, and he said we'd work something out, since management didn't want to pay to dispose of that much wood, they would come out ahead to bring it to me, so they might not charge anything. I suppose we'll see.

After the first load of two cords, he estimated that there was 600 cords, probably quite a bit more, but he was guessing. Taking 4' as the average height across 25', I've roughly estimated that the amount is 863 cords, which, at 2 cords/load and two trips/month year round, will require 17.95 years to haul home, BUT the wood is all 4" to 10" rounds and 90% of it is 20-24" in length, so all I have to do is haul and stack--no splitting, etc. AND the wood is all about as seasoned as it can get. Some pieces are longer than the average, but my saw should resolve that issue.

Cost: $5.00/load on my 6 X 12 trailer with 4' sides (2.43 cords), plus travel expenses, which I've calculated at $15.00/trip. If I knew how to attach photos, I'd do it, but so far I haven't figured that out.

So, I guess I'd better get busy, huh? Now, if I just had a stove!! <sigh!>

wouldn't it be rotten wood after 60 years???
and be careful prolly some really really big snakes in there with everything else that could be living in there prolly as close to getting into heaven a snake will ever get so be caerful

Well, no, actually the wood is quite sound, just VERY dry and extremely hard. As I mentioned when I took the test sticks, I dropped them on the concrete driveway by accident and they rang like a bell. Our average relative humidity levels are around 10 to 25% depending on the time of day (morning is more humid). Spring and summer usually get down to 3 or 4% in the pm. Even the wood in contact with the ground is in good shape because the ground is so dry on the surface 'cause rain can't get to it for all the wood on top. I have been warned about the snakes and yes, I'm being careful. Of course, it's not a very bright snake that will camp in a woodpile with so many sticks readily at hand to beat it to death with!! But your caution is well taken.

 

[scotsman]

Wow Texas boy. If all that wood is good, you have a winner. I highly suggest going into the firewood business if that is all good wood. Find out how much it would cost to have a logger with a big semi and pup to haul it to you or somewhere near you. Then for sure, put some ads in various papers, the radio stations and even post some locally. You might even be able to hire someone to do most of the work and you can smile big time by them doing all the work and you getting the dollars! Sweet! Too bad you are so far away....

I have walked the pile and poked around in it in a number of places. It all looks good so far. Even the pieces on the ground are good, so that was hopeful.

The stuff is so hard and dry that I cannot see any smoke out of my chimney, even at night with a hand torch--and I'm just burnin' in an open fireplace! I have found some 3 X 3 pieces of what look like pine, but they are so light that I can light them directly with a BBQ lighter in about 15 seconds. I originally threw a few of them to the side as undesirable, but will now go back to get them as kindling. I may even split some of them with a hand ax (sometimes called a hatchet), but it doesn't look like it's necessary except to reduce the ignition time from 15 down to 5 seconds.

Sorry to be so far away, but it seems miraculous to find so much wood in this part of the world in the first place! I mentioned that this is Batch "B". There is a Batch "A" that may turn out to be even larger, especially when one considers that that company has 16 locations in my area and each location has quite a bit more than this smaller operation where Batch "B" is located that has only the one site.

The guy at "A" location estimates that they probably have over 1000 cords at each location, but again he was guessing. He just recently bought 57 53' semi-trailer loads of 8' Wolmanized landscape timbers to avoid having to handle so many of the smaller pieces of the 20"-24" wood they've used for so many years. I picked up some wood at one site and saw an individual woodpile of 10 rows of 60 foot long stacks that were 6' in height. Again, these pieces were 4" to 10" full rounds. These were not piles, but nice neat stacks. That stack was the smallest on the yard and I counted 38 such stacks. The company manager said that this location is their smallest one. Final arrangements are in suspense until he gets back, but he has committed to giving me as much as I want. If y'all were closer, I have a hunch everyone on Hearth would have pretty much wood to put back for a long time. Did I mention there is a Batch "C" that I'm also working on? It's probably about the same size as Batch "A", but don't know for sure yet. I may not even mess with it for obvious reasons--I won't live long enough to haul it all! What a problem, huh?

 

[savageactor7]

I didn't catch what kind of wood it was but free make sure stuck in my mind, good for you Texas...and watch out for those rattlers.

 

[myzamboni]

Pics or it didnt' hapen %-P

 

[cityevader]

HOOOLYYYYYY COW

 

[scotsman]

Pics or it didnt' hapen %-P

Ahhh, a doubter!! Well, if I ever am able to figure out how to post photos to this forum, I'll sure do it. It really IS more impressive in the photos. So far, it ain't happenin' for me. I don't know what I'm doin' wrong, but it's my bad somehow. :-S

 

[billb3]

Nearby paper mill shut down 60 years ago ?

 

[scotsman]

I didn't catch what kind of wood it was but free make sure stuck in my mind, good for you Texas...and watch out for those rattlers.

It appears to be about 70-75% hardwoods of various types (lots of oak and what looks like ash and I think some bois d'arc), which is all like a rock! Then about 20% cedar and then 10% unknown, with some pine and other stuff I don't recognize, some of which looks like hardwood. When asked about the different kinds of wood, the manager said that over the years they have tried different kinds for light weight (for handling) versus durability, versus weather and bug resistence, etc. So, it's a mix of all kinds of stuff. I've experimented on some of the hardwood trying to drive a deck screw in with a hand drill. Had to drill a pilot hole first! Doubt if even bugs could have eaten that stuff!

 

[scotsman]

HOOOLYYYYYY COW

Exactly what I said when I first saw those piles of wood and found out they didn't want it and that I could have it!

 

[Yamaha_gurl]

Can I be your neighbour? I will bake you cookies in exchange for you wood :D

 

[scotsman]

Can I be your neighbour? I will bake you cookies in exchange for you wood :D

UH--OH! Now you've found one of my strengths--COOKIES! We should be able to work something out! LOL!

 

[scotsman]

Nearby paper mill shut down 60 years ago ?

Nope, we don't have enough trees around here to have a paper mill. I think the closest one is in the Houston area (~600 miles SE of here).

 

[myzamboni]

Pics or it didnt' hapen %-P

Ahhh, a doubter!! Well, if I ever am able to figure out how to post photos to this forum, I'll sure do it. It really IS more impressive in the photos. So far, it ain't happenin' for me. I don't know what I'm doin' wrong, but it's my bad somehow. :-S

Naw, just the international discussion forum code for :WE WANT PICS!

 

[scotsman]

Pics or it didnt' hapen %-P

Ahhh, a doubter!! Well, if I ever am able to figure out how to post photos to this forum, I'll sure do it. It really IS more impressive in the photos. So far, it ain't happenin' for me. I don't know what I'm doin' wrong, but it's my bad somehow. :-S

Naw, just the international discussion forum code for :WE WANT PICS!

I will work on it, but I'm not hopeful. I apparently don't have the feature in XP that allows size specification. I'm planning to try it using Picasa tonight when I get home, if nothing else comes up to torpedo that plan. Hey, maybe I can PM 'em to you and you could put 'em on! Would that work?

 

[Pagey]

Right click on the photo and select "open with" and choose Microsoft Paint, which is built in to XP. Then click Image, then Stretch/Skew. Cut the horizontal dimensions down to about 30% each and then save the pic with a new file name.

 

[scotsman]

Right click on the photo and select "open with" and choose Microsoft Paint, which is built in to XP. Then click Image, then Stretch/Skew. Cut the horizontal dimensions down to about 30% each and then save the pic with a new file name.

Okay, I did that. Here's a try. It's my trailer with a load of wood from the above-mentioned Batch "B".

 

[scotsman]

Right click on the photo and select "open with" and choose Microsoft Paint, which is built in to XP. Then click Image, then Stretch/Skew. Cut the horizontal dimensions down to about 30% each and then save the pic with a new file name.

Okay, I did that. Here's a try. It's my trailer with a load of wood from the above-mentioned Batch "B".

WHOA! It worked!! Amazing! Okay, I'll send some of the other photos tonight when I get home.

 

[Pagey]

Sweet, glad it worked! Now we can lust after massive wood tonight. In a completely non-homosexual manner. ;-)

 

[savageactor7]

Wow...so that's where you live? Now I can see why you have to drive 40 miles for wood....your back yard is flatter than a puddle of water. Nice load of wood btw


edit to add...I'd like to see the wood that's staged up for removal too...thanks.

 

[scotsman]

Sweet, glad it worked! Now we can lust after massive wood tonight. In a completely non-homosexual manner. ;-)

Just FYI--
What you see there is about 1.75 cords. IF I could load it level to top of plywood, front to back, it would hold 2.4375 cords. However, the weight of a full trailer is extreme, so I've had to cut it back to something less for reasonable safety on the road. However, since it's $5.00/load, my Scottish blood rises up and clouds my judgement. Have not established safe load yet. First load was full up level and it was raw nerves and squashed tires (on the trailer) all the way home--~40 miles took almost two hours. Won't do that again.