Access to black locust deadfall

[mbokie5]

I've been given complete access to a stand of black locust, the deadfall that is. There's probably enough for a lifetime supply and some to sell.

Now, the chart says it would weigh around 3800 lbs dried.

My question is how much of a trailer would I need. It's about 1 hour away from my house. But I'm so impressed with the btus of black locust that I think it's worth the trip(s).

I have a '96 f150 4 x 4, 8' bed, in good shape with one extra spring and lots of clearance.

 

[savageactor7]

Well if its been dead for awhile it's probably dried some too. Boy an hour drive it a long way so yeah you need the biggest trailer you can safely tow. I suppose you could get advice from a local trailer company...all they need to know is what kind of truck your using, and those late 90 model F150's were real trucks back then.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Black locust makes great firewood. Can you leave it there to dry? If so, you will save a lot of where and tear on your truck. Brake jobs can quickly eat up any savings from wood gathering especially with an hour drive home. If you go the trailer route, dry wood will greatly increase your capacity as you will likely hit the towing capacity of the truck with a cord of unseasoned locust. Trailer brakes are your friend for that kind of distance with that kind of weight. Good luck.

 

[mbokie5]

All of this stuff is deadfall. I can take trees that are leaning or down, no new cutting is allowed. Anyway, the fresh stuff is so dense and heavy that I would rather not deal with it when the lighter, ready to burn stuff is sitting there for the taking.

Yeah, the 96 F150 is really a tough bugger. I found out this spring while turkey hunting just how good it really is. I'm so glad I took my time and picked out a truck that was right for me.

I was afraid that the advice would be to get a trailer that required electric brakes. So I guess that means a 12' double axle job.

It's pretty flat land, all pretty much prairie between here and there, so it's an easy go, but none the less, I get the point about the brakes.

 

[gzecc]

The reason why locust is the best wood (in my opinion) is because it doesn't loose much weight after seasoning. It only has 30% moisture to begin with. It will only loose 10% of its weight after seasoning. Its the heaviest, driest wood green wood, with the most BTU's!
It also can be used for fence posts. It will last 100 yrs buried in the ground.

 

[smokinj]

It depends on if you have help a cord a day by yourself is a good day thats what you can haul now! 20 in, bar on that 441 will make it eaiser to use, unless that locust is that big.(around 30 in. is the biggest I have seen around here)

 

[mbokie5]

It depends on if you have help a cord a day by yourself is a good day thats what you can haul now! 20 in, bar on that 441 will make it eaiser to use, unless that locust is that big.(around 30 in. is the biggest I have seen around here)

No, it's not that big, most is less than probably 20". The 20" bar sounds like a good idea.

I will be by myself.

So a cord is not beyond my truck's capacity? That sounds great!

 

[gzecc]

A cord of Black Locust is 2-tons. Do you want to put that much weight in your truck?

 

[mbokie5]

The reason why locust is the best wood (in my opinion) is because it doesn't loose much weight after seasoning. It only has 30% moisture to begin with. It will only loose 10% of its weight after seasoning. Its the heaviest, driest wood green wood, with the most BTU's!
It also can be used for fence posts. It will last 100 yrs buried in the ground.

Exactly what I've found.

It's some of the oldest deadfall in the bush and still bug free and rot free. Amazing when you think about it.

 

[mbokie5]

A cord of Black Locust is 2-tons. Do you want to put that much weight in your truck?

Probably not. But for say 3 to 4 cords a year, I could probably borrow a trailer or rent one.

But then I would have to get the brakes.

Or just do ricks, maybe?

 

[gzecc]

In my area, you could buy a used double axle trailer, use it for a few months, then re sell it for the same price you bought it for. The beauty of used (high quality) equipment!

 

[mbokie5]

In my area, you could buy a used double axle trailer, use it for a few months, then re sell it for the same price you bought it for. The beauty of used (high quality) equipment!

Now there's an idea worth pondering.

I do have a buddy that wants to get into some stone hauling that's willing to go in on a heavy duty trailer with me.

 

[stee6043]

I've been driving about 40 minutes to get some free cherry wood this Spring/Summer. I tow a real beast of a trailer built on two mobile home axles rated at 6,000lbs each (no brakes). The trailer is 17'x7'. Stacked to the side rails solid I can haul just under 2 full cord. I can't imagine trying to throw a full cord in a pickup truck bed. I tow with a Chevy Duramax 2500HD and I think even this truck would not like that much of a load in the bed...not to mention how high it would be.

You can rent a 7x10 (or something close) trailer from U-Haul for $29.00 a day. I think you'd be better off loading that with a cord (or more) than your truck...just my opinion.

 

[Jags]

3 to 4 cords per year = 6 to 8 pickup loads @ 1/2 cord each (about 2000 pounds) which I would suspect your truck to be able to handle safely. Not sure I would go messing with much additional equip at that point.

Don't know about you, but bucking and loading a half cord of some of the heaviest wood that north america can throw at ya, is about all I want to do per cutting session. Not to mention that you will probably be switching chains out about every half cord as well. That stuff is tough.

 

[mbokie5]

I like what I'm hearing.

Yeah, it's as tough as it comes and heavy. No one wants to lock onto it but me. that's why it's free.

The uhaul rental sounds wise.

I think I'll follow the advice I've been given here.

Thanks guys!

 

[gzecc]

Where in north america is this? Close to NJ?

 

[stee6043]

Where in north america is this? Close to NJ?

Hah...better yet - close to Michigan? We're all here to help!

 

[smokinj]

Where in north america is this? Close to NJ?

Hah...better yet - close to Michigan? We're all here to help!

The size of the bar on that 441 (28in) suggest cutting silver maples in central Indiana! Have Saw's will travel

 

[mbokie5]

Where in north america is this? Close to NJ?

Hah...better yet - close to Michigan? We're all here to help!

:lol:

Southwest Ontario:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&tab=wl near Denfield Ontario

Close to Michigan, but far from Jersey.

 

[mbokie5]

Where in north america is this? Close to NJ?

Hah...better yet - close to Michigan? We're all here to help!

The size of the bar on that 441 (28in) suggest cutting silver maples in central Indiana! Have Saw's will travel

I bought that saw for some big deadfall and some really big Norway maple. It coincided with my Husqy breaking down for the first time in 16 years. And I couldn't wait for it to be fixed, so I made the plunge. I was in the middle of some large lumber.

Turns out, it was only a $76 repair, not much at all. But I'm glad I have the big Stihl. It's made big work seem like small work.

 

[heppm01]

Don't get too excited about UHaul trailers - they don't have anything that will take a load over one ton.

(Okay, they have a 6x12 cargo trailer with a 2600 lb max load, but it would be a pain to load/unload)

Maybe buck up five or six cords and then hire a heavy-duty dump truck to transport for you?

 

[SolarAndWood]

Don't get too excited about UHaul trailers - they don't have anything that will take a load over one ton.

(Okay, they have a 6x12 cargo trailer with a 2600 lb max load, but it would be a pain to load/unload)

Maybe buck up five or six cords and then hire a heavy-duty dump truck to transport for you?

I put a 2 ton skid steer in their open 6x12 tandem trailer...worked great.

 

[TreePapa]

Don't get too excited about UHaul trailers - they don't have anything that will take a load over one ton.

(Okay, they have a 6x12 cargo trailer with a 2600 lb max load, but it would be a pain to load/unload)

Maybe buck up five or six cords and then hire a heavy-duty dump truck to transport for you?

I think that what trailers your local U-Hell has depends on the frachisee. Nevertheless, if you have a real local equipment yard, check them out before going w/ U-Hell. The local yards tend to cater to people who need to get real work done. U-Hell tends to cater to folks moving lawn furniture.

Peace,
- Sequoia