Did I just (almost) walk away from a good deal? (updated - I went back...)

[Slow1]

So I stop by a crew cutting down a couple trees - nice big oaks - and after a long while of patiently waiting for a chance to talk to the crew leader (who is up in the bucket cutting away of course) I finally get to ask if I might be able to get some of the wood.

After some discussion and a phone call he tells me that the wood is actually sold, but since I'm much closer they can sell it to me for $400. He claims it will be 9 cords worth - I'm a bit doubtful as I'm looking at the partially loaded grapple trying to gauge the size and multiply it out and figure in all the air space etc I can't see how it would actually measure out that much, but wondering if it would be at least 6 or what have you. The wood looks like nice red oak and solid as can be so the temptation was rising as I stood there. I just somehow was having a hard time looking at it and seeing even half that much wood yielding out of it. But even at $100/cord log length isn't a bad deal - but I've been averaging about that lately off my CL scores and free pickups that are far less work than processing a mountain of wood in the yard for the next few months.

So question: Can one of those small grapple trucks with the grapple sitting right behind the cab yield 9 cords in the first place? (nevermind if they were actually going to be able to fill it from that job - nobody knows that until after the fact).

Since he said it was sold already I left it as "well it's already sold so I'll let the other person not get too disappointed, here's my card, let me know when you are in the area again" and he took it and said that if they are in a bind and nearby I may just get a pile in the driveway one day - nice image, wonder if it really would happen.

Time will tell I suppose...

 

[smokinj]

I'd say your thinking right, could be wrong but a good scronger knows when to walk!
(9 cords is a great deal if correct! but scronge it and its just labor)

 

[SolarAndWood]

Tough call...even if it is only 4 cord, sell 2 and get 2 free. On the other hand, having them know that you don't pay for wood but they are free to dump it in your driveway whenever they want has some value. Establish a few relationships like that and you won't need a truck or trailer to do your scrounging.

 

[Birdman1]

I scrounged up that much for free since the end of last winter, just did the same thing you did.
Last week saw a crew on the road and three hours later had a huge maple delivered to my yard for free.

Ya did the right thing.

 

[Slow1]

Update... nothing stays the same does it

I spoke to my wife who surprised me and asked why not get it? Was it good oak? (gasp - is she starting to appreciate the finer things about wood gathering?) Anyway long story short she was agreeable to having the pile set on the grass "as long as you get it done in the next 6 months or so"...

I had the guys card so I called him and left a message saying I'm interested in the wood. He called back and after a bit of discussion about the amount of wood, size of logs etc... we settled on $250 for the load. So... as long as I get at least 3 cords out of it I'm doing ok - if there is anywhere near as much as he originally estimated then I get one heck of a bargain. Does make me wonder just what "already sold" may have meant though eh?

I'll have to post picture of course once I get the load.

 

[smokinj]

Update... nothing stays the same does it

I spoke to my wife who surprised me and asked why not get it? Was it good oak? (gasp - is she starting to appreciate the finer things about wood gathering?) Anyway long story short she was agreeable to having the pile set on the grass "as long as you get it done in the next 6 months or so"...

I had the guys card so I called him and left a message saying I'm interested in the wood. He called back and after a bit of discussion about the amount of wood, size of logs etc... we settled on $250 for the load. So... as long as I get at least 3 cords out of it I'm doing ok - if there is anywhere near as much as he originally estimated then I get one heck of a bargain. Does make me wonder just what "already sold" may have meant though eh?

I'll have to post picture of course once I get the load.

now your scronging never take the frist deal unless its free

 

[SolarAndWood]

already sold probably means the crew is looking for beer money and selling to the highest bidder

 

[Birdman1]

Update... nothing stays the same does it

I spoke to my wife who surprised me and asked why not get it? Was it good oak? (gasp - is she starting to appreciate the finer things about wood gathering?) Anyway long story short she was agreeable to having the pile set on the grass "as long as you get it done in the next 6 months or so"...

I had the guys card so I called him and left a message saying I'm interested in the wood. He called back and after a bit of discussion about the amount of wood, size of logs etc... we settled on $250 for the load. So... as long as I get at least 3 cords out of it I'm doing ok - if there is anywhere near as much as he originally estimated then I get one heck of a bargain. Does make me wonder just what "already sold" may have meant though eh?

I'll have to post picture of course once I get the load.

Heck already sold prolly meant "Lets see what we can sqeeze outa this one"
Good dealin hope it measures out for ya

 

[drdoct]

Please be sure to post some pics once it gets there... I'm curious.

 

[mayhem]

I wouldn't want to deal with anyone willing to sell me a product they had "already sold" to someone else becaue i was closer.

I'm sure the wood was not already spoken for anyways, just being devil's advocate.

 

[billb3]

If it was two brothers (one climbs trees, the other operates equipment) he 'sells' it to his son.
At $250.00 he got more for it from you. (pine goes to the dump requiring a fee)

9 cords of green oak is a lot of weight . All in one shot would require a rather heavy duty type truck.

 

[Slow1]

I did take pictures - will post later when I can get time to upload from camera at home. It is NOT near 9 cords. I'm betting closer to 4-5. However, there is some nice wood there and given that the going rate I've seen around here for log length hardwood is about $100/cord I think I did ok. No great bargain to write mom about, but I'm glad I didn't pay $400. Never know for sure how much there is until it is cut and stacked proper though.

I am going to have to learn how to cut some big pieces though. There are several that I measured to be 24" and one that is easily over 30". I am giving the most serious though ever to renting a splitter, but that may pass - there is no real hurry to get it all split up afterall I do have all winter to do that.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Slow1, you might be surprised to find that the work goes faster when you are working on large pieces. In my opinion, they also split easier except for the knotty ones, but they still don't pose a problem. If you rent a splitter, be sure to get one that goes vertical and then you can just roll the logs onto the splitter rather than having to lift them. Oak is heavy stuff!

Good luck.

 

[Slow1]

Ok - here are the promised pictures of the load. Those larger pieces close to the deck are 24" in diameter and all are about 15-17" long.

That monster end broke apart as he was unloading it thank goodness (it is visible at the back of the truck) was probably 4' in diameter and rotten in the core so I was wondering how I would be able to cut/break it up.

 

[Dix]

Well, I think you did just fine

 

[rdust]

Well, I think you did just fine

x2, those big pieces have a lot of wood in them! Pictures don't do piles justice so I'm sure it's even more then it looks like.

 

[Hogwildz]

I'm gonna guess 3 to 3-1/2 cord.

 

[f3cbboy]

WOW - nice score of wood for $250. i am terrible on judging how much wood but looks like more than 3.5....but what do i know??

 

[Slow1]

I'll try and find this thread to update once I get it stacked and measured... it may be quite a long time though given that I don't have much time.. an hour here and there is all I can give it and weather has to be right. I spent about 2 hours over Friday night and Sat AM and managed to pull about 1/2 to 3/4 cord of rounds off - only cutting the smaller pieces really. Basically making it a more stable pile before the rains started...