Fallen trees in the neighborhood- Is it worth the money?

[mbk2000]

Hi all. I was taking a walk the other day and noticed that a really large hardwood tree that had fallen last summer was still perched precariously amongst the still standing trees in someone's backyard. These folks have a mobile home and, from the looks of it, no wood stove or fireplace. It also looks like they may not have the money to have the tree removed. So is it worth it for me to pay to have the tree cut up and delivered to me (assuming, of course, the owner says its OK)? I would have to pay for the whole process all the way down to having the wood split and delivered to the driveway. Is this feasable and would this be any cheaper than just buying it ready to season? Also, what sort of person would be best to hire for this kind of job--a firewood dealer or a tree remover specialist?

 

[SlyFerret]

Get some quotes first. I was shocked to find out how expensive tree removal is. I think the last tree that my dad had removed cost about $1200. It was a BIG oak. They took the trunk (it was WAY too big for us to do anything with), but left the branches. Much of what they left behind for us will be my firewood for next season.

-SF

 

[zzr7ky]

Not likely. Costs are pretty high.

However call the nearest few tree removal outfits. With disposal fees, and fuel prices, many will dump wood for free where you want it if they do not have to cut and split. Then you could hire someone to work it up at an hourly rate. You would still have some calculating to do to see if it is worth the coast and hassle.

ATB,
Mike P

 

[eernest4]

Your far better off dollar wise to cut it down yourself ,if you have a 18 in gas chain saw & if
the tree is far enough away from anything so that the tree can not end up falling on something you have to pay to replace.

The trick is to cut the tree up into small sections that will be easy to lift into your car trunk,pick up truck or trailer.

i have cut several down in just this way,but i is about 5 or 6 days work for 1 guy part time
& longer if it has a 30 inch or larger dia.trunk.

Make sure the wood is not rotten, as you say that the tree has been dead for a year, the wood could still be ok or it could already be too rotten to burn if you are wrong about the time & the tree has been dead for longer than 1 year.

It is a lot easier to burn your neighbor's old BARE WOOD that they set out on the curb on trash day.
***************************************
edit: do not burn any wood that is finished, only bare wood.

Finished wood makes corrosive & toxic fumes when burned & if you have a cat stove ,it will ruin your catalitic combuster by coating the honeycombs with residue that inactivates the catalitic coating of the ceramic combustor honeycombs.

 

[elleninpa]

Cut it yourself, and/or have it evaluated for furniture potential. A large black cherry and another hardwood was cut by a tree surgeon and he cut it so the son could make some furniture slabs out of it, so an eval by a tree surgeon is a good plan to know what to do, cut it yourself and in what lengths.

 

[eernest4]

After rereading the thread, maybe the best you could do is to find a wood burning guy like me, but someone younger & in Maine ,not Conn., all set up to cut down & split trees & offer to give him half the tree, if he cuts & splits & delevers the other half to you.

If he drives a hard bargain, let him have 2/3 of the tree for himself, as it costs you nothing & 1/3 of the tree is better than letting the whole tree just rot.

Maybe put an add in your local paper, "looking for a wood stove owner with truck, chain saw & gas splitter to process trees for other stove owner." You could give him 40.oo or 60.oo bucks to sweeten up the deal a bit, but only if you really had to.

I would be highly interested in something like that, but thats because I am a bit low on wood. If you hit a guy thats got lots of wood,he won't be too interested.

Could try an add in your local craigslist ,too.

www.craigslist.com


check this thread out ,too

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/16149/
Good luck.

 

[savageactor7]

geeees I dunno... hanging trees are always a tough take.