"Free" Firewood

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Simonkenton

Minister of Fire
Feb 27, 2014
2,397
Marshall NC
Gotta get more wood. I saw an ad in craigslist 2 days ago. I got the guy on the phone. It is on Ox Creek Road in Weaverville, right near the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is a 25 mile drive.
He is building a house. He said there is a big pile of wood from when he cleared the lot. Said guys have been cutting off of it for a year since they cleared the lot but there was lots left in that pile.
Immediately, I knew what was left in that pile. The garbage wood that nobody wanted.

Then, he said that there were 8 big oak trees that needed cutting down. Merry Christmas, I thought. He said these were trees that were blocking his view.
So I loaded up the Stihl, and the Husqvarna, and the cant hook and the maul and the beagle, Daisy, and off we went.
It is a beautiful 40 minute drive through Reems Creek to get there.
When I got there, I saw right away that I was right about the pile. 8 feet high and 40 feet long, stumps, roots and trash pine and poplar that nobody wanted. Probably would make some fine newspaper or paper bags down at the mill.

There were 8 beautiful 95 foot oak trees, ready to be cut. And they were 150 feet down a steep hill, no way to drive down there. Or, if you did, you wouldn't be driving out without a tow truck. I will not carry wood 150 feet up a steep mountain to load up my truck.
Daisy and I left. Fifty miles of driving, cost $25 in truck expenses because it does cost about 50 cents a mile, you can't count just gas. 1 1/2 hours of driving, 10 minutes of scouting, and got back home with a truck load of nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide.

This guy has had at least a dozen construction workers out there to put in his foundation and his full basement and you know he offered all of them this firewood.
Most construction guys live in the country and have pickups and chain saws. If they don't have a wood stove, their mother has a fireplace.
They all took a pass on this firewood deal, I am guessing that finally one of them told him to put it in Craigslist for free firewood, he might find a sucker who will come up here and get these trees.

Now, just 3 weeks ago I got 3 beautiful Nissan truck loads of white oak off of a Craigslist free firewood ad. But half the time the ad is for a BS deal.
 
I have steep slopes on my property, that is where a capstan winch and skidder cone comes in.

Nevertheless, that is why Craigslist add are free.
 
Seems like that oak might be worth more as lumber. With the right equipment to drag it out of these it could be worth some money (as lumber).
 
Seems like that oak might be worth more as lumber. With the right equipment to drag it out of these it could be worth some money (as lumber).
I wish a local to me had free 95' straight oaks that needed to be removed!
 
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flying1.jpg

Dammit! If he had just mentioned it, I would have flown over in my logging helicopter. I would have had it made.
Daisy loves to fly around in the mountains in the helicopter.
 
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Well at least it's free lol!!


You cut and haul!! Pine! Sounds like a great deal!!
 
Or on the other end of the spectrum you've got guys like this:


Logs that are fully seasoned, ready to burn? No mention of cut date. Even at 2 ft lengths, there's going to be plenty of moisture in them especially the oaks and elms.
 
WoodburnerinWI I thought you had me nailed, when it said "Madison." Because I live in Madison County NC.
But I guess that is not the Madison you are referring to. What got me was, just this morning an ad popped up on craiglist for a free tree, down on the side of the road, nice fresh 20 inch white pine with no rot. That much kindling would last me 28 years.

"Freedom is just another word,
For nothing left to lose
Nothing ain't worth nothing, but its free..."
 
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yep cl is a lot like playing any games in a Vegas casino
 
Free fire wood is an old wife tale it does not exist. Yes I to have learned the hard way.

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I have no issues with CL users advertising free wood, even if it's pine. If it's curbside, it's good to go in my book. But when you get these guys who want you to cut down a tree in their yard, no way! Even if it's the easiest tree you'll ever take down, it's not worth the liability. You can cut down 999 trees with no issues, but wouldn't that be your lucky day tree #1,000 that you're taking down on some strangers property decides to fall on his house or garage. Scrounging to me is curbside or tree is already down and just needs to be cut.
 
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About half the craigslist ads I have answered have been BS. I am the OP. That guy 2 days ago, he offered that wood to all those construction workers and they all turned him down. He knew no sane person is going to carry drums of firewood 150 feet up a steep mountain to fill a pickup truck.
And I have gone out on craigslist ads, and like you said, the tree was leaning towards the house! Great. Of course I said "No."
The guy didn't want to pay a pro $1400 to climb that tree.

I would say, I have gone out on a dozen craigslist ads, and have gotten good wood half the time. Just 3 weeks ago got 3 truck loads of pristine white oak, you could drive right up to it and it was on flat land. What a great deal.

So you go out 3 weeks ago, a 22 mile drive which cost $22 in travel costs, then you go out this week 25 miles, to get nothing, it averages out about fifty bucks a truck load for free wood.