Got a score (but I have to work for it)

[chazcarr]

I was talking to some friends about how difficult it is to find wood this year. One of them mentioned that her father has more wood than he could ever use down at his farm.

I called the guy and he lives only 3 miles from me. He sold a bunch of trees from his farm to a mill and had them leave the stumps, tops, and anything they didn't want laying. Basically the mill guy left anything less than 12 inches and any pine.

There is a lot of trimming and cutting here, but the estimate is that there is over 75 cords of wood just lying on the ground. It sure seems like there is wood everywhere. The mission now is to get it before it rots. My deal is that I help him limb and cut, and he will split and deliver to me. It is a 30 - 70 split for him. To me it seems fair enough, plus it is a non-profit farm so I don't want to be greedy. What do you guys think?

Time for me to get to work.

 

[aansorge]

If you are just limbing and cutting and not loading, that sounds fair. If he is loading, splitting and delivering he is doing a lot of the work.

 

[gzecc]

Unless its pine and poplar.

 

[Sconnie Burner]

I would say go for it! Even if you have to help him load it. Cutting should go fairly quickly with a decent saw and sharp chains. Plus you get wood the length YOU want/need instead of those dreaded ones that won't fit in the stove! Plus you don't need to split by hand or rent a hydro splitter if you don't already have one.

 

[Poindexter]

Sounds like a pretty good deal to me, esp since its only three miles from the house. Are you far enough ahead that you can wait for him to "get around to" splitting and delivering?

Alternatively, if he is getting behind on the splitting part could you renegotiate to drop say one truck load of rounds on his landing and then one truck load of rounds on your landing?

 

[jillybeansisme]

SCORE! That's phenomenal! I think that's really really really a sweet deal for you. I'd be there cutting asap!

 

[Paulywalnut]

Just for the heck of it.. Do you know what kind of wood you're processing? Still sounds like a good deal for you, just helping with the limbing and cutting.

 

[chazcarr]

Just for the heck of it.. Do you know what kind of wood you're processing? Still sounds like a good deal for you, just helping with the limbing and cutting.

A lot of stuff mixed in here. Most of it is hickory. There is some cherry, maple, birch, chestnut, and pine if I feel like cutting it.

All I have to do is limb and cut up. He is hauling, splitting, stacking so as soon as I get a chance I will be back there to cut some more.

Wish I had a few more saws at this point.

 

[muncybob]

Wish I had a few more saws at this point.

I wish you were closer to me!

 

[j7art2]

I'd grab it. Even the pine.

Pine makes a nice hot (short) fire, and if you want to overfire your stove to burn out creosote, pine would make a great wood to do it. Contrary to popular belief, it's not a horribly bad wood. I throw in a few pieces with my hardwood to get a nice bed of coals because it lights quick and helps heat the house faster.

 

[firefighterjake]

I'd grab it. Even the pine.

Pine makes a nice hot (short) fire, and if you want to overfire your stove to burn out creosote, pine would make a great wood to do it. Contrary to popular belief, it's not a horribly bad wood. I throw in a few pieces with my hardwood to get a nice bed of coals because it lights quick and helps heat the house faster.

Errrr . . . you had me until you advocated overfiring the stove to burn out the creosote. Old school thinking that most folks here will say has gone the way of stuffing your chimney with hay and lighting it on fire.

Better yet . . . run the stove at the right temps (not too hot and not too cold) and burn seasoned wood to reduce cresote build up and periodically check and sweep the chimney when needed. If you do the first two things (right temp and seasoned wood) you shouldn't have to sweep more than twice in a season and will never need to "burn" it out.

Other than that . . . I concur with the rest of the advice. Love the pine . . . especially during this time of year. Quick, hot fires to heat up the stove and warm the place up without overheating the place . . . and a great wood to help get a fire going or on a reload . . . makes for good kindling.

 

[chazcarr]

Yeah, pine is fine. But I already have 3 cords of it at home so it is just not the priority and I am not sure if it will last until I can get to it.

 

[j7art2]

Errrr . . . you had me until you advocated overfiring the stove to burn out the creosote. Old school thinking that most folks here will say has gone the way of stuffing your chimney with hay and lighting it on fire.

Better yet . . . run the stove at the right temps (not too hot and not too cold) and burn seasoned wood to reduce cresote build up and periodically check and sweep the chimney when needed. If you do the first two things (right temp and seasoned wood) you shouldn't have to sweep more than twice in a season and will never need to "burn" it out.

Other than that . . . I concur with the rest of the advice. Love the pine . . . especially during this time of year. Quick, hot fires to heat up the stove and warm the place up without overheating the place . . . and a great wood to help get a fire going or on a reload . . . makes for good kindling.

I understand. For me, using a wood furnace, the only way to get a proper temperature fire and burn optimally is to have an 8 log raging fire, and I'm heating the outside as much as I am the inside.

I use Rutland Creosote Removal powder regularly, and on the container, it says to add to hot coals, add fuel and burn hot. I assume that meant overfiring. I only overfire for short periods of time, but so far all of the creosote that I do get throughout the day flakes off in weekly cleanings.

I guess I shouldn't advocate overfiring though, I can only speak from my experience, and utilizing chemicals along with it. The removal and heat causes the creosote to crisp up like potato chips and fall off.

 

[j7art2]

Sorry for any confusion there. Even the pine is worth it though in the spring and fall. It also seasons quickly compared to some woods.

 

[island wood junkie]

SCORE! good deal there.

 

[Knots]

Easy access and not far from home. Seems like a fair deal.