How many cord should I expect from this scrounge

[prajna101]

So I am heading out on a scrounge next week that may be large. I have a friend I call for stuff that is bigger than I can handle myself. He has a large truck and we can rent a trailer. But I have no idea how much wood I may be getting into and want to be prepared.

Owner says he had three threes cut down. One smallish pine and two large maples. It is all bucked up into rounds and the two large trees were about 3.5 ft in diameter. There is limbwood down to 4 inches too.

This score is farther than I normally go at about 18 miles, I would love to do it in one load but I am not sure if I can with 7k lbs towing capacity.

What do you think I am looking at in cords? 2? 3? More?

How much wood can you expect out of a 3.5 ft diameter maple?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Todd

 

[midwestcoast]

Pretty tough to say based on that. No estimate of height of trees. Much depends on how much room they had around them to limb-out, what Maple species & shape...
It'd be a WAG.

 

[lukem]

I think you'd be hard pressed to get a 40"+ tree in one trip with (what sounds like) a half ton truck and trailer, let alone the other 2. The large maple log could be a cord in itself depending on length. I'd say you'd be pushing hard on 8,000 lbs if the trees live up to the hype...

18 miles isn't that far. I'm guessing you prob don't have a break controller...and most rental trailers don't have breaks. You are going to have your hands full if you try to make it in one...I'd personally take 2. Be nice to your truck.

 

[Wood Duck]

I'd take two trips rather than risk overloading the rig on one trip, if it looks like you are close to overloading.

 

[WhitePine]

Check your local laws on towing without brakes. You do not want to have a gross load (trailer and what is in it) that exceeds the legal limit. If you got in an accident, you could be in a world of hurt.

U-Haul's big enclosed trailers have surge brakes, which are better than nothing and keep you legal. You don't need a brake controller with surge brakes. I don't know about their open trailers. You might want to check.

I don't see how you could get all that in one trip. It might even take more than two. A three and a half foot diameter tree is big.

 

[SolarAndWood]

I thought you did all your scrounging by bike? I bet you are looking at more than 3. A 2 foot maple is around a cord.

 

[prajna101]

Yeah, I was pretty sure I could not fit this one into my bike trailer, or my little tiny trailer behind my civic. It is definitely one to call in a friend with a truck. I am better at finding the scores, I rent the trailer ($24) and he pays for gas and we split 50/50.

I hate driving back and forth, but it sounds like it will likely be several trips. Oh well, it will feel good to get ahead so early in the year.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[ansehnlich1]

3.24759 cord

 

[Heaterhunter]

Big maples already bucked up??? If it's free I would drive 50 miles as many times as it took to get it all home. Git er done. I'm flat out jealous lol

 

[smokinj]

3.24759 cord

2nd that!

 

[shawneyboy]

3.24759 cord

Nope I disagree.... by my numbers it would be...

3.24761 cord

 

[smokinj]

3.24759 cord

Nope I disagree.... by my numbers it would be...

3.24761 cord

Now your talking crazy! lol

 

[Backwoods Savage]

No matter how much. Just go get it! Nice find.

 

[Jags]

Taking a swag - 4 loads using truck AND trailer.

 

[prajna101]

I am really looking forward. I have had a great week scrounging.

I will count on this being a whole day project. Even dividing the wood between two burners it will still be a good pile.

The funny thing is the reverse discrimination I found on Facebook toward maple. I posted about this latest find and a bunch of my friends here out west responded like "you burn maple? That will plug up your flue" All they burn in their area is lodgepole pine. I thought it was funny because of all the people here that seem to think that pine is bad. I never knew pine was bad until I talked with easterners. Now I know maple is bad too. Soon I will have to switch to a pellet stove just to remain safe.

t

 

[WoodpileOCD]

3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923078164062.......

No wait, thats pi, the never ending number