It pays to knock on doors

[SlyFerret]

I stopped on the way home today and knocked on a strangers door. He was thrilled that I wanted to haul off the wood that was sitting in his yard. He had paid to have a rather large maple tree taken down (at least 36" at the base). The tree company cut it up, but left behind all of the stuff that they didn't run through the chipper. All nicely cut up and ready to be hauled away.

This picture is of the 2nd load, just before unloading it in my driveway. There is probably one more load of this "small" stuff. Then, I have to figure out how to get the big stuff loaded. I'm probably going to have to enlist the help of a few more strong backs. There are easily 5 more trips left.

-SF

Edit: My wife wants me to make sure that everybody knows that she was right there alongside me, helping to load the truck. She's stronger than she looks!

 

[Hurricane]

That is the way to score wood. Great job.

 

[SlyFerret]

I have a contract IT gig this weekend that is probably going to entail 12 hours shifts on Saturday and Sunday. It pays pretty well for side work, but part of me wishes that I could spend the next two days working on getting the rest of the wood.

-SF

 

[joshlaugh]

I agree that it pays to knock on doors. I have scored a lot of wood over the years by doing that. You gain free wood while the homeowner gets rid of their unwanted tree rounds.

I would be working hard to get all that wood to your house before someone else comes along and knocks on that door while you work!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Can't tell from the pictures what kink of wood that is but you certainly did the right thing by knocking on the door. Too many are afraid of doing that.

 

[LLigetfa]

Can't tell from the pictures what kink of wood that is...

All this talk of firewood and splitter porn and now kinky wood... %-P

 

[drdoct]

That tailgate looks too straight. Wait till you roll some monsters off it. Min has a perma-bend from a few huge rounds. I figure it's all worth it though. Free wood is good wood!

 

[LLigetfa]

That tailgate looks too straight. ... Min has a perma-bend from a few huge rounds.

Did you know that the tailgate comes off easily, saving it from damage?

 

[SlyFerret]

It's maple. Not sure which variety. The wood has a nice red tint to it.

-SF

 

[webby3650]

Got any close up pics? It sure is a weird color, looks kinda like Mulberry from the pic.

 

[SlyFerret]

We went back and got the rest of it today. As I said before, he was thrilled that I wanted to come get it all out of his side yard, and even more thrilled when I asked him what kind of beer he liked. I'm happy to have the wood, and he's happy to have no wood and a case of beer.

Gotta love how things work out!

I borrowed my dad's trailer and heavy duty dolly. Here's pics of the three trips from today, plus one showing all the work ahead of us! Three quarters of the wood in our driveway is from this score.

Better yet, the guys neighbor took our name and number to call us when she has a tree removed later this summer. Hers is even bigger than this one!

-SF

 

[SlyFerret]

I'll post a close up shot of the bark later when I get back home.

He said it was maple, but there weren't any leaves to look at. He pointed at the neighbors tree that will be coming down this summer and said "it's the same kind as that one" From where I was standing, It looked like maple, and I asked if it had the little "helicopter seeds" every year, and he said it did.

I'm not all that good at identifying trees. As far as I'm concerned, if it burns, I'm happy!

-SF

 

[JoeyD]

Nice score! What is the load rating of that trailer? I'm asking because I've been looking around for a trailer and the ones I see with a single tounge like the one you have are not rated for the 3000 lb gross weight I was under the impression I needed to haul firewood. It sure looks like you are getting a decent load on the one you have.

 

[SlyFerret]

This one is rated at 2000 lbs. I don't have any clue how much weight I was hauling. The suspension wasn't bottomed out, and the tires didn't look overloaded, so I think I was OK. It would be nice to have a bigger trailer (I think this one is 5x8), but it worked out pretty well. I only had to go about 6 miles with each load, and I tried to keep my speed down.

The trailer came from TSC about 4 years ago.

-SF

 

[webby3650]

Don't think we need a close up pic, that is silver Maple. Your first post looked real red for some reason. I kinda like silver Maple, it's easy to split, dries quick and the stuff is always free! Geat find!

 

[Jags]

Yep, those are silver maple rounds. You shouldn't have any problem breaking those down to stove size.

Broke down many rounds like that myself over the years. I prefer hydraulics now.

 

[DBoon]

When I first moved to Central NY a few years ago, I had to have a very large oak tree in my yard taken down. The wood sat in a pile in my front yard for about 7-10 days until my father-in-law could get it all split and moved to his place. I probably met a dozen people from the village as they came to ask my "what are you planning on doing with that pile of wood in your front yard?"

 

[maplewood]

Free wood is the best wood!
Good luck splitting it.
Glad the wife is on-board: strong or not. She's more understanding of the dust & smoke if she helps carry, split and stack.
Either way, she'll enjoy the heat!
Smart shopping - keep knocking!