Some recent work

[CT-Mike]

I found a guy on Craigslist looking for someone to cut firewood on his property, a cord for him, a cord for me. So over the last few weekends I got the trees dropped and limbed, and he hauled them to the landing with his grapple excavator. I paid a log truck guy $250 to truck my share of the sticks to my house (approx 25 miles one way - decent deal I thought) where I have been working on bucking them into 20" rounds.

I still have to buck the landowner's share of the sticks into 24" rounds, but he called yesterday and told me he wants me to wait until after the holidays.

Anyhow, I thought I would post up a pic of the pile, mostly yellow birch with some oak and hickory mixed in. I wasn't too happy about the birch at first until I looked it up and found that it ranks right below red oak for BTU content. Also in the shot is the new Stihl 361 I picked up after the Jonsered connecting rod decided to eat itself.

Mike

 

[LLigetfa]

I paid a log truck guy $250 to truck my share of the sticks to my house...

Ja, a lot of people seem to think that delivery is free. The delivery makes up a significant percentage of the cost. So, how much do you think you have there?

Nice processing area. Is that next to a public or private road and is that a neighbor's house in the pic? My wood processing area is visible from the public road and I often wonder what the neighbors think. Several of the neighbor's have farm implements or junk in their front yards so I don't feel too bad.

 

[CT-Mike]

The truck owner tells me that his grapple truck holds 7-8 cords depending on how tightly it is loaded. I figure about 7 1/2 cords. I am processing in my front yard, the crushed stone you see is my driveway crossing in front of the house towards the garage. As for the neighbors I am not too worried. The guy in front is a ear/nose/throat surgeon and kind of snooty. Only talks to me when he wants to borrow a tool, or needs help putting together a playset for his kids because he has the common sense of a door knob.

 

[Wet1]

The truck owner tells me that his grapple truck holds 7-8 cords depending on how tightly it is loaded. I figure about 7 1/2 cords. I am processing in my front yard, the crushed stone you see is my driveway crossing in front of the house towards the garage. As for the neighbors I am not too worried. The guy in front is a ear/nose/throat surgeon and kind of snooty. Only talks to me when he wants to borrow a tool, or needs help putting together a playset for his kids because he has the common sense of a door knob.

Looks like well over 5 cords to me, that should keep you toasty for a while!

What town do you live in Mike?

 

[smokinj]

time to go to work!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Mike, a cord for a cord sounds like a super deal to me. Usually it is 1/3 and 2/3 when cut on shares.

 

[CT-Mike]

Savage,

Yes I was very happy with the deal. The really good part is the landowner was happy with my work and safety habits/PPE, and invited me back to do the same next year. He has over 90 acres and hopefully this relationship will continue for some time.

When you add up the cost of having to buy a new saw and pay for delivery, I spent approx $900 for 7.5 cords of green wood. But if you figure that I will get at least 10 years out of the saw then I only spent a little over $300 (obviously these numbers do not include my labor).

Wet1, I live in the SE part of the state.

 

[smokinj]

that 361 you should do better than 10 years at 7.5 cords a year!

 

[CT-Mike]

that 361 you should do better than 10 years at 7.5 cords a year!

Smokin,

That is my view also, I was just being conservative. I expect to get 15-20 years out of it with no trouble at all.

 

[Malatesta]

I think it was a good score for you, i just purchased the Stihl 361 a month ago too. Its a nice saw. Got it on sale for $529.00 which i thaught was great price for this saw. 7 plus chords of great hardwoods good job.

 

[CT-Mike]

Woodcrib,

That is a really good price on the saw. List up this way is $600 with 18" bar. Turns out the guy who owns the saw shop is also the guy who owned the log truck I was hiring. When we talked about that, he gave me a really good deal: 361 w/20" bar, extra Stihl chain, and gallon of Stihl winter bar oil for $606 after the governor's cut. I was extremely happy.

 

[Lasher]

When I first read your post, I thought you might be in my neck of the woods, but I am in the Northwest corner. I was talking with a guy that had 90 acres and wanted some wood cut on his land, same thing...1 cord for me....1 cord for him. But different part of the state.

 

[Wet1]

When I first read your post, I thought you might be in my neck of the woods, but I am in the Northwest corner. I was talking with a guy that had 90 acres and wanted some wood cut on his land, same thing...1 cord for me....1 cord for him. But different part of the state.

I know of someone who was looking to do this same deal around me (last winter), that's why I asked as well...