To cut or not to cut?

[jeffman3]

OK, here is some back ground, and a question. I asked my aunt if I could cut up downed limbs and trees from an ice storm 2 seasons ago. My uncle called last night and wants me to basically maintain the trees on his property in return for cutting up the down trees and limbs for firewood. He is talking about topping trees and creating wind breaks, and just in general being responsible for all the tree maintenance for this property . He also wants me to sign a waver so I can't come back on him if I cut myself while working for him. I didn't just tell him no,( but I wanted to.) The thing is, he has allot of ash and elm there just begging to be cut up and burned. (Lots and lots and lots, from what my aunt told me) The real rub is that it would be about a half hour drive to work up there and I have a source for basically all the downed and dry cottonwood I can cut just a few blocks from my front door. I know that cottonwood isn't the best, but it is local,free and no indentured servitude! what do you think? In this part of our world, cottonwood is everywhere and good hard wood can be hard to come by. So what do you think I should do?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I think it's odd that a family member would want you to maintain their property for free. He's not just looking to have some downed trees cleaned up... Topping trees isn't the safest thing to do. And if you do get hurt, it sounds like he won't want anything to do with you.

I'd pass. Cottonwood will burn too, and it sounds like it could help keep the family together.

Matt

 

[Eric Johnson]

Maintaining a woodlot can be a rewarding experience, especially one that's in the family.

On the other hand, I don't know your uncle.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'd wait until the aunt or uncle invited you to cut up the wood. No invite, no cut. Why should you go that far when you have enough wood already? Also, sometimes it is best to not get involved like that with relatives...especially when they ask you to sign a waiver. Thanks, but no thanks would be my answer.

 

[jeffman3]

Thank you guys, I pretty much desided to pass on this. My aunt is a wonderful person , my uncle is IMHO is always trying to get somthing for nothing. If he can take advantage of something or someone, he will, if it benifits him. The wood would be great, and I could probably burn good ash and elm for years just with what's down, but I think I will burn the cottonwood that is available just outside of town, and not have to wory about taking care of my uncles property. I realy think that he is trying to take advantage of me with this. The amount of work he is asking for out of line IMO.

I know that cottonwood isn't the best wood out there. Does anyone else burn alot of cottonwood?

 

[rdrcr56]

Here in Colo. we also have a ton of cottonwood, but that ash and elm will go a long way in that tribute. The difference in burn time between pine and cottonwood makes pine seem like a hardwood, so if he's not a complete jerk I would cut his tree's for him.

 

[hilly]

My wife is an arborist and the thinking in that field now is that if you have to top a tree, you may as well just take it right down. Not only will the fresh top be a place for disease, but the spurs you use to climb the tree allow disease in as well. We had to have a big stand of firs removed because they were "spiral" pruned a few years ago and while the pruning itself wasn't an issue, the pruner used climbing spurs. We suspect this was a contributing factor in their poor health these last few years.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

hilly, there are much better and easier ways to get up a tree without using those terrible spikes. The last time I wore those thing I either threw them or gave them away.

Cottonwood will give a hot fire for sure but it does not last long. Dry cottonwood is even okay to use in the wood cook stove because of its qualities. Around here though, we just leave them be. Well, I did cut a couple a few years back. They are still laying in the woods, free to anyone who wants them.

 

[jeffman3]

We will be burning in a Hearthstone Tribute. (That's Hearthstone's little soapstone stove.) My thinking was if the soapstone holds the heat like I have read, that will most likely be the direction we go, for now at least. My boss at work says that cottonwood is all he burns in his stove. I hope to find some good hardwood for next year but I'm leaning toward the cottonwood right now, because of the abundance and avilabilty. Is there a reason I shouldn't burn cottonwood in the Tribute?(ie... too hot a burn?)

 

[JayD]

Then again may be your uncle is looking to the future and your in the will. Do you have health insurance? I sign wavers all the time. Or I would not have wood. But i have good insurance. I have taken care of my aunt & uncles parcel for years! cut tree's down and replanted with good trees I have been planting the Princeton Elm tree's These bad boys grow fast and they are hardy and strong! and I will have Great fire-wood in the future! I have carved trails for them to walk, And this fall they told me that this 3.5 acer is All mine as I am the only one out of the family to do any work for them? Talk to your aunt she sounds great. {She may were the pants in that house?}

 

[drewmo]

You could also ask your uncle for a few bucks above and beyond the free wood. Be fair, afterall, he is *family*. If he says "no," wish him good luck in finding someone cheaper.

 

[SlyFerret]

Everything has a value. If you can somehow come to an agreement on what the downed wood is worth as firewood, you can then work towards figuring out what work needs done that would be equal in value. I think I would pass as well if it were left as an open ended "you can take the downed trees but you have to agree to come back and maintain the trees forever." If you can put a value on each, it might help to come to an agreement. If it's a few years worth of wood, that is definately worth something. I'd be hard pressed to let it slip through my fingers without trying to negotiate something.

-SF

 

[BrotherBart]

I wouldn't climb up and top a tree for all of the freakin firewood in the world.

 

[SlyFerret]

I guess I was making the assumption that Jeffman3 has experience in this field. If not, maybe it's best to pass.

-SF

 

[jeffman3]

Truly, I am a novis in the true meaning of the word. I bought my first chain saw a month ago. I have no idea how to properly trim out living trees, and I won't be climbing up in any tree with a saw My life is worth more then that. I just asked if I could cut up the down and dead stuff, and he callled me up with this list of stuff that he wanted me to do, and that I would basicly be taking care of all the trees for him. lots!! He even reminded me that they could sell that wood. Yea that may be true, but he doesn't have a saw to do it. I was trying to help them, and myself at the same time, by clearing out the down and dead. I may call them back and see if they will go for that, but I'm not going to be his arborist / gardner. If for no other reason I'm not qualified to do that.

 

[wahoowad]

Hell no. You were already doing them a favor by cleaning up the downed/damaged trees.

 

[Mike Wilson]

So let me get this straight... your uncle, a family member, is doing you the favor of allowing you to climb to the top of his trees, to cut down some wood, that you can use in your stove, for free, right? You have to haul it off his property too... Oh, and he wants you to sign a waiver, right... yeah, I thought so.

Go buy your wood, it's cheaper than all the health care bills you'll have after you're a quadriplegic.

-- Mike

 

[jeffman3]

OK guys, and gals I have an update! I talked to my aunt tonight and I believe I will be able to work something out with them. I will probably end up doing more then I had hoped, but I won't be managing the place. It sounds like most of the work for them will be dropping trees that they don't want. The wood is then mine to take. On top of that I will have access to trees that were dropped 2 years ago and piled up. It doesn't sound like I will indentured to them, I just need to be willing to help out with some things other then just cutting my own wood. But the things she mentioned were dropping trees for them, and cutting out limbs that have broken off and are hanging to the ground. So I guess I will be cutting wood for me and cutting wood for me. :lol: I will just have to get up there and take a look, and talk some more with my uncle to iron out the details, but it sounds good right now.

Now I just need the stove installed!! 12/28/07 12 days and counting

 

[North of 60]

The only way Ill top a tree is after Ive fallen the whole damn thing. Id look after my own limbs first. There is a reason why professional people do this for a living. Its because there crazy! and I respect that. :cheese:

 

[jeffman3]

I won't be topping any trees! I agree with you. My aunt is talking about limbs that have broken during an ice storm we had last year and are literally touching the ground. I told them I wasn't going up any trees with the saw! I might back the truck up and stand in the bed, but I wont be doing anything more then that off the ground. I understand that there is an awful lot of ash and elm up there. So I guess I'm willing to do some work for them to get access to it. I just made it very clear that if I'm uncomfortable with something I'm not going to do it and that is that.

 

[WarmGuy]

I wonder if there's a diplomatic way of getting your agreement written down to prevent future bad feelings?

 

[Arlo]

Topping a tree can be like riding a mechanical bull if you dont cut ir right so unless your comfortable riding a mechanical bull while holding a chain saw....don't do it. IF done right, topping can be done safely but you have to know your cut and be willing to be smacked in the face by wood! I did it several times when I was younger and the only reason I lived was becasue I was helping out someone who had been doing it for years!

 

[JimWalshin845]

I thought it was a no-brainer when you said it was 1 1/2hr ride. By the time you cart home a truck full of wood you probably could have spent enough in gas/diesel to buy a 1/2 a cord.

 

[jeffman3]

I wonder if there's a diplomatic way of getting your agreement written down to prevent future bad feelings?

My aunt is very reasonable person and I trust her word. My uncle is as squirmy as they get. If I reach an agreement with them and she is up to speed with the whole thing, I will be fine. I trust her completely. She won't let anyone slide on anything, and she is very fair and reasoned. I don't think there will be any problems, as long as I hold up my end of the agreement. Which doesn't sound like it will be to hard to do. Yet,....I hold my final decision on that till I go up to the ground, with them, and see the work, and the wood for the stove, first hand. Right now I am waiting for the stove to be installed, and 12 inches of snow to melt off a bit. The 4x4 would be fine, but the wife doesn't want to fight the snow to stack wood in the truck.(I cut she stacks) ;-)

Tribute to installed 12/28/07
11 days and counting!!

 

[jeffman3]

I thought it was a no-brainer when you said it was 1 1/2 hr ride. By the time you cart home a truck full of wood you probably could have spent enough in gas/diesel to buy a 1/2 a cord.

It is about 1/2 hour up there, and another 1/2 hr back.(rough guess) The biggest factor here is that I have no access to good hard wood anywhere else. All I can get my hands on is cottonwood, and no one in my area sells firewood.(that I am aware of)