Bonanza of wood but a catch!

[wkpoor]

Got a tip last week about some wood to be had not too far from me. Went over to check it out. Guy shows me about 8acres of nice mature woods full dead ash and downed hardwoods of all types. Basically more wood than I could cut in 2 years. All nice straight trees 75-100 foot tall. Catch is....I have to clean the whole woods up right down to every sapling before a stick comes out. Well I actually did think about it for a while and talked it over with some people. I'm leaning, haha, towards not taking this on because of some fish hooks in the deal. Like what if I get it cleaned up and he renigs on his side of the deal or decides I get half of the trees we originally agree on or just up and dies and the heirs say get off our property. I do have a buddy with a land clearing machine that could do the job in one day at quite an expense to me but still I could be left holding the bag on top of lost expenses.

 

[johnzski]

If it sounds too good to be true

I'm sure you know the rest

 

[KsWoodsMan]

So, basically you would be cutting for the next few years before you get to bring any home ?

I enjoy cutting wood but I'd feel alot better about bringing home what I did that day or at least during the week. That much wood just sitting there all cut up and waiting for you is to tempting for someone to go in and reap the benefits of your labor.

Waiting that long to bring it home would be like finally getting lucky on your 50th anniversary.

I'd pass.

 

[unclemoustache]

a bit of a hassle, but you could get a written contract filled out and notarized. Might be worth the effort.

 

[Nailsbeats]

It's a suicide mission. Go with your gut, they're all suicide missions.

 

[BeeVee]

I tore down the garage for an acquaintance for the 2 x 4s, plywood and tin corrugated roofing with the stipulation that he only wanted 6 sheets of the roofing . After saving everything that I could(lots) he raided my nicely stacked roofing pile and left ME with 6 sheets of roofing .
Oh well I got enough lumber to build a couple of deer hunting tree stands .
Wont get sucked in again .

 

[Locoweed]

I would skip that deal.

 

[Metals406]

Make it a gentleman's deal... Shake hands on it and start working. If he reneges, burn his house down.

Was that my outside voice?:monkey:

 

[irishcountry]

I would nail a contract down put it all in writing all the situations that could arise get it notorized and get him to sign it. It sounds like alot of wood and if you need it and its "free" plus you like cutting well might be worth pursuing. My neighbor worked out a 3 to 1 split with me but he's a real good guy and honest we look out for each other and I trust him he delivered on his side and I delivered on mine we didn't have a contract but i'm sure thats rare. I had another offer that I checked out earlier this summer but something didn't seem right lots of talk about signing this and that and how my business insurance (greenhouse) should cover anything that could go wrong ect.and after checking it out and seeing the amount of work and terrain I had to pass was tempting but there are lots of people out there that will take advantage of you or you insurer which can make you nervous. Legal binding paper with a signature is hard to dispute though!! my 2 cents take it easy irishcountry

 

[wdchuck]

If the area could be structured in equal squares, or like a grid, then you get to clear a space at a time, saplings/junk whatever and get all the downed/dead good wood in that same space, then be able to move onto the next square, and so on. That way the work gets done at reasonable pace, and both parties get what they want.

It would also allow multiple firewooders to work near each other without cheating anyone.

A little imagination, offer a plan on paper, and it could work out, or the owner could say no.

Is the area close to home?
Easy access?
Subject to other guys jumping your 'claim'?
How bad do you want/need the wood?

 

[fourfivefour]

CONTRACT!!
Get one settled with the land owner then clear it out.
Invite a few friends to come help and share the wood.

He probably doesn't want to deal with a bunch of people saying they will take it all then after a few loads they don't come back and he still needs the land cleared.

 

[MotorSeven]

Make it a gentleman's deal... Shake hands on it and start working. If he reneges, burn his house down.

Was that my outside voice?:monkey:

Dude, I really like the way you think!!!!!

RD

 

[thejdman04]

Get it in writing first, do you have to remove the brush or pile it.

 

[biggen0_8]

I'd pass, or maybe see if you could do a section at a time, like someone else suggested.

 

[aandabooks]

I'd have to pass.

 

[blakey]

I don't quite understand, how do you clean up the woods without taking any wood out?

 

[wkpoor]

If the area could be structured in equal squares, or like a grid, then you get to clear a space at a time, saplings/junk whatever and get all the downed/dead good wood in that same space, then be able to move onto the next square, and so on. That way the work gets done at reasonable pace, and both parties get what they want.

Thats has been proposed just not settled on at this time.

I don't quite understand, how do you clean up the woods without taking any wood out?

This guy's afraid if he lets the wood go first then the someone will skip on him and not clean the woods. There are some leaners and a few downed trees but for the most part its about clearing brush and saplings before the big trees come down and of course then the tops would need cleaned up then too.

 

[wkpoor]

Well when it rains it pours ( at least I hope not for a while) as I just happened into another deal and this one is for real and sweeeeet! Started today cutting trees that are leaning out over a farm field. Farmer wants anything that prevents him from farming up close taken out. The perimeter is loaded with nice sized stuff 16-24"ers and some larger. All kinds and the area is very easy to work in and all the tops can just be pushed up on the edge. There is so much to get we are passing on anything below 4" just so there is time to get all the but logs out before planting begins. Normally we waste nothing and take all but the smallest of pieces but this volume and my time constraints are such that we will just be moving whole logs for now. Maybe next fall go back and work up the tops that I push off to the side. I estimate the whole length of tree line to be almost a mile. I'll just get what I can when I can and if I don't finish before they plant I guess I'll pick up on it next fall after harvest.

 

[never2muchwood]

Since you don't know him, and he doesn't know you, the very best way to start a deal like this would be to get him to agree to split it into small sections, show him you're serious about doing what you promised, after each "small section" is cleared you'll be showing him you can do what he asked, and he can show you he trusts you while letting you take away the wood you've already cut.
Trust me, after being in business for myself one way or another for more years than I care to remember, a contract anymore isn't worth the paper it's printed on. Any contract if someone backed out of the deal would have to be followed up by lawyers and the second you get a lawyer involved, more money just left your hands than if you'd have bought the wood in the first place.
Gentlemans deal, sealed with a handshake, show him you can do it and make sure he shows you he'll keep up his end, or no deal, that's my humble opinion anyway. If he's an honest man, he surely can understand that or isn't worth working with to begin with.

 

[Dalmatian90]

What about theft?

That's a heck of a lot of cordwood to leave stacked up over the course of two years, lots of temptation.

If you did anything, I'd counter-offer to do it a section at a time to limit your exposure to theft or change of heart.