Clear cutting in exchange for the wood?

[avalancher]

Got a job to do starting tomorrow clearing the way for a road to be widened, there are 9 pretty big oak trees(24" plus), about a dozen smalller oak and maple, and the rest is scrub.
When I first looked at the job, the landowner and I agreed to her paying me 25 bucks an hour for any work that I did clearing stuff that wasnt any good for firewood.
She called me this morning to let me know that she had several guys that would be willing to clear this all out in exchange for the salvageable wood, and wanted to back out on the 25 bucks an hour.I ran across one of em yesterday when I was marking the boundary of the property.
Now, I figured that roughly there will be in the area of 20 cords coming out that area, and of coarse the old gal looked in the paper to see what wood is running by the cord and figured that should be more than enough to cover my expenses and to make a buck.
Anyone do any clearing like this just to take the good wood?
Stuff that isnt going with me is just to be dropped and shoved to the side, not a big deal.

 

[Crofter]

Seems like too much work for the stumpage value of the firewood and pushing the brush to the side limit is a big deal and lots of hand work if you dont have some kind of a machine with a brush rake. How high are the stumps to be cut? The price of wood delivered has little to do with its standing value.

 

[avalancher]

There wasnt any discussion as to how high the stumps are to be, and the brush can be dropped anywhere along the road. After the big stuff is cut down and removed, the landowner has a cat coming in to push everything out of the way including the stumps, so most of the unwanted stuff can be dropped and left.
The operator just didnt want any big stuff there to drop on his machine while he works, the hill is steep and he didnt want to contend with large trees while cutting into the bank for the road.

 

[Zodiac45]

There wasnt any discussion as to how high the stumps are to be, and the brush can be dropped anywhere along the road. After the big stuff is cut down and removed, the landowner has a cat coming in to push everything out of the way including the stumps, so most of the unwanted stuff can be dropped and left.
The operator just didnt want any big stuff there to drop on his machine while he works, the hill is steep and he didnt want to contend with large trees while cutting into the bank for the road.

$25 an hour and the oak would have been sweet, but I think I'd still take it Avalancher, Based on the fact that you don't have too actually police the brush,(much) the 20 cord of oak is a decent score.

 

[Zackman1801]

the only person i could think of that would do the job for standing timber is firewood sellers who would cut it and run it through a processor. it would seem like it might be too much work for just one man to do and be profitable to you. Although if the oak is nice and straight it might be good for you because you could take the wood and sell it to veneer or lumber mills to make a profit, since the landowner doesn't want the wood it would seem that you would not have to give a share of the profits if its whats being used for payment.
at first when the whole alternate energy sources thing came about since oil went through the roof i thought it might be a good thing for this industry but its been getting worse and worse. now people want to sell any scraps of wood as firewood to make money and now people wont even pay anymore like this because they think that they can use the wood as payment. its all good and fine if the jobs are worth it but people are trying to get big jobs done that require lots of work and skill and want to use the junk wood that they are trying to get rid of to pay someone off, no thanks.

 

[Ductape]

Avalancher, i want to come down and hang out for a week or so. Maybe some of your luck will rub off on me. In the past year....... i could count on one hand ...... OK.... actually one finger the free wood (trees) that has been given to me (i cut it up myself). In past years i have had no problem getting 10+ cord a year, free for the taking. Now it seems every fool who wants a tree removed thinks their standing tree is worth $300 !!

 

[Mike Van]

With oil at 47.00/bbl & still dropping, I can't see the recent demand for wood holding out for long. Avalancher, up here, the state charges 20.00/cord for wood from st. property [soon to be 30.00 I heard] If you can get that stuff for free, it's close to home, and easy to get at, I'd do it, but thats just me. Not like it's all junk wood, right?

 

[iowawoodcutter]

having read some of your previous posts, I think are like me and just like the work and could care less about the money you get...your not fooling me, I bet you do the work even without the money...

 

[avalancher]

having read some of your previous posts, I think are like me and just like the work and could care less about the money you get...your not fooling me, I bet you do the work even without the money...

Hah Hah Hah! oops, maybe your right, dunno. I like the challenge of the tough jobs, and if it was up to me I would spend each and every day in the woods making the saws bark.But sadly bills need to be paid, so I do everything I can to find those jobs that bring in a little extra cash along with the firewood. The past month has been good, made some good money on the side, but man I hate the jobs where when you are done and wore out and you count up your change and realize it would have been more profitable to go work at McDonalds.

Gonna have to scratch my head on this one, but need to give her an answer by morning.

 

[wdchuck]

It's what I've been doing for our firewood needs these past five years, and at no time has there been such a windfall as your nice oak trees and someone else pushing it all clean.

Sounds like a good situation, as long as there are no power lines along the road or phone line under ground it sounds pretty easy and straight-forward.

The field/tree/road line that I am working on is within a mile of the house at the far end, and the deal with the landowner is to clear as I go and pile all the tops and brush in the field, so he can push it together and burn it in the winter. Tossing all that can be tiring, but going at it 2-3 hours here and there makes it much more manageable and the desirable trees are then much easier and safer to drop. It's all been a mix from buckthorn, boxelder to hickory and oak, but the sizes are averaging 10"-14"dia, just usual sizes. Since I want the wood, and he wants to maintain it with a boom mower afterwards, I"m flush cutting the stumps to an inch or less, that goes for the brush and saplings too.

With our own needs around 8+cords per winter, I have feelers out all over for access to higher btu wood, any wood over that can be sold to recoup the costs of consumables.

That estimate of 20cords, once sold, even for $100/cord, puts $2K towards your expenses, surely you'll have plenty of money in your pocket at the end of this.
The value to this is what it means to you, but I'd jump on it.

 

[toddstreeservic]

I would do it. Especially this time of year. It sounds like it is close to the road. Do you have any equipment to load logs or is it all going to have to be cut into rounds?

 

[coog]

My first thought is "watch out"; the way things are going, you may end up paying HER for the privilege of widening her road.People who think they can change a deal, unilaterally, are not trustworthy or worth dealing with if avoidable. The only good thing is you won't become her "yard boy" with ever increasing demands (stump height, brush placement,etc).This way, you can bail as soon as you get what you want.I hope it works out for you.

 

[toddstreeservic]

true, she may have told the other guys that they can have whatever they want too, so I would only cut what you can haul by the end of the day.

 

[projectsho89]

I'd watch out! Next thing you know, she'll be borrowing your saws and wanting you to do "Yard Boy" stuff in return for the free wood .........

:greenchainsaw:

Steve

 

[porta mill]

clear cutting for wood

IF were me i would be curious if she had others there if you cut all the trees down in one day the next day you might come back and all the wood might be gone . do you have any equipment to help in the removal of the wood bobcat or such another thing to consider is the wood worth the time you might loose from you real job and what is the time frame all the work ha to be done is it manageable. good luck

 

[husky455rancher]

personally in a situation like that id only cut what i would haul off the same day. tha being said id do it but only that way. id be pretty mad if i bucked a bunch of wood and some random guy came along and took it.

 

[woodfarmer]

get it in writting first, she may turn around and charge you with theft and you've got no way to prove she gave you the wood or even offered to pay you.

 

[jetskiman]

I did a similar job for a farmer wanting to run a ditch through his woods. what is the difference if you cut this wood or go to the woods and cut as long as you do not have to do anything special with the brush.

 

[avalancher]

Well, after an overnight think, I decided to bail on this job for several reasons. The first and foremost is; we shook hands on the deal, then she wanted to change the terms. Not only does that make me nervous about what may come later, I just cant abide with someone who doesnt value their honor.
I was raised with the idea that when a bargain is struck and sealed with a handshake, then its a done deal. I know in my heart that every minute I spend moving brush and not getting what was agreed with to begin with I will feel like the landowner is not only taking advantage of me, but has no honor as well. Cant live with that myself. A bunch of wood just aint worth it to me.

Second of coarse is the time frame. I have until the 10th to get it done, which means working there during the day, and spending most of the night working in my shop to keep things going here. I have one overhaul that I am working on right now, and promised the job complete by Saturday. Double shifts dont bother me unless I aint getting paid for one of em. Not to mention the loss of firewood sales which are booming right now.
Anyone in East TN wanting some good white oak PM me and I will put you in touch with the landowner.

 

[Bushman_269]

Think of your equipment and personal safety as well trees along roadways are much more likely to have steel buried in them.