Cutting wood for neighbor, fair split?

[2012outdoorsman]

I'm going to try to make this as short as possible and was wondering your thoughts or what you guys have done in the past.

My neighbor had his property logged and it is pretty much exclusively red oak and ash. The logger left a couple large piles of logs behind as the homeowner asked him to. Well now he is unable to cut the wood. He can still get around but just isn't in the shape to cut and move logs around.

I stopped by the otherday as I was just going to cut for about an hour just to be a decent neighbor and help the guy out. My FIL and I did this last year and got about 1.5 cords done for him. He was so appreciative that it made me want to do it again. When walking up to his house I saw a large pile of split wood in his driveway so i kboxed on the door prior to statting cutting. He said he paid a guy $525 for 2.5 cords of hardwood upon inspecrion it was mostly soft maple and even some hemlock. He doesnt know the difference so i let him know about this. So this got me pretty iritated as this guy just doesn't have any money to waste.

I was thinking that I could work and split wood for him and take some in return. There is more than this guy will use in the next three years laying around. Some of the neighbors have stopped by and asked for wood and he let's them cut for free and doesn't ask for anything. All of them are doing very well with pensions and I feel like they're taking advantage of him and could easily afford to purchase their own.

What do you all feel would be a fair split? The woods is mostly in piles and just needs to be cut to size and split. All my splitting would be done by hand but being 25 I think I can manage.

My thoughts were a 70/30 split for me to split and throw in a pile. For a 50/50 split I would stack on pallets next to his house. This would involve me using my 4 wheeler and trailer and transporting the wood about 200 feet.

The last thing I want to do is feel like I'm taking advantage of the guy because he's the last person I'd ask to get wood from. He also has a small Stihl saw which I don't think he'll need so I was thinking of mixing that in there as a barter too. My saw is a husqvarna 576xp, so I wouldn't mind a smaller saw. I was thinking that I could work that in there for 8-10 hours of cutting and splitting. I dont know the condition and model, my FIL told me about it so it just got my mind thinking. I just have to keep in mind that my time is limited as I have a 3 month old and the spare time just isn't there as it use to be.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[muddstopper]

I think if he is letting other folks cut for free, then any wood you provide him is grace anyways. Letting the old man think he is paying you for the wood he receives by giving you some of the wood, might make him feel better too. Might even set an example for his other neighbors. I cant help myself most times, but if I see someone needing help and I am in a position to help, well then I am going to help.

 

[066blaster]

I did 4 to 1 once. I got 4 he got 1. Split and stacked. Probably would never do it again. I would prefer to just pay for what I take. I understand your neighbor needs help so, that's a little different. Maybe give him the stuff that don't need splitting.

 

[dancan]

50/50 stacked at his house sounds fair to me , take your share home every day and give him his that way someone else can't get between you and your pile , since people have already been cutting wood at his place jealousy can do strange things, split up the wood after the blocking up is done , might be faster to rent or borrow a splitter . I'd leave the saw out of the equation at the beginning but let him know that you might like to purchase it if he wants to sell it .
I know an 82 yr old fella that has a saw , I had to start it for him this fall because he couldn't , he talks about using it but won't but he knows that it runs if it was needed .
My 2¢ YMMV

 

[Woos31]

That's a tough one and I understand exactly your feelings. You want to help the guy #1, #2 your time is worth something, #3 you won't take advantage of the opportunity.

If it was me I'd go ask how much he thinks he'll and cut x amount the guy needed first off. Maybe try to work in that saw as a gesture to make sure it's tip top to rip for him and proceed from there.

Then once his quota is met you could continue onto agreed amount between two a yas and cut your take and if he needs some extra bam you whiz bang some out, keeps everyone happy and gives him the feeling that you're helping each other instead of him being a burdon to ask of some firewood from someone cutting on his place.

Good luck with er boss and let us know how things shake out with it. Safe cuttin and watch then log decks, buckin on those can be a touchy chores......tips, in bites, lotsa different tensions from equipment pushing on it.

 

[svk]

I wouldn't go by what the other neighbors are doing. I certainly don't think he's being taken advantage of by simply letting them cut his excess wood. Even in log form there's a whole lot of work left to get to the finished product.

Figure out what works for you and him. If you feel 50/50 is fair then do it. But depending on how much wood you need each year that means you are going to do a lot of extra cutting, splitting, and stacking to get your portion.

 

[Streblerm]

If it is your labor, your equipment and his wood then I would offer a 2:1 split. That would be to pile it where it is. If you are taking the wood to him 3:1 and if you add on stacking wood for him then 4:1

 

[Schinny]

What ever deal you come up with just make sure you or he ends up with the wood. If he has other people cutting wood there they may help themselves to your cut and split pile. Remove everyday the wood you cut and split.

 

[TimberWolf530]

So, is this guy a friend of yours, or just some guy in the neighborhood? If he is a friend, I would probably offer to be his "wood broker". In other words, if other people want to take his wood, they would need to call me, and I would make sure they always left him a portion, cleaned up after themselves, etc. It sucks that these guys are taking his wood, and he has to pay someone else to bring it in for him to use. If he's just some guy, I would probably mention to him that he should be asking them to leave some, and I would definitely leave him some. I wouldn't have a problem with 50/50 if he needs it for heat.

 

[Dirtboy]

Always good to help a neighbor that needs it. Sounds like your tight on time which don't help the equation. Bearing in mind its probably going to take that red oak 2 windy & sunny years to dry good enough, I would cut & split the ash right away because it dries quicker. I would do 2 for me and 1 for him ratio. I would also ask him to tell the free loaders that the gravy train is over-and get over there to cut & split every chance I got. Of course for me it wouldn't be hand splitting,
but you are ALOT younger .

 

[midwest_170]

Hard for me to wrap my head around this. Where I'm from trees are a nuisance and most landowners are grateful to have you remove them. I've been cutting in a 160 ac hedge/locust timber for the last few years and I think they are growing faster than I can cut them. Sounds like you are wanting to help the guy out, which is great if you have a lot of free time. If you have a family don't sell yourself short, I would think 25% to the landowner would be more than fair if you are doing all the work. My advice my not accurate for your area though.

 

[Fred Wright]

For what it's worth, this is what I'd suggest:

Ask the ol' boy if he's up to stacking splits. Reason I say this, most old timers aren't keen on charity. These folks need to feel useful, carrying their share of the load so to speak. If he's fit to stack splits, offer to buck, split and dump by the wood piles.

If he's cool with the arrangement, work out a share agreement. He may just want enough to get through a couple winters. Or he may want more. The agreement has to be worth your time and labor, too.

 

[flotek]

Normally I'd say 3-1 split but given the fact any old fool can stumble up to his property and get free wood it kinda seems dumb to work so hard when the neighborhood is getting it all for nothing , why buy the cow when the milk is free ? That is a tricky proposition . I sure wouldn't want other guys cutting alongside me taking what I have cut or moving in on what I set aside for myself , that says bad news bears all over it

 

[greenskeeper]

3 to 1 if he helps carry and stack his 1/3rd

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Shared fruits of your labor,

These types of agreements seldom if ever work out to both party's satisfaction. I have one ongoing agreement with an elderly friend and his wife. They burn 1-1/2 cord per year. I have to supply his wood and then take as much of whatever I want for myself. I usually put up 2 cord a year C&S for him, and to be truthful the last 3 years I've been so busy I haven't taken a stick for myself. A few years ago I did take 4 or 5 cord for myself, always after his wood was put up.

In your situation, let me make a suggestion. Find out how much wood the gent wants put up for his needs. Contact all the current freeloaders and set up a weekend(s) where you all pitch in, like a mini-GTG, and take care of his needs as a group. 1/2 dozen people working together can really knock out a lot of wood in a hurry. Once his needs are met then everybody cuts and takes what wood they were allotted by the landowner. Nobody gets a free lunch, and everybody helps taking care of the gent's needs. I would think most people would pitch in and help him out, especially when he's letting them harvest on his land and not even charging stumpage.

But then again, people are funny.

Take Care

 

[CrufflerJJ]

My neighbor had a big honkin' ash tree dropped a few months ago. The "professionals" who did the job (NOTE the quote marks) left the trunk on the ground, since they didn't think they could cut it up. They ended up having to borrow my neighbor's saw to cut off what they could.

I'd cut the trunk into rounds with my 395XP & 32" GB bar, but my neighbor's back prevented him from splitting any of it. He told me "take whatever you want, I'm not able to split the stuff." Anywho, my son & I were over there a week or so ago with my splitter & 562XP, and split a bunch of it. I dumped half for him, and took half for me. He's happy, I'm happy.

 

[cantoo]

I think I would pay a little less than going rate for logs. Then seeing as he bought 2 1/2 cords I would cut 2 1/2 cords, split and stack wherever he keeps his wood. Then when he's in a good mood I would say I will keep you supplied with the wood you need to burn in return for access to the bush.

 

[stihly dan]

I stopped by the otherday as I was just going to cut for about an hour just to be a decent neighbor and help the guy out. My FIL and I did this last year and got about 1.5 cords done for him. He was so appreciative that it made me want to do it again.

My thoughts were a 70/30 split for me to split and throw in a pile. For a 50/50 split I would stack on pallets next to his house. This would involve me using my 4 wheeler and trailer and transporting the wood about 200 feet.

The last thing I want to do is feel like I'm taking advantage of the guy because he's the last person I'd ask to get wood from.

You said it all yourself. You were going to do it for free, you like him, you respect him and he could use the help. In a normal situation I would never do any deals like this, like you I would do it for free. I think 50/50 is a win/ win in this situation, your young so this good deed will come back to you in the end.

 

[2012outdoorsman]

OP here...​

Thanks for a lot of good advice.

To answer a few question he is a good guy and i would consider us friendly . My wife grew up in house I now live in as we purchased it from her parents when they moved up the road, just good timing as we both got good jobs right out of school.

He doesnt burn much wood and they're very unique people. They keep their house around 50 in the dead of winter and probably don't burn more than 4-5 cords of wood if that. There has to be at least 3-4 times that and it's already been cut to logs and stacked as a deal he made with the loggers 2 years ago.

I did pretty good this year with wood and got about 16-18 cords which puts me in good shape to not need much if any for next year. Im just trying to now stay ahead as i couldnt purchase l8gs as no one had them earlier this year but luckily the wifes uncle was looking to have a area cleared.

With the feedback you guys provided I feel pretty good now about offering a 50/50 split. As I stated I just can't feel as if I'm taking advantage of someone in a much tougher position than I am in. As some said I was going to do a little work to be a good person hoping that one day someone helps me when I need it but when we got talking about the wood he bought I figured we could work out a deal that would profit both of us and cost him nothing and me only my time. As of right now I still work for free in my head but every year I keep rethinking if I need to raise that number.

I think he can stack and move the wood but I can easily see him take me up on any offer if I did it in exchange for additional wood. I also have the 4 wheeler and trailer and he was doing it by a wheelbarrow.

The work exchange for his saw just came to mind as my FIL plows his driveway and they worked out a deal last year on a gun that they were both happy about. But some people can get the feeling that even though they know they can't use it getting rid of it just makes them less of a "man" if you know what I'm saying.

I'll stop by this weekend and see how he feels about the idea. I did try to hint at it last time we talked but I just don't think he understood what I ment.

Just got to add this for laughs. Did you ever meet an Obama hating Trump loving Columbian immigrant? He got on a huge political tangent last time we talked and that sentence perfectly describes him if you could believe it.

 

[JeffGu]

Did you ever meet an Obama hating Trump loving Columbian immigrant?