Some people!

[turnkey4099]

Last fall I wrote a letter to "Rob" asking about some dead locusts down and standing in his pasture...no reply.

A month ago he called me out of the blue saying I couild have them, very motivatd to get them out of there "I couldn't find anyone who wanted the wood". I suggested he set a time/date for us to meet and look over the situation, access, etc. "I'll call you".

Nothing...

Couple contacts asking for a meet..

Nothing...

Called left a message last week...nothing.

I called him again Saturday and told him I was ready to start on his and asked again about access. Some excuses for not meeting this weekend.

Decided to drive out and scout the fence line for a gate today. Knock on door, nothing, dogs raisign a fuss, nothing. Okay - I walkd the fence line - no gate I could find, lousy shape but witha very good high tension electric around the top of it. Cows and LLamas in it.

Turn to leave and catch a glimpse of his back door quietly closing. Did a bit more poking around and left.

Really nice batch of locust. I thought they were mostly small trees, nope. There are 4 that will push 3/4 cord each standing and a couple big ones down. Way too good of a score to pass up on.

I could do that big one in front anytime now but need do settle 'where does the brush go'.

Can't touch any of the pasture area until I have access of some sort.

Dunno what my next step is. Call again? Write a letter laying out the information I need to knows (what working hours, his days off, etc)?

Just basically ranting

Harry K

 

[zogger]

If some dude kept shining me on like that, I would switch from cutting out the wood for free to "and this is what I am charging for labor". YOUR time is just as precious and valuable as his time, and it's been wasted, plus just rude with no contact, so heck with it. If he gets in touch, give him a fair price for clearing out the wood, factor in renting a chipper for the brushy stuff or work out a brushpile burn agreement.

Ya, good wood, but no one needs to deal with jerks either. This is a big planet..there's more wood out there.

 

[LumberjkChamp]

Good take on it, Zogger. I wasn't quite sure how I'd figure it, but you're reply was thoughtful and spot-on. This guy might be more trouble than the wood is worth. I know, I know, its Locust. People are just funny sometimes.

 

[KiwiBro]

Ya, good wood, but no one needs to deal with jerks either.

That jerk probably knows where Harry lives and has associates ransacking his place the moment he turns up to the jerks house.

Frankly, I'd pass on the wood on mental health reasons alone.

I've met a few people who seem normal over the phone or via emails then once you get around to turning up to theirs to look at their trees, you realise they are not the full box of chocolates or have other agendas besides letting you at their trees. If I were to ever push the fact they promised me the trees and that's why I'm there, they'd likely report me for 'stalking' them.

Harry, the trees aren't worth pushing things any further. The owner has already demonstrated they don't want to communicate in a sane and respectful manner. Those types often are so unpredictable you are better off 'not-going there'.

Also, and this may not apply in this case, but unless I have explicit permission to walk a fenceline, drive along a private road, etc on a person's property in their absence, I do not set foot on it. I'd rather go home empty handed than open a can of worms.

 

[greendohn]

To Hell with the bastard. Tell him cash when he calls, he cleans up what you don't want.

That was my approach to one of the farmers around here.

I haven't cut any wood on his place.

I don't care to. Plenty other wood out there.

 

[morewood]

Here where I am the wood is much closer with no hassle. I know the magic word 'locust' has great meaning, but it still isn't the be all end all. No access is pretty easy to interpret. Get what wood you can elsewhere, and simply keep a passive approach to this opportunity. It obviously isn't going to anyone else, so you still have a good shot at it. Also, kindness/politeness is your friend in these situations.

Shea

PS-I was fibbing, locust is the be all end all.

 

[unclemoustache]

Ya, good wood, but no one needs to deal with jerks either. This is a big planet..there's more wood out there.

Well, not in that part of the country. Mostly pine. Hardwood is hard to come by there, so I can understand Harry's eagerness for it. Still, I would shy away from it. Sometimes these kind of people end up looking for a way to take advantage, and if you damage any of their property in the process, you can expect a hefty lawsuit over nothing.

 

[zogger]

Here where I am the wood is much closer with no hassle. I know the magic word 'locust' has great meaning, but it still isn't the be all end all. No access is pretty easy to interpret. Get what wood you can elsewhere, and simply keep a passive approach to this opportunity. It obviously isn't going to anyone else, so you still have a good shot at it. Also, kindness/politeness is your friend in these situations.

Shea

PS-I was fibbing, locust is the be all end all.

I ain't seen a single one here! Freeking odd. All I can think of they all got wiped out for fence posts in ye aulden daze...

Actually, I like ash and..dogwood! Standing dead dog wood, love it, burns just fantastic, small enough I milk them out, zero splitting needed.

 

[rmh3481]

Sounds like you boy figured out there was some money there? Funny how these things happen. He would have never noticed that the dead would had any value, had you not asked.

 

[turnkey4099]

I decided to make one last try. Called him Saturday a week ago. He said he would call me this past Saturday. Nope. Got him on phone tonight and I began the conversation with "We have to quit screwing around...".

Apolgetic tone he said to come over next Saturday at noon. Explained he works two jobs. Not a good excuse for all the screwing around for over 2 months over setting atime for what will be a 30 minute meet at most.

I'll be there but I'll bet he won't.

Harry K

 

[mikereynolds]

move on!

I'm sure you have plenty of other work to do. Just move on to the next job. when or if he calls then decide if you have time to bother. I'm a service plumber by trade and every now and then I get someone like that and I just move on to the next job and when the client calls I come back but the job is always a little more expensive to compensate me for lost time.

 

[computeruser]

If someone strung me along like that, I'd walk. If I decided not to walk, I would be very clear in a written contract what work was being performed, what was not being performed, and how liability for damages was going to be allocated.

 

[turnkey4099]

I was there and so was he!!. Came off as a nice reasonable guy. Even was an ex 'woodbooga' himself running an 056. Lovely sound hearing it bite into big wood!

He showed me an existing gate that he could have told me about on the phone. Showed me how to turn off the electric fence and we agreed on working hours - basically just about any morning hours.

He had a felled the one in front of the house. Of course he went across the drive but due to lean it had to go there. He had just started cutting it up when I arrived. I wish I had taken a picture of that mess!!.

I had the saws in the car so gave him an hour's help. Going back tomorrow, weather permitting, to haul the first load - it will take two trips - too big for one load.

Site not as good as I thought. I only get the two small standing trees in the pasture plus whatever is down. I know there is one big one down.

Topper was he pointed me to another guy just across the hill from him that he says has a bunch to take out. Not sure I want to add any more to my plate

Life is good...at least for awhile.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

Second trip today for serious cutting. Was nice being able to start off by loading what was already cut.

I thought he was a bit "odd". He wouldn't burn the stuff in the grassy area so had hooked up a big flat bed (no rack) trailer to an ATV and parked it by the junk. Was Planning to haul all the trash out to his usual burn spot in the pasture. When I pulled in, nothing had been moved. He came out for some **** chat and jumped at my suggestion to burn it in place on the gravel drive. I suspect he had figured that out himself last night when he eyballed the amount of stuff he would have to load and unload.

I cut up everything including those big limbs up to where they joined the trunk. Full load. Get the rest next trip. DBH is around 30" and nicely cracked for easy splitting to loadable size.

That leaves me 2 standing and one down at Rod's place and one down at Steve's to work up until after harvest. Have 3 good sized one s to do after that. I'll try to drag out the "wooding" to 1 trip a week but Rod is rather pushign to get his finished.

Harry K

 

[ShaneLogs]

Second trip today for serious cutting. Was nice being able to start off by loading what was already cut.

I thought he was a bit "odd". He wouldn't burn the stuff in the grassy area so had hooked up a big flat bed (no rack) trailer to an ATV and parked it by the junk. Was Planning to haul all the trash out to his usual burn spot in the pasture. When I pulled in, nothing had been moved. He came out for some **** chat and jumped at my suggestion to burn it in place on the gravel drive. I suspect he had figured that out himself last night when he eyballed the amount of stuff he would have to load and unload.

I cut up everything including those big limbs up to where they joined the trunk. Full load. Get the rest next trip. DBH is around 30" and nicely cracked for easy splitting to loadable size.

That leaves me 2 standing and one down at Rod's place and one down at Steve's to work up until after harvest. Have 3 good sized one s to do after that. I'll try to drag out the "wooding" to 1 trip a week but Rod is rather pushign to get his finished.

Harry K

Looks like a good fell you did there! Good job! Have fun burning that brush! It looks like fun and I am sure you will enjoy it! Take pics of the bon fire. Oh, and rep sent.

 

[Philbo]

Looks like a good score, even though it seems that the fella has been a bit of a pain to deal with. Sometimes you gotta get straight with people aka "We gotta quit screwing around here!"

Good work! That's a pretty big locust. I don't see too many in my neck of the woods that are above 30" diameter. I didn't even know there was locust out west! All the waiting aside, it's probably worth it as it's firewood gold, IMO. Nothing better on a cold night in the dead of winter. Never seen or burned Hedge though...

 

[zogger]

Good wood and *nice* access!

 

[turnkey4099]

Looks like a good fell you did there! Good job! Have fun burning that brush! It looks like fun and I am sure you will enjoy it! Take pics of the bon fire. Oh, and rep sent.

He did the falling before I got there yesterday. Pretty straight forward as it had a good lean, just needed to directed a little off the natural fall line. For an ex 'wood booga' I didnt' think much of his stump. back cut slanted down a bit (probably not intended) but met the undercut at the hinge.

Per the wx report I won't be back out there until at least Thursday. Wedt and windy next two days and even a possibility to see some tornadoes in this area - I've never heard a 'possible tornado' prediction here ever. Clean up that log and may start burning the trash for him while I'm cutting loading. He plans to do it himself on Saturday. Will make a good load but not a full one.


Harry K