Buying standing firewood

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teamgreen

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Hi all, I was aproached buy a man recently that owns 14 acres of woods and he is looking to sell alot of the wood off, It would be a do everything myself type deal, my question is, how do I price it out, Is it best to pay him by the cord, and if so how much should I be paying a cord? what do you guys think am i crazy for even buying my wood like that? Up until now I have been lucky enough to keep stumbling int woodlots on a help yourself type deal. Thanks in advance guys.
Josh
 
By the cord for sure and pay very little for it. The equipment, time, labor etc required to turn standing trees into saleable firewood does not allow for much 'up front' finances. How much? Depends on species and what the going rate for that type firewood is in your local market.

Harry K
 
Thankyou very much thats what I was thinking also, Its all red and white oak with some maple and ash mixed in with it.
 
Speaking from a landowners standpoint what makes you think I will give my wood away? How do I know you won't burn the place down? Are you going to pile the slash?
 
Speaking from a landowners standpoint what makes you think I will give my wood away? How do I know you won't burn the place down? Are you going to pile the slash?

If you want to be paid for your wood you have a timber company come in and log it out. That means heavy equipment, ruts, and stuff everywhere. If you want a nice,orderly, and clean tree removal or removals, you PAY a tree service, if you want a lot cleared, and don't want a terrible mess, and don't want to pay, you let the poor schmuck clear the lot and take the wood for his trouble.:bang:
 
firewood

I live in Central Ohio and around here most people that buy a surplus of standing firewood buy the tops from trees that are being logged. Since most of these trees are w/r oak,ash, hickory, maple then the firewood is good quality wood after being seasoned. I live on a 500 acre farm with 240 acres of woods so i dont have to worry about it. My buddy however buys per treetop. I am not sure what his exact prices are he pays but he has told me he hasnt paid more than 20$ a top and that was for a everything but the log on a 44" whiteoak in the middle of a field.
 
Thanks for the opinions and thoughts guys, in this case the guy just bought the land and wants to sell off alot of the wood, he isnt doing it himself because he doesnt know one end of the chainsaw from the other.
 
Thanks for the opinions and thoughts guys, in this case the guy just bought the land and wants to sell off alot of the wood, he isnt doing it himself because he doesnt know one end of the chainsaw from the other.

Then he needs to call a logging company because a tree service is going to charge him and Joe Baggadonuts shouldn't be paying a premium for firewood when the firewood consists only of standing trees.
 
if he wants to sell the wood on his new property, tell him to buy a chainsaw and start cuttin.. then splittin..then buy a trailer and start delivering..oh yea, he'll have to advertise the wood for sale somewhere as well....after all that,then he can sell some of his wood. explain this to him maybe
 
if he wants to sell the wood on his new property, tell him to buy a chainsaw and start cuttin.. then splittin..then buy a trailer and start delivering..oh yea, he'll have to advertise the wood for sale somewhere as well....after all that,then he can sell some of his wood. explain this to him maybe

But sean their doing you a favor in letting you use their land....:jawdrop:
 
But sean their doing you a favor in letting you use their land....:jawdrop:

Btw... its worth repeating.... wood isnt firewood until its bucked split and aged. And then trucked to wherever it must go
 
Is there any worthwhile logs in this deal? If it's that many acres and it's red and white oak, I sure as hell wouldn't be turning it into firewood if I could run logs out of it.
Offer him $50 per thousand for the pallet oak logs, $150 for sawlog grades, and $300 for veneer grades. If there's 5000 feet there, you'll make $1000 on that all easy, and he'll make $450 -$500 or so.
Pay no more than $10-$15 per cord on the stump for the pulp/firewood..

How will you be getting the wood out?

Member "floyd"... ignore him. DO NOT tell the landowner you will pile the brush. Lop that shyte down and leave it right where it hits. If he wants the brush piled, CHARGE the man.
 
Speaking from a landowners standpoint what makes you think I will give my wood away? How do I know you won't burn the place down? Are you going to pile the slash?

Stumpage rate for firewood is just about zero. If you can find someone to pay you for it, more power to you but don't get your hopes up.

As for your other concerns. That is the standard approach I take when asking. I specify exactly what I will do (pile brush and burn it during burning season - for me, that means "when snow is on the ground"). Also I cruise the plot with the owner to be clear just what is to be cut. It is _your_ job to be sure all conditions are clearly specified and to monitor that it is being done. No fair saying "yeah, go ahead and cut" and then complain when it isn't done the way you like when you never said it up front.

Harry K
 
The land was logged a while back, around 10 or 15 years ago I would guess, There are some good mill logs but the majority of the wood is crooked and just basically the junk wood they left behind ,there is some big wood here and there though. As for getting the wood out I skid my wood with a tractor and load it with the bucket, I hual it with a mason dump and a dump trailer.
 
Buy "by acre" if possible. Dude is obviously looking for cheap Stand Improvement. You might consider contacting your regional Forester for guidance.

I share your state with you. I can tell you that most of our Foresters around here have walked most stands, and there is a chance that someone in the State has already walked it and can tell you a lot about it. Especially the wetness factor.

I know we all want to get in and out quick, but the Eastern CT guys can usually tell you how wet an area is, and what has been a problem in the past with a particular tract.

PS: Watch the truck cops out there, their numbers are growing, and the fines aren't getting smaller. I just had a buddy get bagged in his mason dump towing a trailer he thought was legal that he "borrowed". Tough lesson.

Jason
 

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