Ideas for finding free or cheap firewood?

[herrick]

Looking for ideas on where to find free or cheap firewood.

I don't have acess to much Timber, although my dad has a couple acres, and father in law has about 1.5 acres with some wooded areas, I know it's not going to be enough to keep my supply up. Some places I've found wood in the past have been Construction sites, small tree removal for friends and family, or just tips from friends who have spotted a neighbor taking a tree down. I've thought about calling up some local tree services and asking for thier scraps, although many of them are also in the firewood business.

Any other ideas?

 

[Coldfront]

Call some county hyw. depts. and ask if there is any place where they are clearing back the county road right of ways. Although the adjacent property owners have first rights to it, a lot is usually left to rot or the highway depts. pile it up and burn it to get rid of it.

 

[Tesen]

Look for local furniture manufacturers, ask about scrap untreated wood. Some of the Amish down here sell a lot of oak blocks to people. Stop and talk to people doing tree work; you just have to keep at it. Have more than one line in the water waiting for a bite.

Other option is, if it is close and you can afford it, you can buy recreational property to a) have fun on, b) pull firewood from.

Just a couple ideas...

Tes

 

[Wood Scrounge]

I never had any luck with the tree companies, I guess most of them sell firewood around here. my greatest supply came from a guy who builds custom homes. Last year he was building a house in the woods, I was able to get several cords out of there. over the years builders have been 65% of my supply.

 

[jcrenfrow]

Sometimes you can get lucky on Craigslist but you have to be really fast. Land owners and farmers will be your best source if u can persuade them into letting you take the dead and blown down trees (maybe split the wood 50/50). I have tryed a few tree co and had little luck most sell wood also or sell to some one who does.

 

[woodbooga]

Yard sales and moving sales. Especially if you can get into a garage or barn with a window onto the backyard.

Last spring I went to an estate sale. Out back by a disused sugar shack were 2 truckloads of already split hardwood. $15 took it all - as well as an invite to cut up as many tree tops as I could handle. Mostly red oak.

Other scores have included several downed trees in the yards of saw-less home owners.

Yard sales are also my primary source of new saw acquisitions.

But word to the wise: always have enough cash for that dream find. I still weep at that low hours 361 that could have been had for $125.

 

[Ed*L]

A small town near me has a waste transfer station. For a fee you can dump into their 40 yard containers that then go to the landfill. They also let folks dump yard waste, I see a fair ammount of good firewood sized branches & logs there.
They will let you cut and take wood from the pile if you ask.

Ed

 

[bayshorecs]

huh. Metamora...small world.

Craigslist for Peoria has some offers for free firewood to remove the limbs from the ice storm.

I am working a deal with a local tree cutter myself. He does sell firewood, but gets so much, that he burns off a large pile of trees every few months. He said he can get me as much as I want since he literally drives right past my folks place everyday.

I also have access to 50 acres of timber with several large red oaks on the ground.

Find a friend that is a farmer with some timber ground. Offer to only take standing dead or on the ground dead trees. There is enough wood on the ground around here that no one should cut down a live tree in the woods.

 

[Coldfront]

Bad storms are your best friend. Also if you don't mind pulling some nails contractors doing remodeling are always trying to get rid of wood, I scored on some cedar paneling that can't be beat for kindling, or sometimes some old oak kitchen cabinets, it all burns.

 

[dingeryote]

Drive the backroads looking for clearcutting going on. Get the county Plat book out and call the owner and ask what they are going to do with all the dozed up trees.

Generally, they just burn the trees....

Best of luck!!
Dingeryote

 

[johnha]

Get a time machine and go back 7-10 years before the woodburning bandwagon got a' rolling.

Tree Services couldn't give the stuff away. Now when I ask they just laugh like I used to when the craigslisters would put up 'free wood' postings with a picture of a 70' oak tree that you had to cut down. Now I guys that actually will do that work for the firewood.

 

[herrick]

huh. Metamora...small world.

Craigslist for Peoria has some offers for free firewood to remove the limbs from the ice storm.

I am working a deal with a local tree cutter myself. He does sell firewood, but gets so much, that he burns off a large pile of trees every few months. He said he can get me as much as I want since he literally drives right past my folks place everyday.

I also have access to 50 acres of timber with several large red oaks on the ground.

Find a friend that is a farmer with some timber ground. Offer to only take standing dead or on the ground dead trees. There is enough wood on the ground around here that no one should cut down a live tree in the woods.

Small world indeed! I almost called one of those craigslist ads, until they posted again saying that it was cottonwood.

Thanks for the tips everyone, really good advice!

 

[sawinredneck]

Call the tree companies, some of them are happy to have a place to dump, if you are not to far off the beaten path.
Find out who does the area line clearance, it's Ashplund around here. Find out when they will be working in an area near you and be prepared to tell them how much wood you want dropped off. Most of it will be crappy wood, but it's free.
Talk to farmers, try and get into fence row clearing, trimming back overgrowth and dead removal. Firewood you get paid for!
Drive around, ask freinds to do the same, and look for standing dead next to a field ready to fall in the field. Aproach the owner to remove it, be prepared to move fast!! Be prepared to get it cut and out even faster!! That is how I scored a HUGE Oak. Right on the side of the field, drive in, drop it, haul it out. 11 cord.
Just some thoughts.

 

[bayshorecs]

Might also drive around some fields in the country. I see a lot of irrigation ponds going in and farmers dozing the trees into a pile to burn off. I drive right past a similar pile in Sparland every day. I always think I should stop and cut, but I wouldn't get much wood in the diesel VW beatle trunk!

 

[bayshorecs]

Find out who does the area line clearance, it's Ashplund around here. Find out when they will be working in an area near you and be prepared to tell them how much wood you want dropped off. Most of it will be crappy wood, but it's free.

Around here, the line crews drop, cut, and leave it. The wood disappears within hours.

 

[urhstry]

Two other choices. Here in PA you can get a wood cutting permit on State Forest property for $15 a cord. AND check out any pallet manufacturers in your area. You can usually get cut-offs pretty cheap. I also found it easy to knock on stranger's doors and ask if I can get a dead tree or two that I can see on their land. They usually could care less. Good luck!

 

[FIRESMOKE]

Around here in south east PA, the tree companies will let firewwod guys have the wood but it's usually big knarled , twisted peices that won't go thru the chipper. I would say find some loggers and check on cutting tops they leave behind. Some timber jobs have CULL trees that have to be cut and are worthless to most loggers or sawmills but are great for firewood, and loggers are happy to get rid of them without wasting there time on them. The best bet is word of mouth, I always seem to have a few chunks of wood in my truck just as a way to get conversation started. Also if you can lock-up your tools in your truck or trailer keep them with you all the time you never know when something is going to come up and needs to be done know. Good luck.

P.S. I f you have any orchards in your area you might be able to get some old non productive trees that way.

 

[beerman6]

Get the county Plat book out

:monkey: Any idea on where or what department to call to get one of them?

 

[chainsawaddict]

go to a local USFS office and as about obtaining a firewood permit. I bought one for $20,and I drive right up to the pile of trees they fell. I fill a pickup in about 20-30 minutes by myself.

 

[herrick]

go to a local USFS office and as about obtaining a firewood permit. I bought one for $20,and I drive right up to the pile of trees they fell. I fill a pickup in about 20-30 minutes by myself.

I did some searching online and found for Illinois at least, they'll sell you the permit for $10, but it's only good for 1 day (whenever the park manager decides to open it to firewood pickup), you only get to take 1 shortbed truck load of wood out, and you're limited to 2 per year. Kind of a joke IMO. We don't have a whole lot of State parks close by me anyway, so I think that's a lost cause at this point.

Tons of timber around here, I think it's a matter of making the right friends...