White Oak Tops for Sale, What do I pay?

jamesconley1962 · October 10, 2011, 06:27:55 PM

Man down the road has White Oak Tops for Sale, What do I pay? Long story short: White Oak tops are for sale, 1.5 yrs seasoned. They are maybe 2 miles drive on good roads and easy access. He wants $10.00 per top. I think that is high? Any advice.

Dan_Shade · October 10, 2011, 06:38:49 PM

is it starting to rot?

beenthere · October 10, 2011, 06:59:37 PM

I'd be curious as to why you think it is high?

Is this your only source of wood?
What do you have now for equipment to process the tops?
Will you process them where they lay?
Will you remove them and cut them up, and split at home?

Many things enter into the "pay" question you ask.
Can you give us a better run-down on the situation?

i.e I wouldn't pay $10 a top because I have all the wood I need right here. If I was short of wood and it was easy to get and bring home, then I'd give some thought to how many tops I needed and how much wood they would add to my supply. Might be cheap source, and might not be so cheap. I'd compare the total cost to calling a firewood supplier and having him deliver the split wood I was short.

jamesconley1962 · October 10, 2011, 07:26:41 PM

Quote from: beenthere on October 10, 2011, 06:59:37 PM
I'd be curious as to why you think it is high?

Is this your only source of wood?
What do you have now for equipment to process the tops?
Will you process them where they lay?
Will you remove them and cut them up, and split at home?

Many things enter into the "pay" question you ask.
Can you give us a better run-down on the situation?

i.e I wouldn't pay $10 a top because I have all the wood I need right here. If I was short of wood and it was easy to get and bring home, then I'd give some thought to how many tops I needed and how much wood they would add to my supply. Might be cheap source, and might not be so cheap. I'd compare the total cost to calling a firewood supplier and having him deliver the split wood I was short.

I have other wood that is obtainable but a little further to drive (not much) and I would have to move around a lot and look for it. I would cut the tops where they lay or skid them to a landing with my truck. I do have all the basic firewood cutting equipment. Not sure if rot is a factor yet, I am working overseas and have 5-6 weeks off, figure I need 6 more cord for the winter. I thought maybe 25.00 per cord; I will cut it and take it home then stack it then bring him over to measure what I have. Pay him then.
Dry firewood is going between 135.00 and 150.00 delivered and dumped. If you can find someone with good wood...otherwise it's buying it from the beer drinkers and pot heads. (Don't want to go that route unless I have no choice)

beenthere · October 10, 2011, 07:34:14 PM

If the wh oak is still in the tops, it won't be dry firewood. Maybe for next year or after, but not this winter for good burning wood. Wish you well with getting the 6 cord accumulated. Tough to do when overseas.
When do you get back for the weeks off?

gunman63 · October 10, 2011, 07:59:31 PM

how big is a top. are they the huge old crooked tops, or smaller tops.

jamesconley1962 · October 10, 2011, 08:35:14 PM

Quote from: gunman63 on October 10, 2011, 07:59:31 PM
how big is a top. are they the huge old crooked tops, or smaller tops.

I do not believe that any real big crooked ones are there, it was logged 8-10 years ago and is currently being managed for timber and hunting. So I would think the really big gnarly ones were logged off last time.

jamesconley1962 · October 10, 2011, 08:38:55 PM

Quote from: beenthere on October 10, 2011, 07:34:14 PM
If the wh oak is still in the tops, it won't be dry firewood. Maybe for next year or after, but not this winter for good burning wood. Wish you well with getting the 6 cord accumulated. Tough to do when overseas.
When do you get back for the weeks off?

I should be on US Soil on the 15 Oct and home till after Thanksgiving. (Deer season you know) Do you really think the tops won't be seasoned enough for an ODW. I always thought that the white oak rotted faster than red. (Might be wrong)

Banjo picker · October 10, 2011, 11:04:41 PM

I believe you have that backwards...If its on the ground the red will rot first...Not touching the ground ....about the same...Tim

jamesconley1962 · October 10, 2011, 11:33:32 PM

Quote from: Banjo picker on October 10, 2011, 11:04:41 PM
I believe you have that backwards...If its on the ground the red will rot first...Not touching the ground ....about the same...Tim

Does white oak usually have a pulpy/rotten texture around the outside beneath the bark.

Al_Smith · October 11, 2011, 08:07:22 AM

After about a year maybe two the bark will start to fall off.The sap wood will get a tad soft .

I've cut into cull logs in the 80's that were left behind from being cut in the late 30's .Once you get in maybe an inch or so that heartwood is solid as a rock .

So in answer to the question white oak will last for decades before it becomes unusable.

10 bucks a top ,depends .A big top could have over a cord of wood in it .

stumper · October 11, 2011, 08:15:02 AM

Depends ms like the correct answer. I would figure a fair price for this would be $30 to $40 per cord of normal firewood for those roadside, less if I have to skid any.

Banjo picker · October 11, 2011, 05:30:42 PM

Quote from: jamesconley1962 on October 10, 2011, 11:33:32 PM
Quote from: Banjo picker on October 10, 2011, 11:04:41 PM
Does white oak usually have a pulpy/rotten texture around the outside beneath the bark.

The answer in a word ...no... not if the tree was healthy when cut and its only been cut for
1 1/2 years as you said....I just did a little leg work for you...I had to go get the mail anyway...My youngest son got married May 1st 2010...We had one more heck of a storm that day...Some may rember the flooding around Nashville on that date..any way when we got home My oldest son and I had to cut a monster white oak out of his drive so he could get to his house....I just went an checked it ...peal the bark away with a knife and it is sound...no pulpy/rot at all......

Could your time frame be off....and those trees been down a lot longer...time flys when your having fun you know.? Tim

Al_Smith · October 11, 2011, 06:23:29 PM

I was in the woods today cutting some dead ash .Which to tell the truth is the only kind there are these days . Any how I looked at a big white oak I have ,hundred footer with about 50-60 feet up to the first limb . Huge canopy and that top would likely yield at least 3 and maybe 4 cords .So ten a pop is not too bad if they are like that .

But then it depends on the cutter .Lots of times they go to the first big limb and leave the rest .They may cut some shorties between the limbs, depends .

Without seeing them my guess is those tops most likely have a significant amount of log left in them because that knotty stiuff isn't much good for anything but firewood .

jamesconley1962 · October 11, 2011, 08:15:12 PM

Quote from: Banjo picker on October 11, 2011, 05:30:42 PM
Quote from: jamesconley1962 on October 10, 2011, 11:33:32 PM
Quote from: Banjo picker on October 10, 2011, 11:04:41 PM
Does white oak usually have a pulpy/rotten texture around the outside beneath the bark.

The answer in a word ...no... not if the tree was healthy when cut and its only been cut for
1 1/2 years as you said....I just did a little leg work for you...I had to go get the mail anyway...My youngest son got married May 1st 2010...We had one more heck of a storm that day...Some may rember the flooding around Nashville on that date..any way when we got home My oldest son and I had to cut a monster white oak out of his drive so he could get to his house....I just went an checked it ...peal the bark away with a knife and it is sound...no pulpy/rot at all......

Could your time frame be off....and those trees been down a lot longer...time flys when your having fun you know.? Tim

I have not looked at these particular tops yet as I am still overseas (I leave for R&R today). Last Oct I did cut down a large white oak which I thought was dead for firewood; it had no leaves on it and looked dead, but when I started splitting it there seemed to be a lot of water in the wood. I then thought it was still green there was so much water. I also noticed that the exterior part of the hard wood...maybe 2 inches was soft and appeared rotten. It still had its bark in it but that did not look to healthy either.

Al_Smith · October 11, 2011, 09:12:04 PM

That statement of moisture in the wood is typical of a white oak .Remember they use that stuff to make whiskey kegs .

Fact I have a dead one in the woods I should have flopped about 5 years but have been procrastinating .The bark is falling off ,I mean grave yard dead .I'll bet a dollar to a doughnut the water will run out of it when I cut it .It's a three footer and was probabley right at a 100 before the top limbs gave way .

jamesconley1962 · October 11, 2011, 09:18:52 PM

Quote from: Al_Smith on October 11, 2011, 09:12:04 PM
That statement of moisture in the wood is typical of a white oak .Remember they use that stuff to make whiskey kegs .

Fact I have a dead one in the woods I should have flopped about 5 years but have been procrastinating .The bark is falling off ,I mean grave yard dead .I'll bet a dollar to a doughnut the water will run out of it when I cut it .It's a three footer and was probabley right at a 100 before the top limbs gave way .

Thanks a lot; I appreciated the time you took to help. Now I am off to get on the freedom bird. Jim