Paying for yard trees

[Daren]

considering "buying" his half since he will not use it and paying him something for his RO ???

Has he considered "buying" 1/2 your mill/labor ? Maybe I am missing something but I would not share cut pine or oak, DanG sure not 50/50. 32" walnut/cherry, sure. I think you already did him a favor, good for you.

I considering "buying" his half since he will not use it

Heck if he is your neighbor and buddy and will never use it...at least you know where it is when you need some  :D

I milled up a 32" butt log of a Red Oak in a friends yard.  Feel I should pay something.   

Man I am not picking on you, really, but you should walk away with whatever you need $/lumber in this situation...not thinking about sticking your hand in your pocket, before you know it you will just be pulling sawdust and lint out.

[Max sawdust]

before you know it you will just be pulling sawdust and lint out.

:D :D ;D
Daren, Thanks for the good laugh.  I know the feeling  : 

Dan,
I think beer will be appropriate.. ;) You are correct he is happy something good will come from the storm damage.

Max

[Cedarman]

Would you expect the yard tree owner to pay you for the damaged blades in a hardware tree?

A sweet tree,(no metal) makes up for the sour tree, (metal).

It is understandable to feel kindly toward the owner where you make a super good deal.  The feeling will pass.

[Fla._Deadheader]

If yer a woodworker, make him-them some useful items from the wood. Fancy Picture-Mirror frames will find use. Jewelry boxes, modular shelving, LOTS of items to make. They will be more appreciated than money ??

[metalspinner]

I would never mill a freebie log on the donor's sight.  When all that beautiful lumber starts coming out of that log feelings of charity might start turning to something else real quick.  Or, guilt on your part starts to creep in while your buddy watches you pulling clear boards.  Sometimes it is impossible not to mill it onsight I know.  But, as much as possible...move the log.
Now, I keep a list of my log donors throughout the year and around the holidays they each get something nice.  Last year was an end grain cutting board

[WDH]

That is good stuff, metalspinner with the year end gifts and all.  A nice touch and an unexpected thank you ;D.

[Dodgy Loner]

I agree.  Whenever somebody gives me a log, I make something from the wood and give it back to them.  They're always pleased to have something from their tree, and I always have LOTS of wood left over ;).  As a woodturner, I usually give them a turned bowl unless they request something else, but anything would be appreciated.

[WDH]

DL is as good as his word.  I have two nice bowls to show for it :D.

[Cedarman]

There are some of us that are "finished goods challenged".  I can make some of the most beautiful boards that you have ever seen.  But if I were to make a jewelry box, or shelves or a chest, well, lets just say I saw lumber so I can buy finished goods. 

I agree with metalspinner, a nice kickback at a later time is a fine thing to do.

Farmers have their spiel down pat.  They never make money, it is either too dry, too cold, too hot or too wet.  Machinery is too high, maintenance too expensive.  But they keep on doing it so they do make some money.  But the public feels their pain.

I know we want to look at the bright side of that beautiful yard tree, but you have to have your spiel down pat.  Might fall on the house or building, could have rot, could have nails.  Too big, too small, too bowed, twisted grain, shooting the dice on that tree, etc.  Body language, you have to have your body language down pat too.
You cant be down playing the tree while gently caressing it with a big smile.

[Daren]

You cant be down playing the tree while gently caressing it with a big smile.

:D Guilty here  : Never in front of a donor, but I might have even given a couple a little kiss. I think the term "tree hugger" gets a bad rap by those other folks who go out and spike trees/chain themselves to them to stop (try) logging. I consider myself a tree hugger, I hug them all the time 

There is the other side of the coin you mentioned in an earlier post though, some of them get a cursing from me too  , it's all about taking the good with the bad in the yard tree game and hoping for for the best.

[Max sawdust]

Oh boy ...I have a lot to learn

I am starting to see that the WHEELS on the mill are what make PORTABLE sawmilling complex and challenging ;)

Dealing with the tree is the easy part, dealing with people is another story.

cedarman,
I promise to stop caressing trees in front of other people :D :D :D ;)

max

[stonebroke]

Farmers have their spiel down pat. They never make money, it is either too dry, too cold, too hot or too wet. Machinery is too high, maintenance too expensive. But they keep on doing it so they do make some money. But the public feels their pain.

You hit it on the head, but us farmers have had a long time to practice.

Stonebroke

[Cedarman]

I grew up on a grain, hog and cattle farm in north central Indiana during the 50's and 60's .  I heard the spiel often.  I was also taught that hog poop smelled like money.  I'd rather smell cedar though.

When we had our very first customers look at the cedar mulch that just came out of the grinder their words were somewhat cautionary, but their body language said this was the best looking mulch since sliced bread came along.

When looking at that fine log, always carry a hankerchief to wipe away the drool before it can be seen.

[oakiemac]

I guess I'll have to pipe in here with a different view. I buy yard (tree service) tress all the time and I'm happy to do it. I know this sounds like blasphamy compared with the other five pages of this thread but if I didnt give money for the logs then they would simply cut them into firewood and why not. I certainly would if I was  a log owner and some guy who is making money off of logs wants my log, I'd expect at least a little bit in return.

Fire wood has a lot of value in this neck of the woods and the tree services are selling it like crazy. If I want the log I have to pay. Its a pretty simple concept and I dont have a problem with it because I get a lot of nice logs and a few bad ones. yes I hit a lot of metal but it usually only ruins  a few teeth and a few boards.

Now I dont pay the type of prices that you would get for standing timber or logs cut in a forest-now where near that but I have to make it a little better then fire wood.
The general rule that yard trees arent worth it is simply not true in my area. If I get the chance, I will post pictures of the tree 26"dib Red Oak logs that I got from a "Yard" the other day. The tree was well over 100years old and simply beautiful. I paid $100 for about 700bf and the guy was so happy that he is going to call be when he has the next enormous red oak cut down. This tree is 40' to the first branch, straight and and about 30" around.
Will I pay for these logs as well? Dang skippy I will. If I had told him that I will only remove the logs so he didnt have to, he would of whipped out his box store chain saw and proceeded to cut 16" micro logs out of the beauty before I could even get back into the truck.

Of that 700bf I got, let's say only 40% is upper grade. That is still $418 net profit, minus time to pick up and saw. Not too bad of a deal.

[metalspinner]

I just got in from looking at a large white oak.  I heard the saw in the distance at tracked it down.  It turns out to be just three blocks from my house.  It is 16' long and about 30" on the butt end.  First 10' is clear as a bell.  No black marks on the ends.

If I was in the business, that would be a log that would be worth a few bucks.   He did mention that it might end up as  firewood.  To which I replied, " I have a chord of oak stacked and dryed that I will trade you for it.  Because I do this for "fun" I couldn't pay him for it." So I handed him my card, shook his hand and came home having met a new neighbor.  His and his neighbors yard are full of tree's this size.

Let's see how it turns out.

[Dodgy Loner]

I love the idea of trading firewood for high-quality wood that is destined to end up as firewood otherwise, metalspinner.  It might be a great way to convince a fellow to part with a log and have both parties come out ahead.  In the mean time, the fellow that gave me the big cedar log this spring just called yesterday to tell me that he had a nice walnut blow down in a storm last Sunday 8).  Looks like I'm going to have to build a new barn to store all of my wood ;D.

[WDH]

That means that you will need a sawmill to saw all the wood for the new barn.  Then, you can use the sawmill to saw all the wood that is going to fill it up.  Then, another barn, etc :D..........  This could go on for a long time :.

[Don K]

Yup! One thing always leads to another. ;)

Don

[Dodgy Loner]

I've already got the pines picked out that I'm going to cut ;D.  Now I just need a sawmill :-\.

[WDH]

A drying shed pole barn would be a good addition to the property.  That way, Tony could store all kinds of things out of the weather if it ever rains again  ;D.  I am sure that you can convince him that the sawmill and the lumber will only be incidental :D.

[metalspinner]

I have a chord of oak stacked and dryed that I will trade you for it.  Because I do this for "fun" I couldn't pay him for it.

I guess it would be easier to just sell the firewood and give the tree guy some money. :

[WDH]

There are multiple ways to skin the same cat............. ;).

[Daren]

I have a chord of oak stacked and dryed that I will trade you for it.  Because I do this for "fun" I couldn't pay him for it.

I guess it would be easier to just sell the firewood and give the tree guy some money. :

I have found it is not, that is 2 transactions selling then buying instead of a simple swap. I used to sell a little firewood, but it usually had strings attached like delivery.  I would have a utility trailer load out front with a sign " FIREWOOD $50 U-Haul it" (or something like that) and people would come an buy the wood and load it in their pickup and I would fill the trailer again. It never failed, MOST of the time it would be some little old lady beat on the door who needed it delivered cause she cad a car without a bumper hitch...and of course delivery was not just drive it down their it was stack it too. The $50 was for the wood setting where it was, not delivered and stacked. That should have been extra $, but I am a softy and would always do it for them. I just quit selling it that way, those nice little old ladies where not cutting down trees.

This is the 3rd post in this thread

" Another way I get a few logs that I forgot to mention was from firewood cutters. I sort all my mill slab/stuff I buck and cut the good hardwood into firewood size. I keep a big pile of cherry/hickory/ash/oak/hard maple...cut and seasoned. Firewood cutters know if they get ahold of a good log they can bring it to me and I will swap. I take the fresh cut log for the mill, and load them an equal trailer of dry wood with my skidsteer. It sounds like alot of work on my end, but it really isn't considering some of the really nice logs I have gotten in swap. I would have to do something with the slab anyway, the guy bringing me the fresh log saves my labor finding/fetching it. Usually the logs are bigger than they want to tackle trying to split so they make nice sawlogs."

I don't get to do it all the time, but quite abit during the fall/winter when the firewood cutters need some dry wood for right now or at least pretty soon and the fresh logs are not near as attractive as the stuff I cut last year.

[Daren]

I paid $100 for about 700bf and the guy was so happy that he is going to call be when he has the next enormous red oak cut down.

That is still $418 net profit, minus time to pick up and saw. Not too bad of a deal.

$.14 bft paid for a log that you wanted/needed is not too outrageous, if it suits you. That is below stumpage price and you did not have to fell it.

It is just about what you have time for and your needs. I am just speaking about my situation, everyones is different. $418 net potential profit minus your sawing and fetching is what would scare me off from paying that extra $100. I charge $.35 bft to saw here at my mill...no matter what grade, so that is not my problem(I can only get the best I can and get paid for it all) That is $245 for 700 bft., if I kiln dry it that is another $245 = $490.
I would rather saw for someone else when I can, and get "free" logs for myself/to sell the lumber. I don't need a certain number of bft every month to keep the lights on, my stuff is paid for. I will admit it breaks my heart sometime to see a good sawlog cut/split for firewood, but it happens all the time anyway. I can't afford to buy them all to stop it, and I said before once you start paying for them the free ones dry up. I have not posted in the thread Kelvin started about having trouble selling lumber right now, but especially now I can't afford to buy every yard tree I see...I have inventory that is not moving as fast as I would like it too. Not scroungy stock either, good wood at a good price. If I had a buyer already lined up for that $100 tree maybe, but still probably not. I would have them pay the $100 and bring it to me to saw. I would make my $245/$490 and call it a day.

[Dodgy Loner]

A drying shed pole barn would be a good addition to the property.  That way, Tony could store all kinds of things out of the weather if it ever rains again  ;D.  I am sure that you can convince him that the sawmill and the lumber will only be incidental :D.

Actually, seeing as how my lumber stash has already usurped our tractors' rightful place in our barn, Tony is completely behind the idea building another barn for a sawmill and lumber storage - especially after seeing several nice pines die from the drought this summer.  Problem is, I don't think he's going to buy a sawmill unless it falls in his lap, so I'll have to wait until I have a steady paycheck (which will hopefully be this fall).

The $50 was for the wood setting where it was, not delivered and stacked. That should have been extra $, but I am a softy and would always do it for them. I just quit selling it that way, those nice little old ladies where not cutting down trees.

You're right, $50 for a truckload of firewood, delivery, and stacking is pretty much a steal.  I sell mixed species firewood in the winter for $80 for 1/2 cord, delivered and stacked, or $90 for all oak.  Some people sell it for $100 per 1/2 cord.  I can see why you got out of the firewood business! ;)