Logs from local tree guys for the sawmill

doc henderson · March 29, 2024, 11:47:40 AM

well, I looked for a thread to add this to. Many of us smaller hobby guys get some material from local tree guys. I usually do not pay for these but it keeps it out of the landfill where they just burn it here. It also saves the arborist from having in haul it to the landfill and gives me logs to mill, and sell boards, or give away. the waste makes benches or gets split up for the woodstove or even for scouting and neighbor firepits etc. I got a call for this log a few days back. went to a noon meeting with the 32-foot gooseneck on the truck and left there to pick it up. a yard tree limb (cottonwood) after my friend Cory got a big limb off the roof of a house.

it will make some good trailer boards, or hatchet targets, pallets or even boards for engraving.

rusticretreater · March 29, 2024, 03:59:27 PM

I routinely scour craigslist for free logs and if I see a big'un while driving down the road, I sometimes stop and ask about it. Once I came across a listing for a guy who had a free firewood logs advert and in the pictures posted had what looked like some millable logs in there.

It turned out pretty good. Once a week I would drive to his place and we would pull logs out of all his various piles spread around the property. He would load them on my trailer. I probably netted at least 40 logs out of the deal.

I also got three nice black poplar logs from one place, two nice walnut trunks from another guy and a huge spalted stump(for wood turning blanks) from just down the road. I was going to talk to the tree service guys, but after clearing an acre and all the other logs I ended up with I just decided to start sawing for a bit.

All of them were free and just cost my expenses of getting them home.

mike dee · March 29, 2024, 05:00:34 PM

Funny, I've got piles of logs from trees that cost me time and money to take down and guys expect me to then donate my time watching them pick through my piles and then they ask me to load one log from the bottom of a pile and give it to them for free.

YellowHammer · March 29, 2024, 07:19:55 PM

Doc, that's a nice log but that trailer is SWEET!

KEC · March 29, 2024, 11:47:07 PM

Doc, nice trailer and machine for loading. Couldn't help notice only 1 strap securing the log. While it likely will ride just fine, only one strap could get you a ticket for an insecure load, at least around here anyway.

doc henderson · March 30, 2024, 08:02:24 AM

Mike, I have paid a hundred bucks for nice walnut logs, but often not. they are happy to have them not go to the land fill. If it turns out they want 10 K for a log, I tell I don't pay for stuff that is otherwise going to be trash. they do drop some off, and I offer them wood if they want it. many tree guys are not wood guys. I have time and effort as well. you can offer the logs at a price as well. I picked this up less than an hour from the time it hit the ground. Saved him making the round trip to the dump with it.

Thanks for the trailer compliments. I upgraded to the track loader when we built our pool in about 2008. then i needed a bigger trailer to haul the loader. It weighs 9K, and it was not good for a 7K gross car trailer. and then I needed the one ton. here we are. Those are great bunks designed by an aerospace engineer @YellowHammer and work well. the side supports are 4 foot and come off leaving the inner "stub" is about 18 inches and easier to lift over with a log at the limit of the loader. the pickup was in town. I also could have moved the rear bunk forward 2 feet. one chain catches the back from rolling. max speed 30 mph, but no more excuses. just lazy I guess but seemed well secured.

thanks KEC.

Den-Den · March 30, 2024, 01:49:55 PM

I sometimes get logs from a tree guy friend. He understands the difference between saw-logs and fire-wood and only brings decent logs. Sometimes I cut them on shares with him and sometimes he pays me to cut lumber for him, I don't pay for logs because that is my hobby model. I once got a log from another tree guy through a mutual friend, we went to the stack, his wife pointed out the logs (which had been identified as willow but were actually cottonwood), my friend helped me load them. It was barely worth my trouble, the tree guy was not there, we did not bother him.
In my opinion, arborists can be good sources IF they understand what you want, IF you make it worth their time and IF you refuse to take junk logs

NewYankeeSawmill · April 01, 2024, 10:12:27 AM

Very interesting hearing from multiple viewpoints!
I'm curious, in part because I find TN different enough than NY was to ask...
Used to be a case of beer would 'cover' many otherwise $$$-costing favors. For example, a sawyer starting up could drop off a case of beer and some business-cards at a local tree guy, let him know he's got a dump site available for free, and within a week have all kinds of logs and wood chips being dumped out on his property. You gotta grease that wheel every once in a while with another case of beer, but down here there's too many Baptists!

! I'm used to Irish/Catholics who thought you were cheap bringing beer instead of whiskey! And if they're rough and tumble beer drinking tree guys (like most I've worked with), a jar of honey and some egg's isn't gonna work, either?
What's an acceptable 'bribe' if you will, vs. cash-under-the-table?
I've seen a couple logging outfits working my AO, but they truck their loads in 21' logs to a local mill. Would they be interested in sending me a half-load of smaller logs for some quick cash? Or would that be more of a nuisance than positive?
Appreciate all the opinions and input!

doc henderson · April 01, 2024, 10:23:17 AM

I have taken some logs that are not as great as the tree guy said. I have one that I may not take any more from. he has issues and shows up unannounced at my house. but the real prof. guys appreciate if they are my side of town, not having to make and hour round trip to take to the land fill to be burned. I am not in the business of taking down trees next to a house. that is where they get their money.

doc henderson · April 01, 2024, 09:57:59 PM

I also got a 15-foot walnut, 26-inch diameter. a branch at the far end, had to pick it up 25 miles away. about 3 months ago. I have it on deck to mill and will get a pic in am. here is a load of maple and the big log is what I made my thin stock out of for the engraver.

Came from the church 1 block from my house. before I built the yellow hammer log bunks.