Well. I'm not happy!

[George Sanders]

The guy with the tree service finally showed up three weeks late to cut down the ash tree. He cut it down and instead of leaving an 11' trunk on the ground, he left a stacked pile of firewood in two foot lengths. So much for milling any ash lumber. :mad: Arrgh!!! I made it clear to him that I wanted the trunk intact. He was paid in advance and I am fuming as I was at work when he did this. I will never have him do anything for me again, that's for sure. My disappointment is beyond belief as white ash is rapidly going the way of American chestnut. This idiot actually thinks he did me a favor. I should have put it in a written contract but I thought he could follow simple instructions.

[glenn bradley]

That is amazingly painful. With the way the economy is you would think people would be extra careful about leaving a good impression with their customers.

[Neil Brooks]

:(

That ... um ... rather sucks.

Is there any way he can come up with another hardwood tree -- cut like it was supposed to be cut -- in compensation ??

Sorry. Uncool.

[Navin R. Johnson]

I had a similar thing happen to me...but I wasn't out any money for the work. My neighbor was going to have a walnut tree removed and asked if I wanted anything (he just wanted the tree gone). I told them to save me a 10ft section of the trunk. I ended up with very short pieces of firewood (not even a foot!). Oh well.:(

[Jon Lanier]

Post him on Angie's List.

[Rich Engelhardt]

With the way the economy is you would think people would be extra careful about leaving a good impression with their customers
Actually - - it's been my experience that in a down economy, you have to be ultra selective about who you get to do work.

Everybody with an extension ladder is a "house painter", everybody with a chain saw is a "tree removal service", everybody with a hammer is a "carpenter". everybody with two or more tools is a "handyman",,etc..

The flip side to them is the person that actually is what they claim to be & they are skilled mechanics.
They can have their own issues also.
Some of the very best hands on people I know, have the customer service attitude of Attila the Hun - or worse...

[mark kosse]

I'm PO too. Let's get the bastard!!

Such is the way of dealing with people today. A complete lack of thought. Try teaching school sometime.

[Louie Ballis]

Whats a real shame is that by cutting it into two foot lengths for fire wood (more work for him) he probably thought he was doing you a favor.

[Ellen Benkin]

Lesson learned? ALWAYS put it in writing! If I wasn't going to be there to supervise, I might have left a note pinned to the tree. But hindsight is always 100%.

You must have ash trees in your area. See if he is going to take down another one and ask/tell him to get you some trunks to use for lumber.

[Terry Beadle]

I share your disappointment. Bummer !

I would not burn the Ash though. Even short as it is, it can be milled into 5/4 stock and used for some great boxes or turnings. It must be the Scottish blood in me, but nothing is wasted in my shop until it's less than 3 inches in length and even then....

The shorter wood will also dry quicker... This comes under the rule every cloud has a silver lining....until the rain hits ! Hoot!

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Ask him if he is cutting any other Ash trees, he needs to take away your pile of firewood and replace it with a good trunk :)

[Bob Glenn]

George, it sounds like it's time to start making Windsor chairs. Ash makes wonderful spindles for the back and most spindles aren't over two feel long!

Where in east Illinois are you located? I'm in Vincennes, Indiana and could use some of that Ash. Bob

[Jay Radke]

I would sure hope that wood isnt infected with the emerald Ash Borer. If so I would be careful about how that wood is used and taken. If your not careful you could spread this thing even further. There are bans on taking firewood over state lines already do to this bug.

[Nick Mastropietro]

I really feel for you, that Ash would have made some really nice boards. Well all is not lost, you could buy a lathe and turn bowls with the pieces, or you could ship me a few pieces so I can do the same ;^). Seriously if you aren’t going to burn it – Agggggh- maybe there is a turning club in your area who would just love to have it.
Bummer.

[Brendan Plavis]

If he is BBB certified, launch a complaint with them... you should end up getting a healthy check in the mail....

I did that for HP, when they screwed up, by telling me the incorrect CFM for my computer(I ended up buying about $300 in parts to fix their error(I needed the info to get a graphics card.) If you write in the complaint the approximate value for the wood at (x) ft, then, you might get a check to buy X ft... dried...

But that only works if he is BBB cert.

[Paul Johnstone]

Instead of trying to ruin the guy's business by bad mouthing him, why not calmly call him and explain your disappointment and ask the guy if he can offer you another trunk if another customer wants it disposed of.

You might end up with more leads to wood than you can use this way.

[Adam Strong]

I agree with Paul. He would come across many opportunities for lumber than you ever would. I also agree that the 2ft lengths can still be very useful. Small projects, turnings, guitar blanks, etc... I'd put it to use for sure.

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

I agree with Paul. It may be a bummer but I'm sure the guy would make it good if you just ask him. Maybe you'll end up with something even better like a nice walnut.. My neighbor is a tree surgeon and he gives me trunks all the time for milling. It saves him time and labor and he's more then happy to do it. To report him to the BBB or other legal stuff is just silly if you ask me. A waste of your time and his with little in return for both.

[Chris Tsutsui]

Before I take the "angry customer route", I would try to be a nice guy about explaining the situation to him and working something out...

Then maybe in the future you'll be rewarded if the guy has to cut down a nice tree for a different client, he can give you the trunk and not firewood.

[Don Morris]

I felt your pain. So sorry. I've had a couple similar things happen to me too during a whole home renovation. If you're not there during when they're doing it...S__T happens. e.g. We had two windows punched into a blank wall to give more light into one side of our home. This was during the height of the building boom. The construction co. owner was a "window man" in his early days so he knew personally what to do but had his underlings doing the work. He was busy with other projects and wasn't there to supervise (actually watch what they were doing). End result: the windows are 3" lower than the other windows on the adjacent wall of the home. They don't line up. Doesn't look too swift. All the brick work was done before we caught it. Too late. Don't want to go through blasting out the wall again to correct it. Point being: you have to be there to supervise the work! We kept track of the "screw ups and could have gone better" items with the whole home renovation. Total = 147. Got rid of one electrical subcontractor and one carpenter, wouldn't let them back into the house. Your story sounded like one of our stories. Have a beer and chill.

[George Sanders]

First off, the tree was infested with the borer. I can't let anyone take the wood anywhere. Second, the guy is a licensed and insured tree surgeon. Third, there are some uses for the wood other than firewood. I have a lathe and some limited skill with it, so some turnings are in the future. I wonder how good ash would be for some homemade hand planes. I'm thinking about a large joiner. The wood is pretty straight grained.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

[Paul Hingco]

Bummer. I hope you at least got some sort of discount.

[Rob Young]

First off, the tree was infested with the borer. I can't let anyone take the wood anywhere. Second, the guy is a licensed and insured tree surgeon. Third, there are some uses for the wood other than firewood. I have a lathe and some limited skill with it, so some turnings are in the future. I wonder how good ash would be for some homemade hand planes. I'm thinking about a large joiner. The wood is pretty straight grained.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Ash would make a decent hand-plane billet. Go for it.