Free wood! My favorite kind.

[Bob Glenn]

I have been fortunate to being offered free wood from time to time. As word has gotten around that I am a woodworker (and I use that term loosely), a number of people have offered quantities of wood, just come and pick it up. This ranges all the way from downed trees to sawn, dried and planed boards. Most recently, a large quantity of quarter sawn red oak. I've gotten some walnut from another source. Usually the story goes like this: We had this tree blow down and we wanted to have the wood sawed up so we could use it to make something. That was five years ago and we just need the room now.

This past summer we had a large oak come down on a golf course. I asked if I could cut some of it up to split out as spindles for windsor chairs. They let me drive my van right out on the golf course. On another golf course, they lost a large walnut tree. I cut some big sections which will become carved bowls. I had a friend call and tell me he had some nice straight maple cut up and laying in his back yard. Swore it was good stuff. I went and got some, turned out to be firewood.

Any one else have similar experiences? Seems like I also see some nice logs laying in yards, waiting to be sawed, but years later they are just rotting.

[Bruce Haugen]

I don't have much space to store such treasures, but a few years ago I got 18' of a walnut tree, minimum diameter was 16". A lot of projects got made of walnut for a long time. I also have a friend who has a tree trimming service who said I could have whatever he cuts, but alas, no room.

[george wilson]

My journeyman Jon,who worked with me in the Toolmaker's Shop,is always getting free trees blown down by hurricanes,or from other tree eliminating sources. He goes to a small lumberyard a friend of ours operates,making custom cut wood for museums. They use his wood to build period style buildings. He's done quite well with this novel approach to a specialty business. Jon rents a Wood Mizer sawmill from him,and saws up all kinds of trees,mostly walnut,mostly into rifle stock blanks. Jon has 100 acres of land way out in the country,and has bought a few tractor trailer bodies. Some for less than the tires on them are worth. He stores his wood in them. I think Jon could make a fortune just selling wood. By now,a great deal of it is long since dried,and is ready to make gunstocks and other things from.

[John K Jordan]

Any one else have similar experiences? Seems like I also see some nice logs laying in yards, waiting to be sawed, but years later they are just rotting.

Bob, If I took all the wood and trees I'm offered I'd be out of space, and I live on 27 acres and have 9 buildings I could store wood in. Plus a Woodmizer sawmill behind the barn. It's almost like the stuff grows on trees around here. :-)

I currently have about 15 nice big eastern red cedar logs in a pile and the logs from three big white oaks plus a hickory recently cut from neighbor's property, mostly to help them out. I'm more selective than I used to be (but I'll always take free wormy chestnut! And big dogwood or holly.) My shop is full, I have slabs of walnut, persimmon, and more air drying, and my barn loft has a bunch of cherry 4/4 and 8/4 that will probably go bad before I can use it.

I think a lot depends on which part of the country you live in. In TN, domestic wood is almost always free and most of it is good hardwood. Things are different elsewhere. A friend from out west visited and loaded her station wagon so much the frame was on the axles. Nearly all she can get in her area are softwoods; everything else is imported.

So yes, I think a lot of people have that fortunate problem. It takes a strong will and strict discipline to keep from taking too much.

JKJ

[george wilson]

Years ago,I bought a whole bedroom stacked FULL,over 6' deep with walnut planks. It was in a house the farmer across the street owned,and had just been storing stuff in. Not a bad house,either.

He had a sawmill and had a hobby of cutting wood. The walnut had been cut in 1941. I got the whole shebang for $300.00. Much of it has little,but fatal,cracks in it. Has to be carefully selected. However,I at once made the money back ,and much more,by making(on request) a floor model wig stand for retiring Chief Justice Rendquist(sp?). The Wig shop had been commissioned to make him a large,18th. C. judge's wig. Then a stand to exhibit it on was needed.

I have made a number of other things from the wood. There is so much of it,I left a few hundred board feet in the Toolmaker's Shop when I retired.

[Bob Glenn]

George, I was in the cabinet makers shop a few weeks ago. There was a 34 inch wide mahogany plank under the stairs. Amazing! I doubt it was free.

[Shawn Pixley]

I get given wood fairly often. Mostly people start offering construction lumber cut-offs (no thanks). Two weeks ago, I received 10 gallons of various burls and cypress knees. More than I can really use.

One other time, i was given Massur Birch for the cost of pine 1x4's. That was a score. I periodically score a burl or crotch wood that has washed up on the beach.

Most of the time, I look at the wood offered and end up passing. I have little room for anything that isn't really valuable / desireable or has an immediate use.

[Bruce Haugen]

George, do you have a pic of that wig stand?

[george wilson]

Unfortunately,I took no pictures. It was just a quick as possible night time job at short notice. But,the money was good!:) I made it easily dissassembled so the justice could have it taken apart to carry home in his car. The base was about 14" octagonal,and the post was octagonal,tapering a bit towards the top. The head was a simple head shape without facial features,but 2 concave surfaces on the front,as wig heads sometimes had.