thought I would stop and ask about that downed tree...

[Terry Achey]

No big deal. Just an insight to the behaviors of fellow man.

Coming home from work yesterday I drove by a home in an affluent neighborhood and noticed a tree service downing a HUGE maple tree in the front yard. Thought about stopping to see if I could talk them out of a small piece or two... but didn't. Today, there was a fellow in chaps with a shiny new small dump truck cutting up pieces of this ver LARGE tree. Had lots of high end new equipment with him, too.

After getting home from work (only 5 minutes away) I decided to go back and ask about getting a short log or two. I figured surely with a HUGE tree like this (must have been near a four foot diamter and a very tall crown) he woldn't mind parting with a small piece or two. So, I grabbed the chain saw and drove my little pickup to the house. I introduced myself and his immediate and only response was ...

"you want wood don't you?"

I said,
"well, yes I was going to ask if you could part with a small piece to turn wooden bowls."

and he said (w/o hesitation)
..."No. You must be the 6th or 7th guy to ask me for wood. I have enough firewood here to last me 10 years!"

I said
"well I figured it never hurts to ask."

Then he simply turned away from me and went about his business. Now, I don't mind that he said "no". But there ways of saying no.... and there are ways of saying no. I found boasting about 10 years worth of firewood while I'm asking for a toothpick from this tree to be a bit much. Believe me this guy wasn't some poor sole looking to heat his run down shack full of hungry kids. And, not having the manners for a courteous introduciton... and then to turn away to end a conversation was rude behavior.

Guess I'll go without turning maple for awhile. I'll just be stuck with this small supply of cherry and walnut junk! :D

[Mike Cutler]

Yep. Sometimes folks can be a little short.
Maybe all the interruptions of his work set him on edge a bit. I wouldn't take it too seriously.

About 10-12 years ago I was riding my bike past a few guys cutting up a tree. I stopped and asked about the tree and whether I could have some of the wood to play around with, and got pretty much the same response.
I then told them that the black walnut tree they had just cut and split into 24" lengths would have paid to have their firewood cut, split, and delivered for a few years.:eek:,:D

Now if you'd like some nice linden wood to turn...... I had to cut a tree down last winter.:(
Sometimes I wish I knew more about how to preserve wood for turning after cutting. I'd leave it out front with a sign.... "Turners Welcome"

[curtis rosche]

has any one ever asked some one if they could cut down or cut the burls off their dead tree? there is a large tree that is dead it is an oak, it is on main street strasburg. PA. it has 2 huge (3ftx2ftthick) burls and a couple about the same size that are ground level. every time i pass it i look at it. would it be right to stop and ask some time about getting it when they cut it, or ask to cut it off? if i missed it and they fed it to a chipper or just cut it and hualed it away for fire wood i think i would just cry. any one ever stop to ask about things that werent cut?



oh yeah,,,, i had a similar issue with asking for wood about 2 months ago. a person near me had cut down a 4ft thick, tree it had to be a witness tree, just from how big it was, i dont know what kind, it looked like the wood was kinda orangeish yellow, hey cut all the branches and split them, i asked for a log and they said no. they left the big main part about 12ftx4ft and i asked if i could cut a peice and they said no to that also...... some people just dont give up anything,, though you might try asking if they would take money for it, with gas prices raising and all

[Randal Stevenson]

Playing devils advocate here.

Not all of us are people persons. Sounds like you tresspassed, and hit a nerve with the "doesn't hurt to ask" statement that chaps a few hides.


That said, I hope he has a good size place to keep that wood in, and dry, or it will be dirt, before he gets 10 years out of it, LOL. (termites, carpenter ants, etc)

Now watch and see if he advertises firewood. (bet he is cutting to sell and make some $$$)

[Lee Schierer]

I have a 12-14" dia 40 foot tall scotch pine tree in my front yard you turners can have for taking it down!!! :D

[Dennis Peacock]

I can say that I've never been turned down for me picking up wood. Even between us local woodturners...we share and give wood as if it was water to the soul. I guess it's all about where one lives or something. :)

[Wes Bischel]

Curtis,
I bet if you stop and offer to take it down and haul it away you'll get a better response. Usually a dead tree is left standing because the owner can't or won't pay to have it removed. If you offer to take care of it, they may be thrilled.
A neighbor had a similar experience recently. A pine came down on her house (minimal damage) and a guy down the street took it down and cleaned up. Saved her a bunch of money and he was tickled pink to have the wood.

FWIW,
Wes

[curtis rosche]

well, i dont know if money was way its still there, they had the top chopperd off, the thing thats left is only 15 ft tall, it has a huge huge ivy vine on it. it may be something with the house being historic

[Dave Breitwieser]

stop by my house, I'm cutting down a 50' maple.

[curtis rosche]

any interesting peices on it?

[Joe Pelonio]

I doubt this was the owner. More likely someone the tree service or owner sold the tree to. And yes, I bet he was going to split and sell it.

Even firewood has become a valuable commodity, at least around here. I was at a logging show a few weeks ago where they auctioned off truckloads of logs, mostly 1' diameter or less, douglas fir, and they were going for $700+ per load, and thats uncut and unsplit.

Just checking local ads, Alder is going for $300/cord, maple $350, mixed hardwood $375, Madrona $400. This in an area with frequent burn bans for air quality, where no burning is allowed in fireplaces and uncertified wood stoves, unless it is your only adequate source of heat.

[Jim Podsedly]

Speaking of Maple!! My folks just had two huge maples taken down and we split quite a bit of it and i took as much as my trailer would hold and storing a lot at their place.

Was a good fight between my BIL and me. He uses wood to heat the house and wanted it all split. Well i got first pickens to the logs i wanted!:D:D:D

[Joe Petersen]

I had the very same thing happen a week ago. The city was removing a pin oak and had the last 15 foot trunk still standing. The guy cutting was talking with the neighbor. The cutter said "you have to talk to this gentleman, he already has it claimed."

I asked him what he would want for it and we BS'ed a bit. He taunted me with a walnut slab he had around back, but I wasn't biting. He just up and drove off on his four wheeler without saying another word.

I looked at the cutter and said "I guess I got my answer." Probably this old mans only thing to do for the next two weeks and it made him feel important to hold it over someones head. He has a log splitter set up and has been working for the last week.

I hope he blows a hydraulic line. I found another oak for free.

[Leigh Costello]

We had to have 2 huge trees cut down this past March from storm damage. The tree service guys were paid only to lay the trees down safely - they still mananged to bang the propane tank - and we would take care of cleanup and the rest. The "foreman" was upset because he had already promised the wood to "a friend." I showed him the contract I had signed with his boss. He got p.o.'ed and rutted the heck out of our yard "by accident."

Hubby and I contacted his boss and all was fixed the next 2 days.

Aside from that, the wood shed that was nearly empty, and the wood waiting to be split and stacked was in plain sight. I guess brains and brawn don't always mesh. I tell ya, if we had the 24" bar on our chainsaw, we never would have called them, we can drop a tree on our property, but the idea was to avoid the house and propane tank. Fat lotta good that did!

Anyway, if there is a turner near us, and you can get by here soon, pm me and we can talk turning stock.

[Leigh Costello]

oh BTW, Silver Maple and Red Oak were the varieties. :o

[Gary Herrmann]

Yep, Leigh - silver maple is good turning stock. I've got a couple in my yard I'm going to take down one of these days.

[Prashun Patel]

I feel yr pain. I can't tell you how many trees are chipped and hauled away from my development. If I had taken up this passion 3 years ago, I'd have 10 years of good beech and oak for just about anything.

With all the waste in the world, I'd figure people willing to pick up yr potential trash should be commended and politely turned down - not haughtilly dismissed.

Then again, it IS his prerogative. Screw him and his knotty, diseased maple. Hope he gets termites!

[Dave Breitwieser]

any interesting peices on it?

I don't turn, i'm sure there are some pieces someone would be interested in.

The main trunk is coming down Sunday, i already have all the branches off of it. I'm giving most of the wood away. If you bring a chipper i'll toss in a free beer too.

[Mark Kosmowski]

A coworker had a maple fall in a storm last summer and he kindly let me harvest it. I milled most of it for flatwork (he is getting a picture frame from me soon - he wants maple, imagine that :p) but have some for turning too. My very first turned handle for my first bowl gouge (from Doug Thompson) is from this tree.

I've thought of, but have not yet worked up the stones to, ask some of the folks getting trees downed for a piece or two. Maybe after I get some bowl experience I can offer a bowl in trade.

[curtis rosche]

wish i could dave, but i aint 21 its a little far and i have no chipper. the good peices are the crotch peices, and any bulges, or lumps

[Roger Bell]

In the past, I have handled these situations with a business-like approach when dealing with this kind of person. What I want is say perhaps a half truckload of choice cuts of green wood (for example). Naturally I want the crotch and other hard-to-split sections. In exchange, I might be willing to trade (as much as) double the amount of already split and seasoned ordinary firewood that he can sell or use immediately.

I did this a just few months ago.....half truckload of uncut walnut...highgraded by me....beautiful stuff.....for a full truckload of split seasoned delivered alder. For many of these folks, wood is wood and quantity matters most.

[Boyd Gathwright]

.... Welcome to the real update world, sorry to say :p.

.

[Brian Elfert]

I just got back a few hours ago from a service weekend at a Boy Scout camp. I probably could have taken all the wood I wanted.

My job this morning was to drive the main road and throw any branches sticking into the road back into the woods. I could have had a heck of a bonfire if I had collected all the branches.

I am sure I could have picked up some nice turning wood from the chain saw crew if I was into that. Nice to have connections.