A neighbor about a block away is having 7 trees removed from his back yard. Four of them are nice sized silver maples, which I'd like to get. The others are a couple of cottonwoods and a box elder that I don't really want. However, the tree company has come in with a giant chipper, and is grinding them all up. I talked with the foreman about getting some of the wood, but he refused and said it's easier for them to chip it, as he has a place to dump the chips for free... Couldn't convince him otherwise. Dang. I've been hearing saws and one big chipper all day!
That's odd, do you have a trailer or did you ask them to deliver it? No matter the wear & tear on the chipper plus fuel would be too much especially now. Sent from my LE2127 using Tapatalk
I feel your frustration! It's such a helpless feeling trying to convince a "pro" to do anything out of the norm.
Last year our electric company came through our neighborhood to trim trees back near the power lines. These trees are on private lots, and I talked to the foreman about getting the wood, he refused and said they are chipping everything. I called the electric company office and talked to them, and explained and complained the property owners should get a say in what is done with the wood from their property. Their response was, it's on the utility right of way, and the tree company has a commitment to provide mulch for customers. Needless to say, I was not happy!
Yea chippers are thirsty. Those 600HP units my loggers use by far use the most fuel per hour to run. A set knives is not cheap and don't last long between sharpenings!
One time I talked to the tree service guys and they not only cut the wood to 17-18 inch lengths they loaded it. Their plan was to chip it all. Got about a cord of beech out of it.
Yea, the climber I work with every so often has a 9" and will go almost out of his way to give the larger stuff away so all we have to chip is brush. Sent from my LE2127 using Tapatalk
damm I was legitimately excited after reading that other free sticker post and now I’m bummed out. I need to go look at my wood stacks to feel better.
Too bad. Sometimes their mind is made up and there is no changing it. Im sure another great score will come up soon.
Yep! Several years ago, the rental house next to us received a trim up of a few silver maples… asked the local tree removal boss/owner about the wood… nope. Fast forward to two years ago- coworker was having a bunch of sickly or dead trees dropped. I asked who was doing the work- yep, same guy that did the work next to us some time before. So I asked my coworker to tell the tree removal company to leave everything over 5” in diameter. Y’all shoulda seen his face when I pulled up as they were packing up at the end of their day. Thanks!
A problem I’ve encountered is people ask for wood and never pick it up and than you have to make another trip to pick it up. I’ve said it has to be gone today and it doesn’t get picked up. I know FHC folks are different, but other people want wood until the work part. Maybe he’s encountered that too many times.
About enough to make a guy wish for his grinder to find some hidden railroad spikes buried in the tree!
The above statement is usually the reason. The tree cutter is contracted to clean up and he needs to be gone and paid in as little time as possible. Bad news for him if he doesn't finish the job and get gone, even worse if he's gotta go back. If you want wood off a tree service job you gotta be sitting there with a trailer ready for loading when they're handling the logs. Other option is to get it clear with the property owner before the tree guys show up, they have to trust you to clean up and instruct the tree service what to leave. When I haul for tree guys, we'll normally line up 3-4 dump trailers at the sight and be ready to haul when they are. Here's an example of a bigger job we got in on.
Great point, and a reminder for me to give someone the benefit of the doubt. I’m not so good at that sometimes
The homeowner just wanted them gone, and told me to talk with the foreman. I have a pickup, but no trailer. I could have loaded some that he was cutting, but he just wanted to chip them and get on with the next job. I didn't know anything about the job until I heard the saws that morning. I understand that the foreman did not know me from anyone, and their thing was to leave the site clean. I'm sure he was doubtful if I would do that because he didn't know me. But it still hurts to hear those saws and that chipper, knowing what's happening, and looking at my stacks! Exactly what I think happened.
