Usually just fuel. I have the equipment already for business. Got a few loads from a mill that just wanted it hauled out last spring. I ended up throwing the guy $100 when I was done. Triaxle costs around $4/ mile to run. Never really figured it up but its cheap .
Yeah, all the time. I hate walking out the back door and finding a fresh pile of rounds there... I miss playing in the woods, dropping, bucking, and hauling the wood but my back apprectiates the delivery service. KaptJaq
I never figured a cost. The last 3 or so years, I've been working with the owner of a horse farm that borders my property rather than doing the Craig's List Crawl. The really cool thing is the farm PAYS ME and GIVES ME THE WOOD to remove standing dead and dying trees as well as trees they just want cleared from certain areas of the farm. Granted, it isn't a lot of money but...... Any dead fall or any trees pushed down during the expansion of some fields is just free wood and the time is on my nickel. But because the farm is next door it doesn't cost me much in fuel for the BX, costs more to feed the saws. In the end we all walk away happy!
Not counting equipment, my cost has been next to nothing. 99% of my wood has come from by backyard, or the adjacent properties that I manage; under 1/4 mile. I drive the lawnmower there. Figure maybe 10 gallons of gas through the JD, 4 gallons of chainsaw gas, and 4 gallons of bar oil. I split by hand, so everything up at the house is already "paid for". Got 11+ cords CSS, plus another 5-6 cords still in rounds, all from this year. $100 in petrol fuel, for 15+ cords of wood fuel - so about $6.50/cord. Of course, the wood fuel will replace 3 years worth of fuel oil; easily $2000 per year. Even if I figure all the tools in, I'm still ahead on my investment. Plus I lost 60+lbs in the process!
This is the 1st winter since the owb install that I'm keeping track of expenses. I have strips of tape on the beer/worm farm fridge in the garage for tracking, 1)dollars of fuel in the truck 2)gallons of fuel mix 3)gallons of bar oil 4) truckloads of far'wood brought home. 13 degrees outside with a -2 degree windchill. I'm sitting here in bare feet on a wood floor, my hoofs are comfy and me morning constitutions was exercised on a warm throne,,, So far, my "Free" firewood is Priceless.
Truck, tractor, chainsaws, fransgard winch, trailer. I'm in for at least $40k to acquire free firewood. Doesn't matter, its the lifestyle that's worth it.
Bit of a hijack but I cut some pine/spruce along the south side of a gravel road once and I went through chains like crazy. Old-timers (sawmill guys) say that the gravel dust embeds in the wood as they grow.
I think we learn to do them smarter, enjoyment & fun are not over-rated. Staying active is important , Retirement means you can take longer to do the things you enjoy
I found out the hard way this fall that I've been getting soft, having a sit-down job all day and then doing a few chores around the hobby farm just hasn't been "cutting" it, pun intended. I honestly believe, even though it's caused me some short-term pain, burning and hoarding firewood will keep me in better shape over the long term.
Yea Cutting firewood , working at a comfortable pace is a good workout. The many benefits are priceless.
Haven't found any yet! But wouldn't this one be some discovery? http://abc10up.com/time-dwindles-for-worlds-largest-piece-of-float-copper/
I buy wood c\s\d yearly.. It's worth the expense and free wood is a rarity around here.. I have gotten a few good scores but to me it was just supplemental.. Nothing wrong with buying wood at all!
If I cut on my own property, should I include the mortgage cost in the calcs? Taxes, Insurance? Dang, it's not as cheap as I thought. My head hurts again.
