I'm going wind up buying some logs because I don't really have much time to scrounge and don't see having much in the future for a little bit. I found a tree service to deliver a tri axle of logs for $800.00. Obviously I can buck to the length I want. Also saw an ad to have a 40 yard "dumpster" of logs delivered for $500.00. All hardwood. Must be coming from a plant of sorts because the guy said he can do 4 loads a month year round. Potential issue is the average length delivered is 24"- 30" or near there. The dumpster may be slightly more wood. I prefer to cut to 16" length. The most at 19" for stove. So would you rather pay more so you can cut to your ideal length or pay less and deal with either cutting shorter lengths or do 16" and have many shorts?
Re-cutting a dumpster load of 24-30's sounds like a dangerous endeavor to me. Having done some of this in the past I would choose not to again. Not to mention the pile of shorts, etc. left over don't stack/store easily. Good luck! Be safe either way.
I would never take on a load of rounds that were not useable size. Sounds like a total pain in the rump! My vote, go for the tri-axle load of logs.
The roadside scrounger in me says take whatever they give you. But that mentality doesn't make sense if you're spending hundreds of dollars regardless, especially if you end up struggling with gnarly crotch pieces cut at terrible angles. Log lengths it is!
For my .02 Cents, I would vote for the tri axle load, however you may want to see a dumpster load first to see if the pieces a all straight or all knotty gnarly crotches.
OK. I'll be contrary. Try one dumpster load and see how it goes. Cutting each piece in half would give you 12" - 15" splits, which are not far off your ideal length.
I've taken quite a bit of tree service wood (and still do). Here's how I look at it. If you have a use for the shorts so you can burn them yourself or sell them, I would absolutely do it. I use lots of shorts to make kindling and sell it so it works for me. If the shorts just sit around in a pile and rot, I wouldn't pay for them. Good luck!
2 years into the log load you've spent $1600... 3 years into the dumpster load you've only spent $1500...and if you get say, an extra cord each year from the dumpster wood, pretty soon you've gotten a "free year" compared to the log load...I think I'd try the dumpster wood, see how that goes...can't anymore than make the short/uglies into campfire wood to sell...
If I was looking at possible cost versus amount of wood received, I would at least try one of the dumpster loads to see what I would get. However if I was short on time, which you alluded to in your post, I would opt for the tri-axle load. When I scrounge my own wood, I usually pass on stuff that will produce a lot of shorts/knots/PITA to split and stack pieces (a benefit of being ahead). I was lucky enough earlier this year to get a couple dump trailer loads from a neighbor's son (runs a tree business). It was all hardwood, and I definitely appreciated them, however it took a lot longer to process due to all different lengths, twisted/turning trunks, etc. and I ended up with a lot of unstackable pieces. Yes, it is all BTUs and the price was right (free), however if I was paying for a load and had limited time, I would opt for a grapple load that would be simpler to CSS (as Ben Franklin said, "time is money"). And even if there aren't a lot of trunks/knots/etc. in the dumpster load, how much extra time will it take to safely cut each individual piece to a size manageable for your stove (as opposed to just zipping down a log and bucking to your desired length)? Another thought is how much storage space you have available. I just grabbed some pallets yesterday to build another bin just for shorts. Shorts and uglies can begin to take up a lot of space.
Thanks everyone for the input so far. When I said I don't have the time, I really don't have any weekends to go and get a scrounge here and there. I figure I would save time if I had a sizeable stockpile to work on when I can. Set up a light and split away. As far as stacking, that's a job for the kids. I dont mind burning shorts and uglies and have room for them. BIL said he may know someone with "many" cords of oak and hickory that was standing dead and is close to me. I need to pick it up though. But Im off next week, so maybe have a marathon of hauling wood. Supposedly in 4' lengths. Maybe thats the answer.
Have you seen photos of the dumpster wood to give you an example of what you'd get? Most triaxle loads are decent straight logs from what ive seen on here. Im all about saving money but hate all the shorts/cookies my scrounging produces. Id get the triaxle load. Get some primo rounds cut to your size that'll make some nice splits.
Man I'd do the dumpster loads, those lengths are good in my boiler. That would be a pita making stove lengths. Log loads for you I would say.
Between work, the kids school/other stuff and taking care of the house I have little free time for scrounging wood. I get log lengths and peck away at it when time permits. While the roll of is less money for me it wouldn’t be an option because of all the odd size chunks. Pain to cut and even more of a pain to stack for any length of time.
The problem I see is you are not comparing apples to apples, so to speak. So my biggest concern other than mixed lengths is the question of how much wood do you get in the dumpster? It is not stacked so likely there is less than expected. For my money, I would get the log length and cut my own to the length I need.
