Author Topic: Is this a good deal? (Read 2487 times)

alha · « **on:** May 17, 2006, 04:21:22 pm »

Found an auction for wood from a 300 year old WHITE OAK (auction #8284348909). Is this a good deal, at least as much as you can tell from the description he has? Just looking to the pros for some advice. Thanks!

Cedarman · « **Reply #1 on:** May 17, 2006, 05:09:52 pm »

Just to be flippant, only the wood at the heart is 300 years old if the tree was living last year.

alha · « **Reply #2 on:** May 17, 2006, 05:24:31 pm »

Quote from: Cedarman on May 17, 2006, 05:09:52 pm

Just to be flippant, only the wood at the heart is 300 years old if the tree was living last year.

*grinz*

Ianab · « **Reply #3 on:** May 17, 2006, 05:59:54 pm »

My maths says he's asking $1 a bd ft for the logs.

Doesn't look like a bargin to me

I'm guessing it will sit there for a year or so and eventually get cut up for firewood.

Ian

Ironwood · « **Reply #4 on:** May 18, 2006, 12:45:26 am »

These folks kill me. We should have a special term for "them". Thanks GOD it wasn't Walnut it would have been worth @#$%$% $250,000.

I just went through a purchase of a tree from a home owner. What a fieasco. It WAS firewood until I showed up to get it then she thought it must be worth $!@#$%%

. After not calling me for several hours (while she attempted to call some "expert" and figure out how many feet was in it, blah blah). The thing had to be dropped in the poor nieghbor's yard and this poor guy had to tolerate her "fieasco" for several days. I told her to try to find a market, call me when that doesn't pan out.I finally got the call to come get it. She was not from around "here", and it was obvious from the word go, I could tell she thought I ws trying to screw her. Really my offer was generous. I had to listen to the whole story about "loving wood", blah, blah. Really...... she loved money, greed, ah got to love some people. Anyhow, I showed up with some money and $50,000+ worth of equipment to liberate the poor nieghbor guy. Thank goodness she isn't my nieghbor. So, tree was saved from the saw and will live again as something beautiful (in spite of the DANG woman).

Oh, Yeah. Doesnt look like a bargin to me. Let him cut it up into firewood. I have a guy up the road with a HUGE stand of whites and reds that are alive and healthy and could be bought reasonably and hauled at your convienence and cut to your liking. I can get in touch with him if you like. HUGE oaks are not hard to come by, REALLY.

Reid

rebocardo · « **Reply #5 on:** May 18, 2006, 11:15:08 am »

I speak from experience, if that tree has not been end coated, and gently dropped, there is a good chance of end splitting already that makes the 8 foot boards into 6 foot boards. Most people that want green boards want at least 10 foot lengths.

Want another concern? See the picture, it looks like they dropped it unto another tree or likely a limb. What this does is a see-saw or lever effect, when the tree drops and splits the trunk along 3-5 lines that you can not see until you cut the wood and the board falls apart in your hands.
Been there, done that.

Why would there be a concern about how hard it hit? Look at the left side and see the huge gouge the tree made in the parking lot near the blue tarp.

I have seen a lot of tree services do this, they are not interested in the wood, they are interested in getting the tree quickly down and cutting it up easily.

imo, the value of this tree is in slab form that would bring the most money.

The absolute most the wood would be worth is $0.20 bf in log form the way it was cut and dropped.

The tree was about 36" dbh going by the pictures. I would bid $100 just so you can contact him off of E-Bay before the sale ends, there is no way I would bid more then $100 (cord wood) without looking at the tree in person.

twoodward15 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 18, 2006, 12:00:54 pm »

Ya know, I hate to say it, but that is so typical of the people around here (philly burbs). I'm not from this area, not even close, but I find that there is a lot of the "I'm better than you" attitude around here. People just won't stop and say hello when you see them walking in front of your house. It's like everyone is afraid to be nice. I've lived in my house for almost 5 years now and about two months ago I found out that there is a guy that lives 5 houses away across the street that is a woodworker also. As soon as I heard his planer running I knew what it was and went over and introduced myself. You'd think as much as I butcher wood he'd have heard mine running and stopped in to say hello.
Anyway, I'm not trying to steal your thread, I just wanted to comment on the mentality of the locals. That thing will be firewood soon.

Jeff · « **Reply #7 on:** May 18, 2006, 12:03:15 pm »

We never coated a log in 25 years of buying and selling and sawing red and white oak. Veneer logs were placed in the shade, but that was the only provision made for them. White and Red oak does not normally split and splinter from impact unless it already has health issues, it splits from improper felling techniques. We had our "A" team that fell our veneer quality trees.

My problem with that tree is its obviously in a very active urban area and undoubtedly has historical evidence of that through out its trunk.

Ironwood · « **Reply #8 on:** May 18, 2006, 12:15:11 pm »

Twoodward15,

What do you know the lady I was speaking of was from the "right side" of my beautiful state. That is exactly the attitude I got from the moment I met her. Hopefully our "friendly" attitude here on the left side will rub off.

Reid

twoodward15 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 18, 2006, 02:19:58 pm »

I wish it would, Reid. People here are just plain rude. Everybody is too busy to do anything. Nobody wants to slow down. I will add that I notice that it's always the women in this area that are more greedy than the men. I haven't met one that will give something away. They always have to sell it to someone. We (and when I say we I mean my wife) have gotten into the habit of giving things away through "freecycle" on the net. 99% of the time it is a woman that picks the things up. Most of the time the people need what you have, but about 15 to 20% of the time you can tell that they are going to sell what you are giving away (in hopes that a needy family can use it). We have a nice car seat for a newborn with three bases for it that we want to give away but can't/won't because we know what will hapen.

twoodward15 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 18, 2006, 02:29:54 pm »

Another thoght from the peanut gallery. It's a red oak isn't it? Look at the bark on it and the wood color. It really looks like red oak from tha bark to me.

rebocardo · « **Reply #11 on:** May 19, 2006, 02:52:46 pm »

> it splits from improper felling techniques.

I agree, especially when you are dropping a tree into a hard surface such as a parking lot, delimbed. It makes quite the impact. Pretty much snaps pine trees in 1/2 if you place a limb in front of the trunk like they did with the oak pictured.

As for checking and splitting, after wasting some hickory, white oak, and especially red oak, I started end sealing my wood if I wanted to save it. Then again, maybe the hot GA summer has a lot to do with it. About the only thing that does not end check quickly, from my experience is sweet gum, pine, and I think tulip (greenish olive wood through out and very soft).

Jeff · « **Reply #12 on:** May 19, 2006, 03:20:12 pm »

Environment and Location does have lots to do with it as it does all aspects of this business in relation to harvesting drying and producing. Sometimes we should remind ourselves, and I can be as big offender as any, that some statements on this forum, because of our wide range, may be true for one, but not even close for others. Thats why its good to have our location on our profiles and posts.

getoverit · « **Reply #13 on:** May 19, 2006, 11:52:40 pm »

I have seen pictures that have been posted on the forum of huge whacks of hardwoods that have not been end sealed and wondered how you got by with it. Personally, I have brought trees home that I saw felled in the morning and saw checks forming by late afternoon. Then again, it gets hot here in a hurry during the daytime and the trunk of a tree that has been in the shade all of its life and is suddenly exposed to full sunlight in the hot Florida sun is bound to check.

I cant get by without end sealing logs here. Maybe where the temperature is much milder it can be done, but not here.

As far as a price for a tree, I get all of my logs for free and the people are really happy that I came to get them out of their yards. They dont care that I am making money by milling them and selling the wood, they are just happy to get rid of them. I do have a little time and fuel expense in getting the tree, but I pay nothing for them to the home owner.

One thing that hasnt been mentioned here is how much trash metal is in the tree. If it is 300 years old, chances are you are going to find some.

Sawyerfortyish · « **Reply #14 on:** May 21, 2006, 08:09:18 pm »

I'll put money on it that it's got metal in it. It doesn't look like a white oak to me either. It was standing dead anyway and full of grubs just under the bark. I gave up on residentual trees a long time ago(been on too many wild goose chases). At the cost of trucking and equipment for just one tree it would be a matter of how much I will charge you to remove it from your yard!
I also have run my mill for 25yrs and have more than 4 acres of log yard and like jeff have never end coated a single log either. My veneer gets stacked in the shade and goes down the road every 2 or 3 weeks. If I spent the time and labor and the cost of the end sealer I would have more in the log than it's worth.

Jeff · « **Reply #15 on:** May 21, 2006, 11:39:57 pm »

Ken, this was my code for "METAL IN DAT TREE"

Quote

My problem with that tree is its obviously in a very active urban area and undoubtedly has historical evidence of that through out its trunk.

J_T · « **Reply #16 on:** May 22, 2006, 12:49:23 am »

Better known as where Great great grandady stuck his ax

A round here now and then you find one those small insolators from the days of the crank phone's it'll be up there where you think no one has every been

getoverit · « **Reply #17 on:** May 23, 2006, 12:32:36 am »

I start hauling oak logs from a jobsite tomorrow. The jobsite is approx 100 acres and loaded with oak and other hardwoods. The construction company is pushing them over with a bulldozer and he is happy as he can be that I am hauling off the trunks of the trees because it is just that much less that he has to burn.

It's a win-win situation. I get all the free logs I can haul and he doesnt have to waste time and fuel to burn them.

Corley5 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 23, 2006, 12:48:41 am »

Time for a Blue Ox eh?

getoverit · « **Reply #19 on:** May 23, 2006, 03:46:00 pm »

I need a blue-ox something awful. I hauled 9 logs this morning (over weight BIG time) and couldnt help but think how I needed to do something different than what I am doing now for hauling logs. It would probably be cheaper in the long run to pull one of these self contained loaders/trailers around than to pull the skid steer everywhere to get logs.

I've spent a small fortune on equipment and the 2 mills and truck.... I gotta get some cash flowing back in the right direction before I tell the wife I wanna spend that much money on a blue ox

dewwood · « **Reply #20 on:** May 23, 2006, 05:05:37 pm »

Just an observation, if you have that many trees to move and your time is valuable it might be worth it to hire someone to haul the logs for you. It will cost you a little up front but you can probably get a lot more logs moved in a much shorter time and have more logs to saw. Just my two cents.

getoverit · « **Reply #21 on:** May 23, 2006, 07:59:04 pm »

That is exactly what I am beginning to realize. When I didnt have much sawing to do it was easy enough to go get the logs. Now that I need to get logs AND keep the mill running it is a different story.

rebocardo · « **Reply #22 on:** May 29, 2006, 12:09:52 am »

> I get all the free logs I can haul and he doesnt have to waste time and fuel to burn them.

I know someone that rents big dumpsters, cuts the trees, puts them in, and hauls them away to the dump. Doesn't even care about saving the wood or giving it away for free. He just wants the lot cleared as fast as the Bobcat can lift them to the dumpster.

getoverit · « **Reply #23 on:** May 29, 2006, 01:59:53 pm »

That would be a good person to get to know. Having a place to dump the trees for free would save him money, and I dont know of a businessman that doesnt like to make/save money when possible, especially if it doesnt end up costing him money in wasted time.

It all depends on what kind of wood you want though. It might even pay to purchase some of the dumpsters and provide them to him for free. Perhaps working out a deal with the dumpster company would be more fruitful than dealing with the land developer?

rebocardo · « **Reply #24 on:** June 04, 2006, 09:20:09 pm »

> Perhaps working out a deal with the dumpster company would be more fruitful than
> dealing with the land developer?

Probably.

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Author Topic: Is this a good deal? (Read 2487 times)