is it actually possible to get unproccessed recently felled trunks by the lorry load anymore?

[GarethM]

Definitely saw you coming, even with my fag pack maths, it'd be cheaper buying in seasoned logs.

 

At a generous 6m2 for 300 plus handyman costs, 3 days I'm guessing as it needs double ringing and then splitting.

 

That's £900 of hard work for £600 of unusable and sopping wet firewood.

 

Maybe willow or poplar looking at the bark.

Edited December 21, 2023 by GarethM

[Stubby]

If that's oak my cocks a kipper .

[Mike Hill]

37 minutes ago, Stubby said:

If that's oak my cocks a kipper .

Handy

 

My willy is a Whale

[Stubby]

5 minutes ago, Mike Hill said:

Handy

 

My willy is a Whale

 🙂

Edited December 21, 2023 by Stubby

[Mick Dempsey]

5 minutes ago, Mike Hill said:

Handy

 

My willy is a Whale

Is it your special porpoise?

 

[Steven P]

I'd be suspicious of this, probably not oak, possibly poplar - not sure it is willow though (oak bark has more 'aggressive' wrinkles, poplar and willow softer but poplar has a darker core to the wood - from the wood I have been given anyway)

 

'Partially dry' I'd read as 'not as wet as it was (last week) when it fell down' - the wood looks very fresh, hasn't faded or darkened, the bark is still quite green looking. Can't tell but perhaps if you chopped into the bark with an axe a little, bet it would still be green underneath. Second thing to consider, does it smell of wood or is the smell faded a bit? You have to store this till next season, paying a mortgage for the storage area, could be used for flowers or another shed (we all need another shed).

 

 

My next thought on this is that it is very clean wood, no sticks, not a lot of sawdust or chipping, no small branches and twigs - is your tree surgeon a very diligent chipper I wonder? Or has this wood been taken from site somewhere, tipped and then loaded again to be punted on to you? That's about the only way I can think of why there isn't a lot of stuff with it. I feel lucky if I only get 1 empty pop bottle in a load.... but here, not even a stray leaf....

 

Suspect you your tree surgeon was mistaken with what he told you it was.

 

However whether it is good value or not depends on the cost. You now have to split it, some handyman time and a portion to pay for the splitter. I reckon 4m3, not sure it will reach the 6 suggested above, with a splitter say 1/2 day chopping the logs to size, 1/2 day to split it and half day to stack and clean up, with tea breaks (my handyman is 87% tea, 5% biscuits and 7% BS). The value depends on the species, in numbers (had to just check these), poplar is 450kg/m3, willow about 500kg/m3 and oak 740kg/m3 density, this correlated roughly to how good each species is. Willow will give about 10% more heat than the same quantity of poplar. T'Internet reckons an average UK house would use 4m3 of firewood in a year - I assume this is hardwood, or about 7m3 of softwood. and also reckons space heating is about £1000 a year for gas (both for average houses)..... 2 handyman days, + £300: £700? If you get about 5m3 out of this pile than it is sort of on a par with mains gas heating. If you have other heating types (electric, LPG, oil) then it is better value, if you have a cheap handyman or the pictures don't show the true picture again better value. Do the splitting work yourself and I think you are ahead with the fuel bill.

 

Personally I think the tree surgeon has done well, but you haven't been ripped off.

[Steven P]

2 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Is it your special porpoise?

 

 

You should warn me about these things, just watched that on the works computer....

[Donnie]

Get on Facebook, Forestry Machine Operator's Blog and post on there. A few boys on there cut hardwoods down south and there's bound to be someone near you. 

Larch is a good softwood to burn. I burn mainly larch and spruce as it is completely unlimited for me and it works well. 
 

Lorry load of hardwood around here is 90 a tonne delivered locally. That can be oversize and prosessor sized mixed load. 

[Mike Hill]

Can someone post a picture of these 7 tons of fine English Oak?

 

Alas I cannot see the picture,I wish to share the OP's excitement with his purchase.

 

[Mick Dempsey]

2 minutes ago, Mike Hill said:

Can someone post a picture of these 7 tons of fine English Oak?

 

Alas I cannot see the picture,I wish to share the OP's excitement with his purchase.