Firewood

Probably the wrong forum to be asking a question like this but where do you source your firewood from, I've been thinking of contacting a couple of local tree loppers to see what they do with the trees when they cut them down. I'd rather spend a day doing a bit of hard work than paying someone $200/ton.

A wise man once told me;
"you build with timber and you burn wood" :)

You will probably find that most tree loppers chip the stuff they cut and sell the chips for landscaping. This means that they won't give the stuff away. You will most likely have to spend something to get it and then you will have the problem of disposing of all the too thin stuff and foliage.
Then it would have to be dried out (12 months?).

I have started growing my own firewood again (I did it on a previous property) by putting in a load of fast growing trees that can be coppiced. I cut them when the trunks are about 150mm in diameter and simply lop them up into lengths suitable for the fire I have. No messing about splitting. When the stump starts sprouting again, I cut off all the shoots except for the two strongest ones and allow them to grow, thus doubling the amount of wood after the first harvest.

Previously, in colder climates, I used Eucalyptus Nitens, but here in Far Out North Qld (up on the Tablelands) I have put in Eucalyptus Grandis (Rose Gum), River She Oak, Hickory Wattle and Black Wattle and will see how they go.

Billy

Cool, great idea, what sort of numbers have you planted and what sort of turn around time do you need including drying.

Tasmania.
get on the boat with a trailer !

If the boat fares too much we pay $45 a ton delivered in this part of rural Vic.

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Originally Posted by builtforcomfort

Probably the wrong forum to be asking a question like this but where do you source your firewood from, I've been thinking of contacting a couple of local tree loppers to see what they do with the trees when they cut them down. I'd rather spend a day doing a bit of hard work than paying someone $200/ton.

A wise man once told me;
"you build with timber and you burn wood" :)

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In Perth there are still a few smalltime tree loppers that will let you have their bigger stuff (that can't go through their chippers) for nothing. You have to agree to take it all (ie can't leave the gnarly bits and only take the easy stuff) and take it away from their client's verge on the day they cut. They do charge their client for disposal but you should probably offer to grease the loppers palm with a carton.

I'd ring around and ask. The bigger ones will worry about OHS and insurance and stuff and may tell you to knick off but if you can build a rapport with one of the small timers you should do OK.

Thanks for the replies guys, at the moment I get my wood from down Korumburra way from a couple of farms that helps them out by clearing their property of fallen trees but I don't know how long that will last. I've actually just picked up a new client who happens to be a tree lopper, didn't really want to ask before I new a bit more about how it all happens.

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Originally Posted by builtforcomfort

where do you source your firewood from,

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failed projects :(

$210 for 2 metres delivered here, split redgum burns great.

Trying to find a cheaper source though.

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Originally Posted by Feralbilly

You will probably find that most tree loppers chip the stuff they cut and sell the chips for landscaping. This means that they won't give the stuff away.

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Down our way, if the owner doesn't want it for themselves, most tree loppers cut it into reasonable sizes and leaves it on the nature strip for any one to take.

They will call around a few days later to remove it if it hasn't gone, but that is very seldom.


Peter.