Free Wood is Too Expensive

[@FirewoodInTheField]

Brock, all good points. I just shake my head when I see ads where people want me to pay them serious money to drop their tree and haul it off.

[@jeromebecigneul2911]

I have a black walnut dresser that my grandfather made in 1890. It is absolutely gorgeious and still in use 134 years later. They don't make furniture like that anymore. The drawer pulls are all hand carved. If you look closely you can see that each is slightly different, He was a man that loved wood. He was a farmer and in the winter worked with wood.

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Awesome

[@justinsbeaver9010]

I've seen an add for "free wood" on marketplace saying "cut them and the wood is yours!". It was 4 ash trees all 50+ foot high with such a big lean toward a shed they probably weren't wedgable. Would need a crane or other heavy equipment. Yeah sure ... I'll do a 5k+ arborist job for free ya clown! 🤣

[@Veterans_Mobile_Sawmill]

I was about to make a video about picking up logs, but now I am going to have a similar discussion to this. I just picked up 4 huge white oak logs. They were free, but cost me big time. Perfect timing on this video.

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Thanks for watching and good luck with your video

[@dustdevl1043]

"Free". That's funny! 😆

[@andrewgee241]

There used to be a parody craigslist ad for free snow... you just have to come pick it up from their driveway!

[@jamesharless5357]

You are spot on Brock. Great video!👍🏻

[@johnhelbig7110]

I just had our farm logged off over the last 2 years. Here in east central MO, the walnut and red cedar was bringing the logger about $.40 to $.50 per scaled board foot at the local sawmill. He got 2/3 of the proceeds and I got 1/3. The good white oak logs brought $2.00 - $2.50 per board foot at the whiskey barrel factory and I received half of those proceeds. My logger also cuts and sells firewood so he was able to clean up a lot of the tops; after all his work generating the firewood, he paid me $25 for a 20 foot long truck load.

[@SL54321]

I believe, and I may be wrong, that those Black Walnuts are only worth that much if you have the ability to cut in to super thin slices to use as a veneer.

[@brendahogue5487]

Love and enjoy your videos. May the lord bless and protect you Brock and working with wood and making firewood.

[@Hilltop0707]

I probably should have watched this video prior to buying the mill😂! Thank goodness I love just doing the wood! Right Brock, it’s just a labor of love! Well said.

[@bobralph5072]

I've been a woodworker/carpenter for a long time. Most of that time, I've also heated my home and shop with wood. Im blessed to be the stewart of 12 acres of land, with 7 of them being hardwood timber stand. Even with woods at my back door, the only material that really pays for time invested is the firewood. But i have learned to chainsaw out some pretty unique heavy timber furniture. it's a good niche market. And breaks up the boredom of cutting firewood.. You are correct. there is really no such thing as free. And you've got a pretty sizeable investment in equipment. That stuff needs to be running pretty regularly. To get close to any kind of good roi.

[@somersguy]

learned something new! thanks!

[@markziegler3551]

My coworker has a mill and I have a lot of trees that could be milled. When I determine a tree needs to come down, I work with him to have him fell the tree and haul it off. All I ask for out of it is a slab or 2 from the tree. He has milled cedar, oak, black walnut, pecan. I get my trees removed and he gets wood to make projects out of. It's a win-win for both of us.

[@RockhillfarmYT]

The closer you are the easier that is for the guy with the mill

[@ronaldharmon9891]

I still LOVE that log deck.🤗

[@lanfordjohnson8884]

If you’re hauling wood a lot with that trailer you should get a winch to pull the logs onto it. No equipment needed

[@MarkM-ke6cn]

My favorite "free" wood was several loads of ash stumps/crotches. I used them for carving...bowls and spoons.

[@jamesminard1867]

Phil I have had 3 wood yard dogs One needed a training coller to stay in the yard. It works

[@whitepinewoods9029]

Great points Brock! I have an HM 126 and have yet to make any money selling lumber. To be fair, I haven’t tried to sell any lumber. Knowing the amount of work it takes, I’m good with just making boards for my own projects. Congrats on the growth of your channel! I e been around since the beginning…Steve

[@dakotacain3252]

I think a gun rack or gun cabinet would be cool

[@theunchartedtrucker1113]

For wood it would probably really depend on the scenario if it would be worth it or not. I would say cutting it up on site and putting it in a dump trailer would be what many people would do instead of hauling around a bunch of equipment

[@MonstersWearRedVans]

I couldn’t agree more. I’ve had the same experience.

[@OldIronAcres]

Great look'in log! Best, -- J. Andre. / Old Iron Acres

[@JamesRasey]

amazing how people even complain about free items

[@toddcaskey9984]

Morning & Merry Christmas

[@cottontalesfromthetrail5474]

Black walnuts trees are beautiful and grow pretty fast for a hardwood tree. As for what to make, clocks, grandfatherclocks, gun cases, tables, lamps. If you could source a wood worker who makes clocks, lamps and sells them at craft shows that would be ideal. God bless

[@rtrshooter1911]

I have been watching for years. You do a great job! I always thought you were too cheap on your prices when you would do mowing jobs as well because of the travel time and fuel and wear and tear on your equipment. Like the flat tire you had mowing. Keep up the good work!

[@glenns6923]

Great insight!!! If it's not free!! And not on the ground!!! Im out!!! Im getting ready to get 8 trees , oak and hickory. Cut two weeks ago. "Come get out of my way", FREE. I told them I will only take the 3" or better! Tops stay with you!!

[@BGWenterprises]

Yea it's a common thing for a logging operation to have to move somewhere around 5 to 10 loads 5 days a week to just pay the employees, insurance and monthly equipment bills. Let alone fuel.

[@whalerlife53]

You know how you make a small fortune in the wood business? You start out with a large one!

[@kenshaum3994]

Sometimes easier is better than faster

[@BuhlzI]

I love those wood caddies. Where can I find some?

[@caseyparson5824]

Firewood is a lot of work! People think by it being free it’s a deal

[@Cowboy_Steve]

Howdy Brock! I have a solution to your transportation challenges... you need a bigger trailer! 😁 I'm no woodworker, at least not yet, but to me walnut is such a beautiful wood I'd make some kind of centerpiece out of it - like a table, or end tables, or a coffee table, etc. Maybe centerpiece is the wrong word... but I'd want it out where people could see it and bask in the brilliance of my stunning woodworking skills! But alas... there won't be any basking in the Cowboy Steve household anytime soon... 🤣 But I've seen what you have made in the past and I'm confident you will make something beautiful out of it. Well done 🤠

[@tyhickman7297]

Legitimate logging companies and tree service companies carry general liability insurance with specific declarations for felling, trimming trees, etc. on others property. It is extremely risky as a property owner to allow folks to do this type stuff on your place if they are not properly insured, even if they have the skill.

[@steveningrahm8928]

I understand you have expenses and must ensure a profit. As a farmer and landowner, I'd rather keep the growing Black Walnut tree, gather up the nuts every fall and crack them during the winter. The nuts make good eating and are great additions to oatmeal cookies, banana bread and in you morning cereal. I've turned down offers from timber buyers for my oak, catalpa and walnut trees. The money offered has never been sufficient. I have economic concerns as well.

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Well, I certainly would not clearcut my property. I’m not looking to cut them all down. just here and there

[@steveningrahm8928]

@@RockhillfarmYT I said nothing about clear cutting. I would advise landowners with timber ground that unless they are desperate for cash, to avoid allowing loggers to enter their property to evaluate their trees. There are way too many criminals in this business . It doesn't take that long for a crew to come in and harvest the most valuable trees and be long gone before the landowner discovers the theft. Its a shame there are so many dishonest loggers in the industry.

[@RockhillfarmYT]

@@steveningrahm8928 I was just agreeing with you that it’s nice to have some walnut trees on your property

[@toddcaskey9984]

How is the son doing with the wood hounding

[@FirewoodInTheField]

That Walnut log is nice. I have no idea what to suggest to make out of it (no experience with a mill)

[@getonlygotonly]

yeah buddy. that black walnut doesn't make very good firewood. lots of ash doesn't burn nearly as long or hot as hickory or oak or even sycamore. but those bigger logs sure could make some nice gunstocks and lumber for furniture.

[@nebraskawoodstr]

Never accept free anything until I look at it to make sure it's not a huge hassle. I. Try to sell my walnut logs green to a buyer right away. Take care

[@ScrewdriverTUNING]

So those marketplace listings are definitely nonsense, I told the one fella so let me know when you will be running it threw the plainer 😂. Black walnut so many things you can do.!! I’d say make some cool rockhill & uncommon signage. Start selling custom merch.🎯. My wife loves the BW chopping block I made. Here in the city 10’x 2’ laminated cutoff butcher blocks are going for $350 unfinished.

[@marcusmoralez8872]

Why don't you connect with a tree trimmer and help them get rid of the troublesome trees they harvest for homeowners?

[@reginalddspence9718]

Maybe could invest in a kiln.

[@jacklabloom635]

It appears you are saying there is no actual profit in trying to operate a small saw mill for the purpose of selling lumber to the public. These small mills are basically for a hobby to cut wood for your own use.

[@billwelch3421]

I don't mean this to be a negative comment but as I watched you on that one log that looked like it might have been an 8 footer and you cut off the shoot off limb. When you split it you made the comment of how beautiful that wood was. I would question why you cut that log up for firewood. If you had left that limb on and cut on the sawmill I think you could have gotten some slabs with some beautiful crotch wood. I don't know all the details of that log and to why you chose it for firewood.

[@RockhillfarmYT]

That crossed my mind and it would be the right answer for somebody That crotch wood does look amazing, but besides the novelty of saying, it’s cool looking I don’t know how you find someone who actually wants to use it Also, it would’ve had to be cut down to fit through the mill head. I only have a 30 inch wide capacity.

[@billwelch3421]

@@RockhillfarmYT Thanks for the explanation. I figured there had to be good reason and was worried you would take as a negative comment.