Tree Service?

[Ippus]

What kind of luck have you all had sourcing wood from local tree services?

See, I'm just getting started with traditional bowyery, and I was trying to think of ways to get ahold of good wood without paying an arm and a leg. I called one of our local tree services and asked what they do with the wood from trees they drop... the answer was an exasperated grunt. Apparently it costs them quite a bit to haul it to the dump, so he said he'll let me know when he has anything I'd be interested in, and I can just take whatever I can haul...

Has anything like that worked out for anyone on here?

[osage outlaw]

I have never dealt with a tree trimming service but I recently met a logger who has hooked me up big time on bow wood.  Call around to anybody who cuts wood.  You might talk to the county and city workers who trim trees.  If someone does get you some bow wood maybe buy them lunch or something.  A little gift like that will make them remember you in the future.  I gave the logger a knife I just finished up. 

[randman]

Around here, all the tree service guys haul around a chipper behind their big trucks and it all gets chipped into mulch the minute it comes off the tree so you have to catch them in the act. No one hauls limbs and branches to anywhere but they can sell the mulch. I have had good luck in the neighborhood by just following the sound of the chainsaws and chippers...catch them as they are chipping it... I have had good luck getting all species of good bow wood. Purple leaf plum, laurel, golden chain tree, yew, hickory, hornbeam....(no osage though)....Enough that I had to stop gathering as I ran out of room to store it and I don't make (or break) them fast enough....
 

[magick.crow]

I work for a tree service. We drag the trees to the chipper but it only eats up to 19cm the rest we chop up into firewood and sell it. What is important here is that we are out to make money. Look at the going prices online for a bow stave! If you offer them even close to these prices you will start to see them drooling!

Next problem is getting them to know what a good piece of wood looks like. I would suggest a water proof list with prices and latin and common names of trees needed. I tell them it must be two meters long and perfectly straight and 20 cm wide with no branches. Do you want trunks or will branches do? We cut way more branches than trees. Then you need to get them to seal the ends fast so it does not check. Then you need to get to the property and take the wood so that the customers are not pissed off by logs sitting in the yard or road after the worker leave or get them to dump it at your house. Remember one of the biggest costs is a truck load of workers driving around and not doing any work!

IF you get lucky they might do it for beer or bows.

You would be shocked at the number of trees I destroy that are ALMOST right. Or the days that I have off and go to work to finish cleaning up and see 2 PERFECT yew trees packed together so that there were no branches for the first 4 meters (this happened 2 days ago!) and 3 stumps. Where is the wood? In the chipper. :-( They did not save it because the trunks were not round. Aaarrrrg!

Anyway, respect their goal to make money and leave the customer happy and I think you will have all the wood you could ever want.

Best of luck!

Douglas E Knapp

[JoJoDapyro]

Be sure and ask them if you can give them lunch or a gift before hand if they are government workers. The city I work for now doesn't allow any types of gifts at all, not even a soda.

[Onebowonder]

I've had really good luck with this strategy so far.  It's important to be able to act fast though.  They are generally not going to be very inclined to store any wood for any length of time and do not appreciate the idea of the wood going bad when left in the elements even if you do get them to hold on to it for you.  You'll want to arrange to go and get it the DAY THAT THEY CUT IT if at all possible, or you are like to find it is either no good or chopped up into firewood/mulch.

They are particularly good for finding bow woods that are used as ornamentals in your area.  Few people pay to have local woods cut or trimmed professionally.

OneBow

[magick.crow]

"They are particularly good for finding bow woods that are used as ornamentals in your area.  Few people pay to have local woods cut or trimmed professionally."

Unless it falls on their house! After storms is a great time for getting almost anything. It either falls itself or gets crushed by the other falling tree.

[Springbuck]

Talk to the workers, not the boss.  Tell them you'll give them 10.00, or buy them lunch if they call and you can find a stave.  Be prepared to cut and split anything yourself, and away from where they are working.l, for insurance and safety reasons.  They will get in trouble if they let you get in and work in their work area/drop zone, etc..   Then leave your card, and a list of suitable wood species for them to pin to the dash of the truck.  Be prepared to drop everything and go, because they have schedules and tree jobs have to be done in a certain order.  It's hard work, and they fan's be waiting around for you.  Expect to show up a couple times and not find anything.  If you can find a local, small operator, that's probably better.