Who cuts 16" firewood..?

[Circle B MN]

I have been looking into selling some firewood to finance my saw addiction. Local paper ads are listing wood in 16" lengths..errr..sounds a bit short IMO. I buck mine between 20 and 24" by sight, nothing larger. Does the general market accept these lengths or should I shorten my cuts if I want to sell...? Thanks.

 

[slinger]

14 -18" around here for residential sales.

I have an OWB and cut 22-24" (fits my splitter)

 

[TreePointer]

16" makes stacking and calculating sales simple.

A cord is 128 cu. ft. If you make a 4x4x8 foot stack, you have a cord; that's three 8' rows of 16" wood.

Folks with smaller stoves and fireplace inserts have difficulty inserting wood larger than 16". On the other hand, folks with just fireplaces and OWB's can take (and often prefer) the larger sizes.

 

[Circle B MN]

Thanks for the input. I just look at the tape measure and think "kindling", but if that's what it takes to make a sale, so be it.

 

[MRNDAD]

16 to 18 is how we like it here in New Hampshire for the most part...ayuh...

 

[HillRat]

...Folks with smaller stoves and fireplace inserts have difficulty inserting wood larger than 16"....

Yup, my Jotul F3 will fit a 16" log-- IF the ends are cut square. Otherwise it's a tough fit. (The firebox internal width is 18".) When cutting for myself I cut 14"-16" pieces so I won't have any trouble loading and/or end the winter with a pile of oversize pieces that were just a bit too big for the firebox.

 

[kodiakattack]

I cut mine 16"-18" my nopolian holds 18 but 16's are mint to load when she is ruunning red hot and the coals build up!!

 

[Ductape]

16" Long For Anything Thats For Sale

I cut 'em 20" for my own stove though. I find most people want no more than 18s, so they all get one size.

 

[dnf0929]

16" makes stacking and calculating sales simple.

A cord is 128 cu. ft. If you make a 4x4x8 foot stack, you have a cord; that's three 8' rows of 16" wood.

Folks with smaller stoves and fireplace inserts have difficulty inserting wood larger than 16". On the other hand, folks with just fireplaces and OWB's can take (and often prefer) the larger sizes.

:agree2:

Get yourself a Mingo Marker and make it even easier.

http://www.themingomarker.com/

 

[howellhandmade]

16" is perfect for my stove. Shorter than 16" is easier to deal with than longer.

Jack

 

[TreeClimber57]

I have been looking into selling some firewood to finance my saw addiction. Local paper ads are listing wood in 16" lengths..errr..sounds a bit short IMO. I buck mine between 20 and 24" by sight, nothing larger. Does the general market accept these lengths or should I shorten my cuts if I want to sell...? Thanks.

Well I don't do much firewood other than for myself, but 30 years ago used to do alot. At that time, at least around here, 16" was standard, fit fireboxes and worked out well when measuring a cord - 3 rows of 16" - 4 ft high and 8 ft long.

 

[Nailsbeats]

I shoot for 16", but the end up between 16-20 inches. My Vermont Castings Vigilant will take 20's with ease, but to sell you should stay under 20". If you sell by the facecord, anything over 16" you are giving away. Of course I tell my customers they are getting a strong facecord because most wood is over 16".

 

[kodiakattack]

Mingo maker is mint!! I have the 16" wheel it saves so much time and stackin the wood all the same size is so nice!!

 

[Kunes]

Mingo maker is mint!! I have the 16" wheel it saves so much time and stackin the wood all the same size is so nice!!

God i want a mingo marker. im stuck with a tape measure that i spray paint over...you should see how much paint build i've got on that!

i cut my logs into 16 inchers.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I have been looking into selling some firewood to finance my saw addiction. Local paper ads are listing wood in 16" lengths..errr..sounds a bit short IMO. I buck mine between 20 and 24" by sight, nothing larger. Does the general market accept these lengths or should I shorten my cuts if I want to sell...? Thanks.

Find out what your customers want first. Then cut it to the length that they want. I usually knock off about an inch because if the log is too long, they cannot use it or they will stuggle like mad to fit it into the stove. Explain that to them. They will understand. If they don't, find another customer.

Notice that I am advising you to find customers first before you start hoarding firewood that you cannot sell.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

16" seems to be the most popular

Been selling for years, and by far 16 inch is the preferred length. It fits in most stoves and is lighter to handle. I have two regular customers with 24 inch capable stoves that I cut 20-22 inch wood for. Most people, around here anyway, with OWB seem to buy their wood in log / tree length if they don't cut their own.

One word of advise. Whatever length you're selling, miss small. In 30 years of selling wood, nobody has ever complained about a 14 inch piece not fitting in their 16 inch stove. Give them a couple pieces 17 inch and they'll be burning the phone line to you complaining the whole pile of wood you sold them is too long and won't fit in the firebox.

Take Care

 

[Wood Doctor]

Swamp Yankee said,
"One word of advice. Whatever length you're selling, miss small. In 30 years of selling wood, nobody has ever complained about a 14 inch piece not fitting in their 16 inch stove. Give them a couple pieces 17 inch and they'll be burning the phone line to you complaining the whole pile of wood you sold them is too long and won't fit in the firebox."
-------------
+1. See my post also. Cut it a little short, not long, and bring some extra pieces to make up for it. Your customers will appreciate that.

 

[Kunes]

anyone think offering kinelling however you wanna spell it would be a plus? i've cut down a few pines trees for various reasons and have quite a few pine logs kicking around, i was thinking about splitting them small and sellling them with the goodstuff.

 

[wdchuck]

15-17" , aiming for at or below 16". Better to have it a hair short and throw an extra armload or two on top than a complaint that it won't fit.

You can always ask your customer what kind of wood burner they have, what size it can handle versus what size they prefer, and offer a custom cut/split option for future sales or seasons, just make notes accordingly in your books.

.Our wood furnace takes 20" just right, but its easier to just cut everything one size.



I tried a tapemeasure and hatchet once, bah. Then I made a story stick for use with a spray can, and on odd length logs, instead of cutting off one of the seasoned ends, I'll flip the story stick and get one full cut from the end and put the odd/short cut elsewhere in the log, like at/near a defect. It's not as precise as a Mingo, but it works for me, and uses up all the oddball partial spray cans.

 

[Bass]

nothing bigger than 10 in my stacks

i have a small QF 2100i and i load n/s