What price log truck load of dead for firewood?

[wildbio]

Talked with a guy today who brings the dead trees out (from green tree sales) and sells them bucked and split for firewood ($135/cord). He said he would sell me a truckload log-length lodgepole pine w/ some Douglas fir for $1300 (delivered). Depending on tree diameter (10-20") he figured 17 to 20 cords would be in a load which works out to $65-76/cord.
I like to get my own firewood from the forest at $6.50/cord (permit price) but I'm thinking with the price of gas, wear and tear on my pickup/trailer, and the time it takes me, getting a truck to drop off a load might be the better deal (and I'd still get to run my saws).

Anyone have thoughts on whether this is a good price? If not what is a reasonable price for a load of dead trees (lodgepole/Douglas fir)? BTW he's getting them locally and my place is about 20 miles from his.

PS I know this is a firewood question but figured this forum was the better place to ask given the load/price question.

 

[Metals406]

You're down in southern MT, and I'm up north... But guys up here have advertised a log truck load from $950.00 to around $1300.00... Depends on the guy, and species. Lets say you can get 13 cord per load, at $950.00--you'd be paying around $73.00 a cord. At $1300.00 a load, you'd be paying $100.00 a cord.

I've seen fir/larch at $170.00 a cord delivered... So, a truck load is usually cheaper... You have to cut it all up, and split it though.

 

[wildbio]

Thanx for the response. Maybe because it's lodgepole small-medium diameter he figures he gets 17-20 cords / load? But that seems a stretch if the conversion is 2.8 mbf / cord and the truck can get 4.5-5 mbf on it then it would be 12.6-14 cords / load so 13 is right in there. If I go this route I'll look for a better deal or try talking him down.
I don't mind the cutting and splitting, in fact I enjoy getting it from the forest myself but time may be at a premium this summer/fall.
Unfortunately we have very few larch down this way.

In Livingston the asking price is $135/cord + $40 for delivery ($40 for the delivery not per cord). Over the hill in Bozeman they're getting $175/cord + delivery for Doug fir/lodgepole.

 

[Metals406]

I love lodgepole for firewood!!! Less splitting to do, and rounds burn slower for an overnight fire. I plan on mixing a lot of lodgepole in the ole woodpile this year. I'll have spruce, fir, larch, lodgepole and maybe some cottonwood (It's already down on my place, might as well burn it).

I wouldn't shy away from $70-$80 a cord if you can get him that low. The way fuel prices are getting, you're going to spend a lot of money chasing it down in National Forest... Unless you know of a good spot, but those are rare anymore. These days, you find a tree to fell, and then you move a mile to find another. Used to be dead standing right on the road... Now it's 100' off the road--and you have the whole county out trying to find the 'easy stuff' while you're at it. If we could get some da*n gates open... Firewooding would be a lot easier on the wallet.

 

[wildbio]

I hear ya. There was a 50,000 acre burn just across the valley from me last summer. Alot is accessible and the FS said they'll be opening it to firewood cutters. It's about a 15 drive so the gas shouldn't be too bad. I'll have to wait and see how that pans out otherwise, you hit the nail on the head...easy stuff (100 yards or less from the road) is gone so you drive and drive looking for the standing dead.

 

[Metals406]

Yeah... You have to drive half a day for a cord!! You know we got burnt up real bad here last summer too. I drove the burn up by Tally Lake right after the resto-crews were done, and they already had "NO FIREWOOD CUTTING" signs plastered everywhere. They tried to make a sale out of some of it... And no one bid on any of it!! So the losers will probably lock the gates, and let it rot.

 

[lowballlen]

Yeah... You have to drive half a day for a cord!! You know we got burnt up real bad here last summer too. I drove the burn up by Tally Lake right after the resto-crews were done, and they already had "NO FIREWOOD CUTTING" signs plastered everywhere. They tried to make a sale out of some of it... And no one bid on any of it!! So the losers will probably lock the gates, and let it rot.

Couldn’t help but add my $.02 worth; firewood should b sold & bought by the #. All wood has the same btu value. Assuming the same moisture content, heavier wood will burn longer than lighter wood; but a # of wood is a # of wood!

 

[bitzer]

11 year old thread and all woods are not created equal. Impressive

 

[Westboastfaller]

IDK they look are the same to me. Lol
Wow quite the first post. It's like saying every dog bites equally.


BTU per million per cord. + Weight & Dry weight.
Other charts my slightly very.



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FirewoodResource.com

BTU Ratings
Firewood BTU Ratings Charts for Common Tree Species
The firewood BTU rating charts below give a comparison between different firewood types. This can help you decide what the best firewood type is for your needs. You can click on the different types of firewood in the chart to learn more about them. Please leave your comments or questions on those pages if you have experience or questions about those types of firewood.

A cord is 128 cubic feet of stacked wood. Because of the air space between the pieces of wood, the amount of solid wood in a cord may be only 70-90 cubic feet, even though the volume of the stack is 128 cubic feet.

Western Hardwoods Figures from California Energy Commission BTU Rating Based on 90 cubic feet of solid wood per 128 cubic foot cord
Contains some non native species that can be found in the West.

Species HeatContentMillion BTU’s per Cord WeightPounds Per CordGreen WeightPounds Per CordDry
Live Oak 36.6 7870 4840
Eucalyptus 34.5 7320 4560
Manzanita
Almond 32.9 6980 4350
Pacific Madrone 30.9 6520 4086
Dogwood 30.4 6520 4025
Oregon White Oak 28.0 6290 3710
Tanoak 27.5 6070 3650
California Black Oak 27.4 5725 3625
Pepperwood(Myrtle) 26.1 5730 3450
Chinquapin 24.7 4720 3450
Bigleaf Maple 22.7 4940 3000
Avocado 20.8 4520 2750
Quaking Aspen 18.0 3880 2400
Red Alder 19.5 4100 2600
Cottonwood 16.8 3475 2225
Western Softwoods Figures from California Energy Commission But Rating Based on 90 cubic feet of solid wood per 128 cubic foot cord
Species Heat ContentMillion BTU’s per Cord WeightPounds Per CordGreen WeightPounds Per CordDry
Western Larch (Tamarack) 28.7 5454 3321
PinionPine (Pinyon,pinon) 27.1?
DouglasFir 26.5 5050 3075
Western Juniper 26.4 5410 3050
Western Hemlock 24.4 5730 2830
Port Orford Cedar 23.4 4370 2700
Lodgepole Pine 22.3 4270 2580
Ponderosa Pine 21.7 4270 2520
Jeffery Pine 21.7 4270 2520
Sitka Spruce 21.7 4100 2520
Red Fir 20.6 4040 2400
Incense Cedar 20.1 3880 2350
Coast Redwood 20.1 4040 2330
White Fir 21.1 3190 2400
Grand Fir 20.1 3880 2330
Sugar Pine 19.6 3820 2270
Western White Pine
Sequoia Redwood
Eastern Hardwoods Compiled from various sources Consistency between charts will vary due to different variables between different data sources.

 

[Westboastfaller]

Species Heat ContentMillion BTU’s per Cord WeightPounds Per Cord Dry
Osage Orange 32.9 4728
Shagbark Hickory 27.7 4327
Eastern Hornbeam 27.1 4016
Black Birch 26.8 3890
Black Locust 26.8 3890
Blue Beech 26.8 3890
Ironwood 26.8 3890
Bitternut Hickory 26.5 3832
Honey Locust 26.5 4100
Apple 25.8 3712
Mulberry 25.7 4012
Beech 24.0 3757
Northern Red Oak 24.0 3757
Sugar Maple (Hard Maple) 24.0 3757
White Oak 24.0 3757
White Ash 23.6 3689
Yellow Birch 21.8 3150
Red Elm 21.6 3112
Hackberry 20.8 3247
Kentucky Coffeetree 20.8 3247
Gray Birch 20.3 3179
Paper Birch 20.3 3179
White Birch 20.2 3192
Black Walnut 20.0 3120
Cherry 20.0 3120
Green Ash 19.9 2880
Black Cherry 19.5 2880
American Elm 19.5 3052
White Elm 19.5 3052
Sycamore 19.1 2992
Black Ash 18.7 2924
Red Maple (Soft Maple) 18.1 2900
Box Elder 17.9 2797
Catalpa 15.9 2482
Aspen 14.7 2295
Butternut 14.5 2100
Willow 14.3 2236
Cottonwood 13.5 2108
American Basswood 13.5 2108
Eastern Softwoods
Compiled from various sources. Consistency between charts will vary due to different variables between different data sources
Species Heat ContentMillion BTU’s per Cord WeightPounds Per Cord Dry
Rocky Mountain Juniper 21.6 3112
Eastern Larch (Tamarack) 20.8 3247
Jack Pine 17.1 2669
Norway Pine 17.1 2669
Pitch Pine 17.1 2669
Hemlock 15.9 2482
Black Spruce 15.9 2482
Eastern White Pine 14.3 2236
Balsam Fir 14.3 2236
Eastern White Cedar 12.2 1913
Eastern Red Cedar

 

[Westboastfaller]

If you compare Live Oak to White cedar
you would need 3 cords of white cedar to make 36.6 million BTU's of energy = 1 cord of white oak at 36.6.

According to this study.