How to find honest firewood sellers??

[momof2nutlings]

Help a girl out, please!

I'm having horrible luck finding an honest wood seller in Eastern CT, and I don't know how! Craigslist didn't work for me - spent $430 on what I was assured would be between 2 to 2 1/2 cords. Wasn't even 1 1/2 cords when I stacked it out. Guy said he'd make it right - three weeks ago.

So next I asked friends for references. Called the name that came out the most (twice) and bought 3 cord of wood. I can't even start a fire with this stuff, it's so wet. Looked good, grey on the outside, bark coming off, but the truck was huge so I didn't crawl up into it to test it with my handy meter. Yes, I'll know better next time. And I'm sure it'll finish drying in the next few months (it's about 25-30% wet by meter on the inside when I split it now), but for now I really need a few cord of DRY wood.

So how do I find the honest sellers?? I'm out over $1,000 already, and I really can't afford to screw up again. :frown: Thanks for any advice, I'm so upset with myself over this.

 

[unclemoustache]

Wow - sorry for your bad experience. Hopefully some chaps here will help out.

 

[angelo c]

1) be there when your "supplier" delivers.

2) know what a "cord" looks like when its delivered on the truck, usually a mason dump er so.

3) get it delivered in the spring so there is no doubt about seasoning issues.

 

[JRepairsK70e]

how was the quality of the first guys product ??have you followed up with him to get whats owed ? once its stacked and kept dry your 2nd deliv should be useable by jan . good luck with what ever u do

 

[woodman6666]

If I was closer we would treat you right. Unfortunately I dont know of anyone in your area either.
Good Luck

Firewood Rochester, Winona, St. Paul, MN - ProCut Firewood

 

[momof2nutlings]

I know what a cord looks like, but my husband was the one in charge when the first guy showed up. :msp_ohmy: The first guy's wood was alright, but I've called him several times and he just tells me he'll bring the rest when he "gets around to it". His wood lot is less than 2 miles from my house. Can't imagine what's holding him up, except he has no desire to make it right. He has time to post to Craigslist trying to sell more...

Spent this past weekend filling the truck with scavengings from the recent snowstorm. Next year I'll be prepared, got myself a chainsaw and have been splitting and stacking it for next year. But just don't know what to do for the next few months - hate to pay the oil man!!

Where do reputable wood sellers advertise? Or is it just luck of the draw on Craigslist or through the local paper? Unfortunately we're new to this part of the state, and I don't know too many people to ask.

 

[JRepairsK70e]

in defense of firewood sellers ,most low volume sellers [myself included ,dont keep a large stockpile of firewood sitting around seasoning ] i cut to order and will honestly give my customers the info i have as far as when the logs were harvested ,and how long its been cut and split . this late in the year i would rather loose a sale than deliver a cord that wont burn now . i dont even own a moisture meter ,i use the honest time requirement ,try to make 90%of my annual deliveries in early spring to insure enough seasoning time ......good luck jk ...ps i dont advertise at all ,word of mouth from satisfied customers is all i need

 

[STLfirewood]

Find someone in your area that kiln dries firewood.

Scott

 

[gtsawyer]

...Next year I'll be prepared, got myself a chainsaw and have been splitting and stacking it for next year. But just don't know what to do for the next few months - hate to pay the oil man!!

and this, students, is how the wood-getting addiction starts. I got addicted after "2 cords" I purchased ended up looking suspiciously like 1.25 cords after stacking. So rather than deal with the issue of finding / paying someone who would deliver a true cord, I decided to make a hobby out of it. (Calling it a "hobby" is very smart, btw. You can waste money on it and still justify the expense because, well... it's a HOBBY). Now I chase tree service companies around and generally make a nuisance of myself to anyone that has a tree that could be cut (so neighbor... when are you taking that vacation?).

My poor wife deals fairly well with me, a chronic wood-getting abuser. I've completely taken over the far corner of the yard with this and next year's fire wood. Plus some apple I'm saving for some local meat smokers. Plus some aromatic cedar I'll stretch-wrap and give out as Christmas presents to burning friends (I like the imagery).

Oh, forgot to mention that chainsaw hording is also symptomatic of the wood-getting addiction. I'm getting close to an even 10 saws now, although friends (not sure of that particular definition) say I actually collect non-working chainsaws.

But hey, wood-getting is still a bit cheaper than heroine, so it's all good.

Right?

 

[tomsteve]

and this, students, is how the wood-getting addiction starts.

plus 2 nutlings and a husband, you...r......set! actually,even though it can be rather labor intensive, i love gettin out in the woods and gettin firewood. not able to get out and do it this year, but last year was great.the fiance, her daughter, and myself had a really good time doing it.
you may end up not buying a stick of firewood in the future from someone else.

 

[howellhandmade]

You're getting there. Sure, there are honest firewood sellers, but there are also those who depend on the ignorance of their customers. The best way is to cut it yourself, but if that's not an option you may have to try a few suppliers until you find one with whom you can build a business relationship.

 

[cwalker]

Not too many guys around here stack the firewood they sell, myself included, but there are a few guys out there who like to work to hard. Find one of those guys and after he stacks it give it a quick measure. If it dosent equal a cord, pay him the right percentage. Maybe mention that on the phone befor he gets there or as soon as he arrives, any honest guy will agree to your terms no questions asked.

 

[NDtreehugger]

Find a person that will stack the wood

Even if it cost a bit extra you will know what you have when it’s all done and stacked.

I stack all my wood in 1 cord and ½ cord stacks off the ground but I’m a small timer 1 or 2 cord a week. When I deliver I deliver to 1 person at a time and I stack as well but again I’m a small timer.

So my advice would be fined a seller that stores the wood in 1/2 or 1 cord stacks or stacks the wood in the truck so you can measure the wood.

the last person that drove 3 hours to pick up a cord of wood $425.00, when the cord was in the trailer I asked you want some more we can throw a little extra if you like, we did and they were happpppy.

The thing is, wood in some places is getting hard to come by so shorting is a way to compensate plus its a lot of work to fell buck load unload split stack and season then to load and deliver, I processed what I thought was a cord the other day from the field to a split stack of firewood it took about 15 hours of work it ended up being just a bit over a cord. At $425.00 a cord that’s $28.00 an hour for the truck, saw, gas for the truck, gas and oil for the saw and myself, not bad considering everything I use is paid for.

I guess the best thing to do is to have the wood stacked

this is how I stack cord wood

This is my storage

 

[Steve NW WI]

Help a girl out, please!

Looked good, grey on the outside, bark coming off.

I don't know what the weather in your neck of the woods has been, but it sounds to me like this is in fact seasoned wood that's gotten wet. Green (unseasoned) wood and seasoned wet wood are two different animals. If it is seasoned and wet, it will dry quickly when out of the weather (think days not months) and be ready to burn before you know it.

Keep after the first seller, get the second seller's wood under cover, and buy 8 or 10 more chainsaws, 2 or 3 different splitters, a 4x4 truck, tandem axle trailer, 2 ATVs, maybe a snowmobile, and enjoy the life of the woodburner!!!! (Do not worry about all the money spent on this stuff, in the long run it will save ya money, just buy it!)

 

[JRepairsK70e]

Even if it cost a bit extra you will know what you have when it’s all done and stacked.

I stack all my wood in 1 cord and ½ cord stacks off the ground but I’m a small timer 1 or 2 cord a week. When I deliver I deliver to 1 person at a time and I stack as well but again I’m a small timer.

So my advice would be fined a seller that stores the wood in 1/2 or 1 cord stacks or stacks the wood in the truck so you can measure the wood.

the last person that drove 3 hours to pick up a cord of wood $425.00, when the cord was in the trailer I asked you want some more we can throw a little extra if you like, we did and they were happpppy.

The thing is, wood in some places is getting hard to come by so shorting is a way to compensate plus its a lot of work to fell buck load unload split stack and season then to load and deliver, I processed what I thought was a cord the other day from the field to a split stack of firewood it took about 15 hours of work it ended up being just a bit over a cord. At $425.00 a cord that’s $28.00 an hour for the truck, saw, gas for the truck, gas and oil for the saw and myself, not bad considering everything I use is paid for.

I guess the best thing to do is to have the wood stacked

this is how I stack cord wood

This is my storage

you must be living in an upscale area to get 425.00 for 1 cord .. the max around here is 220 .00 for an honest cord of hardwoods [not stacked]

 

[Redbird]

If he is selling on Craiglist you can give him a bad name on craigslist as well. Flag him, do whatever it takes to get the word out that the guy's a crook if he's not selling what he claims to be. Just my opinion.

 

[NDtreehugger]

No upscale here

you must be living in an upscale area to get 425.00 for 1 cord .. the max around here is 220 .00 for an honest cord of hardwoods [not stacked]

Here in Minot I think everyone else is selling for $225.00 some are down to $175.00 with mixed hardwoods, but the buyers are finding out black willow popular and cottonwood all hardwoods are not a very good winter wood, One guy asked how come your wood last so long, I said what? he said I used 2 of your cords and with the other guy I use 4 or 5 cords, I told him about mixed woods and sellers when asked what kind of wood is it say mixed hardwood, and asked again what kind of hardwood they say I don’t know.
Then I took him around the yard and showed him stacks of Black willow used in summer for bundles for firewood, burns fast hot and tall with pops perfect for the 1 night campers.
Same with the stacks of Poplar I don’t like it, it stinks try to stick with the willow.
And then the wind blown pine softwood more summer bundle wood.
Then for the romantic summer fires bundles are well split bark less ash with some black willow for starter.

Cheaper prices would get more sales but me selling wood is not a real business it’s more of a hobby that offsets the cost of collecting firewood for myself if I only sold 2 cords a year I'd be happy. I give them best quality and more then a cord delivered and stacked, I leave them with a pair of gloves and a tarp to cover there wood if its stored outside.

 

[zogger]

wet wood

What was said about the wet wood that is gray on the outside is true, get it stacked and covered on the top, it will dry out.

You can also go scrounge free pallets and rip them up and use those on the bottom of the heater first before throwing in marginal wood. Pallet wood burns fast and hot and will knock the last dregs of moisture out of the marginal wood on top of it right in the stove. Note, that is emergency action when you have no choice, got to burn what you have, burn a hot fire, watch the pipes and chimneys. Try to not run the stove so you are getting excessive smoke.

With all the storm damage wood in your state, it's a good time to get a jump on next years wood as well. Go scrounging. Even if all you have is a hatchback and a tiny trailer you can scrounge fair quantities of wood. A lot of people consider smaller branches "trash" and heap them up and burn them or just let rot in a pile. Especially pro firewood sellers. they leave just huge heaps of what they call "slash" all the time (that I have seen over the years...). An old branch pile will have a ton of dryer wood in it. I burn *lots* of smaller stuff that doesn't need splitting, in fact, let me glance....7/8ths of what is stacked behind my heater right now is unsplit small branch rounds. Meaning the smallest fair running saw will work to harvest all ya want.

Make a sawbuck for cutting small stuff, or look at site sponsor baileys, they have two spiffy add on tools to make cutting smaller branch stuff easy. One is a log/branch holder that locks the piece in place so you can stand up and walk right down the branch and cut it to size, the other is a bolt onto the bar little branch lifter, so you can cut small branches safely and easily right on the ground without the chain grabbing it and rolling it around or you have to do a dangerous hold it with your foot routine, plus it keeps the chain outta the dirt.



Easy test for wild branch piles you might get freebie access to, try to break some of the smaller ends. Nice clean snap and break, she's a lot dryer than not. Of course the thicker you get down there it will be wetter, but still, that's a good fast test.

Small and dry will get medium and large semi dry burning well. And try to stay several days ahead on what is stacked nearest (a safe distance) from your heater, so it can get the benefit of all that heat radiating off the heater. If it sits there at least two days before going in the stove it will be a lot dryer.

Now you have some good enough and dry, and some not so good, so you will use what you got dry to help the other, plus, what you can go out and scrounge of small and honestly dry.

I lived in new england a long time, there's wood all over the place, especially after your back to back storms this year! Go scrounging. Wood sport! Beats going to the gym...

 

[wdchuck]

Help a girl out, please!

I'm having horrible luck finding an honest wood seller in Eastern CT, and I don't know how! Craigslist didn't work for me - spent $430 on what I was assured would be between 2 to 2 1/2 cords. Wasn't even 1 1/2 cords when I stacked it out. Guy said he'd make it right - three weeks ago.

So next I asked friends for references. Called the name that came out the most (twice) and bought 3 cord of wood. I can't even start a fire with this stuff, it's so wet. Looked good, grey on the outside, bark coming off, but the truck was huge so I didn't crawl up into it to test it with my handy meter. Yes, I'll know better next time. And I'm sure it'll finish drying in the next few months (it's about 25-30% wet by meter on the inside when I split it now), but for now I really need a few cord of DRY wood.

So how do I find the honest sellers?? I'm out over $1,000 already, and I really can't afford to screw up again. :frown: Thanks for any advice, I'm so upset with myself over this.

Put the wood in a small room, run a dehumidifier and a box fan or whatever you have to keep the air moving.
Another thing you could do; Take three sheets of 4x8 plywood or insulating foam and make a square tunnel, then put a 4x4 piece on one end. Stack some wood inside but leave two feet of space on the end, then put a dehumidifier inside, put a 4x4 sheet on the final opening and let the dehumidifier dry the wood out. It works pretty good this way. Since you have a meter, you'll be able to get a good feel for how many days to run the unit until the wood is where you need it to be.

 

[ponyexpress976]

take a look

First off....allow the first guy to make things right. Once you start the negative campaign on CL he will not come and deliver what he owes you. Once he does this, never buy from him again and tell him why.

Next call the remaining sellers in the area and ask them to see thier operation. This will be inconvenient for you but explain to them that you've been burned by others. You want to see if they have splits already staged to be loaded or if they split as orders come in. Logs take forever to season and I won't start the "seasoning clock" until it's split.