Questionable measuring of delivered cords.

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When you ordered the wood did you or the dealer specify FULL cords of firewood? I think one of the problems that people have when buying firewood is the confusion of face cords, full cords, and pulp cords of wood. If neither of you specified full cord I wonder if you have any recourse.

A cord is a cord. 128 cubic feet. It's the only legally defined unit of measure for firewood that uses the word, "cord".

All the rest is pure made up crap. No legal standing, no legal validity. Meaningless in a court. What isn't defined cannot be enforced.

Since a cord means only one thing, there is no need to specify a "full cord", any more than there's a need to specify a full gallon, or a full mile, or a full pint, or any other legally defined unit of measure.


It's either a cord or it isn't.
 
When you ordered the wood did you or the dealer specify FULL cords of firewood? I think one of the problems that people have when buying firewood is the confusion of face cords, full cords, and pulp cords of wood. If neither of you specified full cord I wonder if you have any recourse.

NO NO NO NO!!! A cord of wood is 128 cubic ft. no more & no less. That is the ONLY legal amount, cord=128 cubic ft. A brush cord, or pulp cord is still 128 cubic ft. And a face/rick cord isn't anything but what the seller wants it to be, but that was NOT what he paid for, he bought 2 cords=256 cubic ft. not 144.

NO ONE stacks their wood in a basket weave configuration. Plus if you ever order firewood by the face cord, be sure to specify the length of the wood. If the dealer is selling 16 inch lengths you are getting a lot less wood than from someone who cuts it at 18 to 24 inches!
Good luck!
Jim

Again, NO! NO! NO! Never buy by the rick, just asking for trouble! Buy 1/3 of a cord=43 cubic ft. of wood no matter how you have it cut.

Heck if you can find anyone to sell you a stack that's 4'x8'x24" for the price of 1/3 cord I hope you jumped all over it as that's 1/2 cord of wood, not a "face cord" or "rick" unless you're dumb enough to sell it as such.
 
here si something weird. I can take 128 cubic feet of split, cut to length firewood, restack it, and make 108 cubic feet, or 140 cubic feet.

How? I sold to an old Czech dude who picked the pile and found the perfect piece, then threw out all the short stuff. Further, he stacked it one row deep, 6 feet tall, then as long as it would go down a fence, and whittled me by saying the AVERAGE length of my sticks were 15 inches, not 16 inches.

Now I could take that same "cord of wood", go 2 feet tall, 3 rows deep, stack normally, and I could make it into 140 cubic feet.

the more "edges" around the wood, the more air. It really becomes significant fi you sell someone 5 cords of wood.

A cord of wood is defined to be the amount of wood that can be neatly stacked into an area defined by 4x4x8. In our state, a Cord is NOT 128 cubic feet of wood.
 
here si something weird. I can take 128 cubic feet of split, cut to length firewood, restack it, and make 108 cubic feet, or 140 cubic feet.

How? I sold to an old Czech dude who picked the pile and found the perfect piece, then threw out all the short stuff. Further, he stacked it one row deep, 6 feet tall, then as long as it would go down a fence, and whittled me by saying the AVERAGE length of my sticks were 15 inches, not 16 inches.

Now I could take that same "cord of wood", go 2 feet tall, 3 rows deep, stack normally, and I could make it into 140 cubic feet.

the more "edges" around the wood, the more air. It really becomes significant fi you sell someone 5 cords of wood.

A cord of wood is defined to be the amount of wood that can be neatly stacked into an area defined by 4x4x8. In our state, a Cord is NOT 128 cubic feet of wood
.

4x4x8 IS 128 cubic feet, period. You cant change math.


I wonder how many firewood dealers where I live could get taken to the cleaners, as you open the weekly "free trader" and will see a dozen ads for firewood at $55-$75 a CORD, even though I know they mean "face" cord. I could make out like a bandit with a simple "sting operation" of ordering a cord from each and then turning them in for only bring me 1/3 of a cord.

Seriously, EVERYONE here refers to it by "face" cords. I will talk to someone who will ask how much I use, I tell them 7 cords, and they look like they seen a ghost and say "Wow, how do you go through so little? I use 21 cords a year!"

:dizzy:
 
A cord of wood is defined to be the amount of wood that can be neatly stacked into an area defined by 4x4x8. In our state, a Cord is NOT 128 cubic feet of wood.

Says McCall, Idaho under your username...

http://www3.idaho.gov/cgi-bin/newidst?sctid=710020030.K

71-230. "BARREL," "TON" AND "CORD" DEFINED. ... The term "cord" when used in connection with wood intended for fuel purposes shall mean the amount of wood that is contained in a space of one hundred twenty-eight (128) cubic feet when the wood is ranked and well stowed.
 
A cord is a cord. 128 cubic feet. It's the only legally defined unit of measure for firewood that uses the word, "cord".

All the rest is pure made up crap. No legal standing, no legal validity. Meaningless in a court. What isn't defined cannot be enforced.

Since a cord means only one thing, there is no need to specify a "full cord", any more than there's a need to specify a full gallon, or a full mile, or a full pint, or any other legally defined unit of measure.


It's either a cord or it isn't.


right on :cheers:
 
Wood Scammer

Post his name,address, and phone in the personals section on Craigslist ! J/K.
 
Face cords, ricks, racks, and truckloads are not units of measure.
Cords, pounds, cubic feet, and fractions or multiples (1/2 cord, 2000lbs, 100cubic feet, etc.) of each are units of measure.
EXACTLY!
 
It makes me feel good when I deliver a cord of wood and the customer is surprised when I tell them I'll be back with the second cord. On the other side of the coin it pisses me off that people have been screwed by unscrupulous dealers for so long that they are conditioned to being screwed.

I find the same thing happens when I deliver seasoned wood. They are amazed at how dry it is after being rooked with green being passed off as seasoned. I know a lot of guys are doing it.

FWIW, you let this guy off the hook and got screwed out of half a cord of wood.
 
here si something weird. I can take 128 cubic feet of split, cut to length firewood, restack it, and make 108 cubic feet, or 140 cubic feet.

How? I sold to an old Czech dude who picked the pile and found the perfect piece, then threw out all the short stuff. Further, he stacked it one row deep, 6 feet tall, then as long as it would go down a fence, and whittled me by saying the AVERAGE length of my sticks were 15 inches, not 16 inches.

Now I could take that same "cord of wood", go 2 feet tall, 3 rows deep, stack normally, and I could make it into 140 cubic feet.

the more "edges" around the wood, the more air. It really becomes significant fi you sell someone 5 cords of wood.

A cord of wood is defined to be the amount of wood that can be neatly stacked into an area defined by 4x4x8. In our state, a Cord is NOT 128 cubic feet of wood.

If you mean that a cord is not 128 cube ft of solid wood you are correct. If you mean 128 cube ft of wood/air after stackign ("well ranked") no matter in what configuration is not a cord you are wrong.

Harry K
 
here si something weird. I can take 128 cubic feet of split, cut to length firewood, restack it, and make 108 cubic feet, or 140 cubic feet.

How? I sold to an old Czech dude who picked the pile and found the perfect piece, then threw out all the short stuff. Further, he stacked it one row deep, 6 feet tall, then as long as it would go down a fence, and whittled me by saying the AVERAGE length of my sticks were 15 inches, not 16 inches.

Now I could take that same "cord of wood", go 2 feet tall, 3 rows deep, stack normally, and I could make it into 140 cubic feet.

the more "edges" around the wood, the more air. It really becomes significant fi you sell someone 5 cords of wood.

A cord of wood is defined to be the amount of wood that can be neatly stacked into an area defined by 4x4x8. In our state, a Cord is NOT 128 cubic feet of wood.

I think I would have had him pack it in after the second or third piece. I hate restacking and would have charged accordingly.

Gotta hand it to the oldtimers though, they have all the time in the world to spend trying to save a buck. Even at someone elses expence.
 
I think I would have had him pack it in after the second or third piece. I hate restacking and would have charged accordingly.

Gotta hand it to the oldtimers though, they have all the time in the world to spend trying to save a buck. Even at someone elses expence.

Yeah I get those types all too often they get it too just
being pricks. Oh well I forgive but forget hell no next year
I am sorry I am sold out or I quit selling it too many picky
people:cheers:
 
Says McCall, Idaho under your username...

http://www3.idaho.gov/cgi-bin/newidst?sctid=710020030.K

71-230. "BARREL," "TON" AND "CORD" DEFINED. ... The term "cord" when used in connection with wood intended for fuel purposes shall mean the amount of wood that is contained in a space of one hundred twenty-eight (128) cubic feet when the wood is ranked and well stowed.


so, it is the amount of wood CONTAINED inside 128 cubic foot space.

So, if the pieces are not all exactly the same length, did you short the customer?

Do you include the air gaps along the ends where the wood is not totally even because of the pieces?
Do you include the air spaces along the top, or do you measure the "highest" points?

State is pretty clear you get to include those air gaps as part of your "cord of wood".
But I get customers who do not count them, because they stack 5 cords of wood all up together.

And this can add up to 10 percent or more.

I'm having a tough time explaining this......
 
I think you explained it well.

I remember watching a tv show/movie where a teacher fills a glass with loose stone to the top and the class agrees that the glass is "full". He then pours in sand that fills the gaps between the stones. The class agrees again that the glass is "full". He then pours in water until the glass is fulll. This time it really is full.

Same sort of deal with a cord of wood. There will always be air space. Very difficult to measure a cord unless the pieces are roughly the same length. If you get it close to plus/minus 5% of 128 cubic feet I think its close enough to call a cord.
 
I think you explained it well.

I remember watching a tv show/movie where a teacher fills a glass with loose stone to the top and the class agrees that the glass is "full". He then pours in sand that fills the gaps between the stones. The class agrees again that the glass is "full". He then pours in water until the glass is fulll. This time it really is full.

Same sort of deal with a cord of wood. There will always be air space. Very difficult to measure a cord unless the pieces are roughly the same length. If you get it close to plus/minus 5% of 128 cubic feet I think its close enough to call a cord.

agreed. I think at the +/- 5% range, the species of the wood will have more of an impact on the total amount of heat you will get out of said cord than that couple of cubic feet you may be under/over.
 
So, if the pieces are not all exactly the same length, did you short the customer?

It's an old problem.

Connecticut still has town office called Measurers of Wood. It's optional today to appoint them, but going back to the 19th century I believe they were regularly appointed along with the Sealers of Weights & Measurers (now performed by the state) and Public Weigher (now replaced by public scales).

If your town has appointed Measurers of Wood, the seller may call them to certify what a cord is, and the seller pays for the service.

Massachusetts still appoints a Measurer of Wood and Bark for each town, but the *buyer* pays for him to measure it.

I will not call Sherri at the Town Hall and ask to get my wood measured.
I will not call Sherri at the Town Hall and ask to get my wood measured.
I will not call Sherri at the Town Hall and ask to get my wood measured.
 
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