Getting A delivery today..How not to get screwed!

2-3 cords is between 256 and 384 cubic feet

Since its in rounds, its harder to measure than when its in splits because the wood will stack differently. A pile of rounds will be smaller when its split

If its delivered in anything smaller than a tandem axle dump, I'd be suspicious

Just had 2 cords delivered a few days ago Single axle 9x8x4 dump with extensions and a cover.
It was pretty tightly packed, and only stacked out to 1.75 cord.
As mentioned above, I'd be suspicious of anything in less than a tandem axle dump.

Rounds take up way more space than splits. Ask for a business card and a receipt. The receipt needs to have the volume of wood you have purchased and what you paid for it. Its proof of transaction.
I imagine a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood laying on the ground and then picturing that in cubed volume. If the pile that gets dumped off doesnt look like it will fill that 4x4x8 cube, ask the seller his policy for being short of a full cord.
If you pay for a full cord you have a legal right to demand a full cord.
The beauty of math is its black and white.

I would recommend paying by check just in case

And 2 - 3 cords is an odd estimate. One cord is alot of wood. Two cords over the road at once is big league, all the small dogs should stay on the porch for those vehicles. Its not cheap running a vehicle that can deliver 3 cords of wood at a time. Be very wary of those promises.
And does 2 to 3 cords mean that you are paying for 2 but possibly getting 3? Lol. Or...paying for 3 and maybe if you are lucky getting 1 1/2.?
On the other side of the coin the ground is more solid at this time of year. You can back a triaxle over your lawn without it getting stuck, most times.

16x7x6 is 672 cubic feet, so about 5 cords packed perfectly tight assuming your estimated dimensions are right

What kind of truck? Tandem dump or single?

My question would be why are you paying them when there are plenty of tree guys willing to drop wood in your yard for free in these parts.

mwatt65 said:

The truck is single! i got the measurements of him 12 length 8 width & 5 ft high! what chance does that have of holding 2 cords of rounds?

Thank you.

Click to expand...

Probably pretty good. If that truck were stacked perfectly neat it would hold about 3.75 cords of wood. I would say it's reasonable to expect that it has 2 cords of rounds in it if they're tossed in and it's full.

mwatt65 said:

The truck is single! i got the measurements of him 12 length 8 width & 5 ft high! what chance does that have of holding 2 cords of rounds?

Thank you.

Click to expand...

That comes out to 3.75 cords of cubic footage. If it's filled up with rounds it would probably be 2 when you split it up

mwatt65 said:

I've tried one or two with no luck! one block over today the are cutting a couple of large ash trees, even offered $$$ no luck with that.

Click to expand...

Look on CL. There was a place in Morristown/East Hanover offering free loads recently. I think you ought to be close enough to get them to deliver.

Could a person take the size
Of logs being delivered and measure the length and diameter and put those value into a board foot calculator. Then once you have board feet you can convert that into cubic feet and figure your cords from there.

1 board foot = .083 cubic ft

mwatt65 said:

He just showed up, more empty space than I ever imagined! loads of dirt & scrap pieces of wood! plus crotches.
Was not even full! They wanted $220 told him to keep it.
Felt like I was being A jerk & then I remembered how it felt to pay $500 for 1.6 cords the last time!
If it was not for what I've learned here, it would be screwed again.

Thanks guys

Click to expand...

I think the key is finding a supplier who either thinks wood is a nuisance and wants it off his hands ASAP, or someone who actually heats with wood. Until you've spent a season heating your home with a woodstove, it is hard to comprehend how much wood it actually takes to do it. Many of my neighbors who heat with wood part time think I'm crazy for getting ahead, and think that the 10 cords in my yard is a decade's worth of wood.

People who know understand that buying a cord of wood is no different than buying gallons of propane, it is a known volume of a given product. That guy probably wouldn't pump 200 gallons into your tank and charge you for 400, but for some reason, doing the same thing with cordwood is common.

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/for/4619382061.html
i have not heard anything good about them...

try http://newjersey.craigslist.org/bfs/4609317514.html

How much are you paying for this?
I would say for you to arrange an exact price at time of delivery, like hypothetically... $100 or $200 depending on the load.... Don't let him gave the upper hand with 2 cord or 3 cord.....

I demanded a picture of the trailer before I agreed to purchase the wood. I didnt want to deal with having to turn it down in person. Size of trailer and something to show how full it was/quality of wood.

They will come with the truck before they dump the wood. You tell them that you will stack the wood and if it's short you will take a picture and send it to him. You expect him to top you off if it is short. From the response you should be able to tell if they are a reputable company.

mwatt65 said:

u
When I saw what he had & how much junk was in it I told him to keep it! I could not be bothered to haggle for junk, Will troll craigs list for the next few weeks.

Click to expand...

Looking at their website and reading between the lines with what you said they showed up with I have to think that they were trying to sell you the culls, uglies and snot that their processor couldn't handle.

bigbarf48 said:

2-3 cords is between 256 and 384 cubic feet

Since its in rounds, its harder to measure than when its in splits because the wood will stack differently. A pile of rounds will be smaller when its split

If its delivered in anything smaller than a tandem axle dump, I'd be suspicious

Click to expand...

Actually a group of rounds will be smaller when stacked than the same rounds split and stacked someone on arboristsite did a demonstration with pieces of dowels last year to prove it out. It seems counter-intuitive but it's true.

TMonter said:

Actually a group of rounds will be smaller when stacked than the same rounds split and stacked someone on arboristsite did a demonstration with pieces of dowels last year to prove it out. It seems counter-intuitive but it's true.

Click to expand...

This has been my experience as well, which I why when I found a reliable arborist who will deliver full cords of rounds, I realized I was getting a solid deal.