Cord delivered today: The good & the bad

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BillLion

BillLion

Minister of Fire
Sep 4, 2013
513
Greater Hartford, CT
I purchased a cord today to supplement the 3 I've been able to scrounge and got mixed results.


The good: Quality! It's all hickory and oak.

The bad: It's wet! Measures on fresh splits averaged 25% and one was even way higher.

Also it looks a little light, but I won't be sure until I stack it tomorrow.

Fortunately I only paid $175 delivered which is $75 cheaper than any other wood supplier around here!

Anyone else having better/worse luck buying wood?
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bobdog2o02 said:
Mmmmm. Hickory and oak are both upward of 45% when cut wet..... I'd be happy with 25
Click to expand...


I agree with this. It also does look a little shy of a cord but for 25% oak I would take it for that price!
 
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bobdog2o02 said:
Mmmmm. Hickory and oak are both upward of 45% when cut wet..... I'd be happy with 25
Click to expand...

Way upward. Oak easily runs up to 80% or more.
 
It will be worth is weight in ? Next year, stack it and save it for next year, you will be happy then.....
 
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That's it, get more, you need to get ahead, way ahead, gl....
 
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I'd be happy with 25%. Looks like it worked our alright for you
 
Update: I stacked it and measured twice. It's about 24% short of a a full cord.

I hope he'll make it right; he does want some tree business from me after all. I'll work on that. Even if he doesn't I'm ok based on the price and quality compared to other dealers.

Quick question: Is this red oak? I assumed it was hickory:
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Oak
 
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Red oak, get more, have him fix what he owes you and get more for future......
 
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BillLion said:
Update: I stacked it and measured twice. It's about 24% short of a a full cord.

I hope he'll make it right; he does want some tree business from me after all. I'll work on that. Even if he doesn't I'm ok based on the price and quality compared to other dealers.

Quick question: Is this red oak? I assumed it was hickory:
b76fb596631a056d35778fc4c89d38a8.jpg
Click to expand...
Bill,

Where are you located? That pile looks exactly like my deliveries, AND, I paid only $175, AND, the first delivery was 23% short of a cord.

Coincidence?

My supplier did make it right in the next cord.
 
Red oak. Let him know he'll get more business from you if he makes up the full cord

If he does, you're in a good spot. A dealer that'll bring 23% oak and hickory is a good backup plan if you ever need some extra wood in the future
 
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bigbarf48 said:
Red oak. Let him know he'll get more business from you if he makes up the full cord

If he does, you're in a good spot. A dealer that'll bring 23% oak and hickory is a good backup plan if you ever need some extra wood in the future
Click to expand...

For sure. That's the plan. I hope he makes it right because he's pretty reliable for everything else. Thanks
 
With those species there is ALOT o f shrinkage during drying. I bet he stacks wet cords then just loads the stacks up once dry.....
 
bobdog2o02 said:
With those species there is ALOT o f shrinkage during drying. I bet he stacks wet cords then just loads the stacks up once dry.....
Click to expand...

Wood definitely shrinks, but most wood dealers don't stack their cords to dry. The money they get per cord just wouldn't justify the labor for most.

He, like many, keeps wood in huge mountains with tarps on top while it "seasons." That's why some pieces are pretty dry while stuff in the center can have much more MC.
 
bobdog2o02 said:
I wouldn't know how much more than 45% mine is since the upper limit on my meter is 45%.
Click to expand...

Your meter actually is inaccurate above the mid thirties. Read up on fiber saturation point or FSP if you want to know more.

But you can figure out moisture with a scale if you know the start and end weights and % in the end. Just 1) divide the final weight by 100+ the pct. Then 2) take the original weight and divide it by that number. And 3) Subtract 100 and you will have the starting pct. I.e. A piece of wood that was 5050 grams is now 3181grams. Your meter pricks in at 18% uniformly inside and out. 3181/118= 26.96. 5050/26.96=187. The wood started at 87%. 26.96 grams will also be the weight of each 1% of water in that piece of wood.
 
paul bunion said:
Your meter actually is inaccurate above the mid thirties. Read up on fiber saturation point or FSP if you want to know more.

But you can figure out moisture with a scale if you know the start and end weights and % in the end. Just 1) divide the final weight by 100+ the pct. Then 2) take the original weight and divide it by that number. And 3) Subtract 100 and you will have the starting pct. I.e. A piece of wood that was 5050 grams is now 3181grams. Your meter pricks in at 18% uniformly inside and out. 3181/118= 26.96. 5050/26.96=187. The wood started at 87%. 26.96 grams will also be the weight of each 1% of water in that piece of wood.
Click to expand...

I don't have the time for all that....
 
Good luck. I have been shorted a few times and after many calls I never get more.
 
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Did he bring it stacked in his rig, or thrown?

I've measured, and a cord of wood in a pile is 25-33% smaller when stacked.

Granted, you paid for a cord stacked, so you should get a cord stacked ;)
 
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