Anyone else afraid they're going to run out of wood?

[thephotohound]

I started the season with 4 cords... dry, stacked, ready to roll. Now I'm starting to sweat, as we've already blown through a cord, and it's not even Christmas! I went through 3.5 cords last year, but I also stopped burning in mid-April (because I... umm... ran out) And last year was warm... I don't know what I was thinking...

In everyone's experience (if push comes to shove) is it better to buy now, or wait till March? I really don't want to pay for firewood, but I don't think I'll have a choice. That cord of hickory rounds won't dry by March if I split it now!

 

[JimWalshin845]

I think anyone considering burning 24/7 should have a minimum 2-3 year supply on hand. Yeah you'll bust your butt the first year but after that it is just replenish what you used the previous season and have the comfort knowing you don't have to have your family living in coats 24/7.

 

[Henz]

well, I ran out last year too and I had 5 cord. this year I have about 7 cord. Last year (my first year with stove) I was way anal about not burning any oil..THe problem is that I started burning 24/7 in September etc..Truthfully, I should ahve had fires only when I was home and let the oil take over during the day which is typically when it is warmer anyways. This year I didnt start burning until Mid October and even so, I am not as anal about the oil deal right now.. I know it is damn expensive for oil but I figure if I only have to fill my tank once I will be doing good. I would hold off on your wood so much and think about your other hat source..I would rather have my wood during the coldest time of the year say mid jan - mid march

 

[Cearbhaill]

It's my first year burning so of course I am going to run out. I just bought three truckloads and have signed up for more every other week. It's been split and is fairly decently seasoned although not perfect. I have plenty of timber on my own property for years to come now that I know how to do it, but this year will depend largely on the quality I can buy.

 

[thephotohound]

Adirondack -

I'm certainly not going to be stupid about it, but if I can sniff out a late season deal on seasoned hardwood (like $100/cord), I'll snatch it up and save $$ at the same time. I won't pay market ($200-$225 around here), but I refuse to call the oil man too. I guess I'll be lurking on Craig's List between now and March lookin' for a steal.

 

[Henz]

that sounds just like my situiation.Right now I am gettign logs for a pretty good deal. I was paying between $50-$65/cord for logs..If I can get that I will jsut buy them buck them and split them..I have 50 acres of trees...Once in awhile I buck up a tree that may have fallen etc.

 

[Henz]

well he** yeah, If I could find already split and seasoned hardwood for $100/cord I would be all over that like stink on a monkey

 

[Highbeam]

I think everyone runs out out wood their first year, myself included, and it stinks. The test of a burner is how they prevent it the second year. I put up 10 cords this last summer to have plenty of wood. Maybe if you run out twice you'll really stock up this next spring.

Wood selling men seem to be in above average abundance right now since the market is good. I suspect that their prices aren't bargains but the wood is more likely to be dry now than later in the season since the current wood probably was processed over the summer.

 

[Chettt]

Maple dries pretty fast, at least enough to keep you warm in April.

 

[JimWalshin845]

that sounds just like my situiation.Right now I am gettign logs for a pretty good deal. I was paying between $50-$65/cord for logs..If I can get that I will jsut buy them buck them and split them..I have 50 acres of trees...Once in awhile I buck up a tree that may have fallen etc.

WOW... 50 acres of wood!.... If I had that I would be talking to a logger and I bet you would have all the firewood you needed for ZIPPO!

We live in a state forest so we obtain a slash permit and know quite a few places that are full of dead falls very close to the main road or the back fire roads.

 

[woodconvert]

I ran out my first year and yes, that SUCKS. The second year I split an extra five or six face cords...but the winter was a bit harsher so I burnt more than the first year. I ran out again in early spring. Now I split 27-30 face cords of oak only for winter burns. I don't touch the stuff until mid November at the earliest. I also have five or six face cords of what I call my fall and spring wood. Mostly dead elm, ash and all kinds of maple (soft and hard) and small log ends.

 

[burntime]

Late season I usually am scrounging. I will be picking up about 6-7 ranger pickup truck loads this weekend to cut and split for next year...its only silver maple but it will keep me warm

 

[SlyFerret]

I have what I'm guessing is about 3 cords sitting in my driveway waiting to be split. My wife thinks I'm nuts that I'm still trying to come up with sources for wood this year. She doesn't realize that I'm starting to look towards next years wood already.

I'm not sure how much wood I'll need. I don't even have my stove installed yet. I have to get it in so that I can stop using that hungry fireplace.

-SF

 

[BrotherBart]

With any luck we will make it till April.

 

[Henz]

how much is that??

 

[BrotherBart]

how much is that??

Ten cord of oak there. The pile not in the pic is 2 1/2 of pine for heating my office.

 

[thephotohound]

BB -

As you have so kindly offered to take my stove, free of charge, in the past, I shall now reciprocate:

I will take all of that burdensome, dirty wood off your hands (free of charge of course). You just have to deliver it 600 miles north to me. Thank me later.

John

 

[JimWalshin845]

Sittin in the front screen porch:

Sittin in the easy chair admiring our work:

Some piles just hangin out:

Some just dryin out:

 

[stonehouse]

I started to think I was going to run out so I started looking on craigslist.
Found a guy that was selling well seasoned ash and a little maple for 150 per cord.
Turned out he was loading a trailer that ended up being 1.25 cord.
So for less than the price of one oil tank fill, I got 5 cords, 4 trailer loads. Paid him 600 cash. He was thrilled.
I guess he was having trouble selling it because the splits are 20-22 inches long which is perfect for me.
Deals can still be found.

 

[FiremanBob]

I'll probably run out of my cord soon after the new year and don't expect to find any more honestly well-seasoned wood this winter (all the sellers promised it's seasoned, but I'm skeptical). But with oil so high, I could buy a couple of pallets of bio-bricks to get into the Spring and still save $$.

 

[Rhone]

Sign me up on the ran out of wood my first year, overcompensated the next. I went through 4 cords the first year with my insert and ran out, almost made it to the end but I learned a lot and started to get a lot more miles per gallon out of my wood. The next year, purchased 5 cords of wood and used less than 3. This year purchased 6 cords of wood (so I had 8) then my neighbor asked if I could take his 4 cords of furniture scraps (now I have 12) and a neighbor ask if I could take the 2 maples they had chopped down (add 1 cord) so I am just swimming in the stuff that's not including the branches I collect and chop up to add to my collection. The furniture scraps burn so good, and I'm keeping my house so cold I think I'm only going to go through 2 cord this year mostly furniture scraps (the furniture scraps are all unfinished oak and cherry).

 

[JBinKC]

It is not that I can't get enough firewood, my problem is due to the lack of space where I am able to store firewood on my waterfront property (about 3 1/2 cords max). Last season, I was about a face cord short and had to rely upon a stash of some gnarly unsplit dried elm rounds from a relative who was moving and who gave up on them processing them.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

If you run out, look for pallet guys. It's full of nails, but dry.

Use old chains on the saw.

Matt

 

[jpl1nh]

I'm always afraid I'll run out!! 10 cords seasoned and 15 more in various stages of cut split stacked and seasoning. Still I'll be happy to take whatever good stuff I can get my hands on. What if global warming meets the next ice age? You don't wann get short!! ;-)

 

[tbl01]

I just had 2 cords of mostly red oak and some maple mixed in $160/cord delivered.
I burned thru 1 cord already and was down to about 3/4 of a cord. This oak seems to b urn hotter and lasts alot longer then my preivous firewood.

Im actually thingking of getting another two cord delivered. Nice stuff.