CL Firewood Sellers Make Me Crazy

[gregp553]

It's been a long time since I had to buy firewood. I don't burn a lot. Since my 2-year-old oak is not all ready, I just want to buy a face cord or two of really seasoned wood. I have already sent away one truckload of wet wood and I keep getting guys on the phone who immediately backpedal when you ask when their wood was split and how dry it is. Today a guy told me oak is ready in one year. He knows that for a fact. Tell them you will split a piece and put a moisture meter in it and they practically hang up on you. Does anyone in SE Michigan know of an honest wood seller in Oakland County who sells seasoned firewood? I can't talk to another wood guy from CL.

 

[smokinj]

Done of the small guys are going to be able to hang on to inventory until oak is dry! Try looking for ash or beech. Big suppler will want 600.00+ for a cord of oak dry!

 

[SolarAndWood]

Big suppler will want 600.00+ for a cord of oak dry!

Do they get it?

 

[Hass]

I posted up a wanted CL ad yesterday after being sick of it all as well.
Saying straight to the point, I need wood.
I don't care what type it is.
as long as it's dry.
and that I'll split it and take a reading on it, and I have no problem sending you on your way.
However, if they do have the wood... I said I'll buy several full cords and become a regular customer.

My failsafe is a firewood supplier,
http://www.forestproductsinc.com/
They have oak mixed in with their 1 - 1 1/2yr seasoned wood... so I'm not sure how dry it is.
But I was going to request no oak, or just bite the bullet and buy the "premium" cherry wood...
depending on whats more dry.

 

[SolarAndWood]

My failsafe is a firewood supplier,
http://www.forestproductsinc.com/

I bet his empire started when he couldn't find dry wood.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

I made fire, kudos to you for standing your ground and knowing what your talking about when it comes to dry "seasoned" firewood. Most people would have it delivered and then afterwards find out it's wet and most likely be short of the correct measurement.

 

[Hass]

lol yeah solar... it's much more impressive when you drive by it and sneak a peak through the back.
It's only a couple miles from my house... but the price scares me off

Now that I think of it... Some hearthers may be destined to make an empire like his, when they gather up 6+ years worth of wood...
Why not just make a business out of it?

I just sent out 10+ emails to sellers asking how long it's been "cut/split/stacked" (I can't say c/s/s, becuase I doubt most sellers even know what stacked means!)
I guess I shall post some replies if I get any.

 

[amateur cutter]

Yep, Jay's right. I can set you up with 3-4 year c/s/s oak, but your wallet's gonna hurt when you leave. Expensive inventory to have laying around for years. As suggested above, maybe go for a lower moisture content wood like ash or cherry, much better chance of getting something that'll burn in the mid-late winter time frame. If you want oak, buy some now & let it season in your stack, then you know what you have, & save money on the product as well. A C

 

[Hass]

Yep, Jay's right. I can set you up with 3-4 year c/s/s oak, but your wallet's gonna hurt when you leave. Expensive inventory to have laying around for years. As suggested above, maybe go for a lower moisture content wood like ash or cherry, much better chance of getting something that'll burn in the mid-late winter time frame. If you want oak, buy some now & let it season in your stack, then you know what you have, & save money on the product as well. A C

Is cherry typically low MC comparable to ash?
I thought it was more wet than that.

 

[rdust]

Your 2 year seasoned oak is going to be better than anything you'll find on craigslist now. I'm in Northeast Oakland and have plenty of seasoned wood but I would have to sell it for such a premium it would be like I was robbing you. :lol: If I didn't screw my back up and have surgery in July I would have plenty on hand to sell you some, unfortunately I didn't have a chance to cut much in the winter/spring due to my back.

Are you burning in a stove or a fireplace?

 

[CTYank]

I made fire, kudos to you for standing your ground and knowing what your talking about when it comes to dry "seasoned" firewood. Most people would have it delivered and then afterwards find out it's wet and most likely be short of the correct measurement.

In the spirit of K.I.S.S., keeping things conceptually simple, may I suggest that the descriptor "seasoned" be dropped? It just gets in the way of communication, or is an enabler of fraud. %MC says it all here.

Just be clear on the basis used to calculate %MC. (This has been a problem in court cases.)
Dry basis: %MC is relative to the FULLY DRY weight of the wood. (e.g. If a 10 lb. stick holds 5 lb. water, %MC (dry basis) would be 100%)
Wet basis: %MC is relative to the existing weight of the wood + water. The above example would be 50% MC.

In lumber industry, most common by far is DRY basis. Ditto with moisture-meters.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

I made fire, kudos to you for standing your ground and knowing what your talking about when it comes to dry "seasoned" firewood. Most people would have it delivered and then afterwards find out it's wet and most likely be short of the correct measurement.

In the spirit of K.I.S.S., keeping things conceptually simple, may I suggest that the descriptor "seasoned" be dropped? It just gets in the way of communication, or is an enabler of fraud. %MC says it all here.

Just be clear on the basis used to calculate %MC. (This has been a problem in court cases.)
Dry basis: %MC is relative to the FULLY DRY weight of the wood. (e.g. If a 10 lb. stick holds 5 lb. water, %MC (dry basis) would be 100%)
Wet basis: %MC is relative to the existing weight of the wood + water. The above example would be 50% MC.

In lumber industry, most common by far is DRY basis. Ditto with moisture-meters.

Simple is good, I like it. However, I was born with minor impediment with my thought process, sarcasm. I used some in my dry wood description, using quotes. I couldn't help it. It's kinda like being born and raised in Boston you end up being a sox fan.

 

[gregp553]

Thanks for the input. I'm not really looking for oak, I have some of that still drying. I have no problem with ash, maple, cherry, etc. I just want it to be dry. I guess I understand how hard it is to let wood sit for years if you're in the selling business, but be honest is all I ask. I burn in an insert on weekends. It really helps me cut back on my gas bill. I'm going to visit a few local tree cutters.

 

[amateur cutter]

Yea, it's not a good feeling to have to assume a seller is being less than truthful, or just doesn't know any better. Grab some ash if you can get a few loads from a tree service. Ash borer damaged ash tends to be pretty dry right off the stump, especially the smaller limbs. Split & stack it soon, & you may due pretty well with it. There should be plenty in your area. A C

 

[BrowningBAR]

It's been a long time since I had to buy firewood. I don't burn a lot. Since my 2-year-old oak is not all ready, I just want to buy a face cord or two of really seasoned wood. I have already sent away one truckload of wet wood and I keep getting guys on the phone who immediately backpedal when you ask when their wood was split and how dry it is. Today a guy told me oak is ready in one year. He knows that for a fact. Tell them you will split a piece and put a moisture meter in it and they practically hang up on you. Does anyone in SE Michigan know of an honest wood seller in Oakland County who sells seasoned firewood? I can't talk to another wood guy from CL.

I buy all my wood now. I don't buy my wood in October and plan on using it for the same winter. Dry wood from a wood seller borders on myth.

 

[Kenster]

I buy all my wood now. I don't buy my wood in October and plan on using it for the same winter. Dry wood from a wood seller borders on myth.

Exactly. I don't understand why the educated brethren on this forum who have to buy their firewood don't just stock up and buy enough to stay a couple of years ahead. You KNOW you're going to need the wood. You KNOW the seller is out to rip you off. What the seller doesn't know is that you know what you're talking about. In fact, you know more than he does.

Anyone who has more than ten posts on this board should not be buying this winter's wood in October. You're going to get green, wet wood or you're going to pay out the ying yang for dry wood IF you can even find any.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I buy all my wood now. I don't buy my wood in October and plan on using it for the same winter. Dry wood from a wood seller borders on myth.

Exactly. I don't understand why the educated brethren on this forum who have to buy their firewood don't just stock up and buy enough to stay a couple of years ahead. You KNOW you're going to need the wood. You KNOW the seller is out to rip you off. What the seller doesn't know is that you know what you're talking about. In fact, you know more than he does.

Anyone who has more than ten posts on this board should not be buying this winter's wood in October. You're going to get green, wet wood or you're going to pay out the ying yang for dry wood IF you can even find any.

This is exactly what I did. I buy 16 cords, split, at a time which is good for two years. Next delivery will be in early March of another 16 cords. It ends up costing me $960 per year for heating. For me, it saves my a lot of time and costs aren't that much more than if I scrounged, cut, and split myself.

 

[gregp553]

I buy all my wood now. I don't buy my wood in October and plan on using it for the same winter. Dry wood from a wood seller borders on myth.

Exactly. I don't understand why the educated brethren on this forum who have to buy their firewood don't just stock up and buy enough to stay a couple of years ahead. You KNOW you're going to need the wood. You KNOW the seller is out to rip you off. What the seller doesn't know is that you know what you're talking about. In fact, you know more than he does.

Anyone who has more than ten posts on this board should not be buying this winter's wood in October. You're going to get green, wet wood or you're going to pay out the ying yang for dry wood IF you can even find any.

Because I'm lazy, that's why.

 

[jeff_t]

If you want to drive down here south of Ann Arbor, I'll hook you up. If you get desperate.

 

[mhrischuk]

Local wood seller here says he stacks his wood in a tractor trailer with a ventilation fan and a burning wood stove. I wood think he needs a few of them trailers to make a decent business and a lot of fire tending.

 

[kbrown]

It's been a long time since I had to buy firewood. I don't burn a lot. Since my 2-year-old oak is not all ready, I just want to buy a face cord or two of really seasoned wood. I have already sent away one truckload of wet wood and I keep getting guys on the phone who immediately backpedal when you ask when their wood was split and how dry it is. Today a guy told me oak is ready in one year. He knows that for a fact. Tell them you will split a piece and put a moisture meter in it and they practically hang up on you. Does anyone in SE Michigan know of an honest wood seller in Oakland County who sells seasoned firewood? I can't talk to another wood guy from CL.

I drive by Eagle Landscaping in Southfield everyday. That place has mountains of wood and one pile actually looks pretty good; grey, cracked ends. I know though that it has only been there since the spring; I saw them clear everything out last March/April.

 

[smokinj]

Big suppler will want 600.00+ for a cord of oak dry!

Do they get it?

Depends on how and to who you sell it too. Small amount's will bring it for sure, but the litte guy can not afford to hang on to inventory for 3 years for a guy wanting a 150.00 cord of wood. Now if you do your own wood you know now what it is really worth. Any short cuts from seller or buyer then the issues are there. When looking a a dealer dont be afraid to call that guy asking 300.00 bucks for seasoned hickory.