So how cheap does a cord of CSD need to be before you won't turn on your saw / splitter???

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Scott in IN

New Member
Dec 27, 2007
51
Indiana
I stopped and talked with the local 'firewood guy' today and he was having a "Summer Sale" for $155 a cord CSD. It got me to thinking how much is MY time really worth. I've got a good saw, splitter, tractor and wood on site but it got me thinking about maybe taking it easy and buying a couple of cords and calling it all good. So how cheap does it need to be to get you to not fire up the saw?
 
It would have to be free. I enjoy the work (now that I am 2yrs ahead) and can use the exercise. I sit on my butt all day (computer guy), so getting outside and working for my winter heat is a break for me.
 
I bought a little over 5 cords last year for $130/cord. It was cut/split/delivered/stacked for that price. I was EXTREMELY happy with the wood too. It was all really good stuff. No crap what-so-ever.

At that price, I have to think really hard about how much work I'm willing to do when scrounging. Occasionally, I knock on a door and the person wants money to haul off wood. I have to tell them that I don't pay for wood that I have to process. I can buy it cheap enough already split that it doesn't make sense to pay for wood that I have to haul off, split, and stack myself.

-SF
 
I bought a cord of cut, split, well seasoned oak for $150 at a yard sale. The going rate is $400. If I could get four cords for six hundred I would rest my chain saw.
 
It has to be free for me. I enjoy scrounging and it makes the pay off much better. I think if I payed for wood I would start doing the numbers on a pellet stove.
 
SlyFerret said:
I bought a little over 5 cords last year for $130/cord. It was cut/split/delivered/stacked for that price.
Green or ready to burn?

Given that I pay $100 per cord for green 8 foot logs that I then have to process, I'd jump on a deal like that. I'd even help with the stacking!
 
Since I been cutting and splitting wood since I could pick up a chainsaw , I wouldnt feel right buying CSD .
 
I'd just let the other guys have the deals and keep on cutting myself.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
I'd just let the other guys have the deals and keep on cutting myself.
That's nice of you. (seriously)

Price is usually commensurate with supply and demand. While there is sometimes economy of scale, the greater the supply and the lesser the demand, the lower the price.
 
Just saw a CL ad today for $35/face cord picked up, $45 delivered within 20 miles. Thinkin about it.
 
No such price. I like the work. I have always enjoyed it. I like it even more now that it's actually heating the house and not just burning up in the fireplace.
In three years my entire install will have paid for itself financially, and in the first week it paid of emotionally.. maybe in another 10-15 years when the abuse starts to catch up with my body, I will consider it, but my dad at 74 is still scrounging..
 
I started getting firewood delivered here for 60.00 a full cord of logs. I won't complain. Normally I cut off the land but at that price i'll pay and it saves me time. Plus the logs were nice and dry.
 
Guy had a bunch of maple cut and split near here for $75 CORD uhaul. Made me REALLY think hard, but I passed. There is so many people around here laid off that every one and his brother is cutting wood. He couldn't get rid of it and needed the money. It's advertised here for $125 delivered all the time. I just like to cut and need to keep my wood lot trimed for the logs to grow. But I'm sure it would be cheaper to buy if my time was worth anything. I just like not having to lay out any money except for
Chainsaw gas and oil
Tractor and skidsteer fuel
truck fuel
splitter fuel
new chains and bars and clutches and filters, etc
new handles for mauls and axes
and I try and not think how much interest I would have if I invested the money I have invested in
Chainsaw
splitter
tractor
skidsteer
tractor and skidsteer equipment
fami wench
dump truck
trailers amd skids and baskets to store the wood.

BUT then what would I do????????????????
leaddog
 
Dune said:
I bought a cord of cut, split, well seasoned oak for $150 at a yard sale. The going rate is $400. If I could get four cords for six hundred I would rest my chain saw.

If I could get $400.00/ cord I would consider cutting wood full time. I would let my saw rest if I could buy good wood at $80.00/cord csd
 
leaddog said:
Guy had a bunch of maple cut and split near here for $75 CORD uhaul. Made me REALLY think hard, but I passed. There is so many people around here laid off that every one and his brother is cutting wood. He couldn't get rid of it and needed the money. It's advertised here for $125 delivered all the time. I just like to cut and need to keep my wood lot trimed for the logs to grow. But I'm sure it would be cheaper to buy if my time was worth anything. I just like not having to lay out any money except for
Chainsaw gas and oil
Tractor and skidsteer fuel
truck fuel
splitter fuel
new chains and bars and clutches and filters, etc
new handles for mauls and axes
and I try and not think how much interest I would have if I invested the money I have invested in
Chainsaw
splitter
tractor
skidsteer
tractor and skidsteer equipment
fami wench
dump truck
trailers amd skids and baskets to store the wood.

BUT then what would I do????????????????
leaddog

for $75 a cord I wouldn't bother myself. I do enjoy the workout but I do have a price.
 
I might rest my saw at $ 100 per cord (full) delivered - if it was good wood and a true size cord. It could be green at that price. I'd gladly by $ 500 for 5 cords to be done with it - so I could spend my time fishing or spend time with my kids. I enjoy wood processing - but there is a price point where I would jump on good wood. My first year - I bought all my wood until this site poisoned my mind into a scrounging freak - (can't drive down the road without scanning the terrain for good down trees to ask for).

Round here - $ 200 is the average price for a delivered cord - but it's rare that you get a true cord. You get some guy bringing you a pickup load and that's it.

Hence the reason I do my own wood.
 
Dakotas Dad said:
No such price. I like the work. I have always enjoyed it. I like it even more now that it's actually heating the house and not just burning up in the fireplace.
In three years my entire install will have paid for itself financially, and in the first week it paid of emotionally.. maybe in another 10-15 years when the abuse starts to catch up with my body, I will consider it, but my dad at 74 is still scrounging..

Same here . . . right now with access to "free wood" all I have to do is pay a bit for the gas/oil and occasional file or chain. I enjoy the "work" and like working the woodpile -- in fact sometimes I enjoy working with it too much and have to step away since I realize there are other chores that really need to be done. Therefore, unless someone is giving away wood, I wouldn't buy . . . but in a few years when I'm starting to not be as physically with it . . . yeah, I'd pay for it then.
 
40-50 bucks I would become a buyer!
 
100$ is my price point for CSD if I don't need the wood. I just wouldn't pass it up. You can still buy logs for 100$ per cord delivered.
 
Probably at 75$ a cord C/S/D for me. the biggest pita for me is the whole hauling part. to haul one cord takes at least 2 truck loads, even with the trailer. plus scrounging is always a crapshoot of how quickly they want the wood gone and how far you have to haul it to the truck. I do enjoy processing it though. its a nice workout with benefits sure beats going to the gym.
 
About 20 years ago or so I paid 225 dollars for 17 pickup loads of mostly silver maple with some ash, just too good of a deal to pass up.
 
I like burnin' 20 to 22 inch splits and it's a bit hard to find anything over 18 csd around here. I've seen stuff 14 and 16 inches too.

I have 7.5 cord log length oak with some ash mixed in on the way for $600.

That's $80/cord. I'll cut it up and have it split and stacked in about 2 weeks time. When the time comes I'll have no problem retiring the saw and splitter, but not yet!
 
The delivered log length is kind of a separate animal - because you still have to cut, split, and stack it.

For log length - my cut off would be around $ 50 or $ 60 a load. But I've never bought log length.
 
Well if they wanted to pay my annual family YMCA membership so we could all go and expend thousands of calories while accomplishing absolutely nothing worthwhile, I suppose I would let them cut, split, and deliver my wood for me.

As well as the fuel bill savings I figure in the YMCA membership as part of the cost-benefit analysis.
 
I'm buying 4 cords from a buddy for $120/cd. They are supposedly dry, but I'll let them sit another year since I already have this year stacked.

Matt
 
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