Wood Seller's Form

[qwee]

I've looked on the internet for a form but haven't found one. Maybe one could be made? The main purpose of this form is to educate the buying public about the firewood they are about to purchase. So this would be the form they are handed at the time of delivery. Things to be on this form?

* a cord of firewood illustration with measurements
* a face cord illustration with measurements

Other ideas?

 

[qwee]

More stuff,

* Names of buyer and seller with addresses/phone #'s
* Amount of wood delivered
* Cost

 

[stoveliker]

You could make one. Type it up in Word, save, and voila, your form exists. And then amend when further good ideas pop up.

 

[qwee]

I was hoping someone else with better computer form making skills could make it, and than I could copy it.

 

[qwee]

* Species composition of the load with amounts of each species. For example, 2 cords load of firewood - would be like,
3/4 cord of White Ash
1/4 cord of Cherry
1/2 cord of Tulip Poplar
1/2 cord of Black Locust

Also, the BTU rating of each species would be nice. And some moisture content readings, too. Also, info on moisture content (20%). And if green wood - how to dry it, and how long this will take.

Maybe some info on when best to burn low btu rated firewood like mornings/short burns/etc... And do the same for the higher btu firewood.

I've sold a little bit of wood. And I was surprised how little people knew about wood.

 

[Bad LP]

I know what my wood guy would do with your form.

 

[qwee]

What would he do with it? I'm sure this would be too much work to fill out for your average seller. It sounds complex but won't look that way.

More ideas,
* average length of firewood, and/or firewood length range (example 14" to 17")

* firewood/burning websites shown, like Heart.com forums, Firewood hoarders, etc... ( so burners can learn)

This all has to go on one page.

 

[johneh]

I know what my wood guy would do with your form.

Same thing I'd do
selling firewood is a hard enough task
and then stick in paperwork and more labour
I don't make enough now on a cord for the work performed
the extra. I sell dry wood. I split a piece and show the moisture content
I tell you the species anything more than that and you pay more
A lot more

 

[all night moe]

Those that want to educate themselves will ask questions.

There are others who have no intent of learning anything extra out of their curriculum. In other words, all that time used to document your work, and give the "public" knowledge of buying power, will end up as fire starter.

 

[qwee]

With some probably. You have to start somewhere. Once I had some dense hardwood for sale that had some crooked pieces. And some cottonwood that was pretty and straight (same price). A wife was buying the wood. I tried to steer her to the hardwood, "... denser, higher btu.. etc..." No she says, my husband and I want the straight pretty stuff. OK, people just don't know.

 

[all night moe]

No she says, my husband and I want the straight pretty stuff.

Case in point. She doesn't want to know.
Your time and energy is better spent on producing quality seasoned firewood.
Word of mouth will do the rest.

 

[qwee]

How do you know she doesn't want to know? Maybe she just doesn't know. Educate her. A form with lots of info could be a step in this direction.

It is to late, I took Stoveliker's advice and started making the form on Word.

 

[qwee]

Rough form so far.

https://onedrive.live.com/edit.aspx...542a0465e918&wdOrigin=OFFICECOM-WEB.START.NEW

 

[all night moe]

How do you know she doesn't want to know?

I had some dense hardwood for sale that had some crooked pieces.

She didn't want to know about the hotter burning, good heat value wood. Her mind was already made up.

I applaud your efforts. Your form is only stating what you are selling. They still won't know the differences without the "life experience."
They have to want to know the differences and what they are.
I hope your form works well for you.

 

[qwee]

Good idea All Night Moe, I could include the differences on the form with an info paragraph, "Higher btu firewood burns longer and is a better *bang for the buck....etc... this includes woods like red oak, white ash, honey and black locust....etc.......best for cold weather and overnight burns.......soft woods like pine, cottonwood......are good for...etc...

* stated better, more burn for the buck

 

[stoveliker]

While many folks will use it as firestarter, it is good to be honest about what you are selling, quantity, moisture content, wood species (many folks won't know oak from maple...). It creates clarity in the business - sorely needed when dishonest wood sellers ("seasoned") abound.

Better too much info given than not enough.

 

[all night moe]

Here is an example of my point.

I've been in the roofing trade for 30 yrs plus. When I get called for a potential client I take the time to try and enlighten them.

" I install the roof as per instructions from the manufacture. When my job is done, you get the manufacture's product warranty along with my workmanship warranty, for the same number of years. If I sell you a 30yr roof, that is exactly what you get from both myself and manufacture. If I was to do an incorrect installation, the manufactures warranted is void. I charge more than my competitors because of these ethics ...."

9 times out of10, they go with the cheaper contractor with the crew of immigrants. Numerous times, I have been called back for repair work. Sometimes in as little as a couple years, sometimes more. There has been a few cases that I have been called back at first rain or snow thaw. Those homeowners were dead set on that cheaper price. Instead of a half hour estimate, I spent an hour or so trying to sell quality workmanship.

My referral work almost always sold. Those customers already wanted a quality job.

 

[all night moe]

While many folks will use it as firestarter, it is good to be honest about what you are selling, quantity, moisture content, wood species (many folks won't know oak from maple...). It creates clarity in the business - sorely needed when dishonest wood sellers ("seasoned") abound.

Better too much info given than not enough.

True, it may be beneficial to hand out a little flyer with purchase or to an inquiring potential customer.
I would not waste my time trying to educate them unless they had specific questions regarding listed points.

"Here's my contact info and what I have to offer. Feel free to ask any questions. Have a great day."

 

[clancey]

I am confused here--is this word form or forum and that would help mind to adjust to what exactly you people are referring to and if it is a new forum to educate people about wood buying and the like (having dry wood and all the different varieties then I would make it as simple as possible and not have too much jumping around...especially for us new beginners with wood burning..I want pretty straight wood too and this could be a selling point..clancey

 

[qwee]

It is a form - that is the paperwork handed to you when you buy firewood from a seller. Some sellers probably don't hand the buyer anything - they just deliver the firewood. Let's say you buy 1 cord of firewood from a seller. He tells you it is "seasoned" and ready to burn. You ask, is this good firewood?

He tells you it is. It is one of the best pine trees you can burn. And he states, "I'll load the cord up in my pickup and I can bring it over to your house today." Conversations like this happen all of the time. We know there may be problems with this seller. When he says seasoned - what is the moisture content of a freshly split piece of firewood?

Firewood is rated by BTU's (British Thermal Units). This is the energy potential of that species of wood (the tree it came from). It is a generalization. Anyways, it is like taking your car to a gas station for gas. You can add 10 gallons of gas that will allow you to go 300 miles, 10 gallons of gas that will take you 200 miles, or 10 gallons of gas that will take you 100 miles. Wood species are like this. Some contain more energy potential even though they may be the same size as other firewood. So you as a consumer should want to know what the btu rating/species of the wood you are buying.

This guy's pine is the 100 mile gasoline - it will burn fast and be gone. Moreover it is important to know what a cord of firewood is. It is 8 feet x 4 feet x 4 feet. It is not usually possible to get these measurements into the bed of a pickup truck (maybe if he has sides around his truck's bed).

So if the seller handed you a form with info you could see what kind of wood you were getting, the energy that wood possessed (the btu rating), how much of that wood you were getting, and how dry that firewood is (moisture level of wood).

 

[clancey]

Thank you and I think it would depend on who you are selling firewood too for the "education" aspect of it but handing a person a form when you or anybody unloads wood could be a very good thing to do to let them know about the expectations of the wood that they are buying as well as a receipt for them...I hope I am on the right track here...lol . One thing I would high lite would be the dryness of the wood and why it has to be dry for good burning as well as the neighborhood having less smoke coming out your chimney or fireplace. Because you care about the environment..clancey

 

[stoveliker]

Still, it's a form. Recently there was a poster here telling the story of a seller saying all his wood is under 16 pct. He measured it and it was 25-30 pct.

So a form is nice, but it's as good as the reliability of the seller (saying one thing and doing another).

Nevertheless, you being an honest person, it's a decent idea to have a piece of paper noting what they are buying (quantity, moisture content, species), and e.g. on the back have some basic info (cord volume, BTU per cord of species, storage tips etc). People experiencing that you do as you say will come back to you, and will advertise word of mouth.

 

[qwee]

Thanks, I'll add an informative statement about the 20% rule and why it is important.

Stoveliker, that is another thing that could added to the form - 3 empty boxes. The buyer selects 3 pieces of firewood from the delivery before it is offloaded. The seller splits these pieces and records the moisture content on the spot and into the 3 boxes.

 

[qwee]

New updates to the Firewood Seller's Form: What else is needed?
https://onedrive.live.com/edit.aspx...542a0465e918&wdOrigin=OFFICECOM-WEB.START.NEW

 

[bigealta]

FYI here in NJ