Call me crazy.....Log load of Pine & Cottonwood...How much $$$$?

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NordicSplitter

Minister of Fire
May 22, 2011
541
Western,NY
Seeing all the posts for guys up in Washington, Oregon & N. Cal....I noticed they burn Pine & Cottonwood. I am now burning this wood as well but only in shoulder season. I have a chance to get about 10 face cords in log form. How much would be a reasonable price..? Please no smart ass comments it just shows your ignorance :)
 
I wouldn't pay anything honestly. People will let you take it free if you just look/ask around.
 
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Face cords... bah! Wood can only be advertised/sold in real cords out here in the west (not that they always do on CL). Face cords are just way too variable (speaking of ignorance). Note that the cottonwood here in the west has more energy than the species you have back east. You can get all the cottonwood here that you want for free. There was an ad on CL a while back for a log truck load (9 cord equivalent) of cottonwood for free, as long as you were within 10 miles of the I-5 freeway. Another ad a while back had a pile of 3-4 (real) cords of split cottonwood not far from me for $200 for the whole lot. There are usually a lot of ads up and down the west coast for free cottonwood on CL. I am burning the last of my dry cottonwood here, and then no more of this stinky crap wood for me, even if its free, thanks.

Pine is different and commands far more suspect here, though it is usually sold in mixed species cords. 10 face cords or ricks is what, 3 real cords? I can get a dumptruck load of 3 cords of doug fir and hemlock log ends from the mills delivered here for $300. That is far better wood than c-wood or pine though. And you still have to buck, split, stack and dry it. But it competes for "free" wood for me if I figure for gas and trailer rental and road time. 3 cords is manageable too. A logging truckload of logs here is about 3.5 MBF, or 10 cords wet and 9 cords dry. A cord being stacked split wood, 4x4x8, and one MBF (thousand board feet) being about 3 cords.
 
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Face cords... bah! Wood can only be advertised/sold in real cords out here in the west (not that they always do on CL). Face cords are just way too variable (speaking of ignorance). Note that the cottonwood here in the west has more energy than the species you have back east. You can get all the cottonwood here that you want for free. There was an ad on CL a while back for a log truck load (9 cord equivalent) of cottonwood for free, as long as you were within 10 miles of the I-5 freeway. Another ad a while back had a pile of 3-4 (real) cords of split cottonwood not far from me for $200 for the whole lot. There are usually a lot of ads up and down the west coast for free cottonwood on CL. I am burning the last of my dry cottonwood here, and then no more of this stinky crap wood for me, even if its free, thanks.

Pine is different and commands far more suspect here, though it is usually sold in mixed species cords. 10 face cords or ricks is what, 3 real cords? I can get a dumptruck load of 3 cords of doug fir and hemlock log ends from the mills delivered here for $300. That is far better wood than c-wood or pine though. And you still have to buck, split, stack and dry it. But it competes for "free" wood for me if I figure for gas and trailer rental and road time. 3 cords is manageable too. A logging truckload of logs here is about 3.5 MBF, or 10 cords wet and 9 cords dry. A cord being stacked split wood, 4x4x8, and one MBF (thousand board feet) being about 3 cords.
This would just save me the running around, wear and tear on the vehicle and gas$...I'm figuring $75 will be my top offer. Thanks for the input especially about the Pine.:)
 
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It would be worth $75 or perhaps $100 tops but most folks would easily pass. Indeed though, it would save you wear and tear, gas money and also lots of time so there is some value there. You could burn that stuff during the daytime and all through fall or spring and get some better wood for the cold months; especially the nights.

One question you must answer though is, will there be someone there and willing to stock the stove more often?
 
It would be worth $75 or perhaps $100 tops but most folks would easily pass. Indeed though, it would save you wear and tear, gas money and also lots of time so there is some value there. You could burn that stuff during the daytime and all through fall or spring and get some better wood for the cold months; especially the nights.

One question you must answer though is, will there be someone there and willing to stock the stove more often?
Someone is home during the day so that's no big deal. I'm sitting on about 23 face cords of good hardwood but hardly any soft wood. That's why I'm looking into this. I sure don't want to burn my Ash, Black Locust and Oak during the Fall season.
 
Type of pine?
Would pass on the cottonwood. Easy to get here free.

3.3 cords +/-, right.

$100 if good size pine logs & (not much tops & with few limbs ).

I don't get excited about buying low BTU wood.
Same amount of work to process & get less heat form my labor,
Sometimes pine is a sticky mess.

I'd be pretty selective on the logs if i was paying. :)

Take it off their hands for the cost of the fuel to deliver it (if close by ) ;)
 
I concur with the others here. While I am all for getting some softer woods to burn in the fall/spring, I'd be looking into all pine and no cottonwood if I were you. You'll be better off. But, as for a price, I'd make my limit on that stuff at a max of a 100 bucks. If it was all pine (yellow or longleaf pine, or something denser) maybe 150 bucks......

If you can, hold out for some silver/red maple. No sap, seasons very fast, smells good burning and lasts slightly longer than pine.....
 
Funny thing, I've been finishing cleaning up etc...from sugar season and just logged on to hearth and first thing I see is this thread. Made just over 80 gallons Scotty/Dennis!!!!

I just got a call for free cottonwood about 3 miles away. Already down and in log lengths, just pull up next to it and have it! Been undecided about it tho, as I do need some shoulder season wood but really need some wood next year for the evaporator! What to do?????
 
Funny thing, I've been finishing cleaning up etc...from sugar season and I just got a call for free cottonwood about 3 miles away. Already down and in log lengths, just pull up next to it and have it! Been undecided about it tho, as I do need some shoulder season wood but really need some wood next year for the evaporator! What to do?????
That stuff would be going into the evaporator. Mix it with other stuff, never even know it's burning.....
 
Funny thing, I've been finishing cleaning up etc...from sugar season and just logged on to hearth and first thing I see is this thread. Made just over 80 gallons Scotty/Dennis!!!!
THAT'S AWESOME, WISHLIST! I didn't make any this spring. It was a very, VERY busy spring. This house project has me about half nuts.....literally.

Next year I'm going all-out. I'll have a part of my woodshed done, which by February there should be an open spot in the end of it. That's where I'll put the evaporator next spring to get me out of the weather. BTW, how did your new setup perform? How many GPH did it evaporate?

Good to see you back on the site, brother!
 
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One thing we have here in the west is a lot of shoulder wood. C-wood, willow and poplar, which I now pass on, because there is also a lot of alder, cedar, pine, bigleaf maple, and light firs to be had around here. I am top-heavy on shoulder wood here now so I am holding out for denser stuff for 15/16 and beyond. I an waiting for locust, oak, dense maple, madrone, Doug, larch, ash, elm, apple, etc.

Damn, I am starting to think like the overkiller now... this site has infected me.
 
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That stuff would be going into the evaporator. Mix it with other stuff, never even know it's burning.....

Never question Scotty so I went this morning and filled the truck and trailer with wood. Free and easy to get! I did notice that it wasn't all cottonwood . Of course I did as any of of the hearth members would do and picked out the cherry, ash, and maple first. :)

Scotty, I bet you missed not sugaring? It was a loooong season but a good one. I was able to evaporate 30-35 gph if I stayed right at it. Backwoods Savage gave me a bunch of pine and I was chucking it in fast but it sure did job! Tks, Dennis! ;)
 
One thing we have here in the west is a lot of shoulder wood. C-wood, willow and poplar, which I now pass on, because there is also a lot of alder, cedar, pine, bigleaf maple, and light firs to be had around here. I am top-heavy on shoulder wood here now so I am holding out for denser stuff for 15/16 and beyond. I an waiting for locust, oak, dense maple, madrone, Doug, larch, ash, elm, apple, etc.

Damn, I am starting to think like the overkiller now... this site has infected me.
;lol;lol;lol::-)
 
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Never question Scotty so I went this morning and filled the truck and trailer with wood. Free and easy to get! I did notice that it wasn't all cottonwood . Of course I did as any of of the hearth members would do and picked out the cherry, ash, and maple first. :)

Scotty, I bet you missed not sugaring? It was a loooong season but a good one. I was able to evaporate 30-35 gph if I stayed right at it. Backwoods Savage gave me a bunch of pine and I was chucking it in fast but it sure did job! Tks, Dennis! ;)

You are welcome. Now as for that cottonwood, I would definitely get it for the evaporator. That stuff will burn nice and hot. Maybe we can also locate you some more pine too!

You really did an excellent job with the syrup this year and I know you spent many hours at the boiler. Long days with having to hold down a regular job too. My regret is that I was not able to get there to help or even see your operation. Hopefully next spring my body will be in better condition.
 
I'm counting on you next spring Dennis! That pine burned great! Found some more tress to tap!

I'm heading up this Thursday to get the "know it all" daughter from college so I can swing by and drop off some syrup if your gonna be home? Have you been looking for the morels yet? Found 6 the other day in the backyard.
 
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Should be home okay. Nothing planned. We've never looked for morels but sometimes stumble on one or two. Then we just give them away.
 
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