Caught with pants down with my wood gathering.

[dsheehan56]

For years I haven't had to season wood for the upcoming season.
Mid to late September I just drive about 4 miles down the road and get a pickup load a day of prime kiln dried firewood until my stash is sufficient. I've got a 3 season porch which becomes the indoor wood storage right next to the fireplace insert room. It's more or less an interior space, so the kiln dried was perfect being insect free and all.

Welp....

I made my first trip today and guess what?
He doubled the price to load your own. From 50 cents a split to $1.
The splits are 16-18 inches, but they are big thick splits compared to other area wood dealers.
But, $1 each is insane and would be more expensive than just heating with oil.
I thanked him for the warning and drove away. Dang!

Anyone from South Shore area in Massachusetts know any good kiln wood guys?
I wish I could get one of the NH or VT kiln companies to deliver to my house.

I got lazy with the wood gathering. Lesson learned.
Oil Man here I come!!

 

[SteveKG]

I'm confused here, 50 cents a split??? Man, it would cost me $2+ every load I put into the stove???? Or am I still missing something?

Anyhow, good luck finding some seasoned wood on short notice.....

 

[dsheehan56]

Yes, 50 cents a split was the old price. $1 per split now.
Nuts huh?

They are really big splits though, if you pick them yourself.
About the size of a dinner plate cut in half.

Other wood dealers around here, the splits are about the size of a dinner plate cut in 1/4's or even 1/8's

 

[sumpnz]

What does that work out to per cord? $400?

 

[NordicSplitter]

Coldest winter for the Northeast in 40 yrs on tap...Hope things go well

 

[tsquini]

I just counted 1/3 cord was 176 splits. That is 528 splits per cord.

 

[Got Wood]

If I got the math right.... assume splits are 16" x 5" x 5". I believe that comes to about 553 splits in a cord. At 50c a split it would be about $276 a cord, at a $1 a split Its $553

 

[sumpnz]

I was trying to account for some airspace. And being "big" splits, I was assuming 8"x4"x16" (8" round split in half). So that was 432 splits per cord.

 

[Woody Stover]

Oil Man here I come!!

Do you have a wood lot you can work? Going after small, dead trees with the bark off has saved me a few times...

Coldest winter for the Northeast in 40 yrs on tap

Colder than last year?? Oof! Maybe we in the central states will get off easy, as we generally do.

 

[dsheehan56]

Usually 450 pieces or less for a full cord with this stuff. He delivers a cord for $495 I think, but his cords are always short and I have a pile of crap left over after I stack it.

That's why I started going and hand picking the stuff. Get the biggest pieces and leave the rubble mess behind.

 

[prezes13]

With those prices you better buy some compressed wood bricks. It's cheaper $265 for a skid of Eco bricks in ct. They are great to burn less mess etc. Just my opinion.

 

[Shawn Curry]

I'm seeing a lot of my neighbors getting into the act this year. Probably a bit of "sticker shock" from last year's gas bills. So demand is probably going through the roof. I've been hearing about prices going up in a lot of places. I've even had a couple neighbors ask me if I was selling any.

Thankfully all my wood from now until forever is already paid for - included in the mortgage!

This winter is looking like it may be a repeat of last. You might want to consider investing in a chimney brush and bite the bullet on some green wood. Inside, in a cold winter (equals very dry air inside your home), next to a dehumidifier, split small, you might get some of it "dry enough" by February. In the meantime, you can clean chimney every couple weeks.

It's gonna suck, but not as much as that gas bill!

 

[dsheehan56]

Good idea Prezes13....

I might give those Eco bricks a try.

Are those a good sole source of fuel to use?

 

[prezes13]

I liked them.

Good idea Prezes13....

I might give those Eco bricks a try.

Are those a good sole source of fuel to use?

I liked them a lot. Out of all the different bricks I tried I think they were best. I liked so much that this year I will buy a skid or two to supplement my wood, mainly for longer over night burns.

 

[tsquini]

I buy logs and can get a cord of wood for around $100 that makes my cost per split around 18c. I have never figureded out cost per split before. I'm not sure I like knowing it.

 

[bobdog2o02]

Most of my wood comes free, so its just the cost of fuel divided by the number of splits.... I bet I'm at around 3¢ each

 

[JP11]

I see guys all over running their processors and driving wood deliveries as fast as they can.

What do you bet the percentage is of people burning that wood THIS winter?

Get ahead, stay ahead.

JP

 

[Dune]

I'm seeing a lot of my neighbors getting into the act this year. Probably a bit of "sticker shock" from last year's gas bills. So demand is probably going through the roof. I've been hearing about prices going up in a lot of places. I've even had a couple neighbors ask me if I was selling any.

Thankfully all my wood from now until forever is already paid for - included in the mortgage!

This winter is looking like it may be a repeat of last. You might want to consider investing in a chimney brush and bite the bullet on some green wood. Inside, in a cold winter (equals very dry air inside your home), next to a dehumidifier, split small, you might get some of it "dry enough" by February. In the meantime, you can clean chimney every couple weeks.

It's gonna suck, but not as much as that gas bill!

This is a really bad idea.
Sawdust bricketts or old pallet wood if you have the strength and energy. Green wood doesn't provide much heat or even burn well in modern stoves and it is a waste of money.

 

[NordicSplitter]

For years I haven't had to season wood for the upcoming season.
Mid to late September I just drive about 4 miles down the road and get a pickup load a day of prime kiln dried firewood until my stash is sufficient. I've got a 3 season porch which becomes the indoor wood storage right next to the fireplace insert room. It's more or less an interior space, so the kiln dried was perfect being insect free and all.

Welp....

I made my first trip today and guess what?
He doubled the price to load your own. From 50 cents a split to $1.
The splits are 16-18 inches, but they are big thick splits compared to other area wood dealers.
But, $1 each is insane and would be more expensive than just heating with oil.
I thanked him for the warning and drove away. Dang!

Anyone from South Shore area in Massachusetts know any good kiln wood guys?
I wish I could get one of the NH or VT kiln companies to deliver to my house.

I got lazy with the wood gathering. Lesson learned.
Oil Man here I come!!

Believe it or not..there is a few ways that might help...
1. Pallets....Call around and just go crazy. My first year of burning was a lot of free pallets. 30 pallets equals 1 face cord.
2. Call your local Highway Superintendent. He is in charge of tree trimming and removal. Find out the location that the cut trees are dumped and ask either to have access to it or have a highway crew load up a truck and dump it in your driveway. I get 1-2 loads every year this way delivered on my front lawn. First one came yesterday, this morning I spoke with my Highway Super, thanked him and another load in a few weeks may be on the way.
3. Craigslist of course under the free section.
4. Call lumber yards and furniture making business in your area. The worse you'll do is free pallets.
5. Have an eagle eye and a moose' ear. Look for wood on the curb and listen for chainsaws.
6. Call around to local tree services. Ask if they have garbage wood that you can come and take off their hands.(Garbage-short stumps, crotch rockets older stuff) Won't know until you call
7. Ask buddies at work who burn if they would be interested in selling some of theirs. Usually friends won'y gouge you
Best of luck ")

 

[NE WOOD BURNER]

http://treehuggerfarms.com/kiln_dried_debarked_firewood.html