Craigslist wood from mass supplier - how can I decide?

[aaron1]

Do you guys think I should try getting 3 cords from these guys?

(broken link removed to http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/grq/4094056179.html)

I need to just get some more wood and let it sit for the next year to make sure I have enough for next year. I can also get some more wood from some friends' lots in the next year, but do you think this would be ok to get for the time being? I'd let it sit until the next year at least, maybe more before burning.

 

[gzecc]

Getting wood from a supplier is always a crap shoot. See if you can see the wood before its delivered.

 

[weatherguy]

If the wood in the picture is indicative of all their wood I would load up, you can never have too much wood.

 

[JustWood]

I'd want to verify whether it was face cords or full cords.
$125 for a full cord seems awful cheap.
If it is full cords buy all you can.

 

[Jon1270]

Looks like it could be a great deal, but the way the ad is worded, it's not clear that the prices include delivery.

 

[aaron1]

I guess I'll give them a call and see what the details are. It sounded like a deal to me. I was wondering how they produce the wood. They must have an industrial process where they cut the logs to about 2' and then put them through some industrial splitter (like an apple slicer?!) and spit them into huge piles?! Sounds like a cheap, efficient way to produce a ton of splits. I don't care if it's not seasoned, as I'll just let it sit. Anyway, I'll see if it's as good of a deal as it sounds like.

 

[gerry100]

at least they are honest enough to say it's unseasoned

 

[aaron1]

I'm just going to assume any wood I buy from here on out is unseasoned. I can use my MM to test it. I love it!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

If true cord, it sounds good. I'd still want to know ahead of time what kind of wood it is. Just saying hardwood does not get it. That's like saying I'll sell you a car and it is guaranteed to be a car. Okay, but what kind of car is it? In this case, what kind of wood is it?

 

[aaron1]

I'm sure it's just a mix of hard woods, whatever they find and all lumped together. I can't be too picky!

 

[mikey517]

I'm sure it's just a mix of hard woods, whatever they find and all lumped together. I can't be too picky!

Sure you can be picky! You worked for that $$$. Don't assume it's a mix of "hardwoods" - ask. "Trust...but verify!"

 

[aaron1]

mikey517, I agree. I can get the details when I call, but the proof is in the pudding I suppose. I'll give him a call next week to get the lowdown. If I asked the type of hardwood, he could tell me anything, as I have very basic knowledge of kinds of wood. I could probably tell a hardwood from softwood for the most part. I could tell an oak from a maple from elm, but there are a lot of other woods I just wouldn't have any idea about. Elm is very stringy looking and a b---- to split. Oak seems to always have a double color pattern to it on the inside? Maple looks kind of wavy with light and tan interspersed. I assume softwood can be determined based on its resiny-ness or smell? How else? I assume softwoods are quite a bit less dense and would give more if you pushed on them with a screwdriver or fingernail?

Of course, I *could* be picky, but I don't have enough knowledge to be picky. Is there a good resource to learn about what the common types of wood I might encounter look like when the are freshly split, seasoned a bit and ready to burn? That would be nice.

 

[Applesister]

Its easiest to go by weight. Green wood is deceiving. But generally speaking you can divide the different species into heavy medium and lightweight. Density is in proportion to BTUs.
Id be game to see whats brewing. But you are wagering 375.00 or 990.00 and thats not small scale wagering.

 

[aaron1]

Its easiest to go by weight. Green wood is deceiving. But generally speaking you can divide the different species into heavy medium and lightweight. Density is in proportion to BTUs.
Id be game to see whats brewing. But you are wagering 375.00 or 990.00 and thats not small scale wagering.

It is a wager. It always is with unknown suppliers and with limited knowledge. A friend of mine says he has a bunch of dead locust trees on his property that I can partake in. I should try to get out there and load up some of that.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'm sure it's just a mix of hard woods, whatever they find and all lumped together. I can't be too picky!

If I'm buying, I will be picky.

 

[aaron1]

OK, let me rephrase. I can be picky, but I need some more info. I can go by weight, but that's pretty variable depending on dryness. If I take a few random splits, split them, measure moisture and find it's below 20% and feels pretty heavy, i could have an idea. I guess I really just need more experience before I can have lower chance of being hoodwinked, unless I just go with a more expensive supplier that comes with trusted references.

 

[weatherguy]

Go get the locust, you know that's about the best you can get and the price sounds right.

 

[aaron1]

Go get the locust, you know that's about the best you can get and the price sounds right.

True, I'm just being lazy. We'll have to have a wood cutting party and load up as many logs as we can in a truck or something. I can split them when I get them back home.

 

[weatherguy]

True, I'm just being lazy. We'll have to have a wood cutting party and load up as many logs as we can in a truck or something. I can split them when I get them back home.

I'd check those guys out though, never hurts to have a good source. There's a guy in my area clearing a few acres to put in a potato farm and he's been selling the wood for $38 a truck full, you pick up. I got 2 truck loads with my brothers full size Ford. 1/2 the wood was great oak and hickory, 1/4 was ash and birch, and the last 1/4 was an assortment of species of different sizes with some punky splits, maybe 30 splits I chucked into the woods and the rest I put into a pallet bin. Stock up as much as you can fit and have time for, you'll burn it eventually.

 

[gyrfalcon]

mikey517, I agree. I can get the details when I call, but the proof is in the pudding I suppose. I'll give him a call next week to get the lowdown. If I asked the type of hardwood, he could tell me anything, as I have very basic knowledge of kinds of wood. I could probably tell a hardwood from softwood for the most part. I could tell an oak from a maple from elm, but there are a lot of other woods I just wouldn't have any idea about. Elm is very stringy looking and a b---- to split. Oak seems to always have a double color pattern to it on the inside? Maple looks kind of wavy with light and tan interspersed. I assume softwood can be determined based on its resiny-ness or smell? How else? I assume softwoods are quite a bit less dense and would give more if you pushed on them with a screwdriver or fingernail?

Of course, I *could* be picky, but I don't have enough knowledge to be picky. Is there a good resource to learn about what the common types of wood I might encounter look like when the are freshly split, seasoned a bit and ready to burn? That would be nice.

No, no good resource I know of other than experience and asking, "What's this?" a whole lot. After six years and a gazillion questions, I still get stuff in my c/s/d loads I can't identify from time to time and haven't been able to figure out from any references on the Web.

But ask him what kind of hardwoods. He won't know you don't know your ash from your elm, so to speak, but it puts him on notice that you know enough to care, and he'll almost certainly think it's safer to tell you the truth than not to.