That's why the law sez sell it by the cord...!

[SnapCracklePop]

OK, got a delivery of seasoned hardwood that, the seller said, would amount to a good "cord and a quarter." Price was $145 delivered and stacked.

I didn't like the way they stacked it, but I didn't say anything. They left. I restacked.

Now, my wood amounts to two and a half face cords, or 5/6 of a cord.

Moisture content surprised me. It ranges from 12% to 18%, even though they just split it, so I can't gripe about that.

My math says this wood cost me $174 a cord.

I'd like to get more of this wood later, maybe three more truckloads. That, plus some of my own wood that I have set aside, should see me through the winter.

Your thoughts? Bite the bullet and pay his price? Educate him on "dictionary cords"? Or...?

Thanks!

Nancy

 

[Flatbedford]

He needs an education.

 

[smokinj]

5/6 is off mositure perfect.....I would roll with this one. Let him know what you found and bet next time will be better.

 

[SolarAndWood]

$180 delivered is pretty typical around here.

 

[mainstation]

5/6 is off mositure perfect.....I would roll with this one. Let him know what you found and bet next time will be better.

+100
His next delivery will be better. Take it easy.

 

[Danno77]

Sometimes I agree with that Jay guy this is one of those times.

 

[Danno77]

BTW, don't just tell him how you were displeased with the amount, but also tell him how happy you were with the MC. I think it goes without saying, but just in case it wasn't clear...

 

[snowleopard]

BTW, don't just tell him how you were displeased with the amount, but also tell him how happy you were with the MC. I think it goes without saying, but just in case it wasn't clear...

. . . and that's why they call him the Teflon Dan . . .

 

[Danno77]

BTW, don't just tell him how you were displeased with the amount, but also tell him how happy you were with the MC. I think it goes without saying, but just in case it wasn't clear...

. . . and that's why they call him the Teflon Dan . . .

I haven't ever been convicted, what can I say?

 

[BrotherBart]

What did it measure the way they stacked it?

 

[ruserious2008]

Me? I'd not do business with him again. Certainly sounds like he's got a "stack it for free and then stack it in my favor to make up my costs " scam going. Scam me once- you're a dope- scam me twice I'm the dope. I'd bet he'll get worse not better. Make sure nothing's missing from your property either- shovels, rakes etc? Alarm bells go off for me with this clown. Find another source or if you have time start scrounging for your own wood. I've got a fine collection of wood this spring and summer for "free" (as in the owner did not charge me for it) that we've been hauling, splitting and stacking. Ready to start scrounging my 2013 wood next
Oh how did you measure moisture? Sorry if you know but just in case since it seems odd it was so dry you need to fresh split a piece to measure it.
Good luck

 

[fossil]

Guy's gonna deliver and stack split & seasoned hardwood and then scam you for $48.00? I doubt it. If you like the wood, I'd stay in touch with the guy and do just like Danno suggests. Get on his good side. Treat him right and see what happens. If he's any kind of businessman at all, he'll listen to you, look at your stack, and bring you some extra next time to make up for it. Could be that he's accustomed to dealing with less knowledgeable woodburners. Rick

 

[SnapCracklePop]

I'm not really complaining about the $174/cord, but here I was thinking I was really getting a cord and a fourth for $145. Big difference.

I shoulda known when he explained a cord to me. When he first started selling firewood, he built two boxes 4 by 4 by 4 and filled them with wood. I pictured him stacking them nice and tight. Now I'm thinking he just tossed wood into his boxes.

I honestly think he believes his truck will haul a cord and a quarter. He built up the sides and beefed up the suspension and all that...

His way of stacking was three rows about 10 feet long, low on the ends and higher in the middle. Eyeballing it, I had a suspicion it wasn't as much wood as he told me.

So I redid one end, criss-crossing the splits, and using my tape measure to get 4 feet of height. I measured 8 feet long, and did another criss-cross. So, now, my stack is nice and rectangulary, to coin a word. But I get only two face cords and about half of another that way. I did the criss-crosses loose, two splits one way, two another. Had I done three each, I would have ended up with even less on that third face cord.

Izzat confusing?

Nancy

 

[fossil]

...Izzat confusing?

Not to me. Rick

 

[mayhem]

When you checked moisture, did you split a piece and check it or just check what he delivered? The outside bit will definitely be reasonabl dry, its the inside that matters the most.

$174 a cord delivered and stacked? Get all you can. Around here its $200+ a cord dumped in a pile in the middle of your driveway or on your lawn...green.

 

[firefighterjake]

Guy's gonna deliver and stack split & seasoned hardwood and then scam you for $48.00? I doubt it. If you like the wood, I'd stay in touch with the guy and do just like Danno suggests. Get on his good side. Treat him right and see what happens. If he's any kind of businessman at all, he'll listen to you, look at your stack, and bring you some extra next time to make up for it. Could be that he's accustomed to dealing with less knowledgeable woodburners. Rick

+1 . . . an honest mistake . . . if you handle it right you may end up with more wood next time and it will continue to be primo wood . . . if you handle it wrong, you've lost a good source of truly seasoned firewood.

 

[Battenkiller]

So I redid one end, criss-crossing the splits, and using my tape measure to get 4 feet of height. I measured 8 feet long, and did another criss-cross. So, now, my stack is nice and rectangulary, to coin a word. But I get only two face cords and about half of another that way. I did the criss-crosses loose, two splits one way, two another. Had I done three each, I would have ended up with even less on that third face cord.

Izzat confusing?

Somewhat. Are you saying you criss-crossed all of the wood, or just the wood at the ends of the rows?

 

[NA3N]

Re the stacking: I just criss-crossed the ends to stabilize the stacks.

I have a moisture meter and a splitter, and I measured a couple of splits on the newly exposed surfaces. If my meter is accurate, those are some nice readings.

The wood certainly "looks" and "feels" dry to me. He gets logs from an area that was clearcut for mining or somesuch. I think maybe a lot of it is standing dead...

It's a mix of oak, wormy chestnut and locust.

I definitely will get three or four more loads from him. As diplomatically as I can, I will let him know he is not selling a cord and a quarter at that price.

Last year I got a real cord of locust from a guy who delivered it in three trips. He stacked it neatly in the bed of the pickup. For some reason, I misplaced his phone number, and I haven't seen his ad on CL. Yes, I found him on CL!

This new guy has his wood out by the road, and I saw it driving by.

Nancy

 

[snowleopard]

Izzat confusing?
Nancy

Not only is it not confusing, I think it will be not-confusing to the seller, who will hopefully feel badly down to his toes about having shorted you.

How is the law worded as to what constitutes a cord?

 

[karl]

Remember a cord is 4x4x8 (128 c/ft) of log length pieces. According to the btu charts on the net, it's actually only 70-90 c/ft of actual wood. When you split and cut a cord, it packs tighter than the log length stuff.

 

[CTYank]

Remember a cord is 4x4x8 (128 c/ft) of log length pieces. According to the btu charts on the net, it's actually only 70-90 c/ft of actual wood. When you split and cut a cord, it packs tighter than the log length stuff.

Nope, it's not so. No such fixed pile dimensions, just the total volume as stacked.

No such specification of "log-length pieces" either, and when split density of stack INCREASES.

There's always gonna be some fuzziness, but shouldn't be so much that it can't be resolved.

 

[NA3N]

Ya, I've been under the impression that a cord is a tightly stacked configuration amounting to 4' high, 4' deep and 8' wide, or the equivalent. Smallish splits are to be included to fill up some of the empty space, I'm thinking.

Nancy

 

[rottiman]

When you checked moisture, did you split a piece and check it or just check what he delivered? The outside bit will definitely be reasonabl dry, its the inside that matters the most.

$174 a cord delivered and stacked? Get all you can. Around here its $200+ a cord dumped in a pile in the middle of your driveway or on your lawn...green.

Same here except it's 240.

 

[karl]

Here's a piece From MN state law Rank means stack so the pieces are parallel.

A cord has a specific legal definition in Minnesota:
• One cord is 128 cubic feet in four foot lengths.
• If the wood is sawed, a cord is 110 cubic feet when
ranked, or 160 cubic feet when thrown loosely into a
truck.
• If the wood is sawed and split, a cord is 120 cubic feet
when ranked, and 175 cubic feet when thrown loosely
into a truck. (Minnesota Statutes, Section 239.33)

 

[Danno77]

Here's a piece From MN state law Rank means stack so the pieces are parallel.

A cord has a specific legal definition in Minnesota:
• One cord is 128 cubic feet in four foot lengths.
• If the wood is sawed, a cord is 110 cubic feet when
ranked, or 160 cubic feet when thrown loosely into a
truck.
• If the wood is sawed and split, a cord is 120 cubic feet
when ranked, and 175 cubic feet when thrown loosely
into a truck. (Minnesota Statutes, Section 239.33)

Two 4x4x5.5(ish) boxes of loosely thrown should do it, then...