WTF?

[ErikR]

When I retired in 2010 we moved north to get away from the cities. The house we bought has a fireplace. For the first year or so I was at the mercy of some local firewood sellers. One load that a guy delivered was supposed to be "ready to burn", but when he backed his trailer into my garage you could smell the kind of vinegary smell of fresh cut oak... Last load from him. I bought a load from some other local guy, but what I got had been loaded into his dump trailer with a tractor or skid-steer. I think I got half a bucket of his yard and driveway with my punky crap wood... Last load from him. Then, there was a guy at the edge of town selling small quantities at a fair price, but it was way too green.
I finally decided that if I wanted good wood, I'd have to get it myself. The woods behind me was full of dead standing bark-less oak. I bought my first saw, maul, and moisture meter, and cut my own.. I think I still have 4 cords stacked in the yard. More than I'll burn in several winters.

 

[Simonkenton]

Buying firewood is dicey. About ten years ago I was injured, saw an ad in the paper for a big Ford pickup load, delivered for $110. I told the guy I didn't want any rot and if he had any rot in it, don't bring it. He assured me there was no rot.
Three big guys show up with the firewood and the stuff is oak, but the outside of most of the sticks is rotten. About 25 percent of the wood, rotten. I said to the guy "You told me there was no rot."

He said "Well you will always get a little rot." I told them to unload it. For one thing, if a fight started I was outnumbered 3 to one. Even worse, you want to watch out who you get into disagreements with, I could have said it straight "You lied to me. Get off my property and take this rotten wood with you" and the guy might have come over at midnight and lit my house on fire. Better to pay $110 for a $75 load of wood, than to get somebody mad at you.

I paid the money and told the guy, "Bye bye." This guy was a lying bs artist

Craigslist same thing. Last year I got a great deal on some free white oak, 30 minute drive, I got 3 Nissan truck loads, zero rot, easy to split. A month later I answered a craigslist ad, I drove 45 minutes to look at a big pile of nasty dirty stumps, and twigs and leaves. This guy knew there was no good firewood there, he was a lying bs artist. I drove away with an empty truck but it didn't cost me anything, except for a 31 mile drive.

Definitely caveat emptor when it comes to buying firewood.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I have only bought wood once or twice, and it was slab wood. You are way ahead by getting a saw and cutting your own, whether it be cutting the trees yourself or buying logs.