# Craigslist....This is Just absurd!



## WoodPorn (Dec 16, 2010)

See below for the usual, it never ceases to amaze me what people will pay for.
I emailed to ask if gold comes with the wood.


http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/grd/2115644509.html


SEASONED FIREWOOD (SOUTH SHORE)

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Date: 2010-12-16, 9:06AM EST
Reply to: sale-5wssn-2115644509@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

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90.00 1/4 cord, 175.00 1/2 cord, 300.00 full cord 

delivery 25.00 

CALL508)562-0887 OR REPLY 


â€¢Location: SOUTH SHORE


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## Kenster (Dec 16, 2010)

Area code 508 is Massachusetts, isn't it.  So, at least half the cost is for taxes.

Seriously though,  is $300 for cord bought in winter that far out of line?  At this time of year it's a seller's market isn't it?  Supply and demand and all that stuff.

I wonder how many days it's been 'seasoned" and exactly what type of wood it is.


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## daveswoodhauler (Dec 16, 2010)

I'm in a rural part of North Central Mass, and here a cord is going for $250-$275 seasoned (cut and split a month ago LOL)
I don't think $300 for Boston is way off base.


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## yooperdave (Dec 16, 2010)

last winter, i used all free wood; gathered, hauled, split etc. by myself. some mornings i was out in the woods at 4:45a.m. in the summers, our dawn comes early.  this year a local logging yard was selling "cullwood" for $45 a full cord, or $450 a truckload.  delivered and unloaded 40ft from my pile.  albiet, the wood was quite large and knarly (california term?) and i only have a spliting maul, but i couldn't pass up the price..3 winters ago, it was being sold for $35 a full cord...full cord=4x4x8.  damn inflation!


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## JustWood (Dec 16, 2010)

I must be a gold digger.
My price for 3-4 year seasoned beech is $350/cord delivered right now.


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## Lumber-Jack (Dec 16, 2010)

A-cord-ingLEE said:
			
		

> I must be a gold digger.
> My price for 3-4 year seasoned beech is $350/cord delivered right now.


I'm shocked  :ahhh:  How can you boast so ShamelessLEE?


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## Dune (Dec 16, 2010)

That price is right in line if not low for the south coast, beleive it or not. Look under firewood in the classified adds. People wouldn't keep running their classified adds if they were not selling.


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## WoodPorn (Dec 16, 2010)

I agree with all of you, I am extremely lucky to have the ability to scrounge and the fortune to find it. But I just think this is highway robbery..I mean it's wood not a commodity.

I know, I know, late in the season, seller's market, blah blah blah. Still out of line to charge so exorbitantly. I'm not saying he/she's a crook or misleading, just waaayyy too expensive!


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## WoodPorn (Dec 16, 2010)

Seller just got back to me w/ a good reply...gotta hand it to him!

"Ya...all the wood has gold flecks throughout it, if you want you can pick them all out and sell them before you burn the wood"


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## woodchip (Dec 16, 2010)

The actual problem is that now is probably the best time to get some new fuel in, any hardwood felled now will have the sap down, and will probably season quite well over next summer and be ok to burn next winter. 

Just my thoughts on a minefield of a subject........  ;-)


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## WoodPorn (Dec 16, 2010)

woodchip said:
			
		

> The actual problem is that now is probably the best time to get some new fuel in, any hardwood felled now will have the sap down, and will probably season quite well over next summer and be ok to burn next winter.
> 
> Just my thoughts on a minefield of a subject........  ;-)



How much do you chaps pay for a cord over there?

Or whatever the metric equivalent is


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## Raptor (Dec 16, 2010)

WoodPorn said:
			
		

> I agree with all of you, I am extremely lucky to have the ability to scrounge and the fortune to find it. But I just think this is highway robbery..I mean it's wood not a commodity.
> 
> I know, I know, late in the season, seller's market, blah blah blah. Still out of line to charge so exorbitantly. I'm not saying he/she's a crook or misleading, just waaayyy too expensive!




I would definitely consider firewood to be a commodity just like any other heating fuel (oil, natural gas, propane, electricity, coal....).  You are not only paying for the physical wood itself, but the labor it requires to find, fell, limb, buck, split and stack the wood.  All that takes proper equipment and time and is hard work.  In purchasing firewood you are covering the cost of the wood, labor, equipment, maintenace, fuel for the equipment and the dreaded profit.  If the seller cannot make a profit he will not do the work to produce the product, after all, he has a family to feed.

Just my 2 cents, but I believe it is a valid opinon.


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## Thistle (Dec 16, 2010)

Raptor said:
			
		

> WoodPorn said:
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I agree. Though I have access to 10 acres of heavily stocked oak/hickory,I still grab wood that's stacked or piled on the curb or roadside thats free for the hauling when I have the time.Not to mention getting free stuff from local CL when I can,whether its still standing & needs cut down or cut/stacked & ready to go.Earlier this summer I grabbed 1 load of  dry siberian elm (almost burned up now),2 loads of decent large silver maple & in September lucked upon 3 loads of unsplit Black Walnut (1/3rd from 14" to 20") just 3 blocks from my house,that came down in a violent storm last Spring.All the smaller stuff will be burned eventually,the larger rounds will be milled into 3"-4" blocks/slabs for woodturning & for sale on Ebay.


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## Lynch (Dec 16, 2010)

i have payed 225 a cord last year cut split delivered, thats as high as i would ever pay tho


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## burntime (Dec 16, 2010)

I have seen it from 225 to 350 in WI.  Thats why I scrounge.


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## woodchip (Dec 16, 2010)

WoodPorn said:
			
		

> How much do you chaps pay for a cord over there?



My local tree surgeon sells half a cord of 9 inch spits for Â£120 delivered, rounds are cheaper at Â£45. 

Plenty of money to save by having your own axe


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## JustWood (Dec 16, 2010)

WoodPorn said:
			
		

> I agree with all of you, I am extremely lucky to have the ability to scrounge and the fortune to find it. But I just think this is highway robbery..I mean it's wood not a commodity.
> 
> I know, I know, late in the season, seller's market, blah blah blah. Still out of line to charge so exorbitantly. I'm not saying he/she's a crook or misleading, just waaayyy too expensive!




What do you do for a living?
What's your annual income?
Whatever the answer is ,,, it's too much and you should take a pay cut! Your costing your company too much money!

I don't know how much time and $ you have invested in education to maintain your career as well as you have no idea how much I have invested in property,equipment,tools and inventory to end up with a fair wage at the end of the year.

I've spent over 40 hours the last 10 days just keeping the 5' of snow we have received cleared at my facility. How do you suppose that was paid for?

Don't like the price don't buy. There's someone somewhere that will.


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## golfandwoodnut (Dec 16, 2010)

I agree with Lee, when I look at the amount of work I put into harvesting a cord of wood, I would go broke trying to make a living off of it at $300 a cord.  It is definetly a commodity, it is fuel.  Now I am not in the business so I will occassionally sell some fine wood for less money to a needy family.


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## crossout (Dec 16, 2010)

lol i have seen $400 a cord was listed here on this site that's crazy!! fuel oil is cheaper then 400 cord of wood crap.... i am getting mine delivered tomorrow for 165 a cord around here goes for 100-180 a cord wished i could brought out the apple wood that they were selling for 180 a cord but got sold too fast!! and some guy a few days ago tried pulled a fast one on me they were all like 10-13 inch long and told him they are supposed to be 16 inch range and told him i don't want it he got mad i mean i am not buying something that's not even a full damn cord.... i got my markings on my walls in the garage along the walls and can hold 1 cord and 2 face cords.... so before they drop the stuff off i tell them pull in the garage and full it up to those lines i have on the wall and hand them the tape measure to prove its 4 ft tall and 8 feet wide per face cord... and i will refuse any thing like i had a few days ago 10 to 13 inch logs.....


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## formula_pilot (Dec 17, 2010)

$225-$275/cord is a typical range here in southern CT. $300 near Boston does not seen out of line to me. 

There is so much labor involved in taking a standing tree and turning it into stacked firewood, I would not sell it for $300/cord, I'd rather burn it, so thats what I do!


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## WoodPorn (Dec 17, 2010)

A-cord-ingLEE said:
			
		

> WoodPorn said:
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Lee, there was no disrespect aimed at anyone, and I don't knock anyone for feeding the family. I'm talking about gouging, I'm not some sh*t bum off the street that has no clue and wants to whine out loud, I am an Electrician and I know first hand what it takes, and what it means to have expenses and overhead. When I set out to do a job, whether It is a busy time of year or not I work at the same rate. There is no inflation because I have several requests to perform work...no gouging...that's my point.


-Respectful-Lee
Brian


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## Danno77 (Dec 17, 2010)

is LP/Propane/Oil/Electricity three times higher in those places, too? How can wood compete if not?


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## JustWood (Dec 17, 2010)

WoodPorn said:
			
		

> A-cord-ingLEE said:
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"Gouging" is a made up term by those who feel entitled.
"Greed" is a term made up by the have nots about the haves.


By the way,,,,,, as long as you're an electrician. I had a mill set up around 05 . All electric. Equipment in place. Just plug and play. No inspection needed due to being off grid, meaning , connected to a genset. Got 4 bids for the job. The highest bid I got first and proceeded to call other contractors using said high bidders spec.
Lowest    $13,500
The 2 middle bids were under $20,000 but I don't remember an exact figure.
Highest     $46,300
You can guess which contractor I went with.
Was the high baller gouging?
No, he was busy and didn't need the work or his estimator forgot to take his Midol.


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## golfandwoodnut (Dec 17, 2010)

Most of us get our wood for free, because it grows on trees and we can harvest it with our labor.  You have no choice with electric, oil or gas, you are not going to harvest that stuff yourself unless you have solar panels.  Now time is another matter.  If you are in business, like I am, and have to bill for your time you soon find you have to bill $60 to $100+ dollars per hour.  You might think that is high but when you realize how much of your time in non billable you realize you have to do it to survive.  

Now if you can cut a cord of wood, move the cord of wood to your splitting area(or split it in the woods), split the cord of wood, stack the cord of wood for 2 years and deliver the cord of wood and restack the cord of wood in less than 3 hours, I say you could make a living out it.  If you can do that on a regular basis then you are probably superman.  Around here we can get a cord of unseasoned wood for $175 a cord, but obviously this is not someones full time job, it is a supplement.  It sounds expensive when you pay more, and I have never had to pay for any, but I can certainly understand it.


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## okotoks guy (Dec 17, 2010)

I know how much it takes for me to process a cord of wood. I happen to enjoy doing it. There
is no way that I could sell what I process and make a profit from the effort. I brought in 10 cord 
of Larch from about 4 hours away in order to make some money to pay for a hydraulic splitter. 
I am charging $650/cord and getting it. Good firewood is VERY hard to come by around Calgary 
and must be brought in from great distance. Even though I am getting $650 for it,I will not do it 
anymore. I can make the same money in less time by working a bit of overtime at work.


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## okotoks guy (Dec 17, 2010)

Oh,and there is no such thing as price gouging when it comes to firewood. The only way that could 
happen, is if the other fuels for heating were not available. Nobody is forced to purchase firewood.
If the price is too high,don't buy it. Just go over to the wall and turn up the thermostat. I get so 
sick and tired of hearing how much firewood costs by people too lazy to process it themselves.
I get at least 1 stupid call every week from some Jackpot wanting me to deliver a cord of premium, 
seasoned firewood for the same cost as what others are selling fresh Poplar for.


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## bjkjoseph (Dec 17, 2010)

around here the tree guys are lucky to find some one to take it off there hands..if not they have to pay to dump it.


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## CALJREICH (Dec 17, 2010)

okotoks guy said:
			
		

> Oh,and there is no such thing as price gouging when it comes to firewood. The only way that could
> happen, is if the other fuels for heating were not available. Nobody is forced to purchase firewood.
> If the price is too high,don't buy it. Just go over to the wall and turn up the thermostat. I get so
> sick and tired of hearing how much firewood costs by people too lazy to process it themselves.
> ...



Don't you think everyone that wants firewood should be entitled to same quality wood you burn. Just because you cut it , hauled it , split it , stacked it and let it season. Why should you reap all the benefits? Thats goofy free market idealogy. 

You shouldn't even want a profit for your labor. You should work for the good of all lazy socialists in this country. Lets give everybody everything.  Lets bash anyone that wants to prosper on their own labor. Shame on you for expecting someone to pay you for your work. Just went to Walmart the other day. Filled up my cart and huh,  strange they wanted me to pay for the items before I left. Bet that happens to you whenever you go to a store for something you need or want. 

If we could just get rid of the free market ideas and embrace socialism more. Everyone could work for the greater good. The government could take all our labors and ration out to all. I get goose gumps all over thinking of how good it would be.  We need to keep bashing the rich. Those pigs. Those big drug companies , they expect to make a profit, they must be evil. The insurance companies are evil too. And so it only stands to reason a man selling wood for a profit must be evil.

The way Americans think anymore is whacked. No one wants to work for free and no one is going to. People that don't want to work want everything handed to them. From healthcare to food stamps and a roof over their heads and cash. Don't wonder why people don't appreciate your labor or costs you have in something.
Most are just dumber then the wood you are selling. And lay around as much.


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## okotoks guy (Dec 17, 2010)

CALJREICH said:
			
		

> okotoks guy said:
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Cal, you my friend are absolutely right. You know what I'm going to do tomorrow? I'm going to get some 
Douglas Fir seeds for a few dollars and start a few hundred trees in some pots in the basement. Then, in the 
spring I am going to transplant those trees outside at the acreage. In about 6-8 years I will cut those Christmas
Trees and sell them for a Dollar each. After all,I only spent a couple bucks on seeds and cut the trees. Now that
I think about it,a dollar might be considered price gouging!

Socialism is completely under rated and misunderstood. There are so many positive examples in the world proving
that it is the way to go I used to look at the guy in the nice house,driving the nice car and think to myself: " There
goes a guy who's done it right; probably has had some good ideas in his life and definitely has a solid work ethic." NOW,
I'm going to look at that same guy and think " Look at that Imperialistic Pig. He represents everything wrong in the World;
why couldn't he just be happy riding a beat up 10 speed and live in a tar paper shack burning fresh cut Poplar for warmth!"


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## woodchip (Dec 17, 2010)

okotoks guy said:
			
		

> You know what I'm going to do tomorrow? I'm going to get some
> Douglas Fir seeds for a few dollars and start a few hundred trees in some pots in the basement. Then, in the
> spring I am going to transplant those trees outside at the acreage. In about 6-8 years I will cut those Christmas
> Trees and sell them for a Dollar each. After all,I only spent a couple bucks on seeds and cut the trees. Now that
> I think about it,a dollar might be considered price gouging!



Quicker and easier than Douglas Fir.............

I grow lettuces every summer, seeds are about a dollar for a thousand, I plant fast and furious, then sell lettuces for about a dollar each from a barrow at the end of my drive. 

All my regular customers think they are cheap


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## CountryBoy19 (Dec 17, 2010)

WoodPorn said:
			
		

> I agree with all of you, I am extremely lucky to have the ability to scrounge and the fortune to find it. But I just think this is highway robbery..I mean it's wood not a commodity.
> 
> I know, I know, late in the season, seller's market, blah blah blah. Still out of line to charge so exorbitantly. I'm not saying he/she's a crook or misleading, just waaayyy too expensive!


It's the free market. Let someone charge whatever they want, and let the customer pay whatever they want. If the seller is charging more than the customer will pay then they won't sell any goods.

Heck, if I sold wood I wouldn't sell it for less than $250/cord. I work hard for my wood. I probably wouldn't sell any at that price around here though because the free-market won't allow it, there are many people charging much less (although I'm not even sure they're selling a full cord).


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## firefighterjake (Dec 17, 2010)

For me wood is never free . . . it may be cheaper to scrounge wood . . . but you still pay for the gas to haul the wood home.

It may be cheaper than buying if you have your own property . . . but you still pay taxes and pay for the gas/oil and equipment to take down the tree, buck up the tree, haul the wood out of the woods, split the wood and then haul it home.

More important than money to me though is time . . . which is why I will not sell wood . . . I've put a lot of time into harvesting this heat/wood and quite honestly since I depend on this wood for heat I would have a hard time parting with any of my wood at almost any price.


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## woodchip (Dec 17, 2010)

My free wood is only free is I ignore the time spent foraging, sawing, and chopping. 

And someone else buys me new sawblades.........


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## Lumber-Jack (Dec 17, 2010)

Actually I had a look at other firewood ads in that craigslist area and found quite a few people selling firewood for very close to $300 or more a cord.
Here's one for $290 a cord http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/grd/2105305482.html
Here's one for $150 a half cord http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/grd/2110387653.html
Here's one for $350 a cord http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/for/2111214798.html

Not sure why you singled out that one ad out as gouging Woodporn?
Perhaps these guys selling at a premium price are the only ones selling truly seasoned wood and they know it, that's why they are asking a little more.


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## WoodPorn (Dec 17, 2010)

No one is being singled out, I just pulled an example of what people are looking at paying / sellers are getting. Call it what you want, I still think the price is outrageous!


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## hareball (Dec 17, 2010)

I burn about 2 cords a month so could not go higher than $200/cord. Anything over that and I'm spending about the same running the oil furnace.


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## Dune (Dec 17, 2010)

What I can't beleive is what electricians charge these days. You would think they were licensed and insured or something. Or that they had more than a 5 gallon bucket of tools invested. How dare they charge enough to cover expenses? Who are they to think they deserve a profit?  Why do they drive trucks to jobs? Don't they know a yugo uses less gas than an f-350? Plus whats with those clothes they wear? They don't look like the clothes the homeless guys are wearing. I'm even willing to bet electricians eat food! If they weren't greedy food eaters they could do my wiring for free, like I deserve. I wonder if Obama knows about this.


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## Thistle (Dec 17, 2010)

:lol: Right on Dune.


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## daveswoodhauler (Dec 17, 2010)

Dune said:
			
		

> What I can't beleive is what electricians charge these days. You would think they were licensed and insured or something. Or that they had more than a 5 gallon bucket of tools invested. How dare they charge enough to cover expenses? Who are they to think they deserve a profit?  Why do they drive trucks to jobs? Don't they know a yugo uses less gas than an f-350? Plus whats with those clothes they wear? They don't look like the clothes the homeless guys are wearing. I'm even willing to bet electricians eat food! If they weren't greedy food eaters they could do my wiring for free, like I deserve. I wonder if Obama knows about this.



Thanks for the chuckle Dune.


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## Lumber-Jack (Dec 17, 2010)

WoodPorn said:
			
		

> No one is being singled out, I just pulled an example of what people are looking at paying / sellers are getting. Call it what you want, I still think the price is outrageous!


Outrageous!  Hmmm?
You know, half of me agrees with you, I wouldn't pay more than $75 a cord, in fact I'd have a hard look at it before I paid that, but that is because I enjoy getting my own wood so much. I only get to do it a few times a year, and it gets me and my boys out in the woods together doing something constructive, and of course we really enjoy the wood heat in the house.
On the other hand, the other half of me knows the time and work involved, and if I was to trying to replace my current income (contractor) with a firewood business and make the same income I would have to charge between $500 and $900 a cord I recon. That's based on the time and labor involved in the method I currently get my firewood compared directly to the time and labor involved in running my business.
So you see, it's kind of hard for me to throw stones at people trying to feed their families on $300 a cord.
Frankly the dollars and cents end of heating with wood is the reason there is such a small portion of people doing it. As Hareball brought out, once the price of wood gets so high it's makes more economic sense to heat with oil, or gas , or electricity. That is if you have to buy wood that is.
Now that doesn't take in those well to do people who may have a wood stove or fireplace in their luxury homes who just want to sit in front of a fire once in a while for ambiance. People like that don't really mind paying a little more for premium wood. They aren't heating with wood, so the cost ratio doesn't enter into it, they just want to watch the fire.


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## Danno77 (Dec 17, 2010)

I'm sure electricians are all worth what they charge. I wouldn't know, because I haven't had an electrical job that I couldn't do on my own yet. I'm not licensed either, but I do have home-owners insurance.

When the time comes to do something that I need an electrician for, I'll be glad they are there. Besides, the electricians I see around here DO dress like they are homeless.


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## billb3 (Dec 17, 2010)

if you think the price of firewood is outrageous you probably don't want to read the  real estate for sale section ....


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## Jags (Dec 17, 2010)

Shame on you LEE.  Processing wood, then properly seasoning it - with the guts to call it "properly seasoned firewood".  Selling your wares at the peak of demand AND trying to make a profit.  Scrooge.  :lol: 


If I was selling wood that I processed - no one could afford it.


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## Dune (Dec 17, 2010)

Danno77 said:
			
		

> I'm sure electricians are all worth what they charge. I wouldn't know, because I haven't had an electrical job that I couldn't do on my own yet. I'm not licensed either, but I do have home-owners insurance.
> 
> When the time comes to do something that I need an electrician for, I'll be glad they are there. Besides, the electricians I see around here DO dress like they are homeless.



I am sure that firewood is worth what they charge. I know how long it takes me to put together a cord of oak, and I am NOT selling any firewood, even pine for $300. I might consider selling it for 6-800 but it would probably be more profitable to work at a retail store instead. Bought a commercial chainsaw lately? 

This whole thread should go to the ash-can, it is that rediculous.


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## Battenkiller (Dec 17, 2010)

woodchip said:
			
		

> The actual problem is that now is probably the best time to get some new fuel in, any hardwood felled now will have the sap down.



I used to believe that many years ago, but my botany professor convinced me it just ain't so.  

Seasonal moisture content is trees in general varies by 2% MC or less throughout the year.  There is more sap _movement_ during the warm season, but not more total sap.  Just where would the sap go to anyway?  The tree is somewhat of a closed system, and the only way for sap to go downward and out of the tree would be for it to pass through the tiny root hairs at the very ends of the roots.  That would take a very, very long time.


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## krex1010 (Dec 17, 2010)

I don't think $325 for a full cord of seasoned firewood in December is out o line.  As long as he is giving you what he is advertising he can charge whatever he wants.   Would I buy it? Heck no, but if the guy can get people to pay that then who are we to argue with him, if it's more than you want to pay then  don't buy it.  I doubt the guy is getting rich selling wood.  I have seen lots of ridiculous ads on craigslist for firewood, I get a kick out of the ones where people are trying to sell a downed tree, or even a live tree as firewood, but this is not one of them.  Processing firewood is alot of work, personally I wouldn't sell a cord of my wood for $325, I think my time, sweat, and sore muscles are worth more than that. And I don't expect an honest firewood guy to give up his wood for one penny less than he thinks it is worth.  Honestly to all he people here that beech and moan about the price of firewood,  if it was you selling the wood, how much would you want to be paid for a cord of firewood? My guess is your tune would change then.


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## WoodPorn (Dec 17, 2010)

Dune said:
			
		

> What I can't beleive is what electricians charge these days. You would think they were licensed and insured or something. Or that they had more than a 5 gallon bucket of tools invested. How dare they charge enough to cover expenses? Who are they to think they deserve a profit?  Why do they drive trucks to jobs? Don't they know a yugo uses less gas than an f-350? Plus whats with those clothes they wear? They don't look like the clothes the homeless guys are wearing. I'm even willing to bet electricians eat food! If they weren't greedy food eaters they could do my wiring for free, like I deserve. I wonder if Obama knows about this.



I can't say I know where you're going with this.


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## Jags (Dec 17, 2010)

WoodPorn said:
			
		

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Humor, I sense.


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## Dune (Dec 17, 2010)

WoodPorn said:
			
		

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Thats obvious. If you want another clue look at post# 43


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## bboulier (Dec 18, 2010)

There is no "right" price for wood.  The price is determined by whatever buyers are willing to pay and sellers are willing to accept.  Where wood is scarce, wage rates are high, and lots of folks want to burn wood, the price of a cord will be high.  Where wood is abundant (easy for the taking), the wage rate of potential wood providers is low, and temperatures are warm, so that there are few folks with fireplaces, the price will be low.  That doesn't mean that there will be no variation in prices in a given location.  Sometimes buyers are ill-informed and pay a higher price than would have been necessary, and sometimes sellers are clueless and get less than they might have.  My advice is to take advantage of these opportunities when you find them.   With respect to felling/splitting/collecting your own wood,  you have to take into account the effort, but also the enjoyment from these activities.  If your hourly wage rate were very high, it would be cheaper for you to buy wood, but the fun of collecting your own wood more than compensates for the extra cost.


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## PJF1313 (Dec 18, 2010)

Dune said:
			
		

> What I can't beleive is what electricians charge these days. You would think they were licensed and insured or something. Or that they had more than a 5 gallon bucket of tools invested. How dare they charge enough to cover expenses? Who are they to think they deserve a profit?  Why do they drive trucks to jobs? Don't they know a yugo uses less gas than an f-350? Plus whats with those clothes they wear? They don't look like the clothes the homeless guys are wearing. I'm even willing to bet electricians eat food! If they weren't greedy food eaters they could do my wiring for free, like I deserve. I wonder if Obama knows about this.


W

  Aren't they all a bunch of over-paid schmucks?!  

   Heck, I can use this H.D. 14ga for my oven/cloths dryer can't I !  That $5 breaker 'ill save my house when it fails to trip!  (Think F.P.E. )  Hey, I got this magic stick that tells me that the power is on or off, (but it has dead batteries!) I won't be kicked across the room when I hit the hot and the box...

Everybody has to make a living.  You have to pay for their tools, what ever the trade/service, transportation of said service (either a coil of cable or a cord of wood), upkeep/maintenance of said transportation and tools, and maybe a little to live off of - food, shelter, clothing....


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## bboulier (Dec 18, 2010)

I can't help but adding that there is no right price for electricians either. There is a cost of acquiring skills to become an electrician (schooling, apprenticeships, etc.) and the cost of equipment.  Only if the hourly wage were high enough would people be willing to undertake these investments.  The question one has to decide is:  given what electricians cost, should I do that job myself?  That will vary with the nature of the task and the skills of the potential buyer.  I would never hire an electrician to change a light bulb (given what I would have to pay).  When I was younger and poorer, there were some wiring tasks that I did then, that I do not do now (or at least my wife is reluctant to have me do now).  However, there are some jobs that I would be crazy to do myself (e.g., installing an electrical panel) given my skills and the potential for harm if the job were done incorrectly.  Like the price of wood, there will typically be variation in prices of electricians in a given location.  Some price differences are due to productivity differences of the electricians - some are more skilled or more experienced than others.  Other variations are more or less random around the local average.  My advice is to talk to your neighbors/friends to search out quality and get a sample of bids.


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## Dune (Dec 18, 2010)

I charge rediculous money when I work. Anyone who doesn't like it doesn't hire me.  It's that simple. My post about electricians was ironic, meant to point out the futility of the concept of wood prices being too high. If it is too high, don't buy it. Who is the O.P. to judge that someone else is charging too much? Really, where do you get off? What would be a fair hourly rate for a wood chopper? Should it be enough that they can live in a house and raise a family, or should they have to live in a tent, and eat pinecones so they are not gouging? By the way, I need some wiring done, but I didn't plan ahead enough, so you will need to be here sunday, starting at midnight, till 6:30 am, but make sure you charge me the same as if I called you a year ago, before the sheetrock and insulation was in the way. Otherwise, I am going to think you are gouging me. Then I will go on a well read forum and tell everyone how you are gouging. Even if 30 other people disagree, and point out the falacy of my argument, I will just dig in my heels and say "gouging". I will not really care whether that may hurt your business prospects, since it is more important to be right.


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## bjkjoseph (Dec 18, 2010)

average workers salaries have gone down in the last 30 years..that translates to lower prices across the board...except the salaries of ceo's and shareholders....those dam socialist..


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## golfandwoodnut (Dec 18, 2010)

woodporn, do you ever process wood yourself?  what is your time worth? what would you sell it for?


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## WoodPorn (Dec 20, 2010)

Dune said:
			
		

> I charge rediculous money when I work. Anyone who doesn't like it doesn't hire me. It's that simple. My post about electricians was ironic, meant to point out the futility of the concept of wood prices being too high. If it is too high, don't buy it. Who is the O.P. to judge that someone else is charging too much? Really, where do you get off? What would be a fair hourly rate for a wood chopper? Should it be enough that they can live in a house and raise a family, or should they have to live in a tent, and eat pinecones so they are not gouging? By the way, I need some wiring done, but I didn't plan ahead enough, so you will need to be here sunday, starting at midnight, till 6:30 am, but make sure you charge me the same as if I called you a year ago, before the sheetrock and insulation was in the way. Otherwise, I am going to think you are gouging me. *Then I will go on a well read forum and tell everyone how you are gouging.* Even if 30 other people disagree, and point out the falacy of my argument, I will just dig in my heels and say "gouging".* I will not really care whether that may hurt your business prospects, since it is more important to be right*.



Why are you taking such offence to an opinion??

I think you (possibly several of you) may be for getting about how the tree/logs make it to the sellers hands, -tree service gets called, charges big$$ to drop a tree (as they should), it is brought to their yard where it is processed by someone @ 15$ p/hour, then sell it for $300 p/cord. payday x 2 nobody is starving

Now, this obviously is not the case for every seller so.....

What do you do for a living Dune? I mean beside trying to split the atom at home. You don't know me, or anything about me, don't pretend like you do. If you don't like the fact that I think $300 for a cord of wood that might be dry... and might be a full cord (not likely on either account), then make sure you unsubscribe from this thread! 

P.S. I never said word one about being right, or anyone else wrong.. it is an OPINION


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## WoodPorn (Dec 20, 2010)

GolfandWoodNut said:
			
		

> woodporn, do you ever process wood yourself?  what is your time worth? what would you sell it for?



Yes I do, I generally process between 5-9 cord per year. I don't sell it however I do supply friends in need of wood. 

I wouldn't by any means charge $325 for a delivered cord of wood.

Again folks -just my opinion


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## krex1010 (Dec 20, 2010)

WoodPorn said:
			
		

> GolfandWoodNut said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think when alot of people look at firewood prices and get upset they are really missing the point.  The point is this: people sell firewood for one singular reason.  That reason is not because they enjoy splitting wood, loading it into a truck and delivering it, it's not because they enjoy knowing that the wood they split is heating someones home, and it certainly isn't so they can be known as the guy who has cheap firewood. Nope, the one reason people sell firewood, or any other commodity, is to MAKE MONEY.  The fact that he wouldn't starve and would still make money if he charged less is besides the point.  Woodporn; I don't know what you do for a living but I will assume you work for someone. What if your boss said he was going to cut tour pay by15% and he thinks you should be ok with that because you won't starve.  Would you be ok with that? I am guessing you wouldn't because if he could afford to pay you what you were making then why should you accept less.  Now let's say you make a decent salary at your job and your boss tells you he is going to give you a raise for doing the same job you have been doing, would you decline the raise because you and your family were doing ok at your previous salary? I'm thinking you will take the money because it will benefit you and your family, right? If enough people can afford
To pay $325 a cord then why should he sell it for less?


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## Dune (Dec 20, 2010)

WoodPorn said:
			
		

> Dune said:
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Certainly Sir. I will unsubscribe from your thread. Sorry my opinion is so different from yours.  

I gave up trying to split atoms when I realized my backyard is too small. Did recently invent a new heat cycle engine though. Runs on firewood. http://www.scienceforums.net/topic/52348-hot-air-turbine-prime-mover/


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 20, 2010)

shamelessLEE said:
			
		

> I must be a gold digger.
> My price for 3-4 year seasoned beech is $350/cord delivered right now.



I would absolutely cough up $350 for 3-4-year seasoned beech and consider myself lucky.   That stuff is like gold.  Or heating oil...


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 20, 2010)

Battenkiller said:
			
		

> woodchip said:
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Thank you, once again, Battenkiller.  One more thing I don't have to worry about.  I'd been scratching my head wondering whether it was worth trying to get somebody to cut wood for me and have it dumped in a pile of snow and then get buried by snow.  Now I know it's totally not.

Seems there's just as much myth in this wood business as there is in, say, cooking or flower gardening.  I hate that.  Thanks for providing the actual facts.


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## Dune (Dec 20, 2010)

gyrfalcon said:
			
		

> Battenkiller said:
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So is it 2% drier in the winter? Even a small advantage is worth taking.


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## CTYank (Dec 20, 2010)

WoodPorn said:
			
		

> GolfandWoodNut said:
> 
> 
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Nobody should get their knickers in a twist here, not about mere opinion. There are many much more important things to get worked up about- like climate-change deniers, or fracking the Marcellus shale all over the place and gasifying peoples' water.

If I wanted to advertise super-extra-primo apple, sugar maple, and black locust cut to 8" for $1000/cord, who's got a problem with that? Step right up.

You might think the price idiotic, rapacious, whatever. I don't really care; it's that valuable to me, and I wouldn't sell it anyway. (I do give longer splits away.)

Wood-sellers are not regulated utilities. They are participants in an open market. You ask, haggle, transact or move on. Without defamatory or libelious actions.

The good news is that this price may help to confirm the value you put on scrounging wood. Accentuate the positive.


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## bjkjoseph (Dec 21, 2010)

do any of you wood sellers hire people or do it yourself,if not..what do you pay your help...my guess, as little as possible..so if a guy shows up for a job,and wants fifty bucks an hour,you would slam the door in his face.


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## North of 60 (Dec 21, 2010)

Dune said:
			
		

> I charge rediculous money when I work. Anyone who doesn't like it doesn't hire me. It's that simple. My post about electricians was ironic, meant to point out the futility of the concept of wood prices being too high. If it is too high, don't buy it. Who is the O.P. to judge that someone else is charging too much? Really, where do you get off? What would be a fair hourly rate for a wood chopper? Should it be enough that they can live in a house and raise a family, or should they have to live in a tent, and eat pinecones so they are not gouging? By the way, I need some wiring done, but I didn't plan ahead enough, so you will need to be here sunday, starting at midnight, till 6:30 am, but make sure you charge me the same as if I called you a year ago, before the sheetrock and insulation was in the way. Otherwise, I am going to think you are gouging me. Then I will go on a well read forum and tell everyone how you are gouging. Even if 30 other people disagree, and point out the falacy of my argument, I will just dig in my heels and say "gouging". I will not really care whether that may hurt your business prospects, since it is more important to be right.




Dune, I very much like the way you are able to travel both sides of the street and understand it is not one way. Great analogy.
+1 for hitting the nail on the head.
You must have a great Mom. ;-) 
Cheers.


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## okotoks guy (Dec 21, 2010)

bjkjoseph said:
			
		

> do any of you wood sellers hire people or do it yourself,if not..what do you pay your help...my guess, as little as possible..so if a guy shows up for a job,and wants fifty bucks an hour,you would slam the door in his face.



I do all the work myself, I can't afford to hire anybody.

I also do not go around to peoples' homes trying to peddle wood. I advertise my product and my price.
If I did need to hire somebody and I looked at a resume and the fella wanted $50 an hour I would just
disregard it. I would not have the guy come to my place so that I could " Slam the Door in his face " I 
believe it is similar to my wood price being advertised; if people don't like the deal they can disregard my
ad. Nobody is being forced to buy my wood and nobody is forced to pay a guy $50/hour.


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