# Got my FIRST wood delivery..... BUT....



## HearthKB (Aug 21, 2008)

Well I received my first wood delivery of 2 cords today!  BUT.... I'm really not sure if its seasoned as long as my dealer said it was.  :-(  Isn't the wood supposed to be greyish is color?  I would say maybe half the pile seems greyish in color and dry and the rest looks like its been cut about 4 months ago.  I'm afraid to by a moisture meter to see what the actual readings are.  It will probably make me sick to my stomach.  

I'm a total newbie at this so I probably got screwed.  I paid $190 per cord which was a little higher than some other quotes I received but I went with this dealer because he seemed like an honest guy on the phone.  Told me that this is the wood he is burning and his parents are burning this year.  Plus, I told him I bought a Woodstock Fireview and it holds pieces up to 18" in length.  He said no problem, I'll have my guys pick out smaller pieces for you.  Well.... I found some pieces that are 21" or more!!  Guess I have to break out the miter saw.

Here are a few pics of my wood.  Can you tell if its any good by looking at the pictures?


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## cmonSTART (Aug 21, 2008)

Get it stacked where it gets plenty of sun and wind.  You'll probably be fine.  Do the ends of the wood show some small cracks?  Does the wood make a hollow sound when knocked on, or does it make a dull thud?  

"Seasoned" can have different meanings to different people.  Get it stacked.  You'll probably be fine.


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## Jerry_NJ (Aug 21, 2008)

Wood looks good, quantity doesn't look like two cords (256 Cubic Feet) to me. Hard to tell until you get it stacked, that's how a cord is measured, volume of neatly stacked wood.  The $190 a cord would be low price around here in NJ.


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## RedRanger (Aug 21, 2008)

If it`s softwood, there is hope for you this year..   However, if it is hardwood, oh, oh, so sad, that will be for 2009-2010.  tsk, tsk.


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## johnnywarm (Aug 21, 2008)

get it stacked.it dont look like the two cord pile i have in back.


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## woodconvert (Aug 21, 2008)

I can't tell from your pics if that's on pile or multiples....but that aint two cords. That "maybe" two face cords if you stack it loose.


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## 8nrider (Aug 21, 2008)

from past threads i have read recently i think you need to get a bottle of wine and pour your self a glass.


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## iceman (Aug 21, 2008)

doesn' t look like 2 cds but you need to stack it 
if 2cds split it smaller will season better
if not 2cds call back complain  when he brings you more split that real small then split the rest


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## HearthKB (Aug 21, 2008)

When I first got home and looked at the pile, I said to myself that it does not look like two cords either.  BUT... I did stack one face cord tonight and it looks like there is probably three more in that pile.  

This is all hardwoods.  The ends are grey and split on most pieces but quit a few looked like they were freshly cut!  I knocked them together and it does sound like a baseball bat.  But others have a thump sound which indicates that its still wet.  

Oh well.... You live and learn.  That's why I only ordered two cords from him.  I plan on purchasing two more cords from two different dealers.  Hopefully I can stumble upon someone honest!  I doubt it though.


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## Jerry_NJ (Aug 21, 2008)

Well then the question is what do you consider a "face cord".  If it is 18" x 8' x 4', four of these do not make two cords.   Here I assume the wood length isn't 2'.  Now if your agreement with the wood guy was that 18" cut length in a stack 8 feet wide and 4 feet high is a face (1/2) cord, then that's that.  But, again that aint a cords, 128 cubic feet.

To my eye the wood looks seasoned, but I agree it shouldn't "thump" ... that is either green to so seasoned it is rotten.


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## HearthKB (Aug 21, 2008)

Jerry_NJ said:
			
		

> Well then the question is what do you consider a "face cord".  If it is 18" x 8' x 4', four of these do not make two cords.   Here I assume the wood length isn't 2'.  Now if your agreement with the wood guy was that 18" cut length in a stack 8 feet wide and 4 feet high is a face (1/2) cord, then that's that.  But, again that aint a cords, 128 cubic feet.
> 
> To my eye the wood looks seasoned, but I agree it shouldn't "thump" ... that is either green to so seasoned it is rotten.



See.... told you I was a newbie!! I thought4 face cords equal 2 full cords.  All I know is that we agreed on delivery of 2 full cords that were supposed to be cut 18" or less.  But... I found many that are well over 18".  You can see from the pictures how the sizes vary.  

I really wanted this whole process to go smoothly.  Dishonest people should not do business.  I'm going to try getting this stacked by Sunday. I'll take some measurements and post them on here.  You guys can then tell me if I need to call the dealer back and complain.


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## Jerry_NJ (Aug 21, 2008)

At $190 a cord, I'd accept less than 128 cubic feet per cord, but not a lot less.

The "face cord" game is just that.  It isn't defined other than my agreement.  A "Cord" is defined and it is 128 cubic feet when neatly stacked, doesn't matter what the length is.  Of course if the length varies much it will be difficult to measure.  I generally give the wood guy the benefit of the doubt, i.e., if we agree on 18" length, the maximum my Insert can handle, and some of the pieces are closer to 16" say, I just stack and call the row's depth to be 18".  

My last delivery was $175 for two pick-up loads.  Both the wood guy and I guessed the pick up load (a Ford F250 standard bed) was more like 0.4 cords each.  That's about what I got when stacked, so at $175 for 0.8 cords I paid close to $220 per (full) cord.  That's a competitive price in these parts.


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## gibson (Aug 21, 2008)

I would be more concerned about the quantity.  I recently had two cords delivered and my pile seems bigger.  If it is significantly short, call him back...it can't hurt.  As far as seasoning, it has been a wet summer so take that into account.  Stack it off of the ground ASAP, covering the top.  You still have 2 to 2-1/2 months before you'll be burning for real.


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## Backroads (Aug 21, 2008)

If you only get 4 face you got really shorted!!  I personally would definately speak up.  Hope it all works out for you.


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## gyrfalcon (Aug 21, 2008)

HearthKB said:
			
		

> Well I received my first wood delivery of 2 cords today!  BUT.... I'm really not sure if its seasoned as long as my dealer said it was.  :-(  Isn't the wood supposed to be greyish is color?  I would say maybe half the pile seems greyish in color and dry and the rest looks like its been cut about 4 months ago.  I'm afraid to by a moisture meter to see what the actual readings are.  It will probably make me sick to my stomach.
> 
> I'm a total newbie at this so I probably got screwed.  I paid $190 per cord which was a little higher than some other quotes I received but I went with this dealer because he seemed like an honest guy on the phone.  Told me that this is the wood he is burning and his parents are burning this year.  Plus, I told him I bought a Woodstock Fireview and it holds pieces up to 18" in length.  He said no problem, I'll have my guys pick out smaller pieces for you.  Well.... I found some pieces that are 21" or more!!  Guess I have to break out the miter saw.



Always ask how it was seasoned. Sounds like possibly yours was "seasoned" by being dumped in a big pile.  So the stuff that was on top is actually pretty good, the stuff that was in the middle not so much.  Been there myself, done that.

Almost NOBODY "seasons" wood by splitting and stacking it, so it's always a misnomer.  If they really do, you're going to pay a lot more for it, and it wouldn't be available this time of year anyway.

Strong word of advice-- first find another supplier because there's no way that's 2 full cords of wood.  But get anoher couple cords, at least, in NOW to stack and season on your own property for next year.  Buying CDS "seasoned" wood is pretty much a fool's game, IMHO, and I say that as a full-fledged former fool.

He and his parents probably have big old cast-iron monster stoves, which will burn dirt, so to them, it's plenty seasoned.  At least that's the way it generally goes around here.  But EPA stoves are more finicky.


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## aandabooks (Aug 21, 2008)

At 18", you need 6 face cords to equal 2 cords.  I would say you have somewhere in the neighborhood of 1 1/3 cords there.  Get a couple of 4' pallets and lay them sideways and then stack three rows on them.  Maybe use the side of the garage to hold oneside and some temporary stakes for the other.  When you get all three rows to 4', you have a cord.  Then see how much wood you have left on the ground.


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## flyingcow (Aug 21, 2008)

In case he tells you bought 2 cords by weight- I used to consider 5,000lbs+/- per cord. Also if you have xtra room to stack, seperate your seasoned from your green. Or put your green in behind you seasoned.


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## JustWood (Aug 21, 2008)

aandabooks said:
			
		

> At 18", you need 6 face cords to equal 2 cords.  I would say you have somewhere in the neighborhood of 1 1/3 cords there.  Get a couple of 4' pallets and lay them sideways and then stack three rows on them.  Maybe use the side of the garage to hold oneside and some temporary stakes for the other.  When you get all three rows to 4', you have a cord.  Then see how much wood you have left on the ground.




16"


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## HearthKB (Aug 21, 2008)

aandabooks said:
			
		

> At 18", you need 6 face cords to equal 2 cords.  I would say you have somewhere in the neighborhood of 1 1/3 cords there.  Get a couple of 4' pallets and lay them sideways and then stack three rows on them.  Maybe use the side of the garage to hold oneside and some temporary stakes for the other.  When you get all three rows to 4', you have a cord.  Then see how much wood you have left on the ground.



Actually... that is what I planned on doing tonight and tomorrow.  I have pallets on the side of my shed already laid out.  I'll let you guys know what I come up with.

This whole ordeal has got me so aggravated.  The wife says don't worry about it but that's just not me.  I don't like when people take advantage of my inexperience and that's exactly what this guy did.

If it is really short, how do I approach my dealer?  Pissed off?  Make accusations? Or just say I think you made a mistake on the amount of wood that was supposed to be delivered?  I think the last one is most appropriate. ;-)


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## johnnywarm (Aug 21, 2008)

the last one. good luck.


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## pinewoodburner (Aug 21, 2008)

18" 5.33 face cords to equal 2 full cords
16" 6 face cords to equal 2 full cords
Some firewood dealers cut the tree and let the rounds sit for 6 months to a year then split and sell it as seasoned wood. Most times it was not split then seasoned. If he is a little short, I don't know if I would push it. If you only get like 1.3 cords, call him and tell him you stacked it and the numbers are not working out for the two cords you paid for. Tell him he can come look at it.

Go on and start getting your wood for next year. It is good to be ahead and then if you buy your wood, you can pay less and get the green wood since it will sit for 2 years.


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## Adios Pantalones (Aug 21, 2008)

It's easy to remember - a face cord is 2 @$$ cord.  You need at least a frinkle to get you through the winter.


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## smokinj (Aug 21, 2008)

Jerry_NJ said:
			
		

> Wood looks good, quantity doesn't look like two cords (256 Cubic Feet) to me. Hard to tell until you get it stacked, that's how a cord is measured, volume of neatly stacked wood.  The $190 a cord would be low price around here in NJ.


that cant be 2 cords iam with you on that


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## Jay777 (Aug 21, 2008)

aandabooks said:
			
		

> At 18", you need 6 face cords to equal 2 cords.


16", that's 2 cords.  18", where some of the splits are actually longer, and you're probably looking at 5 face cords = 2 cords.

I wonder if the guy normally delivers 24" wood or something.  I thought 16-18" was a pretty standard length.

Anyway, once you stack it, measure it out exactly.  You'll have stacks that are 8' x 3.7' x 3' or whatever it is.  Then you'll know your total volume.  It should be 256 cuft.  If it's above 240 cuft, complaining won't really get you anything.  Hard to know from the pictures, especially since it's hard to tell if those are three separate piles, or multiple pictures of one pile 

I doubt the guy was intentionally screwing you.  "Seasoned" wood usually isn't seasoned more than 6 months anyway, unless the seller is being *very* specific about when it was split.


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## Jags (Aug 21, 2008)

I wouldn't get wound too tight over this....yet.
Process:  Billy Bob goes to big-ol-pile of wood.  The stuff on top that has seen sunlight is grey in color, the stuff just under the surface is not, but still "seasoned", at least to the degree of piled wood.
Billy Bob starts loading truck.  Truck gets full.  Billy Bob drives to customer and dumps.  Billy Bob grunts "hunert and niny dollars".

If you stack this up and find that you have been shorted by any "sizeable" amount, simply call Billy Bob up and kindly relay the info that the dumped amount was short by xxx amount.  "Could you please bring the balance when you are in the neighbor hood next?"

He is owed the ability to make things right.  Now...if he doesn't make things right.....thats a different approach.


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## carpniels (Aug 21, 2008)

HI HearthKB,

You are in LI right? Check the pennysaver. Lots of tree service companies will give you wood for free. My BIL is in that business and I have seen many ads where they just need a place to dump without paying. And you have the tools to cut, split and stack. 

Then you always know what you have, how long it has been stacked, the perfect size and know when you will run out.

Carpniels


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## HearthKB (Aug 21, 2008)

carpniels said:
			
		

> HI HearthKB,
> 
> You are in LI right? Check the pennysaver. Lots of tree service companies will give you wood for free. My BIL is in that business and I have seen many ads where they just need a place to dump without paying. And you have the tools to cut, split and stack.
> 
> ...



This is what I plan on doing for years to come but I need wood to burn this year.


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## HearthKB (Aug 21, 2008)

Jags said:
			
		

> I wouldn't get wound too tight over this....yet.
> Process:  Billy Bob goes to big-ol-pile of wood.  The stuff on top that has seen sunlight is grey in color, the stuff just under the surface is not, but still "seasoned", at least to the degree of piled wood.
> Billy Bob starts loading truck.  Truck gets full.  Billy Bob drives to customer and dumps.  Billy Bob grunts "hunert and niny dollars".
> 
> ...



Jags.....  NOW THAT'S HILARIOUS!  and So True


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## savageactor7 (Aug 21, 2008)

The wood looks good from here...is it light to the heft? As wood gets seasoned it also get lighter and when you bang 2 pieces together you'll notice a nice clear sound ...not a thud.


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## HearthKB (Aug 21, 2008)

savageactor7 said:
			
		

> The wood looks good from here...is it light to the heft? As wood gets seasoned it also get lighter and when you bang 2 pieces together you'll notice a nice clear sound ...not a thud.



Well.... The piece sizes vary so much, from smaller than quarter round to half rounds.  The quarter rounds do sound like a bowling pin when knocking them together.  The larger piece are a little hard to bang together because of their weight.  I did manage to bang a few together and it was definitely a thud but it might be because the pieces were so large.  I might have to go through the pile and split those before stacking.


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## savageactor7 (Aug 21, 2008)

A bowling pin sound is good. btw if you split by hand check this out. With our new EPA stove we use smaller splits now too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_olacH1hlWg


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## WOODBUTCHER (Aug 21, 2008)

HearthKB said:
			
		

> savageactor7 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




By looking at the pictures I see some red oak in there, split a few pieces.......you'll be able to tell if its seasoned......for the oak there should'nt be a stong smell and or dark color on the inside. Sperate the stuff up and split any large "questionable pieces" (especially the oak with bark attached)  Get to know your species......in a pinch I've weeded out Ash/red maple and birch to get me by. Its hard to tell from the pics if your load is true.......goodluck this year......start buying for next year.


WoodButcher


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## WOODBUTCHER (Aug 21, 2008)

8nrider said:
			
		

> from past threads i have read recently i think you need to get a bottle of wine and pour your self a glass.



Yes here it is.......we have all been in this guys shoes at some point......people here will corrupt him into a true "wood junkie"

BeGreen - 19 August 2008 12:43 PM
My tools are old, though more sophisticated and expensive, I use my body. (It takes a lot of wine and patient aging to get this technique down). I knock on the ends of the splits in the stack. Wet wood tends to thud, dry wood will give a nice tone, like a marimba. Then I feel the wood by weight, look at it for good checking on the ends, split it, feel for the coolness of moisture by pressing it against my face. If it is dry, the split face will feel no cooler than the unsplit one. Then pour a glass of wine and start the fire and observe. If it’s sizzling on the ends, recalibrate the tester. If it’s burning well, reward the tester. 

WOODBUTCHER - 19 August 2008 01:03 PM
I must admit that I’ve used the cheek on my face a few times like BaGreen.....smelling the wood also helps........like with birch/hickory......oak is easy to tell. 

got wood? - 19 August 2008 03:09 PM
oh good...I’m not the only one who sniffs their wood!


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## HearthKB (Aug 22, 2008)

OK guys and gals..... I stacked some more wood tonight but had to stop because my wheel barrow got a flat.  Geez... What else will go wrong!!  Anyway,  this is DEFINITELY NOT 2 full cords of wood.   As you can see from the pictures below I only got a little over two face cords and don't have that much left!  

So what I have to do now is get the tire repaired and finish stacking this wood.  Then I'll call the dealer and tell him to come down and measure it himself.  He can't deny the fact that its VERY short.  Hopefully he's not a jerk and agrees to make up the difference.  

*This pile is 11' in length and about 5' high.  Piece range from 15" to 20".*






*This is a regular face cord rack that I stacked.*





*and... This is what's left of the pile!! Not much there. :-(*





*Here is a picture of some UNseasoned wood that was in the pile.  Found quit a few of these.*


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## BrotherBart (Aug 22, 2008)

The sooner everybody starts ordering "dry" wood instead of "seasoned" wood the better. Lot easier to define dry than seasoned. Stuff can season for four years in a bathtub full of water.


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## Jerry_NJ (Aug 22, 2008)

11x5x1.5 is 82.5 cubic feet, less than one cord.  I'd complain, and for sure would give the guy no future business.   So if there's a bit more yet to stack, you may approach one cord, or $380 per cord real cost.

Again, I'd not expect to get a full cord of hardwood, even green, in NJ for $190.


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## HearthKB (Aug 22, 2008)

Jerry_NJ said:
			
		

> 11x5x1.5 is 82.5 cubic feet, less than one cord.  I'd complain, and for sure would give the guy no future business.   So if there's a bit more yet to stack, you may approach one cord, or $380 per cord real cost.
> 
> Again, I'd not expect to get a full cord of hardwood, even green, in NJ for $190.



You didn't add the other face cord that I stacked.  You can see it in the picture. Even with the face cord added, its still WAY short!


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## kalevi (Aug 22, 2008)

My wood guy brings me 6 face cords (16" average length) and it is a huge pile on my driveway. It takes a few hours for me to haul it into my backyard with the wheel barrow. This is the second year in a row. After I stack it, I measure and it equals 2 cords. 1 cord is 4x4x8=128 cubic feet. Just stack it rectangular and measure the dimensions.


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## Jerry_NJ (Aug 22, 2008)

Ok, much better, I didn't translate the pictures correctly and took the first two pictures to be of the same wood, not as two separate stacks.  That said, the first picture has an estimated 82 CF, or about 0.6 cord.  Someone early on estimated you may have 1.5 cords, that seems to be about right.  If that is true the the cost per cord is about $250, a bit high but not way out of line for my area of NJ.  One of the tree services advertises $240 per cord and they charge 7% sales tax.  That is about $250.  I didn't buy from them.


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## WOODBUTCHER (Aug 22, 2008)

HearthKB said:
			
		

> OK guys and gals..... I stacked some more wood tonight but had to stop because my wheel barrow got a flat.  Geez... What else will go wrong!!  Anyway,  this is DEFINITELY NOT 2 full cords of wood.   As you can see from the pictures below I only got a little over two face cords and don't have that much left!
> 
> So what I have to do now is get the tire repaired and finish stacking this wood.  Then I'll call the dealer and tell him to come down and measure it himself.  He can't deny the fact that its VERY short.  Hopefully he's not a jerk and agrees to make up the difference.



 That last picture is some nice look'in maple!


WoodButcher


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## gyrfalcon (Aug 22, 2008)

WOODBUTCHER said:
			
		

> HearthKB said:
> 
> 
> 
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Just what I was thinking!  Looks like rock maple even.  I've only got about half a cord of that left, but after fighting to stack a couple cords of beech without it falling over, I don't even care how it burnst.  I'm going to  specifically look for mostly hard maple for futures.   Lots of it around here, thank goodness.


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## Adios Pantalones (Aug 22, 2008)

Box the ends on the pile and it won't fall over and you won't have to stack in a trapezoid


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## HearthKB (Aug 22, 2008)

Adios Pantalones said:
			
		

> Box the ends on the pile and it won't fall over and you won't have to stack in a trapezoid



I planned on doing that this weekend.


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## the_dude (Aug 22, 2008)

Why is it that on half of the treads on this website I can't see the pictures that are posted?


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## Jerry_NJ (Aug 22, 2008)

dude, how many pictures are you looking for?  I get seven, three on the opening post and four follow ups by the originator.  If you're getting those you getting all the pictures as far as I can tell.


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## the_dude (Aug 22, 2008)

In this entire thread, I get exactly ZERO pictures.  It seems like every other thread that has pictures, I don't see them.  Is it just me?


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## smokinj (Aug 22, 2008)

the_dude said:
			
		

> In this entire thread, I get exactly ZERO pictures.  It seems like every other thread that has pictures, I don't see them.  Is it just me?


I can see them


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## HearthKB (Aug 22, 2008)

the_dude said:
			
		

> In this entire thread, I get exactly ZERO pictures.  It seems like every other thread that has pictures, I don't see them.  Is it just me?



If you're using Internet Explorer, go to "Tools" then "Internet Options". Select the "Advanced" tab.  Scroll down to "Multimedia" and make sure "Show Pictures" is checked.


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## gyrfalcon (Aug 22, 2008)

the_dude said:
			
		

> In this entire thread, I get exactly ZERO pictures.  It seems like every other thread that has pictures, I don't see them.  Is it just me?



Do you see the empty place holders for the pix?  If so, have you tried clicking on those?


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## the_dude (Aug 22, 2008)

HearthKB said:
			
		

> the_dude said:
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I don't have an "Advanced" tab in "Internet Options"???


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## the_dude (Aug 22, 2008)

gyrfalcon said:
			
		

> the_dude said:
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Nope, I don't see no nothing!


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## gyrfalcon (Aug 22, 2008)

the_dude said:
			
		

> gyrfalcon said:
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I'm confused.  THere's no empty space in the posts where the pix are supposed to be?  No blank space?

Clever Microsoft likes to change the items in the drop-down menus from version to version of IE just to keep us all on their toes.  Go check through all those drop-down menus for anything that might have settings of one kind of another in it, and look through every tab and option to find the stuff that controls images.  It might be somewhere in "preferences," if you can find that, or elsewhere in the "tools" menu.

There's some setting somewhere that's screwing things up for you.

Or switch to Firefox.


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## Jerry_NJ (Aug 22, 2008)

Well we may be shifting to a Computer Help forum, but let's run this a bit further.  What browser are you using, and do you ever get pictures when browsing?


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## the_dude (Aug 22, 2008)

I give up!  I checked everywhere for a setting and I got nothing.  I have internet explorer version 6.0.  I would like to change, but this is my work computer  ;-) 

On the original post on this thread, there is a gap between the last sentence and the signature box about twice the space as a normal post.  But there is no other indication that there would be a picture there.  But, the thread by nishif (sp) about his new wood shed, I can see all his pic's.  Same with the new install threads.  Half I can see the pic's, the other half is nothing.  

I will have to check my puter at home to see if I can see all pic's.  Maybe big brother is screwing with me so I get to work.

P.S. Sorry for hijacking this thread!


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## Jerry_NJ (Aug 23, 2008)

IE 6.0 is rather old, and may not support the latest formats.  I don't know this to be the problem with your missing pictures.

You can try posting your problem on:  http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/comphelp/  there is a lot of computer expertise there.  Still, not much on IE 6.0 I would guess.


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## Jay777 (Aug 23, 2008)

I'm using IE6.  Pics are fine.


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## HearthKB (Aug 23, 2008)

OK.. Guys...Back to topic for a second. 

I fixed my wheel barrow tire and stacked another 6'x5' rack tonight.  

So now that makes:

11'x'5'x18"=82.5 
8'x4'x18"= 48
6'x5'x18"= 25

Total of 155 Cubic Feet.

It looks like there is "Possibly" one more 6'x5' rack of wood left.  So if I add on another 25, its still only 180 cubic feet which is 76 cubic feet short of what I should have received

I'm going to finish this up tomorrow afternoon and give the wood dealer a call.  Wish me luck

-Kevin-


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## Jerry_NJ (Aug 23, 2008)

Hum, about 25% short, that's about "right".  I've never, that I can remember, gotten anything like a cord when that is what I ordered.  Well, maybe a couple of times.  I think the quick and easy approach for those who have the big dump trucks is to dump, front end loader, split wood into a 128 cubic foot "box" and when it is full they say "full cord".  Of course this load has a lot of air in it, that disappears when the wood is stacked.  

You have a legitimate grip, but that's about what I expect to get for $190 a cord.  My last purchase was supposed to be a cord, but when I argued that it wasn't before stacking, he reduced the price from $195 to $175, which I took, and I think I got about $160 worth based on the assumption that a full cord cost $195..i.e., I got about 75% of a cord.  I didn't go back for an adjustment.

Good luck.


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## Kaabi (Aug 23, 2008)

Well at least you got somewhat of a price reduction.  Better than nothing!


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## Todd (Aug 23, 2008)

HearthKB said:
			
		

> OK.. Guys...Back to topic for a second.
> 
> I fixed my wheel barrow tire and stacked another 6'x5' rack tonight.
> 
> ...



Hopefully he will do the right thing and bring the rest, then you can go get 4 cords of that good stuff you showed me on your PM. That should put you a year ahead. ;-)


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## Max Headroom (Aug 23, 2008)

I just had a similar experience. I ordered 2 cords of seasoned hardwood from a local tree service @ $220 per cord.  It was delivered and he billed me, which I took as a good sign. The wood is well seasoned, which is a plus, but once stacked it measured out @ 1.5 cords. I called the guy up and he said he would come over and take a look and make it right if it was short. Well and took a "look", then called up saying that he stood by his "measurement". When I pushed back and asked him about actually measuring my stacks he went bonkers, ranting about his reputation, references, how he measures his loads, and everything else except actually measuring my stacks.  He had somehow concluded that I was just trying to screw him and that was that. Now at this point I still haven't paid him, so to calm him down I told him that he would get his money, and if we couldn't resolve the difference we just wouldn't do anymore business. Anyway, we got to the point where he said he would settle up by dropping off half a cord of green rounds, which was good enough for me seeing I have enough dry wood for this year. At this point I paid him. I'll be very surprised to see the additional wood, and unless he recalibrates his measuring methods he can forget about any repeat business. Just another example of a a cord really being about .75. More incentive to cut my own!


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## smokinj (Aug 23, 2008)

Prometheus said:
			
		

> I just had a similar experience. I ordered 2 cords of seasoned hardwood from a local tree service @ $220 per cord.  It was delivered and he billed me, which I took as a good sign. The wood is well seasoned, which is a plus, but once stacked it measured out @ 1.5 cords. I called the guy up and he said he would come over and take a look and make it right if it was short. Well and took a "look", then called up saying that he stood by his "measurement". When I pushed back and asked him about actually measuring my stacks he went bonkers, ranting about his reputation, references, how he measures his loads, and everything else except actually measuring my stacks.  He had somehow concluded that I was just trying to screw him and that was that. Now at this point I still haven't paid him, so to calm him down I told him that he would get his money, and if we couldn't resolve the difference we just wouldn't do anymore business. Anyway, we got to the point where he said he would settle up by dropping off half a cord of green rounds, which was good enough for me seeing I have enough dry wood for this year. At this point I paid him. I'll be very surprised to see the additional wood, and unless he recalibrates his measuring methods he can forget about any repeat business. Just another example of a a cord really being about .75. More incentive to cut my own!


Your are so right there i spent 1200 to 1300 last year on wood i used 5 different people last year, the frist loads would be pretty close then after that it would be all down hill. I started cutting my own in feb of last year and i am over 20 cords. i spend about 2500 on cutting equiment and i have two years of wood right now and i am not done yet.


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## MaineMike100 (Aug 23, 2008)

Jerry_NJ said:
			
		

> Hum, about 25% short, that's about "right".  I've never, that I can remember, gotten anything like a cord when that is what I ordered.  Well, maybe a couple of times.  I think the quick and easy approach for those who have the big dump trucks is to dump, front end loader, split wood into a 128 cubic foot "box" and when it is full they say "full cord".  Of course this load has a lot of air in it, that disappears when the wood is stacked.



In the State of Maine that would be referred to as a "loose thrown cord" which is an allowable form of measure for sale, but for 16" wood it requires 180 cubic feet, and for 24" wood 195 cubic feet.  The theory is that when it's stacked you should have approximately a stacked cord (128 cubic feet).  There will be some variation depending on the size of the wood, split vs round etc., but it won't amount to a 25% difference.


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## Jerry_NJ (Aug 23, 2008)

I think most have some method that "justifies" their measurement, including the undefined "face cord".  When they deliver 'face cords" it is always with the depth being well under 24", usually under 18" average.  That gets one down to about 100 Cubic Feet, or 0.75 real cords.  People in NJ usually do not inject the notion of a "face cord, still we end up about 25% short, count on it.


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## heydan (Aug 23, 2008)

Your state will have a department of weights and measures.  You can complain to them if you don't get satisfaction.


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## Jerry_NJ (Aug 23, 2008)

Most, if not all, of the guys I buy from do not collect sales tax, and I'll bed don't report, or under report income.  Threating to call the State W&M;would at the least scare the he[[ out of them.  But getting any response form the State is near to zero, unless you have a brick-and-mortar service in your cross-hairs. Edit [and the B&M;services charge $240 plus sales tax, or cost about the same as being shorted by the "independent" guys]


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## JustWood (Aug 23, 2008)

heydan said:
			
		

> Your state will have a department of weights and measures.  You can complain to them if you don't get satisfaction.




You can do this as a last resort if you don't want to ever buy wood in your area again.  Word travels fast to all the wood jockeys about who does this.

I had a run in with the DWM once about 10 years ago.
The guy said I shorted him more than 50% and I wasn't buying his story so I said go ahead and call DWM.  A week later I get a call then a couple hours later wife calls and says DWM is on my doorstep  demanding cash for this guy.  I said did you look in his cellar to see if he stacked any wood down there.  He said no but I'll go check.Ended up this guy stacked wood in his basement then stacked wood over his basement window to hide the evidence. I had to refund him 2 facecords on a 10 facecord load.  At least 1-1.5 facecords I believe were burned up in the 7-10 days it took to settle this B.S. and to top it off his check bounced.

I called every wood dealer within 50 miles and gave them the guys name address and phone #.


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## smokinj (Aug 23, 2008)

LEES WOOD-CO said:
			
		

> heydan said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There is two  storys on both sides,even my  friend would short me when he didnt fill like working that hard that day.Season wood whole another isue.I am glad i do it my self now and done with all the isues. You seem to stay on top of your bussness,if you where in my area i would feel good about it.


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## JustWood (Aug 23, 2008)

Jerry_NJ said:
			
		

> Most, if not all, of the guys I buy from do not collect sales tax, and I'll bed don't report, or under report income.  Threating to call the State W&M;would at the least scare the he[[ out of them.  But getting any response form the State is near to zero, unless you have a brick-and-mortar service in your cross-hairs. Edit [and the B&M;services charge $240 plus sales tax, or cost about the same as being shorted by the "independent" guys]




Wood vendors may or may not report their income but I will tell you that when I do my taxes there isn't a whole lot left to live off. It's not a highly profitable business.


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## smokinj (Aug 23, 2008)

LEES WOOD-CO said:
			
		

> Jerry_NJ said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


And its a lot of work


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## iceman (Aug 23, 2008)

funny many people get shorted due to wood length etc... there is a guy who uses a big bucket loader who does like 2 scoops you get a cord or more but then the mess that comes from it and he factors that in...but there is a logging company fully automatic and they measure log length and dia to plus what size you request to determine the cord......the only people i trust besides those 2 are guys who neatly stack the wood in a truck then dump you can see if his bed is 6ft wide and he stack it 4 ft tall you are getting a 1.5


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## Jerry_NJ (Aug 23, 2008)

Understood, I've done, and do, enough of my own wood gathering, cutting and splitting, to know it is a lot of work.  It is so much work that even if I had access to free logs delivered to my work area, I'd not want to get into the business of selling.  I never do more than one cord myself, and then I buy a cord, or two.  That's all I need, I use wood to supplement heat, not provide 24/7 heating.

I like the guy I purchased wood from this year.  His method is two pickup loads, loaded with a FEL, and he will negotiate on how much wood that is.  As I stated earlier I figure I'm paying about $220 per cord this year by his method.  He agrees two pick-up loads isn't a cord, maybe 0.8 cord, closer to 0.7 cord in my measure.  I gave his telephone number to my neighbor who also bought a two pick-up load delivery.  I think he paid $170 for it.


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## JPapiPE (Aug 23, 2008)

From a glance at your pile it doesn't seem to be 2 cord to me. The members here have done an excellant job defining face cords...I really hate that term even though i can make the calculation rather quickly. Any full cord no matter what length should be equal to 128 cubic feet. If it is cut to 12" you need 4 face cords to make a full cord. If cut to 16" you need 3 face cords to make a full cord etc. $190 seems a cheap price to pay for dry to semi dry cord wood. Just make sure it measures out correctly and if not call your dealer. I paid $250 a cord for supposidly seasoned wood and it wasn't, but I stacked it and it came up short and i called my dealer and he made up the rest and was happy that i was happy. I just got a new moisture meter in the mail yesterday and haven't tried it on my fire wood yet. I did try it on some kindling I had hanging around and it read a steady 7%.


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## HearthKB (Aug 23, 2008)

OK... Guys and Gals..... The wood is FINALLY Stacked  :cheese: 

Here are the final measurments:

16'x5'x18"= 120
8’x4’x18"= 48 
6'x5'x18"= 25

Total of 193 cubic feet.  That's 63 cubic feet short of two full cords.  Now its time to call the wood guy to see if he'll be kind enough to make up the difference. If not, I'll just take it as a learning experience and find a different wood dealer.

*Here are some pictures of the stacked wood.*


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## JPapiPE (Aug 23, 2008)

It's funny but to cheat a wood seller takes more effort than it is worth. Not that i would ever stoop so low. You'd have to haul some large amount of wood away and hide it somewhere. That's what i told my wood seller when he came to inspect the shortage. I said you are welcome to check my garage, cellar and house. I further told him that when i sell my integrity it will be for a lot more than a few pieces of wood. 

I think you will be OK


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## Max Headroom (Aug 23, 2008)

> It’s funny but to cheat a wood seller takes more effort than it is worth. Not that i would ever stoop so low. You’d have to haul some large amount of wood away and hide it somewhere. That’s what i told my wood seller when he came to inspect the shortage. I said you are welcome to check my garage, cellar and house. I further told him that when i sell my integrity it will be for a lot more than a few pieces of wood



Exactly! When I talked to my wood seller and he flipped out, it was all about his integrity and reputation. What I couldn't get him to understand is that even if I wanted to cheat him, the amount of effort that would be required to hide a hundred bucks worth of wood wouldn't be any where near the payback.


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## savageactor7 (Aug 24, 2008)

HearthKB...I wouldn't be too quick to find a different dealer...that's some real fine good looking hardwood you have there. Perhaps if you ordered a smaller amount the quantity would increase? I dunno.


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## RedRanger (Aug 24, 2008)

I use 3 suppliers for my annual 7 cord csd purchase.  always #1 is the guy I have dealt with for the past 10 years, always delivers 2 cord multiples and it is 2 cords. and reasonably seasoned.

#2 is a decent fellow,but he always delivers 12" cuts. but his 2 cords mostly measure out to be about 1.85. but also 20% cheaper than number 1

#3 really does bring you stuff that is almost ready to burn, but his cords always measure out to be 80%.

So, keep your best 3 suppliers close, but never expect anything, more than slightly less than you think you are paying for.

I think that is our expectations that make us unhappy.  except a little less and you will be happy. This is a tough way to make a buck, and these guys are doing the best they can.  At least in my neck of the woods, the stuff I buy is ready to burn within 6 months.   and that makes me happy


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## johnsopi (Aug 24, 2008)

I believe if you buy a cord 4x4x8 then that is a set amount. How seasoned it is veriable. There is no reason a buyer should be able to look at the wood first.


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## HearthKB (Aug 26, 2008)

OK Guys and Gals... I left a message with the wood dealer on Monday morning and explained the situation in a kind manner.  He called back later in the evening to apologize about shorting me 1/2 cord of wood.  He said its totally unacceptable and will come by tomorrow to drop off the remaining 1/2 cord.  

My wife just gave me a call and said he dropped off the wood.  He rang the door bell and apologized to my wife as well.  I guess this guy is not bad after all. I just wish his wood was seasoned a little more than he said it was.  I also wish the cut lengths were a little more uniform.  Too many 20"+ pieces.  

I guess this turned out to be a happy ending after all!


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## smokinj (Aug 26, 2008)

HearthKB said:
			
		

> OK Guys and Gals... I left a message with the wood dealer on Monday morning and explained the situation in a kind manner.  He called back later in the evening to apologize about shorting me 1/2 cord of wood.  He said its totally unacceptable and will come by tomorrow to drop off the remaining 1/2 cord.
> 
> My wife just gave me a call and said he dropped off the wood.  He rang the door bell and apologized to my wife as well.  I guess this guy is not bad after all. I just wish his wood was seasoned a little more than he said it was.  I also wish the cut lengths were a little more uniform.  Too many 20"+ pieces.
> 
> I guess this turned out to be a happy ending after all!


yes and it sounds like he will be your wood guy in the future


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## Jags (Aug 26, 2008)

HearthKB said:
			
		

> OK Guys and Gals... I left a message with the wood dealer on Monday morning and explained the situation in a kind manner.  He called back later in the evening to apologize about shorting me 1/2 cord of wood.  He said its totally unacceptable and will come by tomorrow to drop off the remaining 1/2 cord.
> 
> My wife just gave me a call and said he dropped off the wood.  He rang the door bell and apologized to my wife as well.  I guess this guy is not bad after all.



Told ya to not sweat it yet. :cheese:


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## fossil (Aug 26, 2008)

Sounds like he means to please.  Thank him profusely.  Develop a professional relationship of trust with him.  He understands now that you are an informed consumer.  He values your business.  Let him know about the length issue and maybe he'll attend to that better in the future as well as the quantity issue.  Be there when he delivers and help him unload.  Give him a tip.  Delight your supplier and he'll have a tendency to delight you as a customer.   A good, trusted, reliable wood supplier is a wonderful thing for those of us who aren't fortunate enough to own our own forests or have free wood fall into our possession easily.  Rick


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## iceman (Aug 26, 2008)

fossil said:
			
		

> Sounds like he means to please.  Thank him profusely.  Develop a professional relationship of trust with him.  He understands now that you are an informed consumer.  He values your business.  Let him know about the length issue and maybe he'll attend to that better in the future as well as the quantity issue.  Be there when he delivers and help him unload.  Give him a tip.  Delight your supplier and he'll have a tendency to delight you as a customer.   A good, trusted, reliable wood supplier is a wonderful thing for those of us who aren't fortunate enough to own our own forests or have free wood fall into our possession easily.  Rick



and don't forget to order 2 more cords and stack them with what you have now still time to season and you'll be happy you did


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## Max Headroom (Aug 26, 2008)

Not so much luck with my wood vendor. As expected as soon as I paid him he went silent. Going back to an earlier comment about the price of one's integrity. I guess this guy's price is a hundred bucks worth of wood. Maybe I'll be surprised and I'll come home to a half cord in the driveway someday. Probably only if the easter bunny brings it....


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## JotulOwner (Aug 26, 2008)

You are lucky you purchased your wood in August instead of October like I did last year. I learned a great deal in one season. I now have one firm rule about firewood. Make sure you acquire your wood well before burning season (at least the Spring before, but preferably the year before). In my opinion, no matter what a dealer tells you, the wood is never as dry as you would like it to be. Around here, they split rounds (just before delivery) that were cut a couple of months ago. I spent many hours this Spring/Summer buying truly seasoned wood from private sellers (people who were getting rid of wood they had but didn't need any more for various reasons). I also picked up free, freshly cut logs at locations where trees were being removed. I cut, split and stacked the wood in late Spring/ early Summer and the Maple I acquired already is at 18 percent on my moisture meter (tested at the center of a split piece). If you take the time to prepare for the burning season well in advance, you will be rewarded by enjoying an easy to light, well burning fire all season long. If not, you may experience what I did last year.


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## jjhof0306 (Aug 26, 2008)

compared to the mountain that was my first 3 cords, that ain't no 2 cords of wood you got there.  I'm hoping it's just PART of your delivery.... : )


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## RedRanger (Aug 26, 2008)

HearthKB said:
			
		

> OK Guys and Gals... I left a message with the wood dealer on Monday morning and explained the situation in a kind manner.  He called back later in the evening to apologize about shorting me 1/2 cord of wood.  He said its totally unacceptable and will come by tomorrow to drop off the remaining 1/2 cord.
> 
> My wife just gave me a call and said he dropped off the wood.  He rang the door bell and apologized to my wife as well.  I guess this guy is not bad after all. I just wish his wood was seasoned a little more than he said it was.  I also wish the cut lengths were a little more uniform.  Too many 20"+ pieces.
> 
> I guess this turned out to be a happy ending after all!



A decent chap indeed!!  However, you need to establish at least 3 suppliers that you can count on.  For obvious reasons eg-they die, retire, go out of business, etc.

Looks like you have your number one.   Now start looking for number 2 and 3.  And if you have the space order a cord from each of your second choices.  And every year, if you are satisified with all 3 of them ,, then buy some wood from all of them. Remember, contacts, contacts, contacts-- always keep them close and happy .. 

That might also include a beer and a burger once in a while ;-)


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## savageactor7 (Aug 27, 2008)

Good to hear things worked out...when you buy wood be prepared to make some adjustments. Every load ya get will be different...if you have the room consider getting some log loads. That is the best and easiest way to secure prime wood there is.


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## biggins08 (Aug 27, 2008)

That's definetly some pretty nice looking wood IMO, maybe not perfectly seasoned, but it looks far better than most of us had delivered our first year!


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## BrotherBart (Aug 27, 2008)

fossil said:
			
		

> Sounds like he means to please.  Thank him profusely.  Develop a professional relationship of trust with him.  He understands now that you are an informed consumer.  He values your business.  Let him know about the length issue and maybe he'll attend to that better in the future as well as the quantity issue.  Be there when he delivers and help him unload.  Give him a tip.  Delight your supplier and he'll have a tendency to delight you as a customer.   A good, trusted, reliable wood supplier is a wonderful thing for those of us who aren't fortunate enough to own our own forests or have free wood fall into our possession easily.  Rick



Yeah I feed my supplier and pour beer down him every night.  %-P Fool still doesn't appreciate it.


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## fossil (Aug 27, 2008)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> ...Yeah I feed my supplier and pour beer down him every night.  %-P Fool still doesn't appreciate it.



Just try to imagine something you could do for him that would make him really happy...and do it for him.  I'm quite sure he more than deserves it, whatever it might be.     Rick


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## Cluttermagnet (Aug 27, 2008)

HearthKB said:
			
		

> OK Guys and Gals... I left a message with the wood dealer on Monday morning and explained the situation in a kind manner.  He called back later in the evening to apologize about shorting me 1/2 cord of wood.  He said its totally unacceptable and will come by tomorrow to drop off the remaining 1/2 cord.
> 
> My wife just gave me a call and said he dropped off the wood.  He rang the door bell and apologized to my wife as well.  I guess this guy is not bad after all. I just wish his wood was seasoned a little more than he said it was.  I also wish the cut lengths were a little more uniform.  Too many 20"+ pieces.
> 
> I guess this turned out to be a happy ending after all!


On balance, you did OK. I believe almost everyone you meet is basically good. Patience, kindness, and above all politeness go a very long way. I agree with the others, this guy is probably a 'keeper', now go find #2 and #3.


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## Dix (Aug 27, 2008)

I'm glad everything got settled   That's excellant ! And I agree, that dealers a keeper !

Hope the info I gave you on local wood dealers helped !!


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## JPapiPE (Aug 27, 2008)

I had the same experience with my wood dealer. I ordered 4 cord and he brought them a cord at a time. The first cord was right on and then the second was about 9 cubic feet short. I called him and he came right by and delivered the amount I was shorted that day. He apologized and explained that he and his partner were looking for a faster way to load the truck, and that the first cord had been stacked to measure. He then thought he had the right amount of loose stacking to equal a cord. I did give the poor guy several cans of energy drinks and energy bars as he looked like he might collaspse. After that his last 2 cord were dead on and he made it a point to explain to me that he now had the loose fill method down to a science. I did make a friend by keeping my cool and being polite, plus plying him with stuff I wouldn't eat or drink myself. Maybe next time he comes I'll have the grill going and ply him  with a hotdog or 2.

It's funny how you got a lot of wood at oversized length, HearthKB. Do you have a chainsaw to cut it up? Every wood burner should have one so that you can scavenge. The saw will pay for itself in free wood scavenged. Put it  on you wish list.  Back to the story. My stove will take 18" logs so i ordered 16" splits and was a bit chagrined when my seller sent me some 6-8 dozen splits at 8" with a couple of loads. I did mention it to him before the last load was delivered , but I still got 40-50 ...8-10" pieces. They screw up the stack if you are trying to measure out a full cord. But I guess that's better than getting oversized wood without a saw to cut it with.

I paid $250 per cord and your wood looks a lot more seasoned than mine HearthKB. So I think you did real good .


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## HearthKB (Aug 28, 2008)

JPapiPE said:
			
		

> It's funny how you got a lot of wood at oversized length, HearthKB. Do you have a chainsaw to cut it up? Every wood burner should have one so that you can scavenge. The saw will pay for itself in free wood scavenged. Put it  on you wish list.
> 
> I paid $250 per cord and your wood looks a lot more seasoned than mine HearthKB. So I think you did real good .



Chainsaw...Check... I've had one for a few years now.  Its nothing special, just an 18" Craftsman.  It does the job of cutting up the limbs that fall of the tress around my house.  What I'm going to do is put my miter saw in the garage which is attached to my house.  I'll have a pallet of wood in there at all times during the burning season so if I find a split that's too big, I'll just throw it in the miter and cut it down to size.  

Going forward, I plan on getting my own wood to cut, split and season, so the chainsaw will really come in handy.

I would say 75% of the wood that was dropped off is pretty nice.  The rest might have a hard time burning at maximum efficiency this year.  I stacked it all pretty quick so I'm hoping that it can season a little more over the next 2 1/2 months.


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## JPapiPE (Aug 28, 2008)

Hearth KB seems as you got all your ducks in a row so far... Good for you on the chainsaw. My first chainsaw was a craftsman 18" and it served me for 15 years before I sold it to a friend. As long as your bar is not too nicked up and your chain is sharp ...any saw will do. Learn how to sharpen your own chain. Its a helpful skill especially ona Sunday afternoon in some field. If you are not exactly handy with tools ...Oregon sells a clamp on chain sharpener that will do cutters and pitch, but if you damage your rakers ...you should have it professionally sharpened..as it would take a good long time to bring the chain back to high cutting efficiency.... but it only cost about $6.

P.S. It wasn't  enough that I just about gave the craftsman chainsaw to a friend. His chain is now dull and he needs a new bar after 20 years ...so guess where my $500 chain saw is now? Yes, borrowed by that same friend. I think i am too easy especially with this one person, but when i do talk to him i will ask him to get the chain sharpened as a price for borrowing my new saw.


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## HearthKB (Sep 6, 2008)

Back again!! 

Seriously.... Does anyone know an honest wood dealer?  The reason why I ask is that I just ordered wood from another liar!!  This time the amount looks right BUT the wood is terrible!

I just took delivery of another cord from a different dealer than the first.  I spoke with him multiple times on the phone before ordering it and reiterated that I need "well seasoned wood".  He assured me that his wood is great and will be perfect to burn in November when the cold weather starts.  He even said that he pesonally knows my first wood dealer and that his wood is much more seasoned.  This guy is very busy so he was only able to fit me in when I wasn't home.  So I left the cash in the front door for him.

Well.... I just got home and looked at the pile of crap in my driveway.  I would say well over half of it is red oak that looks like it was cut only a few months ago.  ZERO seasoning.  I took my moisture meter to it and it was pinned at 35% which means its well over.  Totally unusable this season.

I left a message for the guy so I'm hoping he is nice enought to call me back. I either want him to pickup the wood and give me a refund or give me some money back for the mostly green wood he delivered.  If he chooses the latter, I'll just stack the wood in the backyard and season it myself for next year.

Wish me luck again!!


-Kevin-

PS... Man I hope this gets easier!  On the bright side, I did pickup my Fireview the other day and its in one piece!  Starting hearth pad build tomorrow.


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## WOODBUTCHER (Sep 6, 2008)

Kevin,
         Good learning experience......just think, you get to laugh at all the people next year trying to do the same, but you'll have seasosnd wood and giving your own advice.
The only dealer I know that delivers seasoned wood......is the load you bought from your dealer last year......


WoodButcher


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## HearthKB (Sep 8, 2008)

WOODBUTCHER said:
			
		

> Kevin,
> Good learning experience......just think, you get to laugh at all the people next year trying to do the same, but you'll have seasosnd wood and giving your own advice.
> The only dealer I know that delivers seasoned wood......is the load you bought from your dealer last year......
> 
> ...




You're right.... Im chaulking this season up to a learning experience.  So far I have four cords of wood stacked.  Of that wood, I can probably burn two of the cords. The other two will have to wait till next season to burn.

I just ordered another cord from a small time dealer.  I told them that I will accept delivery only when I'm home and I will test a few pieces with a moisture meter.  They said "no problem", so I have a feeling this wood is really seasoned or else they would not have said it's ok.  I'm paying a little more than the other dealers but "you get what you pay for".

Wish me luck!


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## aandabooks (Sep 9, 2008)

As your burning your well seasoned wood, bring in some of the unseasoned wood and put it in a stack or tub near the woodburner for a few days.  My FIL uses the big laundry tubs with the rope handles.  You'll be suprised how well that wood dries out being in the same room with the woodburner for a few days.  If you can rotate in a tub of wood every week, you'll find you have much more seasoned wood to burn than you think.


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