# Any Guesses To How Many Cords In This Load



## Wyatt (Jan 14, 2006)

This load just got dropped at my place today.  Almost exclusively birch with a few maple logs thrown in.  Cost $450, which isn't too bad if it's as many cords as claimed for here in the Pacific NW.  Anyone want to take a guess?


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## Todd (Jan 14, 2006)

Looks like you have your work cut out for you. I'll guess 8.


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## Wyatt (Jan 14, 2006)

How about a few related questions.  I realize a cord is 128cf, which includes 15-25% air space.  Is there a way to estimate a load of logs on a truck.  Does it have the same percentage of air as stacked wood?  Also, how long does it take you folks to buck and split a cord with just a chainsaw and maul?  Not that it matters, but although I've split at least a hundred cords over the years I could only guess.  I was thinking maybe 4 hours, but that would vary depending on wood and ground conditions.  How much time could one save by going to a hydraulic splitter.  Thanks


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## Willhound (Jan 14, 2006)

Single tier log truck is usually about 8'x8'x16 long, so 1024 cubic feet divided by 128 = 8 cords.


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## Eric Johnson (Jan 14, 2006)

You guys are dreaming with the 8 cords. Five to seven, closer to five when all is said and done.

BTW, that's what's known as a tri-axle log truck. A fully-loaded tri-axle log truck with a dump bed and no loader will hold about 7.5 cords. I'm knocking off a cord for the loader and maybe another half cord because the load isn't as high as the aforementioned dump beds I'm familiar with. Looks like that's about the max legal load for that truck.

It takes me about 10 days (evenings after work and 2 full weekends working by myself) to turn a load like that into 2' splits, split by hand and stacked.

I'm on the East Coast, but $450 is a good price anywhere for a load like that these days.


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## Willhound (Jan 14, 2006)

Eric

With your connections to the timber industry and the amount of wood you cut, I'll bow to your superior knowledge. Of course, it's hard for me to judge since we don't have any log trucks that small here...  
When we order from a contractor like that, they typically load up the first tier of a 40 foot trailer. At a minimum you usually get 8 cords, mostly  closer to 10 and it will normally go for around $450 to $500 CDN, so probabley priced about the same when you work out the difference in currency and size of load.

Also helps to have local contacts. Here is a link to a story about a local timber contractor that happens to be my brother in law:

http://tinyurl.com/ceac3

Willhound


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## Wyatt (Jan 14, 2006)

Well Frank I like your guess and wish it so, but the driver estimated the load to be around 6.5 and at most 7.  I'm going to keep a good count on the hours to process the load and see what the final cord talley turns out to be.  I agree it was a good deal especially since it's hardwood and not the usual alder and fir I normally burn that's much easier to come by.  Thanks for the guesses.  Wyatt


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## minesmoria (Jan 14, 2006)

I have a guy in the next bc  town  100 miles away who will sell me a logging truck tri axle load 80 feet long of alder for 1000 plus 500 or 600 delivery. He says you get about 13 or 14 cords of wood from  this.

Ps I thought tri axles pulled two trailers it would have one more than the one posted on this  site is that correct.


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## Eric Johnson (Jan 15, 2006)

That would be a triaxle pulling what's known as a "pup trailer." Ten cords is about the legal limit, weight-wise, for most of the species of wood you're likely to find in North America. I would be skeptical of anyone who claimed more than that on a load.

Sounds like you're hooked up with an honest guy, Wyatt. A good price and an honest estimate of the wood.


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## ourhouse (Feb 25, 2006)

About 5 or 6  We get about 6-8 on our trucks as long as its clean and strait.


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## wg_bent (Feb 26, 2006)

Eric Johnson said:
			
		

> You guys are dreaming with the 8 cords. Five to seven, closer to five when all is said and done.
> 
> BTW, that's what's known as a tri-axle log truck. A fully-loaded tri-axle log truck with a dump bed and no loader will hold about 7.5 cords. I'm knocking off a cord for the loader and maybe another half cord because the load isn't as high as the aforementioned dump beds I'm familiar with. Looks like that's about the max legal load for that truck.
> 
> ...



Yeah, 5 -6 was my guess too.  10 days?  That's gotta be something like Ash Eric.  You ain't doing 7.5 cords of Elm, Apple or  Hickory in that time.  

I know I can split about 1/2 cord of Ash or soft Maple in an evening.

What are you burning anyway?  You really splitting 24" rounds with an 8lb maul?


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