Need another ton...and some input

[movemaine]

Crabbe's were meh. Thick black ash - created clinkers (which is unusual for a softwood)

 

[Hoot23]

I'm finishing up my Spruce Pointes now. Great pellet very clean. I started some stove chow today before it warms up to much. Wanted to see how they fair with temps under 20.

 

[mepellet]

MM Im sure you know but the fellow in Lisbon Falls, Maine Pellets I believe, does Cubex spruce point and Okies as well as others ! Youve already named the places i go I like Rockys nice people and the fellow in lisbon does a nice job as well Igot my MWPs from SIB nice fellow but he also left two of my friends hanging

http://www.mainepelletsales.com/pellets-page/

 

[mepellet]

I'll share my sources if you share yours

Rocky's Stove Shoppe - Augusta, Maine - LaCrete's, Cubex, Northeast, Crabbe
Paris Farmers Union - Winthrop, Maine - Energex, MWP, Corinth, Canawick
Springbrook Fuel - Waterville, Maine - Spruce Pointes
Green Energy - New Gloucester, Maine - Okies, Okie Black Hills, Geneva, PWI

and of course SIBs (they didn't come through for me this year - I was on a 3+ month waiting list and kept being rescheduled until I was told they were out of the pellets I wanted).

So this year, I've been piecemealing from various sources - usually picking up 20 at a time in my SUV ( i need a trailer )

3 month waiting list? For what pellet? I called with my order and He was here in two weeks.

 

[movemaine]

Well, I ordered 2 or 3 tons of Oakies at the beginning of September - each time I was supposed to get the delivery, I got a call that it would be another 2 weeks. This happened 3 times so I asked to switch the order to LaCrete's, and the same thing happened. I kept getting messages that my order was delayed. I finally got a hold of them and was told they didn't have any Oakies or LaCretes and that they wouldn't be getting any more...so from Sep-Nov, I was expecting pellets...

 

[movemaine]

Wow!! That sux. I'd go out of my way NOT to buy from them. It sounds like you kept getting pushed to the back of the line.

Yeah, it's tough. They are nice people, but I think they oversold their orders this year, causing them to get behind.

They also deliver for free - and i'm 30 miles away. (although I think they are going to start charging soon)

But either way, doesn't matter because I didn't get any pellets and had to find other sources. At this point, I just need a trailer that can hold a ton so I can cart them myself.

 

[save$]

where at? I'm in Augusta, Maine - there aren't a lot of choices around here for "good" pellets.

Have you called knight out on rt 3. North Belfast ave. he usually has a few to choose from. No way will I pay over 250. At over 300', It seems oil isn't so bad.

 

[movemaine]

Have you called knight out on rt 3. North Belfast ave. he usually has a few to choose from. No way will I pay over 250. At over 300', It seems oil isn't so bad.

Yeah, I've called knights. They usually have LG's, Energex, and some others.

 

[save$]

I tried Energex for two years. I had 11 tons of them before I smartened up that I didn't need to have huge chunks of ash in the burn pot on the second day of burn. Knights was good to deal with, but I have done the best with the MWPs I have now. I will try some others if I can get them at a good price. My son is burning MWP in his Englander and likes them as I do. These softies are hotter. This cold snap was a real test for them. (I think there are 4 of us in the Augusta area on this forum.)

 

[mepellet]

Well, I ordered 2 or 3 tons of Oakies at the beginning of September - each time I was supposed to get the delivery, I got a call that it would be another 2 weeks. This happened 3 times so I asked to switch the order to LaCrete's, and the same thing happened. I kept getting messages that my order was delayed. I finally got a hold of them and was told they didn't have any Oakies or LaCretes and that they wouldn't be getting any more...so from Sep-Nov, I was expecting pellets...

Oh Ok. I ordered in April. I like getting pellets in the spring for the following winter. Plus I think Okies were in short supply from the plant so I'm not surprised then.

 

[jtakeman]

Well, I ordered 2 or 3 tons of Oakies at the beginning of September - each time I was supposed to get the delivery, I got a call that it would be another 2 weeks. This happened 3 times so I asked to switch the order to LaCrete's, and the same thing happened. I kept getting messages that my order was delayed. I finally got a hold of them and was told they didn't have any Oakies or LaCretes and that they wouldn't be getting any more...so from Sep-Nov, I was expecting pellets...

Upton plant upgrade hurt a lot of dealers this season. Then everyone panicked and it ran downhill to shortages with other brands. I like your trailer idea, Being able to hit box stores and such to tide you over until you get your order is good insurance. I like my self dependence. Its just another option just in case chit happens!

 

[Cowdogz]

@movemaine: Overall, I prefer LaCrete to SPs, but it's hard to argue with 10 more bags for only $25 for the SP. In my Quad, the SP leaves a large volume of ash behind and it piles up everywhere.

@subsailor: I've tried the Canawicks. Left more clinkers than I want to deal with, but hardwoods in general seem to leave a lot of residue in my burn pot. I probably wouldn't buy them again, but if I were you I'd try them. At $269 they're cheaper than a lot of other stuff that's available down here.

@everyone discussing SIB: Something doesn't seem right about that place. He sells for less than anybody else, and delivers for free. I don't know how he can be making any money like that. It reminds me of all those independent oil dealers a few years ago, who claimed they had "figured out" the market. They're all gone now, and a lot of them took off with a lot of people's pre-buy money.

 

[mfglickman]

$270/ton? ouch

Where do you people shop?? Around here BT is 270-299+ delivery, CTPellet is the same... If you need delivery it adds 30-50 per ton to that premium price...

 

[save$]

@everyone discussing SIB: Something doesn't seem right about that place. He sells for less than anybody else, and delivers for free. I don't know how he can be making any money like that. It reminds me of all those independent oil dealers a few years ago, who claimed they had "figured out" the market. They're all gone now, and a lot of them took off with a lot of people's pre-buy money.

I have ordered from Mr. Barker about 4 times, each time getting a call back right away and a delivery always on the day he said he would be. As far as his pricing of MWP, he has a good contact with the company and tries to pass the savings on to the customer. He is trying hard to maintain a customer base. As far as his profit goes. No idea what he gets, but it can't be much. I always give him a good tip for his efforts. I have to push that on him. He will put the pellets right in my garage in a place where I don't have to move them again. He has been the one who delivers the pellets most of the time. An average joe, working very hard to scrap out a living the best way he can. Anyone having any issues with him should make sure they have communicated with him directly. He tries very hard to make things right. Incidently, none of my orders with him are pre buy, it is always COD with a discound if you don't use the credit card. Based on what I have read here in this forum, there is no way I would pre pay for pellets from most outfits.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

@everyone discussing SIB: Something doesn't seem right about that place. He sells for less than anybody else, and delivers for free. I don't know how he can be making any money like that. It reminds me of all those independent oil dealers a few years ago, who claimed they had "figured out" the market. They're all gone now, and a lot of them took off with a lot of people's pre-buy money.

SIB doesn't ask for prepayment. He and/or his son are usually on the road delivering. I don't know what Steve has for equipment these days but he had a lift body trailer and used a pallet jack (the non powered kind) to place pallets and would even re stack parts of pallets on top of others. I've placed two orders (16 ton) with him resulting in three deliveries (limit to how many pallets he can haul in one load) no money changed hands until the pallets were placed where I wanted them.

And just so you understand he doesn't sell for less than everyone else, the big boxes frequently under cut his price. Well that was how he picked up a lot of customers to start with so turnabout is fair play.

 

[movemaine]

Yeah, I'm not sure what happened with them this year - but I think they never had a enough pellets (oakies or lacrete's) to meet customer demand (I'm assuming) - I did get a bit of a run around, however I don't think it was malicious.

But if you look on the site now, I think they are going to start instituting a delivery charge.

New Rates and Drop Charge Fees Taking Effect December 3, 2012​

Please call 645-3064 for more information​

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Well I know that the bagging plant in Upton MA (Okies, etc ...) had operational issues and I suspect that Steve was being strung along on deliveries from that. Steve has several businesses he runs. Several years ago he and several other places were strung along on LGs.

All it takes is a little glitch at a plant and lots of things get backed up and some even get dropped or cut off. That is the reason Steve doesn't want the money until he delivers the pellets.