My brother was the most honest guy, he would cut and split wood to his costumers specs. Dry it. The wood was as good as it gets for selling. They still complained. After 25 years selling wood, he stopped doing it cold . Dealing with the public got the best of him!
My friends dad was pissed drunk one day and told him to come over he wanted to give him some sage wisdom, thinking it was going to be something for the ages he went over at which point his dad said “most people are idiots”! ... we’ve laughed about it for years because he was a hardcore cynic but as we’ve gotten older we realize he was 110% correct and actually now it’s something I always remind myself off anytime I have to deal with the public and man it really helps cause instead of being disappointed I’m sometimes pleasantly surprised...anyways sounds like your brother found this out himself also
That’s one of the main reasons I stopped selling firewood. Everybody that called me wanted to harp at me about “ the last guy “ they bought wood from, and how he ripped them off. I would ask , “ Have you ever bought from me ? “. They would reply “ uh………..no. “ I would tell them to go call “ the last guy “ and b**ch him out . Then I would hang up on them. I had so many regular customers I ALWAYS ran out of wood , every Fall.
I ended up running out of good dry logs to burn this summer. (have plenty of kindling, just ran out of ready to go big stuff) So had to actually BUY some. I opted to go pick it up, rather than have it delivered as he was local. He had made these nice measured racks for his wood- each held 2 side by side 4'x4' stacks, so both stacks = 1 face cord. (he sells a lot of half face cords to vacationers with lake homes) I saw exactly what I was buying, and we loaded my truck right out of the rack. Got a half face cord of cherry and hickory for a very reasonable price- and it was a fair bit more wood than I'd thought it was. We both ended up happy- him with a wad of bills in his pocket, me with a big pile of cherry and hickory to grill over and drink beer by.
Hickory is one of the best Woods you can get for throwing BTUs cherries about in the middle but not bad you got a good deal. In my opinion I'm no professional or anything.
Waiting for our totalitarian administration in DC to start coming after us next. Stove emissions, stove types, laws against wood dealers, stove sellers. Alot more people have gas kitchen stoves than wood stoves.
I sell firewood mostly to campers in the summer, I always make sure the moisture content is under 20%. Usually its 15 or under. I toss all the rotten wood in IBC cages and that becomes my bonfire wood for when my friends come over, my firepit is quite large.
@@TractorTech I thought you have a wood stove?? That "junk wood" you showed in this video still has plenty of BTUs , just use it in the day time or when you don't need as much heat, like the shoulder season.
That is not a bad idea. If nothing else it would not be bad to carry one in the truck in case someone says the wood is not dry, then they could be proved wrong.
The smaller your fire wood is split, the less wood you have. The larger split you get more wood. I split my wood so it drys faster. The other thing is. A round will burn longer then split. So after you get a bed of hot coals put a round in your stove. I'm 66 yrs old and have heated my home with wood over 40 yrs.
Yes sir. I've burned firewood for 48 winters as my only source of heat. Damp wood sucks. There's no such thing as too much wood. Split dry will keep your butt from freezing.
Nice video Roger that should really help some folks that are new to buying firewood and maybe help some sellers be accurate in how they sell it. That’s one thing I pride myself in is having a measured amount based on cords or cubic feet.1/3 1/2 full etc
I buy wood from local sawmills. The wood half the time looks like blocks or boards that didn't get processed properly. But they usually give more per cord just to clear the yard of wood at a cheaper price. They say it's a cord but usually give an extra 1/4 on top. Since sawmills will scrap out weird looking wood it's good stuff since they don't usually send out bad construction products.
Been selling firewood for 8 years now. I’m glad this guy can go through all the hoops to sell a premium product. Around here there is no money selling firewood. I usually barely break even and then complaints on top of it. Buying loads of logs and processing it you get what you get for wood. The bad stuff gets tossed aside but knots protruding and some hollow logs, No biggie. It’s all wood and it all burns. Knotty maple will split into odd chunks, No biggie as long as it’ll fit in the stove they’ll burn it at night. I personally throw it loose in the truck by hand and it gets dumped at the far side. I tell all my customers to get their wood early because it dries better at their house than mine. They stack a few cord up and the wind blows through all summer as they know it’s dry by winter. I have a few big piles of wood outside at my house. The stuff on top is dry but in the middle of the pile doesn’t get much airflow. It’s not about being dishonest. It’s about offering the best product that is practical and some things just aren’t practical. Like delivering 60 cord of firewood by stacking it all in the back of your truck and then unloading it by hand at the far end and sweeping the bark out with every load.
It really shouldn't be so hard to get good quality real seasoned firewood. Down here in Louisiana, these slicks don't season anything and will deliver a load of wood so green you can smell it from across your yard!
hi there good points . many years ago i knew a guy that made a fram or box out of 2 4x8 sheets of plywood in the back of his pickup stacked the wood in between the two 4x8s . he would dump it out after you saw it was full . ask you to step aside so you wouldn't get hurt . then dump it . well it was stacked in the front and back but thrown in in-between the front and back stack then straightened on the top middle to make it looked like it was all stacked . my sister bought it . knew something was funny . so she told me . i had her buy another cord when he got there so did i . she called weight and measures and the police . don't realy know what happened to him . but he never sold wood again john
Thanks for the knowledge we definitely got scammed this year by almost all of the above methods and I live in southern Maine. I'd love to buy wood from honest good sellers like you but it seems they're hard to find.
@@TractorTech thank you, I just want to put it out there that I'm a non confrontational type of person. So I haven't/won't be calling to complain or anything. Before I even watched your video I felt like something was wrong. I got so much scraps/saw dust it was piled so high, I had to literally dig out each piece of wood. It took me 2 weeks to stack, 3 hours a day. I also found a huge piece of really heavy metal. I had two hole tarps worth of kindling and many wood that wasn't cut and a lot that won't fit in our wood stove. I account all of this to getting what I paid for and next year I'll definitely pay more for better quality with someone else as I understand that it is a lot of work in preparing the wood. Thank you again!
@@TractorTech here in New Mexico that’s all you see is pine wood for sale nothing else. There is one guy who has oak and wants $550 a cord do you think that’s fair?
Having cut, burned, and sold firewood for 47 years, I can honestly say that I would buy wood from you in a heartbeat! I have seen first-hand some of the s**t some wood sellers try to pawn off as "seasoned." If you put salt and pepper on it, it's "seasoned" right? Thank you for being so honest and straight forward. May your chains remain sharp all season!
its important to be honest when selling . ive had many conversations with customers about the wood i have. if they are asking for 3 cords of wood and all i have is 3 cords of not fully seasoned wood ill tell them that . ive sold wood at a discount if its slightly rotten at the edges , as long as the customer knows that up front . in my area if i bought premium log loads to sell id be making 5 dollars an hour .so i have to drive to the woods , fall the trees , buck them up and i cant always be as picky and choosey as id like on the species and premium quality . a lot of people in my area are happy to save a little money if the wood is not fully seasoned or the best hardwood in our area, as long as i tell them what their buying . i will never short the load either .
ever buy a load delivered that had a high amount of "odds and ends" in it? The stuff you can burn but can't stack. Toss it into a separate pile as shit wood.
I don’t sell firewood as I’m flat out keeping up with my own needs. But it’s amazing how people with stoves know so little about what they burn it’s almost scary.
Good advice 👍 I season my wood 2 years. I also have wood that doesn't like to give up it's bark till the second year. I don't cut anything green, it's got to be dead. I don't tarp the wood just keep metal roofing on the top to keep air moving through it. Size of wood is always varying on the person. I split mine 6x6 size. Any smaller it would not last the night in my wood burner. I have enjoyed burning wood because it costs nothing for me. I have 8 acres of timber and always stuff dieing. Enough rantings. I leave comments on videos with good content.
Thanks Timothy. I don't like using tarp for wood either. I think they leak and hold the moisture in. I may try doing some larger splits again for my stove and see how it does.
Hi Tractor Tech - it's Big Rodders in Ireland, a subscriber. Thanks for a very informative video. Over here there is no legislation governing the sale of firewood regarding volume, log size or consistency, species mixing, moisture content etc etc etc. It's a totally free market, perhaps because it represents a very small percentage of heating options used.
Hi Big Rodders. The only law that I am of aware of in my state is wood is supposed to be stacked on a truck or trailer, and sold by the cord. You can't sell a pick up load, but people still do it. Have a good weekend!
I just burn wood in my fireplace. I prefer larger pieces because they burn plenty bright enough and last longer. Straight wood my be great for wood stoves, but i don't mind knotty pieces, it burns great in a fireplace. It doesn't pack together so it gets better air flow.
Thankyou.....one guy delivered 4 cord of yellow birch and must have scooped it up with a loader bucket as I had 13 full garbage cans of gravel and bark chip trash to clean up after. Another guy delivered round wood which I ordered with most of the bigger chunks being 14 inches and the small chunks 16 and s lot of bizarre shaped stuff I could not even split so could not use.....rotten stuff too.
Good points and I agree. One more thing to mention, lower quality wood. Premium firewood would not include maple, elm, walnut, cherry, pine as different woods give off differing amounts of heat. Those are great woods, but not what I would call premium. Oak, hedge, locust, hickory... those are premium firewood, if you heat with wood. If they just want something to crackle in the fireplace occasionally, sure, anything will do but for heating a home, those others won't do near as good of a job.
I totally agree with the ant wood. I find if I split it and ants come out, I throw it in a separate pile. I won’t stack it on my 8’ rack(about 3 days worth of firewood during the coldest days.) It’s drys fast due to the bore holes and rotten wood and it still burns well with the more dense firewood. I find my 2500 sq foot Btu drolet stove drys the wood on the rack as well seeing its only 6’ away from the rack. Great video from a fellow New Englander.
Another big thing to do is start thinking about next year's firewood early! Don't wait till heating season is upon you to begin looking. Lots of guys will be out or nearly out of wood by then- at least good DRY wood. That's when you end up getting whatever they have- green; semi-seasoned; less desirable species; or just leftover "whatever I have laying around". And by early, I mean spring time at least! This gives your guy time to plan ahead, just like with any long-lead-time product. (and firewood is very definitely a long lead time product! Most hardwoods take a year or more to fully dry- oak can take TWO years!) Ordering early can also help with wood that isn't quite dry, as it'll have some time before you need to use it. Communication is key. There's nothing wrong with selling wood that's not ready to burn yet- as long as that fact is shared with potential buyers. Heck, if you've got the space and don't need the wood NOW, you can often get a better deal on it. It's the last minute "emergency" buyers who are at the mercy of whomever has wood to sell. And if the wood is for a fireplace, fire pit, campfires, etc; don't bust your wallet buying the high end premium wood, like oak, Hickory, locust, etc. Those woods are considered the best, because they burn long, and put out lots of heat, not because they produce nice bright flames or light easily. You're actually better off buying the "lesser" woods for recreational use- because they burn hot and bright! (just not long) and get going easily. Pine/spruce/cedar/larch also produce very good smelling smoke- that classic campfire smell. Poplar, Aspen and Basswood burn hot and bright- and don't pop and spit sparks like pine does. You can save yourself $$, and get great-for-the-purpose wood, if you don't just go with what "everyone" says is "The Best" wood. Just a few more points to think about when looking to buy firewood.
Most people don't think ahead. Some people act like the wood will spoil if the have some left over from one year to the next. I've never figured out why it is the sellers responsibly to have dry wood. If I was buying wood, I'd buy a year ahead to be sure I had dry wood.
Cool stuff. I'm in northern Alberta where we don't get many options for variety of trees, but volume works the same. My calculations I'd say around 200 cubic feet loose volume when dumped into a cone, but I suppose if it's split larger the measurement goes up.
I personally like a mix of larger and smaller splits. I'll tolerate some smaller rounds (no more than 6" in diameter). With that said, I'm not trying to cram a woodstove as full as possible. Instead, I'm usually doing a top-down burn in a fireplace and will mix in some smaller pieces with the larger pieces in the lower layers to help those layers catch.
I wish I had watched this video before buying firewood. Just about everything you said you wouldn't do my guy did. Much respect to honest people like yourself.
I tell people my wood is cut in 18" lengths but I'm giving them a full cord of firewood!. So when they stack it its 4'x18"x20' or 4'x3'x10', never had any complaints!. Ohio has stipulations on how you can sell firewood but they dont enforce it!. The customer should have a moister meter!.
I finally found an honest seller and get what I want- Hardwood, split larger 6-8", and I prefer green to season two years myself and less expensive - I use two cords a year
this guy does seem like a honest dude. I feel as long as your honest to your customers about what you got whether its green, dry, knotty, or beetle wood (like Ringo or Paul) and charge accordingly. not to big of deal how or what its brought loaded or stacked like when they bring it as long as its the amount i ordered after I stack it at my crib. if not ill try maybe one more time and move on to the next wood dealer. Either way stuff happens like is hard its impossible for me at least to perfect. People need a break sometimes. The benefit of a doubt. Please don't ever judge and label someone right off the bat. People and things are not what they seem most of the until you get to know them.
Thanks for the info. First Lady I bought from was honest, said she had cheap wood and premium. Charged $60 for a Rick (8x4) of cheap stuff. Came in clutch during ice storm. Second dude offered to deliver 2 ricks for me. Pulled up in an F-150 with a short bed. I pulled out an old 2x4 and some t post.. dude only brought less than 1.25 ricks and the my were cut to about 12 inches. I paid him for 1 Rick and let him know what I thought about his business ethics.
@@TractorTech my eyeball has ALWAYS BEEN solid unless I choose to avoid knots and cheat it .... I'm a 42 yes old drywaller, now with the eye not getting ass much practice from seeing and blind-screwing off the rock I'm using a tape now since I'm selling that way I only sell 16" firewood. I admit when you cut only 30+ inch (@ the felling cut) fir it is a bit trickier than small medium because the sheer size of the round makes 16" look VERY short. So it's nice and easy....doesn't take more than 5 min. With an orange window/bingo marker
@@zacfiroved8069 yeah; I don’t have that ability. 1 foot or 1 mile. Same same! 🤣 I find that the accumark is better for when I’m cutting on wood piles. If you have good access to a log then the Mingo marker is the way to go.
Great video, second year wood burning, definitely fell for “seasoned” wood but not “dry” that’s another thing to think about when buying. Get your terms down right before you buy.
Thanks! I have seen seasoned wood that is not dry. I have seen dry wood that is not seasoned. The term seasoned varies from person to person. I guess if you cut and split a load on March 19 by march 20 it would be seasoned.
Geat info Roger.. I stack my loads in the truck and I usually clean it out every 3-4 loads.. Aslo when I wright up my Craigslist ads I say what I am using for a truck & trailer combo. than I figure if the buyer has Questions he can google what the truck is or ask. I have refereed off a few UA-cam videos as well over the years just so the buyer is not hearing the info from me..
Thanks Daniel! That is good that you are upfront with the customer about what you are using to haul wood on. There is a website that has the dimensions of most truck beds.
I much prefer to cut and split my own wood. I've found buying it didn't really save me much time. Often times, the "seasoned" wood would still be green. I'd have to cut quite a bit of it since it was too long to fit in my stove. I'd have to split a lot of it because of how big it was. Something you didn't mention was not getting the type of wood advertised. It's very upsetting to buy oak, but find a lot of pine mixed in. Had one time I don't even know what the wood was. I didn't recognize the bark, but it split easily and burned quickly. Plus, the chord was way short. Never got wood from him again.
It is not any fun trimming wood to leghth if it won't go in your stove. Mxing pine in with oak is pretty low. Ive heard of all likds of horror stories from customers on firewood sellers.
I started selling firewood for exactly these reasons. We kept being cheated and I figured that other people were too. Sure enough most of my customers say the same things. I like to give a few extra pieces of firewood with every face cord to be sure customers are satisfied.
How sad. Get a bill of sale and pay by credit card. If what you get doesn't match the bill of sale - file a dispute with your credit card company. If the supplier doesn't take credit cards use a different supplier. Going through life knowing that every single day someone is trying to rip you off must be exhausting.
That's way I do my own wood,!! I trust no one. my wife and two 5 year old twin boys and i cut and split and stack the wood. It nice to have a wife willing to do the work!! When I'm at work, the wife gets home from work, starts spliter up and splits wood while one boy picks wood off ground and puts it on truck tall gate, the other stacks it neat in truck. She sometimes dose 3 truck loads a day with her aunt operating the lever on spliter! Just the opposite, in middle of winter she starts the old 9n ford tractor and brings the wood to house to be put in basement for burning. I am blessed to have a hard working wife and kids!! It's not easy work but it's how we get by.
Dude is a natural movie star. You can tell he's so relaxed and loose in front of the camera, not tense and looking like a tomcat shitting a tuna can. Nope, not at all. And as a fellow firewood entrepreneur, you can tell he's a natural at the firewood bidness. The way he chucked that piece of seasoned wood like a cat turd that totally disgusted him, was liking watch myself after I've handled the 30,000,000 stick of wood that day. Its uncanny really...
Just subscribed nice channel and nice to hear these different ways. Here in the Midwest there are A LOT of sellers of wood but not all of them are selling Firewood. have a good day. #slackoutdoors
Great video man. So many people out here wi zero morals, ripping people off.
Thanks! Unfortunately there are.
My brother was the most honest guy, he would cut and split wood to his costumers specs. Dry it. The wood was as good as it gets for selling. They still complained. After 25 years selling wood, he stopped doing it cold . Dealing with the public got the best of him!
The public can be difficult to deal with. I know I am selling a quality product. If people complain, they can get their wood elsewhere.
My friends dad was pissed drunk one day and told him to come over he wanted to give him some sage wisdom, thinking it was going to be something for the ages he went over at which point his dad said “most people are idiots”! ... we’ve laughed about it for years because he was a hardcore cynic but as we’ve gotten older we realize he was 110% correct and actually now it’s something I always remind myself off anytime I have to deal with the public and man it really helps cause instead of being disappointed I’m sometimes pleasantly surprised...anyways sounds like your brother found this out himself also
That’s one of the main reasons I stopped selling firewood. Everybody that called me wanted to harp at me about “ the last guy “ they bought wood from, and how he ripped them off. I would ask , “ Have you ever bought from me ? “. They would reply “ uh………..no. “ I would tell them to go call “ the last guy “ and b**ch him out . Then I would hang up on them. I had so many regular customers I ALWAYS ran out of wood , every Fall.
I hate people but I like individuals. I tell them to go fck themselves Don’t buy from me I don’t need their money it’s a passion gig. 🤙🏼
@@TractorTech Awesome and Informative video dude. Thanks for making/uploading it
People spend so much time trying to rip off the next guy
Yes, some people do
@@TractorTech And then there is the rest of us!😇
Nice, when someone tells it like it is 👍👏
Thanks👍
I ended up running out of good dry logs to burn this summer. (have plenty of kindling, just ran out of ready to go big stuff) So had to actually BUY some. I opted to go pick it up, rather than have it delivered as he was local. He had made these nice measured racks for his wood- each held 2 side by side 4'x4' stacks, so both stacks = 1 face cord. (he sells a lot of half face cords to vacationers with lake homes) I saw exactly what I was buying, and we loaded my truck right out of the rack. Got a half face cord of cherry and hickory for a very reasonable price- and it was a fair bit more wood than I'd thought it was. We both ended up happy- him with a wad of bills in his pocket, me with a big pile of cherry and hickory to grill over and drink beer by.
It sounds like you found a good honest firewood seller.
Hickory is one of the best Woods you can get for throwing BTUs cherries about in the middle but not bad you got a good deal. In my opinion I'm no professional or anything.
Waiting for our totalitarian administration in DC to start coming after us next. Stove emissions, stove types, laws against wood dealers, stove sellers. Alot more people have gas kitchen stoves than wood stoves.
I've been ripped off every time so far in the past 2 years. Can't find an honest person selling firewood.
It can be very difficult to find someone honest selling firewood.
Dirty Dogs should not even be in business if they are screwing the customers!
Most of them are selling wood for beer money.
good video. No stupid music no endless babbling. Straight and to the point. Well done.
Thanks!
Information only and not a production.
I sell firewood mostly to campers in the summer, I always make sure the moisture content is under 20%. Usually its 15 or under. I toss all the rotten wood in IBC cages and that becomes my bonfire wood for when my friends come over, my firepit is quite large.
Since you are selling wood I bet you have repeat customers! I want to make firepit. It would be a good way for me to get rid of my trash wood.
@@TractorTech I thought you have a wood stove?? That "junk wood" you showed in this video still has plenty of BTUs , just use it in the day time or when you don't need as much heat, like the shoulder season.
Well said Roger! I usually bring my moisture meter to deliveries and test a few pieces for the customer to give them some piece of mind!
That is not a bad idea. If nothing else it would not be bad to carry one in the truck in case someone says the wood is not dry, then they could be proved wrong.
Peace of mind.
The smaller your fire wood is split, the less wood you have. The larger split you get more wood. I split my wood so it drys faster. The other thing is. A round will burn longer then split. So after you get a bed of hot coals put a round in your stove. I'm 66 yrs old and have heated my home with wood over 40 yrs.
Smaller splits have more air space, so you get more wood.
@@TractorTech I want more wood not more air space. Larry is correct on this. FYI
Yes sir. I've burned firewood for 48 winters as my only source of heat.
Damp wood sucks.
There's no such thing as too much wood.
Split dry will keep your butt from freezing.
Nice video Roger that should really help some folks that are new to buying firewood and maybe help some sellers be accurate in how they sell it. That’s one thing I pride myself in is having a measured amount based on cords or cubic feet.1/3 1/2 full etc
Thanks, I hope it helps some people. Maybe some sellers will see this and step up and do what is right. I'm glad to hear you measure your wood👍
Morning Roger. Thanks for sharing - some great tips for folks to watch out for. Have a good one!
Thanks, you too!
I buy wood from local sawmills. The wood half the time looks like blocks or boards that didn't get processed properly. But they usually give more per cord just to clear the yard of wood at a cheaper price. They say it's a cord but usually give an extra 1/4 on top. Since sawmills will scrap out weird looking wood it's good stuff since they don't usually send out bad construction products.
That sounds like a good deal.
Id Def buy from him if I needed firewood
Thanks!
Been selling firewood for 8 years now. I’m glad this guy can go through all the hoops to sell a premium product. Around here there is no money selling firewood. I usually barely break even and then complaints on top of it. Buying loads of logs and processing it you get what you get for wood. The bad stuff gets tossed aside but knots protruding and some hollow logs, No biggie. It’s all wood and it all burns. Knotty maple will split into odd chunks, No biggie as long as it’ll fit in the stove they’ll burn it at night. I personally throw it loose in the truck by hand and it gets dumped at the far side. I tell all my customers to get their wood early because it dries better at their house than mine. They stack a few cord up and the wind blows through all summer as they know it’s dry by winter. I have a few big piles of wood outside at my house. The stuff on top is dry but in the middle of the pile doesn’t get much airflow.
It’s not about being dishonest. It’s about offering the best product that is practical and some things just aren’t practical. Like delivering 60 cord of firewood by stacking it all in the back of your truck and then unloading it by hand at the far end and sweeping the bark out with every load.
Roger great video lots of good info. So now I guess I need to go clean out the bed of my truck. Take care brother.
Thanks Have a good weekend!
It really shouldn't be so hard to get good quality real seasoned firewood. Down here in Louisiana, these slicks don't season anything and will deliver a load of wood so green you can smell it from across your yard!
That is common everywhere.
thats how i make money dont tell the secret lol
The $50 a pick up load guys are too lazy to do it right.
hi there good points . many years ago i knew a guy that made a fram or box out of 2 4x8 sheets of plywood in the back of his pickup stacked the wood in between the two 4x8s . he would dump it out after you saw it was full . ask you to step aside so you wouldn't get hurt . then dump it . well it was stacked in the front and back but thrown in in-between the front and back stack then straightened on the top middle to make it looked like it was all stacked . my sister bought it . knew something was funny . so she told me . i had her buy another cord when he got there so did i . she called weight and measures and the police . don't realy know what happened to him . but he never sold wood again john
People come up with al kinds of scams. You did people a favor by reporting him.
Good information especially if new to using it for heat. 👍🏼👍🏼
I bought 6 cord of tree length supposedly....How can I tell when delivered if it is 6 cord or not?
Thanks for the knowledge we definitely got scammed this year by almost all of the above methods and I live in southern Maine. I'd love to buy wood from honest good sellers like you but it seems they're hard to find.
I'm sorry you got scammed. It can be very difficult to find an honest person selling firewood.
@@TractorTech thank you, I just want to put it out there that I'm a non confrontational type of person. So I haven't/won't be calling to complain or anything. Before I even watched your video I felt like something was wrong. I got so much scraps/saw dust it was piled so high, I had to literally dig out each piece of wood. It took me 2 weeks to stack, 3 hours a day. I also found a huge piece of really heavy metal. I had two hole tarps worth of kindling and many wood that wasn't cut and a lot that won't fit in our wood stove. I account all of this to getting what I paid for and next year I'll definitely pay more for better quality with someone else as I understand that it is a lot of work in preparing the wood. Thank you again!
Not to mention paying for hardwood and having a third of it actually being pine.
People will try anything. There is a guy here that mixes poplar with is wood. Poplar burns like pine.
@@TractorTech here in New Mexico that’s all you see is pine wood for sale nothing else. There is one guy who has oak and wants $550 a cord do you think that’s fair?
Having cut, burned, and sold firewood for 47 years, I can honestly say that I would buy wood from you in a heartbeat! I have seen first-hand some of the s**t some wood sellers try to pawn off as "seasoned." If you put salt and pepper on it, it's "seasoned" right?
Thank you for being so honest and straight forward. May your chains remain sharp all season!
No we don't leave the chainsaw and gas in the truck to cheat you out of wood. We leave it in the bed cause it is not safe in the cab.
its important to be honest when selling . ive had many conversations with customers about the wood i have. if they are asking for 3 cords of wood and all i have is 3 cords of not fully seasoned wood ill tell them that . ive sold wood at a discount if its slightly rotten at the edges , as long as the customer knows that up front . in my area if i bought premium log loads to sell id be making 5 dollars an hour .so i have to drive to the woods , fall the trees , buck them up and i cant always be as picky and choosey as id like on the species and premium quality . a lot of people in my area are happy to save a little money if the wood is not fully seasoned or the best hardwood in our area, as long as i tell them what their buying . i will never short the load either .
ever buy a load delivered that had a high amount of "odds and ends" in it? The stuff you can burn but can't stack. Toss it into a separate pile as shit wood.
I don’t sell firewood as I’m flat out keeping up with my own needs. But it’s amazing how people with stoves know so little about what they burn it’s almost scary.
Yes, it is. Now with the internet, it is very easy to educate yourself.
As soon as I get my cords of wood, I stack it, he always fix me if it's short
This man knows what his customers want. Well done my man.
Thanks Kurt!
Knotty wood is by far the best wood to burn . It burns hotter and lasts longer.
Yes.
Good evening Sir 😊 You mention pretty good tricks 👍😊 Thank you kindly for this very good informative video Sir Cheers !!!
Thanks Dave! Have good weekend!
@@TractorTech 😊👌
Good advice........ Thanks 👍
Very good advice. I do my own wood from my trees. Good Luck, Rick
Thanks, Rick👍 Have a good weekend!
I always sprinkle in wht I call all nighters when I'm splitting my wood.
A little larger piece here and there isn't bad.
We call them going to bed logs around here.
the other rip off is guys who stack on the ground
Awesome! I which I saw this sooner.
Good advice 👍
I season my wood 2 years. I also have wood that doesn't like to give up it's bark till the second year. I don't cut anything green, it's got to be dead. I don't tarp the wood just keep metal roofing on the top to keep air moving through it. Size of wood is always varying on the person. I split mine 6x6 size. Any smaller it would not last the night in my wood burner.
I have enjoyed burning wood because it costs nothing for me. I have 8 acres of timber and always stuff dieing. Enough rantings. I leave comments on videos with good content.
Thanks Timothy. I don't like using tarp for wood either. I think they leak and hold the moisture in. I may try doing some larger splits again for my stove and see how it does.
Would you have that same depressed face if you where talking about overcooked broccoli? :D Just saying :D
Thanks for watching
Hi Tractor Tech - it's Big Rodders in Ireland, a subscriber. Thanks for a very informative video. Over here there is no legislation governing the sale of firewood regarding volume, log size or consistency, species mixing, moisture content etc etc etc. It's a totally free market, perhaps because it represents a very small percentage of heating options used.
Hi Big Rodders. The only law that I am of aware of in my state is wood is supposed to be stacked on a truck or trailer, and sold by the cord. You can't sell a pick up load, but people still do it. Have a good weekend!
Same here. There's no law that regulations on size or length of fire wood. That just the size and length he uses.
Smaller pieces burn up quicker than larger pieces.. and split pieces burn up quicker than round or pieces that are not split..
Because they are drier.
I just burn wood in my fireplace.
I prefer larger pieces because they burn plenty bright enough and last longer.
Straight wood my be great for wood stoves, but i don't mind knotty pieces, it burns great in a fireplace.
It doesn't pack together so it gets better air flow.
I bet you don’t sell them knots Knotthead money son knots are money yes there hard as Fuchs last longer in stove
Yes they are hard, the grain is very tight on them. I keep them and burn them myself. A stove load puts out a ton of heat.
Thankyou.....one guy delivered 4 cord of yellow birch and must have scooped it up with a loader bucket as I had 13 full garbage cans of gravel and bark chip trash to clean up after. Another guy delivered round wood which I ordered with most of the bigger chunks being 14 inches and the small chunks 16 and s lot of bizarre shaped stuff I could not even split so could not use.....rotten stuff too.
13 garbage cans is crazy! It sounds like the other guy brought you a bunch of tree service trash.
Is cotton wood are good firewood. I never buy this kind before.
Not very good for home heating.
Low BTU's
Most people selling wood on craigslist don't even know how to measure a cord.
Most people in general don't know what a cord is.
Where are you located
Been getting homeless people cardboard homes n chop shop tires I'll get wood later😵💫
ok
I’m in Bangor
Thank you!
You want the shit for a song an dance and someone to spend all that time to make you happy do it yourself if you don't like it
Thanks for watching!
Great information thanks for a good explanation on how firewood is suppose to be.
Your Welcome!
Nice video, but you need the microphone closer.
Thanks! I have a wireless mic now.
Good points and I agree. One more thing to mention, lower quality wood. Premium firewood would not include maple, elm, walnut, cherry, pine as different woods give off differing amounts of heat. Those are great woods, but not what I would call premium. Oak, hedge, locust, hickory... those are premium firewood, if you heat with wood. If they just want something to crackle in the fireplace occasionally, sure, anything will do but for heating a home, those others won't do near as good of a job.
I totally agree with the ant wood. I find if I split it and ants come out, I throw it in a separate pile. I won’t stack it on my 8’ rack(about 3 days worth of firewood during the coldest days.) It’s drys fast due to the bore holes and rotten wood and it still burns well with the more dense firewood. I find my 2500 sq foot Btu drolet stove drys the wood on the rack as well seeing its only 6’ away from the rack. Great video from a fellow New Englander.
Another big thing to do is start thinking about next year's firewood early! Don't wait till heating season is upon you to begin looking. Lots of guys will be out or nearly out of wood by then- at least good DRY wood. That's when you end up getting whatever they have- green; semi-seasoned; less desirable species; or just leftover "whatever I have laying around". And by early, I mean spring time at least!
This gives your guy time to plan ahead, just like with any long-lead-time product. (and firewood is very definitely a long lead time product! Most hardwoods take a year or more to fully dry- oak can take TWO years!) Ordering early can also help with wood that isn't quite dry, as it'll have some time before you need to use it.
Communication is key. There's nothing wrong with selling wood that's not ready to burn yet- as long as that fact is shared with potential buyers. Heck, if you've got the space and don't need the wood NOW, you can often get a better deal on it. It's the last minute "emergency" buyers who are at the mercy of whomever has wood to sell.
And if the wood is for a fireplace, fire pit, campfires, etc; don't bust your wallet buying the high end premium wood, like oak, Hickory, locust, etc. Those woods are considered the best, because they burn long, and put out lots of heat, not because they produce nice bright flames or light easily. You're actually better off buying the "lesser" woods for recreational use- because they burn hot and bright! (just not long) and get going easily. Pine/spruce/cedar/larch also produce very good smelling smoke- that classic campfire smell. Poplar, Aspen and Basswood burn hot and bright- and don't pop and spit sparks like pine does. You can save yourself $$, and get great-for-the-purpose wood, if you don't just go with what "everyone" says is "The Best" wood.
Just a few more points to think about when looking to buy firewood.
Most people don't think ahead. Some people act like the wood will spoil if the have some left over from one year to the next. I've never figured out why it is the sellers responsibly to have dry wood. If I was buying wood, I'd buy a year ahead to be sure I had dry wood.
Cool stuff. I'm in northern Alberta where we don't get many options for variety of trees, but volume works the same. My calculations I'd say around 200 cubic feet loose volume when dumped into a cone, but I suppose if it's split larger the measurement goes up.
The length of the wood also makes a difffernce. The 180 is for 16-18'' wood. Split size probably factors in too.
I personally like a mix of larger and smaller splits. I'll tolerate some smaller rounds (no more than 6" in diameter). With that said, I'm not trying to cram a woodstove as full as possible. Instead, I'm usually doing a top-down burn in a fireplace and will mix in some smaller pieces with the larger pieces in the lower layers to help those layers catch.
I wish I had watched this video before buying firewood. Just about everything you said you wouldn't do my guy did. Much respect to honest people like yourself.
I tell people my wood is cut in 18" lengths but I'm giving them a full cord of firewood!. So when they stack it its 4'x18"x20' or 4'x3'x10', never had any complaints!. Ohio has stipulations on how you can sell firewood but they dont enforce it!. The customer should have a moister meter!.
I"ve never heard of any state enforcing firewood laws.
Yes Ohio has stipulations on how firewood is to be sold in Ohio!, but they dont enforce it!. They also have laws on the transportation of firewood !.
I finally found an honest seller and get what I want-
Hardwood, split larger 6-8", and I prefer green to season two years myself and less expensive - I use two cords a year
this guy does seem like a honest dude. I feel as long as your honest to your customers about what you got whether its green, dry, knotty, or beetle wood (like Ringo or Paul) and charge accordingly. not to big of deal how or what its brought loaded or stacked like when they bring it as long as its the amount i ordered after I stack it at my crib. if not ill try maybe one more time and move on to the next wood dealer. Either way stuff happens like is hard its impossible for me at least to perfect. People need a break sometimes. The benefit of a doubt. Please don't ever judge and label someone right off the bat. People and things are not what they seem most of the until you get to know them.
Thanks for the info. First Lady I bought from was honest, said she had cheap wood and premium. Charged $60 for a Rick (8x4) of cheap stuff. Came in clutch during ice storm.
Second dude offered to deliver 2 ricks for me. Pulled up in an F-150 with a short bed. I pulled out an old 2x4 and some t post.. dude only brought less than 1.25 ricks and the my were cut to about 12 inches. I paid him for 1 Rick and let him know what I thought about his business ethics.
😊thanks, very good video, take care. 😊
Hi from Portland Oregon
Thanks for doing your video! 🪓🪓🪓
I can not find log length in Maine any where
It is hard to find here too.
One of those “get what you pay for” deals. I find people appreciate consistent lengths and split sizes. I use an acc-u-mark or a Ming marker as well.
I agree, most of the time it is the guy selling cheap wood doing this stuff.
@@TractorTech my eyeball has ALWAYS BEEN solid unless I choose to avoid knots and cheat it .... I'm a 42 yes old drywaller, now with the eye not getting ass much practice from seeing and blind-screwing off the rock
I'm using a tape now since I'm selling that way I only sell 16" firewood. I admit when you cut only 30+ inch (@ the felling cut) fir it is a bit trickier than small medium because the sheer size of the round makes 16" look VERY short.
So it's nice and easy....doesn't take more than 5 min. With an orange window/bingo marker
@@zacfiroved8069 yeah; I don’t have that ability. 1 foot or 1 mile. Same same! 🤣 I find that the accumark is better for when I’m cutting on wood piles. If you have good access to a log then the Mingo marker is the way to go.
Are you reading cards because it sounds like you are?
Just talk about what you know. Don’t try reading until you become a much better reader
Lol, no I am not reading cards.
@@TractorTech
Sorry I thought you were
Lol
I buy firewood and this guy knows what he's talking about
Wish I could find someone like him were I live.
all of the above plus more im my area
Sadly it is that way everywhere.
There were a few tips I wasn't aware of. I'm glad I saw your video. Thanks for sharing it with us. Well done Sir.
Interesting. Thanks...
You're welcome
Great video, second year wood burning, definitely fell for “seasoned” wood but not “dry” that’s another thing to think about when buying. Get your terms down right before you buy.
Thanks! I have seen seasoned wood that is not dry. I have seen dry wood that is not seasoned. The term seasoned varies from person to person. I guess if you cut and split a load on March 19 by march 20 it would be seasoned.
@@TractorTech he
Geat info Roger.. I stack my loads in the truck and I usually clean it out every 3-4 loads.. Aslo when I wright up my Craigslist ads I say what I am using for a truck & trailer combo. than I figure if the buyer has Questions he can google what the truck is or ask.
I have refereed off a few UA-cam videos as well over the years just so the buyer is not hearing the info from me..
Thanks Daniel! That is good that you are upfront with the customer about what you are using to haul wood on. There is a website that has the dimensions of most truck beds.
Opinions wanted on burning Ash,
Ash is great for home heating!
@@brushcrawler8612 What about sycamore? Does it cause creosote?
@@cathyweaver1449 sycamore is good too.
All wood species create creosote.
How much do you want for your cat he’s beautiful
I'll sell the cat for a dozen of eggs and a tank of gas.
@@TractorTech How big is your tank lol
Thank you... 👀😇
You're welcome 😊
thank you!
You're welcome!
I much prefer to cut and split my own wood. I've found buying it didn't really save me much time.
Often times, the "seasoned" wood would still be green.
I'd have to cut quite a bit of it since it was too long to fit in my stove.
I'd have to split a lot of it because of how big it was.
Something you didn't mention was not getting the type of wood advertised. It's very upsetting to buy oak, but find a lot of pine mixed in. Had one time I don't even know what the wood was. I didn't recognize the bark, but it split easily and burned quickly. Plus, the chord was way short. Never got wood from him again.
It is not any fun trimming wood to leghth if it won't go in your stove. Mxing pine in with oak is pretty low. Ive heard of all likds of horror stories from customers on firewood sellers.
yea Maine!!!!
Thanks for watching!
I started selling firewood for exactly these reasons. We kept being cheated and I figured that other people were too. Sure enough most of my customers say the same things. I like to give a few extra pieces of firewood with every face cord to be sure customers are satisfied.
You’re a good man . Or woman. You get the point
I'm in western Mass. We have thousands of standing dead oaks. The gypsy moths killed. Definitely some wood rot
A little rot to me is allowable especially in a situation like that.
Nice Video Roger, great information. Best Regards from Peoria, IL - Jason
Thanks 👍 Have a good weekend Jason!
Traffic
Thanks for watching!
Thanx
Your welcome!
An easy way to remember 128 cubic feet is a quart (of beer for example), which is a quarter of a gallon, is 32 ounces. 32x4=128.
I had never thought of it that way!
does Oak produce smoke ?
i want the best firewood that doesn't produce smoke
If you have a modern stove, good chimney, dry wood and, burn it properly, oak does not smoke.
Great video! Great info. There are alot of scammers out here. It seems like they outnumber the good guys.
Yes, it is difficult to find a reputable firewood seller.
How sad.
Get a bill of sale and pay by credit card. If what you get doesn't match the bill of sale - file a dispute with your credit card company. If the supplier doesn't take credit cards use a different supplier. Going through life knowing that every single day someone is trying to rip you off must be exhausting.
Welcome to America.
That's way I do my own wood,!! I trust no one. my wife and two 5 year old twin boys and i cut and split and stack the wood. It nice to have a wife willing to do the work!! When I'm at work, the wife gets home from work, starts spliter up and splits wood while one boy picks wood off ground and puts it on truck tall gate, the other stacks it neat in truck. She sometimes dose 3 truck loads a day with her aunt operating the lever on spliter! Just the opposite, in middle of winter she starts the old 9n ford tractor and brings the wood to house to be put in basement for burning. I am blessed to have a hard working wife and kids!! It's not easy work but it's how we get by.
That is great your whole family helps on the firewood. It sounds like you have a good process going.
Thanks for the knowledge much appreciated!!
Your welcome!
Nice Rodger!! Any possible way I can email you a question. Where do I find your email?
Tractortechyt@gmail.com
Dude is a natural movie star. You can tell he's so relaxed and loose in front of the camera, not tense and looking like a tomcat shitting a tuna can. Nope, not at all. And as a fellow firewood entrepreneur, you can tell he's a natural at the firewood bidness. The way he chucked that piece of seasoned wood like a cat turd that totally disgusted him, was liking watch myself after I've handled the 30,000,000 stick of wood that day. Its uncanny really...
Thanks, I really appreciate that.
Just subscribed nice channel and nice to hear these different ways. Here in the Midwest there are A LOT of sellers of wood but not all of them are selling Firewood. have a good day. #slackoutdoors
Thanks for the sub. I like the way you put that, that all are not selling firewood.
Thanks for the great information! Very helpful!
You are so welcome!
Great info!
Thanks for watching!
Good video. Well made. Excellent information. 👍🏻
Thank you! 👍
Thank you for a most informative video. Lots of great tips. I learned s as great deal. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Any calculator will work or simple mathematics
Yes
It can have rot and solid both. That is actually very good firewood.
If your fire gets down low it is nice. The rotten part will take off fast and the hard part will burn long.