Called today to my friends tree service, and they are all out of log length. In fact, all he has is some semi-seasoned splits. He's checking and getting back to me on price. Not how I want to build my pile up, but if that is all I can get, it's what I can get. I've looked around and found one person that has log lengths which is equivalent to 2-2.5 cords. Problem is that this person charges a delivery charge. I'm of the opinion that I'd be better off purchasing a cord or two of the semi-seasoned to ensure I have enough for this year. At the same time I can drop some cherry and a rather large oak to help build up my pile. Jason from RI
Get whatever you can and keep going if you have the room to store it. Hopefully, the semi-seasoned will be gooder enough to help sometime this winter. You could add it to some wood that's in better shape to supplement. I'm using some dead barkless Oak that I cut just a couple months ago. It's not perfect, but it's doing pretty well.
My log guy adds a delivery charge too, but it's all in. When we're talking $1500 for 20 cord, another $100 isn't a deal killer. Local guy here sells soil by the cu. yard for $15, but adds a $75 delivery charge. He's only a couple miles from too. Ouch. Fuel is expensive.
Sooner it's stacked off the ground with good air circualation, the more it'll dry What would it cost you to go pick up the logs & bring them home or to buck them & haul it home ? " You burn what you got, seasoned or not " Which we've all had to do. Just inspect & clean the chimney monthly, you'll be fine. You have the motivation & the bug now. Next year will be better & the next after that, even better yet Takes time. Once you experience burning 2 & 3 year dry, seasoned wood, you'll know it wasn't all hype
I would jump over it. I think everyone has burned unseasoned wood a few times till they got ahead..keep the wet stuff next to the stove so it can dry some and that will help quite a bit..good luck
Jason, on cutting the cherry and oak, I'd stick with the cherry. Oak usually takes 3 years to be in good shape. It just does not dry well. Once it is dry it is one of the very best but getting it dry is tough. Cherry, on the other hand you can burn in a year or less. That would be one of the woods I'd go after if I needed some quick. Even better would be some soft maple. But do the best you can.
My tree guy was getting $50 a cord for log length last year. This year he's getting $100. After the cold winter last year and with the cold winter forecasted for this year, a lot more people are burning wood and everyone is stocking up.
You aren't going to get better wood in February or March, so I say go for it now while you can. Then you can get ahead with less pressure.
Hi Paula welcome to the forum! Just noticed your post and also see you're from the UK.. Great to have people from Europe here! There is a guy from Germany that has posted here too..
Who are you using for log loads? Logs are hard to get around here this year and firewood has gotten more expensive too.. What town\city are you located in? Oh and welcome to the forum! Ray
I was supposed to get 8 cords of 'dead standing' oak but the tractor to haul it out of the woods broke down. The guy with the triaxle goes to Fla. right after xmas. Which leaves 2 to 3 cord in a dump truck but my friend who owns that and a CDL just had a major shoulder operation. Out of commission for at least 6 months. I'm gonna be cutting weekends in January in the snow again hauling 3/4 cord a trip (19 mi one way ) which I didn't want to do this year. All ya can do is keep trying. I can always cut pine in my own back yard.
It is easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission...just tell the patrolman that your buddy with the dump truck is teaching you to drive a big rig so you can get your cdl...oh those logs in the back are my buddy's logs don't worry we will get rid of them.
Ray, Free BTUs is fairly close by but delivery would be a killer my guess. However... who is the log source? That is very cheap. At $100/ cord unprocessed I would be biting at these $150 cut & split offerings I see during the summer. I dunno, I'm cheap and I like the cutting part the best, would pay someone the right price to split it.
I'm in South Dartmouth. I use a small tree service company that is just down the road from me. People pay them to take down trees and then they sell the 4' - 8' logs. They are a small local operation. Don't think they do work/deliver out in Carver.
