Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[deezler]

Face cord (rick) is a perfectly legitimate quantity measurement, IMO. Of course it might not be a perfect 1/3 cord with nice 16" long pieces, but good enough, and it's the most amount that most people want to deal with at one time.

People get around $100 a face cord around here. Makes me want to get a faster splitting setup and sell some, but ain't no one got time for that.

First fire in the woodstove last night, to take the edge off a chilly rainy evening. House temp went from 64 to 74 in a couple hours... too hot.

 

[John_Mc]

The problem with a "face cord" or a "rick" is that there is no legal definition of it in most states. It's only 1/3 of a cord if the wood is cut to 16" lengths (or at least averages that). It's probably not a problem if both parties are aware and agree on the length measurement. The reason that some states have a cow about it is that lacking a legal definition, or some written agreement, there is no way to enforce and quantity errors. I don't know anyone who bothers to have a written agreement with such detail when they buy firewood, but most places I've lives, folks assume that a face cord means 16" unless specified otherwise. (though you know what they say about "never assume...")

 

[deezler]

^ yeah for sure. What I don't understand is what is really any better about a proper "full cord" of 4x4x8 feet. It's still going to be comprised of cut and split firewood pieces of varying lengths. And no one stacks their wood in 4x4x8 cubes anyway. So essentially anyone selling a full cord is just selling three ricks, anyway. No?

 

[John_Mc]

People get around $100 a face cord around here. Makes me want to get a faster splitting setup and sell some, but ain't no one got time for that.

That's typical pricing for my area. If you are lucky, you can find good hardwood for less, if not, you'll pay significantly more (and the price does jump up as you get closer to larger cities).

As far as "ain't no one got time for that": that's exactly why it sells for +/-$300 per cord. You either put in a lot of time turning standing trees into firewood, or you put in a bit less time, but spend a boatload of money on equipment. I enjoy doing my own firewood, and occasionally helping out friends or contributing to our local firewood donation program.

Doing it for sale would just be a good way to spoil a good stress reliever/hobby for me. Plus, I don't want to be in the position of having someone else relying on me for their home heating. I'm happy to help, but I'm not looking to get in the business or guarantee that I'll have X cords of seasoned wood for someone in time for the heating season. As it is, I spend so much time helping out others, it seems I'm always scrambling to get my own firewood done

 

[deezler]

Well said. I have some suburban buddies who like to cosplay as lumberjacks on the weekends sometimes. So they enthusiastically come over to help run my log splitter a few times per year. I let them take all that they want for campfires and their drafty fireplaces, which is really just a trunk load each (after they help me split a full cord).

 

[John_Mc]

^ yeah for sure. What I don't understand is what is really any better about a proper "full cord" of 4x4x8 feet. It's still going to be comprised of cut and split firewood pieces of varying lengths. And no one stacks their wood in 4x4x8 cubes anyway. So essentially anyone selling a full cord is just selling three ricks, anyway. No?

Nothing "better" about it, as long as everyone is on the same page. The state doesnt like it just because a rick or face cord may not be a clearly defined standard of measure.

My buddy burns 24" long pieces. So when he talks about a face cord, he's expecting half a cord. (He also thinks he should spend less for that than for a half cord of 16" pieces, since it's less work to cut and split. I'm not sure if he has ever succeeded in convincing a seller of that, however.)

 

[Hilbilly]

Around here it is $250 for a delivered cord of mixed wood and we are a long ways from a city. I too enjoy getting firewood and even get it during the summer, when we are camping and the fishing is slow. Nothing like being out in the woods getting firewood at a leisurely pace and enjoying the surroundings.

 

[4570Man]

Nothing "better" about it, as long as everyone is on the same page. The state doesnt like it just because a rick or face cord may not be a clearly defined standard of measure.

My buddy burns 24" long pieces. So when he talks about a face cord, he's expecting half a cord. (He also thinks he should spend less for that than for a half cord of 16" pieces, since it's less work to cut and split. I'm not sure if he has ever succeeded in convincing a seller of that, however.)

If you were expecting an actual 1/2 cord of 16” pieces vs a face cord you would have to handle less pieces of 24” wood. But a 24” long round of any sizeable wood is too heavy to handle and a lot of splitters won’t accept 24” pieces.

 

[Loaderman22]

(He also thinks he should spend less for that than for a half cord of 16" pieces, since it's less work to cut and split. I'm not sure if he has ever succeeded in convincing a seller of that, however.)

Yeah, I don't think he'll find many others to agree, just because it was 6" longer, I don't really see it as less work.

Here we typically see wood sold by the cord for $180. off season and $200-$275 during the season. A friend of mine would buy 4 cords from a guy down in Jersey, he delivers in a big dump truck and just drops it on the driveway. My buddy spends the next couple of weeks stacking it in his spare time. He has a big wood boiler in his garage, I wish I had pictures of his setup.

 

[John_Mc]

Yeah, I don't think he'll find many others to agree, just because it was 6" longer, I don't really see it as less work.

Fewer pieces of wood to handle for the same amount of volume. But, yeah, most folks around here figure a cord is a cord. They may consider it a hassle to do a "custom job".