What am I doing wrong?

[turnkey4099]

I never sell by the pile or form a pile. I always stack it 5 high x16 long with 16 to 18'' average splits.
I give an extra foot in height to make up for the short length. No one wants 24'' wood. Max is 18'' so the stack needs to be a little bigger then a standard 24'' stack.

My ricks for a cord of nominal 16" lengths.

4'x24' = cord
5'x20' = cord + a bit
6'x16' = cord + a bit

When selling, I add a bit over the above to be sure it is full measure.

 

[KiwiBro]

I traded a cord of wood for a nice chainsaw a few weeks ago.

Well.. the guy was expecting a face cord, not a cord.

As far as loading it loose in the truck, I won't do it and sell it as x cords.
I've hauled wood home loose, measured it out in the truck just for s&gs. It worked to "around" 175-200 cu ft per cord.
Too much guessing. 25 cu ft of foot is $55. Times that by 500 cords, that's ~27,000.

Stacking a cord is about an hr of work, we'll worth it. Plus the debris coming off the conveyor can get cleaned out and the wood inspected.

It's also a CYA for less than honest customers. Quite easy for someone to say, "hey that loose load was 1/4 cord short". Where when it's stacked in the truck, that's not possible.

Ever weighed cords of the various species you sell? Just wondering if you might reduce the variation this way, to the point it's cheaper to weigh rather than pay for someone to stack.

 

[sb47]

I had a new guy in the other day. He wanted a half cord. When I showed him what a true half cord is he was surprised and mad at they guy he had bought from the last few years. He said the guy's so called half cord was about half of what I sold him.
He said he would be back for another load in a few weeks.
The stack I sold him was 8' long and 5' high and an average of 16 to 18'' lengths.
He asked why my stack was so much bigger. I told because I wasn't ripping him off like the other guy did.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Ever weighed cords of the various species you sell? Just wondering if you might reduce the variation this way, to the point it's cheaper to weigh rather than pay for someone to stack.

I'd need to buy a scale.

 

[sundance]

I had a new guy in the other day. He wanted a half cord. When I showed him what a true half cord is he was surprised and mad at they guy he had bought from the last few years. He said the guy's so called half cord was about half of what I sold him.
He said he would be back for another load in a few weeks.
The stack I sold him was 8' long and 5' high and an average of 16 to 18'' lengths.
He asked why my stack was so much bigger. I told because I wasn't ripping him off like the other guy did.

8' X 5' x 1.5' (18") = 60 cf 8' x 5' x 1.3' (16") = 52 cf cord = 128 cf

I'm sure you're way over a lot of sellers, but looks like you're actually a bit light.

 

[Husky Man]

I NEVER short sell cords of wood, but then I have trouble finding enough time to cut enough wood for myself, never mind wood to SELL, that makes it a non issue for me

I have to agree with Patrick62, before I recently joined AS, I had never heard of a "Face Cord"

Doug

 

[Mustang71]

You can pick up a face cord or a "cord" for 70 to 90 dollars around here. 4'x8'x18" is the measurement for the "cord" sales around here.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Your confusing me...
People, or regions, seem to speak different dialects of English when using the work cord...
It is no wonder customers are confused when 'we' as a group of firewood sellers continue to use these terms so loosely.
I think I'll stack a display cord, for new, uneducated, potential customers as a visual aid.
I certainly understand customers confusion and asking, but it is very repetitious explaining it to each one individually.
The rub is that to sell a cord of wood I need to get so much for it to cover time, expenses, and compliance.
When 'they' sell less than a cord and call it a cord, they add to the confusion, and undercut everyones trust for a few bucks in their pocket.
4' x 8' x 18" for a 'cord' really muddies the water.
Word of mouth has been great advertising for me however, so no problem selling really, but it does effect me by keeping prices down in this area.
Next year the price is going up regardless of what the other around me are doing or selling. The price shoppers have and will be passing me by.

 

[woodshax]

I agree Sandhill, "cord" misunderstanding or misrepresentation is a big problem....when I have to contract out firewood, my first question is "what do you consider a cord? because a true, real, no *****, cord is 128 cubic feet of tightly stacked wood. The "Cord" listed above is .375 and for $80 (average) that comes out to $213.33 and if it is hardwood, split well and seasoned then that is an awesome price if it were here in Texas

 

[Mustang71]

Yes a face cord is a third of a cord. Around here it's usually ash. Cherry will cost 125. Usually dilervery isn't free unless you buy a couple face cords. But every one calls them a cord of wood. Idk why. Personally I wouldn't pay 70 for a face cord because I stack about 3 full cords and at that price I could buy another tank of propane and not burn wood. People in the suburbs like to have fires in their fire places so they buy a small amount of wood and I think that's y they just call it a cord and not a face cord.

I'll admit when I joined the site I was a bit confused at what everyone was calling a cord of wood.

 

[Mustang71]

Typed fire wood into cl and this is the first listing.

 

[Marshy]

Oh the madness.
This is why I don't think I could ever make it in a firewood business. Too many morons.

My area uses two terms only, face cord and cord. Unfortunately most use them interchangeably.

I've even called around trying to buy log length and had one driver not use the terms right.

The actual law of the land is to use only one unit of measure and that's cord. The reason for this is because it's defined (128cuft). Where as a face cord (also known as a Rick in some areas) can be any fraction of a cord. A face cord is most commonly know to be 1/3 or a cord (16" lengths stacked 4' tall and 8' long). However, it can also mean 20" long splits stacked 4' tall and 8' long. The pieces are "faced" (cut) to desired length. The literature I read that described all of this goes on further to say that if you are selling firewood the quantity should be clearly defined in cord or as "lose thrown" (aka, random pile of wood lose thrown onto truck).

 

[Mustang71]

Oh the madness.
This is why I don't think I could ever make it in a firewood business. Too many morons.

My area uses two terms only, face cord and cord. Unfortunately most use them interchangeably.

I've even called around trying to buy log length and had one driver not use the terms right.

The actual law of the land is to use only one unit of measure and that's cord. The reason for this is because it's defined (128cuft). Where as a face cord (also known as a Rick in some areas) can be any fraction of a cord. A face cord is most commonly know to be 1/3 or a cord (16" lengths stacked 4' tall and 8' long). However, it can also mean 20" long splits stacked 4' tall and 8' long. The pieces are "faced" (cut) to desired length. The literature I read that described all of this goes on further to say that if you are selling firewood the quantity should be clearly defined in cord or as "lose thrown" (aka, random pile of wood lose thrown onto truck).

You are in the same region as me. I see posts on cl either calling it a cord or face cord. It seems interchangeable and all about the same price. I never hear of or see full cord prices.

 

[c5rulz]

Had a call this week for a guy wanting a face cord, but it no stick could be longer than 16" max. cut to the small stove they had. I Told him I couldn't help him as the minimum I try and hold to is 16" and shorter than that would be shorting people.

I process log cut offs and it is not always possible to hold to exactly 16". For example if a chunk of trunk is 40" long I will make two 20" pieces. One 45" would be three 15" pieces. However they are rarely made less than 16".

 

[Sandhill Crane]

I used to hold to 16" or more. However now I let 14 1/2" -15" slide by once in awhile if it is good solid stuff, just a bit short. It will still stack well too for customers. Most of what I cut is 16 1/2", so it's a wash as far as I'm concerned. It's firewood. I'm getting too much junk wood in log form to throw it away. Less than that length we keep to burn ourselves, or sell as shorts and junk.

 

[lknchoppers]

I believe the proper way in the US to sell firewood is by the cord = 128 cubic feet stacked or a fraction of a cord like a half cord = 64 cubic feet. Anything else is bogus slang and you never know the real amount you will get as a customer. If you have stacked enough cords and filled a truck or trailer from the stack you should be able to judge pretty close how much is in the truck or trailer once it's tossed in. I build sides on my truck and trailer tall enough to carry a full tossed in cord in each. If I load with a loader I have to get in there and level out the pile every bucket or two to keep loading uniform and tight otherwise I will have too much "Fluff" and be short.

 

[turnkey4099]

I used to hold to 16" or more. However now I let 14 1/2" -15" slide by once in awhile if it is good solid stuff, just a bit short. It will still stack well too for customers. Most of what I cut is 16 1/2", so it's a wash as far as I'm concerned. It's firewood. I'm getting too much junk wood in log form to through it away. Less than that length we keep to burn ourselves, or sell as shorts and junk.

I use a 16" measure stick for each cut. Due to crooks, etc. splits will range between 15 and 17" and I figure the longs and shorts will equal out.

 

[Mustang71]

Selling fire wood sounds like it sucks. There are no rules when you cut for your personal use. Most of my wood isn't pretty enough to sell either.

 

[chucker]

I use a 16" measure stick for each cut. Due to crooks, etc. splits will range between 15 and 17" and I figure the longs and shorts will equal out.

heck! as long as your consistent with your length, who wood give a crap if one end is 1" to long or 1/2" long on both ends??

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I cut whatever length people want. ~98% is 16", the only 2% is 12, 14, 18, or 24".

I put in short pieces. I just stack it together, so 2 ~8" pieces for example, or toss the piece on as extra. If I'm at the end of a log I'll usually make 2 12" pieces vs a 16" and 8".