What woods can I burn in a WFO?

[TXCraig1]

Chau,

That sound like a little less than 1/2 cord. A cord is 4x4x8 (stacked tight). This is less than 2x4x8.

I don't think you can go by weight unless you know if it is green or seasoned. Even then, I'm not sure you would have much to go on as I think it can vary quite a bit.

Have you called any landscape places to see if they sell firewood? Lots of them down here do. Does anything interesting come up when you google "albuquerque firewood for sale?"

I drive by a Home Depot on the way to work, and I did see a F350 flatbed with fold-down sides there this morning with a sign that said $19 for the first 75 minutes. A ton of wood would be no problem for that truck.

Good luck. Come visit me in Texas, and I'll send you home with a load...

CL

[carbon]

We have 5 Trader Joe's and 5 Home Depots/Lowe's within a 10 mile radius of where we live.  But as far as locating cords of wood at reasonable cost, forget it.  I often times just go where local restaurants pick up wood and pay $7.50 per 45lb sack (10 bag minimum, otherwise $10/bag) of whatever splits I need.
Just yesterday I picked up red oak (for tri-tips), apple, and white oak.

When I fire up the oven just for roasts and slow cooks I like to use charcoal briquettes by placing a basket of charcoal at one corner of the oven and let them burn real slow for for the duration of the cook by regulating fresh air flow into the oven using the oven door. 
I always load up on charcoal briquettes when Home Depot and Lowe's puts them on sale which is quite often.  )

[widespreadpizza]

Craig,  when I say pine,  I mean left over 2x4s and stuff.  No residue at all.  Once that thing hit pizza temps there is not much residue from anything.  As for free split and seasoned wood,  I have a small gas splitter that I bought,  and before that used to do it by hand with a maul.  My brother gets me wood off a gold course cut to length.  I have about 3 cords with two seasons on them waiting fot the splitter.....  But there are people up here in the norheast even that will let you take thier cut up trees away for nothing and that to me is worht the effort.  -marc

[Jackie Tran]

Wood experts....Is there a difference in density of big giant oak trees that have been cut down versus smaller oak trees (say 8" diameter) assuming both are seasoned oak?    Will both burn similarly if you cut them down to 3-4" wide sticks?

Chau

[Mmmph]

Oak is oak, if it's the same species. The thickness of the bark will be different between young and old trees.

Performance depends on water content, or lack thereof.

[Jackie Tran]

So here's the update on my search for hard woods.  The guy with the free elm cancelled on me this past Sunday.  I'll just have to make time another day, but the elm will still be there.

I called a seller in Sante Fe and he will deliver to Alb., if and when he goes again.  He doesn't plan on going for a few more months.  

I then found another company in Albuquerque that wants $400 a cord of oak delivered.  I've been told that their oak can be "punky".

I called 2 others, and got one guy to call me back.  He has 3 cords left and normally charges $350 delivered.  He said he would knock off $20, so I said I'll take a cord if he threw in a chopping stump (thanks David!).  Done...

He showed up today with a truck load of wood.  I had him dump it on my driveway and I then spent the next 2 hours stacking wood.  It's my first cord so I was stacking it neat.  

Got done and something seemed off.  Measured it and estimated I got 3/4 of a cord and not a full cord.  4hx8lx3w.   Called the guy and he seemed honestly bewildered.  He says his truck holds a cord and spouted off the measurements.   He says I must have stacked it tight and that the stump took up a bit of room on the truck.  I told him that I'm not short a wheel barrow or 2, I'm short a 1/4 cord....unless my measuring tape is off, but I didn't think so.

He saids that he normally cuts the wood himself but he didn't cut this oak and it isn't consistent.  Some pieces are 16", some 18" and maybe they didn't stack up tight in his truck.  He said that next time he comes to town he bring me a bit more of wood.  I told him I would appreciated that but was thinking I'm not counting on that.  If he doesn't then I won't be buying wood from him again.  

I thought I was getting a good deal at $330 but it sounds like a typical $400 cord in Albuquerque.  Oh well, live and learn right?

Here's the picture....The blue tape on the wall is 4' high and 8' from the tape to the back wall.  The stack is taller in the back at about 6' but the front is empty.  So let's call that even.  The width is 3' not 4' as you can see from the tape measure on the wood.   Am I mistaken to think that a cord is 4x4x8 stacked tight and not just loosely stacked?  

 

[wheelman]

that's enough to last you a while.  most important thing is, is it nice and dry or is it green?  that makes all the difference.  my wood guy says that the bark should come off easy if it's cured.  i don't always find that to be true with oak though. 
bill

[BrickStoneOven]

You can definitely tell your short on wood from the picture. There was wood on both sides of my shed when it was all stacked.

[JConk007]

yes Live and Learn. Wood looks decent/hard/dry ? as mentioned thats more important.  I once had a had a guy send me cord of  "hardwood" and 1/2 was pine! he replaces it but I struggled to get rid of the unusable crap
Be there when its delivered thats for sure and look before dump
John

[Mmmph]

most important thing is, is it nice and dry or is it green?  that makes all the difference.  my wood guy says that the bark should come off easy if it's cured.  i don't always find that to be true with oak though.  

Just bang two logs together. Green wood will thud with a heavy, dull sound. Seasoned wood will sort of "ring" like a marimba.

It'll have a clear resonant sound. It'll reverberate in your hand. I mean you can feel the vibration. Green/wet wood will not have these characteristics. Once the bark starts coming off, it's definitely cured.

[Jackie Tran]

The wood is definitely dry.  I was told that it was cut last September, so that would put it around 7 months.  In this very arid climate,  especially with summer approaching it will definitely be dry enough.  Several of the logs had split naturally with just some fiber shreds holding them together.  I could also separate the 2 parts by hand with just a small amount of effort.  

I have some left over oak and pecan from a few seasons ago, that I will start using first.    

Mmmph that is a great tip,  I'll bang a couple of logs together later today.  

Yeah, the wood was stacked in his truck and "looked" a lot so I didn't question it.  Next time I buy I'll be asking if it is a 'true' cord though.   I'm was just surprised with his reaction.  He said in all his years of selling wood, he's never gotten a call about being short on a cord.  Hell...I guess it's just me then.  Expecting to get what I pay for, expecting that people conduct their businesses fairly.   I did get a nice chopping stump, so I'm happy about that.  

I'm also happy to have oak to burn as oak is relatively hard to come by around here.   I'll still plan on picking up some elm for comparison.  

Oh BTW, is there such a thing as wood that is too dry or too seasoned? Will it burn up too fast if it is too dry?

Thanks for the feedback guys.
chau

[BrickStoneOven]

Oh BTW, is there such a thing as wood that is too dry or too seasoned? Will it burn up too fast if it is too dry?

Kiln dried wood has usually 20%> moisture content. http://www.lifirewood.com/firewood-types.php

[TXCraig1]

Oh BTW, is there such a thing as wood that is too dry or too seasoned? Will it burn up too fast if it is too dry?

Wood that has rotted and dried is just about worthless - no fuel left in it. Be sure to look to see if the wood has a spongy/crumbly look as opposed to a nice hardwood grain. It could be right under the bark or in the center or on one side or the other or the whole log.

CL

[Jackie Tran]

Wood that has rotted and dried is just about worthless - no fuel left in it. Be sure to look to see if the wood has a spongy/crumbly look as opposed to a nice hardwood grain. It could be right under the bark or in the center or on one side or the other or the whole log.

CL

Most of it looks pretty good.  I did note that some small logs had the centers rotted out or blackened out and missing.  Not sure if that is a sign of disease or not.   Again, just a few logs though.  The majority of it felt pretty solid as i was stacking them.   

[JConk007]

Care package arrived today in  driveway. nice red oak perfect size and cuts from last may, so its a full year and oh yeah 0$  
It helps to have good customers in the business. He has a 30 acre tree farm where he is required to deal so many cords a year to get a huge tax credit? Not sure whats involved but sure am glad I am    this is beautiful stuff and when leaving he asked where he should dump tomorrows load !! Lucky me especially now that I will be burning  a bit more more this summer !
chau FYI this is a Jersey 1/2 cord retail value around $150-$175
John

[Jackie Tran]

John, you lucky son of a gun.  I'm happy for you.   What goes around comes around and it definitely looks like it's coming back around to ya.

Chau

[JConk007]

thanks Chau ! for your nice words.Yes so lucky I even got to cook in a Stephano ferraro oven today! Its not just the price $$ I would gladly pay for this stuff he would not let me! but the wood is just so nice dry and perfect size split... I am very happy with all my friends an great pizza connections I have developed inside ond outside the forum. I was simply telling this guy nd showing him a few pics of the my ovens and he was so fascinated . " if you ever need wood just let me know..." um ok !
John