Firewood

[Al Smith]

Now then fire rings .I have the rear rim of a 1940 John-Deere model A buried with a fire brick floor surrounded by land scaping block on my back patio .That's where all those damned self pruner silver maple branches go that I have an abundance of every time the wind blows . That plus the scrap, bark etc . from where I have my splitter .Toss it in ,heap it up and about a cup full of kerosene ,poof . Happy hour has begun .

 

[Czed]

Did a job for my brother good size maple and hickory

We don't burn wood anymore but I found a guy to take it
He was so happy and kept asking us if we were sure he could have it.
Absolutely were just trying to clean up the yard
He hauled his 5th load yesterday
It was a twisted mess so I didn't bother blocking everything the same length.

 

[Bart]

Looks like about 3 bush cords. Pretty good haul, no wonder the guy's happy. $400 a bush cord around here. Split and dried of course.

 

[flushcut]

272 for the win!

 

[Burnham]

Bush cords?

 

[lxskllr]

Near as I can tell a "bush cord" is a statute cord. Maybe it means whatever you want it to mean. Just the way scammers like it.

 

[flushcut]

There is another measure for a cord?!

 

[lxskllr]

There's other names, with varying quantities of wood. I only knew of cords til I got into this stuff, and found things like face cords, bush cords, and ricks. I had to look it up, and there doesn't appear to be unanamity as to what anything is aside from the cord. Regionally maybe, but I expect to go anywhere in the world, specify a quantity, and get what I ordered.

Imagine if you drove to Illinois, bought a "tank gallon" of gas, and when you get home, you find you only have 100oz in your can. Or maybe you drive on a long trip, and every place sells "cans" of gas you have to eyeball the cans to figure out if you're getting ripped off. That's anarchy. I don't understand why people accept it with wood.

 

[flushcut]

There is no good reason to go to Illinois, ever. Sorry Kyle.

 

[Burnham]

And what is a "statute cord", pray tell?

 

[Tree09]

Legal weed....... lol it's a place to live and work, not much tourism.

 

[lxskllr]

And what is a "statute cord", pray tell?

Statute, meaning legal definition. No bush, face, or fairy cord. A 4'x4'x8' stack of wood, or 128²'

 

[Burnham]

So, what did you mean in this post?

Near as I can tell a "bush cord" is a statute cord. Maybe it means whatever you want it to mean. Just the way scammers like it.

I'm with you on this John...any other unit of measure than cord or a mathematical subdivision thereof (like 1/2 cord) that one can apply to 128 cubic feet, has no definable basis.

 

[Bart]

Bush cord is just a distinction from the ambiguity of the single word cord. Around here common firewood length is 16", so three 16" x 4ftx8ft stacks, i.e. three face cords, makes a bush cord - cause you don't buy your firewood 4 ft long. Local rationale. Face cord can get messed up if buddy starts cutting less than 16" long... so you stick with bush cords. They could be 6" long pieces if you desire, as long as its 4'x4'x8' volume it's a bush cord. Face cord is easily presentable for inspection before sale stacked in a 4x8 rack. Again, local rationale.

 

[lxskllr]

When I looked it up, I found reference that said a "bush cord" is a regular cord. I don't remember if I read anything contrary to that. I'm pretty good at English, so when I hear 'word that everyone knows the definition of' with a modifier(bush) as a prefix or suffix, I'm wondering how I'm gonna get screwed. "Patent" leather, "cultured" ivory... You have the common word that grabs the eye, and the modifier that tells you it's shit. Why is there a "bush cord" when a "cord" exists? It's inefficient to speak and write, and it implies it's different than a regular cord, cause why anyone needlessly complicate something simple? I'm thinking a bush cord has different meanings depending on where you live, so there's no canonical source to point to when your pile doesn't equal the volume of a cord that's easily looked up on wikipedia, or a government law book.

 

[Czed]

272 for the win!

I'm a 1970 model and grew up with the 1 then 2 series
Best light timber saws ever for me personally
I have many ported 266/268/272s then I have my 281/288s for large timber
No interest or desire to modernize
I've worked on and ran just about everything available
And I'm cheap.
Never heard of a bush cord though
I need to start selling firewood everyone wants cut split and delivered they don't want to come get it otherwise
I can't hardly give wood away from jobs.

 

[Burnham]

Bush cord is just a distinction from the ambiguity of the single word cord. Around here common firewood length is 16", so three 16" x 4ftx8ft stacks, i.e. three face cords, makes a bush cord - cause you don't buy your firewood 4 ft long. Local rationale. Face cord can get messed up if buddy starts cutting less than 16" long... so you stick with bush cords. They could be 6" long pieces if you desire, as long as its 4'x4'x8' volume it's a bush cord. Face cord is easily presentable for inspection before sale stacked in a 4x8 rack. Again, local rationale.

What is ambiguous about the single word "cord"?

Since 3x16"= 48" and 48"=4 feet...why not just call it a cord? And if it was broken down into 6 inch lengths, 8 rows would still make a cord. This bush business, like the idea of face cords, is unnecessary complication of a simple definition.

 

[stikine]

But, but, but... Frankie was an advocate of the "face cord".

 

[Bart]

Sorry. Just trying to help. Unscrupulous sellers say "cord" and point to a face cord and screw the new buyer. Pricing can be that ridiculous at times and the buyer has no recourse. Seller says " It's a cord...like I said" just left off the face part.

Figured folks would be more amenable to a knowledge contribution. Don't shoot the messenger. I didn't make it up, just the way it is around here.

 

[Burnham]

Also sorry...not my intention to shoot the messenger at all . Appreciate the contribution to my knowledge, for true.

It can be hard for me to understand a buyer being that uneducated on the subject...but of course, there are many subjects that I am clueless on as well. Buyer beware .

 

[Al Smith]

I think it's just where you are of what they call it .A cord is a cord but then you have face cords, rick, rack etc . Boils down to "tight cord " being one a mouse can get through .Then comes "loose cords " a cat can chase the mouse .Then finally a real loose cord where a dog can chase the cat that is chasing the mouse .When I sold the stuff it was by the pick up truck load which is about a standard half cord .They got a full measure .I told them the wood was free they are just paying for the labor .

 

[Marc-Antoine]

Will somone find one day a fair system to sell/buy firewood?
It looks hopeless, either metric or imperial.

 

[Cobleskill]

Face cord has been the standard here for 50 years that I know of. 4foot X 8foot X length. Not too hard to figure out.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

128 cubic feet. Cord. Weights and measures will be happy to tell you if there is a screw up. They charge to let you know.

 

[Burnham]

Face cord has been the standard here for 50 years that I know of. 4foot X 8foot X length. Not too hard to figure out.

Not too hard to figure out that it is an ambiguous measure, true .