How long should 1.25 cu ft wood last?

[Thomas The Tank]

I’ve been entertaining the thought of getting a LSG 30” vertical offset or the insulated cabinet. I have never used an offset but love the flavor it gives. I wonder if I go the offset route if I will be driving myself crazy trying to source wood??? Ace has 1.25 cu ft of wood for $25. How long should that last??? 1 cook or less?
I would imagine if went the insulated cabinet route it would be easier to source charcoal and wood chunks.
Currently use a Req Tec BFG and 340.

 

[TNJAKE]

Those bags of splits aren't going to be cost effective for an offset unless you are using tons of charcoal and using it as flavor wood only. Which also isn't very cost effective. I add 2-3 splits about every hour and a half or so and only burn a wood fire started by a chimney of lump. Should be easy to source wood in Indiana. I found a guy a few years back and he's been my guy ever since. Delivers a cord a year to me. Check out craigslist or wherever you trade online

 

[DougE]

If you're up to splitting your own, you might also check with local tree services. The company I worked for didn't sell firewood. We gave whatever was too big to run through the chippers away. Most of the big stuff we hauled to guys who did sell firewood, but for smaller stuff, we had a list of guys who would come pick it up off jobsites.

 

[Thomas The Tank]

Those bags of splits aren't going to be cost effective for an offset unless you are using tons of charcoal and using it as flavor wood only. Which also isn't very cost effective. I add 2-3 splits about every hour and a half or so and only burn a wood fire started by a chimney of lump. Should be easy to source wood in Indiana. I found a guy a few years back and he's been my guy ever since. Delivers a cord a year to me. Check out craigslist or wherever you trade online

I did do some looking around and may not be as hard to find as I thought. I would need delivery as well.

If you're up to splitting your own, you might also check with local tree services. The company I worked for didn't sell firewood. We gave whatever was too big to run through the chippers away. Most of the big stuff we hauled to guys who did sell firewood, but for smaller stuff, we had a list of guys who would come pick it up off jobsites.

Splitting and waiting for it to dry isn’t something I’m wanting to do right now. If I do go the offset route then maybe something in the future to think about.

 

[TNJAKE]

I did do some looking around and may not be as hard to find as I thought. I would need delivery as well

Will save you a ton of money. My guy brings me a mix of oak/hickory/cherry. Most people offer different prices for different mixes. Ordering what most wood guys call "mixed hardwood" will be the cheapest but you will have no idea what you are getting

 

[DougE]

One benefit I had as a treeman was access to whatever wood I wanted. I used to heat with wood at the farm I owned back then, and I'd keep smaller hardwood chunks in a pile to use on my kettle for cooking. I'd get a good fire going with only wood, smother the flames out with the lid, and commence to cooking supper. Oh, I didn't even buy the kettle, I found it, minus the legs, out by the barn after I bought the place. I crammed the bottom into a 55 gallon barrel, and used it that way for a long time.

 

[Twil6]

I was in the same boat. I was buying chunks with my WSM, then when I got my stick burner I was worried about the cost of wood. Actually it was quite easy and I have bought from 3 different people already. Guess I was never looking before for splits, but they are pretty available no matter where you live and you don’t always have to get a truck load. Around here you can get between 20-30 pcs for $20. Those splits are actually pretty big and once I split them to the size my smoker likes I usually get 3 pieces out of each one. I have one guy that has it on the honor system and you can just come by and pick some up and leave the money in the “hiding spot” after you have bought from him a few times

 

[Nefarious]

TNJAKE I was reading this and wondered what a good price for a cord would be. I looked on Craigslist and guy wants $400 for a cord. All fruit wood. In your opinion, is that high?

 

[TNJAKE]

TNJAKE I was reading this and wondered what a good price for a cord would be. I looked on Craigslist and guy wants $400 for a cord. All fruit wood. In your opinion, is that high?

That's a fair price if he delivers and stacks

This is a Rick plus a little extra as I got a new Rick before my old ran out. A Rick is 4ft tall by 8ft long. A cord is 3 ricks. So a fair amount of wood

 

[Nefarious]

As long as it's near the driveway. I'm deciding on another smoker to go with my gas vertical. I like the idea of a real wood fire.

Thanks.

 

[TNJAKE]

A cord will last year's if just using for a offset. We use quite a bit of wood in our fireplace every winter so go through close to a cord a year. If only using wood for offset a Rick a year would be more than enough

 

[DougE]

A cord of wood measures 4 foot wide, 4 foot tall, 8 foot long. A rick is half that.

 

[DougE]

And watch out for the guys that will sell a rick and call it a cord. Happens a lot around here.

 

[TNJAKE]

A cord of wood measures 4 foot wide, 4 foot tall, 8 foot long. A rick is half that.

If your splits are 24in long then yes. But average splits are 16in long. So 3 ricks to a cord

 

[DougE]

Agreed, a cord is a cubic measurement. Most I know of selling wood around here would pass off a cord as 2 rows of 16 in logs by 4 high by 8 long, and the shadier ones will pass off a rick as a cord.

 

[TNJAKE]

Yeah we have our fair share of dishonest folks. My wood guy is awesome. One I had before was shady as hell. My advice to OP is keep these general measurements in mind and tell the seller that's what you expect before making the deal

 

[DougE]

Just trying to make sure folks know how much wood they should be getting.

 

[Thomas The Tank]

I see Rick called face cord around here, $200 for specific kind oak, hickory, cherry. $140 for mixed. $30 for delivery. Full cord $600/$420 mixed.

 

[TNJAKE]

I see Rick called face cord around here, $200 for specific kind oak, hickory, cherry. $140 for mixed. $30 for delivery. Full cord $600/$420 mixed.

Rick and face cord are same. I pay 200 a Rick for oak/hickory/cherry mix delivered and stacked.

 

[TNJAKE]

That's a steal when you calculate the price of the bags you were considering and how many they would take to equal a 4x8 stack lol