Where do you get BBQ firewood for stick burners?

[glitchy]

Curious where any of you stick burners get your fuel? I'm a city boy, so I don't have a timber to clear up dead fall or occasionally pull a tree from, so wondering where you guys find your bbq wood? Lowes and Menards sell bags of hickory, but it seems a little high at about $1/lb. I used a whole bag just burning in the OKJ. I know I could just look for firewood on CL or FB to some degree, but I can't identify from logs or splits (I can identify quite a few domestic species when milled though). As well, I'm thinking I usually want shorter, smaller, and dryer pieces for the OKJ than someone is going to use in a fireplace or wood stove, correct?

I'm not looking for a cord or anything like that, maybe even a place where I can throw a tarp down in the back of the Outback and buy about as much as a couple of large storage tubs would hold.

[jfmorris]

What I found here is that most tree services that take down trees for folks also have to do something with all that wood they haul off. I found a local tree service that seasons their wood on a large lot, and can deliver oak, hickory and various fruit woods. Seems like a pretty good deal, as they get paid to chop down trees and haul them off, and them someone else eventually pays them to deliver firewood from that same tree.

Not that the yellow pages are a thing anymore, but Google for tree and firewood services in your neck of the woods. Call and ask for pricing on half and full cords of wood. Also, be sure you understand all the terminology of face cords versus full cords, and so on.

I think I paid about $100 last year for a half cord of oak and hickory, all cut to about 24" long, delivered and dumped in a pile outside my gate. Depending on where you are, pricing will be higher or lower.

For use with a stick burner you will want a chop saw or miter saw to cut pieces in half, then use something like a Kindling Cracker to split it into nice mini splits.

[jerrybell]

Is chain oil from the chainsaw getting on the wood an issue? I assume it's so minute that it's otherwise unnoticeable?

[glitchy]

I’m guessing most of them are cut down and sectioned with chainsaws to start with.

[jfmorris]

jerrybell I doubt enough oil will be on the wood from the chain to matter.

[Dewesq55]

I'm in your boat generally. I buy hickory from Home Depot or Ace Hardware. My secret Santa sent me a larger box full of apple from his property, and I have been starting to burn that.

[Steve R.]

Home Despot usually has the Kingsford bags of hickory for around $15. Otherwise you're looking at the other options you mentioned.

[tbob4]

Don’t know if this helps

http://www.chopatree.com/firewood_locator.htm

If they or their retailers aren’t near you you might call for suggestions.

[glitchy]

Unfortunately, pretty empty for hits for my area.

[texastweeter]

get all our fruit wood, oak, pecan, and hickory from either the farm or the ranch. Mesquite is the only wood I ever pay for. They cut down quite a bit of mesquite in the housing development our vacation house is at. I just went to a couple construction crews and offered to haul off a truckload of it. They agreed, so now I have quite a bit of that curing in the shed next to multiple lifetimes worth if seasoned red oak.

[ComfortablyNumb]

Craigslist. Search for 'firewood'. Also check the free section. Check with local tree services. Finally, if there are any orchards in the area hit them up.

[scottranda]

Yeah, it’s a process. I scour wood on Facebook marketplace. And craigslist.

but my biggest success is riding my bike around the area (I do it anyway) and look for wood sitting outside on the curb. Then I go get my car and pick it up.

it’s a process though! I’m always looking out. I’ve been pretty successful recently. big storms sometimes come through and people are cutting down trees or they fell over.

[ComfortablyNumb]

Oh yes, that reminds me. At our town house in Stevens County, the city has 'Spring Cleanup'. People can leave yard trimmings on the street for pick up. At that time there is an abundance of wood available.

[scottranda]

And then once you get your wood back home, you got to split it. I have a maul and wail away.

[jfmorris]

Yeah, someone had a big oak tree cut down the street from me, and there were a bunch of logs out at the curb, some 2-3 feet in diameter. My wife and daughter wanted me to go get a couple so that I could slice it with my chainsaw into some sort of decorative table center peice bases. I told them each of those logs probably weight several hundred pounds, and no way I was doing that!

[surfdog]

Their store is very cool for this city boy...logs stacked to the rafters.
https://sharpegourmet.com/

The store is in Orange. https://thewoodshedoc.com/

My other option...
https://fruitawood.com/

It’s one of the reasons I don’t currently own a stick burner... Keeping that thing fed gets spendy quick.
I always joke that “smoking wood is expensive, that stuff just doesn’t grow on trees ya know!”

[jfmorris]

This may be sacrilege, but partially due to the size of the firebox, and partially due to laziness, I have a tendency to run my small offset (24 x 36 body, plus firebox) with charcoal and wood chunks, because its just too much of a hassle to cut wood small enough for it, compared to stuff I buy for the fireplace and fire pit. Plus with charcoal, I can go a couple hours between refuels, versus feeding the fire every 20-30 minutes with wood. The downside of that is that the thing requires about 4 to 5 times the charcoal that my kettle burns for the same cook, but the upside it can hold 6 to 8 butts, or a dozen racks of ribs if I use rib racks. So since getting the kettle + SnS, I only use it if I just absolutely positively cannot make what I am smoking fit on the kettle.

[glitchy]

I'll probably move to that more over time, but for right now I'm trying to learn more fire control. Probably not the best time to do it, but hey I'll be hunkered down at home more.

[Dewesq55]

My offset is 18x40. The firebox is 15x19. I can burn sticks in it without too much trouble. I also cook with charcoal and chunks for low and/or steady temps using my Fireboard with the drive and fan. I have an auxiliary plate that I add to the daisy wheel intake vent which covers all but one hole where I mount the fan.

[frigate]

I have been ordering from Smoak Firewood at www.smoakfirewood com. Or call Amy Smoak at 1-770-891-7607. Ordered a 120 lb.-140 lb.box of 8" splits on a Friday and the next Tuesday FedEx had the box on my door step. The price is good and I am a happy customer. Their 8" splits work perfectly for my KBQ.

[jfmorris]

glitchy I've followed your pellet smoker saga. I don't see a stick burner in your list of cookers, so are you looking to get one, or did you get one and just not update your signature yet?

[glitchy]

jfmorris I picked up a OKJ Highland https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...rs-a-new-world. I'm happy with the Woodwind, it's doing pretty well. I just want to have the OKJ to appreciate the convenience the Woodwind offers. Plus with my son off to college and no longer doing soccer 9-10 months a year, I actually do have some time to sling logs on occasion. In the end, will probably end up big cooks or infrequent self torture, er I mean reminder.

[glitchy]

Thanks for all the great tips everyone! I did find bigger bags of B&B for a good price, so I ordered up a few to get started until I can better scour CL and FB and make a spot to store a small load. If you have any more suggestions, I'll keep reading them, especially if anyone is around DSM, IA with a source. Biggest problem is there's not a ton of Pecan around here which is my favorite. Will probably have to try more fruitwood.

[FireMan]

At the BBQ Firewood Store.

I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

[glitchy]

I think that's right next to the toilet paper store here.

[FireMan]

Lolol !