To think this random door knocker was a con man (logs)

[livingintheNL]

He was apparently in the area delivering logs to some other lady around the corner. He had three extra dumpy bags for some reason.

I wen't out to inspect as I do always like having lots and lots of wood in storage.

They were seasoned (he said for 6 years which i highly doubt) and when I asked if they were all soft wood he picked on up to show me and said no they are all hardwood. I'm not an idiot I know what soft and hard wood is, and these were 100% hardwood.

Then he said he would do me a deal for them at 80, I assumed this was for all three dumpy bags but no this was each. I refused politely as I know someone else who does twice as much for less money. He was a bit pissy and sulked off, before going I'll do them for 75. I said no thanks again, he said nothing turned his back and walked away.

I'm glad I said no as he was at least quite rude when I wasn't interested. But was he also a con man?

Sorry i mean they were 100% softwood!

Not exactly sure what the "con" was here? Maybe the claim about hard/vs soft, but he doesn't sound 100% top of the list of reputable local traders, no.

He has probably been at someone else's business, all of our local suppliers have had their piles at their yards hit at one time or another, always note the number plate, as I bet one of the local genuine suppliers will be missing a load.

All our local suppliers always have a card, fun he didn't offer you one.

Could be knock off and with you asking "are they softwood" He thought you wanted the opposite, to flog them to you.

How would he have been conning you?

If you knew they were 100% softwoods, why did you ask?

He sounds dodgy to me.

They probably fell off the back of a lorry.

Along with some fresh fish and a few rolls of carpet.

They probably fell off the back of a lorry.

Along with some fresh fish and a few rolls of carpet.

They'll be stolen.

+1 for being stolen

Conning me as the price was too high and it wasnt hardwood.

I asked if they were all softwood as could see softwood at the top from a distance, i presumed they were a mixed load, then he got a few and they were softwood.

Im now really upset with myself, i walked back inside thinking "wtf does he think im stupid" and did not note the numberplate! Its an area with an old demographic so others might have been fooled.

Conning me as the price was too high

That's not really a con; if he sold you wood that turned out to be polystyrene, that would be a con. Cons usually have a "too good to be true" price to draw people in, rather than so high it puts people off. He probably just had no idea of its true worth.

I asked if they were all softwood as could see softwood at the top from a distance

How can you tell if wood is from a gymnosperm tree rather than an angiosperm tree from a distance? Especially if it's chopped and you can't even go on leaf form.

He'll probably be around next week telling you your drive needs resurfacing and he's got a spare load of asphalt left over from another job going cheap, too.

Yep dead easy to tell the wood type from a distance, for me, i'm long sighted too :D

what would you do with the numberplate though? He wasn't conning...more like trying it on.

Just warn your neighbours and provide them with the contact for your usual source.

I don't know, could easily just be desperate. We had a log delivery last week and the guy was saying the very mild winter has nearly driven him out of business.
(Also we're totally new to logs, would like to know how to tell the difference between hard and softwood!)

But 80 pounds for a dumpy bag of soft wood seems pretty high.

Hard wood is harder! But from a distance i could tell the logs were soft as could see the rough saw lines and were too orange to be any hardwood that grows around here.

Once you get used to logs its easy to tell by looking at them if they are seasoned and if they are hard.

Hard wood is harder!

Bollocks! Balsa is a hardwood yet softer than most (if not all) softwoods, and Yew is a softwaood that is comparatively hard.

As I said above, hardwoods come from angiosperm trees and softwoods come from gymnosperm.

Ugh, I knew you would say balsa!

Your just trying to be difficult, hard wood is almost always harder although density can vary alot.