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Bandsawyers, what do you charge?

Started by Smakman, January 31, 2005, 06:53:59 PM

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Smakman

I know it probably varies a bit from job to job, depending on log size, species, etc. but what do you charge to saw someone's logs on their site, within 20 miles or so of home?  I have seen some saying they charge by the hour while others say that they charge by the foot.  I am in southeast MO and am looking into what the going rate is in this region.
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Kirk_Allen

I offer both rates prior to cutting but I prefer by the BF ($.25 per BF or $60 per hour).  Most customers take the BF rate.  I think they hear $60 an hour and get nervouse.  When Im done cutting it works out to about $60 an hour with a good tailman.  250 BF an hour is my target and usually dont have a problem hitting that. 

W

I charge $60/hr, period.  $1/mile to get there, you don't have to pay me to leave.

I would do $.25/bf if a job had lots of straight pine or oak logs, (no edging required, thick slabs) and the customer had crew enough to tail quickly.  I have cut upward of 300 bf/hr, so I can make out (not with the farmer's daughter) by the bf.

Smakman

Thanks for the info.  I will be buying a mill in the next few months and hope to be sawing full time by the end of the year.  I know a fellow can get in over his head quickly in this business, so I am doing my homework.
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Sawing Logz

I have learned that not all logz are created equal, and charge by the hour for under 1000 BF, and over 1001 BF buy the BFoot. Reson being I can make out better cutting the larger amount buy pushing , and I mean my self. I have a TimberHarvester with a 30 HP Diesel 36" cut and It can run me into a pile of sawn lumber quick. As for the distance to the job on over a 1001 BF it is part of the job.

Jeff
City Forrest Treecycler

Bibbyman

Welcome to the Forum Smakman.

Don't be timid when it comes to visiting with other sawmillers in your area.  I think they'd be more than happy to visit with you and give you some guidance as to what they charge for what service.

They may be able to send some work your way.  Many times one sawyer may have some requests that just don't fit his operation, schedule, are convenient to his area.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Smakman

I know several mill owners in this area and have talked with some of them.  Just about every mill within 40 or 50 miles of me is a stationary circular mill or a circular mill that they move from site to site only for larger jobs so I think there is a niche to fill here.

I plan to have the mill paid for in full before I attempt to go at it full time.  That way if it's not making me a living, at least it isn't interfering with my making a living either.  Besides, I have a lot of projects I would like to do around here anyway.  Rental cabins, barns, an equipment shelter, pond walkways, docks, foot bridges......
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ARKANSAWYER

  I charge $0.20 bdft for sawing or $40 an hour.  IF the logs are all short and small then I do it by the hour only.  If they are just squaring up some post for a barn and do not worry about side wood I do it by the hour as I can shuck 10 or so an hour.  If I am just sawing lumber from good stock then it is $0.20 bdft.  I get $10 to show up and if I have to move once there I get another $10.  If I have to travel very far I charge more.  I get $20 per blade that is ruined by junk in the log.  If I have to do work like buck off logs or move them then I charge $40 an hour for such work.  I do not saw with out a signed contract. 
  I will go for one log.   YES! you are right I know I do not make any money doing that but I get my name out there and word of mouth is good for business.  More then once it has landed me big jobs and long term customers who later pay me back many times.
  Some advice if you are going mobile.  LOTS of blades about 60, 4x4 truck 3/4 or 1 ton, good canthooks and chain saw. good tool box with test light, spare fuel and water can, spare tire, de-barker on the mill.   Bring your mill home at night if at all possible no matter how far.  You never know when someone will die or the weather will turn off bad and there your mill will be all alone.
ARKANSAWYER
ARKANSAWYER

RacinRex

Arky,
I think you hit on something that is absolutely key for the mobile guys, thats the very basic but needed auxillary stuff that some don't think about... also... Log chains and a good sharp axe are things I tend to carry when I'm sawing mobile. Can't stress enough the good truck.

52.00/hr unless special circumstances exist. 20/blade ruined reguardless (even if I saw a dog) I show up for free within 30 miles... outside of that... 1.25/mi  setup is 20.00 teardown is payup time. If your site is muddy or not organized or you don't line up help... it costs you 52.00/hr to hear me cuss. No minimum because like was mentioned before it can gain you business.
81 Massey Ferguson 275 W/ loader
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04 Dodge 2500 4x4 Quad Cab CTD
A whole shop full of wood working tools
and this is my hobby :)

sawman

 Hey Smakman, what part of SEMO you in?
Thats my neck of the woods also.
  We charge .20 cents a board foot at our location.
'14 LT40 Hydraulic 26 HP koehler ,massey ferguson 2200 forklift, Case IH D40
Wallenstein FX85

Smakman

I live at Patterson, about 12 miles east of Piedmont.  You live at Advance?
Cooks HD3238
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sawman

'14 LT40 Hydraulic 26 HP koehler ,massey ferguson 2200 forklift, Case IH D40
Wallenstein FX85

Smakman

I know some folks over there.  Know anyone with the last name of Page?
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iain

I charge normaly by the hour, but it can be for shares, or by the bf
by the hour is normaly about 68 of your dollars
unless its local its $50 to get me there i'll normaly saw anything any where
just done 8000bf of very wide oak, that had been down 2yrs(very hungry for blades though the f types did good)
job was 195miles round trip (thats a long way for here) been booked for 25tons of ceder in the summer, because i sawed exactly what they wanted and how they wanted it

then showed em just what you can get from on old burry brown oak log from the burn pile ;D.

You do need more blades than you think, sun glass's and a long fuse



   iain  (not explored much but i like the new site)

0nemore

Very interesting, I bought a mill just to "play"
one of the neighbors came by to say he would give me a hand
My mill, my machinery, my logs(100 acres white and red pine)
and he was going to charge me .20 BF to help me cut up logs to build a pole barn for myself
Oh, btw he's new at this too so its not like he's going to show me anything new
Glad to have somewhere to go for info
Thanks!


ronwood

Onemore,

Welcome to the forum. Many good things to learn on forum.

Ron
Sawing part time mostly urban logs -St. Louis/Warrenton, Mo.
LT40HG25 Woodmizer Sawmill
LX885 New Holland Skidsteer

Smakman

Well, I thought I would revive this thread as I now have the mill and a neighbor who has several acres of timber they want cut.  It sounds like the type of job I need to get going on.  They will be cutting the logs themselves and working slow and when they have the spare time, so I told them to let me know when they had enough  to make it worthwhile for me to move the mill to their location.  I figure I will be charging by the bft since I will be slow until I get to know what I am doing.
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Tom

onemore, welcome to the forum.  You sneaked through without notice somehow.   Looks like you have a friend who is intent on getting into your wallet with no liabilities, responsibilities or equipment.   :D :D 

It's been a while since you posted so ......  how did it go? 

I've had off-bearers that earned 3 cents to 5 cents a board foot.  If you can cut a thousand feet a day, 50 dollars isn't too bad.  If the offbearer get experienced and is actually helping production, you might get up to two thousand a day.  That lets him pocket a hundred dollars.  Not bad for labor. :)

iain

Here's an update on sawing for repeat customers

When i got there it was just on 36tons of ceder waiting quietly
some the FULL length of the mill and all over 18' long
with the average diameter at mid point being 12"
each log cut how they wanted it
so its back for a week in November to saw more Oak


iain

iain



forgot to copy the code
theres more pics in my gallery if you want


iain

Frank_Pender

I charge a straight $65 an hour for the Oscar 36" no matter how much.  I rarely cut lumber with is as I purchased it to slab small logs and burls.  All of the MObile Dimension material is by the board foot.
Frank Pender

Smakman

I reckon I will be charging by the bft, at least to start.  If I charged by the hour, I would be cheating people.   ;D  Circular mills around here are charging 10 or 12 cents per bft so I will probably start at 15 since I can come to them and get a little more out of the log for them.  I figure a guy can always go up, but if you have to come down, you have to admit you were too high in the first place.
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Buzz-sawyer

smak
$.1o/ft? Where do you live....I may just start trucking my logs there to be cut!!!! 8) 8)
The boot heel IS sawmilling country , aint it.
    HEAR THAT BLADE SING!

Smakman

I'm a little north of the bootheel, but yes, there are a lot of mills here, just not a lot of portable bandsaw mills.
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