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Relative Value of Firewood?

Started by Firewood Farm, April 06, 2005, 03:09:18 PM

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Firewood Farm

I could do some research and math to come up with an answer, but I've got a hunch that some of you folks already know the answer to this questions.

If mixed hardwood firewood sells at $100 per cord, how does that compare to the same wood sold as sawlogs to a mill. Let's assume it's approximately 40% yellow poplar, 20% white oak, 20% beech, and 20% hickory, ash, and walnut.

Since I'm a one-man operation, I'm trying to figure out the best way to get some return on my timberland.

Thanks,

Joe
If a man is in a forest and there's no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?

Murf

Joe, I sure as heck hope that c-note you're talkin' about is only buyin' a face cord.

If you're talkin' a bush cord I'll have the tractor trailers in your yard right smartly.

We get $120 for a 12" face delivered around here and we are startin' to have problems even gettin' much of it in places.

I'm hauling it in sometimes from as far as 5 hours away, one-way !!!  :o
If you're going to break a law..... make sure it's Murphy's Law.

Frank_Pender

Out here in Oregon, I am getting $155 for a full cord.   That is, 3 rics of 16" wood (mixed species sof and hardwood; Oak, Maple, Fir).
Frank Pender

Ron Wenrich

I'm assuming that your talking log run polewood, and not cut and split wood.  We had a discussion not to long ago that 1 cord equals 500 bf.  So, that would mean about $200/Mbf.

Most people wouldn't take too kindly to yellow poplar in their firewood.  We can't move that for firewood.   We do sell it for scragg mill logs.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Larry

Full cord cut and split oak NW Arkansas is $120 or little less picked up.  NW Missouri just a little higher outside of Kansas City.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Woodcarver

About the same here in central Wisconsin, $120 - $130 per cord for oak cut and split.
Just an old dog learning new tricks.......Woodcarver

bull

sold the last cord in of seasoned in January for $ 260. delivered...

I've said it before if it's over 6" at the tip and straight its a log...
There's no comparison :D

Time spent is money wasted....  Id rather sell 4000 bdf ofpallet logs @ $90 per mbf = $360.00 than fight with the 1 cord of wood at $200.
Hmmmm do the math......   how many 1000 bfd of pallet can you cut in a day vs how many cord of firewood. cut and split....   I know I can cut 4000 bfd of pallet all day.fell,skid,buck or fell, skid,  cut, and split  1 cord. and then IM Done!  most of the cordwood I sell. I purchase wholesale really saves the back..... Thats with a chain saw, tractor and splitter..

???? do you have a processor......

Sawyerfortyish

I sold my wood this last year for 120 a full cord. June 1st this year my wood will be 140 if fuel stays about where it is. I was about 20.00 under the market here but I didn't drive far to deliver. To me if a log is under 12"dia or is crooked or some other defect it's firewood. I run a circle mill and I just can't get any production out of small logs. So it's better to put them through the firewood processor.

Firewood Farm

Thanks everyone. bull read between the lines and provided the logic I was looking for.

No, I don't have a processor yet. The good ones seem expensive and I want to make sure I have the sales to justify the expenditure. You know how it is when there are so many items on your wish list and the priorities change almost daily.

Thanks again,

Joe
If a man is in a forest and there's no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?

JN68

Hi all; here in N.B. i get  $ 170- 180 for a mixed 4x4x8 ( 128 cu ) cord cut/split del. I keep anything that the lumber mate will make into lumber,and fire wood the rest. I saw ( 365 husky ) split, (tractor/ spliter ) and pile into the truck, 3 too 4 cord in a day. Don't know which way is better but if the wood lot looks good and everything is being used,then your on the right track .As long as you are happy and not worried if the grass is greener in the next wood lot.  JN ;)

OLD_ JD

i sell face cord here for $70-$75 (can) dollard delivred in the area less then 20 mile,all hard wood and iam cheap :-X,most go for 80$..
i do run a old precesor who get me about 4 to 5 cord per hours depend of the wood size
i do saw log mostly in the best grading where it realy pay off,the second and 3 grade goes in the procesor.i get $1100.00 per mbf of first grade hard maple but only $375.00 for the 3 grade :(...better off in firewood ;D
canadien forest ranger

loghlr16

In the U.P. of MI the mills are paying about $90 a cord delivered for hardwood (maples and birches).  That is for pulp not logs.  But I've seen alot of good wood get turned into pulp small birds eye and maple bolts especially.

Sawyerfortyish

Right now the price of logs at the real big mills around here has droped considerable. They all have huge stockpiles of logs in there yards because everyone was able to log all winter long. 

tawilson

Joe,
I too can't justify the cost of a firewood processor yet. I'm sorta easing my way into one. I have added a cradle to hold the wood, and autocycle valve and a chute to dump the split wood into my tractor bucket, which I am adding an attachment to to increase it's capacity. I've got the steel for a log deck, but no plan yet on how to integrate it in the process. Next on my list will be a conveyor. From parttiming it for the last couple of years, I'm sure I can get enough repeat customers who order green wood in the spring so I can load it into my dump trailer directly from the splitter. Less handling will give them a price break. Probably $150 for a trailer full which is 3.5 face cords. Wood sold around here for $40/face cord delivered last winter. Probably my seasoned wood will be $45/face cord next winter.
Tom
2017 LT40HDG35 WIDE
BMS250 and BMT250 sharpener/setter
Woodmaster 725

OLD_ JD

40$ a face cord...WOW..is that cheap :o...whit the price of fuel and equipement...LOL....that the price i was selling wood 15year ago :-X
canadien forest ranger

redpowerd

thats what its goin for here, allmost not worth owning a chainsaw.
a face cord lasts me two to three days at 10 below. the price is starting to go up, a few years ago it was ten dollars cheaper, and ive seen it in the paper as high as 55
NO FARMERS -- NO FOOD
northern adirondak yankee farmer

OLD_ JD

at 40$ a face corde ure better off selling at the pulp mill ::)
canadien forest ranger

redpowerd

seems pulp trees are easiest to get, too. ;D
NO FARMERS -- NO FOOD
northern adirondak yankee farmer

tawilson

I don't know of any pulp mills around me anymore. Seems like everybody shut down. There's a osb plant being built up near redpowerd I do believe. Hopefully demand will get the price of firewood up where it should be.
Tom
2017 LT40HDG35 WIDE
BMS250 and BMT250 sharpener/setter
Woodmaster 725

SwampDonkey

I bought firewood for $120/cord treelength delivered at the house last season. The neighbor payed $360/cord cut, split and delivered.

BTW, I don't buy by the face cord and in fact it's not an excepted unit of measurement for selling it, according to Measurement Canada. Not sure about south of the border.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=9772.0

Here is the brochure from Measurement Canada
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Firewood Farm

Quote from: SwampDonkey on April 07, 2005, 03:29:35 PM

...BTW, I don't buy by the face cord and in fact it's not an excepted unit of measurement for selling it, according to Measurement Canada. Not sure about south of the border...

It's not a legal unit of measure here in the US either. I was very surprised to see so many people in this forum talking about face cords. Around here, the term "face cord" is only used by dealers trying to take advantage of the buyer.

Joe
If a man is in a forest and there's no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?

Ron Wenrich

Its also illegal to sell by the face cord in PA.  A cord is a standard 4x4x8.  I'm not even sure its exempt from sales tax.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

tawilson

I know it's not the legal term, but that's what everyone uses in my neck of the woods. Trying to explain it to people just confuses them.   
Tom
2017 LT40HDG35 WIDE
BMS250 and BMT250 sharpener/setter
Woodmaster 725

Larry

Here in the mid-west it's sold by the cord, face cord, rick, rank, pickup load, arm full, and anything else ya can dream up. :o  It is a state thing and the laws vary.  Guess it is mostly buyer beware.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

tawilson

What do you call those little bundles outside of the convience stores that sell for $4.95.
Tom
2017 LT40HDG35 WIDE
BMS250 and BMT250 sharpener/setter
Woodmaster 725

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