New customer

[Frank_Pender]

Well, I recokon I am finally coming of age for some of you folks East of the Mississippi.   I got my first Eastern type customer yesterday.   8) 8) 8)  I was referred from a couple of much bigger mill operations North of me  to supply a special order of pallet material; 360 pcs. of 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" x 8' and 12'. ;D   I know, I know, "don't count your money 'till the dealin' is done".   :'(  I could hardly understnd the fella at first as to what species he wanted until after I had quoted him a price.  When he said he wanted hardwood I just about hung up.  I had quoted him a price for Doug Fir and not Oak or Maple.   :'(  Then it was tooo late to change.   I stood by  my original figure of $0.675 a bd. ft.  rather than the $1.95.  He sure seemed happy when I told him what the difference was. :D

I hope I am not stepping on any toes for you regular suppliers of pallet material. ???   Of course it is one of those kinds of deals where he wanted the material, like yesterday, kind f thing.  I told him it would most likely be Tuesday the 19th and with a bit of good fortune, Monday the 18th.  

  What say ye, ol' pallet lumber cutters?  Was it a good deal for the sawyer? :

[dewwood]

Frank,
In this area(northeast Indiana) pallet cut stock goes for around forty to fifty cents per foot.  Assembled and delivered pallets are lucky to bring what you got for the cut stock.  I guess you made out pretty good.

Dewey

[Kevin_H.]

I am getting about .38 cents a BF delivered to SE MO. I dont do a lot but a couple of bundles a month makes all my equip. pmts.

[Frank_Pender]

This fella said he wanted to units and each unit has 180 pieces.  

[woodmills1]

I had one pallet customer for 2 years.  1.5x4 pine random lengths in 2 foot intervals with 8' and 12' being what he wanted the most of.  very small knots only but stain was ok, wavy cuts were right out.  It was for a bottom stringer on a long pallet for sheet goods and the shorts were cut into blocks to separate the top and bottom stringers.  He was good for 1500 bd ft a month at a quarter per.  the top stringer was hardwood and he got it from canada at 38 cents. when the company that bought the pallets downsized they closed the only wharehouse they didnt own and it was the one my customer supplied.  I didnt like losing that contract as I can get all the stained pine I want for under a nickle a bd ft.

[Ron Wenrich]

Pallet companies in our area would simply cut those runners out of larger blocking with resaws.  Most guys buy 3 1/2 x 6 x even foot material.  Other popular sizes are 4 x 6 and 5 1/2 x 6.  Some will also use 5/4 x 4 3 Common for runners.

Right now pallet companies are hurting for stock.  Mill production is down and everyone is out of logs.

We are sitting on about 5 truckloads waiting for the prices to move to 30 cents.  Right now they are 28-29 cents.

Your quoted price for that stock is more than the 2 Com price on red oak, and getting close to the 1 Com price.  Nice market if you can keep it.

[P.A.Scott]

Im in north east P.A. and im paying .30 for 3.5x6 cants and .18 for random width /length 4/4 hard wood boards My norwood helps out but cant keep up! ;D ;D

[ARKANSAWYER]

Frank.
  If you can make money on the deal then you did well.  I have been getting $0.30 bdft for pallet cants and $0.15 for 3B 4/4 junk.  But I would guess that I am paying alot less for the timber and have plenty.  I guess that MD can really spit them out.
ARKANSAWYER

[Ron Wenrich]

We get the same price for our pallet boards as we do for our pallet cants.  But, we have to make them into 1 x4 or 1 x 6 and seperate them by length.  

Don't you other guys have that market?  I've always felt it was better to trim those low grade boards back than to sell as random width pallet stock.

[Frank_Pender]

Yes, Arkansawyer. I make a 2 x 4 x12' in about 10 seconds as well as have it on the lumber bunks and stacked.  My most difficult task is ridding myself of the fall down materials, even though I have created some rather cool devices for handling everything.  It all takes away from making the sawdust. fly.

[Bro. Noble]

We only get 28 cents,bdft for finished pallet boards.  We sell 5/8 X4 or 6 X 40 or 48".  They scale them as 3/4 and they mostly come out of slabs or junk stuff that would otherwise go for charcoal.  Before we got a resaw, we sold 4X6 cants for 18 to 20 cents.  Our wholesaler only pays 10 cents for 3B but we have never had one graded 3B.  Three A is now 47 cents------sure pays a guy to be able to grade and sort as he saws.

Noble