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Missed opportunity

Started by jbeat, March 10, 2007, 10:56:07 PM

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jbeat

I'm relatively new to the forum with a lot of reading and little posting. So, here's my latest experience operating a custom milling / lumber sales business.

A local tree trimming service had a 46" x 17' "cottonwood" free for pickup. I hurriedly took the trailer to have them load with their cat skid loader. Cat would'nt budge it - cut in half- still no go. After thinking that "cottonwood isn't all that",  I gave up- had to get to work. Took a leaf for I.D. and found I missed out on a free 1200 bd. ft. Basswood at probably $1.00 + bd. ft.. My new motto is "never fail to get good, free wood even if I have to burn a personal day". Went by a couple hours later to see two foot slabs loaded on their trailer bound for the mulch grinder. What a waste and missed $$$$ opportunity !!!! Dang job makes being self employed difficult.
John B

Left Coast Chris

jbeat.... sorry to hear about your missed log.   How did you get linked up with the tree crew and have you gotten other logs from them before?   I am considering getting ahold of some tree services but Im not sure if I would end up with more trouble than its worth....... lots of yard trees with embeded steel, leaners with low crotches etc.

Here is what I use that is fast and easy to pick up those single logs under 6000lbs.   


It is an old propane tank hauling trailer with a hydraulic spreader bar.  I have posted it before here on the FF.   It works great. 
Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

stumpy

Just curious, who buys your basswood for $1.00 bdft?  I haven't found a market for my basswod.
Woodmizer LT30, NHL785 skidsteer, IH 444 tractor

Gary_C

I just sold a semi load of large basswood logs and got $100 per cord, delivered to the mill. Thats probably about 17 cents per bd ft. It will most likely be made into pallet boards.  :(
Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

stonebroke

The loggers around here sell  basswood to japan. Supposedly it is made into chopsticks.

Stonebroke

Corley5

I've been getting 125 bucks a cord on the landing for basswood grade logs, 65 dollars a cord for 100" sawbolts.  There's an export market for 9/4 lumber.  That's all I've been told I don't know where it's exported to
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Larry

Goes the same place all the rest of are raw products go...China.  Comes back as blinds to go into rich peoples houses.  Got some moulder tooling the other day to crank out some blinds for the really rich people if I ever get all set up.

This was my first really big out of state order.  Shipping was over a $1.00 bf and ya can bet your sweet bibby my selling price was much higher than that.




I've found with basswood the smaller you saw it the more money it brings...one market is over $10 per bf.

Prices in north Missouri for over 15" good logs delivered, and no heart is 70 cents doyle.  Retail prices at the big mill for kd sel & btr is $2.50.  I sometimes have to buy at that price if I run short on a order.

Coming from somebody that prefers basswood to the walnut market
<—<<<—<<<—<<<<<<<-------<<<<<<<
cause he likes the sound of coin in his pocket. :) :)

Arkie had a truism while back...something to the effect that markets are harder to find than logs. ;)




 
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.

jbeat

Stumpy: I've never cut or sold any Basswood. I've known a couple of guys that used it for board and batten siding for their shops. Also, wood carvers and model builders like it's easy workability. I came up with the 1.00 from Wood Web and Timber Green. If the log had worked out, I would have contacted our County's four schools' art classes and wood shop classes. Probably would have taken orders for specific cuts instead of shooting in the dark with a bunch of 2x 4x !!!!
John B

Tim

We run basswood into mouldings here. There isn't really all that much of it to be had in these parts but, its machineability and paintability, makes for excellent mouldings. Even after taking the pallet stock out of said log, the price received for that basswood would have been well over a buck a foot.

Rosserhead debarkers have a hard time with that stuff when its thawn out. With the bark being long and stringy, it tends to bind up and catch fire in the debarker.
Eastern White Cedar Shingles

isawlogs

 Wood  markets ..
Schools ,  trade schools , the ones our teens go to ,

Now this is my personal beleif ...  my own opinion and it aint in no way pointed to anybody just my thoughts on the matter so take it that way  ;)

  That being said ... 
  This market should not be looked at as a bread and butter market , I have and will suply my local schools with wood for projects for the kids at cost or below cost , and many times for free , it costs enough as it is to get good education , they should not be deprived of raw materials because of it not being able to afford it . I would rather them put the money towards new equipment for the students . 
   Those kids , someday may become woodworkers , and just might remember who you are ....  ;)
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

Tim

I know what you are saying about the long term marketing stratagy isawlogs. A couple weeks ago, Algonquin College conatcted me about my shingles. The coordinator for the carpenter's apprentice course wanted to purchase shingles for the shed they were building. As the coordinator was keeping the shed, he paid me for the shingles, then asked if I would teach the section. I was thrilled that he asked. I taught the section at no charge to the school (probably drive the union nuts when they find out about it...). The way I look at it, there is a chance that at least one of the twenty apprentices in the class will remember me and buy shingles at some point in the future. Not to mention that the instructors involved are also in the trade themselves. While at this point I can't give shingles away entirely, I can definately teach gratis.
Eastern White Cedar Shingles

johncinquo

Quote from: isawlogs on March 16, 2007, 10:10:05 AM
Wood  markets ..
Schools ,  trade schools , the ones our teens go to ,

Now this is my personal beleif ...  my own opinion and it aint in no way pointed to anybody just my thoughts on the matter so take it that way  ;)

  That being said ... 
  This market should not be looked at as a bread and butter market , I have and will suply my local schools with wood for projects for the kids at cost or below cost , and many times for free , it costs enough as it is to get good education , they should not be deprived of raw materials because of it not being able to afford it . I would rather them put the money towards new equipment for the students . 
   Those kids , someday may become woodworkers , and just might remember who you are ....  ;)

No more woodshop classes for any schools around here.  Money too short, too many worrying about teaching creation over evolution, too many wanting the "liberal arts" to be discussed, they are unprepared to go out and get a job working with their hands, and most unprepared to go to college either.  No Auto shop or metal shop either...

Uhhh, happy st patricks day.... 
To be one, Ask one
Masons and Shriners

oakiemac

Hey John, they still have wood shop at out local school. We are a very small school district but they (as of now) still have a good shop class. I sold some red oak to them and was more then a little pleasently surprised to find out the shop teacher was a woman and not just any woman, let's put it this way, she has all the bells and whistles. ;)
Mobile Demension sawmill, Bobcat 873 loader, 3 dry kilns and a long "to do" list.

Furby

My brothers have taken wood shop for the last 7 or 8 years maybe, it's still there. ;)
One brother is currently taking a small engine class where they clean/fix small engines.
Just brought another engine over to him the other day.  :)

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