Old Logs

fencerowphil (Phil L.) · August 30, 2007, 04:29:35 PM

I had kept my eye on a pile of logs - mix of oak, gum, bucked pine, and tree-length pine.
Must be 15 bucked pine, 15 tree length at least, and fifty tree length or shorter hardwood.
Of course, some of the hardwood is just firewood now, and all of the grade side wood is ruined
by checks.

Finally, I investigated and found out that the owner had already had quite a bit sawed and
is not going to do any more. Now most of the pine has lost its bark, so that gives you an
idea of the age of the piles - several months old.

I'm thinking about making a low-ball offer for the right to saw them up on the site.
I would not even commit to sawing it all. If I found it was not worth it, I would
leave myself an "out." The owner was thinking of a share saw arrangement, but
I just don't see enough value there, unless it was split very, very much in my favor.
He says he has no specific lumber needs, anyway.

As far as value, trailer deck material and beams
would probably be about it, due to the degrade involved.

Anyone faced a similar situation? Did you "come out" on the deal? What about
trying to sell it as its sawed? - cheap: "Barn wood, trailer decking, and beams;
Third and fourth weekend in September."

Phil L.

Tom · August 30, 2007, 04:35:36 PM

Don't go into any venture with the idea of selling it cheap.

Why don't you see how much he would pay you to remove the pile of logs.

You might be able to saw them on site and that will make the lumber and slabs easier to move.

You are both sparring for a quick buck. If he doesn't want to turn the logs loose, he's the one that has to deal with them as long as you haven't committed yourself.

I never liked sawing on shares. If you decide to do it, make sure that he has some ownership in the venture other than the logs. Big deal that he has the logs, you have the mill. There is a lot oif work in between the pile of logs and the money.

Kelvin · August 30, 2007, 05:08:04 PM

there seems to be a big difference in how different types of wood handles sitting around. I find that red oak(seems to develop stains at the end that nobody will buy, not worth the effort) goes bad pretty fast, but that a lot of other hardwood stays quite well for even a year or so. Some gains some interest like spalting after awhile, so i wouldn't give up on finding anything of grade lumber from the hardwoods. A lot of this has to do with how hot it has been, trees can sit all winter up here frozen pretty good, whether they shaded each other, and so forth. I've sawn lots of logs with the bark fallen off, still finding good wood. I

As far as lower grade stuff you better get it free for that to be making money. What is his postion? I will let them rot if i don't get paid for it? You are removing a problem, but most people think logs are worth money, more than they are. On shares i would say something like 10% of what i think is worthwhile to saw and you eat the rest (in so many words) There should be lots of free junky logs around to saw, so if he won't budge just say okay and leave a card. He will change his mind later if he cares about not having a mess. Pine is nice for building material but i don't sell much as i can't compete with home depot. 2x4 for $1.98? Thats about .25 a bd ft or so. 1x's are about $1.25 a bd ft at home centers though so there is more of a chance, though it will probably be stained by now.

I find that logs should be 16" and bigger to make money on the mill, though people go down to 8", there isn't much profit in moving little logs around a lot, so that may change things there if they are all the small ones. I doubt he sawed all the bad ones and left the good ones.

Call some tree services, and dumps and ask around for free logs. You could probably do better, but don't pay for them! Shares is all i would offer. Maybe he wants firewood slabs?

KP

fencerowphil (Phil L.) · August 30, 2007, 06:12:01 PM

Most of the logs will have to be slabbed deep - something I normally don't do with
my swingblade, since its easy to snip off that good wood, at least on fresh logs.
Because of the high ratio of waste, I wouldn't want to have the logs hauled.
(However, I do happen to know that his wife is tired of seeing those logs. :D)
I would be hauling too much "trash." If I saw there, the scrap stays with the
waste from a recent thinning of a pine planting right near the log piles.

I'm too busy to do anything with these for a couple of weeks. No rush.

In fact, if a paying sawing customer or two comes through about that time,
I won't worry about these old ones. I do have some leads on some needing
trailer deck, however.

Phil L.