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LT-15 Guys:  Help

Started by Wes_in_West_MI, August 24, 2003, 07:21:14 PM

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Wes_in_West_MI

Yesterday I sawed two cherry logs for a guy.  I didn't really want to do it as I have enough to do and I didn't buy this mill with custom sawing in mind.  It is small and I am slower than slow.

The man had someone else lined up to cut  the logs but that fell through so I was asked.

 I  decided to help the guy out so three of us did the cutting.  I didn't measure the lumber but I think I must have cut at least 150 bf.  I spent an hour and a half sawing although we spent part of that time turning the cants several times to get the best faces.  I also unloaded the logs and provided a tractor to load all the lumber and slabs back on the trailer.

When I was finished I wasn't sure how much to charge.  Up here in West Michigan the going rate is .30 to .35 per bf or $50 to $60 per hour.

I charged the man $60.  He wrote me a check and seemed satisfied with the work and the amount.

What is a reasonable fee to charge when you have a small mill like mine and you are slow.  This mill is lots of work but it does a nice job and I feel like I want to get something but don't want to rip the customer off.

Help!

Kevin

I think it's a personal decision on what's fair to both of you.
If you charge the same $bf as a production mill your customer still pays the same and gets the same amount of lumber, it just takes you a little longer.

Percy

Just an opinion but you made 45.00 an hour U.S. by my math. I think thats pretty good coin. I charge 70.00 an hour Canadian for me and my LT70 which isnt much higher than what you got when you convert. Mebey Im too cheap. Main thing is a happy customer. Word of mouth will bring you good advertising,even if you dont want it.Heh, ;D
GOLDEN RULE : The guy with the gold, makes the rules.

biziedizie

  Percy there's guys up in Whistler charging $100.00 an hour so me thinks you should raise your rates. 8)
  Like I always say when it comes to pricing, give a good estimate and when your half way through the job find a way to double things and walk away rich. 8)

    Steve

Jeff

bizie I would like to buid you a web page. ;D
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Fla._Deadheader

  Can ya draw a mask over his face  :o ::) ::)
   Geez, ??logs and padding the Invoice, and he says MY credit ain't too good up there???  ::) ::) ::) ;D ;D
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

biziedizie

  Hey guys I have an ex that likes money so I have to try to make it anyway that I can. :D :D :D :D

   Steve

whitepe

Wes,
Sounds fair to me.  I've not done much custom
sawing for anyone but what little I have done I
charged $35 per hour so your $60 price seems very fair
to me.  Yes, more expensive mills can produce more
but not only is someone buying the use of your mill,
they are buying your time as well. What slows
me down the most on my LT-15 is doing all of the
edging or quarter sawing a red oak.   :)

blue by day, orange by night and green in between

Larry

I saw for 2 cents per BF but I have learned to bill like the Telephone Company.

State Universal Sawing Fund                                      .03/BF
Federal Universal Sawing Fund                              .06/BF
Network Sawing Surcharge                                        .12/BF
Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee                              .03/BF

911 Service Fee                                             .05/BF
Federal Excise Tax                              .11/BF
State Sales Tax                                            .15/BF

Set Up Charge                                                   .02/BF
Blade Charge                                                     .01/BF
Take Down Charge                              .02/BF

Total                                                      .60/BF

Sorry guys but just got the cell phone bill. ??? ;D ;D
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.

DanG

 :D :D

Looks like the Gubmint got into your sawing business just like it did the phone co.

You could re-organize and set up like the machine shop that did the work on my mill engine.  They lost 2 parts from my engine, then had the brass cajones to charge me a $10 "waste disposal fee."   >:(
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

biziedizie

  Hey Larry that looks like a page out of my invoice book. :D :D

  I love it when the customer looks at the bill and asks " what's a bdkf4 at $6.29?" And I say " Do ya see that thing way up there? that's a bdkf4 and they go oh yeah I see it." :D Still like to know what their looking at. ;D

    Steve

Fla._Deadheader

DanG guys, maybe we should start an Ali Baba Forum ??? ::) :D :D :D
  Larry, that's Hilarious.
  Dang, Them guys may be too creative for me to move up there ??? ???
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Kevin_H.

911 Service Fee          .05/BF

How many times have you had to use that?

Is that for when the customer gets too close to the saw?  :o
Got my WM lt40g24, Setworks and debarker in oct. '97, been sawing part time ever since, Moving logs with a bobcat.

bull

remember the customer is alwats wrong otherwise they would be doing it for themselves...... So charge as much as you can
your times is worth a minimum of $35.00 per hour.. you have the mill right..... I get .40 cents a board foot..... if you saw for less than you can sell your own lumber retail then you will be losing your shirt...... I have yet to have anyone complain about price.... But when the first person does they will be shown that the road at the end of the driveway goes two ways and those will be the only choses given   SEE YA  ;)

Wes_in_West_MI

Thanks guys!

Larry,  Isn't that the truth!!  When SBC Ameritech gets done with our bill it is enough to cause a guy to "pop a vein."  They also add a small 35% late charge if you don't pay the bill on time.

I haven't sawn enough with my mill to get a feel for what a typical hourly production would be.  I realize that there are so many things that can affect your sawing rate.  

Just for fun I looked through the catalog for the local equipment rental place.  Any piece of fairly large  motorized equipment rents for at least $30 per hour and up.  If you add your time to that it doesn't take long to get to a sizeable hourly rate.

I'm not looking for work but if I do saw for someone I just want it to be fair for both parties.

Thanks again for the info.

LeeB

I don't have na LT15, but I do have a manual mill. I charge $35 an hour and never have any complaints. I usualy knock off a few bucks off the total and they always think they're getting a great deal. Not enough to hurt me and it keeps em coming back. Most of the stuff I do is truly what i would call custom sawing. Look the log over for them and tell them where the best place to cut a mantle out of it or some other such. Very few people around here know anything at all about sawing. I really enjoy helping them out and I get paid for doing something I love to do any way. LeeB ;D
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

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