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How much should I pay for logs ?

Started by campy, February 06, 2010, 11:44:29 AM

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campy

It seems I have way to much Red Oak and Black Walnut.
All of my suppliers seem to only have these species.
I desire to stock other more unusual species.

So I am asking loggers for this.
Problem is I do not know how much to offer them for their logs.
I don't want them to overprice due to my inexperience.

What is a reasonable price to offer per board foot for standing timber in say the following species: Maple, Locust and Eastern Red Cedar?

How is the calculation done?

Any input would be greatly appreciated...

southpaw

Campy, there are many variables that come into play, quality of logs? Veneer qaulity to firewood. How is the log scaled? Most loggers have there way and priced accordingly. I have bought only 15-20 logs but negotiated price where we both were happy (make it a win/win for both  8), they'll do it again and so will you). Are you selling wood what price would you be able to cut and still see your profit?  ;)

campy

I usually can sell for between $1.50 to $4.00 a bf.

What I noticed is that most logs around hear sell for about 30 cents a bf.

I approx board foot by using the dimensions if squared off at the top end.

I do it by multiplying the diameter at top end by .7 (1 divided by the square root of 2) , squaring that and multiplying by lenght then dividing by 144.


woodman58

Campy, There is a tool box at the bottom left of the forum page. In it you can find the number of board feet in a log. I buy mostly cherry. I pay .35 BF international scale. Walnut I pay .50 BF. I can get a mix of other saw logs for .15 to .25 BF. This includes oak, pine, cedar, sycamore, and anything else they can fine. I don't have a sawmill yet, but I get the wood cut for .25 BF.
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Campy

Before you go out and buy logs, make sure you are not overlooking all the ways to get them for free. I have had very good luck getting them off of craigslist. I search the free catagory and find them there all the time. Most times it is someone that had a tree come down in a storm and this wants it out of their yard. Other times it is someone who either dropped a tree themselves or had a tree service just come in and drop it to save the cost of cutting it up and removing it. Some are even willing to pay to have you remove it. I have gotten everything from orange osage to basswood, lots of cherry, walnut and oak, and even an occasional cedar by going this route.

Also contact you local tree services. I have a few here in Fort Wayne that will give me logs for free if I just come and get them and many times they will even load them directly onto the bed of my truck if they have their machine there. It takes quite a bit of labor for them to cut and split the wood for firewood and then deliver the firewood and for a lot of them, it is just not worth the effort to put the extra time and labor into it when all they can get is around $125 a cord in this area.
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kelLOGg

Quote from: campy on February 06, 2010, 03:29:44 PM
I do it by multiplying the diameter at top end by .7 (1 divided by the square root of 2) , squaring that and multiplying by lenght then dividing by 144.

Can't help with the log cost but we MP32 owners must think alike in estimating bf ft. You use inches for all measurements, I use feet for the length. Comes out diameter (in) squared divided by 24 times length (ft). So easy you can do it in your head, with a calculator ;D
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sdunston

The last I checked softwood was selling for $200.00mbf and hardwood was $350.00mbf on the doyle scale
Sam
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J_T

Why not just get a scale rule or card for figuring BF  ???
Jim Holloway

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