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Marketing Question

Started by Bigdogpc, January 22, 2004, 12:59:18 AM

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Bigdogpc

I've got a batch of #3 logs, mixed hardwood, pretty much suited for crossties and not much else.  How do I find a crosstie buyer reasonably close to central Florida?  I'm not trying to step on anybody's toes, I just want to sell some wood.

Since I've gone this far...how do I find a lumber broker?  (on the off chance that I ever have enough lumber to sell that way!)

Currently I get logs from one tree service, they deliver and stack them as well as logs from a land clearing guy who also delivers and stacks.  The logs are costing me a little lumber for the guys own projects.  Both outfits benefit from having a place to drop logs rather than paying a dump fee and they get a little wood as they need it.  I'm getting logs for little more than the time it takes me to cut what they need.  (just a little encouragement for the new guys, there are good ways to get logs when you don't own all the right equipment yet.  You just have to work at it!)

Thanks guys for all the help!

Ron Wenrich

A lumber broker may take as little as 1 Mbf of one species.  I know of several guys who used to take small truck loads to brokers.

A list of potential buyers should be available from your state forestry dept.  They keep lists (or should) of all types of woodworking operations.  

Go talk to another sawmill.  Most guys will give you some general information.  They won't give you their really good markets.  If you get real friendly with another mill, you may be able to put lumber in with theirs.

Sawing is easy.  Getting rid of your sawn material will determine if you're successful or not.  Sometimes that takes more time than the sawing.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Dave_Fullmer

Big Dog,
I'm not sure if #3 logs would be good enough quality for crossties.  They are somewhat fussy about knots and taper in the grain.  You could do a search for crosstie buyers on the intertnet.  In my area, if you get hooked up with a a crosstie buyer, they will pick up once you have a semi load accumulated.  The problem is that you have to have a forklift to load the truck.  

You should have some pallet making plants around though.  Find out where and go talk to them.  They usually either buy cants that they can resaw or will buy finished boards.  In my operation, I bought a used resaw which will enable me to use stuff like you are talking about and my mill is capable of sawing logs as short as 36" which is the length of the shortest board the pallet factory wants.  I just saw the cants to the width of the board, stack them and move the stack to the resaw and saw them up.  It would be a lot of work sawing all the boards on a regular mill just 3 foot long but this way I don't have that much work in a cant.

Good luck

Dave
If it aint Orange (AC that is) it won't run.

big_sid

 :) been thinking about your question,I thank the most imporant thing is, are they big enough in dia. to make a7'' x 9'' or 6''x8'' square cant, they do have to be solid,no rot in the heart.but right now there is a big demand for ties,there is a company called KOOPERS,  that will buy all the ties they can get. ;)
never been so happy to be so broke

Buzz-sawyer

Koppers....one o too much ;)
    HEAR THAT BLADE SING!

Bigdogpc

Thanks to all!  I'll check it out and see what happens.  Just seemed to me like ties were a natural choice for marginal logs.

big_sid

 :) thanks buzz ;D not very good at ttyping : ;D
never been so happy to be so broke

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