An unusual order for my mill

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Had 2 gentlemen that just left. They were from Charlotte, N.C. These guys have a Karate / Judo school. For years they have been buying boards from the BIG BOX stores and having to pay their high prices. He told me that I just could not realize how F A S T they go through lumber having the students break boards with their feet, hard and hands.

They have ordered 1100 bf of 1/2" pine x 12" wide x 8 and/ or 10 feet long. They have never used rough cut from a band mill but were impressed. They had me saw a piece off with the chainsaw 12" long. This piece was  1" thick. One of the guys "busted" the board in two with his hand. Must have hurt  :D .....that's when he said "can you saw them in 1/2" thickens?" I almost swallowed my dip of Skoal.  :D :D :D

If the first load of lumber works out, he said he would be ordering on a regular bases.

When I was laughing at him under my breath.....the thought went through my head to slip a piece of Sweet Gum in on him.  8)

You just never know who wants lumber!

[Lambee10]

that is a little different.  I dont think Karate schools are on the target market list. ???

[Cedarman]

These are the niche markets that can start out of the blue and who knows where they can go.  If you are priced right, you make a good bit of money and they save a good bit.  You have solved their problem. 
Maybe their students would like to buy a 100 practice boards each?
Saw on!
They aren't the only place that breaks boards.
If it works well for them, maybe you could use them for referrals or testimonials.

[Chuck White]

Sounds like a good thing Dave!

[Tdawg]

When I was laughing at him under my breath.....the thought went through my head to slip a piece of Sweet Gum in on him.  8)

Surely one of you is going to tell this guy what a jerk he is...right???

[Magicman]

If he has found a good use for Sweegum,    I am all for him.   

[WDH]

Sweetgum  8).

That is mean!

[Magicman]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Tdawg.  How about sharing an introduction with us.

[Carpenter]

When I was laughing at him under my breath.....the thought went through my head to slip a piece of Sweet Gum in on him.  8)

Surely one of you is going to tell this guy what a jerk he is...right???

Well, he does have a rather well "refined" sence of humor.   :D  ;)

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Dave It could work out well for you Mate ;) I use to saw about 1000bft per month of 12x12" squares off pine 3/4 inch thick at a mill for a karate school in Melbourne we use to have to dress them to the final thickness and they had to have strait grain and could not have any large knots in them near the center ;) My comment to that was wheres the challenge in that ;)  :D ;D  we use to get $1.20 ea for them pick a couple of nice big clean logs every month n cut them in one run good money for green pine  ;)

Regards Chris

[Ron Wenrich]

Most unusual order I had was for some hickory 4x6 that was 23' long.  It was used for a pro-style wrestling ring.  They wanted something that would give them some bounce, but had lots of strength.  Those rings need lots of bounce to pull off the stunts.

The only problem is when you have a couple of 300 lb guys that want to do body slams in the middle of the ring.  The 4x6 broke.   :D

[thecfarm]

Word will spread too. All those guys and women go to contests,for no better word,to compete. Who knows what will happen. I know of a guy that breeds bird dogs. When his wins,all the other gather around the winner to ask where he got the dog from.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

When I was laughing at him under my breath.....the thought went through my head to slip a piece of Sweet Gum in on him.  8)

Surely one of you is going to tell this guy what a jerk he is...right???

Sorry Tea_Dog, I can't help it, I think about funny stuff all the time. Keeps me going......and I don't get tired.
:D :D :D :D :D     Welcom to the Forum!

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Whoops didn't mean to post twice.....just erased it.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Meadows Miller....I'm glad you had an order for Karate boards. Thanks for sharing. When I first got the call for this type of a lumber order, I said..."they ain't gonna believe this"!

[Meadows Miller]

Gady

Dave You name it Ive had a crack at it ;) 2x 12' Long by 7'high by 5' Dog Sculptures with the body carved out of a large log and the head made out of a 6'by4' by 4" thick piece of redgum  ;), 12x 24' tall 8x8" EXTRA Large Match Sticks for a foreshore art installment  , A 30 foot long oversize Bench Seat cut out off 24x8"s  ;D Totem Poles  ;D & hunting round for Large 4' dia Hollow logs with only 4 to 8 inches of timber remaining for some other art installation and a set of spiral stairs with a hidden storage area ;) Replicating a a warf using full size fittings ;) Done plenty of that sorta bloody stuff over the years  ;)

Sometimes you dont ask why just put a price on it ;) and you can quote what you think is a high price and they will take it as they have generally asked somebody else and have been told your the one to see Mate  ;)

Regards Chris

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

These are some unique orders MEADOW MILLER. Some are just funny.  :D  You just never know what that next phone call may order.

Have a great day Mate!

[Meadows Miller]

Thanks and I hope you have a goodone too Mate  ;) ;D 8)

Theres alot of different stuff you can do with timber  ;) ;D My reason for saying quote high as those sort of jobs can take up alot more of your time than you think ;) :-\ :(

I have been pretty lucky to have done alot of what I have done over the years since I started in the industry back in 1994 at the ripe ole age of 13yo done a Heap off Sawing on alot of different mills . Built about 15+ Log Homes three Post and Beam Frames Renovated and build about 8 Stick frame places ,Furniture of all sorts built kitchens ,bars stools ,Done Alot off Falling,Tree Lopping operated all sorts of logging gear from old WW2 blitz crane trucks rite through to being trusted with an $800000 harvester at 21yo ;) Variety is the spice off life they say ;) :D ;D ;D 8)

Regards Chris

[Mooney]

The Karate school can also benefit by reselling the kindling!  :D Everyone wins!

[r.man]

One man's art is another man's ????? Read an article last year about a fellow who started cutting up a pile of brush and limbs for firewood. It was on public town land and he had got the go ahead from a town worker. He just got started and someone stopped him saying it was a piece of art. Luckily,???, the artist was able to repair, (pile more brush on), the piece without too much problem. Tdawg, I think you would be a jerk if you slipped a piece of something else in but you're funny if you just think about doing it.

[zopi]

Our christmas parade coming through this year....one karate school was coming  through
Breaking boards along the way...and aside from the little kids doing it...ya big deal, I stomp thicker slabs in two...well...these three teenagers roll through....one holding a board climbas onto the shoulders of the second...holds the board about eight feet up....the third young man stood in front of them flat footed...did a stamding back flip and broke the board with his foot.
I wanted to ask if he wanted a job pruning trees....impressive!

[Meadows Miller]

What did you quote them if its not a rude question Mate ??? as there is alot of work in them when you take into account the sawing (Dressing if you are doing it ?) and Docking and handling thats why I came up with the $1.20 each  ;) and you will also find alot of the time some are used in practice but alot are used in tornaments so the cost is covered by the fee the school charges for the night Mate ;)

edit  ;) Mooney you boys might need to get into the firewood bundler business Mate ;)

Or Dave you could tell them to keep the scrap and you will get rid of it for free when you deliver the next lot  ;) nothing like getting payed for it twice Mate ;) :D :D :D :D ;D 8)

[Tdawg]

When I was laughing at him under my breath.....the thought went through my head to slip a piece of Sweet Gum in on him.  8)

Surely one of you is going to tell this guy what a jerk he is...right???

Sorry Tea_Dog, I can't help it, I think about funny stuff all the time. Keeps me going......and I don't get tired.
:D :D :D :D :D     Welcom to the Forum!

Nah, I'm sorry, I was grumpy when I read it.

[Tdawg]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Tdawg.  How about sharing an introduction with us.

Thanks Magicman. I run a little contracting company doing just about anything I can get paid for ;D ;D (renovations, home repairs, welding, landscaping, running my skid steer, etc.). I do quite a bit of tree work and I have sold firewood on and off for years. I'm looking at buying a 35 acre bush lot, which eventually would be a home site but for now I would like to do a bit of harvesting. Since I prefer working in the bush to just about anything, I'm thinking I could ramp up the firewood sales and maybe add a sawmill to my list of business activities. If it worked out, I could phase out the work that I don't really care for. At this point in life and going forward, I'd much rather get paid for doing what I want to do as opposed to what I HAVE to do.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Tdawg, ain't nothing wrong with being grumpy. In fact, I'll pat ya on the back. If I lived up north I'd be so GRUMPY you couldn't stand me!  :D 

I HATE COLD WEATHER and don't see how you guys stand it!

Ya'll take care!

[Red Pill]

There's a lot of difference between a 3/4 inch dry pine board and a 1-inch green one.

I'm not a karate student, but was at an event where we broke a pine 1 x 12. We got really pumped up, and my problem was not breaking the board, it was hitting the porch AFTER breaking the board. THAT hurt!

[Lambee10]

I dont think slipping some sweet gum into the mix would be good for YOUR health.  It is a Karate School after all. :D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

RED PILL and LAMBEE.....I'm ROLLING!!!!  :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Good one Guys....Too funny!

[eastberkshirecustoms]

I HATE COLD WEATHER and don't see how you guys stand it!

While I usually agree with this. I can't wait for it to get really cold and stay cold until spring. One thing I hate worse than cold and snow is MUD! It just has not stopped raining since late last summer.  The ground is so saturated that it can't take anymore.
I wonder how really pitchy pine would do?

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Good question EAST....if your referring to the cold weather and pitchy pine, I'm not familiar with how it acts in N.Y. But last Feb. I sawed some extremely pitchy LONG LEAF PINE and it gummed up everything on the saw. Spent about 10 minutes every hour cleaning it all out of the blade wheels, sawdust chute, etc.

We're used to MUD.....it's ICE storms that hurt us!

[Tdawg]

Tdawg, ain't nothing wrong with being grumpy. In fact, I'll pat ya on the back. If I lived up north I'd be so GRUMPY you couldn't stand me!  :D 

I HATE COLD WEATHER and don't see how you guys stand it!

Ya'll take care!

If it's 20 below I can put a big coat on, if it's 100 in the shade...well, there's only so much ya can take off :D :D :D

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

If it's 20 below I can put a big coat on, if it's 100 in the shade...well, there's only so much ya can take off :D :D :D

If it's 20 below, I'll stay in the house and if it's 100 in the shade I'll stay in the pool.  8)

Herb

[zopi]

Make em feel really good, send em some nice dry poplar or cypress...cut a half inch....

[SAW MILLER]

 I have a nich market for pine that amounts to about 4,000 BF a year that no one "wood" ever guess .I ain't telling what it is  in fear that someone will snitch my nich !I will share that I also sell some 1x12 EWP for bee hive makers .

[thecfarm]

Cold weather keep the population down and the druggies don't like it either.

[Migal]

Okay I'm new but Had to love the can you cut that in half inch's and mabey thinking of sweatgum could be sold for quarter inches Hmm. dang 8)

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Welcome Migal to the Forum. You might be new, but reading your post....you're catching on quick!  :D

Jump right in anytime my friend!

Take care,

David