Cutting Grade Stakes

[Sawdust Lover]

I have owned my mill for about a year and have had great sucsess so far. When I first bought it I wanted to make sure I had something I could do for a backup plan if the reclaimed lumber got slow. Being a construction superintendent I have alot of leads with constuction and survey companies in my area so I desided to make grade stakes. I have gone and told them I can cut there stakes and now everyone is calling me for grade stakes. The bad part is I have lumber orders that pay more but I hate telling people I cant get them there stakes. Doing this part time it's hard to keep up with the demand. I find that there is alot of work making the stakes when I dont have the big tools like the big stake companys. I was wondering if anyone else is making stakes and if it's worth your time.

[Okrafarmer]

The sure way to get them off your back, or make it more profitable, is to raise your price. Raise it by 10-20%. A few will probably stop buying from you. Others will keep buying, but it will be more profitable. Quick, easy fix.

[dgdrls]

SDL,

Asking as a curious surveyor,
When I was doing road and sewer layout we either set wood hubs with Lath
or 1"x2"x 30" or 36'  almost always red oak.

What are you actually cutting
how do you point the ends?  Hud-Son makes a pointer tool.
What species are you cutting from?

DGDrls

[Magicman]

The bad part is I have lumber orders that pay more but I hate telling people I cant get them there stakes.

Simply stated, you can not do it all so find your niche market and grow it.  Without offending anyone, just tell the stake customers that you are phasing out of the stake market for now. 

[Sawdust Lover]

I use only oak logs to make my stakes. I cut both survey stakes 3/4" by 1 1/2" by 18" and 3'.I also cut silt fence stakes 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 5'. I use my band saw and a jig to put the points on them. I would like to get the pointer from Hudson but cant justify spending $1700.00 on a pointer. I hate to pass up any work because who knows what the future holds. If I could find a faster way cutting them to length and putting points on them it wouldn't be so bad.

[Okrafarmer]

Another option is to train someone to make them for you.

[bandmiller2]

I wonder if the stake demand will wax and wane or be consistant througout the year,mayby you can squeeze it in with the not so fine logs and boards.Keep your price up so its worth your wile,same with the lumber if your too busy.Price and the amount of work will find a balance. Frank C.

[bandmiller2]

Dust Lover,this spring I cut alot of tomatoe stakes for local growers,boreing and a pain in the butt but the money was good.I pointed them on a table saw,quicker than one might imagine.Its handy to have a fill in job,and an outlet for less than pristene boards. Frank C.