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freight companys

Started by miller, May 15, 2004, 04:59:34 PM

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miller

whats the best way to ship lumber in small quantitys {1000 bd. ft.}, from state to state?                                                            miller

Ron Wenrich

That's a tough one.  Most guys want a trailerload lot, which is around 8 Mbf.  I know, you guys in MI can go a lot more.

Why do you have such a small amount?  If you are shipping to a wholesaler, they might be able to help you arrange trucking.  

You might be able to tag on with another mill, but that is doubtful.  

Whatever way you go, it isn't going to be cheap
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

miller

I am shipping a thousand ft. to an individual in another state and was wondering if there was a reasonable way to send it money wise?        thanks miller

Tom

You can send it terminal to terminal by road freight. Yellow Freight or one of those guys.  There are a lot of independent truckers who will take small loads for pocket change.  You might find one and become an "acquaintance".  Even Car Carriers will sometimes throw a small item on the trailer for a few extra bucks.  

I haven't done it and don't know what you might be charged but you could shop it.  I have known small business who have done it.   The big Corporation I used to work for would put a box of reports on a car carrier every once in a while when they had to get to S. Florida in a hurry.  Those guys could deliver in 6 hours where UPS took "next day" at best.

DanG

That's an interesting question.  Many of us on this forum are little guys that don't commonly deal in truckload lots. For us, the primary term is bf, not mbf.
My first instinct is to say, sell your product f.o.b at your mill, and let the customer arrange shipping. I'd sure be interested in any input from those who have experience in shipping small loads, though. :) :P
"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."

Norm

There is no cheap way to ship small quantities of wood. If they are 6' or under I wrap them in cardboard and bundle in less than 150#  packs, these can go ups hundredweight. If they are 8' then they need to go LTL. Unless you have a contract with one of the freight companies it is expensive and even if you do unless you ship quite a bit with them it still is. Finding someone deadheading is an idea but I have never had any luck with it and usually they still want pretty much full price. When I bought a load of SYP from Noble I contracted with SMX for a flat bed, filled it with wood and the cost was something like $750. Distance was approx. 500 miles.

Here's an example of what shipping costs. I shipped 150 bd ft of red oak to New Mexico recently. The costs to ship ups hundred weight was around $250. This was curly q-sawn RO, which is pricey, shipping would have been to much for something like #1 common RO. Also it must be dried, wet wood is too heavy.

Brian_Bailey

I could do a lot more business if I was more willing to endure the shipping process.

But, when I sit down an figure my time for making up the box,getting the item packaged properly, making the 25 mile round trip to da UPS terminal, waiting in line (sometimes a long wait), I ask myself is this really worth the trouble? In many cases it's a solid NO.

I shipped a couple items that I had made to an ebay bidder in the state of Washington. The shipping cost more than what the items cost. Luckily for me the purchaser was aware of the high costs of shipping and had no problem with it. I did though!

Hey Norm,

I see in your post curly QS RO being pricey :).
Here's a site I found on the super hi-way, thought some might be interested in taking a peek.

http://www.berkproducts.com/prodfsl1.htm

WMLT40HDG35, Nyle L-150 DH Kiln, now all I need is some logs and someone to do the work :)

Frank_Pender

Out here I have been using Oak Harbor Freight Lines.  I palatize the lumber, burl etc. and they send a 24' tractor trailer and I put the load in the truck.  I recently sent a pallet of Big Leaf Maple burl to the midwest  at a weight of about 500 lbs, for $185.   The buyers paid the frieght.  I's bet that it took menot more than 20 minutes to strap it all to a 4' x 4' pallet, with steel strapping, and it was ready to load.
Frank Pender

Fla._Deadheader


If you run an account with UPS, they will pick up at your location, if you give them 1 or 2 days notice, unless yer way out in the woods.
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)

ToddC

Heres a link to yesterdays tractors.  You can post there that you have a small load to haul. I have had things hauled from posting on there, it doesn't have to be a tractor. Just a thought.
Here is a linik to the hauling schedule page with. http://www.ytmag.com/cgi-bin/haulquery.pl












Engineer

Off track a bit, but the link to Berkshire Products is cool.  My Woodworker's club is taking a trip (or maybe it was yesterday?) to there, I hope they all went with pocketfuls of ca$h.  Heard it's quite a place.  Lots of burls, flitches, and rare stuff.

As far as shipping, maybe a U-Haul and hire a driver for a flat rate?  Under the table?  How far's it going?

DanG

That's a good idea, ToddC. 8)  I had forgot all about YTmag's hauling page.
"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."

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