would y'all

[hogdogman]

cut somebody else's logs on halves?

[wetdog]

Yes, if they bring them to me and they're good logs.

[Andy White]

hogdogman,
Length wise, or crossways??? Seriously tho I have wondered that myself. Maybe someone can shed some good thoughts on that.   Andy

[Magicman]

Some folks do and on a regular basis.  Personally, I do not.  I am in the sawing business, not the lumber business.  If I saw on shares for lumber then I must store and try to market it.

When I saw I want $$$.  ;D 

[Jimmy Mc]

If you feel like it is worth it, it is. If it makes you happy and the other person happy, It is a good deal.

[pineywoods]

I occasionally do, BUT, I'll share logs, not lumber. I make 2 piles of logs and the customer choses. I'll saw my pile into what I want when I want.

[drobertson]

I've done it a few times, Log for log, I scale all the logs, (one for you, one for me, and so on)  This has happened only when I have an order for what the trade would bring.  Not a bad deal, and it has worked for me.  So, If you have a plan then I say go for it.     david

[LeeB]

I don't sell lumber and I have pretty much stopped custom sawing, so yes, if I needed the wood and wanted to get my dust fix i would do it with help from the log owner and refreshments afterwards. 

[WDH]

Depending on the species.  Walnut....yes.  Cherry....yes.  Most anything else....No.

[justallan1]

I'd do it for sure. Brought to me, on my time within reason, logs not lumber and like David said, one for you, one for me.
I'm in a position that what the ranch I work for doesn't want, the local lumber yard does, so if all I have to do is saw the logs, I make money. ;D
My question to those that already do this is who buy the customers bands?

Allan

[5quarter]

Yes...a few times. Like others, I divvy up the logs 50/50. I pick what I want. Once a guy brought me 2 white oaks and a big honeylocust to saw. He was tight for $$, so he asked if I would saw for half the lumber. I told him to leave me the honeylocust and I would saw the oak in exchange. we were both happy.

[Tom the Sawyer]

Early on I was offered a couple of those 'opportunities'.  I crunched the numbers and didn't see how it would work for me, especially for mobile jobs.  I would have to make a second trip to pick up my logs and bring them home (even more time and fuel). 

Either way I would be covering the cost of milling their logs, and mine.  I wouldn't be fully paid until I had sold all of the boards I milled for me and I don't, at this point, sell lumber.  Figure it out using your regular rates and the true value of the logs.  I agree with MM, it doesn't pay for me.

[Ianab]

Figure it out using your regular rates and the true value of the logs.

This ^

Would you just buy the logs if the guy turned up with them? If you have a market or use for them, you might.

So if that's case, $500 of logs on your pile, gets him $500 of sawing from his pile. This may or may not be 50/50. But if you price the job this way it's easy enough to understand, and the customer can work out if the deal is fair. If someone else will pay more for the logs, then he's free to sell some to them, and then pay you cash for sawing his. But you only "buy" his logs for what they are actually worth to you.

But this relies on you having the need for the logs. Otherwise you aren't gaining anything on the trade.

Ian

[backwoods sawyer]

 Get asked this quite often. Being portable with no log yard, no lumber yard it just don't add up for me to haul the mill then haul the lumber sometimes quite some distance.
On occasion when I have a need for specific wood coming up I will consider it if the logs are not far away.
You have to weigh your need for the logs verses what it cost you plus the quality of logs offered for trade.   

[Peter Drouin]

No, when I want logs I call the logger .

[Magicman]

Sorta related to this subject.  Very often I am asked if I want trees/logs for free and I always say yes.  If I am in a particular need for them, then I saw them for myself.  If not, then they go forward to my next customer that wants them.  In that case, I get paid for sawing them.

[drobertson]

Yes this is or can be a tricky situation.  The bottom line is some folks need lumber at the lowest cost, with no intentions of trying to get one over on anyone, just a need. While they have the raw product, they have no means of converting it to useable lumber.  For those already into a full production mode with costs and overheads to be re cooped, I can appreciate the issues that arise in not being able to supply the service.  On the other hand, with some creativity and flexibility these situations can be worked out.  The bottom line is to ensure that any sawing done will end up with a monetary return, unless sawing is just for fun, and income is not necessary.

[Magicman]

In over 12 years of sawing, yes there was one instance when I sawed on shares.  The customer came for a visit and was asking about sawing a trailer load of Cypress.  We discussed pricing and I could see that he was sorta dragging his feet. (old saying)  I was thinking that I could use some Cypress for the door facing/casing/baseboards on my Cabin Addition, so I offered to saw it 50/50.  He jumped at the idea.  We both wanted mostly 1X8 lumber so we split the lumber as it came off of the sawmill.  One board to his trailer and one board to my stack.


 
I ended us with a nice sticker stack of Cypress.   

[dboyt]

Every situation is different.  A few years ago, I cut a 40" dia by 10' long walnut.  I took the center 3" thick slab (live edged on both sides) for payment, and came out way ahead, because I knew exactly who to call after I brought it home.  I recently cut some 4' diameter sycamore on 30-70 shares for the same reason.  Some people like to focus on one thing (sawing), while others look more to a diversity of opportunities.  Cutting on shares works for me because I have a customer base for the lumber, room to store it, and am able to accept the delay between milling and selling the lumber.  My business is based on providing service and lumber that is not easily available, so I'm more interested in shares in a good 40" oak log than a fair walnut or cherry log.

Choice is simple: flip a coin.  Winner picks his log first, then the loser picks the next two, winner picks the two after that, and so on.  I'm more interested in getting logs that I can convert to $$$ than getting half the volume.

[scleigh]

If the situation is beneficial to both parties, why not?

A local farmer had 2 huge Poplar trees dropped beside his molasses mill. I sawed one tree for him and hauled the other home for my future mill/drying shed. one log is 28" on small end and 16' long, other is 24" on small end and 14' long.

  

 

[iwiegian]

I am a new owner of a saw mill so I would not as I would not like to ruin their logs. After I have some experience I would do it because I need lumber for my new house. In other words it really depends on the situation.