How should I price cants????

[VictorH]

I priced 4x6" by 8' rough sawn red cedar posts at $32 and change plus tax at the box store.  Bought my fence panels, came home and sawed the 22 post I needed from a couple cedar logs I had been given.  No way I could have sawn and sold the lumber out of them for what I saved.

[Magicman]

This thread has illustrated many times that marketing is a very important portion of a sawing business.   

[YellowHammer]

This thread has illustrated many times that marketing is a very important portion of a sawing business.   

Well said.  For example, I had a local guy come in this weekend and tell me my cedar price was too high (he bought a bunch of it anyway) and yet three weeks ago I had a guy drive 6 hours to buy the same cedar, telling me what a great deal it was.  He had been on an offshore oil rig in Lousiana, saw my website and when he got off shift he went home for a few days, hooked up his trailer and drove up here to North Alabama.  I asked him if he knew how many other sawmills he drove by to get to me, and he grinned and said "nope, I have no idea.  That's the point, I found you, so here I am."  He was also probably suffering from a good dose of cabin fever, but it certainly illustrates the power of a web site.
So, sell your wood for what you think is right, some people will complain, some will think its a bargain.
YH

[drobertson]

+1 another good point made,

[JB Griffin]

Thanks everybody, I still ain't heard back from that guy and really dont think I will.

I really need to work on my marketing and fb page but aint had the time.

Thanks again you guys are GREAT 8)

[Tom Vorac]

Hi,
Along the lines of this thread, I have a guy that wants me to cut 120 logs into cants for him.  How would you charge for this?
Thanks
Tom Vorac

[tmarch]

Hi,
Along the lines of this thread, I have a guy that wants me to cut 120 logs into cants for him.  How would you charge for this?
Thanks
Tom Vorac

Your logs or his and at his place or yours.  Everything matters when you "bid" a job.

[Magicman]

I charge hourly rate plus blades, but there is a strong argument for charging by the board foot.  There are very valid points to be made both ways.  Yours or the customer's support equipment weighs heavily because cants are heavy and proper handling is an issue that must be addressed.

[beenthere]

How would you charge for this?

First, tell us how you are going to cut them.. on site, loading, turning, size of cants, unloading, etc.

And then, figure your acceptable price per bdft, and an hourly rate (not including band damage) and don't charge less than the lower one calculated. Partial payment after first 10 logs. Adjust as payment response pans out.

[sandsawmill14]

Hi,
Along the lines of this thread, I have a guy that wants me to cut 120 logs into cants for him.  How would you charge for this?
Thanks
Tom Vorac

I charge by the bdft no matter how they want it sawn . Job im on now i am sawing 4/4,8/4,4x6,and 7x9. I tally every day so they can move lumber total bdft is all charged same price. The only exception is when i saw 1/2" or 3/4" for siding the bdft for those is caculated as 4/4.  As far as being mobile i have never went to job for less than 2000 bdft smaller jobs bring them to me, but I have went and got logs if they had no way of hauling them(for extra charge of course) but i have log truck and can haul 12-1500 ft per load. I can do that in a couple hours where it could take a day or more to move mill setup then move back and set up back at home again. I just cant see 10 hours work for 2 hrs sawing i would have to charge a 10 bucks a bdft to make a living :D  but anyway the best for me is set a price for sawing and stick to it for everything

[Tom Vorac]

The logs are his stacked on his property.  He will provide skid steer and operator to assist with handling.  What he wants done is to cut the logs into cants move them inside and sticker and stack.  Then this summer I will cut the cants into lumber to build a workshop for him.  Logs are all hardwoods mostly oak. 
Thanks
Tom

[backwoods sawyer]

Seems like a lot of extra handling.

Hourly rate both times ;D

Sure seems like it would be easier and cheeper for that matter to just have you mill it all to final sizes and then sticker it so it will be ready for further process when it is dry.

But every coustomer does it their way ;)

[Seaman]

Tom, you need to tell him it will be more economical for you to cut boards the first time, and drying will be that much further along by summer.
Some folks want the logs ( cants  ) to SEASON, which only makes them harder IMHO .

Frank

[WDH]

Those oak cants will split and crack something fierce.  If cut into boards, they will behave much better.

[Tom Vorac]

Everyone. Thanks for informaon and insight.  I will suggest to the client that we cut the logs into lumber.
Thanks again and Merry Christmas
Tom

[Dave Shepard]

I haven't done much SDR (saw, dry, rip), but I agree with WDH. It works ok with softwoods, but I think it will be a disaster with hardwood.

[beenthere]

SDR works pretty good with y. poplar flitches. Depends on what size is being dried, and what the later ripping sizes are to be, among other things.
We didn't hear what size cants were the plan. But going direct to lumber would be best if stickered well. ;)

[Dave Shepard]

You are right, beenthere. I was thinking more about sawing a cant and then trying to resaw it. It would be like trying to resaw barn beams. Those checks ruin a lot of boards.