Missouri log prices

woodman58 · January 17, 2015, 09:23:38 AM

I have my sawmill on it's wayin close prices that I should pay for 3 to 5 weeks. I have been checking log prices from a few loggers close to me. They seem to be a little higher than I thought they would be. I was wondering if any of you could give me some close prices that I should pay for logs. I am looking at oak, cherry, and walnut. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

beenthere · January 17, 2015, 10:13:55 AM

QuoteI was wondering if any of you could give me some close prices that I should pay for logs.

"close prices" meaning local log prices close by to Blackwell, MO ?? Using Doyle scale?

drobertson · January 17, 2015, 10:46:47 AM

Prices vary as does the quality. Many of the loggers are selling by weight these days as to scaling the logs. But in general the prices will average near $400/thousand for oak. as to cherry, these can be hard to find around here, of any size, the walnut is very pricey, expect to pay well over$1000/thousand, if you can find it at all.

CX3 · January 17, 2015, 11:30:56 AM

I get $400/thousand for anything that makes a tie.

Good walnut will average well over $2000/mbf delivered to your mill.

Any pallet type material is still around $250. And this is very poor quality stuff, because they will crank a tie out of nearly anything now a days

BBTom · January 17, 2015, 06:47:49 PM

Don't mean to steal the OP's thread, but I might be looking to buy several loads of pine next month when I get to my new place near Anderson, MO. Is pine available and at what price?

CX3 · January 17, 2015, 07:41:30 PM

Im guessing pine will be tough to get. Thats hardwood country down there. I may be wrong....

Southside · January 17, 2015, 10:23:56 PM

Maybe call around to a few mills and get their price sheet. I can sell oak from $250 to $1100 depending on the grade, poplar goes $240 to $675, Walnut, Ash, and Hickory run between those two prices. Telling guys what you are looking for, communicating what you are buying, paying when you say you will, when will go a long way to being the mill that gets the wood it wants. There is a mill around here that pays a bit more for some wood but as to when the check will arrive is always a guessing game, so I don't ship there. There is another mill that one never knows when there will be a sign at the end of the driveway saying "no logs for 2 weeks", so I don't send my grade logs there - not going to cut to their specs only to have to sit on it.

There is another mill who pays very well, the check is always there when they say it will be, and they communicate with the loggers if they need more or less incoming, they grade hard - look for every defect, but pay fair - so I happily ship all my best grade to them and make sure I take the time to cut each log to their exact specs.

Good luck with the new mill!!!