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hows the wood sellin???

Started by OH logger, October 22, 2015, 09:58:26 PM

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timberlinetree

 :-\ !  I'm  kinda surprized. Saw a while back people looking for cord wood on Craigslist. We had 6 cord customer  take 8, 4 cord customer  take 5 and so on. It baffles me since oil is low.
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Family man and loving it :)

SwampDonkey

It's not $26 dollar a barrel like in 2001 though.  ;)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

logman81

Hmm Precision firewood & Logging I wonder who that would be.
Precision Firewood & Logging

OH logger

cmon give me a clue.......please :D
john

North River Energy

Speaking of Craigslist Genius, this ad has been running on and off for a few weeks:

QuoteI have $1,870 burning a hole in my pocket, and I'm willing to spend it on appropriately-priced firewood. It's a real offer. For this I want 10 cords of wood (that's 1,280 cubic feet, guys), but I need a realistic wood seller.

So that's my offer. If you want to hear my 2 cents, keep reading. Otherwise, don't, but don't flag me for the 10th time and tell me this is not a real want-ad.

325? 350? 375? are you stoned? Gentlemen, perhaps you didn't hear, but you are in a commodity business, and the value of your commodity has plummeted, due to extremely cheap alternatives. Maybe you are not aware, but the price of oil is a buck-87, and going lower by Thanksgiving. Let me give you some reality math here:

It takes 5 gallons of heating oil to heat my house daily. If I want to use wood instead, I will burn through a cord every 20 days. So that's 100 gallons of heating oil for 20 days, or 1 cord of wood, and I get the same heat (except with oil its as simple as twisting the thermostat- no shoveling out the woodpile, dealing with bugs, the workout involved, etc). SO... 20 days of heating oil costs 187 dollars, and going lower. You want THREE to FOUR HUNDRED dollars for 20 days worth of wood. That's why I say you are outside of reality.

Look, people burn wood to save money. They go thru all that BS I described above, because it's going to save them MONEY. That's how it has been, forever, until now anyway, with plummeting oil prices. So you've had a good run. You got people to pay you those crazy prices in recent years because oil was approaching 4 bucks a gallon. You were a cheaper alternative. Well, problem is you are in a commodity business. Commodities rise and fall in price, and you are experiencing the downside of capitalism. If we want to be capitalists, we take the losses with the gains. It sucks but it's part of the game.

How are the wood sales going for you?

I will buy as many cords as you can deliver, up to 10, but I won't pay more for it than oil. I will do you a giant favor and pay the same. Seriously- no matter how badly you want to charge all kinds of money, the market is not there. I am not the only genius that has figured out oil is cheap. Sell me 10 cords for $1,870, before you find yourself 10 days before Christmas with a giant pile of wood yet to be sold. Take the deal now before you lose your shirt. My cash is green.

NWP

1999 Blockbuster 2222, 1997 Duratech HD10, 2021 Kubota SVL97-2, 2011 Case SV250, 2000 Case 1845C, 2004 Case 621D, John Deere 540A, 2011 Freightliner with Prentice 120C, 2012 Chevrolet, 1997 GMC bucket truck, several trailers, and Stihl saws.

beenthere

NRE
That is funny... Wonder if he gets anyone to bite and give him wood?

Maybe the guy will just go buy 1000 gal of heating oil at "buck-87" instead of waiting for his 10 cords of wood.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

rasman57

The fact the above CL ad is running for weeks must indicate his analysis of the market may be flawed....  he may be reduced to begging, buying oil or giving up on his strategy soon.   :snowball:

SwampDonkey

It's not cold enough there yet.  :D 8)

He's probably got an old drafty farm house. A new well insulated/designed house, even up here, only burns 4 cord. :)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

OH logger

been sellin right along pretty steady here finally. it was SLOW until about 1 or 2 weeks ago when they started forecasted the first cold and the potential for snow. phones been ringin off the hook now  ;D. most every day people call me at the loggin job to know when they can come pick up some wood so I call them all when I'm on my way home from the job and then when I get home ive got a couple trucks and trailers there to load with wood. works pretty well. been deliverin as much as I have time for and the waiting list is growin faster than I can deliver  them.  been so dry here lately and ive been hammerin away in the woods and I hate to quit early to deliver wood. that's like steppin over a dime to pick up a  penny you know  ;). hopefully they can wait until the end of the week cause it looks like rain is on the way  :(. hows it goin for everyone else??
john

stratton

Brendon, hey how have you been?? Since we are in different wood markets, how much are you charging a cord? Sales for me have been wicked slow so far this year. Thanks Luke STRATTON. Sorry ive been charging $250 cd

shamusturbo

3-6 voicemails a day. About half show up or schedule a delivery. 50/50 for half cord versus full cord deliveries. I took a 6-10 job in Cincinnati so Sunday is my only firewood day. I am getting more serious about finding reliable help but I am growing tired and don't believe there is anyone out there. Clean, strong, dependable, machinery savvy, can work on their own and not bone up the trucks and skidsteers.

In my never ending quest to eliminate my Achilles heal, I finally bought a 1-ton dump truck. I am still not sure how I got along without one for so long but here I am. I have only made a few deliveries with it so far, 8 or 9 in the next 4 days at home. It will be getting lettered on the doors and tailgate this Saturday.



  

  
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SwampDonkey

The fellow whom which I buy firewood delivers with a similar truck. He delivers firewood steady.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Gearbox

If I burned that much wood every 20 days I would be turning off zones . He has to be figuring face cords or his house is a pig . I heat house and shop and only use 10 cord and I start in October and end in april or may .
A bunch of chainsaws a BT6870 processer , TC 5 International track skidder and not near enough time

OH logger

NICE TRUCK!! can u haul 1 cord easily? that will last a long time. congrats!
john

OH logger

in the last week ive had 84 full cord of wood ordered (2 wholesale customers) for this winter. 36 now and 48 after the first of the year. time to start splittin more and hopefully I have enough logs  ;D. sure seems like I sell a lot of wood I just hope I'm makin somethin for all the work and hassle    :o. and I'm kinda serious too. I'm getting 150 per cord delivered and dumped and I wish I could get more BUT I'm already the most expensive around. a lot of the wood sellers around here must need the excersise I guess   ::).. I could charge 300 a cord BUT that don't mean I will sell any  >:(
john

Corley5

I quit until spring.  Turned several orders down.
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

SwampDonkey

I can't imagine firewood delivered for that price. But your trucks and cars are $12,000 less than here, your gas is 1/3 ours to.  All evens out I suppose. ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

lopet

Quote from: OH logger on November 28, 2016, 08:08:48 PM
in the last week ive had 84 full cord of wood ordered (2 wholesale customers) for this winter. 36 now and 48 after the first of the year. time to start splittin more and hopefully I have enough logs  ;D. sure seems like I sell a lot of wood I just hope I'm makin somethin for all the work and hassle    :o. and I'm kinda serious too. I'm getting 150 per cord delivered and dumped and I wish I could get more BUT I'm already the most expensive around. a lot of the wood sellers around here must need the excersise I guess   ::).. I could charge 300 a cord BUT that don't mean I will sell any  >:(

You must get your raw material fairly cheap , otherwise I don't see where your profit is.

I still sell for $ 240 Can and 3 cords only.  Yes I sold about 20 % less this year and yes I got a lot more amish competition just in the last few years.
Maybe they will put me out of business sometime  down the road, but maybe I am ready to retire anyways.  ;D
Make sure you know how to fall properly when you fall and as to not hurt anyone around you.
Also remember, it's not the fall what hurts, its the sudden stop. !!

OH logger

most of the wood I produce myself as a by product of mylogging. it does take time to pull it out of the woods but I only mess with It if its easy and fast. I most of it home on a trailer behind my pickup. I'm going home anyways but I have a diesel pickup and if I didn't mess with them I could get by with a cheaper gas truck...I better shut up or i'll talk myself right out of the fire wood business  :D. my delivery truck holds 1.5 cord and I do think next year I will only deliver 1.5 cord at a time. 1 cord deliveries take just as much time and almost the same fuel so to heck with it. I threatened to do that this year but with the warm winter last year and the fact that I'm a chicken I didn't. I do buy poles from time to time from a  clearing guy but if I push the pencil very hard at all it barely works. how much are all you payin for processor type wood per cord picked up?? and how far you gotta go to get it??
john

NWP

I try to get as much wood as I can from clearing/cleanup jobs so its not only free, I get paid to remove it.  Right now I'm paying around $80-90 per cord for firewood logs coming off a clearing job from another contractor.  That's cut tree length and skidded to the landing.  I'm buying the logs from the landowner/clearing contractor and paying another guy to cut and skid.  I'm hauling only about 25 miles.  Really nice processor wood with a few sawlogs in it that I'll sell to offset the cost.
1999 Blockbuster 2222, 1997 Duratech HD10, 2021 Kubota SVL97-2, 2011 Case SV250, 2000 Case 1845C, 2004 Case 621D, John Deere 540A, 2011 Freightliner with Prentice 120C, 2012 Chevrolet, 1997 GMC bucket truck, several trailers, and Stihl saws.

lopet

I just bought a load for 120 delivered in the yard, but he's only three blocks away. Really nice stuff, no knots , no trimming , 12-16' length, ash and maple. Normally don't buy much, but sometimes people approach me and wonder if I need some. About 80% of my wood I bring home myself , either it comes out of my own woodlot or farmers want me to clean up their fence rows. Some thinning jobs, but I don't pay anything for a standing tree.
I guess it all depends on your area , market and setup.
Make sure you know how to fall properly when you fall and as to not hurt anyone around you.
Also remember, it's not the fall what hurts, its the sudden stop. !!

Klunker

Quote from: OH logger on November 28, 2016, 08:08:48 PM
in the last week ive had 84 full cord of wood ordered (2 wholesale customers) for this winter. 36 now and 48 after the first of the year. time to start splittin more and hopefully I have enough logs  ;D. sure seems like I sell a lot of wood I just hope I'm makin somethin for all the work and hassle    :o. and I'm kinda serious too. I'm getting 150 per cord delivered and dumped and I wish I could get more BUT I'm already the most expensive around. a lot of the wood sellers around here must need the excersise I guess   ::).. I could charge 300 a cord BUT that don't mean I will sell any  >:(

Just from a business perspective if you are the most expensive guy around and you still have no problem selling what you have I'd say you are still selling too cheap. I'd jump the price $25 bucks/cord.
I'm not in the firewood business but I have owned and run a business for approx 15 years. I do know that price is not the only selling point on a product. Never try to be the cheapest guy out there. You'll always be cutting your own throat.

Better to sell 50 cords at $50/cord profit then 200 cords at $10/cord profit.

My neighbors are an elderly farm couple. He doesn't farm anymore, just rents out the land. Can't cut his own firewood and his only source of heat is wood. So he has to buy his wood. He wants well seasoned wood (2 years min.) and he wants it stacked nice and neat not over 4 ft high in his garage where its easier to get at and stays dry. He can only store approx 3 cords in his garage. He pays $300/cord delv'd, stacked and well seasoned. Its very nice stuff, all hickory, ironwood and hard maple. Most of the firewood sells for around $250/cord. He has a guy he always goes to and can get wood when ever he wants it. They have worked out him paying more for the extra service and quality of wood. He could buy it from the same guy for $250, but it'll be dumped in his yard, seasoned 1 year and have trash wood mixed in. And my neighbor feels he is getting the better end of the deal.

GRANITEstateMP

  Just about done with things at my place.  Got one more mobile processing job at my buddy's place on the other side of town to do, probably 5ish cord to do up.  We were down this year, somewhere in the low 80 cord range (did 125 last year).  Still got a month to go but haven't been advertising and have all my regular customers done.  I did loose a couple customers to pellets, well maybe not so much pellets but pellets and age!  They just didn't want to stack, dry, move, restack anymore.  It stinks they are / were good customers but I can't blame them if this route is easier on their bodies.

  OH Logger, it wasn't that long ago I was paying $150 a cord log length for "processor" wood.  That was a couple years ago.  I'm pretty sure my last load was in the $110 range delivered to my landing, only had to cut 3 trees by hand the rest went through my little (Hakki 1x37) processor no problem!
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