gonna try selling firewood this year

[lknchoppers]

I exclusively deliver unless it is convenient for me. My price includes free delivery, stacking is extra and if they pickup the price is the same. I target high end urban, suburban areas and lake communities. I encourage stacking, even stacking when I need to bring a wheel barrow. I add as the job gets more complex. I work a full time job and then start deliveries by 5 or 6pm during the week and all day on Saturday and Sundays. Google maps is great for planning the fastest efficient routes. I usually load up two cords between my dump trailer and truck, some days my other truck goes out as well with another cord on it. My trucks are long beds with 20" sides built all the way around including the tailgate. I have a mechanic shop on my property so I bought everything needing some work at a fraction of the cost of what most people would buy their equipment for. This is my third season and everything is paid off. I started out with borrowing money for a splitter and processed some extra firewood to pay back the loan. My customers are from craigslist and many are repeat customers as well. I guarantee satisfaction after the sale, if the customer is unhappy I offer to pickup the firewood and replace it or give them their money back. I do random moisture testing a lot so I know what I am delivering. The business continues to grow, more customers, more volume and a higher profit margin. I come from a technical background so naturally I like to characterize and test the wood. I like to code my ads so they are at the top when a search is done as well. There are other things I do, like never run out of firewood or abandon a customer. To me selling out of firewood means I am leaving money on the table or money left in the local market for my competitors to grow faster. Stay Hungry !!

 

[jrider]

I live next to a 500 acre land fill and your worried about oil contamination? Let's see, 300+ million people in the states driving millions of cars that drip and burn oil all day long stretching from coast to coast. Yeah my little saw is going to hurt anything. Besides whats the difference between used oil and non used oil?
Oil naturally evaporates. Oil is a natural mineral produced by mother earth. And oil is oil, whats different from one oil to the next?

Feces is produced by my body but that sure as heck doesn't mean I want to rub it all over my skin and pretend everything is fine.

 

[sb47]

Feces is produced by my body but that sure as heck doesn't mean I want to rub it all over my skin and pretend everything is fine.

Ok so the land fill not withstanding, oil is oil, weather its used or not. A chainsaw still splatters oil as it operates. My question is whats the difference?

 

[jrider]

Ok so the land fill not withstanding, oil is oil, weather its used or not. A chainsaw still splatters oil as it operates. My question is whats the difference?

It is my understanding, bar oil is formulated differently and is biodegradable. If you thought it was the same why did you assume some of us would cringe?

 

[NSMaple1]

Ok so the land fill not withstanding, oil is oil, weather its used or not. A chainsaw still splatters oil as it operates. My question is whats the difference?

I would maybe put a little olive oil in my fying pan before I put the steak in - don't think I'd put motor oil in.

 

[sb47]

It is my understanding, bar oil is formulated differently and is biodegradable. If you thought it was the same why did you assume some of us would cringe?

Because many on here have stated in the past that they use only brand name oils and lubes and clam there better then anything else. I have seen post where people scoff at those that don't do as they do.

 

[sb47]

It is my understanding, bar oil is formulated differently and is biodegradable. If you thought it was the same why did you assume some of us would cringe?

I've never seen a biodegradable bar oil. It's formulated to be sticky like Lucous oil so it doesn't sling off so easily.
What bar oils are biodegradable, name them? Show me an ad or label that says so.

 

[Ryan'smilling]

It is my understanding, bar oil is formulated differently and is biodegradable. If you thought it was the same why did you assume some of us would cringe?

Some bar oil is. I run Stihl bio oil in my saws. 90 some% biodegradable in 30 days. Flows very well in winter too. Not tacky as regular oil. Runs about $22/gallon when you buy 4 at a time. Not cheap, but I like it. Gives me that warm fuzzy feeling.

I've heard of running straight canola oil. Seems like you'd want to keep it moving through your saws, I.e. use it a saw that sees at least weekly use, not a saw that sits for months at a time.

For the record, I like that I'm not dumping dino oil onto the ground. I use 4-5 gallons per year. I know it's not the same, but I'd never consider dumping that much oil onto the ground. Also, depending on the use (limbing and thinning for example), sometimes the saw operator is basically in a cloud of suspended bar oil. I'd much rather be using bio oil for that application. Just my .02. Your mileage may vary.

 

[NSMaple1]

Because many on here have stated in the past that they use only brand name oils and lubes and clam there better then anything else. I have seen post where people scoff at those that don't do as they do.

This is just a simple honest question, no trickery - does the person you sell the smoking wood to, know it was processed with used motor oil? If not, do you think it would matter to him?

I have no idea on the science aspect, and honestly wood smoke isn't the best stuff for health either - but the idea of the ribs I was chewing on having been smoked with wood that had used motor oil on it, is kind of a queasy stomach thing. Just one of those 'feelings' things, that science might not back up - but it's there anyway.

 

[sb47]

Because I said I do something one way and say folks will cringe, some of you are making my point exactly. Posting criticism was exactly what I was trying to avoid.

 

[Tenderfoot]

I've never seen a biodegradable bar oil. It's formulated to be sticky like Lucous oil so it doesn't sling off so easily.
What bar oils are biodegradable, name them? Show me an ad or label that says so.

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/oils--lubricants-and-fuels/oils-and-lubricants/biooil/
http://www.baileysonline.com/shop.a...9pZ0towXY2x_ecAJfRZPmJwHL1DHk97TToaAo8z8P8HAQ
These were just the first two that popped up. I would avoid WMO for saws. Bar oil really does not cost that much. Better use your WMO for better things. I mix it with gasoline to soak nasty parts in.

 

[sb47]

This is just a simple honest question, no trickery - does the person you sell the smoking wood to, know it was processed with used motor oil? If not, do you think it would matter to him?

I have no idea on the science aspect, and honestly wood smoke isn't the best stuff for health either - but the idea of the ribs I was chewing on having been smoked with wood that had used motor oil on it, is kind of a queasy stomach thing. Just one of those 'feelings' things, that science might not back up - but it's there anyway.

I'm sure they don't care what oil I use. If you have spent any amount of time cutting wood, you would know most of the oil is flushed away with the chips and really doesn't get on the wood itself. there are dozens of wood sellers in my area and none of clam to use biodegradable bar oil. I think you are worrying about nothing. Oil evaporates over time, it's a proven fact.

 

[sb47]

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/oils--lubricants-and-fuels/oils-and-lubricants/biooil/
http://www.baileysonline.com/shop.a...9pZ0towXY2x_ecAJfRZPmJwHL1DHk97TToaAo8z8P8HAQ
These were just the first two that popped up. I would avoid WMO for saws. Bar oil really does not cost that much. Better use your WMO for better things. I mix it with gasoline to soak nasty parts in.

Way too expensive, firewood has a very small profit margin.
It's not sold here in any saw shop or stores.
To each there own.

 

[rarefish383]

I've posted this before, but I'll say it again. When I worked for my Dad, back in the 60's and 70's we used nothing but 10W30, cheapest brand we could find. I don't think I had ever heard of real bar oil back then. I still have several of his saws, 2 Homelite Super 1050's and a couple XL12's, with original bars on them. Over the years there were two schools of thought on bar oil. One was a thin oil that flew off the end of the bar and carried the heat with it. Then was the sticky stuff that stayed on the bar longer. Both schools had loads of test info to support their side. I use what ever bar oil that comes on sale now, and keep my pumps wide open. I like to use a tank of oil to a tank of fuel, Joe.

 

[cantoo]

We used to put used oil on our gravel driveways and there are lots of people that still do it. We also used to pour and brush used oil on cedar fence posts to make them last longer. I still have a few posts on my property lines that my Dad did in 1970 or so. I have a calcium company do my driveway now just because it does a better job and my driveway isn't that big anymore. Used oil is worth money now so not many people use it on gravel anymore.
I don't use motor oil in my chain saws just not worth it for the maybe 6 or so gallons I use a year. I run Environ hydraulic oil in my Steiners because I use them on customers property and Steiners are always leaking oil somewhere.

 

[sb47]

I've posted this before, but I'll say it again. When I worked for my Dad, back in the 60's and 70's we used nothing but 10W30, cheapest brand we could find. I don't think I had ever heard of real bar oil back then. I still have several of his saws, 2 Homelite Super 1050's and a couple XL12's, with original bars on them. Over the years there were two schools of thought on bar oil. One was a thin oil that flew off the end of the bar and carried the heat with it. Then was the sticky stuff that stayed on the bar longer. Both schools had loads of test info to support their side. I use what ever bar oil that comes on sale now, and keep my pumps wide open. I like to use a tank of oil to a tank of fuel, Joe.

I was going to mention that the road department regularly puts down oil on roadways. We used it on race tracks to hold the dust down and improve traction.
Nature created oil and nature has a way of getting rid of it.
We put oil on our driveway as well.
Some oils have surfactants already in them. That's what makes oil and water mix or blend together.
That's why many motor oils turn white or milky when water is introduced.
Dawn dish soap is a surfactant, that's what makes the oil and water blend together.
We pored oil on fence lines to kill weeds. It would only kill the tender grass, the weeds kept growing.
Thanks for your support.

 

[rarefish383]

The 10W30 we used was new, bought it by the case, usually at K-Mart. We tried used motor oil once for a short time. It was too dirty. Guys would over flow the tank, then it would drip in the truck, then get on your cloths. It was always black nasty stuff. When ever I changed the oil in my 340 Swinger, it was nice and clean. But that was only 10 quarts maybe twice a year. All the diesel tractor and truck oil was funky.

 

[sb47]

The 10W30 we used was new, bought it by the case, usually at K-Mart. We tried used motor oil once for a short time. It was too dirty. Guys would over flow the tank, then it would drip in the truck, then get on your cloths. It was always black nasty stuff. When ever I changed the oil in my 340 Swinger, it was nice and clean. But that was only 10 quarts maybe twice a year. All the diesel tractor and truck oil was funky.

Yeah, used diesel oils is some nasty stuff. I don't use, used diesel or real dirty used oil. And I do sometimes mix some used hydraulic oil and sometimes cheap bar oil, when I can find it. I try to make use of what most would throw away, but there is a limit to using used oils.

 

[sb47]

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/oils--lubricants-and-fuels/oils-and-lubricants/biooil/
http://www.baileysonline.com/shop.a...9pZ0towXY2x_ecAJfRZPmJwHL1DHk97TToaAo8z8P8HAQ
These were just the first two that popped up. I would avoid WMO for saws. Bar oil really does not cost that much. Better use your WMO for better things. I mix it with gasoline to soak nasty parts in.

In all the years, I have never been asked what kind of bar oil I use.
I know what you are gonna say. They wouldn't make a biodegradable bar oil if people were not concerned with using regular dino oil.
I'll tell you exactly why they make it. So they can charge 22 bucks a gallon for it, thats why.

 

[Gypo Logger]

90% of my wood customers are women because I deliver small loads. Most of them want it split and piled and I bring the wood as soon as they want it, so they spread the word and usually give me a tip.
Customers also appreciate it when you cut some kindling for them.