Wanting to start selling firewood

[jrider]

No way I'd meet demand cutting by hand. Even with a processor I get 2+ months backlogged in the fall.

By myself I can have a cord processed and stacked in the truck in about 2-2.5 hours.
Cutting by hand, I'd easily triple-quadruple the labor.

And that's just once the logs are at the shop. Cutting trees by hand, delimbing.... skidding (how?) ), hauling (how?) is another thing too.

Last weekend over 3 days we (2 guys) cut, skidded, and delimbed about 125 cords... never broke a sweat. Slowly hauling, truck holds 10th cords and it's a 40 mile round trip through some hilly terrain.


I'm just being realistic at what it takes. Can easily invest 500k to get decently setup with logging equipment, firewood processor, land to setup on, small shop, dump truck(s) to do deliveries, etc.

I've been doing for going on 6 years and just now more or less not eatting Ramen. I invested about 125k into starting the firewood business and partnered with a friend who's family had been logging since the 1950s. (He's 3rd generation).

I average about 100 hours a week. Not just logging or processing wood but answering calls, equipment repairs/maintenace/upgrades, book keeping, advertising, scheduling, etc, etc, etc. Would be nice if all I had to worry about was cutting wood.

Your situation is very different from mine. There is little logging done around here and what does get logged is already destined to become chips, mulch, or go to big firewood guys (2000 cord per year range). I am getting almost all of my wood (150+ cords this year) dropped off by 2 different tree guys at a really good price - 1 guy was $50 a cord for oak already cut to length and the other guy started off at $125 for loads of logs varying between 2 and 3 cords. Recently he hasn't even been charging me at all. The wood I get varies greatly in length and diameter and is generally not suitable for a processor. I have less than $10,000 invested in 2 saws, a 4 way log splitter, and a stake body dump truck that will hold 2 cords. I also use the family John Deere with forks on it. This is side work for me and suits me just fine. I have thought about going bigger but once I buy the equipment, it becomes something I HAVE to do and I'm not interested in that.

 

[lknchoppers]

I do similar preparation and volume to jrider. I have about $18K invested in my equipment. None of my equipment is new and every piece needed repairs, luckily I have my own mechanic shop just for my own equipment to keep everything in good shape. I target the high end homes in the city as well as the lake areas. My day job is M-F, so I stay busy nights and weekends. Firewood has been very satisfying and therapeutic

 

[tomtrees58]

this works well for me 200.00 a day year round and we sell 150 full cords a year

 

[cantoo]

My son's boss sells slabwood so I build this for him. This one has 48 holes about 18" square. I also built one for myself but won't have wood for it until next year. Made form old camper frames that I buy for $200, I cut them down to whatever size I need. He has a huge pile of precut slabs out back so I thought making it moveable would save a lot of extra handling. This weekend he will finally have it all set up so we'll see how good he does. Of course we are in some fire bans right now too so that will cut sales down.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

this works well for me 200.00 a day year round and we sell 150 full cords a year

That's pretty cool. $200 a day?!

On a good day I might sell $100 of bundles but some weeks I might not sell any.

I have an old fire hose dryer cabinet, it's about 4ftx4ft x7ft tall. Working on cleaning it up to put bundles in, self serve style for after hours sales.

Your $5 bins I'd get 2 bundles out of, $5 ea, 5 for $20. People like them because it's fairly clean and easy to handle over loose wood.
Do sell some loose wood for campfires as well though.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I do similar preparation and volume to jrider. I have about $18K invested in my equipment. None of my equipment is new and every piece needed repairs, luckily I have my own mechanic shop just for my own equipment to keep everything in good shape. I target the high end homes in the city as well as the lake areas. My day job is M-F, so I stay busy nights and weekends. Firewood has been very satisfying and therapeutic

I barely have time with logging/firewood as a day job, no idea how you do it. If 40hrs was considered "normal" I do about 2.5 years of work in 1 year. (So I guess that means I've been doing it for 15 years!)

 

[tomtrees58]

That's pretty cool. $200 a day?!

On a good day I might sell $100 of bundles but some weeks I might not sell any.

I have an old fire hose dryer cabinet, it's about 4ftx4ft x7ft tall. Working on cleaning it up to put bundles in, self serve style for after hours sales.

Your $5 bins I'd get 2 bundles out of, $5 ea, 5 for $20. People like them because it's fairly clean and easy to handle over loose wood.
Do sell some loose wood for campfires as well though.

campfire wood is free

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

How do you sell any then?

If I put a rack like that out with "free" I'd barely have time to set it down.

 

[tomtrees58]

cheap then dumping

 

[c5rulz]

Valley Firewood's advice is accurate.

I find processing everything by hand and splitting with a regular splitter takes about 8 hours/cord. Delivering and unloading a cord will take a good 2.5 hours and isn't worth it to me so all wood is come and get it. What can you get for an additional charge for delivering a cord, $30? Not near enough in my book.

 

[woodshax]

What works for me (no one asked). But if you are near any State parks with camp sites, striking a deal with the park or the friends group that works to make money to help out the park, can be profitable. I pay state parks in Texas 10% off the top to have exclusive sales inside the park....the convenience factor allows me to charge more than the local guys that are off the park.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

Im wanting to start selling this coming winter and am looking for any advice some of you guys might have. I heat with wood so im not new to the wood cutting game i just am not sure on the whole marketing thing and other struggles that come with operating a side business (if you would call it that). As far as equipment i have a 359 husky (ported and polished and moded exhaust) husky 61 with 272ex cylinder kit. A 22 ton huskee splitter and a 12 ft dump trailer. Also have a wd45 allis chalmers to help get the wood out this year Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

I like your idea, but like your avatar better! just sayn'....

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

Get to know the other guys selling firewood. It can benefit you.

I see that on my way to my farm in one of the neighboring towns I pass thru... there is a new firewood vendor set up. has a bunch of split stacked wood side of state hiway. next door to a bbq joint that seems to have staying power. last one din't. maybe I can get some pix to post....

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

I'm not in the firewood business but I have friends that will each take a few cords of aspen off my hands every year for their fire pits (which is nice because in the last few years I have been cutting it like crazy as it has been dying on my property). They don't care if its green or seasoned as it will season at their place just like it would at mine.

I am in the firewood business,m too... but only for personal use. I have 7 fireplaces, all wood burners. not counting my pits, smokers and hot oak coal/mesquite wood cooking rigs. my outdoor unit, Mr. Brutus... runs 365 if I am outside working... never too hot for a campfire... not even 99F in middle of July...

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

You will work yourself to death cutting with a saw and using a splitter. If you are up for long hours with minimal pay, than by all means. To make decent money with firewood you need to more volume. I average about 10 cords a week (roughly 500 cords a year) in processed wood. Also do bundles and logs too.

Not saying that to pound my chest by any means, but just as an idea. Cutting 10 or 20 cords a year to sell for beer money isn't too bad, though it certainly won't be a business, rather a hobby.

Before you dig in, I'd price shop a bit. I've seen guys on here post about local cord prices being $75-100. I'd be darn tough to break even at those prices unless you get the logs for free or super dirt cheap.

used to spend some time running up into the high Cascades, Washington state... with a friend of mine in his 18-wheeler logging rig. bring out big, designated logs already on flatbed by forest service... down to his yard. crane load the logs onto high volume processing cutter, wham bam, thank you ma'am... cut them into chunks... then BAM! thru the 8-point wedge and onto hopper and into container sized bin. reminded me of eastern washington wheat farmers harvesting grain.... lol. he could make cords faster than I could say WOW! as he made his machine sing and do its thing. very impressive operation to see in person...

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

No way I'd meet demand cutting by hand. Even with a processor I get 2+ months backlogged in the fall.By myself I can have a cord processed and stacked in the truck in about 2-2.5 hours.Cutting by hand, I'd easily triple-quadruple the labor.And that's just once the logs are at the shop. Cutting trees by hand, delimbing.... skidding (how?) ), hauling (how?) is another thing too.Last weekend over 3 days we (2 guys) cut, skidded, and delimbed about 125 cords... never broke a sweat. Slowly hauling, truck holds 10th cords and it's a 40 mile round trip through some hilly terrain.I'm just being realistic at what it takes. Can easily invest 500k to get decently setup with logging equipment, firewood processor, land to setup on, small shop, dump truck(s) to do deliveries, etc.I've been doing for going on 6 years and just now more or less not eatting Ramen. I invested about 125k into starting the firewood business and partnered with a friend who's family had been logging since the 1950s. (He's 3rd generation).I average about 100 hours a week. Not just logging or processing wood but answering calls, equipment repairs/maintenace/upgrades, book keeping, advertising, scheduling, etc, etc, etc. Would be nice if all I had to worry about was cutting wood.

VF - din't u have Ramen and cut up hot dogs other nite for dinner? ... lol. interesting post. u are a very busy guy! take care of yourself up there... eat some more salmon and veggies, if u can... if u get a chance post up some pix of ur rigs in operation... sounds like u have one impressive firewood making ops...

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

I do similar preparation and volume to jrider. I have about $18K invested in my equipment. None of my equipment is new and every piece needed repairs, luckily I have my own mechanic shop just for my own equipment to keep everything in good shape. I target the high end homes in the city as well as the lake areas. My day job is M-F, so I stay busy nights and weekends. Firewood has been very satisfying and therapeutic

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

this works well for me 200.00 a day year round and we sell 150 full cords a year

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

campfire wood is free

>campfire wood is free

I would be there every morning at 6 am!

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

Im wanting to start selling this coming winter and am looking for any advice some of you guys might have. I heat with wood so im not new to the wood cutting game i just am not sure on the whole marketing thing and other struggles that come with operating a side business (if you would call it that). As far as equipment i have a 359 husky (ported and polished and moded exhaust) husky 61 with 272ex cylinder kit. A 22 ton huskee splitter and a 12 ft dump trailer. Also have a wd45 allis chalmers to help get the wood out this year

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

lots of advice here. if u want to set up and sell your firewood, go do it. u will enjoy it and grow... or it will be too much work for $$ and u will get out. at least you tried. I like the bundled wood sales market better than cords... for the xtra revenues... keep us posted