Had to quit first logging job after fitting in perfectly. How should I proceed?

[treeslayer2003]

that's the truth right there!

hey there, hot enough for ya?

 

[matthew sparks]

The weather here went from 95 degrees and humid to 77 and no humidity. This sure would be a good week to be cutting timber....

 

[matthew sparks]

Well just an update guys..... I have a logging contract I am about to take. There are some variables or I guess you would say options and I have some wild ideas. I kind of wanted your thoughts. I could post this in a different thread but the ones who have followed this thread have taught me a lot and I would rather continue my journey from here.

I have contracted with someone that has a lot of hardwoods on 140 acres. I have the sawmill offering 1.10 a bd ft for stave logs. I haven't consulted other mills on prices or anything of that nature, so I don't know where I stand at that price.

I do have another option with this property. This may be off the wall. but I have to ask. His property is full of HUGE Loblolly Pines. He said they are free. He wants them gone. I already did the math and there is no way to make money on these trees taking them to a pulp mill, but I hate to see these trees going to waste. If you were to cut these trees, take the logs home and mill them into tongue and groove flooring or just finished pine boards would it be a waste of time or would it actually make me some money for work on rainy days when you can't be in the woods?

I can just keep looking for other logging jobs but he is offering me free trees that aren't profitable on the stump so I just wanted everyones opinion.

Thanks again everyone. I have already learned so much through all of you. I am excited to get started. It will probably take a few weeks for me to get things organized before I start posting pictures and results.

 

[treeslayer2003]

thats very good for staves......if the lobs are big why can't you sell them as logs? pays .30 a foot here.......was 40 some years back.
but now what ya call big.......30" 90' is a good pine here tho they do get bigger.

 

[treeslayer2003]

like these cut at 52'

 

[matthew sparks]

Well the papermill is the only place within 40 miles that accepts Pine logs and they only pay pulp wood price by the ton. I am not sure what it is but it is low enough here most logging companies here mow the trees down just to get to hardwoods. Huge isn't huge I guess. These trees are 26-40".

 

[treeslayer2003]

thats a shame.............i think i'd make a few calls if i was you.........they nice trees and with nuthin in um you could pay freight and still make money.

 

[Gologit]

Sparks...you're going to get quite an education.

Do you have a skidder and a loader leased or are you going to hire it done?

 

[matthew sparks]

I am buying a grapple skidder. I will not be able to afford a knuckle boom or a truck for a while. This job is 3 miles form the sawmill. I am considering the option of hauling on my gooseneck or selling them at the landing. I really have to find out those options before I take this any further.

I know I am going to screw some things up Gologit, but I see money there and have to try. I have had trouble getting financing for a skidder because I have only done business with my local credit union and they said they don't finance equipment that they don't have the ability to repossess or appraise. They even mentioned some possible banks and apologized. I will probably just be paying cash.

 

[matthew sparks]

Feel free to keep me from making some mistakes. If you say STOP or DON'T then I will probably listen. This land is flat and I almost considered buying one of those nice Grapples to go on my John Deere tractor for $5,000 but I have read through the posts and the people that started out said buy a skidder and go cut so unless I am select cutting and doing low impact with an ATV I may as well buy a skidder.

 

[northmanlogging]

Just my opinion and its not worth much, you will probably be better off with a cable skidder, if your falling and bucking solo, then a grapple is going to be more machine then you can put to use, like I said though its just my opinion.

The goose neck thing works if you can get enough wood on there to make the trip worthwhile, while still being safe, 1000mbf is more like 1500 actual board feet, and a whole lot more weight then most folks take into account. Just make sure you're not overloading your brakes and trailer...

Loading the damn thing is another question, while its possible to use the grapples on the skidder to load with I don't imagine its easy or efficient...
This is coming from a guy who spent the day loading a dump truck full of firewood logs with a backhoe...

Call around, there may be a mill farther out that is paying a decent price for pine. Phone calls are cheap.

Also call the mills and see if they have any self loader jockeys that they will recommend. Or start chasing down any self loaders you see and get their number... Most of these folks are looking for work anyway, them truck payments are a headache. The self loader folks will have a pretty good idea as to who is a better mill to send to vis a vis, they've managed to keep me out of at least a little bit of trouble... It may seem like a lot of money to pay a self loader to haul your logs, but in the end you are left to skid more logs, they take over the loading, driving, waiting at the mill, dicking with the weight cops, insurance, traffic, flat tires, tree huggers cutting you off... and in the end the amount you would have spent on pulling 3 loads behind your truck is usually less then what you would loose the the loader jockey for one load, not to mention the mills are a whole lot happier to see 5k bf vs 1k.

Now that I reread yer posts and get my head a little clearer... You should be able to use your tractor to load logs with if it has a front loader on it and some girth, just add some fork looking things and go nuts, but be careful its fairly easy to have a log come over the top and pin you to the seat...

Anyway take her slow, look up, observe, make a plan, stick to the plan, and don't be afraid to alter the plan if needed... and look up

 

[Hans1]

A lot of good info for the OP don't discount the bore cut method you have learned it is one tool in the box but a good one in high value hardwood timber. One point that hasn't been brought up is to search to see is there is any TSI work in your area great way to have a lot of practice trees and build a good reputation in the forestry community. As this is my first post good move on removing yourself from the original situation.

 

[matthew sparks]

Thanks very much Northman. I have thought about just using my tractor for everything but it is only 2WD. I haven't ever got it stuck but I also haven't put a front end loader on it either. I just have a huge weight mounted to the front I made in order to keep it from flipping when I was skidding 40 ft logs for a log cabin last year. Poor tractor sure did spin a lot.

I thought a grapple would be best so I didn't have to get on and off the skidder. Again another lesson I need to learn before I buy I guess. I have jsut been shopping until my mechanic buddy who knows a lot about skidders can go look at it

 

[matthew sparks]

HANS I just now saw your post. I am sorry to seem like the greenest timber cutter you will ever meet but what is TSI? Is that cutting government jobs?

 

[northmanlogging]

I'm not big on 4 wheel drive tractors, if you need 4 wheels drive to plow ground its too ****ing wet... but I digress

Anyway, if you build yourself a decent landing, one with solid ground and good drainage, you shouldn't need 4x4 to move logs with the tractor, granted a skidder is a different beast altogether and if you don't need 4wheel drive in a skidder your doing something wrong.

Been using the hoe on the back hoe, set up with a crappy set of log tongs for the firewood thing, its slow but it works, works a little fast with two people but a guy can get the job done. For a trailer I would probably go from the side though and use forks on the front bucket like I said, down side is you need to have a fairly large chunk of ground to move around in.

I don't haul much fire wood so a the odd load here and there its not so bad. Plus its pretty good side money.

 

[matthew sparks]

I wish I thought I could make money cutting firewood. I just don't think I could afford the production equipment to go big enough to make a large income.

 

[matthew sparks]

ah TSI is timber stand improvement. I don't know where you get those exact contracts but I would take them. I have bills to pay but learning and building a reputation will help a lot

 

[HuskStihl]

Hey Matthew, what size tractor do you own, and do you have a way to add counterweight in the back? I have zero logging experience, but lots of "putting something way too heavy in my tractor bucket/grapple" experience. Start with as little equipment as you can safely get by with, and acquire more as your workload increases.
I'm sending imaginary rep to Northy and the Slayer for being so helpful to a fellow "one man bander". Good on'ya mates.

 

[treeslayer2003]

Matt, a grapple works good for selections but only if you get a small one..........a 12' wide monster will drive ya nuts unless yer doing a clear cut.
we can help ya alot with skidder info, let us know the make n model of what yer lookin at.

 

[northmanlogging]

I wish I thought I could make money cutting firewood. I just don't think I could afford the production equipment to go big enough to make a large income.

The fyrewood game is a racket, unless you get a processor you'll end up spending all your money at the chiropractor, even then... Granted I still sell a load now and then, I try to stay out of the work of it.