Is it profitable?

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Moss Man

Moss Man

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With the precessor we use you can somewhat cater to the needs of each customer as far as split size, but once it leaves the splitter wedge it heads right on up the conveyor into the truck. We simply ask the customer when they order what length and diameter they prefer and do the best we can.
 
avalancher

avalancher

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With the precessor we use you can somewhat cater to the needs of each customer as far as split size, but once it leaves the splitter wedge it heads right on up the conveyor into the truck. We simply ask the customer when they order what length and diameter they prefer and do the best we can.

Are you guys selling green wood then? Is there a good market for it?
 

CUCV

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Is that per cord? I could see those numbers with a processor and conveyor. But a regular splitter not a chance too get a cord through in an hour. Well at least not my splitter. None the less, your busting pretty good CUCV. More power too ya! :cheers:

That is cutting 16" wood, split small, log load on a landing, true cord of wood not a face cord. I use a conveyor off the end of the splitter which really helps keep a clean work area and lets the wood pile up. I sure can put alot of wood though the superslitter in a short amount of time. I didn't believe how fast they went until I used one myself. The fastest I have split a cord by myself is 35 minutes.
 
Moss Man

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Are you guys selling green wood then? Is there a good market for it?

Yes green, it hasn't been off the stump long when it hits the customers lawn. We sold 60 cords since June, we do it on the side part time and next year hope to do around 200 cords if we can. It'd be nice to get some dry though and then we could sell it in the fall for a higher profit margin, we sold everything we cut up so fast we couldn't get any ahead enough to dry.
 
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bowtechmadman

bowtechmadman

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I'm gonna try and make a couple bucks this fall...bought 20 cords (log length) and have half of it cut and split. Paid 70 bucks a cord...hardwood mix of oak and maple mostly.
The time it takes I enjoy running the saws and splitter so I consider my labor free. Daughter runs the splitter handle so it teaches her some work ethic. Don't plan on delivering, be pick up only. I'm seeing advertised 60 - 80 bucks a face cord currently, have to believe it will be up close to 100 by January.
I don't plan on getting rich (doing this in the evenings), just make enough to support my CAD. I'll be happy if i get 140 a full cord. Some sweat equity and the bank couldn't get me that kinda return on a 1500 investment.
 
E&R_firewood

E&R_firewood

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'round here, a guy can make a little money on the side with firewood . . . pine beetles have infested the Lodgepole Pine in this area, lots of ranchers and landowners beg to have the red needled trees removed to stem the killing spree as well as the national forest selling permits at 5 bucks per cord, not a bad investment considering, cut into 16" blocks the going rate for Lodgepole Pine or Doug Fir is $180 a cord delivered, split is $210 . . . Quaking Aspen goes for $150 a cord . . .and the grab bag mix $160
 
secureland

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'round here, a guy can make a little money on the side with firewood . . . pine beetles have infested the Lodgepole Pine in this area, lots of ranchers and landowners beg to have the red needled trees removed to stem the killing spree as well as the national forest selling permits at 5 bucks per cord, not a bad investment considering, cut into 16" blocks the going rate for Lodgepole Pine or Doug Fir is $180 a cord delivered, split is $210 . . . Quaking Aspen goes for $150 a cord . . .and the grab bag mix $160

Don't you have winters that are too cold for quaking aspen and pine?
 
windthrown

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Don't you have winters that are too cold for quaking aspen and pine?

Winters too cold for pine???? Man, some of the coldest western regions have pines. Lodgepole, Jeffery and Ponderosa pines grow and thrive all over the Cascades, Rockies and Sierra mountain ranges. Also Quaking Aspen goes down to something like -38 degrees F. No problem there.
 
secureland

secureland

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Winters too cold for pine???? Man, some of the coldest western regions have pines. Lodgepole, Jeffery and Ponderosa pines grow and thrive all over the Cascades, Rockies and Sierra mountain ranges. Also Quaking Aspen goes down to something like -38 degrees F. No problem there.

I didn't mean temp. range. I meant too cold to be burning a low BTU/volume wood like that.

They burn furniture in Moscow if it gets real bad. Hardwood furniture goes further too.
 
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litefoot

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I didn't mean temp. range. I meant too cold to be burning a low BTU/volume wood like that.

They burn furniture in Moscow if it gets real bad. Hardwood furniture goes further too.

Probably 80% of all firewood burned around this area is Lodgepole. I cut dead-standing beetle-kill. It's already seasoned, so it cuts easy, splits easy and it's becoming more plentiful (thanks to the bugs) and it's cheap. There's more to wood choice than just the BTU/Volume thingy.

Oh, and I forgot to mention it's a lot less weight since it's dead-standing instead of green. So in that sense, it does create less BTU's...when I'm loading it.:)
 
E&R_firewood

E&R_firewood

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Probably 80% of all firewood burned around this area is Lodgepole. I cut dead-standing beetle-kill. It's already seasoned, so it cuts easy, splits easy and it's becoming more plentiful (thanks to the bugs) and it's cheap. There's more to wood choice than just the BTU/Volume thingy.

Oh, and I forgot to mention it's a lot less weight since it's dead-standing instead of green. So in that sense, it does create less BTU's...when I'm loading it.:)

thanks Litefoot . . . you got the beetle problem there in Utah too huh? we've got entire hillsides turning red with their damage here . . . one part of me wishes it could be stopped and the other can't wait to clutch a saw in on those standing cadavers.
 
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