Starting a firewood business with a wood bundler.

[arlen]

I cut about a cord and a half of [ read heart ] ecu it looks pretty straight grained. I took three loade back with my 4x8 trailer I stood the 16" rounds up I guess that equals a face cord so three trips equals one cord I used the mingo marker it worked great I painted my hand and my glove the first time the tip came off of the paint can so it didn't spray. After I got used it, it worked great I ran the wheel backwards to the stop than ran down the log and sprayed blue marking paint. I marked about three or four rounds than came back with the chainsaw and cut the rounds. If the rounds were on the ground I used the Log Rite cant hook [ short one for the mill ? ] and rolled them over and finished the cut. The rounds sure are a lot more uniform using the mingo versed the guess method. I have about three cords of ecu in the yard waiting to be split and bundled. I will order the bundler on the 15th. Today found a few mice in the cracked ecu in a couple of logs I pulled out a mother and her baby out , and put them in a milk carton and brought them home to my son. They sure are cute. David

 

[gink595]

Zodiac, I have talked to you before and have appreciated your advice, but I have to tell you that thing you have next to your name is a creepy looking dude. Got anything else other than that thing?

Yes I agree Zodiac, what the hel is that thing? I think he needs a pic of Valentino!!! ehh zodiac??

 

[gink595]

Well I'll tell you one thing - the return on a cord of wood sold by the bundle is huge compared to that of a cord sold as one load (there are a few threads on this subject on this site and IIRC it works out to approximately $950 per cord).

Good luck with it and let us know how it progresses (just be sure to try and find a use for your bundler before you buy it!).

That reminds me of a thing I seen in the paper once, talked about buying a new 85 Ford Escort for I think 7K, but to buy that car part by part it would have cost 35K. WTF is up with that? Criminals or smart buisness wheres the line?

 

[hornett224]

what i don't get is............

paying more for a bundler than a splitter.

 

[arlen]

paying more for a bundler than a splitter.

Because a bunker has more of a potential of making money than a splitter I could buy split seasoned wood and still make money with a bundler.

Of course this is just my opinion and I haven't made any money with a bundler yet. opcorn: David

 

[hornett224]

sorry for the confusion.

it wasn't directed at you.more so the manufacturer.i just find it amazing what some things cost.seems like a splitter should cost more than a bundler.

kind of like how i look at chainsaws.of all the equipment in this business,i think they are the most resonnably priced thing we buy.what you get for the money is amazing.other things just don't make sense.

 

[arlen]

it wasn't directed at you.more so the manufacturer.i just find it amazing what some things cost.seems like a splitter should cost more than a bundler.

kind of like how i look at chainsaws.of all the equipment in this business,i think they are the most reasonably priced thing we buy.what you get for the money is amazing.other things just don't make sense.

Ok no offense taken.
My opinion they sell a lot more splitters than bundlers.

To Me looks like a lot of engineering went into the bundler with a limited amount of customers as compared to splitters and chainsaws. Most homeowners own a chainsaw. I know a lot of people that own splitter. I only know one person that has a bundler.
David

 

[arlen]

I want to start a side business selling bundled firewood. I am going to order a wood bundler on the 15th $2300 dollars delivered. I have a new splitter on back order form Harbor Freight. Have you guys seen the 30 ton splitter with the log lift with a 9hp robins engine for under $1,500. dollars. I have a source of firewood eucalyptus a friend is cutting down 4 acres of euc and he says I can take all I want.
1] It is 5 miles from my home.
2]I have to pick up the dropped trees with my tractor put them in my pile,
3]cut them with my saw
4] load them in my small trailer that I tow with my mini van.
5] drive home 5 miles unload the trailer.
6] split the wood.
7] bundle wood.
8] stack bundled wood on pallets.
9] Load wood in trailer and try to sell.[ I am hoping for $7.- a bundle retail and $ 4.- whose sale.

If I can make some money on this venture I will buy a one ton dump truck. I have a 1 acre lot with about half I could use to cut split and stack. Do any of you sell bundled wood ? What do you guys think ? Have any suggestions thanks David

I ordered a different bundler from John's Welding the cost is $750- for a hand crank model. I should see it in three weeks.

The splitter is ordered three to 4 weeks out.

I ordered a bench mounted hot knife. to make my own handled with for about $100- dollars plus shipping plus an extra knife. total of [ $140- ]

I am still bring back firewood I only have the weekends at this time.

I will be discharged from the Air Force on the 16th of June, than I will have more time to work on this.

I am a Plumbing contractor by trade. I haven't done any work in 5 1/2 years. I guess it is time to start back up again.
:monkey: David

 

[arlen]

I spent the day on my tractor cutting and stacking euc. I rented a 6 1/2 yard dump truck. It cost $250 a day I get to use it two days because they are closed on Sunday. I will spend Saturday and Sunday filling my yard with wood. So I guess it will only cost me $125 a day. I looked into renting a 3 yard dump trailer for $148. a day. I think the dump truck will work much better. Load with the tractor with grapple bucket, and dump with the dump truck. David:monkey:

 

[arlen]

I cut and split eucalyptus until 3pm on the 4th. I used my new Troy/built 27 ton horizontal vertical splitter. I bought this on Vetrans day at Lowe's the splitter was $ 1,350 reduced to 1200. I also got a 10 % military discount. So out the door I got the splitter for under $1,200. It seems to work OK I get a two year warranty with it.The rounds were about 24" in diameter so I used the splitter in vertical mode, to quarter the rounds and toss them back into my tractor bucket. a 72" low profile skid steer tooth bucket. It is pretty easy to pull the split rounds off the tractor bucket to the splitter. used it in the horizontal mode. I had some scrap aluminum so I built a shelf on the opposite side of the splitter by the motor. I split the round in half push half of the round over on the shelf and continue splitting the round into 3" to 4" wedged for the bundler for bundler wood. [ which I haven't purchased yet }
When I am working the splitter in horizontal mode I have a two wheel plastic tub wheel barrel on the engine side of the splitter. a trash can at the end of the splitter for small scraps and bark. The rounds that are 16" long and split go into the wheel barrel, The scraps go into the trash can the shorter rounds of the end of the log get tossed near the tractor bucket. When the wheel barrel is full I cart it 20' away and toss in a pile. when the tractor bucket is empty I throw the short rounds back into it and take them to another pile for campfire wood. I reload the bucket and drive the tractor back to the splitter and the process starts over. I work under a 35 long 15' wide 15' high metal carport beside a 40' shipping container I try and sit in a swivel shop chair when I am working. This keeps me out of the son most of the day. My container has electricity I run a radio and a fan blowing on me during hot days. I am trying to work as comfortable and efficiently as possible. MY back hurts a lot so I sit down a lot and move around alot. I have used 2 to 3 plastic trash cans full of wood bark and chips for a few outdoor wood firew and out door cooking seem to work good and I get the satisfaction of using my scraps of the splitter. Out Britney Spaniel loves to sit in the three person swing and watch the fire and be pet. David

 

[wdanforth]

Thanks for the update. I roll my splitter up on a couple of car ramps to work at a more comfortable height.

Any whole sale outlets yet?

 

[arlen]

Thanks for the update. I roll my splitter up on a couple of car ramps to work at a more comfortable height.

Any whole sale outlets yet?

No not yet.
I have been cutting and splitting wood.

I will drive to the beach where they have fire pits to see if I can sell some wood. I want to go to our local farmers market and try and sell some bundled wood, hopefully I can get some contacts there. David

 

[yotehowler]

No not yet.
I have been cutting and splitting wood.

I will drive to the beach where they have fire pits to see if I can sell some wood. I want to go to our local farmers market and try and sell some bundled wood, hopefully I can get some contacts there. David

Did you get your bundler yet? If so, how's it working for you?

 

[arlen]

Did you get your bundler yet? If so, how's it working for you?

I just mailed a bank check for the bundler it costs $750.- plus $200.- to ship. It is a hand crank bundler.I am buying it from john's welding they are located in Wisconsin. I hope to have it by the middle of July I will post pictures when I get it. David

 

[CRThomas]

Reply

It's a very labor intensive and high volumn business. I just don't see it happening without a large outlet for the bundles and large advance orders. With that you then need a processor that can blow through a cord or better an hour which your splitter is not going to do and then you've got labor cost of someone operating the bundler. Then you need a reliable supply of wood (after your buddys runs dry) and that's not going to be free. Not trying to be negative, and I wish you the best of luck. If it's just a side bizz then maybe you'll end out paying for your equiptment and you've got a splitter and you can resell the bundler.

When I started I took a 12 inch pipe and cut 8 inchs off it then split it into put blocks on the back side used my wood splitter to compress the bundle the wrapped the ends took it out wrapped the middle with colored wrap women eat that up after I got going good an seen it was going work I bought a real log wrapper CRThomas

 

[blackdogon57]

I just mailed a bank check for the bundler it costs $750.- plus $200.- to ship. It is a hand crank bundler.I am buying it from john's welding they are located in Wisconsin. I hope to have it by the middle of July I will post pictures when I get it. David

Why does it take 4 months to ship to you ? Hope you have a lot of trust in the supplier. I wish people would pay 4 months in advance for firewood.

 

[arlen]

Wood Bundler

I got my wood bundler and I am satisfied with it. It is a hand crank unit and simple to use. The slow part is loading it with wood not cranking it and wrapping. I think I sold 300 to 400 bundles to one convince store this winter. I split wood for heat so selling some pays for gas and some maintains on my equipment. I canceled the Harbor freight wood splitter and bought a 26 ton at Lowe's it is horizontal and vertical and words just fine. To take some of the strain off of my back I sit down in a swivel padded metal chair. I load the rounds close to me and use three wheel barrels to move the split rounds. the longer ones for the bundles I cut off the excess and the shorter ones to sell or for stove wood. I have a new wood stove. David

 

[CRThomas]

Answer

At 4.00 dollars a bundle buying the wood at 275.00 dollars for 15 ton you can do very well.What it comes to is what you dream for.
There are million dollar firewood wrapping business in the USA. As uncle Sam and the oil companies and stock brokers get the price of oil hoot is make firewood business very good. So hang in there.

 

[CRThomas]

Tax. Info

I am not going to borrow money for the equipment I will pay for it. I would like a return on the investment eventually. I know a person who sold bundled wood to a convience store for $ 4.- a bundle and he did not want to sell it any more. For Me that would be great. I haven't seen people selling bundles of wood on street corners like flowers but hey it could work if I had the right location. I think it is called the wood beaver it has an electric motor 4 drop through trays and a foot switch. I looke at the hand crank ones. I believe I could bundle wood all day with an electric bundler David

Most people do not talk about the tax write off at the end it is free later

 

[CRThomas]

Info

I am not going to borrow money for the equipment I will pay for it. I would like a return on the investment eventually. I know a person who sold bundled wood to a convience store for $ 4.- a bundle and he did not want to sell it any more. For Me that would be great. I haven't seen people selling bundles of wood on street corners like flowers but hey it could work if I had the right location. I think it is called the wood beaver it has an electric motor 4 drop through trays and a foot switch. I looke at the hand crank ones. I believe I could bundle wood all day with an electric bundler David

I have the Hudson large hand crank and it works great for less than half of what your paying might look at there machine later. I set my wood holder so I could make different size bundles the 12 x 12 bundles is to heavy for my elderly customers. All ways remember you put the bundle in the trunk of there car then they can not get it out. So they don't come back. My bundles are about 12 lb. Try putting a full 12 x 12 in a fireplace with out a getting off balance. You want to try delivery your firewood. I do it for 7.00 dollars a bundle many days I get to deliver a whole truck load in one apartment complex. That is a 100 bundles in one day at 7.00 dollars each. In St Louis Mo my trend delivers bundles for 10.00 each him and his wife have delivered 250 bundles in one day. I live in a smaller town 70,000 people. So if I do a hundred in one day that is super for me.I mix my bundles with ash and a couple of cherry or sass what ever the customer wants. I give up rank and Rick and make more money and I stay out of the way of the fly by night fellows that do it for a case of beer they take a s10 or a ranger and tell there customers they getting a rank of f/w for 35.00 dollars and it is green. When I sold bag f/w a fellow showed up with a ranger I tried to put it in his truck and about massed it thru the ground. He ended up taking a little over half of the bag and his bed was running over. Later