Where is the Fish Hook In Selling Bagged Firewood?

[CRThomas]

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Sounds marvelous, and I can see why you wore yourself out. How many people were helping you do all this? It seems impossible that one man could sell that many bundles alone with one splitter, a couple of saws, one truck, one bundler, etc.

I also throw in a couple of pieces of premium hardwood in addition to cottonwood and linden. Turns out that the mixture makes a really good campfire. Most of my customers buy two or three bundles at a time for an evening fire. Several cook breakfast the next morning with whatever is left.

There are redeeming qualities of all this. The main park where the compers rest is only a half a mile from where I split and bundle the firewood. I can often smell the smoke from the fire where my wood is burning. Then I think to myself, "I bet I made their day today." It brings back memories of my boy scout days.

I have there trucks three trailers two log splitters two wrappers and two hundred bags on hand I buy stretch wrap by the double case. My 30 ton splits in the yard and the 20 ton finishs In side and going to order another 30 three point from Ramsplitter I have one tractor and one three ton fork lift. My day starts before day light and ends at dark my one log splitter is electric so I can work at night and not wake the people next doors. Later

 

[indiansprings]

I had a competitor try it in my area and it didn't work out for him, it's just too rural of area. Not enough demand. If I were going to be in the bundle business I would invest in a bundler, I was over at the competitors a couple of times watching his wife bundle the wood manually, she was just placing the wood in a five gallon bucket and tying it with twine, then taking it out and shrink wrapping it. Way too much labor and time involved in it to do it manually on any kind of scale. I wish we had the market, seems like it could have a good ROI, if you had the base. I know last time I was in Rocky Mtn. Ntl Park you had to buy wood from their approved supplier only, supposedly certified bug free. It was dry pine and burned in about 15 minutes or less.lol

 

[CRThomas]

Info

I had a competitor try it in my area and it didn't work out for him, it's just too rural of area. Not enough demand. If I were going to be in the bundle business I would invest in a bundler, I was over at the competitors a couple of times watching his wife bundle the wood manually, she was just placing the wood in a five gallon bucket and tying it with twine, then taking it out and shrink wrapping it. Way too much labor and time involved in it to do it manually on any kind of scale. I wish we had the market, seems like it could have a good ROI, if you had the base. I know last time I was in Rocky Mtn. Ntl Park you had to buy wood from their approved supplier only, supposedly certified bug free. It was dry pine and burned in about 15 minutes or less.lol

Hudson has a small firewood wrapper for around $600.00 I have friend that has one of them for his own use. But he buys from me now and won't sell it. You have to train the people in you area to change. It took me a year but now my customers only know the easy way. You will have fly by nights come out of the wood work. When it gets cold and they need some beer money. Read some of my items on here how I treat my customers. People that wouldn't thing of buy bundled firewood with right approach make long turn customers. I make a comfortable living on it so I know later.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Bundle Too Small...

Indiansprings said, "... I was over at the competitors a couple of times watching his wife bundle the wood manually, she was just placing the wood in a five gallon bucket and tying it with twine, then taking it out and shrink wrapping it..."
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That bundle is way too small. It would take three of them at least to have a decent campfire. Forget the 5-gallon bucket idea. :msp_sad:

 

[D&B Mack]

Indiansprings said, "... I was over at the competitors a couple of times watching his wife bundle the wood manually, she was just placing the wood in a five gallon bucket and tying it with twine, then taking it out and shrink wrapping it..."
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That bundle is way too small. It would take three of them at least to have a decent campfire. Forget the 5-gallon bucket idea. :msp_sad:

Too small is all relative to the user I guess. But most bundles in stores around here are .75 cf. You you fill a 5 gallon bucket with 16" logs, it comes out to .75. Just have to check the bucket first. :wink:

 

[CRThomas]

Size

Indiansprings said, "... I was over at the competitors a couple of times watching his wife bundle the wood manually, she was just placing the wood in a five gallon bucket and tying it with twine, then taking it out and shrink wrapping it..."
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That bundle is way too small. It would take three of them at least to have a decent campfire. Forget the 5-gallon bucket idea. :msp_sad:

the size. Is what your customer can handle. Most of my customers are old people the weight has to be right for them they want a comfortable fire not a bond fire that's what they do at the college. You have to check what your customers need are then go from there. Camp ground fire wood is any thing and no class to it. For people's home it has to be wrigh when it set by there fire place

 

[Wood Doctor]

The size is what your customer can handle. Most of my customers are old people and the weight has to be right for them. They want a comfortable fire, not a bonfire that they lit in college. You have to check what your customers needs are then go from there. Campground firewood is anything and no class to it. For people's homes it has to be right when it sets by their fireplace.

+1. I agree (pardon the editing). Too big is just as bad as too small if the customer cannot lift the bundle. Actually, I think lighter weight is important, but you must have volume to back it up. Seven cottonwood or linden logs might weigh less than four oak or locust logs, but the customer can still hoist them into the car or truck.

Another important variable is ease of lighting and dryness. That's what makes cottonwood logs supreme for campfires. Just add one or two high-density logs to the bundle for variety.

 

[CRThomas]

About seed bags

+1. I agree (pardon the editing). Too big is just as bad as too small if the customer cannot lift the bundle. Actually, I think lighter weight is important, but you must have volume to back it up. Seven cottonwood or linden logs might weigh less than four oak or locust logs, but the customer can still hoist them into the car or truck.

Another important variable is ease of lighting and dryness. That's what makes cottonwood logs supreme for campfires. Just add one or two high-density logs to the bundle for variety.

There was a guy telling how bad it was to use used bean bags I don't think he knows the whole story. He needs to know the whole story before he talks people in not using them. I use untreated bean bags and wood is dry in my dryer be it is put in the customers bag. If any body want the full story on using bean bags let me know they are a way to up your profit. Later

 

[CRThomas]

Info

I guess I need to move to your location. 150 bundles x 8 logs/bundle = 1200 logs per day. That's at least 3 split cords, and at $300 per split cord, that's $900 per day.

I doubt that many firewood sellers are pulling in that much bread, but I suppose it is possible. Can you show us a Pic of whatever you use to bundle that much up? Last I heard, a commercial firewood bundler was worth at least a couple grand.

I have to back him 300 bundles in one day is not bad. Before I lost my help I done 300 to 400 day after day. I had to drop my price to $2.50 cause the boss lady said at 30 percent profit and no help except my Grand Daughter once in a while I move a 100 to 150 day after day. My firewood business is all I do. I don't plow snow or drink beer or chase women. If I can't deliver on time I'm in a casket in the ground. I only do bundled firewood so I don't have problems with fly by nights who need beer money most of them don't have the money for the equipment it takes to run wrapping business so I don't do bulk firewood. Got to go my breaks over with. Later

 

[CRThomas]

Info

I’ve been selling bagged wood for a while now and it’s ok money. I bag up the small chunk pieces I get from odd shaped leftovers. I get $10 for a 25 lb bag. All of my buyers are using it for smoking wood; the small pieces are great for the smaller pits. I can sit on the side of the road before a holiday weekend and sell 50-75 bags in 5-6 hours.
I also supply a feed store as well and they sell 75-100 a month. They sell the same bag for $15. The bags are cheap $0.23 each. Not getting rich but it gets rid of the chunk wood that can’t be stacked.

I get sand bags from the highway department free 2000 in a bundle. I do the same thing P/U a little money and keep the work area clean. If you have a farmers market need to set up there. I sell as many as 300 to 400 bags wrapped firewood in 6 hours at $2.50 a bundle and all my bags of pieces.

 

[woodman44]

see this thread has slowed down some but business has kept up here. We did a record day here on last saturday. The guy on the road left and business is back to normal. My hats off to anyone that does bundled firewood there is alot of work to it.

 

[CRThomas]

Info

No I made all most a hundred thousand last year. I busted my butt thou. I will not do that good this year I all most ended up in hospital. Later

I am down to doing one rank a day. I give up all the park and camp grounds just do homes now they are a year round deal. I have some of the nicest look firewood bundles you ever saw one of my customer lady's said they were designer bundles. You fellows might try it I do Xmas paper wrapped under the strict wrap. Four of July, Halloween, new years, Xmas, labor day, all the seasons. You want a birthday bundle you got it. I got a lady wants her name on hers. I got a fellow that's a truck driver. When he gets home his wife has a trucking bundle. People eat that up. I can wrap a bundle as a design as quick as just a regular bundle. If I have to buy certain paper I ad that cost. Get your wife involved they get you on the right track. Like said try it later

 

[CRThomas]

Info

see this thread has slowed down some but business has kept up here. We did a record day here on last saturday. The guy on the road left and business is back to normal. My hats off to anyone that does bundled firewood there is alot of work to it.

Since I have changed my operation I truly love doing firewood in bundles. I am not tire at the end of the day. When my customers look at there wood and smile. Makes me glad I do what I do. Then I want to go back and do it agin. Later

 

[CRThomas]

Edited to new price

I do bagged firewood $2.50. We stop and talk to our customers most are old and want some body to talk to. My grand son delivers 6 to 8 hours a day summer and winter. We don't advertise or have a place set up we do it out of our home. There is a good business in firewood. Most firewood venders want dump and go. My grandson even gets little jobs on the side from it. Later

I had to change my prices because the boss said so.

 

[CRThomas]

Kiln firewood

You can get away with it if you live by a big campgrounds.

If you only do bundled firewood you do not have to have a large kiln drier. I have a 20 ft container and it keeps me in plenty of dry wood. I going to change a building over to half of it as a drier so I can use the heat also. Keep my equipment in side so it will start. I got myself swamp with wood when I bulk sold so now I can spend more time on selling and delivering.