Wholesaling firewood?

[Jim Timber]

Does anyone sell or buy pre-split wood in bulk?

While trying to get info on operating costs of skidsteers, I had a guy's dad proposition me for the first 100 cords of oak I produce. He didn't clarify when he'd take it, or if it was green or seasoned, but the offer itself wasn't overly terrible (assuming he's good for it). Even more so if it's an offer for green wood.

But that got me wondering... I know you guys have been talking about bundled wood and wholesaling that - just curious what a truckload rate (or some reasonably large volume) would be if you were to buy from someone and if anyone does such things regularly?

 

[jrider]

I have seen a guy in north jersey and southern New York advertising wholesale cut split hardwoods for $110. Don't know what the mix is or the condition of the wood.

 

[luckydozenfarm]

I do but....
It really depends on what time of the year it is and if I need the money
I had a guy call me in early November and ask how much I would take for 100 cords wholesale if he picked it up. I told him regular price x100...that close to the selling point, no discount. (because I would sell it all anyway by mid-December)
but call me in May when I'm cutting wood and it would depend on how far along the process was on the wood.
Generally speaking though I don't because most of my customers are repeats and they will be upset if I don't have wood for them come winter.

 

[Jim Timber]

My land is in dire need of a pre-commercial thinning. I have all kinds of junk to clear out, and decent trees that are merely too close together. I figure since I'm not afraid of getting dirty, and I'd much rather do the work myself, but I don't necessarily want to do the firewood business - maybe wholesale might be a good option to move product and not step on other vendor's toes.

I know the value goes up when it's fuel buying season in the late summer/fall. But if I could churn out a bunch of wood this spring and not have to sit on it waiting for it to mature, that'd be a win-win for me and whoever bought it. It also reduces my time involvement with deliveries and customer acquisition, so there's some value to selling a little cheaper. Freeing up cash quickly is the main objective though. I'm going to need to take a loan for the gear, and those payments combined with operating expenses will need to come from somewhere.

I'm going big btw. Been following this forum for a couple years (lurking long before I signed up), and have learned a great deal from you fine folks. I plan on getting a skidsteer with processor and log grapple so I won't be beating myself silly trying to make product. AC is a must as well - there will be no deer fly related days off. Falling and topping trees will be my biggest time consumer if the numbers I've worked up are right. Even at 100/cord, I can make it work. This isn't a "get rich" move, but more of a capitalizing on what I'd otherwise have to pay someone else to do. If I sell the wood, it'll cover my expenses and still leave some left over for lunch.

 

[flyboy553]

I have one customer who takes 45 full cord every fall. He pays full price. He is a re-seller, where he sells it in the mpls metro area by the wheelbarrow full. I don't discount at all. It will sell regardless, so no point in basically doing my labor for free.

Ted

 

[blackdogon57]

I do but....
It really depends on what time of the year it is and if I need the money
I had a guy call me in early November and ask how much I would take for 100 cords wholesale if he picked it up. I told him regular price x100...that close to the selling point, no discount. (because I would sell it all anyway by mid-December)
but call me in May when I'm cutting wood and it would depend on how far along the process was on the wood.
Generally speaking though I don't because most of my customers are repeats and they will be upset if I don't have wood for them come winter.

I hear ya. My price for 50 cords is pretty much 50x as much as the first.

 

[kyle1!]

Woodman666, who is from MN, was looking for cull logs. Maybe a match made in heaven with no required???

Brian

 

[Jim Timber]

For what cull logs have been selling for, I'm not sure there's enough left for that to make sense. I'd be open to hearing offers though.

 

[chucker]

cull logs, pulp logs and any form of wood that can be used for heat will be a premium this year! at 90.00 per cord or 900.00 per semi load as a common there is no profit to be had with sitting on the product till heating season! its work and more work to do by the seller that makes or breaks the bank selling wood! sounds like easy money buying from the big rig loaded with logs but I beg to differ .... for a single 90.00 cord from the truck load, that same price can give me a 3 to 1 ratio produced by my self possibly 4 ! firewood is hard work no matter how you look at it! distance is the killer for me and a profit! just producing two cords a day a lone and able to sell 1 at a 2/3rds price of fall firewood keeps me going to produce another day plus living expense's and operating capital..... ? if you can make a reasonable profit from a semi load then you have a better market than mine???????? "GOOD LUCK"........

 

[T. Mainus]

There is a firewood place north of me that is selling an 11 cord semi load of split oak for $2145.00. That is $195 a cord, wholesale. I sell a cord of oak for $250.00.

 

[Jim Timber]

I was under the impression semi's were hauling 25 cord loads for that $900, not 10. Pretty sure I saw it here, but I'm damn near crosseyed from data overload right now. Maybe that was just aspen?

 

[chucker]

I was under the impression semi's were hauling 25 cord loads for that $900, not 10. Pretty sure I saw it here, but I'm damn near crosseyed from data overload right now. Maybe that was just aspen?

10 IS COMMON AND 14 CORDS ARE NOT UNHEARD OF... ITS ALL ABOUT THE WEIGHT SOLD BY THE TON FOR PULP WOOD... please forgive the dumb loud fingers?? lol

 

[Jim Timber]

I'm firewood/logger newbie but not a whiney b*ch, so you can yell at me. I can take it.

Makes sense that something like oak would be smaller truck load than fluffed air aspen.

 

[chucker]

I'm firewood/logger newbie but not a whiney b*ch, so you can yell at me. I can take it.

Makes sense that something like oak would be smaller truck load than fluffed air aspen.

lol ?? it,s all heave jim... even the cheap lite aspen/popel that's sold by the ton ! last check was 85.00 per cord for aspen or pine pulp or firewood! go figure...

 

[Jim Timber]

I was hearing $20/cord for aspen pulp and $2/ton for chips. $85/cord's pretty good.

 

[Jim Timber]

Shyboy gave me a thumbs down for data overload. I've been running projections and cost analysis for 2 days trying to pencil out a business plan that will get me a loan to get a skidsteer and not lose my butt doing it. Cut me some slack man.

 

[chucker]

at 20.00 a cord for aspen I would pick up 4 cds at a time for future sales being a good filler for mixed firewood loads! like 25% aspen, 25% pine and 50% hardwoods ....

 

[Jim Timber]

Which is why I refused to sell it at that - I'll cut it into firewood myself.

But if it's bringing 85/cord, I have a LOT of trees that need removal!

 

[chucker]

Which is why I refused to sell it at that - I'll cut it into firewood myself.

But if it's bringing 85/cord, I have a LOT of trees that need removal!

that price was quoted from a semi load of aspen or pine mixed with red oak going for 90.00, which is a no brainer! lol

 

[Jim Timber]

90 a cord, or 90 a load?

Are you talking about the mill up in Duluth?