Firewood storage and splitting area

[DDM]

Okay several years ago when i was getting started in the tree business.We were splitting and selling firewood.We were selling this wood to survive basically
we had no loader so everything came in cut. We had a big pile of wood in our back yard and a 5 hp splitter.We would move the splitter around the yard to different parts of the pile so as to move the wood as little as possible and hand toss into a p/u.
Well things have changed a little now we have several acres 3 loaders and plenty of areas to store and process the wood.Since it has rained here the monday,Tuesday and today got me thinking.Should i go back into the wood business?I have been giving all wood that is too short to sell to the mill to a local guy that is splitting and selling it.
I'm thinking about putting up an inepensive shelter maybe 10' X 12' just to keep and run the splitter in. Fabricating a splitter to run off the auxilary hydraulics off of either one of my bobcats or my AC wheel loader. pushing or dumping the wood up beside the shelter and pushing it off the other side of the splitter into a loader bucket.
What is the best most economical way to store the wood?Should it be stacked or piled and tarped? any other good ideas? Any pictures?
I'm also thinking of fabricating a large bucket as a unit of measure to either scoop up the wood or toss it into then dump it into the dump truck.
I get plenty of calls for firewood i just never re thought it out again until now.

 

[buckwheat]

If you are looking to sell firewood as a means to better utilize your downtime and labor, then it sounds like you already may have it figured out, but...why not just sell the wood you have, as is, rather than give it away? You basically become a "wholesaler" without needing to do anything other than load the wood into the truck of whoever comes to pick it up. The big cost of firewood is the labor - so let someone else take care of that. Ask around and see if there is a market willing to buy your rounds.

 

[DDM]

If you are looking to sell firewood as a means to better utilize your downtime and labor, then it sounds like you already may have it figured out, but...why not just sell the wood you have, as is, rather than give it away? You basically become a "wholesaler" without needing to do anything other than load the wood into the truck of whoever comes to pick it up. The big cost of firewood is the labor - so let someone else take care of that. Ask around and see if there is a market willing to buy your rounds.

Ive tried that in the past. The firewood guys would rather go into the woods and cut it then to buy it for a very reasonable fee.Go Figure,I can see the lure taking a p/u truck into the woods Spend half a day cutting and piling into the truck just to have to go home and toss it off of the truck.It must be more fun to do it that way then to pay 150.00 for a 16' long dump load full of good hardwood.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Tell me where I can get a 16' long dump load full of good hardwood delivered for $150 to my house! I'd be on that like white on rice!

 

[jp hallman]

Make a "shed" for your splitter on skids. Drag it around the woodlot, you'll be out of the rain. Split your wood and have your helper, or you, stack it four 1/2 feet high on pallets(1/2 cord). Band it or use one of many methods to keep it on the pallet. You can get pallets free just about anywhere. Cut an old piece of TYVEX just big enough to fit the top to keep the snow off. When it's sold you use your machine to load it. Handled just once, sell by the cord or half cord. Works for me!

 

[DDM]

Tell me where I can get a 16' long dump load full of good hardwood delivered for $150 to my house! I'd be on that like white on rice!

If You lived in SC it wouldnt be hard to come by because we usually have very
mild winters.

Make a "shed" for your splitter on skids. Drag it around the woodlot, you'll be out of the rain. Split your wood and have your helper, or you, stack it four 1/2 feet high on pallets(1/2 cord). Band it or use one of many methods to keep it on the pallet. You can get pallets free just about anywhere. Cut an old piece of TYVEX just big enough to fit the top to keep the snow off. When it's sold you use your machine to load it. Handled just once, sell by the cord or half cord. Works for me!

That looks good! What kind of banding are you using? What do figure it is costing you to palletize? How much are you getting for 1 pallet?

 

[Schultzz]

The firewood business has changed since you were in it. It is easier to sell split wood wholesale to dealers. If you can, use a conveyor or used grain elevator. Scooping up wood will cause it to become dirty and less valuable.
Check out nationwide pricing by going to firewood dot calm.

 

[jp hallman]

David,

These were done with steel strapping. I figure in material I'm only spending a buck fifty or so with the stretch film. I get the TYVEX free from the lumber yard. It's the stuff railcars have over the lumber for shipping. Labor is a wash. You show up with wood stacked on a pallet and there's no arguement if it's a full cord. I've seen pallet "fence" made of poly for around five bucks per pallet. It lasts for years. A firewood dealer at the Eugene logging conference told me he charges a ten dollar deposit if he has to leave the pallet. Works for him. The labor savings are where I like the idea. The wood can be stored anywhere I can drive, snow brushes right off the top. Rig a boom or ginpole on your delivery truck and swing em' right off and you're done. The customers like em' because it's stacked already and stays dry. Here in Central Oregon I sell Lodgepole Pine for $200.00 per cord or $110.00 per 1/2 cord. Have I covered enough?

Jim

 

[DDM]

I am curious if it would be better to split and pile on a dry surface and then go back and palletize at a later date? I sure wish i could find a used grain elevator close by.

 

[jp hallman]

The more air gets around the wood the better. Keep it clean too. Folks don't like getting too dirty.

 

[CaseyForrest]

DDM, You may as well stack on a pallet as your splitting. It will save you time in the long run.

That does look like a sweet idea, palletize and wrap it, only have to handle it once....great idea!

 

[okietreedude1]

Id had the same thought about using pallets to put firewood on and then taking it a step further during the delivery process. I f you could finda flat bed truck and a piggy-back loader (like lowe's uses), you could drive the truck to the customers house, drop the loader, unload, reload the loader and go.

And Id go w/ the deposit for the pallet as well. $10 down, $5 back if they bring it back when empty.

If I were doing it, Id stack the pallet as I split.

 

[bouden]

Just my two cents on the original post's mention of running a splitter off a skid loader or tractor. I've seen more and more mounted splitters, and have used them personally. No problem with their function, handiness, or the thought of one less engine to maintain. However, if your skid loader is pretty decent, the thing that depreciates it fastest is run hours. A couple years of 200 - 300 hours running in place on a splitter will depreciate its value the same as the equal hours pounding on the bucket and drivetrain. The same hours on a self-contained splitter probably make no difference in value. Also, even if it's a diesel, it's hard to operate a 50 hp engine at any usable rpm as economically as a small gas engine. On top of that, with the newer integrated electronics, you just can't pull the wire from the hour meter any more! (not like I would do that???)

 

[DDM]

I agree bouden, I have an older ford 2000 tractor im going to use with a pto pump.It wont matter how many hours it has.

 

[DDM]

JP? Do you have a picture of the rack you use to set the pallet into to band the wood?