An awesome score, or score one for the "bad" guy?

[indiansprings]

I personally would be concerned about farming out an expensive machine like yours. I dang sure would spend a couple of days with him training him on the operation. I would also create a "before" operation checklist of maint to do and a "after" operation checklist. I would specify at how many hours the oil/filter needs changed, the same on the hydraulic fluid and filter and what brand of oils that I wanted in the machine. The machine would have to be under cover and secured when not in use.

I have customers that want green wood. I do not sell it any cheaper than seasoned. It takes the same amount of time/labor/expenses to cut green as it does seasoned. I also cut two distinct sizes of wood one that is for stoves/fireplaces and the second type is for the OWB. OWB just being longer and much larger splits as that is what the typical OWB customer wants.
I do have one or two very elderly customers that I split the wood down to cook stove wood size so they can handle it, but that is an exception.

If the bark is on the trees I would say it's prolly all good. I do agree that dead timber that has stood a while just seems to be harder, no explanation why, but it just seems that way.

I would stop by after a week of this arrangement and just do a surprise visit on how the machine is being treated maintained.

I dang sure would have a contract or agreement drawn up so there is no mis-understanding at a later date. If he's not willing to do that I would walk.

 

[blackdogon57]

Sounds to me like the other guy is getting a way better deal than you. You are going to give him your machine to use for a week then pay him for wood ??

I wouldn't rent out my processor for anything less than $50 an hour with my operator and wouldn't even think about letting someone use their own guy to run the machine.

 

[woodbooga]

How good do you think the green market is? I've never tried to sell green wood. I know a lot of people get green wood, but only when they get ripped off. Will people actually plan ahead with their wood? What's reasonable $150 a cord if I'm getting $200 for seasoned?

Good customer communication is key. Lot has to do with your ability to articulate what you have to sell, a buyer's needs, and building relationships over time.

I'm wicked small potatoes. 3 customers. So the whole articulation/relationship/education thing is easy. I have wood split wood in the late fall that sits in the woods over winter. Maple, ash, birch, I'll deliver come spring with the promise that, if stacked soon thereafter, will be good to go come stove season. Keep oak on a different schedule. It'll be good to go in 12 months, but 2 years makes it optimal.

My neighbor's never touched a saw but been heating with wood for 60 years. Always bought. Even though I'd be happy to have them aas customers, they like their guy. He drops green. They plan ahead. Waht got dropped off 15 months ago got brought in for their furnace after lots of outdoor seasoning. They're good customers for their vendor. They get it.

My wife's friend bought a new house - has a stove. They live 60 miles away and I'd be hard pressed to deliver that far. They bought, but didnt know to specify seasoned v. green. Their first season has therefore been marked by massive stove fail.

 

[7sleeper]

Another thought is if you have someone with a few hundred cords close buy, how much wood do you think you are going to sell if he wants to make a quik buck and sells for dirt cheap?
For an economic way of handling firewood, I believe in putting wood into a wire basket (don't know the english word but it is a cheap construction steel mat usually used in concrete) standing on a pallet. You can use a simple forklift to handle the wood then. It can easily season on the pallet.
With a predefined size you could get pretty close to a chord so that when you deliver, you put the pallet onto your trailer, go to your customer and cut open the wire holding the mat closed. Voilà, the wood is here.

7

 

[psu927]

Where are you in PA? Maybe we can do some business together?