Firewood business: Where to get the wood?

[Roland_LG]

Okay, so I've been researching the numbers for my area (Central Maine), and I'm really ready to give this a go this coming spring.

I think I've got just about everything lined up:

3/4 ton truck
supersplitter
7300 dolmar
20' conveyor
7' x 12' dump trailer
chaps, mauls, wedges, etc.
Atv with log arch


NOW ... where do I get 100+ cords of free wood a year?

I'm already considering getting in touch with contractors and tree removal guys to help haul their wood away.

Any other insight would be greatly appreciative. Thanks.

 

[windthrown]

Hmmm, well, here it grows on trees. We have 85 acres in timber to gleen though. Around here they have national forest land, state forest land and BLM land that we can get permits for at different times of the year and go cut and salvage wood from. Anything but cedar is fair game. Not far from here really, there are downed trees on BLM land that are just sitting there waiting to be hauled away, with markers for the boundary area that we can cut in. I also have permission/permits from several of the local timber companies here that I can go in and salvage wood after they clear-cut. Cull, slash and trash trees here are great for firewood: Madrone, maple and oaks. Also tops of Doug firs and marked cull logs that they do not want.

I do not know where you live in Maine, but if you are in an areas that has private timber land, ask them if they allow wood salvaging after they cut and get permission. You can also thin trees for firewood in a lot of places. Thinning usually costs the timber company money, and you can get contracts to cut and thin and haul the wood away. You can also buy logs by the truckload. Often times they will have cull logs at the mills that they do not want to use, and will sell them for cheap. Or there will be logs that were cut and the mills rejected, and the truckers will sell them for cheap. I know people in VT that buy logs for cheap and cut them for their own firewood once a year.

Anyway, good luck! Ask a lot of poeple and leave your card at a lot of places. Eventually word will get out.

 

[wdchuck]

I've used a 6x12 dump trailer, awful hard to hand load over the sides after you haul the wood from a tree service job that was in the backyard, long day, not much wood for the effort/time.
Then there's the easy pickup, they have a loader, and put in long lengths for you, sometimes the pieces fit nice and tight, other times they are loose and it doesn't amount to much for the gas money to get them.

Free wood, it's out there, but consistent inventory comes from making a deal to get trailer loads of logs, profit margin is less, but you aren't chasing down the wood, so there's a time/gas money savings.
It's really nice when a log truck drives up and the driver says, " where/how do you want them?".

If you already have a full time job, buying the wood in log form, or getting it dropped off by tree co's. would be a more efficient use of time.

Good luck with your venture, there's alot of good folks around here to get help from.

 

[STLfirewood]

Don't pick up wood from tree companys for free. Ypu are doing them a favor. Charge for this service.

Scott

 

[Deadman]

I'm gonna say that its going to be hard to find 100 Cords of wood for free. I know my buddy does tree removal service and he actually pays the landowners a small ammount so he can TAKE the wood. He doesn't charge them extra by any means. Around here, wood is plentiful, but also valuable.
I know there is no way I could just stumble across 100cords for cheap, muchless free.
Hopefully your area is different, so you can get some wood and start making some $$$$$.

Also, I know we can cut dead trees in our national forests (with permits of course), but you can NOT sell that wood, its only to be used for personal heating.

 

[buckwheat]

yup. If you're looking for large caches of wood, you need to be prepared to pay for it and hope for a decent margin once you've processed and sold it. Most free wood comes in smaller lots via tree companies wanting to dump off what they've cut, which you don't always know what you're going to get and when; or from word of mouth home owner stuff where they have storm damage or easy take downs that don't require pro level skills.

Around central PA, at least, it seems any large land clearing results in most of the wood going to pulp mills and the tops going into an on-site tub grinder for mulch. Firewood operations are usually an afterthought.

Good luck.

 

[Roland_LG]

Hey TreeCo, could I have some money?

Just kidding. Hey, I know there's free wood out there, just trying to get at it. But yeah, I'm also ready to pay for log length as needed.

I read a post from one guy on here saying he actually had tree service guys paying him to drop their wood on his lot. Something to shoot for in the long run, I guess.

Thanks everyone for input. I'm always open to hear from you.

 

[Festus Haggen]

I'd say that if firewood was a viable and timely option, the companies would already be selling it. Around here you can buy loads of logs, but not processed firewood from the timber companies. Best would be to follow after the loggers and ask the homeowners to clean up. That's how I get 12+ cords for free, and that's just a couple weekends. Might be able to work a deal/barter, such as cleaning the property and taking firewood in exchange for a few split cords. I'm working a deal now through a friend's uncle who is a logger to follow after them and take all the log ends and rejects right at the landing. Have to make sure I can handle the volume, they don't want to hear "I'll get it in two weeks, maybe, if I have time".

 

[rb_in_va]

Don't pick up wood from tree companys for free. Ypu are doing them a favor. Charge for this service.

Scott

Or you could just stay away from the jobsite and let them deliver it to you. I could get tons of wood delivered to my house if I wanted, but don't have a place to keep or process it.