Firewood Business

[NC Firewood]

I am not sure about that I do firewood part time sold about 80 loads this season and ran out this year. I also have one gas station that sells about 25 to 50 bundles each week depending on the weather. We are gearing up with some bigger equipment. We are going to see if we can get more service stations. I know we could have sold another 100 or more loads of wood had at least that many calls after we were out of wood and no one else is really selling it here city is about 125,000 so for me it is part time money, hobby, and cheap exercise. I work for my dad at my day job manufacturing trailers. So I am going to try to build that pallet jack myself which should not be to difficult. I just enjoy building things and have cut firewood my whole life. keeps me thinking all the time. could be scarry

It's just a part-time hustle for me as well. I'm a full-time Firefighter here in NC. Only work about 10 24hr. shifts a month so I'm left with 21 days to farm or help my father with his small construction business. I'm selling approx. a hundred pick-up loads and 25 dump truck loads a year with another 50 loads picked up by the customer. So, i'm not quite big enough for a full blown processor yet. Appreciate the feedback. Good Luck with the bundles, I'll have some pics up soon as possible, just got to figure out this whole computer thing.

 

[NC Firewood]

Last year's ad

Here is what I had on craigslist and had some pretty good results with it. Pic was taken my 2nd year in business. http://raleigh.craigslist.org/for/621809572.html

 

[Zodiac45]

I like the pallet deal NC
That's a 1/2 cord on the pallet, nice and neat wrapped up and ready too go. Probably start off with a pallet jack and ramp em till you get going and have the flatbed with the motorised fork on the back! Service like that I would say take the going rate for cordwood (seasoned, cut split) and divide that in half and add your "packaging cost" So if you were doing $200 a cord, I'd go $120+ for the wrapped pallet halfs.
Times they are a changing guys. As oil continues too go into the stratosphere, Many more people will turn too wood. Any little "extra" you can offer and stand out is a good thing. You are taking the stacking out of the equasion. That's got to be worth something.

 

[blackdiesel]

I wonder how good of a market the pallets would be in my area? Who do you guys sell them to?

 

[NC Firewood]

I wonder how good of a market the pallets would be in my area? Who do you guys sell them to?

I haven't tried to sell them yet, I'm getting my inventory of pallets and shrink wrap built up now. Still debating on doing it or not.

 

[Zodiac45]

I was looking last night at the wrapping machines for bundles and they are reasonable enough. Twister industries, and Hudson were the two I looked at. The pallet idea is pretty cool and if you can find a way too do it effeciently and fast, it's got too be a premium.
Here's a guy in NH who's doing just that and sells online too. Here's a couple pix of the 1/2 cord and 1/4 cord pallets. Must have to wrap them by hand though?
http://firewoodguy.com/

 

[Marc]

I was looking last night at the wrapping machines for bundles and they are reasonable enough. Twister industries, and Hudson were the two I looked at. The pallet idea is pretty cool and if you can find a way too do it effeciently and fast, it's got too be a premium.
Here's a guy in NH who's doing just that and sells online too. Here's a couple pix of the 1/2 cord and 1/4 cord pallets. Must have to wrap them by hand though?
http://firewoodguy.com/

Meh, wrapping by hand is no big deal. I worked at a warehouse for a couple years and we had a turn table wrapper. It was definitely easier to plop the pallet down on the turn table with a fork truck, but it was mostly quicker to wrap it by hand.

Plus if you can't stack whatever you're stacking on the pallet with the pallet on the turn table, it's a pain to get a tippy pallet onto the thing without spilling the pallet contents.

Mostly I just used the rolls of plastic wrap with the cardboard tube extended for handles on either side. That way you can control the tension of the wrap, and wrap tight where you need to... eventually you get used to circling the pallet without getting dizzy.

 

[2FatGuys]

NC... I've been meaning to get in on this thread for a few days. There is already a MAJOR producer of firewood bundles between you and me. I am in Winston-Salem area. The producer is in the Graham area (near Burlington) and already has a contract with Lowes, Harris Teeter, Food Lion and a few other major sales points here in NC. He also has a specialty wood service for the barbecue industry that he delivers with what appears to be an old softdrink truck (roll up doors on the side) with a mobile forklift. I evaluated breaking into the market, focusing on areas west of Winston-Salem and couldn't really get anyone to talk to me until this other guy misses a beat. He has a website: http://www.woodtoburn.com/ .

Check it out and see what you think.

 

[2FatGuys]

Mostly I just used the rolls of plastic wrap with the cardboard tube extended for handles on either side. That way you can control the tension of the wrap, and wrap tight where you need to... eventually you get used to circling the pallet without getting dizzy.

When I was considering building up my firewood sales, I looked at palletizing also. My idea was to palletize the split wood for drying as well as sales. I was trying to find something to wrap it with that would allow it to dry while palletized... somthing similar to snow fence but lighter and cheaper. I have seen premade "tubes" of a snow fence like material on some palletized equipment but could find no source for it. Doing it this way eliminates one step in the handling process. Split it, stack it on pallets, wrap it, store pallets to dry, deliver to customer... Rather than split it, stack it to dry, stack it on pallets, wrap it, deliver to customer...

 

[Marc]

When I was considering building up my firewood sales, I looked at palletizing also. My idea was to palletize the split wood for drying as well as sales. I was trying to find something to wrap it with that would allow it to dry while palletized... somthing similar to snow fence but lighter and cheaper. I have seen premade "tubes" of a snow fence like material on some palletized equipment but could find no source for it. Doing it this way eliminates one step in the handling process. Split it, stack it on pallets, wrap it, store pallets to dry, deliver to customer... Rather than split it, stack it to dry, stack it on pallets, wrap it, deliver to customer...

That would definitely make things more convenient, I'd imagine, to be able to dry on the pallet... I don't know if the snow fence stuff would be easy to wrap with though and to get it tight? Not sure... must be woven polyethylene or something? At any rate, what we used to do with pallets stacked high with small boxes (unstable load) to move without wrapping it was put a ratchet strap around the top row of boxes... the small cheap kind like you can by at HF for like $2.00.

 

[Tim321]

net wrap

You could use net wrap made for big round bales. Might cost a little more than plastic but would allow the wood to breath. These rolls are 48 inches wide but you may be able to find a similar thing in shorter sizes.

http://www.ambraco.com/BaleBind.htm

 

[2FatGuys]

You could use net wrap made for big round bales. Might cost a little more than plastic but would allow the wood to breath. These rolls are 48 inches wide but you may be able to find a similar thing in shorter sizes.

http://www.ambraco.com/BaleBind.htm

That is EXACTLY the type of thing I was looking for! If they had it in a 24" wide version, it would do exactly what I was thinking. I guess you could get a 48" roll and cut it in half.

 

[NC Firewood]

NC... I've been meaning to get in on this thread for a few days. There is already a MAJOR producer of firewood bundles between you and me. I am in Winston-Salem area. The producer is in the Graham area (near Burlington) and already has a contract with Lowes, Harris Teeter, Food Lion and a few other major sales points here in NC. He also has a specialty wood service for the barbecue industry that he delivers with what appears to be an old softdrink truck (roll up doors on the side) with a mobile forklift. I evaluated breaking into the market, focusing on areas west of Winston-Salem and couldn't really get anyone to talk to me until this other guy misses a beat. He has a website: http://www.woodtoburn.com/ .

Check it out and see what you think.

Yea, I'd say he's got a large operation working. He/She was at the right place at the right time, which is never my luck. Being west you've probably got more customers per square mile that burn which would allow for a few producers to remain in business. Plus, I know there's alot more hardwoods your way. We've got alot more open land here, 200+ acre tracts, but getting a steady supply of wood has been my downfall. I usually have to scrap for it and pay mill prices which a week ago was over $18 per ton hardwoods. Then get it delivered. That was another reason I bought the old dump truck. How does it work for you, and how do you sell?

 

[2FatGuys]

That was another reason I bought the old dump truck. How does it work for you, and how do you sell?

For us, we backed off the firewood side a lot to keep our focus on the tree removals we do, once we saw how tough it would be to get into the bundle market locally. The firewood ideas were because we were investigating what to do with all the "city wood" we ended up with. We have the problem of having too much wood sometimes. And, as wood burners (me and both partners as well as a few employees), we just can't seem to bring ourselves to dump good wood. We started selling truck loads of split and unsplit to a few customers and some customer pick up loads. We have a good relationship with several larger local tree services that prefer to do bucket truck jobs and avoid the tough climbing jobs. I shared in another thread that we can get LOTS of free wood from them if we are willing to take the "city trees" that the mills won't touch and are flexible with delivery schedules.

 

[Tim321]

That is EXACTLY the type of thing I was looking for! If they had it in a 24" wide version, it would do exactly what I was thinking. I guess you could get a 48" roll and cut it in half.

Found what you need.

http://www.tamanetusa.com/pallet_net_wrap.html

 

[2FatGuys]

Found what you need.

http://www.tamanetusa.com/pallet_net_wrap.html

BINGO!!

Now you've got me considering more firewood work for this year... dangit.

I had just reconcilled myself to NOT doing much of it!

 

[Zodiac45]

Found what you need.

http://www.tamanetusa.com/pallet_net_wrap.html

Perect Tim!

 

[bluepaint]

Depending on work load and weather the wood has to fit around the farm ,Sometimes relegated to Nov-March.
Generally 100-200 cords of split and cut/unsplit.
Currently clearing (and breaking) 75 acres (own land) of mainly poplar and ash/maple/oak.
I see no need to use a truck for large loads as all my customers are within 10m and the MF is a 40K transmission .."Why involve the DOT".
I'm only a partner in the family 1300 acre grain farm and over the past 3 years we've expanded a lot so once my own land is cleared and broken and my farming expands i will not continue the wood....(Stick to main income)
Equipment i use....(Just for firewood part).


CAT D7e dozer
Case 580b backhoe
MF 390 fwa with loader
Fordson major
Ford F150 reg cab 4x4 (99)
Tractor pulled dump trailer (Old 3 ton truck)
Tractor hyd splitter
Husky "55"
Stihl MS260
J-red 2050
John deere 55 EV
Old manure elevator..?

Found a few pics...?

 

[NC Firewood]

Depending on work load and weather the wood has to fit around the farm ,Sometimes relegated to Nov-March.
Generally 100-200 cords of split and cut/unsplit.
Currently clearing (and breaking) 75 acres (own land) of mainly poplar and ash/maple/oak.
I see no need to use a truck for large loads as all my customers are within 10m and the MF is a 40K transmission .."Why involve the DOT".
I'm only a partner in the family 1300 acre grain farm and over the past 3 years we've expanded a lot so once my own land is cleared and broken and my farming expands i will not continue the wood....(Stick to main income)
Equipment i use....(Just for firewood part).


CAT D7e dozer
Case 580b backhoe
MF 390 fwa with loader
Fordson major
Ford F150 reg cab 4x4 (99)
Tractor pulled dump trailer (Old 3 ton truck)
Tractor hyd splitter
Husky "55"
Stihl MS260
J-red 2050
Old manure elevator..?

Found a few pics...?

You've got a good size operation, regardless if you keep on producing. Nice pics.

 

[bluepaint]

Firewood

Thanks...I've been doing it for 4 years here and i was doing it in the UK for 6 years previous to that ,Along side orborist work...?
It is not that profitable but it beats a 9-5 and is enjoyable....?