Investment vs Payback

[Dalmatian90]

Well I just got a $24 electric bill in the mail.

I think they charge $25 here just for the honor of receiving a bill from Connecticut Democratic Party Campaign Committee...errr, I mean Connecticut Light & Power.

Don't think I've seen a bill under $100 in three years. One guy, 650 s.f. cottage, only "slug" on the bill is a sump pump that runs quite a bit till I can dig out and replace a drain under the basement that collapsed after 50 years...and that I figure is only $20/month looking at the usage history.

 

[danrclem]

I've got a truck that I'd have even if I didn't burn wood.
I've got a tractor that I'd have even if I didn't burn wood. I don't even use it for wood anyway because I always cut someplace else.
I've got two trailers that I'd have even if I didn't burn wood. I've only used one for wood.

Saws: $1,775 out the door over the last four years
Splitter: about $800 about eight years ago
Grinder: $110 out the door recently
Stove: less than $500 about 25 years ago
Safety Equip. about $100
Bars and Chains: about $200
Misc.: about $50
Total: $3,535

I think this is a fairly accurate account of what I have in my supplies and I have burned wood for quite a few years and I've got about four years worth of wood cut and most of it split not counting this winters wood. I think I've more than paid for my equipment and it'll last me for years to come.

 

[gink595]

I have often thought about this also and often wonder how good of a deal it was, but at 2k a year that I was paying out in propane that just went up in smoke, at least I have something to show for it, it will eventually pay off.

Here's my cost list of firewood euipment.

Saws-2000.00 Thats just including my working saws.

wood stove and stove pipe/accesories 1500.00

Bobcat 773 with heated cab 14,500.00, would have had it wither way

Grapple 1900.00 Though it paid for itself in the first couple months of buying it.

Misc. bars and chains 500.00

So in all about 21,000 but I do get a retuen on the Bobcat and grapple bucket, so it skews it some. But the next firewood project is going to build a firewood processor, that is a unkown cost at this point but were trying to keep the budget under 2K. maldeney has picked up a 46hp Bobcat motor with pump so that is our first step is to get that going, then it could get interesting

 

[flotek]

my payback comes i n the form of ultimate comfort without worry of next months bill ,today it must be 15 out and the wind is tremendous outside .. im drinking coffee and sweating my butt of at nearly 80 degrees in my office chair
im not worried one bit about what the thermostat reads or how much oil or propane is in some tank.i could care less really ...i have enough wood heat stored for 2 frigid winters so i can be carefree about my usage and even open windows if it gets too warm

 

[Mud23609]

3240

The tractors, skid steer, one ton dump, trailer's, saws, dozer, f-250, and Tacoma I would have anyway just for my farm/daily driver.

$1680 for the furnace
$350 for the log splitter used
$1000 give or take for the chimney and duct work
$45 for mauls

The wood is free and either comes off my own land, or a buddy's about 15 miles away. The shop stove and chimney were already installed when I bought the place.

So about $3075 invested in burning wood +consumables. Went from burning 1200 gallons of propane per year to 200. Last fill was 1.39 per gallon (I own the tank and bought in the summer) So figure $1390 a year in savings there. Thats less than a three year payback even when you add in all your consumables. Been burning for seven years now.

Throw in the fact that I sold 18 cords of oak/ash/maple mix for 180 dollars a cord and 22 cords of poplar for 125 dollars a cord csd For a total of $5990 with maybe an extra 1000 dollars spent on consumables and maintenance over what I would have spend with out processing the extra wood and delivering it. For a profit of $4990, that I would not have made if I didn't have the splitter.

Yeah it dose take up quite a bit of my time but I get home from work around 1pm and have chores done by 2. It fills my need to be out of the house in between the end of bow season and the start of field work/fishing opener.

For me it has provided a great return on investment as well as keeping me busy at a time of year where I would otherwise be somewhat stagnant.

 

[r8ingbull]

Woodstove = Free (special pricing + obama credit + old trade in)
Chainsaw = $60 (sachs Dolmar 122, was traded in)
Chains, bars, oil, etc = Free (shipping damage, defective credits, etc)
Trailer = $200 (craigslist, in great shape)
Truck = $500 ('95 F150 4x4 runs great, 100k miles)
Stove pipe, brushes, etc = Free (shipping damage, dealer demo, etc)
Fiskars Splitter = Free


Total is $760. My house is very cheap to heat/cool. Utilities average $160 month year round, or $90 if I burn wood instead of gas. Even so I am saving $840 a year..I figure about 30 hours a year cutting/splitting so about $25 an hour..not great but it is alot better than the gym

 

[Jon E]

Whether or not this "madness" pays for itself is highly dependent on how much you value your time. If you are a lazy person who would rather write a check and then flip on the TV to catch the game, or have a negative opinion of wood heat, or are some kind of tree hugger, then it sure won't pay for itself. However, if you like to cut wood and value your time as a hobby pursuit, then it's worth every cent.

My costs: JD4100 with a bunch of attachments - $13,000. I'd have this even if I didn't burn wood. So - zero cost.
Chainsaw - MS361 - $600. I would probably still own a chainsaw for work and occasional tree trimming. So - let's say zero again.
Protective gear, sawchains, all associated chainsaw stuff. For the sake of comparison, let's say that all is consumables and costs me $150 per year (including fuel and oil).
Log splitter - $2500 TW-P1. Would NOT have this if I didn't burn wood. Same for the $150 or so worth of sledgehammers, mauls, wedges and axes I already had. You can even throw in the bowsaw and loppers.
Central Boiler CB5648 OWB, plus all piping, plumbing, electric, etc. and Dual Fuel option. Call it $18,000. OK, that's my only heat source for my entire house, so lets figure the cost of an indoor oil burner or propane burner. Probably $8000, so I have $10k invested over and above the indoor stuff. Assume I'd direct vent, so no chimney.

So let's say the splitter and boiler have a 20-year life expectancy, that's really my only cost (wood is free - my own land, my own labor, and I have a pickup truck for work anyway). $12,500 over 20 years is - $625 per year. Can I heat my house for $625 per year in oil and propane? Hell no. I'd figure 1200 gallons of propane at $2.60 a gallon anyway, that's over three grand that I don't even have. I could even figure in that the log splitter and chainsaw could be included in the "consumables" if you add another $150 per year over 20 years. Replacing the boiler is a wash - indoor boilers fail too.

The bottom line is, is it worth burning wood? You bet it is. Even if I bought it cut and split, it would only cost me around $1600 per year to heat the house (and domestic hot water, I might add) instead of the $3k+ for propane, or oil.

 

[clutch25]

Currently I only heat my garage.

Furnace $300 used
Chimney ~$300

Garage is about 40 degrees warmer on average then last year (propane heat as needed). To keep the garage heated it cost me about ~$400 a year so the heating equipment should pay back in 2 years tops....

Saws...hmmm....ya....5 more years or so but it gives me something to do and keeps me in shape for the winter.

 

[7sleeper]

Car 16000;- € needed anyhow (with trailor hitch)
Trailer borrowed from my father

Axe large found in the garbage
New wood grip ~ 10€
Axe small found in the basement
Axe small from Fiskars a present from my girlfriend to finaly upgrade my equipment

Chainsaws 1000;- €

Sawhorse 20;- €

Shed made out of through aways from building companies

Wood for free from Arborist companies or from sawmills as slabwood

Open fireplace already in appartment

Then I cut for my grandparents place and for my girlfriends parents.

That's all

7

 

[Johndirt82]

axe , sledge n wedge $80
chainsaws $2,000
16ft trailer $2,100
2008 dodge 2500 4x4 diesel $ 55,000
Wife saying you look so yummy with that axe in your hand,
PRICELESS!!

 

[Scootermsp]

Anyone ever add up the cost in all your equipment to harvest and process wood and then talk about how we like the warm even free (NOT!) fuel.
A friend of mine constantly reminds me of the real cost of burning wood.
My list as follows:
Tractor 17K
Grapple to pick logs 3.5K
Splitter 2K about
chainsaws 3-4K might have went overboard there
Dump Trailer 6.5K
stove 500.00 could be up to 2K depending
Chimney 500-2K depending
Misc equipment in support of 500.00
Time investment ??????
Wow and I'm supposed to be saving money????
Then add in an OWB if you have one and add another 6-10K
WOW!!! Even if I burn the rest of my life there will never be a payback.

Tractor--already had one for yard
OWB & all parts/connection---8K
saws---had 1 bought 2 more--- 1.3K
splitter--- 1.4K

total, just over 10K payback is this week

 

[12vdzl]

My Hawken 2100 + install parts and pieces roughly $9200
98 Dodge diesel - too much, but needed for camping and misc hauling i do
saws $600 285cd,009L,028 super,034 rebuilt to be an 036
dump trailer FREE (stole from father out-law)

Watching my daughters play in the house without seeing their breathe, the OWB has already paid for itself 10 times over.

Not to mention the time spent "getting away" from the daily B.S. with bills, work and such. Gathering wood has just made the upfront cost's very minimal.

 

[pickwood]

Man- whats the matter with you asking that question on this site- you better be getting ready to to kicked out of here! Dont ever ask a question like that!
LOL!

 

[Hugenpoet]

The only things I probably wouldn't have if not for getting firewood:

Trailer= $250.00 (father in laws, I put tires on it for letting me use it)
Saw & misc related stuff= $650.00
axes= $60.00
Safety gear= $175.00
Wood stove, chimney, hearth= $4000.00

total= $5135.00 Figure another $1200.00 if I ever build another woodshed + maybe $45.00 in fuel for each 2-3 cord I'm able to haul out of the woods.

From a purely economic standpoint it will take years to pay for itself. So what, if you asked me it payed for itself the first trip into the woods. The first book in front of a cozy fire with my little girl. The first hot cocoa after playing in the snow. You get the idea, the joy and memories created in front of that fire every winter are like in the mastercard commercials, priceless.

+1 The flames are dancing in the Jotul as I write, the warmth is soothing my 63 year old back and shoulders that are a little sore from moving some wood from the pile into the garage earlier today, and the single malt picks up the glow of the fire when I tilt the glass toward my mouth. Payback takes many forms, only one of which can be measured in dollars.

 

[fishercat]

i don't care about the cost.

i get the wood from tree jobs mostly and i can't sit and watch TV.i hate sports.

splitting is good exercise and it's relaxing.not to mention it makes society safer.

if i wasn't splitting wood to relieve tension,there is no telling what i would be doing instead.

another thing is there ain't a lot of work this time of year.

it was nice to make $100 an hour for four hours this afternoon.

 

[Steve NW WI]

2 new saws this year - approx $1100.
Consumables/supplies - ext $500
New PPE-$120
No gym membership (480) Guessing $40/month here
Propane not bought (1000) Once again, guessing. I've never heated soley with propane, but did run for a couple months that way a couple years back when I was laid up, and smoked through a 500 gallon tank in no time.
Free beer & food from friends that needed help with trees, at least $100

Let's call it a wash for this year, even with two new toys. All my other equipment used for cutting are long since off the depreciation schedule.

My next upgrade in the system will be on the house, better insulation/windows, and possibly a new indoor furnace as well. That will be a longer payback, but it's maybe 3 years, not bad at all when you look at it that way. But without wood heat, it would still be the same, only upgrading to a more efficient furnace.

When I get to the point of selling firewood as a sideline, probably within 2 years, I will need to do more accurate accounting, probably "renting" machinery from the farm to get an accurate cost.

 

[Old Cane]

Guys, guys, guys. Come on. Cost? You should alreay have a truck. If you don't, why not? So you can't really count the cost of everyday transportation. If you need a tractor you've already got one. Are you saying some of you buy a tractor just to use while wood cutting? Basically, anything you spend over the cost of an axe is a want, not a need. Oh, and you should probably already own an axe, too.

Log splitter? Come on, you bunch of sissies. All you need is that same axe. Unless that is you're a sissy that works in an office or you're too old and fat to do any real work. By the way.....what's a good brand of splitter I should be looking at?

 

[sneno77]

I grew up cutting/burning wood, and couldn't stand paying for heating oil or other "canister" heat. We built a new 4000sqft home last year and went w/ an OWB heating system w/ hydronics. It turned out to be pretty expensive, but I plan to live here until somebody puts me in a box, so I know it will pay off in the long run. Other equipment is pretty null, as I figure it's needed to live in MT anyway.
Truck- I got an 90 cummins 3500 a few years ago for 4k that I use for everything. Just happens to also be good for hauling wood.
Saw- Bought a new 7900 Dolmar when we got the 22acres we put the house on. Figured it paid itself off cutting out the road and the house site and not paying someone else to do it.
Axe/Maul- had both so long I don't remember what I paid. I know I've got two axes I found in the woods, so they didn't cost much.
Fuel- I either cut around my place or on USFS land, and never drive more than 10miles. At 20mpg for $3 diesel, it doesn't cost much to get a cord to the house.
As mentioned earlier...the exercise and satisfaction of cutting wood and heating my home w/ my own labor is worth whatever I had to pay up front for the priviledge.

 

[beerman6]

Log splitter? Come on, you bunch of sissies. All you need is that same axe. Unless that is you're a sissy that works in an office or you're too old and fat to do any real work. By the way.....what's a good brand of splitter I should be looking at?

:greenchainsaw:

 

[Storm56]

Of course investment vs payback can take in many factors. In my case the OWB cost was offset by my not having to buy 2 furnace systems for additional buildings that I heat. All I had to buy for them were the heat exchangers and the piping. I already had 2 chainsaws anyway, of course I have bought 2 more! I already had a big 4 WD tractor with FEL that I need for other stuff. I built a big unit for the 3 point to get wood out, that along with the FEL allows me to bring out a pretty good load, the steel was given to me so it was just my time. I did buy a hydraulic splitter and a 3 point winch which I have found pretty useful. Future fuel prices are unknown, but be sure of one thing, they are not going down for any extended time! Do not forget that if the economy had not taken a crap energy prices would be much higher than they are right now. You know the SOB's are chomping at the bit to raise prices, and even our own govt cannot wait to get their grubby hands on more of our dough. Then as others have mentioned there are things you cannot put a price on, like piece of mind, pride, and all that great exercise we get so that we do not have to buy gym memberships!