Labor
Dude, I really can see what your sayin. Tell you what you have to do. First and foremost, you need to get a little tough on your labor buddy. Estimate how many cut/split cords perday you need to get out of your men to equal a profit for you. Then sit them down and explain it. Explain it all, show them paperwork. I'm sure your close with your workers, most good bosses are, so show them the problem you are having. Expenses, gas, their labor, what your taking in and make sure they know that if they can't produce more, you'll either have to stop doing that part of the business or get some different help that will get the job done so you can turn a profit. After all, business is business when it comes down to it. Cut down every expense you can, i.e. fewer trips when you know you are going to deliver to 2 or 3 places, make one trip and catch them all vs. the 2 or 3. You need what I believe is called Streamlining. Get with your guys and see what they think they need to produce more. Your options are there, you just need to use what you have at your fingertips. Don't go buying more stuff if your not turning a profit now, that's just more you'll have to pay for in the long run. I do know how alot of folks work down there since I lived there for like 8 yrs. That was a big grief of ours, too many lazy people everywhere, or not necessarily lazy, undermotivated. Set a goal for each man. You have say 3 men, make sure that say 2 cord of wood per man gets done/delivered each day, that's 6 cord total for 3 men, that VERY doable with the right equipment/materials. With 18 face cord/day being cut/split/dev'd, you should be turn around $1000 day, paying help would cost you say 4-500 for the day as well as expenses at say $200. Are you including initial setup/tools, you'll always take a while to break even with a newer setup because of all the initial tools. I'm a 2 man show, I deliver around 6 or so face cord/week, that's like 1 a day, and I turn a profit. I'm sure you can. I think you need to look at your whole operation buddy, not just the splitting and stacking part. Hope that gives you some ideas...