What do you think of a firewood vending machine?

[havsawwilltravl]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUh2uN0ea5Q This is cool and the thought of getting $850/cord appeals($5 for a .75 cu. ft. bundle) but there's a guy selling 10 of them he claims bring in 4-8k a month each. Hmmmm, that's $40-80k a month and he wants $95k for the vending machines and the shrink-wrapper. If I owned something making me that much money I wouldn't sell out. Your thoughts?

I e-mailed this guy http://westcoastwoodchuck.com/ but no return of my "how much" question. Another guy in Colorado claims someone stole his patent on one he made, too bad there's a patent war because I think a hook truck one would be the way to go. I'm wondering how finicky the power system is and if they ever miss-cycle like the soda machine does to me every other time.

 

[thejdman04]

Never saw anythign like that, if I put one at my place, theyd just walk over to the woodpile and get it for free and not pay like they should.

 

[WVwoodsman]

That is great! Only in America.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

A little math says that $4K a month in sales at $5 a pop is 800 bundles minimum per location. $8K a month for some locations is 1600 bundles per month per location. average that to 1200 bundles per location multiplied by 10 locations and you are delivering 16,000 bundles every month. At 100 bundles per load you will be making 160 trips per month or roughly 3-4 trips per day to keep them supplied. A bigger truck than a PU will lessen the # of trips needed but cost more initially and use more fuel.

Do you have or can you get that kind of supply to keep them fed and you in business ? If you can keep up with the demand it sounds like a lot of work and an oppurtunity that is to good to be true.

If you end up with it, I hope it works out for you.

 

[havsawwilltravl]

A little math says that $4K a month in sales at $5 a pop is 800 bundles minimum per location. $8K a month for some locations is 1600 bundles per month per location. average that to 1200 bundles per location multiplied by 10 locations and you are delivering 16,000 bundles every month. At 100 bundles per load you will be making 160 trips per month or roughly 3-4 trips per day to keep them supplied. A bigger truck than a PU will lessen the # of trips needed but cost more initially and use more fuel.

Do you have or can you get that kind of supply to keep them fed and you in business ? If you can keep up with the demand it sounds like a lot of work and an oppurtunity that is to good to be true.

If you end up with it, I hope it works out for you.

I've got the equipment, our bottleneck right now is the market and some years the log supply is fickle. As of late, with the building market in the crapper and our forests being consumed by beetles, I think the supply will be there. I want to get contracts with the parks to put these things around all the campgrounds in Yellowstone and Grand Teton but I can't become an appliance repairman, these things have to work as advertised.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

That would be another stickler would be "Do they work all the time, every time, in ANY weather?" Like yo9u said you don't want to be an appliance repairman and every time one jams up you are losing revenue till it gets repaired.

I can see potential for additional income from something like this with good locations. I sure don't think it would be easy money, which you have probably already considered. Once you consider the cost of the product and the expence of keeping the demand supplied I doubt they will net $4K each per month. If the net profit afterwards was enough to satisfy your needs then it could be a lucrative venture.

Also, like most anything else, the income would be tied to your ability to keep them filled. If something happens to you, are you going to be able to hire an assistant or someone to take over the route ? What about vacations ? Who will tend them then ?

Just some thoughts.

 

[freemind]

I've got the equipment, our bottleneck right now is the market and some years the log supply is fickle. As of late, with the building market in the crapper and our forests being consumed by beetles, I think the supply will be there. I want to get contracts with the parks to put these things around all the campgrounds in Yellowstone and Grand Teton but I can't become an appliance repairman, these things have to work as advertised.

For what it is worth, how many vending machines have you ever seen that were maint. free? Your going to have to repair them, or have someone hired who will.
I don't know how they dispense inside, but I imagine even with wrpped bundles, something is going to get caught daily.

Then there is the "idiot" factor, of screwballs that do things to either jam or break machines.

I am betting, these machines are more trouble than they are worth.

 

[Hansenj11]

Here is the patent. http://www.google.com/patents?id=S1eGAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=Firewood+Despenser#PPA4,M1

 

[mga]

this one is better...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6-Loea4Inw&feature=related

 

[havsawwilltravl]

Interesting comments. KSWOODSMAN, you're spot on with the scary monsters you see under the bed. The one good thing I see is that the guy building them in Tahoe knows about lousy weather conditions, if they work there.....they'll work in snow and cold. FREEMIND, I don't know how many vending machines are maintenance free, not my baliwick, but I know how many I've seen tipped over on their face because they stole someones' quarter. I don't think they'll do that with this one but ya you're right, one better have a repairman in mind if you own a vending machine. HANSENJ, that's the guy I talked to in Colorado-Len Halsey. http://www.amonline.com/web/online/VendingMarketWatch-News/Colorado-entrepreneur-develops-solar-powered-firewood-vending-machine/1$11853 I guess he wasn't kidding about someone stealing his idea. If I were him I'd get a mean lawyer.MGA, your better one looks the same to the untrained eye as the second link in my original post

 

[mga]

Interesting comments. KSWOODSMAN, you're spot on with the scary monsters you see under the bed. The one good thing I see is that the guy building them in Tahoe knows about lousy weather conditions, if they work there.....they'll work in snow and cold. FREEMIND, I don't know how many vending machines are maintenance free, not my baliwick, but I know how many I've seen tipped over on their face because they stole someones' quarter. I don't think they'll do that with this one but ya you're right, one better have a repairman in mind if you own a vending machine. HANSENJ, that's the guy I talked to in Colorado-Len Halsey. http://www.amonline.com/web/online/VendingMarketWatch-News/Colorado-entrepreneur-develops-solar-powered-firewood-vending-machine/1$11853 I guess he wasn't kidding about someone stealing his idea. If I were him I'd get a mean lawyer.MGA, your better one looks the same to the untrained eye as the second link in my original post

yep......the first one looked rather micky-mouse. reminded me of some home made junk.

the second one looked more professional.

 

[80cj]

never saw anything like that and truthfully, never really gave it a lot of thought, but seems like too many moving parts to be reliable. i know that computers certainly aren't great either, but often can be fixed remotely. the local Home Depot has a propane tank vending machine that i think could easily be adapted for use with wood. i have no idea what they cost, but here is the link.

http://www.dekkoinc.com/gg72.html

just my 2 cents...

thanks
shawn

 

[havsawwilltravl]

never saw anything like that and truthfully, never really gave it a lot of thought, but seems like too many moving parts to be reliable. i know that computers certainly aren't great either, but often can be fixed remotely. the local Home Depot has a propane tank vending machine that i think could easily be adapted for use with wood. i have no idea what they cost, but here is the link.

http://www.dekkoinc.com/gg72.html

just my 2 cents...

thanks
shawn

pretty cool, I'll try to notice if they have one of those at our Home Depot. The remote thing would be cool, especially if you could do inventory that way too. If, in fact you had to have a phone line hooked to them, then they should take credit cards too. We used to hire people strong in the back and weak in the mind to make firewood, now I might have to hire a computer geek to keep things moving while I process wood! I'm OK with that, I like making wood.

 

[chainsawboy1996]

well if you get a vending machine you'll need a rapper also
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MffpdmC7WwA

 

[Steve_in_SEMich]

Saw one in action at the state park in Brighton, MI. Worked as advertised, made a lot of noise as the conveyor dispensed the bundle in the chute. My buddy couldn't resist, and had to put in the 4 dollars to get a bundle. We laughed the whole time (camping = beer). I think the slot taking the money was the only part that didn't work perfect. Took 3-4 attempts with 5-6 different dollar bills before it finally "spit" out a bundle. Hilarious!

 

[havsawwilltravl]

Saw one in action at the state park in Brighton, MI. Worked as advertised, made a lot of noise as the conveyor dispensed the bundle in the shoot. My buddy couldn't resist, and had to put in the 4 dollars to get a bundle. We laughed the whole time (camping = beer). I think the slot taking the money was the only part that didn't work perfect. Took 3-4 attempts with 5-6 different dollar bills before it finally "spit" out a bundle. Hilarious!

camping+beer, interesting new twist, will it work for drunks? Maybe it should have handles and a cup holder to brace yourself with while you feed money into the extra-wide bill exchanger. Maybe put the dollar slot down low so you can feed it while on your knees? I like the fact that it makes lots of noise, if I'm paying a buck per stick of firewood I want the thing to sound like it's working!