RE: Anyone ever buy a truck load of wood and . . .

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firefighterjake

firefighterjake

Minister of Fire
Jul 22, 2008
19,588
Unity/Bangor, Maine
. . . process it . . . keep half for yourself and sell off the other half?

Since I no longer have access to the wood lot where I was getting my wood . . . and I am cheap . . . and scrounging is a challenge up here since so many folks heat with wood I have been thinking about buying a truck load of tree length wood, processing it, keeping half and selling the other half as it should just about pay for the truck load of wood.

I am also thinking of keeping the wood for a year and then selling it as seasoned wood as this would fetch a better price vs. green wood. Been thinking about this and figured I would even throw in a wheel barrow load or so of kindling (I can get free softwood slabs from my Uncle.)

This wouldn't really be a money making endeavor as I would only be selling 5-6 cords . . . it would be more of a case of covering the cost of the wood.
 
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Now there's how to make money in your spare time.. be a wood seasoner..
 
firefighterjake said:
keeping the wood for a year and then selling it as seasoned wood as this would fetch a better price
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You would also be doing a public service, as the rare vendor who sells "seasoned wood " that is truly seasoned wood.
 
But wait until the person that buys your truly seasoned wood tells his friends about the stuff he got from you! Then your phone will be ringing off the hook!
 
I found it hard to sell my wood in my area (maple/gum) that was seasoned for a year at $225/cord when everyone else was selling "seasoned" (oak) wood for $160/cord. I only did it to help pay for my new splitter.

I did pick up a few customers that buy from me and are willing to pay the higher price that I sell to every year but I do not advertise anymore.
 
Last year I scrounged 6 cords of wood, about 4 cords of red oak, I was seriously considering selling a few face cords at a high price in the future for a few that are willing to pay the price for premium wood. Now after burning this season more than expected and knowing I've got some premium wood to burn down the pike, I'm not so sure I'm going to let it go at any price.....
 
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Great exercise too.
 
My father used to do this when I was a kid, but he would talk to some of the neighbors and split a truck load or two of full length logs. Maybe some neighbors or friends would be interested in doing the same w you.
 
Thought of it a few times, Jake.
I wouldn't want to deliver, so the price would drop.
I can get 100" logs for about 75-80/cord, and could probably sell it c/s for $150.
No way ( I don't think) I could sell any truly "seasoned" Oak at a premium around here.
Good luck if you decide to do it.
 
If you have the room, and can get the logs cheap enough, and can afford to sit on it for a while, and make enough selling the processed wood, why not?

Edit: Delivery is EXTRA! $$$ ::-)
 
Wouldn't sell here, the few I've met with a concept of "seasoned" never buy. The kids I know that sell wood get put over the barrel by most customers as it is.
I wouldn't sell any - a seasoned cord on hand is worth 2 in the bush
 
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osagebow said:
Wouldn't sell here, the few I've met with a concept of "seasoned" never buy. The kids I know that sell wood get put over the barrel by most customers as it is.
I wouldn't sell any - A seasoned cord on hand is worth 2 in the bush
Click to expand...
I think you need to put that in your signature. ;)


Jake since it sounds like you are going to want to buy truckload logs anyway and be processing and seasoning them anyway, all you have to do different is try and sell some of it when it's ready. If you can't get what you want for it then you'll know it's not a workable plan, if you can get what you think it's worth then do it again. Surely there are some people out there that can appreciate truly seasoned wood?
 
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To truly sell seasoned Oak it would have to be C/S/S for 3 years. Most get around this by kiln drying. I don't know about you but sitting on wood for 3 years finding someone that would pay $300+/cord is going to be a tough sell.

I would just sell it as green wood at current rates in your area and be done with it, you will never recoup your money and time trying to sell it seasoned.
 
I don't know.. Give some out free on the street corner.. get everybody hooked.. then when they come back for more, jack up the prices! They'll be pawning their log splitters for the good stuff...
 
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Gareth96 said:
I don't know.. Give some out free on the street corner.. get everybody hooked.. then when they come back for more, jack up the prices! They'll be pawning their log splitters for the good stuff...
Click to expand...
;hm I don't know, but something sound a little sleazy about this plan. But I guess if Jake takes this route he would have even more success if he parked out by the school and sold the "good stuff" to the kids getting out of school, maybe get a few of them working inside and dealing the stuff for him. >>
 
Now it really is starting to slide off the deep end, A "Wood Pusher" with a teen age distribution network- Oh MY!
 
Do it,,, it works for me except I don't buy the truckload,, I cut from my woods. I may stop that and farm it out. I know people that will come cut in my woods, and give me half for payment.

I am busy and could get wood to burn for nothing,,,and get twice the cleaning done in the woods. It would work cause I can't burn everything that needs burnt out there.

I would try your plan,,Ignore the naysayers,,:), ,if it doesn't work,,you will have more seasoned firewood. ,,Where is the down side?
 
I've been thinking about this for a while.

I figure I'm already two to three years ahead . . . so if I end up with some oak I can just toss that aside into a pile for long term seasoning . . . and keep that for myself.

Prices around here seem to be going for $225-$250 for "seasoned" wood . . . log length wood runs around $100-$125 per cord. Around this time of year or so many folks tend to get a bit desperate when they realize winter is far from over and they need wood. I figure I enjoy working with wood anyways and worse comes to worse, if no one wants to pay the prices then I'll just use the wood myself.

Selling green wood would be easier . . . but a) everyone and their cousin around here sells green wood, b) green wood doesn't sell at the same price point as seasoned wood and c) since this isn't a money making endeavor intended to turn a profit and I have the room I would rather sell wood to a person who would truly appreciate wood ready to go -- a person who knows their stove needs good fuel to run efficiently.

I've been thinking that it isn't as though I need to sell the wood . . . and I'm certainly not looking at making a business out of this . . . just 5 or so cords for sale . . . the way I see it . . . I don't need to charge premium prices -- just the price other folks charge for their "seasoned" wood . . . and then tailor an ad to folks who are willing to pay for truly seasoned wood. I figure there's gotta be a few folks out there each year who buy a brand new stove and then a) learn a month before heating season starts that their new stove needs truly seasoned wood or b) learn that they under-estimated how much wood they needed. And again . . . if no one wants to pay . . . just means I will use the wood myself . . .
 
Bangor is kinda a resort area. Find a few commercial establishments that burn wood for atmosphere. I have pizza places and restaurants that burn wood.
Try finding a couple of buyers or someone who will consistently buy from you.
Ski places...or something.
 
Takes me back to my youth. Buy a kilo (remember those?), sell enough (at a modest profit, of course) to cover costs and keep the rest. Providing a valuable public service and for your own needs. Win/Win. The statute of limitations has long run out.;)
 
If you need the money and the ROI on your time is worth it versus doing something else, go to it. I like processing firewood as something different to do in life. However, I saw a sign the other day on the road for cords of firewood for $150. I was tempted to call the guy, and if it was hardwood, order 5 to 6 cords of it and not have to worry about cutting and splitting wood this year or next. Then, I have dreams of buying a damn log processors and selling this stuff for a profit. Then, I remember what my billable rate is as a professional and figure I might be better off just doing more marketing for my practice.

It really comes down to your personal situation. If I bought a truckload of wood and cut, split, stacked, and seasoned it, I seriously doubt anybody could pay me enough for it for me to part with it. Then again, there are some nut jobs out there. For me, wood processing is an excuse for me to go out with my dad and brothers and run chainsaws and a splitter for a couple days. Doing it for a living isn't the least bit exciting to me.
 
Jake, at one time a neighbor and I talked about getting a load and splitting it 50/50. We did not end up doing it but who is to say it won't happen in the future. I also know of a couple who did as you are thinking. Of course, the wood he sold was all green (but the logs had been cut for a long time so it was "seasoned").
 
I have done it before. It got me enough to buy the next load of logs. I don't feel it was worth my effort. I much rather be an extra year ahead.
 
I got a log length truck load this past fall, it took me to full weekends to cut the lengths into logs and stack them, the majority of the wood was oak, but there was some lengths of maple and ash mixed in, anyway to get to the point, maybe it was the fact that most length diameters we larger than 24" or maybe I'm a little out of shape, but after cutting and stacking and yielding about 7.5 cords of wood, I'm not about to give (sell) any of my labored treasure. I'm from NNJ and what I did was call around to get prices for length deliveries, I got the truck load for $300.00, I think that was a great deal considering I got a year in a half worth of wood that I only have to work up in my yard. BTW thanks hearth members for giving me the proper seasoning information, this load wont be able to burn until 2016 - 2017 winter, of course I will css this spring and keep the stacks on pallets of the ground!
 
My time is worth much more than what i could sell it for. I lack the means to transport it. Processing a load of wood beats the tar out of my lawn, I'm not going to do it twice for a few dollars. However I have supplied a friend's restaurant with cherry for the smoker in exchange for beer. That was a lucrative deal with the little cherry that I had accessible.
 
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