Anyone on here in the Firewood game?

[grainboy]

Be cheaper for me to import logs from Caithness then, be cheaper than from Lithuania,

 

[A1an]

I can get a bulk bag of softwood for £30 or hardwood for £85

£30! is it stolen?

 

[Jerry]

1 tonne sized dumpty bag around here is £60 delivered. No idea on actual bag weight though but they are the standard builders sand bag size.

Logs out of dumpy bags are normally poor to crap. They dont let air flow properly.

I went over to proper vented bags and whilst they cost a few quid the logs dry and store so much better.

 

[renewablejohn]

Does anyone do much in the way of pallets for firewood?

Got a steady supply so going to try and sell some as kindling. Nog going to make me rich but might keep cash flowing as winter is my quiet time normally

Be careful many pallets are treated with chemicals so kindling made with them could give off toxic fumes.

 

[renewablejohn]

I wish all those selling a valuable commodity for 40 percent less that what it is worth, the very best of luck for a long term business.
SS

Still selling at last years price of 100 m3 but have reduced my volume this year down to 400 m3. If not enough I can always process a bit more.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Hi Grainboy
We are at a slight advantage as we have 9000 acres of commercial forestry on the estate, we harvest 30,000 tons of timber per year so there are always loads of oversized/windblow/damaged timber about. I can take my pick from Sitka, Larch, Beech or Birch.
The Estate also has 13 rental properties, all of which have a log burner in them so no need for delivery vehicles, bags can be delivered to the garden gate with our telehandler. Tennants are currently buying logs from the petrol station forecourt at silly money.

Was there once a sawmill? We had links with Blenheim before they decided to stop that operation. Do the RFS have tours on your place? I may have visited in the past
SS

 

[A1an]

Yes we did have our own sawmill in the 70,s but no the RFS don't have tours here, certainly not nowadays, they may have done in the 70's & 80's but that was before my time here.

West coast of Scotland.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

I do know a young Harvesting Manager up your way. His father is in the game too but quite senior now. All Tillhill related.
SS

 

[carpenter1]

Does anyone have timber to process for sale, delivered to south devon?

 

[grainboy]

Google Woodnet.org.uk otherwise known as Woodlots, plenty of suppliers all over the country,

 

[phillipe]

Still selling at last years price of 100 m3 but have reduced my volume this year down to 400 m3. If not enough I can always process a bit more.

What sort of processor do you have ?

 

[renewablejohn]

What sort of processor do you have ?

A Palax combi direct into IBC containers. Only touch the wood once everything else is mechanical handling. Getting to old to be throwing timber about. Anything oversize for the Palax is normally put through the rack saw first.

 

[multi power]

A Palax combi direct into IBC containers. Only touch the wood once everything else is mechanical handling. Getting to old to be throwing timber about. Anything oversize for the Palax is normally put through the rack saw first.

How long would it take to fill ibc?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Firewood is a waste of time
Done a fesabilty studdy on it
Think of the farmer who thinks he making a fortune selling haylage to horse yards at £15 bale .
Yes worse with his wood as it costs him nothing but a bit of oil to produce it
Morel being . You can't compete with a block head

 

[renewablejohn]

How long would it take to fill ibc?

I dont kill myself but normally do an IBC per hour and limit myself to 5 per day. Have been out contracting with the Palax doing 15 IBC's a day and vowed never again as I am getting to old.

 

[phillipe]

A Palax combi direct into IBC containers. Only touch the wood once everything else is mechanical handling. Getting to old to be throwing timber about. Anything oversize for the Palax is normally put through the rack saw first.

Who cuts it down ?

 

[grainboy]

Firewood is not a waste of time, agreed the profit isn't great, but it's winter money, when possibly the weather prevents you earning elsewhere, will gross about £12k a season, so not to be sniffed at, plus you pick up other work on delivery, tree work, landscaping etc,
The problems with profitability of logs, start when someone bored in the winter, buys in wood, buys a Processor and splitter, and rack and crane etc, etc, uses employees who are not interested, and then wonders why they ain't making any money,
Just look at how many low houred processors there are available for sale,
I have a selection of three splitters and a McConnel bench, keep costs low, and provide customer with what they want, as most processed logs are too big, for normal households.
Just my opinion, but I did start logging in 1980, when a large load of logs was £15, and I was getting £140 for an artic load of Dutch elm for pit props.

 

[devonbrion1998]

Just bought 400m3 of beech all stacked on hard track..
does anyone know if a m3 is the same as a tonne?

 

[renewablejohn]

Who cuts it down ?

Normally tree surgeon employed by Forestry Commission. I just do the collection and disposal for the Forestry Commission.

 

[renewablejohn]

Just bought 400m3 of beech all stacked on hard track..
does anyone know if a m3 is the same as a tonne?

Depends how long its been stacked and air space in the stack. If its freshly cut you could be in the right ball park but seasoned you would be way out. Only way I would buy by the tonne is if I knew the moisture content as well. There is no point in paying for water. You can use tables which give a good approx conversion for different timber and air space assumptions. Just google to find.