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Firewood business...big enough market to run a business?

Started by burnwood, January 09, 2008, 11:11:59 AM

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letsgetitracing

nope not at all and i thik my boss is about 15 to 20 pieces light on his face cords any way i seem to get 7 face cord when i stack them he gets 8 but i guess i care about stacking he is trying to stretch it out

so i think the number you are using are exactly right
Homemade firewood processor, 200 ton log spliter, 322 cat excavator, 966 c cat loader, 3 semis, 11 trailers, 50 ton low boy 12 inch tree chipper 3120xp 394 xp 372 xp 3 365  357 55 rancher 346xp 338xp  stihl 056 mag ms 290 026 echo cs440  4 cs3000's  jonsered 2165 2150

go BIG or go Home

Ron Wenrich

TeaW

There are a lot of variables that effect the amount of solid wood in a cord.  If you are talking pulpwood, then if you would have perfect cylindrical pieces, you would end up with 100 cu ft of solid wood.  But, woods run trees aren't like that. 

The variables include diameter, length of stick, crook, roughness and knots.  For hardwoods, smooth and straight would range from 85-98 cu ft of solid wood.  The smaller the diameter, the lower on the scale.  For straight, rough and knotty, that will drop to 78-92 cu ft.  Put in some slightly crooked stuff, and you're range is 75-89 cu ft.  If you are just talking tops and branches, you'll drop down to 58 cu ft.

So, if you have an idea of what you're running in cu ft, then you can just plug in weight by looking at what the type of wood you're dealing with. 

Now, if we look at the numbers that letsgetitracing has offered, his 8500 lbs of dry ash would come out to a little over 200 cu ft of wood in 8 face cords.  That would come down to only 25 cu ft per face cord.  Assuming 16" wood, would come up with a total of 75 cu ft per cord of solid wood. 

If letsgetitracing takes that amount and puts it into 7 cord (when the boss isn't looking   ;)), then he is getting 85 cu ft/cd.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Ed_K

 Want to see what it takes to do firewood full time? This months Timber Line has a feature on Tree Hugger Farms in Westmoreland NH. says their doing 5k to 7k per yr (good yr). I talked to Jon Clark (owner) yesterday, he sold his log truck, to busy to go and get the wood.
Bull, I diversified,I don't do cord wood anymore cause I couldn't do that an log the wood too. Cides I sold my truck to your friend Ann. I'm looking into ctl equip to get er done.
Ed K

stumpmakerr

Hell, just do it. If i listened to everyone that gave me advise, id have nothing. Go for it. You have a good chance of failling, but how are you going to feel if you never take that chance

SwampDonkey

Around here if you market the big three (for our area) beech, hard maple, yellow birch you'd be busy. Some fella's can't even get enough supply for more customers. A lot comes off provincial public forest.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

glassman_48

burnwood,
I already had a tractor with forks, already had a nice 12' dump trailer and pickup to haul the trailer.  I purchased a mid sized firewood processor and purchased 20 pulp cords at a time usually a couple hundred pulp cords a year.  I could not make money on firewood, and was charging 225.00 per pulp cord plus tax and delivery.  I diversified last year and started doing firewood bundles, then purchased a semi load of eco bricks (compressed sawdust bricks).  This year we will sell firewood bricks, wood pellets, firewood bundles and finally firewood.  The firewood has the least amount of profit for me.  I would have to purchase my raw materials much cheaper which at present I cannot do.  I have a full time glass business, and do this only part time with my son.  We just purchased 6 commercial acres and some day if I can develop the property I would like to put a house up and maybe get a small sawmill and sell firewood processors, log splitters, firewood bundlers etc. on the property.  That is a few years off but I have to get some retail sales in to keep a good profit coming in.  I have refurbished some equipment and sold a couple of pieces to make some $$$ too.  We never ever stack firewood, we only stacked 3 face cords (1 pulp cord) the first time (16" wood) just to see where the wood would be in our dump trailer.  Now I only sell by the trailer load and I tell customers its approximately 1 pulp cord.  Many horror stories around here about firewood sales man getting in trouble with customers from shortages.  I would start small and have all 3 of you devote so many hours a year and build up some customers.  You will see after a couple of years if this game is for you or not.   good luck,,,,,,,,,,,ed

Corley5

The original poster, Burnwood, hasn't been active since Jan. of 2008.  I do wonder what he decided  :)  It was good to read my post about the firewood business from way back then 8) 8) 
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

timberlinetree

Right now the firewood business is booming but the EPA warm winters and low oil prices could change that! If you all are doing it because you love it and want to pay the bills go for it but if you are looking to get rich invest in stocks and stay where you are. I have seen cycles with wood demand/ no demand you just don't know.good luck & pm about log length wood I'm in western mass.
I've met Vets who have lived but still lost their lives... Thank a Vet

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SwampDonkey

What low oil prices? Wood is by far cheaper up here and nicer heat.  ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Firewoodjoe

Well I'm doing good. Business wise. Profit wise....I can pay a helper $11 an hour and then I think I'm clearing around $30 a cord. Not counting break downs or owning the equipment. Nights and weekends deal too. I like it though and lately I only deliver it and he runs the processor so a few hundred bucks a week ain't bad I guess

timberlinetree

Opps must have missed a page didn't know this was from 08! Now's the time to be in the firewood business and hope it lasts! We always have steady customers and some years they burn a lot of wood(high oil/electricity rates and really cold winter) and other years not as much( when major storm puts a lot off wood on the ground and a mild winter and low energy cost) been thru all of that! Wood is the way to save a lot compared to oil around here. One thinng is for shure it has/going to be a good year to be in the firewood biz!smiley_beertoast smiley_beertoast
I've met Vets who have lived but still lost their lives... Thank a Vet

Family man and loving it :)

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