iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Log Auction

Started by paul case, February 09, 2018, 08:37:11 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

paul case

I get the American Lumber and Pallet Magazine each month and this month it has an ad for a log auction. I had never heard of an log auction before. It is actually in PA and he ad claims there will be more than 20,000 ft of mostly walnut logs sold individually  for live edge slabs and lumber. It also states that they are accepting consignments til sale day.

I kinda think it must be a test the market thing geared more toward the small sawmill operator if they are gonna sell 1 log at  a time.

I wondered if anyone here has ever been to one. Very interesting.

PC
life is too short to be too serious. (some idiot)
2013 LT40SHE25 and Riehl edger,  WM 94 LT40 hd E15. Cut my sawing ''teeth'' on an EZ Boardwalk
sawing oak.hickory,ERC,walnut and almost anything else that shows up.
Don't get phylosophical with me. you will loose me for sure.
pc

Clark

Higher value hardwood logs are auctioned off quite frequently. It tends to be an invite only affair with the veneer buyers typically getting first crack at it. If this is open to the public then that is something very different.

Clark
SAF Certified Forester

nativewolf

Funny, I am going to do an auction on our next walnut project.  150MBF about half veneer then the remainder good sawlogs.  Likely in May. 

This winter was so unusual with that super cold december that our mill got sunk, dozer sunk, then all of it froze, got tons of logs worth slabbing if anyone wants to buy logs and can come get them.
Liking Walnut

moodnacreek

Selling one log at a time is kinda the way it's done with grade hardwood.  Walnut and white oak in the better grades brings big $ today if it's cut right.

Ron Wenrich

That auction isn't too far from me.  I looked at the particulars.  The logs come from tree service.  Seems like I see some blue in those logs.  These aren't grade logs and are being pushed as logs to get slabs.  Logs with character (defect).  There are also some piles of old logs.  They also have a bunch of sawn slabs that they will be selling.  It might be interesting to see if they get anyone to buy these logs. 

The only time I saw logs sold at auction is when they were liquidating sawmills.  Usually they sold a whole pile.  Local auctioneers made no assertions about volume or quality.  Auctioneers that specialize in sawmills do make a volume estimate.  They were always over scaled.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

POSTON WIDEHEAD

The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

chevytaHOE5674

Mill I used to buy logs for usually auctioned off our figured birds eye and curl logs individually. Logs would be laid out on skids with a cookie cut off and sitting on the log so the buyers could see how the figure was deeper in the log. Logs were numbered and the bidders could buy one or all. Was not uncommon for somebody to buy one log and haul it away in his pickup truck.

Jeff

Quote from: Ron Wenrich on February 10, 2018, 06:48:59 AM
That auction isn't too far from me.  I looked at the particulars. 

You should go check it out and report back. ;)
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

SwampDonkey

Never heard of it neither, but this isn't prime hardwood country, although it is hardwood country around here. We always had individual buyers come around to buy figured maple, they assessed, scaled and paid on the spot. One individual that comes to mind often bought figured hardwood all over the place and helped procure some huge white oak from PA for the historical sawmill refurbishment.
"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)))

paul case

All that I have ever took part in or heard of in my area is buyers coming to the landing and buying or giving a quote or bid on what they would pay. Walnut is the only ones that fetch enough premium for a bid process. That would take some time as you do not want 2 buyers quoting the same day.

I have sold lots of logs on the lot of a sawmill. Mine or others.

PC
life is too short to be too serious. (some idiot)
2013 LT40SHE25 and Riehl edger,  WM 94 LT40 hd E15. Cut my sawing ''teeth'' on an EZ Boardwalk
sawing oak.hickory,ERC,walnut and almost anything else that shows up.
Don't get phylosophical with me. you will loose me for sure.
pc

POSTON WIDEHEAD

There are so many variables involved with auction logs that I can't see a lot of money being bid......
unless a bidding war gets started.  smiley_argue01   smiley_smash  SOLD! $300!
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

paul case

David,

You better load up your goat and get his bigwide head to that auction.
PC
life is too short to be too serious. (some idiot)
2013 LT40SHE25 and Riehl edger,  WM 94 LT40 hd E15. Cut my sawing ''teeth'' on an EZ Boardwalk
sawing oak.hickory,ERC,walnut and almost anything else that shows up.
Don't get phylosophical with me. you will loose me for sure.
pc

Brucer

I haven't checked recently but there was a Community Managed Forest about 5 hours drive away from here that used to auction off Douglas Fir logs. They had a license to harvest logs for their own mill, but the terms of the license required them to auction about half the logs they harvested.

They were premium logs and fetched premium prices.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

longtime lurker

Only real auctions around here are when the forest service does one - they have semi protected "no longer harvested from state land" rainforest species around the plantation lots that have to come down occasionally, or when they confiscate something thats come from somewhere it shouldnt have. They'll auction them off, often some pretty handy logs in them.

Also get the odd tender sale on the real premium logs - not a bad way to get the best value for the special stuff... think 5'+ diameter walnut etc. Beyond my price bracket thats for sure... 30 or 40 grand a log and usually go to europe or the middle east via europe. The Dubai wood show should be a destination on every sawmillers bucket list, and Bahrain also does a lot of premium fit out work. The oil boys got the $ to spend to do things "right" with cost no object, and they arent afraid to spend it for something special: but they think in generations not years.
The quickest way to make a million dollars with a sawmill is to start with two million.

goose63

Nancy wont let me go to a auction alone says I come home with to much junk if she cought me at a log auction she would beat the tar out of me  smiley_smash
goose
if you find your self in a deep hole stop digging
saw logs all day what do you get lots of lumber and a day older
thank you to all the vets

SwampDonkey

There is an old hermit (self title) on Youtube from your part of the world, goose. He isn't at log auctions, but is always scrounging for buys, especially army surplus. He has done firewood cutting videos, and chainsaw milling photos and some wood projects. A lot of his time can be spent going off the topic of his video,  but more importantly explaining why something is done a certain way. You get a little of this and a little of that from his videos. He had a big fit awhile ago over youtube/google, so there was a little rant and appeared again with his grand plan for future videos. He's actually a stones throw from other family, if you have seen many of his videos. So he isn't all that secluded, just out of site and is careful not to reveal who or just where he's at. I get a chuckle out of some old run down vehicles with brush growing up around and though that he cherishes with future plans to revive them. Old iron, just gaining value by simply rusting away. I've seen those kind of lots over the years get cleaned up after the folks have moved on. Gotta pay to scrappers most times to do so. :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)))

Brad_S.

Quote from: SwampDonkey on February 11, 2018, 09:13:24 AM
I get a chuckle out of some old run down vehicles with brush growing up around and though that he cherishes with future plans to revive them. Old iron, just gaining value by simply rusting away. I've seen those kind of lots over the years get cleaned up after the folks have moved on. Gotta pay to scrappers most times to do so. :D
There was just such a car graveyard near Lagrange, Maine not all that long ago. I used to pass by it often and then one day it was gone. I have wondered whether it was auctioned off or scrapped. The front grills and headlights of such old vehicles are now sold as "wall art" and bringing $500 give or take. There was a lot of interesting stuff in that car graveyard. I hope it was salvaged and not just scrapped.
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

thecfarm

Use to be a 6 inch tree that grew up through a bumper of a camper in Harrison. It was parked in a driveway.Probably if I stopped and asked about it,they would say they was going to use it.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

SwampDonkey

Must be a New York thing,  ;D never see it around here.  There's a few transplants in Maine, from air force and such. ;)

I seen one hubcap place or two, but them hubcaps have been there for decades and bushes taking over. Building they was/is on just a shell of a place. ;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)))

Al_Smith

A local guy,TJ Ellis veneer logs sells the stuff all over the world .A majority of it goes to Japan so much in fact he has a web site written in Japanese .As I understand it it's sold by auction  by invitation .I see the log trucks,often a dozen or more.in bound  off loading and a like amount out bound just about every day going past where I work .It's not all Ohio stuff but all comes from the midwestern lake states .I might add some very fine logs .
He started  out as a cutter ,then a cruiser and later got into a broker .I went to school with his wife or should I say ex .

SwampDonkey

Reminds me, somewhat, of the fellow I was talking about from here in NB. Such things as highly figured wooden tubs that the Japanese rave over. He's got no fleet of trucks to brag about though, not that big of a business but very niche and spendy.  ;)
"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)))

Southside

Swamp Donkey - you do realize that Loring closed back around '94 - and took all those transplants and half The County with it...
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

SwampDonkey

Lots of retired AF guys around finding other things to do.  Many that moved came back to live out their time. ;)
"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)))

Southside

Glad to hear some came back.  I left in '99 and things were still shrinking. 
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

SwampDonkey

There is a lot of new homes springing up around the mountain. They don't get built off minimum wage. I remember one resident (retired air force) was complaining on TV about the windmills.  ;) But yes, retail has suffered in the county, the Aroostook mall is just a shadow of the boom times, their biggest customers are New Brunswickers.

Must be wood to cut in northern Maine isn't their? New sawmill in Ashland area. But at the same time fields lay fallow in Smyrna and Oakfield area and Amish moving in. They don't farm that I see.
"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)))

Thank You Sponsors!