Bundled Firewood Business

[rcanderson1968]

Hi,

I live in Portland, OR.  I'm thinking of starting a small, part-time firewood bundling business so that my sons can earn some spending cash and save some money for college.

I think there's a pretty good market for bundled firewood among all the suburbanites that can't make their own firewood, but still occasionally use firewood in a fireplace, backyard fire pit, or for camping.

I was wondering if anyone has experience in how to develop a market for bundled firewood?

Thanks,
Roy

[Buck]

use the search engine and type in bundled firewood. There is a member doing very well in the Indy area.

[Piston]

Some great info on this thread

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=43450.0;all

By the way, how do you hyperlink a thread?  So if I wanted to make it so he could just click on the word "thread" rather than paste the whole link? 

[rcanderson1968]

Thanks for the info guys.  There really is a lot of good information on that thread.  By the way, I took the plunge and ordered a bundling machine today!

[Buck]

What kind did you order?

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

If he took my advice, he went with the Twister firewood bundler that Chuck makes. Well over 40,000 bundles run through our Twister and not a single problem. Like it so much we are looking to buy a second one.

[Buck]

Hope he has better luck with the purchase than me...I called to order and he never returned my call.  Took the wind right out of my sails, I was impressed on my first conversation with him and you also.

[rcanderson1968]

I ordered Twister's high speed quick load set up for 3/4 cubic foot.  It'll be delivered by the end of the week.  Ill try to post some photos after we get a few bundles through it.

[Kansas]

We bought a twister about a month ago. Electric model. We stockpile the pieces off the mill that we can't use, cut them to length, then toss them in a dumpster. We have a bay set up to put it in. Then when guys have time, or want a little overtime, they haul it over in the bucket of the skid steer and run it through. We also are attaching the handles to the bundles. I suppose we got half a dozen good sized pallets of it ready. I hope the wood can dry out in the bundles. This wood is the smaller stuff off the edgings of the mill.

[Buck]

Chuck does have a very well thought out and well built system.

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Buck

That really suprises me that Chuck did not return your call.

Have never had a problem getting in touch with him and talk to him at least once a month and usually for 15 to 20 minutes. Wonder if something went wrong on his answering system and he failed to get your message. Would try giving him another call because it is definately not like him to call someone back.

Fred

[rcanderson1968]

Hi Everyone,

Check my photo gallery:

clickhere

I uploaded a picture of the first 20 firewood bundles produced on my Twister Industries bundling machine!

Roy

[SwampDonkey]

Some great info on this thread

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=43450.0;all

By the way, how do you hyperlink a thread?  So if I wanted to make it so he could just click on the word "thread" rather than paste the whole link? 

Code Select Expand

[url=https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=43450.0;all]Click Here[/url]

Click Here

[D4ster]

I thought you folks may find some benifit in reading a article that was contained in the July 2011 Sawmill & Woodlot titled "Why, How and Where is the Money" regading the kilning of firewood.  The author is Niels Jorgensen of Kiln-Direct.  He is not pushing his product line, but offers the "brass tacks" with regard to the profitability of selling bundled firewood that is Heat Treated; hence, not subject to quarantine issues.  I think the whole edition is for sale online for something like $3.00.  My reasoning for placing this info here is that, in terms of what I have seen in the last few years, the regulation will only get worse and the folks who adapt to the changing landscape of moving a commodity like firewood may be well served as time moves forward.

Cheers-
D4Ster

[beenthere]

What is the cost of heat treating a cord of firewood?

[gunman63]

when i was looking at a kiln, i couldnt  get any real direct answers,  depends on  gas or wood heat, outdoor temp, so many varibles they said, as near as i could  find out from my  figureing, its 25-40 bucks a cord. hope  someone  that  does this  would answer.

[allagashwoods]

Beenthere,heat treating firewood is different than drying wood down to 15-20% moisture,the amount of energy to heat treat is far less,almost half.The kiln dried market becoming so popular has opened the doors to quite a few people trying to cash in.I have seen in the last year some really poor quality kiln dried wood out there.Like every thing else that seems to be a money maker,they want the money without the effort.My advice to any one that wants to start selling kiln dried wood is start with a quality product.But be forewarned,it's very costly to do it right.I doubled my estimate of costs in building my kiln. After talking to the experts I said no way it could cost that much,but it did.In my opinion the firewood market is a tough way to make a living,your overhead is to high,everything wears out very quickly and the return on your investment is quite low.Going the kiln dried route changes your profit margins to the point of the business really becoming viable.You start making 800 to 1000 dollars a cord and you will never sell wood any other way.Long winded yes,but if you want to make a six figure income and distance yourself from the pack of everyday firewood guys go this route,you won't be sorry.
                                                               Len

[beenthere]

You start making 800 to 1000 dollars a cord and you will never sell wood any other way

That prolly is true, but getting a profit of $800 - $1000 a cord may be a real problem.
However, if it could happen, might be the way to go ;)

[SwampDonkey]

That may sound attractive, but there is a lot more processing, handling and bundling. You also have to be in the right neighborhood to make it work and have a good camp ground market. In my area it wouldn't work at all, no camp grounds to speak of (only three in the whole county, no fires aloud in a couple) and you don't see anyone buying bundled firewood. At one time the province had a lot of picnic areas and rest areas until they decided it was too costly to maintain with the local trouble makers busting up tables and out houses. That would have created a market, but often times good things end when people don't appreciate it. ;)

[allagashwoods]

Hi, The 800-1000 dollar per cord is gross profit netting out at about 60% depending on your overhead.I live in an area close to NYC and the target buyers  are condo owners.A lot of high end customers that we pay the money in exchange for a good product and more importantly, fantastic service.

[zopi]

If you can sell it, it is still better than delivering and stacking by the cord....

[rcanderson1968]

I briefly looked into kiln drying firewood. 

A big advantage is that a firewood manufacturer can dry 4 to 7 cords in 3 to 5 days depending on species and initial moisture content.  Those figures were provided by the vendor I talked to.  I didn't crunch any numbers, but I'm sure for a larger scale firewood producer that's a whole lot better than waiting months or a whole year for cords and cords of firewood to season.  The other advantage that's already been mentioned is that laws are becoming more restrictive about how far firewood can be shipped if its not heat treated or kiln dried.

The reason I stopped thinking about kiln drying was the vendor gave me a quote of about $40,000 for a system (including all equipment, installation and setup, and freight) so basically a turnkey cost.  I'm just getting started in the firewood business, so I am no where close to being ready to make that kind of investment.  Still, the day might come where a dry kiln is what's needed in order to be more than just a "hobby" firewood business.

[CRThomas]

Hi rcanderson1968,

I live in Portland, OR.  I'm thinking of starting a small, part-time firewood bundling business so that my sons can earn some spending cash and save some money for college.

I think there's a pretty good market for bundled firewood among all the suburbanites that can't make their own firewood, but still occasionally use firewood in a fireplace, backyard fire pit, or for camping.

I was wondering if anyone has experience in how to develop a market for bundled firewood?

Thanks,I sell bundled firewood only I do very well but that is all I is bundled firewood
Roy

[CRThomas]

I briefly looked into kiln drying firewood.  

A big advantage is that a firewood manufacturer can dry 4 to 7 cords in 3 to 5 days depending on species and initial moisture content.  Those figures were provided by the vendor I talked to.  I didn't crunch any numbers, but I'm sure for a larger scale firewood producer that's a whole lot better than waiting months or a whole year for cords and cords of firewood to season.  The other advantage that's already been mentioned is that laws are becoming more restrictive about how far firewood can be shipped if its not heat treated or kiln dried.

The reason I stopped thinking about kiln drying was the vendor gave me a quote of about $40,000 for a system (including all equipment, installation and setup, and freight) so basically a turnkey cost.  

I'm just getting started in the firewood business, so I am no where close to being ready to make that kind of
investment.  Still, the day might come where a dry kiln is what's needed in order to be more than just a
"hobby" firewood business.

I got a 20 ft container and built one for under $4000.00 dollars

[Ianab]

There is a local market for that bundled wood sold at the gas station etc.

What the local guys guys do is buy offcuts from one of the big wood processing companies. They run an "Optimiser" which takes low grade, but kiln dried, boards and runs them though a computerised chop saw and throw out all the knotty pieces. Then glues the board back together again to make a much more valuable "clear" paint grade board. So they end up with skip bins full of knotty boards, all neatly cut into 6-12" lengths, all kiln dried, ready to be stuffed into a plastic bag and sold.

It's all pine, but that's the common firewood in these parts anyway, and burns with a nice cheery fire, even if it doesn't last as long as a denser hardwood. That fast cheerful fire is what the bundled firewood buyers are looking for.

Ian

[SwampDonkey]

It's all pine, but that's the common firewood in these parts anyway, and burns with a nice cheery fire, even if it doesn't last as long as a denser hardwood. That fast cheerful fire is what the bundled firewood buyers are looking for.

Ian

I know I'm getting away for the spirit of the thread here but....

The snap, crackle and pop ejecting embers on the floor is one of the reasons softwood isn't used when you have hardwood on hand. I know of more than one house that burned down because of embers that popped out of the fire onto a unprotected floor when left unattended and possibly asleep in bed. And yes, the sparks have been known to exit old stoves with no screen over the draft plate. Not so bad if the fireplace is screened or glassed.

[gunman63]

I briefly looked into kiln drying firewood.  

A big advantage is that a firewood manufacturer can dry 4 to 7 cords in 3 to 5 days depending on species and initial moisture content.  Those figures were provided by the vendor I talked to.  I didn't crunch any numbers, but I'm sure for a larger scale firewood producer that's a whole lot better than waiting months or a whole year for cords and cords of firewood to season.  The other advantage that's already been mentioned is that laws are becoming more restrictive about how far firewood can be shipped if its not heat treated or kiln dried.

The reason I stopped thinking about kiln drying was the vendor gave me a quote of about $40,000 for a system (including all equipment, installation and setup, and freight) so basically a turnkey cost.  

I'm just getting started in the firewood business, so I am no where close to being ready to make that kind of
investment.  Still, the day might come where a dry kiln is what's needed in order to be more than just a
"hobby" firewood business.

I got a 20 ft container and built one for under $4000.00 dollars

what and how do u dry firewood, how many cords at a time, length of time to  dry, cost per cord?

[rcanderson1968]

Gunman,

Check out this website:

http://www.mountainfirewoodkilns.com/firewood_kiln.php

[CRThomas]

If you can sell it, it is still better than delivering and stacking by the cord....

My wife and me have worked with selling F/W. We live in a area of low income people let's say. We tried different types of selling. We have ended up taking our wood to the area where they got money to buy our wood. We do not sell in bulk we only sell bundled. people come by and want to buy bundles we say no. We do not have to have the volume of wood by bundling it. It's easier split,size,wrap and bag deliver. It is almost 0100 and I am ready to start my day I be loaded will take 8 bags with 30 in each bag eat breakfast at 0700 be at farmers market at 0900 should be sold out at 1500 this after noon at $2.50 a bundle. This system work after along time of different ways. I had employs before now just me and my wife for got my grand daughter help when she can. I have got customers that trust me they leave there house un locked and tell me to set two bundles on there fireplace. My equipment is always spotless. I only sell the inside of the log where the bundles look good and the out side to park. If you do wood try bundling one person can make a good income.

[CRThomas]

Hi,

I live in Portland, OR.  I'm thinking of starting a small, part-time firewood bundling business so that my sons can earn some spending cash and save some money for college.

I think there's a pretty good market for bundled firewood among all the suburbanites that can't make their own firewood, but still occasionally use firewood in a fireplace, backyard fire pit, or for camping.

I was wondering if anyone has experience in how to develop a market for bundled firewood?

Thanks,
I am in the wrapping firewood business. It has been very good to me after I got all the bugs out and the way it works for my area and me. I make a good living year round selling bundled firewood only.
When you do get in the business your fly by nighters will be a pain in the behind. Most fly by nights can't afford to do wrapped wood. Because they go out of business when the grass gets green. They will tell you they going to put you out of business. I have about $150,000.00 dollars invested in my wood wrapping business and that not counting my buildings 3 trucks, 2 front end loaders, 2 wrappers, 2 splitters, 2 chop saws, 100 of bag that hold a rank of wood, thousands of sand bags for chips, 1000 to 1500 tons of logs, my dryer, 3 trailers, saws and all the other tool to complete the jobs. Figure which way you want to go have back up money if you do not have a extra income. Stick you fing in the tub to see if it to hot don't jump in. Gooood luuuuck
Roy

[CRThomas]

Chuck does have a very well thought out and well built system.

just a change I made in my wrappers to please my customer to bring the weight down in the bottom of the box I put 2 half circles in bottom of each box cut it to a .65 my customers are elderly a full  12 x 12 was to heavy. It helps hold that circle to make the bundle look good. If wrapping for the park it doesn't make any difference I don't sell to the park any more it was more than I could handle. I love dealing with people personally. The fellow that takes care of the parks and camp ground call me for wood to keep up. The park bundles are even a load for me. I sell him the ugly wood that people don't want in there homes. My wood is the heart of the log I split off the bark.

[Buck]

CRT. I have read many of your post elsewhere and am glad to hear you are doing well with business. I couldnt figure if you were actually "making it" or not from what I had read. I knew you had good ideas. I would like to know more about your container kiln if you would share. Welcome to the Forestry Forum...I find this is a much better place to spend my down time.

[gunman63]

Gunman,

Check out this website:

http://www.mountainfirewoodkilns.com/firewood_kiln.php

nothign on there about cost per cord to  dry wood, looking for info  from  a person that has kilned dryed it, yes i know it varies.

[CRThomas]

Thanks for the info guys.  There really is a lot of good information on that thread.  By the way, I took the plunge and ordered a bundling machine today!

when you start wrapping be sure and look at your future customers. Campers want big bundles. Little old lady's down the street want what they can handle. Make a bundle and have your wife take it out of the bundler. Women spend money on stuff like this men spend there money on toys to play in the shop with. Always make your bundles pretty for the lady. If it looks and smell nice when burning and not messy. They be back for more. And women like to be waited on. Class your self as a catering service. Not a dime guy with a load of nastey wood mess up her house and scare her dog or cat. Chase later. Got two customers.

[CRThomas]

CRT. I have read many of your post elsewhere and am glad to hear you are doing well with business. I couldnt figure if you were actually "making it" or not from what I had read. I knew you had good ideas. I would like to know more about your container kiln if you would share. Welcome to the Forestry Forum...I find this is a much better place to spend my down time.

hey Buck since I tried all angles and ended up where I am at and spent a lot of money in the learning process this year has been very successful my work load has been cut to under half of what it was. Two couples come in and finish buying the rest of my bundles make my gross $600.00 to day at the farmers market it is now 1315 and I am going home. I am tired it's been a long day later Buck

[rcanderson1968]

Gunman,

I don't have any experience operating a firewood dry kiln, but I thought it would be interesting to try to estimate what drying would cost per cord.  So I did some figuring and came up with an estimate of about $40 per cord.

My estimate is based on the following assumptions:

- the kiln can hold 6 cords
- the drying time is 120 hours
- there's two, 2.5 HP of fans in the kiln that operate continuously and circulate the air at 500 cubic feet per minute.  Assuming power costs $0.10/kwh that works out to about $45 in power costs.  I'm no electrical engineer so I might be way off here.
- about 10,000 pounds of water need to be removed from the 6 cords of firewood and it takes about 1700 BTU per pound of water removed plus about 2.4 million btu's to initially heat the wood after it enters the kiln.  That works out to a heat need of about 165,000 BTU/hour.  
- Assuming you can deliver 4,500 btu per pound of wood burned you would need a little less than 1 cord of fuel wood to dry 6 cords of firewood.  I charged the operation $75/cord of wood for fueling the heating system.
- I also assumed $50 in labor cost for loading/unloading the kiln and tending the heating system while drying.
- finally I included a depreciation cost of $85/charge.  This is based on an all inclusive kiln capital cost of $30,000 (includes kiln box, fans, heating system, rolling stock for loading/unloading, and bins for storing firewood while drying).  A 5 year depreciation schedule and reducing the annual depreciation cost by the portion of the year needed to dry 1 charge (6 cords).

So the total cost is $240 to dry 6 cords or $40 per cord ($50 for labor, $63 for fuel, $45 for power, and $82 for depreciation).  

Like I said earlier, I have no experience operating a kiln, so this is just an estimate based on rough assumptions.  I'd welcome comments from anyone with figures based on actual experience, or with more refined numbers to use in the assumptions.

[John Mc]

rcanderson -

Shold some of the costs you listed as "per cord" actually be "per kiln load" (which is 6 cords)?

[rcanderson1968]

John Mc,

The costs I estimated were all per kiln charge.  They included $50 for labor, $63 for fuel, $45 for power, and $82 for depreciation.  They add up to $240 in total cost per charge.  I then divided $240 by the 6 cords per charge to arrive at an estimated kiln drying cost for firewood of $40 per cord.

I tried to explain how I developed all the estimates, but maybe too much explanation made it more confusing!

[John Mc]

John Mc,

The costs I estimated were all per kiln charge.  They included $50 for labor, $63 for fuel, $45 for power, and $82 for depreciation.  They add up to $240 in total cost per charge.  I then divided $240 by the 6 cords per charge to arrive at an estimated kiln drying cost for firewood of $40 per cord.

I tried to explain how I developed all the estimates, but maybe too much explanation made it more confusing!

I figured that out. The part I was commenting on was up in the middle of your post, you referred to some of these charges as being per cord, not per kiln charge (for example: "$75/cord of wood for fueling the heating system" and "I included a depreciation cost of $85/cord"). If those really were "per cord" charges, the cost of kiln drying would be higher than the selling price of a cord of seasoned hardwood around here.

I did not mean to sound critical. I think it's great that you went to the effort of figuring out these numbers and posting them. I understood what you meant after I did some figuring. Having these numbers is a great conversation starter for anyone thinking of getting in to kiln drying firewood.

Like you, I have no experience operating a kiln. However, I've often wondered if kiln-drying firewood would be "worth it" in my area.
___________________________

One assumption I would really like to hear feedback on from anyone with experience kiln-drying firewood:

You mentioned 120 hours to dry a charge of firewood. Does it really take 5 days for firewood, or can you speed things along since you are not concerned about warpage, checking, and all those other things you have to worry about when drying lumber? I don't know if it's possible, but if you could cut that time significantly that might change the equation a bit... both in cost per cord, and in overall through-put of a kiln.

John Mc

[CRThomas]

We bought a twister about a month ago. Electric model. We stockpile the pieces off the mill that we can't use, cut them to length, then toss them in a dumpster. We have a bay set up to put it in. Then when guys have time, or want a little overtime, they haul it over in the bucket of the skid steer and run it through. We also are attaching the handles to the bundles. I suppose we got half a dozen good sized pallets of it ready. I hope the wood can dry out in the bundles. This wood is the smaller stuff off the edgings of the mill.

keep it in a dry place and air flow. I have a wood burner with a fan in the tack to blow air it works I burn my trash wood in it solve two problems. Get red of my waste and dry the good stuff. My customers don't like bark it makes a mess. Later

[CRThomas]

rcanderson -

Shold some of the costs you listed as "per cord" actually be "per kiln load" (which is 6 cords)?

My kiln drier is a 20 ft container. I built a wood burner on the back of it with 2 tanks. It is set so I just throw my scrap in there. Fill it when I am away and close it up. I have 4 foot fan at the other end that pulls the air threw the wood. I can get 3 loads a week gross receivables from there loads is $1500 a week. But my wood is air dried for 1 to 3 years. be for it goes in the drier. Cost to build it is all that I spent. My big sellers are fruit woods and ash and poplar. So times people ask for hickory but I give them some fruit wood I get them out of the ditch that there is more than one way to skin a cat. I have customers for certain wood the way the want it. I can dry one rank in my shop down to 2 to 3 percent. For big barbecue shows they go to. One of my customers has been a top contender at Memphis in May 3 years in a row. When he comes to get it out of the drier and sealed in air tight bags. He pays me and says our little secret right yes.he pays me $2.50 a bag and a $100.00 tip. I am building on a 20 x 20 building now for my drier.
So this why I left the bulk firewood to the beer drinkers. I am just as busy in somer as winter. Later

[CRThomas]

CRT. I have read many of your post elsewhere and am glad to hear you are doing well with business. I couldnt figure if you were actually "making it" or not from what I had read. I knew you had good ideas. I would like to know more about your container kiln if you would share. Welcome to the Forestry Forum...I find this is a much better place to spend my down time.

I am 70 so I take break more than I use to on my breaks I am on here looking for ideas than make me a better firewood sales person. I dislike most bulk firewood sells they rip there customers off you see them unloading at somebody's house and drinking beer.  They get mad if the people pay them by check. They come in the cafe I go to the talk. Enough of that there many good ones to but we have to pay for the bad ones to. You have to love what ever you do or get out. Later

[Buck]

I too find that my customers come back to me year after year because they like being treated right. Many times I have gone in the late hours with just enough wood to keep an elderly couple through the night until I could return for a regular delivery. Word travels fast when you provide good product and service.  It sure leaves a lot of money on the table if you dont cash in on the bundled craze.  I still will have many bulk customers calling. First mild cool front came through yesterday here.  Nothing to really mention but over the last three days I have taken orders for about 10 cords. 

[CRThomas]

I too find that my customers come back to me year after year because they like being treated right. Many times I have gone in the late hours with just enough wood to keep an elderly couple through the night until I could return for a regular delivery. Word travels fast when you provide good product and service.  It sure leaves a lot of money on the table if you dont cash in on the bundled craze.  I still will have many bulk customers calling. First mild cool front came through yesterday here.  Nothing to really mention but over the last three days I have taken orders for about 10 cords. 

Good deal buck I like to see a fellow firewood man have to work to. My wife and some of her friends were down at the park some guy had gathered up stick and tied them in a bundle with bailing twin $1.00 a bundle got me worried might be out of business tomorrow. Got to bag some kindling. It's waste I was going to burn guy said he would give me $40.00 for the bag delivered it has every thing in it but all hard wood and fruit. Basically he's getting a good deal. He puts in in sandwich bags and sells it for a dollar a bag. Later Buck

[CRThomas]

rcanderson -

Shold some of the costs you listed as "per cord" actually be "per kiln load" (which is 6 cords)?

I have a friend puts his wood in his breeze way of his barn and drys his wood very good he always has a draft one way or the other later

[beenthere]

CR
Lots of ways to dry wood.

[CRThomas]

Hi rcanderson1968,

I live in Portland, OR.  I'm thinking of starting a small, part-time firewood bundling business so that my sons can earn some spending cash and save some money for college.

I think there's a pretty good market for bundled firewood among all the suburbanites that can't make their own firewood, but still occasionally use firewood in a fireplace, backyard fire pit, or for camping.

I was wondering if anyone has experience in how to develop a market for bundled firewood?

Thanks,I sell bundled firewood only I do very well but that is all I is bundled firewood. If you are the only one selling bundled firewood in your area that's your plus. Always keep some in your truck. Go to your local stores and see what they sell it at. If they pay $2.85 whole sale and sell for $5.00 then you can sell retail for $2.85. I sell for $2.50  chips in a bag for $1.50 a bag. This time of year is the best time to get started. A little ad in the paper. Park in a high traffic area with easy to get to your spot. When I go set up now I have to take around 10 rank of wrapped wood and my wrapper so I can make bundles like people like lots of news papers. My generator for my staple gun. My big fan when it's hot. I stand by my gen when it cold. You got to make mistakes to get good. I feel go with my self people tell me I am good at what I do. I made some very costly mistakes. So don't feel bad just write it of at tax time. You have to get out and shake the bushes. I got a good customer line but I have to stay with it or I lose them. Later
Roy

[CRThomas]

use the search engine and type in bundled firewood. There is a member doing very well in the Indy area.

I had a lady for me to take out the garbage. No problem p/u garbage bag walk by the trash can drop it get in my truck go to next customer. I been ask to mail letters. I set a bag of 30 in her spot and $75.00 to next customer. Been ask to set two by the fire place. Been ask to hold the dog while they put flea and tick medicine on them. Just makes good customers. Later

[CRThomas]

use the search engine and type in bundled firewood. There is a member doing very well in the Indy area.

I had a lady for me to take out the garbage. No problem p/u garbage bag walk by the trash can drop it get in my truck go to next customer. I been ask to mail letters. I set a bag of 30 in her spot and $75.00 to next customer. Been ask to set two by the fire place. Been ask to hold the dog while they put flea and tick medicine on them. Just makes good customers. Later My wife finally got the numbers after labor fuel equipment wrapper all extras we clear $1.23 a bundle. When you see it sell for $5.00 dollars it has to many people needing profit. I don't drive ten miles for 1 bundle. I have about finish a bundler off and my old log splitter is showing it time to replace it. I have a $150,000,00 worth of equipment and firewood and tax write off has pay for it. Never forget that tax write off.

[D4ster]

This may be hepful for those who are looking into kiln dried firewood bundling.  not perfect, but a good template.

[CRThomas]

Hi,

I live in Portland, OR.  I'm thinking of starting a small, part-time firewood bundling business so that my sons can earn some spending cash and save some money for college.

I think there's a pretty good market for bundled firewood among all the suburbanites that can't make their own firewood, but still occasionally use firewood in a fireplace, backyard fire pit, or for camping.

I was wondering if anyone has experience in how to develop a market for bundled firewood?

Thanks,
Roy

When it comes to selling bundled firewood area is more important. I keep busy on the north end of town but can't give it away on south end of town.

[CRThomas]

I am answering two questions in this note if your going to be part time Hudson makes a $500.00 wrapper fits on bumper work right out of the bed of your truck. Me and my wife are full time bundles. We make a very comfortable living. Bundled firewood is a year round business. I sell as much firewood in the summer as the winter. I sold bulk firewood stay tired all my equipment tore up now with only bundled firewood and profit not tired no equipment tore up. I pay 45 dollars for a truck load it makes 90 bundles at min. 2.50 a bundle I make 225.00 dollars of a p/u load my prices go from the 2.50 to 10.00 dollars a bundle

[CRThomas]

Hi,

I live in Portland, OR.  I'm thinking of starting a small, part-time firewood bundling business so that my sons can earn some spending cash and save some money for college.

I think there's a pretty good market for bundled firewood among all the suburbanites that can't make their own firewood, but still occasionally use firewood in a fireplace, backyard fire pit, or for camping.

I was wondering if anyone has experience in how to develop a market for bundled firewood?

Thanks,
Roy

hey fellows I need a little help on pricing. There is a fellow who puts loose firewood in a 3 x 3 rack and the gas stations sells it for $27.50 3 x 3 that's not even a half of a rank or Rick and people are emptying his racks every other day. I need info why when they can get a truck load for $45.00 When you get in the bundled firewood business you have to stay with change people see what your doing they cut your price and bad mouth you if you make one mistake with a customer they will go out of there way to bad mouth you

[beenthere]

I suspect they don't want a truck load, but only a trunk load in the car. And likely it is a man doing the shopping/buying and not the lady who will compute the price to the last penny. He wants some wood for a fire and it is available at the gas station where it is handy and 1/4th price of a tank of fuel in his car or truck.
Don't know for sure, but the thought I had when you asked (at least I think you asked...  ;D  ).

Now what was the question about pricing that you need help with?  ;)

[SwampDonkey]

People don't need a bad deal to bad mouth about someone. The neighbor here one time said the maple syrup tasted like wood smoke. Never used wood to boil it down. See what I mean? :D

[CRThomas]

If he took my advice, he went with the Twister firewood bundler that Chuck makes. Well over 40,000 bundles run through our Twister and not a single problem. Like it so much we are looking to buy a second one.

Hudson makes a good bundler I have 2 hand crank one was electric I toke the electric off and put a crank on it after you bundle your wood put it in you shed with a fan it dry good if you are bundling Ash that's all my customers want. Me and my wife done a world of testing now we make a great income off just bundle ash fire.

[CRThomas]

People don't need a bad deal to bad mouth about someone. The neighbor here one time said the maple syrup tasted like wood smoke. Never used wood to boil it down. See what I mean? :D

at the price and the distance were would his profit be. I could deliver that if I got all the mony but half noway I have alway done truck load or bundled  I don't truck load but small loads look but not to whole sale as you say might be be they only  have car I can haul about 20 of those 3 x 3 for 27.50 dollars and delivrer them some thing to think about

[CRThomas]

People don't need a bad deal to bad mouth about someone. The neighbor here one time said the maple syrup tasted like wood smoke. Never used wood to boil it down. See what I mean? :D

The person I was talking about has to travel over a 100 miles to deliver this wood so he has to be making a profit or he would have went broke a long time a go some thing to look in to I ownly have to drive 5 to 10 miles yrs something to look into

[Corley5]

  I've got a Twister and two bundle wood accounts.  The only reason I have those two is they each buy 20 face cord of firewood a year besides the bundles.  One is the local gas station/party store and the other is a rental cabin place on the West Branch of the Sturgeon.  They sell the bundles for use in the riverfront cabin fireplaces and heat their own house with the wood.  The store owner has a Central Boiler.  He likes his wood unsplit and green as possible  8) 8)    I've turned down other possible accounts.  Too much extra time and labor in bundling, delivering, and stacking the bundles.  The stretch wrap costs too.  I can make just as much profit with bulk wood processed directly into the trailer or truck and dumped at the clients site.  That's my experience  ;D

[beenthere]

CRT
Did you move to Southern IL recently? Any trouble moving ash firewood around to sell?

[CRThomas]

The county's I live in are Ash free is of now I sell in Mo. And all of Mo. Is not able to move Ash out of the state. My county I can move Ash any place in the United State till the worm gets here. I live in the middle of a big forestry they got it blocked so for. Reason I sell Ash bundle a bundle of Ash then bundle a bundle of Oak then weigh them. The thank of your self being 70 years old. You deliver it to the customer it's in there garage there fireplace is on the second floor. That's the reason I put three bundles at each fireplace.

[CRThomas]

I have lived in southern Illinois all my life. The government don't count southern il as part of the state they would like to give us away but nobody wants us. Most people burn wood in there stoves this part of the state they burn batterys take there spitter and cut tires in to 4 pieces and burn them.

[CRThomas]

John Mc,

The costs I estimated were all per kiln charge.  They included $50 for labor, $63 for fuel, $45 for power, and $82 for depreciation.  They add up to $240 in total cost per charge.  I then divided $240 by the 6 cords per charge to arrive at an estimated kiln drying cost for firewood of $40 per cord.

I tried to explain how I developed all the estimates, but maybe too much explanation made it more confusing!

I figured that out. The part I was commenting on was up in the middle of your post, you referred to some of these charges as being per cord, not per kiln charge (for example: "$75/cord of wood for fueling the heating system" and "I included a depreciation cost of $85/cord"). If those really were "per cord" charges, the cost of kiln drying would be higher than the selling price of a cord of seasoned hardwood around here.

I did not mean to sound critical. I think it's great that you went to the effort of figuring out these numbers and posting them. I understood what you meant after I did some figuring. Having these numbers is a great conversation starter for anyone thinking of getting in to kiln drying firewood.

Like you, I have no experience operating a kiln. However, I've often wondered if kiln-drying firewood would be "worth it" in my area.
___________________________

One assumption I would really like to hear feedback on from anyone with experience kiln-drying firewood:

You mentioned 120 hours to dry a charge of firewood. Does it really take 5 days for firewood, or can you speed things along since you are not concerned about warpage, checking, and all those other things you have to worry about when drying lumber? I don't know if it's possible, but if you could cut that time significantly that might change the equation a bit... both in cost per cord, and in overall through-put of a kiln.

John Mc

I am going to give you my figures on the way I dry my ASH. I sold my container and put NG furnace in my shop it will hold a cord of ready to wrap firewood to dry I cut my ASH befor the leave show up or after they fall off. With a little heat and a fan ASH fresh cut is only about 38 to 42 percent. I can pull it on down over night to 15 percent then I wrap it and put in storage to be delivered when needed. gas and light bill runs about $60.00 a month. Now my garage is heated and my hold house Gen set run on the NG not propane. That is a little over a 100 cord a year. My drying area in my shop is 10 ft by 20 ft. Remember I only do ASH bundle fire wood is for looks. After New Years all bulk fir wood sellers only have green wood to sell so they buy my bundles to get the stuff burning that some body told them was dry Bundling and sell firewood the way is a learning process. You sell a rank for $45.00 I sell the same amount for about $250.00. You sell almost the same amount year round Good Luck it won't let you down if work and learn.