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Customer wants boards 25 feet long

Started by smokeatrr, June 10, 2015, 09:42:54 AM

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smokeatrr

I have an LT 35 which the max length cut is 21 feet I nave a customer wanting boards for siding 25 ft long. Is it worth buying the extension rails and will board this long hold up?

dboyt

You can cut longer boards than the length of the bed, but it takes some doing.  First, make sure the customer really wants 21' boards.  I once had a customer ask for 18' boards and after all the extra work I did to make them (16' capability for the mill), he found them too long for his trailer, so he whipped out a chain saw & cut them in half!  He said he thought it would be cheaper to cut them longer since there would only be half as many logs to cut.  I've heard other similar stories.  I wouldn't extend the track for just one cutting job unless it will pay for it.  Even then, I'd charge a premium.  Who is supplying the logs?
Norwood MX34 Pro portable sawmill, 8N Ford, Lewis Winch

beenthere

smokeatrr
Do yourself a favor, and saw within the limits of your mill.
Sounds like the customer just doesn't want to end-butt his siding boards. Let him/her cover that problem. just sayin....

And you are right about wondering how to handle a siding board that long..  ;D
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Sixacresand

Quote from: dboyt on June 10, 2015, 09:55:57 AM
so he whipped out a chain saw & cut them in half! 
Oh no.  What a waste of time and good long logs.
"Sometimes you can make more hay with less equipment if you just use your head."  Tom, Forestry Forum.  Tenth year with a LT40 Woodmizer,

redbeard

There are some advantages to having the extension on your mill, first its nice to be able to mill long lengths, also its nice to get your mill head out of the way for setting a long log on the mill, also your not hitting the end of track stops. Beams are probably the number one reason to invest in the extension. And you have to look at how you will handle these big logs. A 6x16x 28' beam is  heavy let alone the log to make that beam. The reclaim timber market is a good niche especially if you can offer longer mill lengths. Warehouses and barns usually offer big long cants and beams in there structure. And the customers that buy these parts are looking for mills that can help resize them for there projects.
Whidbey Woodworks and Custom Milling  2019 Cooks AC 3662T High production band mill and a Hud-son 60 Diesel wide cut bandmill  JD 2240 50hp Tractor with 145 loader IR 1044 all terrain fork lift  Cooks sharp

customsawyer

I don't know how many boards he wants but I wouldn't want to be the one to put them on the wall. The lower ones would be bad enough but once you get up on a ladder the fun is going to stop.
Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

smokeatrr

thanks for the replies. I have some experience with construction and know boards that do not really like to stay straight.

Magicman

If the market is there sure, but buying a specialized piece of equipment for one job seems not too economical, and the one job may not even pay for the extension.  That would leave you collecting dust until/if another opportunity for long boards comes along.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

4x4American

Tell him youll saw em to 20' and then to use a board stretcher for the rest
Boy, back in my day..

shakebone

If you have a hyd mill with roller toe boards you can saw the limit then roll the can't back as its cutting its a pain and dangerous but will work just make sure you don't roll it past center where it will see saw with you use a roller bed blocked up and be careful
Lt40 super desiel , LT 35 hyd , New Holland ls 180 , Case 75xt ,
So many logs so little time.

Cedarman

We have sawn 34'  4" x 8" on our  20' mill.  Pain in the butt, the money more than made up for it.  We only have to make 6 to 10 at a time.  And out of ERC!!!
I learned many years ago how to saw overly long stuff on a short mill.  I set the price, they decide go or no go.  I smiled and they smiled.  They did say I was higher than anyone in the country.  I said, have them mill them.  They said no one else could.  Then he said, you are high, but you are good.  Love it.

Bottom line is well the bottom line.  Is it worth your time? Wouldn't buy the extension unless  you will use it a lot more in the future.
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Quote from: beenthere on June 10, 2015, 10:30:16 AM
smokeatrr
Do yourself a favor, and saw within the limits of your mill.
Sounds like the customer just doesn't want to end-butt his siding boards. Let him/her cover that problem. just sayin....



I have to agree with Brother Been on this one.  :)
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

4x4American

Wow that is some long cedar!  Can't find any erc around here like that!
Boy, back in my day..

WDH

Sometmes I have found that it is best to just say no. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

dtwn08

Quote from: customsawyer on June 10, 2015, 04:51:15 PM
I don't know how many boards he wants but I wouldn't want to be the one to put them on the wall. The lower ones would be bad enough but once you get up on a ladder the fun is going to stop.

With boards that length.....what fun?!  :laugh:

WV Sawmiller

I'd try to discourage him but if that did not work I'd price them such that he was paying for my equipment, since I might never need it again, and any extra labor and handling costs. You can often chase someone away tactfully by giving them a gosh-awful price but sometimes they don't care and will pay. If it were me I know I'd have to get the extra equipment and practice with it till I was comfortable with it before cutting for a customer and there would be that expense too.

I recently had a guy order 28 - 3/4"X6"X16' boards (which were no real problem to cut with my equipment which looks like same as yours) then drove 90+ miles each way and rented a trailer to haul them because he did not own such equipment because he could not find such anywhere else. In the end he paid what I asked without question and was very pleased.

Good luck.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

beenthere

I'm curious as to what grade or quality the customer expects in these 25' boards and how many are needed. Any idea?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

customsawyer

Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

bandmiller2

Many pilgrims don't understand the board foot thingy and think they are paying per board so they figure they will cut it in half and get a twofer. Theirs no profit in diddling with logs longer than your mill can handle. Talk to customers and find out what their going to do unless its someone you know is build savvy. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

GAB

Had a request for some long boards from a potential customer.
I told him I'd give him the serial number of my mill and he could contact W-M and order an extension bed and when he had it and the logs then I'd be willing to attach his extension bed to my mill and saw out his dream boards.  When the job was completed he would then still have an extension bed to do with it as he desired.
It did not happen.
Gerald
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

Cedarman

Every customer request offers an economic opportunity.  Even now , when I turn business away because we are too busy I will listen to the request.  We may decide to quote and give a time that will fit our schedule, because it will be profitable to do so.
When asked to saw the 34 foot 4x8, I quoted a big price. and said we could do 5 or 6 since that is all the long logs I had that would make what he wanted.  He said that was high, but do them.  Then he said if we could have them done in 4 days he would give the sawyers and extra $170 for their troubles of working over the weekend.  My son and head sawyer came in on a Saturday, sawed the wood in a few hours.  Got their regular pay and all the bonus. 
Just because a job is difficult, does not mean it cannot be very profitable.
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

longtime lurker

You are being approached to supply a specialty product that just isn't available at the box store. The question is not can you saw them because ... Y'know you can it just means spending a bit of money to buy in equipment.

There are really only two, maybe three matters that you need to think on:
Can you get a regular supply of logs that long?
How much of a premium would that timber carry?
Do you want to be the "go to" guy for longs, and be able to advertise something that stands out from the crowd.... or do you want to be just another guy with just another sawmill?

Those are questions only you can answer because longs are a PITA. But they can often be a quite lucrative PITA.
The quickest way to make a million dollars with a sawmill is to start with two million.

WDH

Quote from: Cedarman on June 11, 2015, 10:02:46 AM
Every customer request offers an economic opportunity.

The guy who contacted me on my website who wanted to buy thick slabs who said he was from Virginia but turned out to have an IP from Ghana did not seem like such a great economic opportunity for me.  Maybe for him. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

shakebone

I like customers who want something different that's where I get that high value wood prices I like a challenge anyway !
Lt40 super desiel , LT 35 hyd , New Holland ls 180 , Case 75xt ,
So many logs so little time.

WV Sawmiller

WDH,

   Not real sure what the Ghana IP address had to do with the request unless he was trying to get you to start an order without a deposit. I guess if he sent me the money I'd start the order unless I had some reason to think something illegal was in the works.

   My last assignment was Guinea in West W. Africa and I am sure I checked various websites to purchases on my return home to WV. I assume my request would have appeared the same even though would have been on the up and up.

   Hope it all works out well for both you and your customer.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Brucer

For every foot of length over 20', I add $.06 per BF to the entire board. If the board/timber is longer than 26', I add an additional charge of $.50 per BF to the entire board.

I have convinced the odd customer that a 30' 8x12 supported on 3 posts might look impressive, but it will 50% more than two 16' timbers spliced. Some folks like the "wow" factor and will pay.

For one or two timbers, I will "cheat", pushing beyond the theoretical limit of my mill. Beyond that, I will crunch the numbers on adding an extension.

When I added my first 6' extension, my overlength charges didn't quite pay for the extension. On the other hand, I would have lost the entire job if I couldn't provide all the timbers. I made $20,000 clear on that job -- less the cost of the extension.

Looking at the individual pieces, it wasn't worth it to buy an extension. Looking at the whole job, it definitely was worth it.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

prittgers

The longest beam I have cut on an LT40 is 40 foot with no extension.   Beams - YES!  Boards, with no extension - NO!
Parker Rittgers
Professional Sawyer, Retired, well, not really !
WoodMizer Alaska | 907.360.2497 cell 336.5143 office BevelSider.com ? Everything BevelSider
907.336.5143
prittgers@aksamill.com

smokeatrr

Thanks again for all the input. The customer would supply all his own trees, wants to use the lumber for siding.

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