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big job dilemma

Started by dirthawger, December 04, 2017, 08:50:15 PM

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dirthawger

Im getting a sawmill at the beginning of the year.  ive asked the tree guys i grind stumps for to save me trees they don't want.  Well i got the call for 47 trees.  Now I'm thinking what do i do now, wasnt prepared for that much.  i got my 1 ton with 15ft trailer. 38mins one way.  Not sure how big they are,  he said the biggest is 24in in diameter. Id hate to turn it down,  that's a lot of money
Any advice?

Napoleon1

What kind of mill are you getting? I'm close by you.

WV Sawmiller

dirthawger,

   Congrats on the mill. Not sure what type you are getting. A 24" log would not be huge but would be a nice find/fit for my mill. Hope it works well for you too. Where are you storing the logs? If portable just center stack several piles and saw each pile in turn if you have the space. May want to separate by species and saw the more time sensitive and/or high value logs first. Some wood like locust, white oak and walnut will last a lot longer than others like pine or soft maple or such.

    Also that would let you experiment on low value wood till you have saw into the side supports and left the end roller up a few times and maybe even forget and leave the side supports down and roll one or two off the mill. Basically just paying your dues and passing the learning curve. Of course you won't want to do any of those mistakes until you have a big crowd watching. :D
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

TKehl

Doesn't sound like it's all or nothing to me and I'm betting timeline is flexible unless being removed from a jobsite.  You may be saving them a chunk of $. 

First step is to sort the wheat from the chaff.  Just move the good* ones.  Then grab a load anytime you are over that way. 

*Good is subjective... :)
In the long run, you make your own luck – good, bad, or indifferent. Loretta Lynn

dirthawger

I was gonna probably start with a lt15 portable just to make sure ill get work for it then probably upgrade to the lt35. You have a proposition or advice to tackle this job? I don't want to short myself but i almost think I've put my foot in my mouth asking for something and then not being able to deliver. I mean it might well be worth hauling them all home, just didn't know if itd be worth it.

dirthawger

Yea im not sure what the timeline is. Its for a homeowner so not terribly time sensitive i don't think.  Its just the thought of hauling that many logs is a little intemidating but the thought of turning down that much wood makes my stomach turn. My plan was to just stack them on my property and cover with a tarp until ive purchased the mill.

nativewolf

don't cover with tarp.  You won't have too long to mill them being in the deep south, insects and fungus move in quickly.  I can't comment on the sawmill but it really matters what type of trees.  Are these pines?  Sweetgum?  etc.  Some you'd like, the sweetgums can be very tough.

How are you going to manipulate the logs, manual mill for 47 logs sounds like a big deal without the workflow, slabs, place to stack, etc.  Maybe see if a FF member is close by and strike a deal with them (someone with hydraulics  ;D )
Liking Walnut

Resonator

Like nativewolf says, find out what they have hardwood / softwood and how good the logs generally are (grade wise), and learn what will decay fastest. Take pictures and ask the forum if your not sure. Talk to a logger and see if it would be worth more to take some right to a commercial mill, and only keep some for yourself.

Quote: "I'd hate to turn it down, that's a lot of money." Log handling and saw milling is HARD work. Sometimes "free" is expensive. Remember, its not money until a buyer PAYS you for what you have. (Lumber, logs, etc.) My two pennies. Good luck!
Under bark there's boards and beams, somewhere in between.
Cuttin' while its green, through a steady sawdust stream.
I'm chasing the sawdust dream.

Proud owner of a Wood-Mizer 2017 LT28G19

Kbeitz

Just me but I️ would go for it.
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

Chop Shop

That's only 5 trips with ten logs or ten trips with five logs.

When opportunity knocks, answer the door!

Free logs is how you pay for an experimental mill.

TKehl

What would the tree service guy charge to move them?  One trip for him and one or two more with your rig...

Probably not a lot of log trucks in your area, but a dump truck can move a lot of logs as long as it can be loaded on site.
In the long run, you make your own luck – good, bad, or indifferent. Loretta Lynn

YellowHammer

Congratulations on the mill.  Free trees and logs always sound better over the phone.  I would do a scouting trip, hook up the trailer and had over there with the intention of getting to know the tree guy and getting to know the trees he cuts.  Odds are many of the trees aren't worth hauling.  However, I'd get the good ones, anyway.

If you develop a good business relationship with the guy, then the odds are good you can pay him some cash and the next time he is cutting somewhere between you and him, he can arrange to bring the logs in his truck, probably a dumper, straight to you.  He will also know what kind of logs you want.  I've done that many times.   
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

YellowHammer

Also, if you can upgrade, get a 14,000 lb dump trailer, or as big as possible to keep you undef CDL limits, 26,000 lbs.  I used to get call from tree guys and would park my trailer at their job site and unhook it and go to work.  After work, I'd swing back by, it would be full of logs, I'd hook it up and drive home.  Minimal time wasted.
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Magicman

My entire Cabin Addition project was done with free logs, most of which were already felled and bucked.  (I only had to fell two trees.)

When I am offered free logs and do not need the lumber myself, I call a couple of future customers and see if they need them.  They get the logs/lumber and I still get to do the sawing and get paid.
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

DanMc

Quote from: dirthawger on December 04, 2017, 08:50:15 PM
38mins one way.  Not sure how big they are,  he said the biggest is 24in in diameter. Id hate to turn it down,  that's a lot of money
Any advice?

Here's my advice: 38 minutes is a pretty short drive.  Go look at them.  Just one look may answer all your questions.  The logs could be something quite valuable, or they could be a rotted knarly mess.  I will say this much for sure - 45 logs is a lot of milling, especially when you are learning, and even more so if you are occupied with a full-time job. 
LT35HDG25
JD 4600, JD2210, JD332 tractors.
28 acres of trees, Still have all 10 fingers.
Jesus is Lord.

Resonator

quote "Well I got the call for 47 trees." How many LOGS are there in 47 TREES?
Under bark there's boards and beams, somewhere in between.
Cuttin' while its green, through a steady sawdust stream.
I'm chasing the sawdust dream.

Proud owner of a Wood-Mizer 2017 LT28G19

Ljohnsaw

Quote from: Resonator on December 05, 2017, 01:26:31 PM
quote "Well I got the call for 47 trees." How many LOGS are there in 47 TREES?
Now, that is a good question!  My neighbor up at my cabin site had 5 trees taken down and asked if I wanted them:

 

Turns out it was twenty-two 12 to 13' logs from 14 to 28" diameter.  I loaded my flat bed trailer with my SkyTrak and rolled them off on my property.  It took me all day to move them about 1,000'.  I could only load 2 at a time (of the big guys) because my 2WD truck had trouble climbing a moon dust hill out of his yard.  He will have 3 more taken down and will have them bucked to a more suitable length (28' or so).
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Stuart Caruk

Go look at the logs. If they are worth your time, call a self loading log truck and pay him to pick them up and drop them off at your site. Way less time and effort, for not a whole lot of money.
Stuart Caruk
Wood-Mizer LX450 Diesel w/ debarker and home brewed extension, live log deck and outfeed rolls. Woodmizer twin blade edger, Barko 450 log loader, Clark 666 Grapple Skidder w/ 200' of mainline. Bobcats and forklifts.

PAmizerman

For about a year I took just about every free log I could get. All pine  and hemlock. Here is a pic of the resulthttp://www.forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=237413#top_display_media
Woodmizer lt40 super remote 42hp Kubota diesel. Accuset II
Hydraulics everywhere
Woodmizer edger 26hp cat diesel
Traverse 6035 telehandler
Case 95xt skidloader
http://byrnemillwork.com/
WM bms250 sharpener
WM bmt250 setter
and a lot of back breaking work!!

PAmizerman

Woodmizer lt40 super remote 42hp Kubota diesel. Accuset II
Hydraulics everywhere
Woodmizer edger 26hp cat diesel
Traverse 6035 telehandler
Case 95xt skidloader
http://byrnemillwork.com/
WM bms250 sharpener
WM bmt250 setter
and a lot of back breaking work!!

Peter Drouin

A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

WV Sawmiller

   How many logs in 47 trees? I would normally think at least 3 logs per tree but since these are yard trees  some may only provide 2. Just a SWAG but I'd estimate between 100-150 log 10" and up assuming 8-12 foot long logs for the most part.

   Do you get to buck them or did the tree services already do that? Bucking is very important and a few inches on a log makes a big difference in the lumber. Typically if a lot of sweep the log gets cut in the center of the curve. I make live edge benches and I want the curve in the bench so I do the opposite especially if there is a lot of sweep/curve.
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

hopm

Quote from: WV Sawmiller on December 10, 2017, 09:29:28 AM
Do you get to buck them or did the tree services already do that? [b]Bucking is very important and a few inches on a log makes a big difference in the lumber. [/b]Typically if a lot of sweep the log gets cut in the center of the curve. I make live edge benches and I want the curve in the bench so I do the opposite especially if there is a lot of sweep/curve.

Soooooo true.....had a guy bring me 29 cedar logs 16'.....I told him I wouldn't cut 16 and would make 8's. He had nothing for using requiring more than 8' so he was agreeable......problem was....not a single log on the truck was a full 16'. ranged from 13'9" to 15'8". I got the most out of it as I saw possible, but it resulted in some waste I would have liked to avoid.

Resonator

My point is that's A LOT of logs for a new sawyer to tackle. If he wants to get them he should get ones that will be of some value, (logs or lumber), and won't be rotten by the time he gets to the bottom of the pile. If he's cutting just as a fun hobby great. If he's sawing to make money at it, he should run the numbers first. My two pennies.
Under bark there's boards and beams, somewhere in between.
Cuttin' while its green, through a steady sawdust stream.
I'm chasing the sawdust dream.

Proud owner of a Wood-Mizer 2017 LT28G19

WV Sawmiller

   One issue may be that if he does not get the logs the tree service people may be upset if they have to go back and remove them. I would be. If so , they may cut him off from future logs. Sounds like a learning curve between the sawyer and the tree service as to what to leave and what to remove. He may have to take some now he can't use to be able to get good ones he wants in the future.
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

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