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where to get a load of logs

Started by JamieT, April 21, 2014, 09:15:55 AM

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JamieT

Ok guys, ive called lumber yards and tree companies in my area trying to get a load of logs  with no luck. The few that were willing to sell me anything were in the 10-15 inch wide range and only pine! I need logs! Not match sticks.... can anyone help? Or tell me a good starting point to locating a useful load?
Learned just about everything I know, from the greatest man ive ever known. My father! Everything else was self taught thru the school of HARD KNOCKS ;-)

sealark37

Go to the local truck stop and look for log trucks.  Talk to the driver and go from there.  In your neck of the woods, most timber cutters are working for a specific customer or mill.  Find a cutter that is willing to cull a load to meet your specs and deliver to you.  You will have to pay more than the mill.  Cash is the norm.  Do what you promise.  Regards, Clark

Amelia Farms

I saw part time and make lumber mostly for my own needs, sell a little on the side. Talk to tree service guys in your area. It takes time to develop a relationship and educate them on what you want. If you have equipment to pick up the logs, that makes a huge difference. You have to be there when they need the logs gone and be reliable.

It took about 2 years for me to find tree service guys that would work with me and realized what a decent saw log is. Right now I have about 200 logs in my yard. I have not paid for a one of them, other than the time and effort to pick some of them up.

If you are sawing for a living, this won't work of course as you never know when you will have logs available. But if you are doing it part time or as a hobby, it just might work.

Oh, and all yard trees are NOT full of metal. Of the hundreds of yard logs I have sawed, I think I have hit metal a total of 3 times.

Good luck.
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Magicman

Just curious, what species, diameter, & length are you looking for?  You must have developed a market for some lumber.   ;D

Your county forester should be able to give you some leads.  Also your county extension office may be of help.

In my area, tracts of timber are marked, bids made, and sold to the large sawmills.  The loggers are simply felling and hauling for those sawmills. 
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Beaudeane

I agree with sealark. Several paper mills in your neck of the woods. Pulpwood haulers be a easy contact for u. Ride up thru Center & over towards Rome or Stevenson & you will see plenty log & chip trucks with phone numbers on side of their cabs
Don't think of it as `gun control', think of it as `victim disarmament"

JamieT

Thanks for the replies  Most tree companies I have called already have buyers for there lumber. Did get 2 to at least tell me to call back Wed. I do have a front end loader and trailer, but I work full time job off the mill. Magicman, people around here are mostly after pine or oak. I have 2 different guys right now wanting me to cut them enough for a barn. One wants pine, 1450$ and the other wants oak, 2750$!!! I NEED WOOD!!!
Learned just about everything I know, from the greatest man ive ever known. My father! Everything else was self taught thru the school of HARD KNOCKS ;-)

drobertson

I'm not familiar with your neck of the woods. But will say it should be quite possible if a contact is made with a free lance logger, that sells to these bigger mills, could be contacted, there is a likely hood that a load might be delivered.  The only catch is a timely unload time, with payment on the ready. Most sell by the ton, so have around 2 gran in you pocket.   A good load will be near 35 tons, which comes out to over 5500bdft.  Keep in mind this is around here in so. mo.  Cash and time most times speaks volumes.   
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

Small Slick

I found that by contacting a saw mill to find out who trucks the logs was usefull. I then talked to the owner of the trucking company he gave me the numbers of the guys who were loggers. It's a little round about however I now have 4-5 loggers who can help me with getting logs. You will have to pay these folks for logs, but if you leave your trailer at the landing they will set the logs right on it.

John.

batesth

Check with local farmers and ranchers small tracts of timber are often overlooked by loggers and sawmills. Picked up a lot of old growth timber pine and oak in the past

Beaudeane

Also the guys cutting it aren't always the same ones hauling the logs. The prices fluctuate at the mill a lot & there really is a lot of logs hauled cheap. Some the guys I truck with were in both ends that business for quite a while & tell stories bout how tight their budgets were doing it. I think they could see a guy with a sawmill as a way to cash in some times. U may want to try to figure out a good price for u,converted to tonnage on their logs, like they are used to getting paid, & based on size of the little end. I know the size of a few logs can change their pay scale at the mill. Cottonton & childersburg both have mills to you may want to ride out towards those for some contacts also. Wish I could help u more but I only haul the "liquor" they use to break the wood down into fiber with. Some the pulpwood logs are big as saw logs I see them hauling a lot of the time. If u do have way to unload a truck load, & pay by tonnage, do it only with a cat scale ticket so u can see what your paying for is what your really getting. Those boys will load heavy but 80k gross is max legal in this area. Most their trucks are 28-31k lbs also so u can guess a load gonna be in the 25 ton range. Good luck & if I think of any thing else that may help I'll throw it out here later
Don't think of it as `gun control', think of it as `victim disarmament"

ayerwood

Just a thought.  An avenue for logs that I have used 5 or 6 times over the years.  I have, at random times, had my self loader be on the lookout for certain species and sizes. I found that if he is transporting on a job for a private forest owner, that owner will sometimes sell to me rather than to the mill.  Usually more no's than yes's but its always worth a shot to me.  Granted, I will match the mill price, but when I have a large order or personal want, it saves me from cutting my own trees.  Now I have a supplier "friend" who I have never met and only talked to on the phone but have bought 4 loads of oak/cedar off his property.  So maybe ask around or google your local independent log truck drivers.  They are great eyes to see what is currently going on in your area.

Ronnie

Quote from: Amelia Farms on April 21, 2014, 10:11:32 AM
If you have equipment to pick up the logs, that makes a huge difference.






What type of equipment do you use to fetch these logs?
TK2000, JD5075, Stihl 660,270,170.

Amelia Farms

Ronnie,
I pull a 25 ft gooseneck trailer carrying a John Deere 990 tractor with a grapple on the front end loader to fetch logs. It takes 2 trips this way since I can't haul the logs and the tractor back at the same time. Maybe not the ideal setup, but all this equipment is used on the farm for other jobs.
Woodmizer LT40, wish it was hydraulic.

JamieT

Man I love this site! Thanks again for the replies ! Talked to a driver yesterday. He happened to have 50-60 pine logs the mill refused. They are at his house. Supposed to call me today!! Im not looking for a semi trailer of logs, I dont have the room. Im looking to get hooked up with a driver, or tree service company.
Learned just about everything I know, from the greatest man ive ever known. My father! Everything else was self taught thru the school of HARD KNOCKS ;-)

kczbest

I have a few friends who are independent timber buyers. I sometimes buy from them and pick up logs at the landing. They get paid the same price as the mill would pay without having to pay trucking costs, so it is a win-win situation. Also many loggers will leave some logs at the landing when they are finished. There is some good value in some of these "leftover" logs, but since it is usually less than a whole load for them they will sometimes leave them behind.
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