What's next?

[Beaudeane]

Here's my background info first... I've been an owner operator truck driver since 1998 & been trucking total 20 years. I have 3 little ones at home with the wife & they are 3,8, & 9 yr old. Feel like I've missed way to much of their lives so far. I want to be able to be at home every night & still make a living. I'm hopefully gonna be debt free by spring this year. & I'm 40.
   I was recently in last few months during home time introduced to a circular saw miller near home that sawed some trees for me that came down in a wind storm. I've never been as interested in a big trk as I was in the saw milling & possibly turning the lumber into something besides fire wood. I foun FF thru WM on the computer.
   Next part of story... My uncle that passed away last winter left me a belsaw planer, wood band saw, radial arm saw, scroll saw, sanders, table saws, milling machine, lathe, etc... Some craftsman brand, M&m & I think CTT or CCT but not sure on brands other than that..... In his shop is all kinds of patterns for wood swings, gliders, rockers, chairs, etc.
   I was never really around the shop while he was working but think trial & error could learn to make the same type stuff to sell that he made a living from his last 20 years b4 he retired. I need direction. How would I market such as this? Is it feasible to think I could support a family on income from it?
Any other suggestions??
  Im also considering a band mill to cut my own wood to make the stuff of my 20 acres. Would I be better off to just pay the sawyer I had cut my wood last month cut for me? He gets $150/1000 for soft like poplar & pine...$200/1000 for oak & hickory etc., but I gotta haul him the logs & wait my turn to have it sawn then go pick it up. Only bout a 30 minute ride hauling the trailer one way but alot of load & unload time on my end.
   Any ideas or help is greatly appreciated.

[customsawyer]

Welcome to the forum. Anything is possible but it will help us answer some of your questions if we know what part of the country you are located in. I would try to get into this slowly and keep my day job for a while. I know that is difficult with your day job. Keep the questions coming and we will try to answer.

[Beaudeane]

I live in Dalton, Ga. It's in the NW part of Ga. I'm 30 minutes south of Chattanooga, Tn & 1 1/2 hours north of Atlanta right off I-75. Thanks for everything in advance

[customsawyer]

Check out the "sycamore project" and come on down.

[Kansas]

Depends on exactly what direction you wind up wanting to go. Those saw rates are cheap. I think it might be better to work on the furniture part first, and see how that goes. See what resources are available. You will probably have to have a kiln, or find someone with one, to build what you are talking about. Just remember you can only run one piece of equipment at a time, for the most part. And you will have load/unload time no matter what. People sometimes do not understand that milling is hard work. Why you see so many of those 5 or 10 year old mills with 500 hours or so on them. Also don't forget to maybe develop markets for retailing the lumber itself. As customsawyer said, ease into this. You will learn a lot about wood as you start to work with it.
Concerning the kiln, you might be able to put together a cheap solar kiln. I don't know if its too humid in Georgia. Sure someone will chime in here about that. You mention supporting a family on the income. I am in an area with very low unemployment. I know master craftsmen that are struggling around here to make it in the furniture/cabinet/wood products business. But that does not mean you will. Give it a shot. 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

WOW.....I couldn't saw for $150/1000.

[Joanie]

I live in Dalton, Ga. It's in the NW part of Ga. I'm 30 minutes south of Chattanooga, Tn & 1 1/2 hours north of Atlanta right off I-75. Thanks for everything in advance

Your just about 40 min from me. Welcome to the forum.
I know what your saying about missing the little one's I drove otr for a company out of ringgold, till the shut the doors.

[Magicman]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum,    Beaudeane.   

[lyle niemi]

Dang! we sure have lots in common

[barbender]

WOW.....I couldn't saw for $150/1000.

Poston, that's cause you eat fresh seafood all the time ;D Seriously, I've been sawing for $200/MBF, and that's not nearly enough. When I get more serious about it, the price is going up.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

WOW.....I couldn't saw for $150/1000.

Poston, that's cause you eat fresh seafood all the time ;D Seriously, I've been sawing for $200/MBF, and that's not nearly enough. When I get more serious about it, the price is going up.

I started off sawing at 21 cents for all species.....now I'm sawing at 25 cents for softwood, including Poplar and 30 cents for hardwood.

[EZ]

welcome to the forum.
around here the market for wood working changes one year from the other, kinda a pain in the butt. you can build your own solar kiln pretty cheap and they work real well.
EZ

[Greg Brown]

I know master craftsmen that are struggling around here to make it in the furniture/cabinet/wood products business.

I have been saying my cabinet business is "dead as a doornail", but lately I don't think doornails are quite as dead as things are around here.

[drobertson]

every job is differtent, I saw for .15-.20 every day, economy. These folks are like me, just trying to make a day.  Hooray for the guys that make more,  just saying, we have to keep cutting. 

[Beaudeane]

Sounds like it can be a severe learning curve to try to find a niche in this type work. Especially with this complete novice wanting to jump into very different line of work than I've ever done. Would be hard to get my feet wet in it with my current job also, as I'm usually truckin for 2 months at a time b4 I go home. The only good part of this job is I've found a niche in it working the oil field industry so it's good $$, but I pretty much hate my job. I can still remember my dad telling me years ago that liking what u do for a job is 50% of the job. On the other hand, u gotta eat. Thanks for all the advice & please keep it coming. Ive just got it in my head that truckin ain't for me much longer. & I did really enjoy myself taking those logs to lumber even though I didn't have the mill that sawed em. Also have big ideas for all that lumber once it's dried. 1465 ft of oak was alot to stack & sticker. Helped my paw-in-law do about that much of poplar then some cherry & pine the same week that came down at his house from the wind. I ain't afraid of work or trying something new as long as it makes a fair wage but I need direction. Thanks to everybody again for their input. I gotta go truckin now.

[WDH]

Making a living making furniture is very very difficult.  The competition is brutal, especially the imported stuff. 

[customsawyer]

I think making a living in any part of the wood business is difficult. The competition is brutal. ;D

[WDH]

That is a fact.  It has always been that way for as long as I have been a part of it.

[Beaudeane]

Would y'all give me some ideas as to what you'd think is a good direction in this field then? What do u do in the field & does it provide u a fair wage to live on or is it a hobby? If u had it to do over again would u be doing the same thing again or something completely different? Even if it's in the same field...
   As with me, I'd not be trucking at this point in my life if I had it to do over... But I can tell u how to make good $$ at it from my past mistakes & occasional good luck.... Thanks guys

[Okrafarmer]

Welcome to the forum, Beau!

Hey, these guys are just trying to warn you to look before you leap. Things are a bit tough right now, and honestly, trucking the oil patch is likely to be more profitable and steady for the time being,

BUT,

That doesn't mean you can't follow your dream or find ways to make money with wood. It can be done. Don't let these fellows turn you off from it, just realize it will be hard work, and will require using your head more than your hands, to be successful. Like somebody already said, see if you can come on down to Rentz for the Sycamore project-- maybe you can't, if you're out of town then. But Yes, it can be done, it will just take some serious effort and, imo, creativity to make headway at this time.

[Beaudeane]

Thanks okra... Just trying to see if anybody would give me some examples of what they think might work for me.... I'm kinda drawing a blank besides the furniture, pallet or custom sawing ideas. There's gotta be more but I am outta ideas fast... Tryin to learn all I can from reading alot on here too. I'd like to make Rentz to talk to some of y'all in person but doubt my tour in PA will be over by then... Do any of y'all think sheds & out buildings from lumber off the owners land is a viable idea these days? Guess I'm just reaching for straws here hopefully the rite ideas will come along soon enough... Thx

[Okrafarmer]

What I've found is that finding your niche really takes a little trial and error. Things rarely go as you think they will when you start out. Be flexible enough to roll with the punches a little. Preferably, start up while you still have your other job until you get the hang of it a little. Sometimes you may start out doing one thing and eventually morph into something a little different than what you originally anticipated.

[5quarter]

Beaudeane...welcome to the woodshop.

   Member Zopi Has forgotten more good ideas than I have ever thought of in my life. This sort of thing is right up his alley. Maybe he'll see your post and make some suggestions. Or just PM him...he is a friendly fellow and I'm sure would gladly offer you his thoughts. My brains on auto-pilot right now at this late hour, but maybe I'll have a couple of ideas for you tomorrow. 

[thecfarm]

Beaudeane,welcome to the forum. It will takes time,unless you are real lucky. Takes time to build up a business and a skill level. Also takes alot of work,but sounds like you are ready for that part. Good luck to you.

[slider]

Beaudeane welcome.I been where you are,32 years otr. you are not far from atlanta why don't you grab yourself a local haul that get's you home on the weekends.then you would have the peace of mind that your family is taken care of while you get your feet wet.if your sawyer is sawing pine for 150 a thousand you don't need a mill ,stay with him.good luck  al