Seren - dipity!!! (UPDATE)

[sigidi]

Well then where do I start???

While driving to a timber grading course down in the big smoke, I pass a townhouse development, they have pushed over about 5 acres of timber. I see it while driving, as ya do, and get to thinking about it, next set of lights I take a detour and find my way back to the site.

THere's an excavator on site and I get to speaking with him, he gives me the developer fella's phone number, so I give the fella a ring.

He is happy for me to cut as much timber out of the trees as I want!![ no charge for the trees, just get it done before the contractors come in to mulch it all up!

Now the big thing I have trouble with is I'm a one man band and even though the excavator operator will take a carton of beer to load the mill with logs (using a grab attachment) so I don't have downtime rolling em around or moving the mill much, I still don't think I can get through all of it quick enough on my own.

I have spoken to another older Lucas owner I got to know on the course and decided to strike a deal, whereby he helps out on the mill (no need to train, or explain cutting, etc) and he is set to build his own place, so can use some timber in exchange for a share of the timber or if we can sell it in the big smoke, a share of the $'s.

My thoughts are if we keep the timber I get 60% or maybe 55% for using my mill and truck, if we can sell it, then mill runing costs get paid first and then $'s are spilt equally, what do you all think?

Yeah I know lucky find hey!!! 8) 8) 8)

[beenthere]

On a similar deal I had (I found the timber source that was to be burned) with a fellow with a mill, he took half the lumber produced for having the equipment, and we both split the remaining half. So I happily ended up with ¼. 

That turned out to be a 12,000 bd ft discovery, that yielded a good 60% clear red oak and white oak lumber (about 90% N. red oak). I was thrilled to get 3 mbf of wood to finish off my new house built in 1968.

[Brad_S.]

Good on ya, mate! (Did I get the right continent?) 8)

If you're racing the clock, might it be better to bite the bullet, hire a trucker and get them out of there?

I also don't like to let someone giving me free logs actually see the lumber coming off the mill. Suddenly the stuff that used to be "in the way" is now a valuable item in the contractors eyes! :

IMO, since it is your mill, truck, fuel and your contact, you should get about 75% as all the other guy is doing is tailing, (basically the deal beenthere described) but if you're happy with 60%, you will have made an allie(sp?) that might pay dividends down the road.

There used to be a TV show here in the 80's called the "Dukes Of Hazzard" where the corrupt county boss shared his profits with the dim witted sheriff, giving him "50 percent of 50 percent". The sheriff was happy because he didn't know what that actually worked out to but it sounded good. Maybe you could try that out on the new partner? :D

Don't forget pictures.

[Buzz-sawyer]

As Brad said"I also don't like to let someone giving me free logs actually see the lumber coming off the mill. Suddenly the stuff that used to be "in the way" is now a valuable"

Most definitely get the logs home..or someplace else to sw them...it is like rubbing it in thier face that you have been given beatiful lumber....for free .they may feel  like a sap for doin it or worse yet, make trouble for ya..jeleousy and greed can kick in..... :'(

[MemphisLogger]

Yeah, take the logs home--much less headache. Hire/find someone with a dumptruck and have that loader put 'em it and bring them back to your place for leisurely sawing.

[sigidi]

great advise guys - thanks.

My problem is no cashflow, well actually negative cashflow at the moment :(

Hence cuttin em where they are, maybe I can cut some and sell it to get the flow to haul 'em home?

[J D in AUS]

Sigidi   What "make" trees are they. Old mate, ex lucas man should have sum clues on sales to! Get in work fast & get out!! probley cut bigger, 4x2's less time per log   J D in Aus

[sigidi]

J D,

they are red Mahogonay, white mahogony, several forest red gum, and a cpl of spotted gums.

Mainly all good BIG Mahogs :D ;D :D 8)

Geese I can't hardly sleep, my last lot of developer timber, cost almost $1,000 for 25 logs of which forest red gum was 75% and not all much bigger than 2'

[Andy Mack]

Thats great Alan

I hope you post some photos   

[sigidi]

Well then I was away from home for a full week and Des and I where cutting from 0700 to 1800 for four days - huge days!!

Here is what we got through in one day... (all but 3 )



This is some red mahogonoy, or red stringybark locally (I reckon red mahogony sounds much better and sounds more expensive ;))



Here is some of the cut timber ready to be banded. We ended up finding a buyer for floorbaord blanks who would take all we could give them at $600(AU) per cubic metre or about $1.42(AU) per bft it's apparently a bit low, but the tree's where free and I had the time free too, so we accepted it.



Here is a stack of structural 6x2's and 4x2's what we here in Aus call F22, a pretty high grade of structural timber and most ended up being 5m plus or over 15'.



We have only done about half of the logs, but spent our last day, last week bucking to length all the trees which where left, so this week we will only have sawing stacking and banding to do, before we can get some $'s for our efforts 8) 8)

Wish me luck

Ps. Asy if you guys are still down in Bris-Vegas and are looking for a bit of sawdust, you're more than welcome to come visit, it'd be great to 'meet' a Forum member, drop me a line if you're interested.

[Part_Timer]

real nice looking lumber.

[tnlogger]

what part_timer said  :D the more i see what dem swingers will do the more i want one . ;D

[Part_Timer]

TN    I've been looking real serious at a peterson in the last week or 2.  I'm going to try and go to the sawlex deal with the wife and kids in June.  I'd like to see one in person and lay hands on it if possible

[Captain]

Just come on over to the Red Peterson Tent, Part Timer.  We will have both an ATS and a WPF available for a Test Drive.  Just don't "crash" them, they're running in the shootout...

CAPTAIN

[asy]

We'll be down there today hopefully Sigidi!

Save me a couple of turning blanks from that "Mahogany" willya!?

asy :D

[sigidi]

Asy and Andy came out for a visit today and Asy took a bunch of photo's...

I'm sure we will all see 'em soon enough - they loved the colours we where putting out.

Again, I'm sure Asy will post y'all some pics  :D ;D

[asy]

Asy and Andy came out for a visit today and Asy took a bunch of photo's...

I'm sure we will all see 'em soon enough - they loved the colours we where putting out.

Again, I'm sure Asy will post y'all some pics  :D ;D

They're already up!

Have a looksee!

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=11721.0

asy :D

[sigidi]

Wow great Job Asy, thanks for the visit you guys!!