Most of the logs that come into my mill are on dump trucks or dump trailers.
But I have quit a few logs that come in on trailers with sides on it or have fenders.
I charge to unload these trailers. if its one log or 10....I charge $15.00.
I had a guy question me about it today. I said yes, I will saw your Pine at 250/thousand and it'll be $15.00 to unload your trailer.....but I will load your lumber back on the trailer for free....but with the fork lift.
I do not load lumber by hand.....if your trailer is a deck over, I supply the short 4x4's to lay on your trailer and will set the stack of lumber on the 4x4's.
If your trailer has sides on it....you can load your own trailer by hand or I will slowly spill the lumber on to the trailer.
NOW......if you leave your trailer, I can back it beside the mill and load it by hand as the lumber comes off the mill.......but you have to leave your trailer.
So....this guy thought the 250/thousand included unloading a trailer 1 log at a time with the Tongs and supply a helper......NOPE!
I asked him..."Do you only pay a carpenter when his hammer hits the nail?"
I think he got it.
This is what another customer got late this evening when I loaded his Red Oak flooring and Poplar beams.
He was happy he didn't have to load all this by hand.
But some people try to get as much free work out of you....if you let them.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/O1.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1494290766)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/O2.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1494290766)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/O4.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1494290768)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/O3.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1494290768)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/24625/O6.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1494292138)
I'm going to start charging some kind of fee for loading trailers with the tractor . They all come with trailers with sides on them or a mini van like showed up today :)
I don't load Mini Vans or especially Pick Up trucks.....to much liability.
Sounds reasonable to me. I'm at the point where i just don't want to load anything without a flat deck. One mill near me charges full sawing rate, $400.00/hr for a WM1000, from the time you arrive, until the time you leave.
With low bed trailers I use straps. Under the load, Slip on the forks , set the load easily.
Never a charge to unload here.
I have never dumped lumber like that.
Must be a goat thing. :D :D :D :D
Don't worry about the Goat....just load the wagon. :D :D :D
I have a customer that drops off nice 8' white oak logs for me to saw into beams. He is not interested in the side lumber so its a freebe for me. Sometimes I peddle it on craigslist.
A couple shows up wanting the side lumber but its a little long for his lumber car. So I cut the stack in half. Than I help load. I'm easy, but they were a fun couple but they didn't tip. >:( :o ??? ::)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10125/IMG_1119.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1494296225)
That's why I charge by the hour. Unload time and load time is Included in my time. I like the way you think though. I do more unique and specialty cuts and I explain to the customer it takes time to set up. The Milling is the easy part.
Oh that goat, resents people coming over and giving him their money even- Billy Goat Gruff? :D
I was at a commercial mill some time ago where they buy logs from everybody and anybody. As I was watching, a guy came in on a little utility trailer with sides, loaded with the ugliest logs I'd seen in a while. Without missing a beat, I saw two big Deere 544 loaders come in from either side, angle their forks gently, vertically between the rails of the trailer and logs and slowly drive forward and rotate their forks up at the same time to make a "V" corralling all the logs between them, and the lifted all the logs out of the trailer in one move without scratching the paint. Amazing skill.
Anyway, I don't charge for unloading or loading trailers with my grapple or forklift, but I won't do it by hand, either. If they ask why I just tell them that I bought all this fancy equipment so I wouldn't have to use my hands, but if they would rather do it by hand, I'll stand back and leave them to their fun.
$15 x 20= $300
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20011/DSCN1972.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1401146293)
Yup, that will be $15.00!! :-X
For loading low deck trailers that have wheels and fenders above the deck, why don't you strap the bundle of lumber, set some 4x4's on the deck (or not) and slowly tip the forks to slide the bundle on the the 4x4's? A lot of customers don't have a deck over trailer and I would think that would make for happier customers.
Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on May 08, 2017, 09:05:23 PMNOW......if you leave your trailer, I can back it beside the mill and load it by hand as the lumber comes off the mill.......but you have to leave your trailer.
NOW......if they leave their trailer you can then charge them a parking fee......but they have to leave their trailer. :D
Quote from: SlowJoeCrow on May 09, 2017, 08:14:03 AM
For loading low deck trailers that have wheels and fenders above the deck, why don't you strap the bundle of lumber, set some 4x4's on the deck (or not) and slowly tip the forks to slide the bundle on the the 4x4's? A lot of customers don't have a deck over trailer and I would think that would make for happier customers.
I have a saw price. Other than that when man power is used and the backhoe is running, that also cost $$$.
I don't just charge when the hammer hits the nail. ;D
You even charge when you hit your thumb/hoof
$15 is cheap for having to stop milling, operate equipment and probably 45 minutes of fellowship. :D
Pretty much the way the goat does it but I dont charge for unloading unless it is a lot of logs.
I find I can carefully dump a sizeable whack of lumber from the forks if I am careful without damaging anything, especially if stickered, which I dont charge for either.
As I have told folks I am pretty darned good at sawing but a soft touch as a business man.
Back the trailer beside the loading arms of the mill, tie one end of a cable to the logs and the other to a tree and let the customer drive out from under them.
Actually it makes sense to charge for unloading - or let the customer unload his own -when loaded in an awkward fashion since this is taking up your time.
Peter wins the customer service award for the best idea on his idea to sling the load on straps and lift the suspended load on to the trailer.
I always like the idea of the customer leaving the trailer. Then he has more skin in the game to pay for his order promptly and you can just move his load out of the way and not get hung up with a delay waiting for him to come get them.
I have forklift, skid steer loader and tractor with loader. I unload and load trucks and trailers all the time. I will not load slabs into a pickup bed. I have loaded a lot of lumber into a pickup bed. Some over the side but most slid in from the back. I set one end in their truck and the other on the ground or on a sawhorse and then get a fork under the bundle and pick it up and push it in. I judge what I can do by how nice/new the pickup is.
I have a new trick to load lumber into a trailer with short angle iron sides. I put dunnage on the floor stacked so that the bundle will set on top of it and then set the bundle of lumber over on it. I only do this for big bundles of lumber and the dunnage is free. Small bundles get slid off the forklift into the trailer or loaded with the skid steer real gentle like.
So do I get a silver star for creativity?
PC
Yep, leave the trailer, that would be best. Paul, that is what I was talking about, it works good for me too.
For my firewood business we process our wood into large tote bags approx 1/3 cord. We charge 15 for the bag they get 10 back on returning it. They have 4 loops pick up with the loader set on the truck and away they go . Had a fellow who said I dont need the bag. I said help your self you can unload into your truck. Which he did but we still charged him 5 for the use of the bag. Next time he liked the bag idea.
I had a small job last summer. Two and a half hours sawing, threes hours unloading, discussing the sawing, and reloading.
JMoore and I hauled some 3" thick live oak slabs up to Ellmoe on Veteran's day last year for him to put into his kiln. We hauled it on my homemade equipment trailer. We cut some dunnage out of an old live oak log which was past its prime. The dunnage was cut so that, just like PC's, it would hold the slabs above the fenders so that they could quickly be unloaded with loader forks.
On our flatbed trailer, we just use 4"x4" 's to stack on. I would like to get a set of log tongs for extracting logs from certain places (pond, piles left from dump trailers, etc.)
We have not charged anyone to load or unload but we are also not very good capitalists...yet. But we are taking notes.
I get alot of people come in with those pesky trailers with the sides. I loaded a few mbf of 14-20' timbers a post and beam barn into one a few weeks ago it took awhile but I pretty much picked them up and put my forks over and in and then tipped and they slid in. It wasn't awful. A few days ago I had a guy come in with a pickup truck loaded with logs inbetween the bed rails that about gave me a heart attack unloading that getting close to his taillights but he had loaded it with a log loader and bent in the bed rails so I wasn't too terribly worried. No damage was done. If I didnt have the backhoe it woulda been miserable
Sometimes the goat has to unload it quickly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgdc7OlMUBI
Not only scarey but down right nasty! :D
That eagle got his tail feathers kicked.
Quote from: WDH on May 09, 2017, 08:30:24 PM
That eagle got his tail feathers kicked.
Don't mess with
a 2 Goats. :D :D :D
Yesterday I did a small custom job. Four logs and one beam all to be sawed into 3/4" slats. Took about 2 minutes to unload his trailer with the forklift. Two hours saw time cause the logs were so small and crooked. 200 board foot total. If he doesn't show up tomorrow to get his lumber I'll band it and move it out of my way, more lost time. At least banded I can load quick and get him on his way.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10125/DSCF9460.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1494380223)
Never charged a minimum but maybe I should to discourage the small jobs like above or encourage the customer to bring more logs. Me hates small logs.
That eagle didn't look too bright and obviously didn't have much of a plan, either. I bet he was sore the next day.
Quote from: YellowHammer on May 09, 2017, 11:34:50 PM
That eagle didn't look too bright and obviously didn't have much of a plan, either. I bet he was sore the next day.
The eagle looked hooked and could not let go to me.
That is what you get for hooking up with a goat.
I would like to know how long it took the eagle to fly off after he got unhooked?
That eagle has eyes much bigger than it's talons!! I was impressed how long it held on and that it would even attempt that large of prey.
Looks like this happens a lot...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY9IJGm_PTI
Moral of the story: DON'T CLIMB THE HILL!!
It's amazing that it was all caught on camera. :o
It was only caught on camera because it was all an act. The actor playing the eagle was an ex fighter pilot and the actor playing the goat was David Poston. He has very good insurance!!!!
It was filmed to be viewed from Poston sawmill's cedar pavilion. Also available for weddings funerals and poker night.
;D
PC
OK, I get it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20011/headtransplant.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1472775180)
I took this picture just after he put on his head mask.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20011/Photo000.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1468461236)
And this one after the eagle had flown away. :o
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D ;D
I have a trailer with sides but I lay 4x4 across the top and gives plenty of room for the forks to slide right out
Buck
Why couldn't you saw for 30/mbft and unload for free? You'd make more in the long run and once your customers heard the word free they'd think they're getting a great deal.
Quote from: thecfarm on May 10, 2017, 07:41:40 AM
I would like to know how long it took the eagle to fly off after he got unhooked?
22 minutes is the word in the pen. smiley_gossip
After watching the videos, I am taking rock climbing off my bucket list.
Maybe we could get the eagle to unload the goat's trailer?
After seeing the poor goats demise I've decided not too charge for trailer unloading.
Quote from: Dave Shepard on May 08, 2017, 09:16:54 PM
Sounds reasonable to me. I'm at the point where i just don't want to load anything without a flat deck. One mill near me charges full sawing rate, $400.00/hr for a WM1000, from the time you arrive, until the time you leave.
How do they figure how long it'll take a customer to pay the bill? Just add an hour to it or do the send an invoice?
I guess once the trailer or truck is loaded, the clock stops.
Clock stops when they drive thru the EZ Pass gate at the street. Please drive less than 15 mph.
Thanks Peter
Loaded a trailer with sides tonight .
Used my sling straps
It worked great and off he went back to Vt :)
Quote from: Bruno of NH on May 15, 2017, 05:55:49 PM
Thanks Peter
Loaded a trailer with sides tonight .
Used my sling straps
It worked great and off he went back to Vt :)
smiley_thumbsup
Mr Goat, Would you charge to load him after you had cut all the wood?
His logs.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22511/SAM_1320.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1494894509)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22511/SAM_1321.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1494894537)
I loaded him with John, The trucker had all the bed post off this side.
Mr. Peter, you did not read my op right.
I do not charge to LOAD......I only charge to unload logs.
Ok