Looks like firewood to me!

[4x4American]

How bout you?
1hr30min drive away for this "whack" of cherry...     
I can smell the $$$ from here.











I need a polite way to say no..

[thecfarm]

Some just have no idea what is a saw log and what is not.

[beenthere]

What is not polite about "NO" Thank You ?

[AnthonyW]

For myself I would saw the two by themselves and the one in the back. Wait a minute, I did just saw one like those three.

To pay someone, what is the polite way to say 'no'?

[Nomad]

     With as many uniformed clients as I deal with, I've taken to carrying a chalk line with me.  I show them where the sawblade will cut and what will be left of their "log."  They may still hire me, but it weeds out a lot of the chaff.

[cutterboy]

nomad, that is a good idea.

[4x4American]

x2  I think I'm going to start doing that as well.  Glad you mentioned it!

[WV Sawmiller]

4X4,

   Were you doing mobile sawing or  buying the logs? If mobile sawing, no problem. Advise the client what your minimum fee to move the mill is and what your hourly rate is for small and crooked logs and if he wants you to cut that pile you still don't lose.

   I had one client who only had 2 logs that did not meet my minimum (1,000 bf) and I suggested we could cut more for same price but he knew it up front and never batted an eye as he paid me (He sold it all for a profit that afternoon before ever unloading from the truck) and another with a hodge-podge of real small crooked stuff and he was billed by the hour and was completely happy.

    Communication is the key to a happy customer.

[4x4American]

W(bG)V,



Just planning some jobs for once I'm back at it.  This was a potential mobile milling job that I turned down.  It's not that I couldn't do it, but I would just feel awful charging him what I would charge to saw that pile of firewood into lumber to kick off his new woodworking hobby.  Besides, I have enough grey hair as it is, I don't need anymore! 

[Kingmt]

For a wood working hobby small boards might be just fine for him. Hard to say without knowing his plans but I keep the smallest bits of mostly junk around for the day that it is just what I need. I'm always happy to find a 4" board that saves me from cutting a full length one. I'd saw about 8 those for myself to use. The others look to small to hold in my mill. I have about a dozen right now that way that will have to be done on the table saw.

What is common to charge for mobile work?