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Tree service guy wants serious money for walnut logs!

Started by Small Slick, March 15, 2014, 06:34:16 PM

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Small Slick

I was trying to secure some cost effective logs by calling tree service companies. One guy who has logs to sell told me he had an interested party and he expected to get $1.50 a board foot in the log for black walnut.

That was about two months ago. I figured we were too far apart on price. He called me today and said that sale fell through and wanted to know if I was still looking.

Now he wants $500 for three logs 18" at the small end and I am assuming 8-12' long. I'm thinking he is way high.  I am probably a buyer at $40-$50 each.

Any thoughts.

John

redbeard

I would scale the logs on heartwood only"  and offer a quarter of what you think you can sell it for. Just shooting from the hip on this one.
Whidbey Woodworks and Custom Milling  2019 Cooks AC 3662T High production band mill and a Hud-son 60 Diesel wide cut bandmill  JD 2240 50hp Tractor with 145 loader IR 1044 all terrain fork lift  Cooks sharp

POSTON WIDEHEAD

He called you back to tell you his deal fell through......"he called you back"........that is good.
Turn down his price and give him your offer, and walk away.
He will call you back rather than let the log rot.
IMO, he won't sell them at his price.
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Brad_S.

Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on March 15, 2014, 06:52:38 PM
He will call you back rather than let the log rot.

In my experience with many of these types of guys, that is not the case...they would rather let it rot than be low balled. It becomes a matter of principle with them. They have no qualms about making firewood out of it even if it is undesireable as such.

Around here, $500 per thousand (50 cents a board foot) was the going rate for a decent quality yard walnut when I was still sawing. Maybe more if it was top quality.

IMO, you can't talk price until you know quantity (bdft) and quality of the logs in question.
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

Magicman

Just because he is selling is not enough reason for you to be buying at a price that is unfavorable to you.  You are not on the hot seat to meet his offer.  Make your offer with a bit of negotiating room and then stick to your guns.  If they rot it is his loss, not yours.
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drobertson

Unless I am mistaking, the tree guy gets his money for taking them down.  this sounds a little confusing to me.
He knows the value in walnut, so it boils down to what you are willing to pay for it.  I would look for purple stain, and use the metal card for a discount.   Tree service companies know the deal, and are after the buck. I saw this last week, and know this from dealing with them for years,   
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,

red oaks lumber

most tree guys around here get paid real well to remove trees, with that in mind i always offer alot less than i might otherwise just because to me he's double dipping at the expense of the customer who got over charged to remove the tree/s. sorry for me its about principle :)
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over 18 million b.f. processed and 7341 happy customers i disagree

Dave Shepard

Tree service logs are almost always suspect for having things more exciting than just wood inside them to saw. Like nails, rocks, horseshoes, large portions of a '49 Chrysler. They need to be cheap to make it worth your risk. I haven't hit hardware in years since the last time I sawed someone's junk yard tree. Actually, May 2011 was the last time I ruined a band on FOIL (foreign object in log) don't be foiled by FOIL! :D
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BBTom

I just sold 16,000 bdft of walnut logs for about $2/bdft but half of it was from the woods, other half was from a fencerow.  We tried to cut above any fence that may be in the trees.   

I have always been of the opinion that walnut is magnetic.  If any tree in the yard was going to have metal in it, the walnut is the one that does.   

I guess it all depends on what you want to pay for it, and what you can get out of it.  This mill must have some special orders because he is paying top dollar for walnut right now.  I have heard of him paying over $2.50/bdft for a pile, but it could have had some good veneer logs in the pile.  good luck
2001 LT40HDD42RA with lubemizer, debarker, laser, accuset. Retired, but building a new shop and home in Missouri.

Small Slick

Thanks for the insight. There is no reason for me to buy logs from this fellow. The only reason I was calling him was because I was looking for a low cost source. I have no specific project in mind that requires walnut right now.

That being said I totally understand a business guy trying to maximize his profits; that is a part of being a business man. One does have to weigh the cost of a "no sale" vs the gain in a high margin deal.

I think I will try and come to a business arrangement with him, even if it means we don't do business.

John

Okrafarmer

I pay .25 for walnut pallet, .45 for a standard log, .60 for premium, .75 for veneer, and I am the one who decides what grade it is. They can take it or leave it.  If people want more for their logs, they can find someone who will pay it, or let it rot, I'm ok with that. It's different if I have a customer asking for logs. Then I have to go find them. Then I might pay up to $1 for decent logs, if I know I have the order.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

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Peter Drouin

I always go over them with a metal detector and when it makes a beep the price goes in the hole  ;D and it's always scale on the black part not the sap wood.
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Chop Shop

He already got paid for them.   He is now getting free/extra CASH.

Most tree guys will cut firewood before being "lowballed by a mill guy that gonna get rich off my walnut".


If you really want leverage, trade him a nice arborist saw!


I dont even care about specialty wood, too much hype and to many people think their average maple and walnut is worth GOLD.

Cedarman

If someone gives you logs, should you sell the wood for less than someone who paid for logs?
If someone pays you to take some logs, should you sell them for less than someone who paid for logs?
As a customer should you expect someone to sell you something for less than market value  because you know they paid nothing of got paid to take them?
If someone overpaid for logs should you as a customer offer to pay them more than market value because they paid too much?
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

Seaman

I agree with Cedarman on principle, and Okra on price. 18 in is not big enough to bring  big money.
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sealark37

+1 on Okrafarmer.  Why purchase a log that you can't sell for a profit?   Regards, Clark

muck

I live in Sacramento (the city of trees) and last week picked up 2 80 foot redwoods from a tree company. This was my first dealing with any tree service. For me solving thair problom (hauling away the logs) was key. I made a connection and the owner put me on his "to call" list.
the lead climber told me its all logistics and timing for the tree company. a large amount of ANY tree that they are cutting that has no where close to be dumped will be cheap or free. I am lucky to be in a city with so many abundant sources.

anyway, back to Black Walnut, as long as Sawyers keep slabbing it out and asking hundreds for a slice the folks with the logs will keep asking for more.



Small Slick

There is no question this guy has a resource I want and I have money he wants. It's simple economics.

I am willing to pay for logs from him he and I just will have to establish a price we both can live with.

John

Barney II

Good morning---Why don't you try to figure out what this would bring in firewood prices and offer him that amount plus a small amount for his trouble???
Ya never know
Woodmizer  1985 lt30

RayMO

Always amazing how the value/quality of logs can change so much from the point of buying to the point of reselling the sawn product.
I mill and log as well and wonder how some millers buy any logs considering how little they often want to pay compaired to the going market price for said logs . Not talking about yard trees as they are risky and most larger mills do not want them at any price.
Kinda like the .75 cent price mentioned for veneer walnut logs when market price is $3.00 and up , at least here in SW MO .
Father & Son Logging and sawing operation .

thecfarm

If offered firewood price,he would make more money than sawing,it spliting it into firewood. Than he would still have to deliver the firewood to the customer's home too.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

shelbycharger400

yep,  i tried to bite and buy a yard tree yesterday,  had reflectors in it.  You could tell it had a bacteria problem the black ring of death.   all of it was scaled about 832 bd foot.. a few odd lengths,  i bid 50cents delievered  lost it to another that bid 60 and picked up   ::)   

thecfarm

I think a member said,he never lost money on a bid he did not get.  ;D
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

stumpy

I rarely pay for logs from tree services.  The economics and risk of quality are the reason. I carry with me a price sheet showing what the hardwood mill pays for logs(delivered to their door). I use that as a guideline for a price.  By the way, they pay between .25 to .75 per board foot for walnut. That's after THEIR grader determines the grade.  Also, they will not take a log if they know it's a yard tree. They also will not pay veneer prices if the log is not fresh cut and will only pay after a third party veneer buyer grades it.
Woodmizer LT30, NHL785 skidsteer, IH 444 tractor

BBTom

Stumpy, 

That sounds like the stumpage price for walnut.   

I just sold to a hardwood mill over 30,000 bdft of hard maple @ .80.  Tree length picked up at the landing.
and then the Walnut to a different mill 16,000 bdft @2.00 again it was tree length picked up at the landing.

Might be an old price list? 
2001 LT40HDD42RA with lubemizer, debarker, laser, accuset. Retired, but building a new shop and home in Missouri.

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