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Buying logs

Started by Engineer, April 23, 2004, 02:34:59 PM

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Engineer

Let's say that I want to saw a specific species of lumber, for a future project.  I don't have any of the particular type of tree on my property, and I don't know any friends or associates who do.

So I want to buy three or four logs of said species.  Let's say I want honey locust.  Not particularly common in my area, not commonly logged out either.  Who should I approach and how should I value said logs?  I don't mind buying them from a logger, but every logger I've spoken to won't sell to me unless I'm willing to pay the veneer price for the logs.  The best I've been able to do is get culls from a friend who is primarily an excavator.  His land clearing and logging activity goes directly to a local veneer log buyer, and the best I can do is get the stuff destined for the pallet mill or firewood.  Sure, there's a few nice short pieces (5' long by 24" dia. is still a good bit of lumber), but I'd like some better stuff.  Right now I need some white oak, some spruce, and a few more cherry logs would be nice.  I just haven't figured out how to get them, and having a mill, I'm sure not interested in going to the local lumberyard and being forced to buy from stock.

Any ideas?  Have any of you who are NOT loggers had success with simply asking a local logger for a few logs at market value?  For those of you who are loggers, will you sell to the general public and at what rate?


Kevin

You can also contact your local arborists, many have trees they pay to dispose of.
Metal is always a concern but it is another option.

Tillaway

Try buying from a mill or veneer buyer.  The veneer buyer may have had log or two seek into some loads that are not what they want.
Making Tillamook Bay safe for bait; one salmon at a time.

Jeff

If you came into our mill and said you wanted to buy some of our logs, we would sell you a few. If we can make some sort of reasonable profit on a log without sawing it ourselves thats cool. Now I am talking average logs. NOT Veneer.

Maybe mills in your area might consider it.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

J_T

Around here you could find what coffey shop the logers hang out at get thare early listen to the talk (BULL) see who the frindlest ones are and go from thare .Also check the FF map for a member near you  8)
Jim Holloway

Norm

Go to a couple of your local mills and ask if they will sell you a couple. Most will say heck yes and go out and show you what you want. It's kind of like the lumber yard in if they have a stack of logs they won't pull the bottom one but will be happy to sell the less common ones off. Honey locust here is pallet lumber and would most likely sell for $200 mbf. If you have a smaller pallet mill in your area try them, I get most of my logs that I buy from one. They cut for pallet and sell the grade logs off to others.

Frickman

Engineer,
I'm both a logger and sawyer, and like Jeff said, if I can make something and not have to saw the log, I'll sell you the log. There are alot of logs that are unprofitable for me to saw, too big, too small, veneer, etc., and they go to other mills. Those other same mills sell some of their logs to me. I guess you can say we all do what we're best at and trade the rest amongst ourselves. Except for maybe some of the very largest, intergrated mills, all of us in the business full-time sell logs, because we cannot process profitably every stick we buy in the woods or at the gate.

So if you were in our area, I'd be interested in getting you the logs you need. You can learn alot hanging around the coffee shops, but remember, there are alot of tall tales told there.
If you're not broke down once in a while, you're not working hard enough

I'm not a hillbilly. I'm an "Appalachian American"

Retired  Conventional hand-felling logging operation with cable skidder and forwarder, Frick 01 handset sawmill

Pretend farmer when I have the time

SwampDonkey

I have bought cherry, butternut and yellow birch at a mill sawn for $0.90/bf. I know the operator and he's pleasent to deal with. He has sawn my logs for $180/th, unload in the morn'n and pickup at the end of the day. Next door they want $250/th and they get to them when they feel like it. Its not a profitable operation, just play hahahaha :)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

SawDust_Studios

Frickman,

Where in Pa are you located?  We are about 10 mile south of Breezewood, PA.  From the Map, you don't look far.

We are always looking for additional places to buy logs and new people to meet.

Dave
Making Sawdust on a Woodmizer LT40SHD CAT 51 /WM Twin Blade Edger and WM DH Kiln

Frickman

Sawdust,
We're in Fayette County. Always dealing in wood, corn, you name it.
If you're not broke down once in a while, you're not working hard enough

I'm not a hillbilly. I'm an "Appalachian American"

Retired  Conventional hand-felling logging operation with cable skidder and forwarder, Frick 01 handset sawmill

Pretend farmer when I have the time

Bruce_A

You tend to get what you pay for.

johnjbc

SawDust_Studios

Looks like you are close to my tree farm / hunting ground.
To get there you would head east on RT. 30 from Breezwood over the
mountain.
At the bottom of the mountain you turn right on Shipes Mill Rd. Go south
along the bottom of the mountain just over 9 miles to my gate. Can't be to
far from you. Sounds like just over the mountain :D ;D
LT40HDG24, Case VAC, Kubota L48, Case 580B, Cat 977H, Bobcat 773

SawDust_Studios

You pass our place on the way.  We actually live on Sipes Mill.  About 2-3 miles down.  I use Breezewood as location, because 99% of the people have never heard of Harrisonville or Needmore  :D :D

If you see me out sawing on a big orange machine, stop by.

Dave
Making Sawdust on a Woodmizer LT40SHD CAT 51 /WM Twin Blade Edger and WM DH Kiln

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