Where do you guys order firewood in log length loads from? Are these logs generally logs not suitable for anything else? Would be unfortunate if the logs are sawable and you get one. ;)
We have no market for our hardwood pulp so our mill sells firewood generated from our hardwood timber. I can assure you that you WILL at times find logs in our firewood that can be sawn. we have a pretty good idea where the profit lies in most peices of wood and many times its in the firewood pile, where as that same chunk of wood is something that another operation might certainly saw.
I just contact a logging contractor I know and ask if he's operating in hardwoods during the time I'm looking for firewood. SInce over 70 % of our hardwood is pulp quality and the contractor will be cuting 100 inch or tree length I ask him if he would make me up a load. I don't make it complicated for the guy, as I ask him to send whatever run of wood is coming off the harvest. I don't mind the topwood or stuff up to 14 inches on the butt end. This way I'm sure of my wood. If you get picky then you'll lkely not get your firewood. I make as less hassle for that cutter to provide me with wood as possible. I always pay what the pulpwood market price is, no more. I've never yet seen a sawlog in any of the loads. ;)
My Brother just follows the neighbor arround and cuts the tops, tons of firewood in what gets left behind and it gets the woods cleaned up
Dont yer neighbor get sick of yer brother followin him around all the time? Must not follow too close :D
I burn five or six cords of limbs and tops every year.
When the demand and price is right, many of the local loggers that cut hardwood sawlogs and pulpwood will also sell and deliver full loads of 100"pulpwood size and smaller round wood for firewood.
It makes for good wood utilization when they can market all products.
Jeff is right, alot of small sawlogs go into the firewood pile. For us it depends on the price of firewood and how bad we need the logs. Ron W. said in another thread that you can go broke chasing low-grade lumber. With the demand for firewood now it is hard to justify sawing many logs. I try to make as much money as I can off every log, whether it is as veneer, lumber, or firewood.
If you're looking to buy wood for this year, you're probably a little late. The best time to buy log length firewood if either late spring or early summer. There's not too much buying going on at that time. So, you can get good delivery and a decent price.
Many of the mills in our area don't cut polewood. A mill can put you on to a logger that could supply it.
If you're trying to get sawlogs from a firewood pile, the quality will be low. If you can use that lower quality and want to fool around with it, than it may be a cheap alternative. But, you can figure at least 7 ton/Mbf of lumber. That's a little over 2 cord. Firewood is around $30/ton, so that makes what little sawlogs you get worth $210/Mbf. Its hard to make any money on that log, especially when low grade lumber is around $350/Mnf.
The firewood demand must be "picking up". I've had several calls this week-end from people wanting to purchase some of our hardwood pulpwood decked out on the jobs.
I referred them to the respective logger's since it is their wood. Others want to go in on our jobs and cut more of the smaller topwood. We allow that after the timber harvest is closed out and they get permission from the landowner.
Some tell me that there is a "waiting list' for firewood with some of the regular firewood providers in the area so they are going directly to the loggers for wood.
This is making for some good wood utilization and "cleaner woods".