Milling on a split advice

[SWOregon]

I recently purchased a Wood-Mizer LT35.  Haven't even started it up yet since getting it home.  I have a friend who wants me to mill up a bunch of Cedar into 2x6 for decking.  He has many large trees standing dead.  I have no idea what is a fair arrangement to do this work on a split.  I also need to resurface about 2400 sq. ft. of deck at my home.  Any advice would be appreciated.

[terrifictimbersllc]

What's your milling experience?

[tule peak timber]

If the logs are decent we split 50/50, lucratively. The client must bring the logs to us, and pick up his material stickered and banded. The log trucks I show in my posts rolling in here are 1000$ per day, my cost, so I love it when customers bring their own wood. Cut it, store it, and build a business selling that same wood down the line...

[SWOregon]

Thank you tule peak timber.  50/50 was what I was thinking.  This is my first experience milling, but I have run a lot of different kinds of equipment in my life and have confidence after the training I received at Wood-Mizer when I picked up the mill.  I'm sure there will be a learning curve.  I'm looking forward to it.

[tule peak timber]

You will do fine . This web site is a HUGE source of all that is sawmill..........Cheers Rob

[WV Sawmiller]

   Good advice above. The split should be good for both. There are many discussions and a common practice is to split the logs rather than the lumber. Splitting the lumber works fine if you both want the same thing but what if he wants sheeting and you want framing? A common suggestion too when doing a 50/50 split of the  logs is to divide the logs then flip a coin or draw cards to see who gets which pile. That sure helps the customer do the best possible job of dividing the logs that he can. I have on occasion told the customer to divide the logs and we'll flip a coin then when he is done and we agree the split is fair I tell him "You go ahead and pick which stack you want." They like that  as there may be one log they are eyeballing for a mantel or such.

   The last split I did was cherry and we were both happy and I will make money in the end but I sawed at his site and I ended up with several more trips than I liked. In the future I will most likely only split if they bring the logs here or I have a real need or existing market for them not just to speculate.

   Some people say never split. Buy the logs and sell the lumber but I'm from WV and we still respect a good barter deal. Just be very clear and careful there is not even a perception you are getting a better deal than he is. If you are, tell him so and if he is still fine with it go ahead. Good luck.

[SawyerTed]

I only do 50/50 split when I do.  But the lumber has to be marketable.  If I don't have a customer for the lumber, I don't split.   Most of the time I have do have a customer so they pick up their lumber off the mill.  On rare occasions I do a split and have to haul my share.  I don't like to do it that way.

[tule peak timber]

Another thing I do is take two bookmatched center slabs and give all of the rest of the log yield to the customer. He gets plenty of wood and I get the slabs I need for table building. Just be up front with the customer that the prime rib is valuable to my market and the freezer full will keep him happy all winter. We did a nice  redwood butt yesterday for two slabs and you get the rest... Win win.  Placed in a winery as counter tops is a big win again.

 

[Iwawoodwork]

SWoregon,   what are you located in ? I grew up in Coos Bay and lived in Port Orford for about 6 months in early 60's the back to CB.

[SWOregon]

I live on 40 acres of woodlands in rural Talent.  Between Medford and Ashland.  I have south facing, east facing and north facing slopes, so...oak, madrone, manzinita, then...cedar, pine and fir mixed, then Doug fir on the north facing slopes.  Very nice mixture and diversity of woodlands.  About 2400 foot elevation. 

[tule peak timber]

Sounds very nice to say the least.Hope you came through the fires "ok"

[tule peak timber]

SWoregon,   what are you located in ? I grew up in Coos Bay and lived in Port Orford for about 6 months in early 60's the back to CB.

Good black cod fishing out of those ports. 8)