Trying to buy a load of saw logs, harder than I thought.

[Joe Hillmann]

I am trying to buy a semi load of pine logs to saw.

I have contacted a few loggers I know, they have contracts and can't wont sell to me.
The yellow pages is outdated and most of the numbers don't work.
I have resorted to contacting people selling semi loads of firewood on Facebook market place and Craigslist.  I am having the best luck with that but the few that had pine either had it way smaller in diameter than I want or just stopped responding to me.

Any suggestions on how I go about trying to get a load?

I am in Weyerhaeuser, WI if anyone one knows someone in the area I could contact or just has suggestions on the type of people I should be contacting it would be a great help.

[barbender]

 A lot of times loggers don't want to bring a load to an unknown person, when they can sell the wood at the mill every day and the check will be in the mail next week. So you may have to offer more than what they are getting at the mill, to get them to bite. Maybe considerably more.

Things they don't know for sure about you- will you pay for the load? Can they get a truck in and out of there with no hassles? You could eliminate on of those by paying up front.

[Joe Hillmann]

A lot of times loggers don't want to bring a load to an unknown person, when they can sell the wood at the mill every day and the check will be in the mail next week. So you may have to offer more than what they are getting at the mill, to get them to bite. Maybe considerably more.

Things they don't know for sure about you- will you pay for the load? Can they get a truck in and out of there with no hassles? You could eliminate on of those by paying up front.

All good points.  I have offered to pay more, and I have offered to pay cash before they even load the truck.  The driveway is a fair point.  Which is part of the issue.  Right now the ground is frozen and no snow so it is no problem getting a truck in and out.  But in the next couple weeks that will change.

[nativewolf]

Contact the WI dept of forestry and ask the foresters who is cutting within 30 miles of your home.  Go to the site, bring a check and a contract.  Buy the logs on the landing if you can and get them trucked.  Might have to visit a lot of sites.  If that doesn't work go to a hardwood mill that has bought a mixed stand, buy some of the pine logs from them (they'll just be flipping them to a pine mill typically).  Good luck Joe

[Joe Hillmann]

Contact the WI dept of forestry and ask the foresters who is cutting within 30 miles of your home.  Go to the site, bring a check and a contract.  Buy the logs on the landing if you can and get them trucked.  Might have to visit a lot of sites.  If that doesn't work go to a hardwood mill that has bought a mixed stand, buy some of the pine logs from them (they'll just be flipping them to a pine mill typically).  Good luck Joe

That is the information I wanted. Thank you.

[barbender]

A FB marketplace ad might not hurt, either. You may find someone that is trying to start out in the woods, that may not have contracts.

[barbender]

  Honestly, I think a lot of the loggers you've talked to are blowing you off (you already realize that). Unless they are contract cutting (cutting wood a mill owns), they can sell their wood wherever they want.

One issue that can also complicate things, is the wood scaling. If the logger is on State or County land, they may ve set up for "consumer scale" where the mill is pre-approved to scale the wood on arrival.

If the logger wants to sell a load to someone without a scale agreement, then he has to have a forester come out and scale the wood. The wood has to be kept seperate, this eats up landing space. Then, what if it ends up mote than a truckload. Now the logger has a couple of cords that he will have to keep seperate, or he will end up paying for it twice. Just a few of the things that keep loggers from wanting to mess with one off loads.

The logger I worked for had a soft spot for small mill guys, I sorted lots of wood out for small operations over the years.

[Jk372]

What diameter and quantity are you looking for?

[Gary Davis]

try buying from the mill

[Joe Hillmann]

What diameter and quantity are you looking for?

Ideally 10 to 18 inches but 6 to 24 would be fine.
I want to make lumber from them so they cant be rotten, but blue stain or bug holes is fine.
Length doesnt matter, anything from 8 foot to treelength.

[Joe Hillmann]

What diameter and quantity are you looking for?

Oops, I thought you said quality, not quantity.

What ever a semi load is.  I think I actually need abou half that, but assumed a full load would be easier than a half load.

[GAB]

What diameter and quantity are you looking for?

Oops, I thought you said quality, not quantity.

What ever a semi load is.  I think I actually need abou half that, but assumed a full load would be easier than a half load.

Full load or half load the freight might be the same.
GAB

[Gearbox]

95 %of the wood in northern Wisconson is Consumer scale . If a logger is on a private property sale and wants to sell a load it depends on the contract between the land owner and the logger if he can do a private sale . When you go to a landing and talk to a driver or operator the owner who makes the decision may not even be in that woods but 50 miles away.

[barbender]

 One way you might have success is finding someone cutting what you are looking for nearby. If you can tempt someone by only being 10 miles away from the sale- a lot of wood goes for a 100 mile ride these days, with trucking getting the biggest bite of what the logs pay. If you can find someone close, you can save the logger a lot of money on hauling so he makes out good on the load.

Talking to State and County forestry departments is a good idea, they can tell you what sales have pine on them and give you contact info for the loggers.

[moodnacreek]

Yes try a sawmill if you have one close. They will know the most about who is cutting what. Same for a log yard. Log buyers often have loggers that they buy logs from just because they need to keep him bringing wood in. The logger may have to cut wood to get the better wood he wants. Things like clearing for a road or camp and not producing logs his buyer really wants but you might. When you get a load of logs pile them near the road so they can be seen. Any logger or log buyer will see that and remember the spot. This can help.

[Jk372]

Van de Voorts out of ladysmith is who we've sold to. One of the few who would deal with a little guy. Might be worth a try

[Joe Hillmann]

Van de Voorts out of ladysmith is who we've sold to. One of the few who would deal with a little guy. Might be worth a try

He was the most helpful person so far.  But he doesnt have any pine at the moment.

[Jk372]

Just an idea but maybe talk to the saw shop in Bruce? He might know some names you haven't tried

[Ron Scott]

Also check with the USFS timber sale foresters if you are near National Forest lands. They may have some loggers with some available pine logs.

[KEC]

I'd be careful that someone doesn't see you as a market for some low grade logs after they've pulled out the better logs.

[Gary_C]

Your best source of information will be to go to the WI DNR office in Grantsburg and get names of loggers that are cutting Pine. Also check with the CHEQUAMEGON-NICOLET NATIONAL FOREST office in Hayward. There is also a private forester with an office just east of Hayward and he may be able to get you hooked up with a logger. https://www.wi-consultingforesters.co

[Joe Hillmann]

I'd be careful that someone doesn't see you as a market for some low grade logs after they've pulled out the better logs.

I kind of expect the will.  If the logs are just stained or bug holes, it doesn't matter.  But if they are rotted, crooked a or full of big knots it is a problem.