Log Prices?

[Nebraska]

Sleepy.......    at least here...

[Mr. Buck]

So I am brand new to sawmilling.  I've been looking at subscribing to the Hardwood Market Report since I ordered my mill about a year ago.

Unless I got bad info, the HMR used to go for something like $250/yr.

I just talked with the company that puts it out now and they want $2,000 /yr.

I can't speak to its value - if you're making good money already I'm sure it's worth it.  Seems like a steep increase in a year though. 

For those of you that aren't milling as a full time job, yet, are you investing in the HMR at current sub rates? 

[Ron Scott]

Check with your State's Forestry Dept. They may put out a Timber Pricing Report which may be much cheaper.

https://timberupdate.com/timber-prices/georgia-prices/

[Mr. Buck]

Thank you, Ron! 

[SwampDonkey]

Log prices we can get from our local forest products marketing board. They have mill specs and prices for various wood products. 

[rdobb13]

Log prices in southern Ohio are not very good, after this week I'll be sorting and moving stuff around. Actually had 2000 ft of white oak and chestnut oak, first and second cuts only, average 67 cents a foot. Buyer should have been wearing a mask and packing a gun. 

[nativewolf]

That's sort of a ridiculous price Rdobb13.  I mean the WO should have been $1.8-2.2 at the stave mill.  CO isn't bad, over a buck anyway.  

[SwampDonkey]

He must be in New Brunswick. Nobody will pay good money for great logs up here. The great ones are getting scarce as most people clearcut or high grade.

[rdobb13]

That's sort of a ridiculous price Rdobb13.  I mean the WO should have been $1.8-2.2 at the stave mill.  CO isn't bad, over a buck anyway. 

Oh I agree, we have a speyside mill in this county. Last I knew they weren't taking gate logs, only buying lots from the local mills. Personal opinion, that's a huge smack in the face, I can't get the full price I have to share it with a mill through a resale log. 

The load I mentioned went to a large flooring company that usually pays well, just some folks better than others. It's a loyalty thing which I understand and appreciate. It's been dry here and they are all full, but you don't have to pay a buyers wages on one load. 

All in all, just glad to be working and move on. Life happens. 

[Hogdaddy]

How's hardwood logs do in everyone's area? Things are not looking well here, and staves buyers are non extistent. 

[nativewolf]

Nothing really changed but it may be coming.  China finally says they are going to fix some ills that kept all the apartments from getting finished and sold.  If they do that you may see quite a bit of support. 

OTOH there was some troubling news from KBH homes latest earnings report.  Basically they kept sales fairly strong all through the interest rate hikes, now that interest rates are falling they are not seeing an increase in orders.  It implies the interest rate cuts might not move housing as much as I would hope.  Just 1 data point, who knows.  

RO is terrible in south central va, $650 for prime logs.   WO log prices have not moved yet but I expect them to move soon, market is going to be flooded in WO.

[TreefarmerNN]

Sad news on the pricing.  Why will WO suddenly get an influx of logs?  Is it just the prices are good enough to have loggers move from RO?

[nativewolf]

The stave mill yards are full.  Why?  I don't know.  The craze for bourbon may have come to an end.  It's been discussed for a while, they responded to a global craze for a fairly regional American spirit.   It does mean there will be a new craze, Tequila?  Scotch?  Also, there is going to be a flood of used barrels hitting the market so the buyers that adapted to use the discarded bourbon barrel will see low prices, for years maybe.  

The stave mills were willing to accept huge waste to get 1 good stave, now they will get pickier and want logs that have much higher yield.  Previously Independent stave was buying the first 25' of tree and paying top dollar for that so people could send low quality trees with only 8-10' of grade log into the stave market.  Most of that got chipped but it paid the logger well.  When they open mill yards back up it will probably be to only take 3 side clear logs or something like that.  Lower quality logs will be pushed into ties (market is swamped) or lumber (ok prices still but not if supply increases dramatically).