have a walk thru the shop with pics.

[fat olde elf]

I sort of figured that you were doing well, I just didn't know just how well !!! Great look at your operation.  I really enjoyed our personal messages and a phone chat.
Thanks for posting !!!!! Easy does it.

[rbhunter]

Thanks for the pictures and tour I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to your farm tour also.

[21incher]

Amazing shop. Thanks for the tour.

[petefrom bearswamp]

Thanks for the tour.
Nice operation!

[giant splinter]

Now that is what I call a very nice shop layout, very clean as well .......... Red Oaks is a tough act to follow.
Thanks for the tour and looking forward to the farm tour in the future.  smiley_clapping smiley_clapping

[schmism]

would you be willing to talk frank about priceing?

Ive been trying to mold up some replacement molding for my 100yo farm house.   

do you offer finger grove connected material (for painting)   
do you mold MDF?

I had a good family friend that ran a millwork in Memphis 10-15 years ago.   I remember talking to him about molding priceing.   If memory serves it was $XX per inch of molding cutter, plus setup cost then a price per foot.  with extra fee if you didnt buy over a 1000 LF of molding..

do you profile grind your own cutters?

Did you acquire all your machines used from old mill works or did you buy new?
Do you have a sharper were you might make door blanks etc?

I didnt see mention of a saw mill... Do you just buy rough sawn material from other sawers?   
Do you purchase dried material or do you have a kiln to dry yourself?

Have you been doing it long?   It seems like CL has been full of old machines from millworks that closed up in the past 10 years.  Have you found it hard to stay busy especially during the downturn?

[red oaks lumber]

schmism
i'll do my best to answer your questions in the order you asked.
i have no problem discussing pricing but, need more info first
we don't offer finger jointing but, i can give recommendations. why the need for finger joint?
i have never tried moulding mdf, it might work
the cost is you pay for the knives (i keep when done) and then its just a board foot cost after that.
i don't grind any profiles inhouse i have a outside source do my profiles. i cant justify spending upwards of $50 grand for a good grinder.
all my machines were bought new, with the exception of the rip saw..
i do own a shaper but, that is dedicated to a specific product so, the answer is no i cant run door parts. if you google that in your area i would think you could locate someone that does.
we saw and kiln dry our own wood as well as others. the mill is a wm lt40 hyd. and the kiln is a nyle  15,000 b.f. capacity
i started the business in 1998
this last one is always interesting.
my type of niche market is always changing, trendy, every 5 yrs what was is in is out and so on.knowing how to be in the front of trends is key to staying on top . i use the magic 8 ball for answers. :D no just kidding. business has remained very steady before ,during, and since the great explosion but, we arent doing the same type of products today as we had been doing pre 2008 so, driving the bus is always smarter than being run over by it. i hope i answered your questions or came close, if more is needed just ask.

[WDH]

Now you have went and done it.  You cannot come and see me now, because I would be too embarrassed to show you my little set-up after seeing yours  .

[red oaks lumber]

remember danny, size dosen't matter :D :D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

 

[WDH]

Well, at least I could BBQ something.  I got plenty of pecan ( )  ;D. 

[red oaks lumber]

as long as its not like devils spit bbq sauce, this old dog will be wimpering like a puppy ;D

[WDH]

I would whip up some Danjonit's Famous Sawmill BBQ Sauce. 

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,52866.20.html

Maybe Jake could bring some meat  :D.

[red oaks lumber]

some how i dont trust you fellas :D what kind of meat you suppose?

[WDH]

If it looks like a skinned cat, it is probably coon  :D.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

If it looks like a skinned cat, it is probably coon  :D.

That's why the 'Ol Timers left a foot on the critter when they set it on the dinner table.
Some people had to have proof of what they were about to eat.  :D

[Small Slick]

Red Oaks, I have been past Spooner hundreds of times myself. I will make it a priority to swing past your shop sometime. Thanks for your input on some of my posts.

John

[Peter Drouin]

If it looks like a skinned cat, it is probably coon  :D.

That's why the 'Ol Timers left a foot on the critter when they set it on the dinner table.
Some people had to have proof of what they were about to eat.  :D

Boy you southern guys have to leave feet on your meal so you know your not eating cat  :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[WDH]

And you thought grits was bad  :D.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

And you thought grits was bad  :D.

Oh I'm rolling now..... :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[1woodguy]

Nice shop!
   I used to dream about a shop like that,,,and one night it disappeared
Years go by and then someone posts pics of my shop
:D
    I wish!

[red oaks lumber]

life is short, never stop dreaming

[CHill8903]

Red Oaks, very nice operation. How do you market your flooring?  Is it wholesaled or sold directly to the end user?

[red oaks lumber]

welcome chill8903
all the floor we sell goes to the end user. i don't see the need to sell wholesale when we don't keep inventory of flooring.
the nice thing about making our own products and making product using other peoples wood is there is always fill in work. for example if we are waiting for a kiln load for a specific job, we'll  bring in a customers job or jobs and keep on rolling.
scheduling it all can be alittle hairy at times some start out in log form, others might just be dry only, or dry, mould, end match. because everyone wants their wood now :D
every bundle of wood has a date, name , species written on the side that way its always idenified

 

[CHill8903]

I see.  I have a similar operation here(sawmill,kiln,molder)that Ive built up over the last few years working at it part time.  I finally have the pieces in place to expand the flooring end of things.  I also process customer's logs/lumber, however thats a much smaller part of the business than rough lumber sales and flooring/panelling.  Word of mouth is picking up and craigslist has done well for me locally, I was wondering how you advertise/draw customers, If you dont mind me asking?  I understand what you mean about a good product selling itself, when I can get a customer here to see samples in person, it generally results in a sale.