Just Unlucky ?

[matelot]

tbh, I think the OP is a genuine frustrated log buyer.

 

Normally when I get bad service from a business I cant be bothered complaining and I just don't go back. However, the OP has taken a fair bit of time to post his concerns about the UK firewood industry.

 

Perhaps his post is an opportunity for log sellers to consider the log industry from the customers perspective....

[Drummond8]

Log desperate.. I ll call you John if that's ok it's easier.

 

You ve been asked one question numerous times by numerous of the boys on here trying to help you out. Many of which agree with your comments.

John I reckon you ve been asked about six times on this thread what area you live in. No one is asking for your full name and address no one is even asking what town you specifically live in. But an area of the country would be nice and probably polite to reply to the lads making an attempt to help you out.

 

Now No offence John but you have made numerous points about what is wrong with the industry and how many attempts to find a supplier you have made etc etc. Your complete desperation as a consumer etc etc

 

You also refer to the fact that this is one of the industries biggest forums etc etc. Now I can see why some of the boys think this is a wind up because you say that you have come on here out of frustration but when people are asking you where you are I would imagine so they can potentially supply you and right some of the many many wrongs you have pointed out. you are completely ignoring the question and i can't work out why to be fair??

 

In my eyes if you have come on here out of shear frustration and yet imply you would rather by British then I would be snapping someone's hand off who is more or less publicly offering to supply you in an industry popular forum on a thread that is drawing masses of attention.

 

I think you ve made your points and made them well now is the time to either hands up to being a supplier/ troll/ wind up yourself or take up some of the many open honest requests to supply you.

 

We can all sit back then wait for your delivery of decent logs as I have absoloutely no doubt they will be. You can come back on here tell us publicly that ..... has supplied you and restored your faith in the British log industry. We ll hail them a hero for righting the wrongs and all go back to work knowing the future is bright for logs in this country.

 

Just saying

 

Thanks John 😜

 

( disclaimer.... excuse the sarcasam at the end was all meant in light hearted jest certainly not to offend anyone or give the pretence I have a bad attitude)

 

Come on John answer the question please.

[Woodworks]

I cant see any reason to doubt the OP. Most of what they say is true whether we like it or not.

 

One thing that I think maybe has made log sizing worse is processors (width not length). Unless you get in small size wood you will often have oversized lumps coming off the conveyor. Do you retrieve them and re-split or let it go? Very tempting to just let it go. Our processor can take 14" diameter timber but can only split 6 ways at most. So you end up with something cut to length of say 9" but it's 7" across presuming the wood hits the splitter perfectly central! In reality wood is misshapen and sometimes does not hit the blade as you want. 7" width for a log is far too much IMO and with perfect being 3" - 4" across? Very easy to keep to this if just putting logs through a splitter by hand which I think one of the kiln dried importers on here said is how they do logs.

 

So if using a processor options are

 

Re-split over sized pieces

Big processor that can take 12 way splitter

Get in small roundwood which is rarely an option

Let oversized lumps go through

 

We do the first and it is a PITA but we are making a product for an ever more discerning market not hacking up wood the easiest way.

[better dayz]

I cant see any reason to doubt the OP. Most of what they say is true whether we like it or not.

 

One thing that I think maybe has made log sizing worse is processors (width not length). Unless you get in small size wood you will often have oversized lumps coming off the conveyor. Do you retrieve them and re-split or let it go? Very tempting to just let it go. Our processor can take 14" diameter timber but can only split 6 ways at most. So you end up with something cut to length of say 9" but it's 7" across presuming the wood hits the splitter perfectly central! In reality wood is misshapen and sometimes does not hit the blade as you want. 7" width for a log is far too much IMO and with perfect being 3" - 4" across? Very easy to keep to this if just putting logs through a splitter by hand which I think one of the kiln dried importers on here said is how they do logs.

 

So if using a processor options are

 

Re-split over sized pieces

Big processor that can take 12 way splitter

Get in small roundwood which is rarely an option

Let oversized lumps go through

 

We do the first and it is a PITA but we are making a product for an ever more discerning market not hacking up wood the easiest way.

 

I retrieve 99% of the wider pieces, try not to give the customers anything to moan about.

I sell these as chunky logs for folks with big stoves

[maria warwick]

If Tesco can take a natural living product, add some water and meet a weight spec, what are these heinous firewood merchants playing at?!

 

 

Oh .... I just love that comment

 

 

Loving this thread....keep up the lovely comments boys

[LogDesperate]

Log desperate.. I ll call you John if that's ok it's easier.

 

You ve been asked one question numerous times by numerous of the boys on here trying to help you out. Many of which agree with your comments.

John I reckon you ve been asked about six times on this thread what area you live in. No one is asking for your full name and address no one is even asking what town you specifically live in. But an area of the country would be nice and probably polite to reply to the lads making an attempt to help you out.

 

Now No offence John but you have made numerous points about what is wrong with the industry and how many attempts to find a supplier you have made etc etc. Your complete desperation as a consumer etc etc

 

You also refer to the fact that this is one of the industries biggest forums etc etc. Now I can see why some of the boys think this is a wind up because you say that you have come on here out of frustration but when people are asking you where you are I would imagine so they can potentially supply you and right some of the many many wrongs you have pointed out. you are completely ignoring the question and i can't work out why to be fair??

 

In my eyes if you have come on here out of shear frustration and yet imply you would rather by British then I would be snapping someone's hand off who is more or less publicly offering to supply you in an industry popular forum on a thread that is drawing masses of attention.

 

I think you ve made your points and made them well now is the time to either hands up to being a supplier/ troll/ wind up yourself or take up some of the many open honest requests to supply you.

 

We can all sit back then wait for your delivery of decent logs as I have absoloutely no doubt they will be. You can come back on here tell us publicly that ..... has supplied you and restored your faith in the British log industry. We ll hail them a hero for righting the wrongs and all go back to work knowing the future is bright for logs in this country.

 

 

Just saying

 

Thanks John 😜

 

( disclaimer.... excuse the sarcasam at the end was all meant in light hearted jest certainly not to offend anyone or give the pretence I have a bad attitude)

 

Come on John answer the question please.

 

I prefer TK instead of John , that’s what my friends call me !

 

To all who think I was / am a potential Kiln dried crate importer to UK , do you really think I would come in here to try to sell ? Especially if I was trying to convert end users , if this is what you think I am trying to do with my posts ?

 

I would target End user forums for that , plenty of them online , and tell them how great my product is , come buy them from me or here is a distributor.

 

OR , I would come here , as I did and just say , “ People , we are exporters from such and such , this is the product , this is the price , how many crates can we put you down for sir ? “

 

Where am I ? OK, so , that was one small delicate area , I was not entirely sure how to respond to , hence delay , I was not ignoring it.

 

To be perfectly honest it is irrelevant which area I am in , I have been expressing truthful opinions and experiences that I have had.

I have not said I have exhausted ALL my options in my area , so yes , probably still more I should / could try .

 

It is just the fact that so many not so great experiences in a row , for what should be a simple purchase , on a product that really should not be complicated , nor over the top expensive , I guess I felt the need to come here and vent little and share , to see what the industry is thinking as well.

Also , it is not just about me , “ saving the poor soul and help him out issue “ necessarily . I already guessed there are problems in this industry , as far as quality and quantity is concerned , which some of your members acknowledge and confirm.

 

Between so many of you , majority of your industry probably actively participate in these forums , can you not get together / put heads together and come up with some sort of solution to at least volume issue ?

Someone mentioned, according to Trading Standards , selling / using cubic metre measurement is a no no , but to use “ loads “ as a unit of measurement . I am not disputing this , but can someone provide some links as I have had a quick look but unable to verify this?

 

If true , perhaps it is a strange old British law that stayed from middle ages like .. “ You’re not allowed to be drunk in a pub “ ?

If this is the case , it needs to be challenged and changed

“ thou shall not sell logs by universally accepted volume measurements , thus let it be sold as a load “ ??

 

 

Here is an idea for example , if indeed metric measurements are a no go ( research will need to be done on this still ) , come up with a universally accepted new measurements for log industry , call it “ dumpy crate “ or whatever you wish , which had specific measurements , fill it loose to exact level , let that be known as the measurement , so everyone would know what it is when / if I order 2 of those , I know what loose total volume is , when people order it in up in Highlands , it is same unit as in Wales or in central London

 

I don’t know , or something , its just the bag or load etc methods just not cutting it.

 

I understand , yes, it is a physically demanding job , you need machinery , you need space . Well every business has its challenges and difficulties.

 

And British produce , does it really have to be so expensive , compared to imports ?

Take tree surgery for example , logs are your by product , you have already charged accordingly for felling etc. I had one tree felled and the bill was good few hundred a while back

 

So , technically you have the logs for free , if it is a decent tree , one you can sell the logs , what do you need to do , cut / split and dry ( whatever method )

You are saying you cannot compete with these “ exporters “ , who need to BUY the logs , do same processes as you need to do , cut / split , dry , not to mention supply them in crates ( which would cost a few quid as well ) , then SHIP them from hundreds ( thousands ? ) miles away ( would have thought big cost ) and sell them cheaper than here ?

 

Sure even if the labour was free where they are coming from , how long does it take for you to produce 1 cubic metre logs , with all the Pro equipment you guys have 15 minutes flat or less ? I know I can probably do it in around 2 hours with my laughable but capable ! equipment So labour does not really come up to much surely.

 

So , have fair but competitive price , supply fair volume and quality , have satisfied customers and hold on to them , that way un-satisfied frustrated buyers don’t have the need to look elsewhere .

 

I thought it is better to remain anonymous for obvious reasons, includes pinpoint location where I am from.

 

But anyway , I am from sunny Essex

 

I better Log-Off for now .

 

See what I did there ? Was that a pun ?!

[gdh]

 

So if using a processor options are

 

Re-split over sized pieces

Big processor that can take 12 way splitter

Get in small roundwood which is rarely an option

Let oversized lumps go through

 

We do the first and it is a PITA but we are making a product for an ever more discerning market not hacking up wood the easiest way.

 

We do the first except deliberately leaving a few big bits per load because most customers want them to keep fires going over night.

 

The 12 way splitter isn't very effective unless you sort logs first because any small stuff that goes through just gets made into kindling by the ring then you get too much rubbish.

[Stubby]

I thought for a moment you were a politician but yep right at the end you did say you were from Essex

[Shane]

'So , technically you have the logs for free , if it is a decent tree , one you can sell the logs , what do you need to do , cut / split and dry ( whatever method )

You are saying you cannot compete with these “ exporters “ , who need to BUY the logs , do same processes as you need to do , cut / split , dry , not to mention supply them in crates ( which would cost a few quid as well ) , then SHIP them from hundreds ( thousands ? ) miles away ( would have thought big cost ) and sell them cheaper than here ?

 

Sure even if the labour was free where they are coming from , how long does it take for you to produce 1 cubic metre logs , with all the Pro equipment you guys have 15 minutes flat or less ? I know I can probably do it in around 2 hours with my laughable but capable ! equipment So labour does not really come up to much surely.'

 

I was with you on so much up to that comment.

 

The logs are 'free' to us???? Maybe that can be argued, but a lot of log merchants are NOT tree surgeons.

 

As for the cheap and easy production with all that kit!!!

'Kin ell, how do you think all that kit is paid for? How is it maintained.

[eggsarascal]

TK, if you are in North Essex I can point you in the direction of a decent log merchant. I'm sure there are others on here that could help if you are further south.