Delivering firewood

[william127]

2 hours ago, timbernut said:

Ha ha, yes I do use the mirrors, didn't say I couldn't it's just easier! Yep in the dark can b a nightmare, the Landy will have a lightbar when back on road and I'm puttin led lights on the trailer board

Put a 2ft light bar over the back door of the Land Rover, independently switched so it can be on at any time, including when the keys are in your pocket. It's the single best modification I have ever made to a vehicle. It did once look like making my mate cry- I told him if we cut and split x amount of logs on a November Saturday I'd pay him 50percent extra. He really went for it all day, come 4pm he's ready to drop and not yet earned his bonus. It's getting dark and he tells me we need to stop. I tell him to have a drink, I'll be back in a minute. I reverse the truck in, switch it off and light the place up like daylight! 

2 hours later, a bonus has been earned but an assistant is ready to keel over!

[Rwhiteheadfirewood]

I’m using a ford ranger wildtrak double cab pick up with led rear lights for those evening deliveries, ifor Williams tt3017 tipper so I can do pick up load , half tipper or full tipper or all 3 ,  and I’ve got a Clio van which I run the nets and coal to the shops I sell too, with a tow bar fitted that can also tow the ifor Williams p7e fitted with mesh sides so can take 2 builders bags with a proper fitted cover for when it’s raining. Looking to do more shop deliveries so may change the van for a transit connect type vehicle so more capacity than the Clio. I find offering different size of loads helps me sell more. 

[HertsWood]

Defender td5 130 ripper with air springs on the rear & alloy tipping body.
BFG Mud Terrain Tyres.
Deliver in 2 loose volumes: 1.2m3 or 2.4m3
Narrow width of defender helps with narrow lanes / access.

[arboriculturist]

18 hours ago, Alycidon said:

You do need a decent 4x4 and a low ratio box for that for sure.     Most people no longer want wood dumped loose on a driveway.  Stacked crates are one way,   vented bags another but the return rate on the bags is not good so the cost needs to be built in.  I use an IFW trailer and crates or bags on pallets.

 

A

People need to be educated that they do want logs dumped look on their driveway as it will give them at least a little much needed exercise.

We supply a lot of Firewood delivered just that way and have no issues.

 

[Khriss]

Part of it ArboC, and anyway if they are burning significant amounts / delivered , they should arrange a bay to tip into with their chopping block next to it , K

 

( Preferably with a waiting cup of tea... )

[richardwale]

Loose loads here as well, hand balled off to a place the customer wants to put them, within reason. I'm pretty happy to stack as it gives a better than average chance of them coming back to buy again. Bags, crates, pallets, too much hassle for me. I'm sure it works for some but I'm small scale so loose works for me and my customers.

[arboriculturist]

26 minutes ago, richardwale said:

Loose loads here as well, hand balled off to a place the customer wants to put them, within reason. I'm pretty happy to stack as it gives a better than average chance of them coming back to buy again. Bags, crates, pallets, too much hassle for me. I'm sure it works for some but I'm small scale so loose works for me and my customers.

Knowone should ever ever move or stack for free - your time is valuable, so don't undervalue it.

 

I've spent considerable amount of time calculating the margins in Firewood supply and even if you have a seriously efficient setup its 100% a numbers game.

 

The largest supplies on here supply high quality products - no bags, no handling and loose tipping - that is a robust business model. Others will disagree.

 

 

 

If you sell quality Firewood people always come back

[felixthelogchopper]

2 minutes ago, arboriculturist said:

Knowone should ever ever move or stack for free - your time is valuable, so don't undervalue it.

 

I've spent considerable amount of time calculating the margins in Firewood supply and even if you have a seriously efficient setup its 100% a numbers game.

 

The largest supplies on here supply high quality products - no bags, no handling and loose tipping - that is a robust business model. Others will disagree.

 

 

 

If you sell quality Firewood people always come back

Spot on.

[richardwale]

10 minutes ago, arboriculturist said:

Knowone should ever ever move or stack for free - your time is valuable, so don't undervalue it.

 

I've spent considerable amount of time calculating the margins in Firewood supply and even if you have a seriously efficient setup its 100% a numbers game.

 

The largest supplies on here supply high quality products - no bags, no handling and loose tipping - that is a robust business model. Others will disagree.

 

 

 

If you sell quality Firewood people always come back

The occasional stacking is all factored into the firewood retail price, but thanks for the advice. ?

[Bogieman]

When we started delivering it was with an Ifor Williams GD85 behind a 4x4, so all hand unloaded and sometimes stacked. The enjoyment  quickly faded so we moved on to a Transit tipper, delivering 3 cube loose. Our target is to never touch a log by hand, either in the yard or on the road, so now it's strictly tip and go. No bags, no boxes, no IBCs, I can't understand why people set out to purposefully create work!

Those who are delivering with a commercial vehicle and trailer are presumably on tacho?