How to 'guesstimate' a ton of timber?

[Farqhar]

I've taken on a job where the client now wants me to give him a seperate invoice for "firewood", that is to say, in the process of clearing the area anything not suited as saleable timber, should be moved/stacked for firewood, which he will sell by the truck-load. It'll be a mix of birch/oak/ sycamore/ash/anything! . . . it has to be cut to 8 and 16ft lengths. Trouble is, most of it is twisted/bent and otherwise rubbish! What's the best method of "guesstimating" a ton for this stuff, as if I'm to invoice it by the ton I need to be sure not to leave myself open to criticism. Any help will be appreciated.

[Hodge]

guess/bend the truth/white lie. a tonne can be anything depending on size, its all down to experience and learning the trade and thinking.

[Peter]

You cant sell by the tonne without weighing it.

 

The only measurement you can quantify on site would be volume.

[Charlieh]

has to be volume really as said,

 

here is a quick and easy guide http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/timbervolume.pdf/$FILE/timbervolume.pdf

[Bundle 2]

Not per tree though. Thats the way the forestry commission cutters had to work of old...dying breed now.

Get it stacked, work out volume and % air. Agree weight per volume for species variation...argue lots with the client and agree a price!

Good luck....16' could be a pita if you gotta handball the gear onto the floor...Or are you using harvesters? In this part of the world, you cant justify a harvester for less than 1000t.....

[plippy]

the old man used to reckon a ton in volume is about 6ft by 4ft and 4ft tall, i think it it was

[Farqhar]

Thanks All

I guess I will have to get it stacked and work out approx volume, take an average weight of the several species I'm stacking and equate volume to weight - approx. Client and I can argue about it a bit so I'd better go on the high side!

Cheers - Farq'

[defenderjack]

Thanks All

I guess I will have to get it stacked and work out approx volume, take an average weight of the several species I'm stacking and equate volume to weight - approx. Client and I can argue about it a bit so I'd better go on the high side!

Cheers - Farq'

 

i had a similair problem last month , but i was on a day rate so i didnt matter to much , but still had to give an idea of how much we could cut and stack , heres a piccy from 2 days work , im still no to sure how much we cut but geusstimated somewhere round 25/30 ton

[bareroots]

nice work gentlemen. not bad for two day on small stuff.