Cost of Timber Conversion

[The Woodman]

Greetings one and all.

 

I have had a few folk getting in touch to enquire about the cost of milling etc.

So here is a bit of info.

 

When I buy timber in, it is converted at site, the m3 is what is produced, rather than what there is at the start.

Roughly speaking the m3 from a trunk is 30% less once cut (this varies with the quality if the wood) heart shake and decay can have big influence on the final amount cut.

I do have day rates for those who wish to keep the timber these start at £300 for man and saw. I will come out and cut single trunks at a reduced rate but there is a distance limit.

Consider this, in the right conditions we can mill 5 cubes + in a day, two of us have done 8, but I was carried home !

Timbers prices seem to vary depending on the area, and they fluctuate, at present a cube of European Oak is fetching around £800.

Remember this next time you are wasting all that fuel and chains ring sawing !!

My set up time once on site is approx 15-25 mins depending on location etc.

Check out the Petersons website there is footage on there of a large Redwood trunk being converted in just 20 mins.

To all those who have made enquiries many thanks, I trust that all interested parties find this info helpful.

kind regards Andy:001_smile:

[delabodge]

thanks for posting andy,,usefull info,,,

[Pete Hart]

£800 per cube.... i might stop doing firewood, and get milling then!!!!!!

[The Woodman]

I reckon it is good sense mate. European Hardwoods will be the new gold in a few years time.

[RealEstate]

When I buy timber in, it is converted at site, the m3 is what is produced, rather than what there is at the start.

Roughly speaking the m3 from a trunk is 30% less once cut (this varies with the quality if the wood) heart shake and decay can have big influence on the final amount cut.

I do have day rates for those who wish to keep the timber these start at £300 for man and saw. I will come out and cut single trunks at a reduced rate but there is a distance limit.

Consider this, in the right conditions we can mill 5 cubes + in a day, two of us have done 8,

Timbers prices seem to vary depending on the area, and they fluctuate, at present a cube of European Oak is fetching around £800.

....

My set up time once on site is approx 15-25 mins depending on location etc.

European Oak at £800m3, is that when seasoned, eg after 2 yrs?

 

Do you have a price for Beech?

 

I assume you normally mill new-felled wood?

 

Is there an optimum length & size of planks for saleability?

 

How does one go about selling the milled wood, eg when it's seasoned?

 

TIA

[agg221]

European Oak at £800m3, is that when seasoned, eg after 2 yrs?

Do you have a price for Beech?

I assume you normally mill new-felled wood?

Is there an optimum length & size of planks for saleability?

How does one go about selling the milled wood, eg when it's seasoned?

 

TIA

 

The original of this thread was over 2yrs ago, so I suspect the OP may not reply (haven't seen him around recently) but an attempt at answers to your questions:

 

£800/m3 would be in the normal range for green English oak, which is roughly £700-875/m3 depending on quality, location etc. Seasoned would be more like £900-1050/m3. Seasoning time depends on thickness and whether air-dried or kiln dried.

 

Beech is usually cheaper - more like £525/m3.

 

It is normal to mill freshly felled timber - it's softer, less likely to have started to rot or split from the ends, and there is no benefit to waiting, however you can mill trees which have been felled for an indefinite period, and re-saw fully seasoned timber if necessary, just expect it to be slower and possibly have reduced yield.

 

Sales - tricky. Length, thickness, sales location all depend on target market, which depends a bit on what you have. Absolutely stunning quality grain will sell easily wherever. Plain ordinary beech or ash can be slower to sell. Anything durable such as oak will sell fairly easily in larger section for outdoor use.

 

Hope this helps

 

Alec