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How the big boys do it..


Michael C
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The biggest problem with logs is cash flow and storage and I have not found a stove supplier that eases either of these problems. We cant keep up with the demand in the winter what we need is people to buy and store their logs in the summer. As a self employed person working with my hands tied behind my back for a stove installer would not work for me. I could always start stocking and installing stoves.

 

I can sympathise with that, some stove sellers cannot see the wood for the trees, to many people are chasing web prices instead of selling their own local benefits. I charge about £80 a stove ( 15% or so) more than web based companies, I am upfront about it and explain why, almost all prefer to buy local as long as the price is not to far out.

 

As for stocking and installing stoves, you probably could, certification is not a problem, attend a course, do an exam then do half a dozen under supervision and away you go. Quite a few want some building work though so those skills would also be needed or bought in.

 

Even if stove guys were prepared to buy in and store by and large they do not have the handling equipment the job demands hence I see and still see an opening.

 

A

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Alycidon, I know i am splitting hairs (i havent got, except in my nose now for some reason!) but i have found that the kiln dried logs i am selling are 14-17%, with most actually 15/16%. Which is quite a difference to the 20/22 you are quoting, where did the logs come from that you measured?

 

I am happily selling KilnDried logs along side my own seasoned logs which are at 24% currently for HW and 15% for softwood. Some people just want the percieved premium product and i am not going to loose a customer because i am will not sell them what they want. For the same reason i am now selling Cough coal Cough, althought i have to admit that selling this product really hurts.

 

 

When I was examining buying in containers of KD product from abroad this spring the average MC I was quoted was 20/22, one guy in the Ukraine claimed 17%. Most of the companies I spoke to claimed to be CW suppliers !!. Looking at CWs set up I doubt that. In fairness to CW I have never knowingly measured any of their product. My own softwood that I processed this spring and early summer is now going out at 7-12%, thats air dried under cover. I can see no benefit in me selling KD product unless I kiln it myself for a few hours.

 

I posted elsewhere here that I processed some ash earlier this week for winter 12-13, fresh felled it was 27%. If you sell stoves you know that 24% is far to wet to burn efficiently and cleanly. I recon that ash would be 24% in maybe a month !!.

 

A

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Thinking about it i havent actually measured the MC of my logs since July! My meters keep turning on and then the batteries go flat.... if my SW was at 15% in july and my HW was 24% then i would hope its significantly less now, i better invest in some 9v batteries! lol

 

Anyway, I am very pleased that as a stove retailer you are not pushing KD products on everyone, its actually very refreshing!

 

Out of interest what softwood is it your selling? I have around 20m3 of macracarpa in stock fence containers thats been sitting since March, its really dry now and is a pleasure to burn.

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When I was examining buying in containers of KD product from abroad this spring the average MC I was quoted was 20/22, one guy in the Ukraine claimed 17%. Most of the companies I spoke to claimed to be CW suppliers !!. Looking at CWs set up I doubt that. In fairness to CW I have never knowingly measured any of their product. My own softwood that I processed this spring and early summer is now going out at 7-12%, thats air dried under cover. I can see no benefit in me selling KD product unless I kiln it myself for a few hours.

 

I posted elsewhere here that I processed some ash earlier this week for winter 12-13, fresh felled it was 27%. If you sell stoves you know that 24% is far to wet to burn efficiently and cleanly. I recon that ash would be 24% in maybe a month !!.

 

A

 

Kiln Dried Logs and Seasoned Logs - Certainly Wood

 

CW do say that they buy in 'minimal' imported firewood.

 

On kiln drying, for me the big advantage would have to be the fast turnaround. To be able to go from green wet timber to nice dry firewood in a few days would be brilliant.

A lot less money tied up, no need for massive yards, hundreds of pallets etc etc.

And surely the cost of running the Kiln could be recouped in the sale price of the logs?

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Thinking about it i havent actually measured the MC of my logs since July! My meters keep turning on and then the batteries go flat.... if my SW was at 15% in july and my HW was 24% then i would hope its significantly less now, i better invest in some 9v batteries! lol

 

Anyway, I am very pleased that as a stove retailer you are not pushing KD products on everyone, its actually very refreshing!

 

Out of interest what softwood is it your selling? I have around 20m3 of macracarpa in stock fence containers thats been sitting since March, its really dry now and is a pleasure to burn.

 

I make it a point NEVER to follow the heard and always paddle my own canoe, CW are basically farmers that diversified in firewood. They are sharp operators and they do the job properly, good luck to them. I see no reason why they as suppliers cannot be emulated.

 

I currently sell a mix of Larch, Scots pine, Spruce etc, I sell it simply as firewood and make no mention of hardwood or softwood unless the customer asks. If they do then I pick up on what the Scandinavians mainly burn !!!.

 

I measured the hardwood ( Ash and Silver birch with a few bits of beech,oak etc) today, 15%-18% so that can now go as well. Did not expect it to be ready this winter.

 

I am intending to introduce an audit trail for the end product, gives the customer confidence of he knows exactly where his logs have been grown, processed etc, you saw CW tying labels onto filled bags containing MC details and probably other things,

 

Papers say -20c in two weeks so that should be good.

 

A

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Kiln Dried Logs and Seasoned Logs - Certainly Wood

 

CW do say that they buy in 'minimal' imported firewood.

 

On kiln drying, for me the big advantage would have to be the fast turnaround. To be able to go from green wet timber to nice dry firewood in a few days would be brilliant.

A lot less money tied up, no need for massive yards, hundreds of pallets etc etc.

And surely the cost of running the Kiln could be recouped in the sale price of the logs?

 

 

Looking at their set up they have apple crates 5 high in the yard seasoning then pop it into a kiln for a few hours just to finish it off. Going from green to finished in a short time would have far higher fuel costs. No point in rushing it of nature will do 90% of the work for free.

 

A

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Very Impressive,but setting out to emulate some one elses, so say success, is not neccessarily a short cut ,to becoming successful at the same thing one's self.And remember, for every business success story, there a lot more bussiness failures which we do not here about. I bet they have scary cash flow,which must be secured against what the farm, or what. All that glitters is not gold.

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