Log Bagging Device

[mikey10]

what about your other customers?how much do they buy them from you for, does it conflict with the petrol station prices?

 

I just sell as 1 or 2 m3 loads to normal customers, was thinking of selling bags for £3.00 or 3.25 each, putting a few outside so they catch peoples eye as they drive past, your price sounds about the same as mine as your bags are slightly smaller.

[Stephen Blair]

I just sell as 1 or 2 m3 loads to normal customers, was thinking of selling bags for £3.00 or 3.25 each, putting a few outside so they catch peoples eye as they drive past, your price sounds about the same as mine as your bags are slightly smaller.

 

i would like to cater for all customers. the big dumpy bags are good value for money but some folk dont want them, or dont want the hassle of shifting the logs after. the small bags are really light and more lady friendly i think(not being sexist)

[Arran Woodfuels]

more lady friendly I think

 

Are you talking about the bags of logs, or the chap delivering them.....

 

We promote our bagged logs carefully on the island. It is a lot of extra work to fill them and we don't want to detract from sales of bulk loads which are less labour intensive.

 

There is a young lad locally who tried to start-up in competition, selling manaully cut logs and delivering in the back of his van. We now let him sell our bagged logs (on a commission basis), thus cutting out the competition and supplying a segment of the market (bagged logs) without detracting sales from our mainstream bulk deliveries. Gives him a nice wee job too.

Edited March 12, 2009 by Arran Woodfuels

[Stephen Blair]

yes they are a proper pain filling them, and time consuming. but there are plenty of rainy days just now

[detritus21]

I'm debating how much to charge for bagged wood. I've just got some 85x40 bags. I need to compare the size and price with the ones the local coal merchant had in as they are likely to become regular customers provided they don't want them for £1.20 a bag they have had off another company last winter. Explaining the price has gone up alot doesn't seem to make sense to a coal man whos own prices have gone up 100% in a year. Realistically wholesale prices I think I'd be wanting at least £2-2.50 a bag and to my log customers probably £3-4 a bag. I need to tap the local competition and see what they sell for. I know one local company does bulk bag deliveries for 30 quid how they make any money I don't know. The profit margins must be very small when you take into account £20-40 a tonne + delivery and man hours.

[Jason James Gairn]

I would have thought that with the low profit margin on firewood, any one serious about it would invest in the best. From cord to bags on a pallet, a three man team needs to be producing a bag every 15-20 seconds. Otherwise the profit is reduced to nothing.

 

Working a firewood harvester is factory work. The best way to fill the bags is with an ergonomically designed tipping tray device (I'm sure they have a correct name), Everything else is hobby blue peter time.

 

I used to work with a japa machine and it was a hellish existence. But we produced in excess of 10 ton a day on a good day. None of us were particularly good at it either.

 

Is anyone actually making a living from just doing logs? Are the logs well seasoned hardwood split ones too? Or a mix of all sorts of leylandii and willow?

[Arran Woodfuels]

low profit margin on firewood

Ehh????

 

We run a Hakki Pilke 37, two guys and two 3.5 tonne tippers.

 

They take turns on the processor, ie they fill thier own truck, then deliver when the other fills his. Keeps the boredom away.

 

2 year seasoned Sitka Spruce, customers can't get enough of it (at the moment). Charge £90 for a level Transit load, free delivery 25 mile radius.

 

Mind you, it is not a living, they have farm work as well.........

Edited March 12, 2009 by Arran Woodfuels

[Jason James Gairn]

Ehh????

 

 

So you think there is a high profit margin on firewood? How much of that £90 is profit an dhow much is covering the cost of the man hours to get it to their door, let alone fuel, insurance, and all the usual overheads? I'd be suprised if £15 was seen clear.

But I like surprises, almost as much as I like a lovely open fire and coco.

[mikey10]

The best way to fill the bags is with an ergonomically designed tipping tray device (I'm sure they have a correct name), Everything else is hobby blue peter time.

 

 

I have been thinking of getting one of those tripping trays but the "200.00 price keeps putting me off, i can fill about 25- 30 bags an hour, stacked in to the top not just thrown in.

so how many bags could you do a hour with this device?

[Dean Lofthouse]

2 year seasoned Sitka Spruce, customers can't get enough of it (at the moment). Charge £90 for a level Transit load, free delivery 25 mile radius.

 

 

That would be cheap if it were round here, I get £140 a level landrover load, which isn't as big as a Transit, I worked it out at 2 cu/m but it is hard woods mainly