Are logs worth doing anymore ?

[Shane]

I used to dabble in log sales - just my own produce. By the time I cut and split it then someone phones and wants 3 bags delivered!!!

Its not worth it for me. Maybe living in a semi and using my front garden for processing is a major limitation.

As they say - you need to take an evolutionary step to make it worthwhile, or just accept the hassles and treat is as a hobby (a low paying one under my circumstances).

 

I accept that I can make more dosh just arbing and leave the logs for those with the space and machinery.

 

Theres not a right or wrong answer on this one really - make it work or give it a miss.

[Chris Sheppard]

As much as it should make sense for me to do logs at the moment, I don't.

 

I used to sell firewood up until around 5 years ago - it was something to work in with quieter spells or bad weather and in the end also ran nicely around my employed work too.

 

With the cost of wood going up at roadside, the cost of a load needed to go up to match but around us no one seemed to be doing, or not by enough to make up the shortfall so I decided not to bother.

 

Around us, it's still far too cheap so I tend to concentrate of selling the raw material at roadside and that keeps me fairly busy and keeps the volume of customers and dodgy hours delivering to a minimum.

 

Am quite lucky that if the weather's not great I can sometimes get to go and process wood for other people on their machines - nice and stress free

[Dean Lofthouse]

I have put my prices up this year, the logs are in my barn, nice and dry, if they are too dear for people they can stay were they are, I,m not fussed

[Marko]

We run a small operation which is all "on the books"... I can't expect the kit to be deductable if the income isn't declared. We sell at a small profit. Always.

 

The real benefit of firewood for us is to covering the cost of man hours that would otherwise be less/non productive.

 

In sticking to our guns on quality and price we seem to have quickly shed the difficult customers and have retained the pleasant friendly ones. It has worked out nicely for us.

[Dean Lofthouse]

 

In sticking to our guns on quality and price we seem to have quickly shed the difficult customers and have retained the pleasant friendly ones. It has worked out nicely for us.

 

Exactly the same for me. I don't have any hassle.

 

Just filter out the " no ideas " by supplying quality logs at a realistic price.

 

Logs are not free to us, they cost a lot to transport, process and store

[Alycidon]

Currently I am buying cord in and sell at 84 and 105 a cube for soft and hard respectivily. Miosture content is around 14%, cut to 240mm, and split in even (ish) logs. Deliver in green Bag supplies bags on a pallet, leave customer the bag and pallet, collect on next drop.

 

I have about 30 cube left at that price, this was stock I processed spring 2011, then the price is going up 10%.

 

I have people here selling at £65 for a .7 cube bag of hard, so I am not far out, I am though just introducing delivery charges. If it sells it sells, if not it can stop in the shed tillit does.

 

I sell a premium stove product and a premium fuel product to go in it. I can demonstrate that my logs are drier than CWs kiln dried ones.

 

In short no point in being a busy fool, I have turned down two orders this week as the customers expected me to deliver 40 miles for nothing.

 

It occurs to me that with the cost of processing equipemt as it is it might be an idea to combine forces in this area to get optimum use out of one machine. Either that or buy ready processed logs in. Thing is I like using my machine !!.

 

A

[Yeti]

this year has been nightmare with rain and sourcing timber is getting more and more difficult.I've just bought a massive supply off a Gypo sellig it at 30quid a bulk bag for hardwood cut and split if wasn't for that this year I'd have no hardwood.

I stopped using my powered splitter and returned back to hand splitting to try keep overheads down.The farmers with all the diversification grants are snapping up volumes of timber locally and forcing the firewood merchants out,just can't compete on there scale makes my blood boil,who is bailing us forest and tree lads out eah? No bugger.

I'll keep going for as long as I can as still making okey profit but it's beaten spirit out me this year,every other week said I'm gonna fold.

[swinny]

Its a pain in the arse really..... i often think it would be better giving wood away and doing away with a yard, as it costs to store, process, bag etc and or deliver.....

 

Prices are crap.... few people selling 2.2mtr cube for 100 quid... there's no competing with that!

 

I don't do big scale, only what i bring in each year, thats all i'm interested in....

 

Pee'd off with weather and my firewood store and times handling logs... time for a brew

[gensetsteve]

I think its worth having a stash of logs so I can get my logging fix and supply my house. I spoke to a log seller nr Newbury who sells a 1000 tonnes a year and he calls this silly season and goes off on holiday until end of November I am thinking process alot less and jack the price to £120 a cube in December if it drops cold. I have people around me doing 3 cu metres for £160 probably green pop and willow but some people feel the price not the quality.

[Stephen Blair]

For me, no its not worth it, it used to get me out the house and get me seen and if I was there delivering logs I might get a tree job.