Hiring out woodmizer WITHOUT operator- your thoughts please...

[doobin]

You could consider joining the Construction Plant Association and using their Model Terms and Conditions. They are pretty watertight to say the least, and membership also gives you access to their assistance and expertise should something go wrong. They will also know who to use for insurance for this type of venture (insurance where you pay when it's at your yard, and the customer pays unless they can show proof of their own hired in plant insurance).

[Mobile-sawman.]

Some good feedback so far... To answer a few of the points raised:

 

I only hire it to people with "hired in plant insurance"

I always check identity of hirer (passport etc)

 

Transport: I deliver and collect- I set the mizer up at hirers premises and then remove the road axle and take with me so it cant be used "mobile" - I also have a tracker on it so I can make sure it stays put!

 

Min hire period at the mo is 1 wk Mon-Sat.

 

Damage: There isnt realy a lot you could damage to be honest- hitting the log dogs is the most common, which damages the blade- but the clients I already hire to supply their own blades....

 

Hiring out with subby: already thought of that- but then the cost would be back up to "machine and operator" rates. (I am trying to convince more arbs to mill rather than log)

 

All food for thought though.... Maybe I just need a couple more clients who want it on the same basis as my existing ones....

[gensetsteve]

Customers should think of it as training and hire. Your knowledge for the day will save them alot of wasted time.

[monkeybusiness]

It theoretically sounds like a win win really - if you are in a position to be without the machine for a week at a time then in some ways I say go for it.

My reservation (as a potential customer) is what the cost for a week's hire would be - I imagine that you could mill an enormous volume of timber in that time. If I were in a situation where I had a week's worth of milling in one go I would personally be seriously looking at buying my own mill. The hire cost would need to be very cheap (and therefore not in your favour) to warrant me renting a mill for a week.

When I first read the thread title my thoughts were 'This guy is crazy'. I don't think that now, but I'm unsure if it is the right thing for you to be doing. I know that the machine is dead money when sat in the yard, but there is a chance that hiring it out the way you propose (which in itself I don't disagree with) will limit your market too much, or will return too little money to be worth bothering with.

I am by no means knowledgeable in the timber milling game however - if you do decide to hire your machine out I sincerely hope you prove me wrong! Good luck either way.

[Mobile-sawman.]

It theoretically sounds like a win win really - if you are in a position to be without the machine for a week at a time then in some ways I say go for it.

My reservation (as a potential customer) is what the cost for a week's hire would be - I imagine that you could mill an enormous volume of timber in that time. If I were in a situation where I had a week's worth of milling in one go I would personally be seriously looking at buying my own mill. The hire cost would need to be very cheap (and therefore not in your favour) to warrant me renting a mill for a week.

When I first read the thread title my thoughts were 'This guy is crazy'. I don't think that now, but I'm unsure if it is the right thing for you to be doing. I know that the machine is dead money when sat in the yard, but there is a chance that hiring it out the way you propose (which in itself I don't disagree with) will limit your market too much, or will return too little money to be worth bothering with.

 

 

Ok. We are now down to the "nitty gritty!...

 

My current deal with the couple of clients has been:

 

Monday morning, travel from my yard to hirers premises. set up mizer and spend the rest of the day as a tutorial/questions answer type day.

 

once I am happy that they have the basics I will leave the machine with them.

 

I am always on the other end of the phone if they need any assistance.

 

I collect the saw on the following Saturday. Hirer is free to use the machine 24hrs a day in between if they so wish!

 

The couple of clients I have at the mo have bought there own blades and provide fuel.

 

I supply all consumables (bearings, belts etc)

 

Cost has been £500 inclusive for the wk, including the days tutorial, delivery and collection.

 

Now, to some this may seem a lot.... but to put it in perspective, the saw was out last wk to a client that cuts reclaimed pitch pine beams into floorboards. He managed to cut over 40 GRANDS WORTH of boards in that time! (1000 cubic ft at £40 cube)

 

My other client cuts stems- oak, beech, ash etc... and he can achieve a good yield but green timber is approx half the value of the antique stuff. (I sell slabs at £20 cube)

 

I know they are cutting this amount because i do the same thing- cut both reclaimed timber and green timber..I have a yard full of both (I also have a static mill and other processing machinary, planers, moulders etc)

 

I think both of them prefer to just hire in the mill as needed, without having to find the money to buy one, mantain it and then have it sat unemployed taking up space while waiting for stocks to build up.

 

works for me and them.... but would it work for others?

[monkeybusiness]

At £500 per week I'm sure it will work for others, that is (what I would consider) very cheap for what you are offering. If you are happy at that money then I'm sure there will be a few people looking to hire your machine. Crack on sir!

[Howard R]

£500 per week is very reasonable and cheap - especially with a days tutorial.

 

Round here you can pay £500 per day for a Woodmizer and operator.

 

How much are the blades?

And how long do they last in clean timber?

[skyhuck]

This sounds like an excellent service!!

 

I would certainly be interested.

[Ollywood]

Is there more profit to be had from milling over firewood ? Is ash any good for milling ?

[gensetsteve]

Is there more profit to be had from milling over firewood ? Is ash any good for milling ?

 

Nice stick of oak or ash worth £150 for firewood or £500 if you turn it in to planks or posts.