Hello and your best advice please.

[John in Scotland]

Hello.

I've read a few threads and you seem a friendly bunch.

You could say that I'm a bit of a green scrubby bloak.

after many years doing various stuff including a bit of landscaping/outdoor work,

I find myself living in Scotland(originally kent)

I've had a woodburning stove for 5 years and managed to only burn wood that i had collected sawn and chopped myself.

Due to the recession I found it hard to find some work where I would be happy.

Any way I drive part time and garden through the summer. Through the winter theres not much around so I've been collecting lots of wood for logs from the storms.

I'm considering doing a lot more logging. I have a source of softwood that I can get as much as I want(sawmill offcuts). Have a sanli chainsaw(I know it's not quality) which actually has done me very well so far. I cart my logs in the back of my estate car(fabia).At the moment I enjoy chopping the logs with a felling axe.

I also manage to find a fair bit of hardwood around.

I've never sold logs yet.

 

I'm 48 fit and able. no training apart from a few tips and reading up online.

 

I could probably spend 4 hours a day 6 months a year.. if I could get the wood.

However I only have a small yard about 15 x 12.

 

I do know people that might help out with the land/ timber in return for a cut in profits.

 

So if you were me.. what would you do, and what are the best things I could do to help me earn a part time living.

For me quality of life well out ways financial gain.

 

for instance a vehicle,chainsaw,equipment etc. I plan to expand slowly. I have some money but don't want to waste it.

 

John

[IanW]

you wanting advice on selling wood or getting a job?

 

get some dumpy bags and try and sell them to locals if you get the wood for nothing, you can sell them cheap and still be in pocket.

 

if your looking for work, training and equipment can be costly, if your determined enough and have your head screwed on it's achievable.

 

for logging work you want your cs30,31 ticket and basic ppe, for a groundsman you want cs30,31,38,39 but then I gets costly.

 

Ian

Edited January 10, 2014 by IanW

[John in Scotland]

thinking more self employed working for myself.

 

thanks

[IanW]

if you got your tickets you could go self employed and sub contract out

[major]

Hi, if I were you I would buy a trailer to make deliveries behind your car and then when you start to pick up a few customers and make some money upgrade to something like a nissan cabstar! Maybe with some of your sawmills offcuts you could cut and bag some kindling and sell locally!

[theflyingscotsman]

If your starting small, plan on using med/large net bags (cheap on eBay) so you don't need a trailer and can deliver them in your car. A small trailer would be handy for additional collection however.

 

Mind it's extremely labour intensive so get ready for a host of new aches and pains

 

 

A small £200 4-ton log splitter is better than any axe as it can keep going all day..and save the aches and pains a bit.

 

Without your own ground and some big equipment it is extremely hard work scaling up a firewood business.

 

Phone round get an average price from your competition. See if the numbers add up.

 

Perfectly do-able though good luck

[John in Scotland]

Thanks Guys. I'll get some net bags to start with and I have been looking at getting a tow bar and trailer for some time. the axe keeps me fit. gotta build a workshop this year so perhaps room for a log splitter.

how much would It cost for the tickets?...think I know just the guy.

I had guessed that someone would say to get a stihl chainsaw, or a husky. when this sanli packs up then that probably will be a good buy.

I'll look into the nissan

 

thanks John

 

any more?

[Big J]

Whereabouts in Scotland are you John? If you need cheapo timber for workshop construction, I've got piles of spruce and poplar.

[gensetsteve]

I would stay as u are on ground you dont pay rent. Keep it as a side line and do something else. As u expand you will have to pay for cord and rent then untill you hit 800 tonnes u will struggle to make a living.

[doobin]

Forget the tickets, you don't need them as it's only you. Buy a small trailer (you can also use this for garden work). Buy a smallish Stihl chainsaw and electric log splitter. Total investment under 1k. Sell 10 cubic metres of logs at £100/metre and you've paid for it all.

 

But keep it as a sideline and expand the garden work. Employ a labourer and double your money on him. That's where the money is.