What would one of these set me back SH?

[Woodworks]

I have in a similar way to Alec but charge a slightly lower day rate but then again I am in the midlands.

 

I find in most cases people like to have something made from a tree that has grown in their garden and as I'm from a furniture making background I offer the complete package of milling, drying and making the end product. This means I get paid for milling the tree at the start and for making the piece at the end, having a kiln for drying the timber adds an additional service.

I'm currently working on a large alcove and table to be made from an atlas blue cedar I milled 4 years ago, then there's a dining table in Yew from a tree milled 5 years ago and next year, fitted furniture in Cherry for 3 bedrooms from a tree milled 4/5 years ago.

 

Thats a great service Forest

 

Guess you have a lot of covered storage space or do leave the wood with the clients?

 

Haha never noticed your forum name. Says it all

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Yes I have, for an Alaskan service though, rather than a bandmill.

 

I charge £300/day for milling. This is an all-in price, which I have worked out around costs.

 

Green hardwood can reasonably be valued at £20/cu.ft. This is a bit arbitrary as oak is about the only timber commonly available green, but £15/cu.ft is the lower end and bear in mind that £20/cu.ft is effectively a delivered price, so it's about right.

 

The timber can be presumed to be free as it will typically be single trees which already belong to whoever wants them milled.

 

It depends a lot on the log and the spec but in a day I will typically produce between 35 and 70 cu.ft. which would have cost £700-£1400 to buy. This represents a very significant saving. I will then typically end up leaving it stickered up properly to air dry, after which the equivalent purchase cost would be significantly greater.

 

However, what I always discuss with the customer before taking a job is whether they actually have a use for the wood. Some have clear ideas for it, such as building large sheds/summerhouses, or a new floor or dining table. Others intend to sell it - I warn them this is likely to be challenging and require time and effort on their part but whatever they decide they want to do with it, in the end they are the customer so if they want me to mill for them, I am happy to do so.

 

Those who have a clear use always come out with a significant saving over buying the equivalent timber, even if they had bought treated softwood.

Those who don't, or intend to sell it, may not. The one exception is when I am milling small diameters of short lengths, where the set-up time outweighs the value. This is only really worth doing when the customer has a sentimental reason for doing so.

 

Alec

 

I have in a similar way to Alec but charge a slightly lower day rate but then again I am in the midlands.

 

I find in most cases people like to have something made from a tree that has grown in their garden and as I'm from a furniture making background I offer the complete package of milling, drying and making the end product. This means I get paid for milling the tree at the start and for making the piece at the end, having a kiln for drying the timber adds an additional service.

I'm currently working on a large alcove and table to be made from an atlas blue cedar I milled 4 years ago, then there's a dining table in Yew from a tree milled 5 years ago and next year, fitted furniture in Cherry for 3 bedrooms from a tree milled 4/5 years ago.

 

That's 2 great posts!

 

Taking the tree from milled to end product is a sweet set up.

[woodland dweller]

Just had a woodmizer in for 1 1/2 days to saw up some of my own Douglas.

£350 per day or £45 per hour plus £15 for every blade that needs sharpening.

With a blade change every 3 - 4 logs it soon mounts up.

You will also need some means of moving the logs or roll them downhill to the

hydraulic lift.

The main negative was the blade would wonder on the more knotty stuff or when

needed changing, which if you are selling the finished boards may cause problems.

We did 6x2, 4x2 masses of 5/8th cladding, 3/4 and 1 1/4 stuff plus 4x4 and 6x4 and to price up to buy in Tanalised softwood would be around £3,500 plus VAT so

worth doing.

We did 25 logs before cost wise had to stop with 25 logs left which the chap is

having as part payment.

As i see it running your own mobile mill is high maintenance with a limited customer base, so a lot of money tied up.

[Woodworks]

Just had a woodmizer in for 1 1/2 days to saw up some of my own Douglas.

£350 per day or £45 per hour plus £15 for every blade that needs sharpening.

With a blade change every 3 - 4 logs it soon mounts up.

You will also need some means of moving the logs or roll them downhill to the

hydraulic lift.

The main negative was the blade would wonder on the more knotty stuff or when

needed changing, which if you are selling the finished boards may cause problems.

We did 6x2, 4x2 masses of 5/8th cladding, 3/4 and 1 1/4 stuff plus 4x4 and 6x4 and to price up to buy in Tanalised softwood would be around £3,500 plus VAT so

worth doing.

We did 25 logs before cost wise had to stop with 25 logs left which the chap is

having as part payment.

As i see it running your own mobile mill is high maintenance with a limited customer base, so a lot of money tied up.

 

 

Good to hear that a milling service can offer value to the client.

[Forest2Furniture]

Thats a great service Forest

 

Guess you have a lot of covered storage space or do leave the wood with the clients?

 

Haha never noticed your forum name. Says it all

 

Yes I do have a lot of covered space but in most cases the client keeps the wood to air dry and then I collect to kiln & make.

 

I also buy trees to mill and then sell air dried & kiln dried timber to local furniture makers, got to make a crust anyway you can these days.

 

Forum name is also the business name.

[ucoulddoit]

 

I offer the complete package of milling, drying and making the end product.

 

Having just had a look at your website, I'd add 'one off designs' to your package as that is possibly a key part that makes it all work? Sounds like a great way to be able to work.

 

Andrew

[Forest2Furniture]

Having just had a look at your website, I'd add 'one off designs' to your package as that is possibly a key part that makes it all work? Sounds like a great way to be able to work.

 

Andrew

 

Thanks Andrew

[TGB]

In the process of cutting, (for firewood) a stick I felled recently. 25' long, 31" DBH and dead straight. It's crown had snapped clean off in a storm. I was sure it would be rotten somewhere; but no, it's good solid wood. I asked whether the woodland's owner wanted it milled. But no, she just wants firewood, as she's got no use for milled timber.

 

The access is limited, just enough for a quad on a steep gradient. She keeps the woodland for its own state of being and wouldn't allow anything bigger. Her specialty is sustainable forestry in Africa and parts of S. America. I suppose after having seen so much wholesale destruction & deforestation, it's her way of relaxing around native trees. The only firewood that's extracted, is stuff that's been storm/gale damaged.

 

The crown got hung in 3 doz.+ trees downhill. I'm carefully bringing that to the ground for firewood too. My only remit here, is to save as many other trees as possible. Even if their only growth is a few sprouts here 'n' there.

 

The same could not be done for a beech limb that peeled off the main stem in the same storm. Made it safe a couple of weeks back. It hung in several small trees over a private path, (but her neighbours ride their horses through the wood). 19" dia., 40'+, lovely figuring too and mostly dead straight. And yes, it too is now sectioned awaiting splitting. No use for it milled and not interested in a sale, just a source of comfy toes over a winter.

Edited September 27, 2016 by TGB