Alycidon

You will always get some smaller pieces in the bag, I use it as a selling point, ie, to use as kindling and smaller bits to put onto the kindling once going. One thing bothers me about these filters, certainly on my folding elevator it would need taking off at the end of every session. Not an issue if your machine is set up permanently but another 15 mins on and 15 when taking off on the set up/ break down time. I try and set my bag so that the logs get thrown a fair way into the bag, the light bits then tend to drop prior to the bag to be mainly caught by a well placed wheel barrow. A

I have today had a quote for kiln dried Ash from Lithuania at £73 a cube, delivered to centeral England. On top of that I would probably need to pay VAT on my next return. 250mm long, MC was not stated, I did spec 16% max. 26 x 2 cube meter crates in a container, 4590 Euros per container. Birch was more expensive ironically, just over £80 a cube. Could certainly give CW a run for their money with that if its legit but I do wonder how much they actually sell. I recon it costs me about £34 + processing costs + VAT per cube of hard, and when it goes out its 12% or so. Did buy some in last year at 18-24% at £45 a cube although I did have a couple of complaints as that is not as dry as I usually sell. Food for thought anyway. A

Agreed. A

I would have said the stump has a fair value for gunstocks if nothing else. Surprised the members will mills here have not commented. A

That is exactly how it should be done, no point selling Mercedes quality at Trabant prices and buying in cord you make a sensible margin. Do your prices include VAT ?. A

I own a retail site selling wood burning stoves, could you pm me your contact details please. A

Some of those Swamp logger Tiger Cats are 30 years old so they were saying this morning. No wonder they have problems, they are simply worn out. When machines start to play up its time to out them before little problems become big ones. A

Seems to be a reluctance to reply, cant say I blame people. 40 cube with a chainsaw and splitter is a fair old lot in my book, well done. Most here are Arb guys so get some wood for free and buy a bit in. some buy in all their cord. some buy in processed logs, some like me do a mixture. Supply customers with high quality goods and they will come back providing you have made enough profit on them to still be in business. Your last thread about what you charged for your load given that you processed it by hand in my book says you are not charging anywhere near enough. If I was you and looking to expand your business I would be looking for a small used processor and a tractor to lift and power it. This is assuming you have some premisses and ideally access to a loader of some sort. Alternately look to buy in ready processed logs in 27 tonne loads. And put your prices up !! A

I think I have the most expensive logs in the area and I am not making what I would call a good margin once you take into account delivery costs etc. I just dont know how people can buy in cord at £55 a ton, so about £35 a cube, then process it, store it for 9 - 12 months then deliver it, all for £25 a cube plus a bit of VAT. I can buy it in processed at about £45 a cube + VAT. Did buy in 40 cube last year and will probably buy in 60-80 cube this year depending on how much of my own cord stock that I buy in I get processed. No one seems to be prepared to take the lead and say thats my price, take it or leave it. Usually the early season price is set by the Arb guys or farmers sons after a bit of pocket money who get some timber for free or take it in part payment for arb work. Usually the quality is average at best. Once that has gone then its only the better firewood guys who have stock remaining, they will be buying in cord and should be charging a far higher price than they are if they want to generate the capital to grow their businesses organically. Last year I generated enough to pay for my equipment, this winter I hope to generate enough to be able if necessary to invest in a far bigger processor and maybe a hydraulic deck. A

About 1.5 cube, maybe a shade more for Ash. Oak is denser, will be under 1.5 cube. Suggest you mix them both in the bag/load. A

There is a guy on here who works for them, but if he misses this thread then go here: Milton Keynes Council - Parks and Open Spaces 01908 252592. Think they only fell in the winter. I spoke to them maybe 18 months ago and they had nothing available at that time. this might be a better link, Introduction to landscape management - Parks Trust A

Some of the local councils are now selling cord wood. Milton Keynes for instance sells 5 tonne loads delivered within 5 miles of MK using a Valmet and timber trailer. A

I have had customers that dont know the difference between hard and soft, its all wood !!. I have sold a fair bit of soft in the last 2 years. As the current delivered cord cost is only about 25% cheaper than hard £42 vs £55 a ton roughly it seems to make more sense to me to do hard as it takes the same amount of work to process it and it sells at a premium price. Margin is the same percentage wise, I just make a few more quid. Its the haulage in that tends to kill it, just cant find soft local and even if I did there are no local timber hauliers. Maybe I need to buy a timber trailer and work with a local haulier but costs of running one for maybe 10 days work a year + some contracts would be high, just ask Nick. A

Yes thats ideal, I did look at one at the Arb show last year, looked well made and designed. Thanks for your comments. A

If its bale wrap most of the farming stores. Most farmers these days belong to some sort of buying group, it might be cheaper for you to buy some from a local farmer who uses it to wrap big bales of hay. A

Did you ever buy the Palax 90?, if so what are your thoughts on it as a probable longer term user. Thanks A

Dont forget you need to load the rounds onto this splitter, 400mm rounds a meter long are not so easy to handle. Some of the bigger splitters have hydraulic lifter/loaders, pretty essentail in my book. Maybe if you are younger and fitter you can get by but have an accident and the H&S will want you see your risk assesment. Lifting over 20kg with one man and you have a problem. A

Be interested to hear how the stacks stand up to being rolled anywhere that is not flat, ie a trailer tailgate. and hwo they behave in transport when you dont have another one wedged up against it to hold it vertical. A

A lot of industries are like that. They want their products sold through local experts who can sort any issues, make sure the customer is buying the right product etc. The downside is the end user who goes to his local dealer for info then saves £50 by buying on line. Then when a problem occurs the on line company who are probably several hundred miles away want the manufacturer to go out on site and sort the problem. The on line sellers margin is so tight they cannot afford to go and sort it. Manufacturers are not by and large set up to do that. In my industry the online sellers are more and more buying in grey market stoves from abroad, some of the UK arms of those manufacturers are now refusing any warranty issue on any stove not sourced directly through them. So the customer has saved £50 yet has no UK based warranty support at all. As a small independent seller I have a good web site but I don't sell on line, a, my suppliers wont let me, and b, I want to make sure I am able to sort any issues that may arise with anything I sell. A A

That does not matter at all from a VAT standpoint. Processing bought in timber may give you planning issues if some interfering member of the public complains. But cutting perhaps 100 cube over perhaps a 3 month window should not upset to many people. I would run it as an offshoot of the smallholding, register for VAT and keep your head down. A

VAT on firewood to customers that are burning it is 5% ( if they are reselling then 20%) so there is not a lot of downside on the sell out prices. On the upside you can reclaim the VAT on your equipment and fuel etc, at 20% that is I would think worth doing. A

A small processor will only handle timber up to a given diameter, perhaps 250mm, if you buy in cord you will get a selection of diameters up to 400mm or more. Therefore you need something to break the bigger diameter timber down to a diameter than can then be put through the processor. That is usually cheaper ( but far slower) than a bigger processor. I have put my big trunks aside for the time when I grow into a larger machine, could always hire a bigger one in if needed. A

So I suppose the use of live ammunition would be dodgy as would a Rodenator. Maybe air rifles ?. Only other thing is Phostoxin or whatever similar is allowed in France. Shame we have not got a few more rabbits here. A

I also run a shoot here. Faced with the same issues but under mixed hard and soft planted maybe 40 years ago I planted 100 Laurels a year for 3 years a few years ago spread over four drives. I have this winter started laying some ofthem, they then should ( I am told and have seen on another shoot) root where the branches etc touch the ground and so spread giving good bottom cover and leaving a height as you desire of up to maybe five or six feet. A mate has them in his pen, holds birds like you would not believe, looking for a shot bird after its been dogged out often puts another half a dozen live birds out. This though is not a short term solution but as a medium term is will work well. A

Fordson Power major or Super major, they were the models pre 4000,5000 etc. made from 56 to about 64 time. good old girls, The key is usually the standard Lucas key with a single small notch cut in either side. Same key as fits most older Massey fergussons ( 135/165 etc), I also use a JD 4400 teleporter that has what looks like the same key. If a new key like that does not work then stick a new barrel onto it. A