davidjm55

It depends on how much you have in the yard, how badly you want to clear it out and if you have a telehandler to load a bulker. If you have about 20-25 tonnes and you can chip it up you'll get paid by one of the biomass lads for the chip, you can get about £250-300 for an artic load of chip, it's not a lot but at least you get the yard cleared. If you have about 100 tonnes or more in your yard they will come and chip it up and take it away and it won't cost you.

We tried the IBC yesterday and it appeared to work well. All we did was get some used 1/4 ply, cut four sheets and fix them inside the IBC using cable ties. There are 2 bars that go across the top of the IBC that hold in the plastic container, so we cut them and cable tied them to the corners to hold the loops and then put a pallet in the bottom so that when you fill it the weight doesn't tighten the loops too much. It should allow us to fill a number of bags at a time and save time with the teleloader because it's more efficient to move say 5 or 6 bags in IBC's at once rather than having to keep the JCB tied up all the time holding open the bags with the forks. That's the theory anyway.........I'll let you know how it works after we've had a bash for a few days

Hi Will, whereabouts in Suffolk are you..?? We are in the process of clearing out our yard at the moment of all the mixed hardwoods we have, everything is being split and put into 1m3 vented log bags that we have had from Bag Supplies in Cumbria. We are constantly checking the moisture content and quite a lot of it is already around the 20% mark, we'll probably end up with about 100 or 150m3 and I'm more than willing to do a good deal to clear it all out. After that I'm intending to produce logs on a wholesale basis, I've secured a supply of 2000 tonnes of predominatly beech with some ash and oak as well, and I will be looking to meet up with people who have retail operations and want a constant supply of processed logs in bulk. If any of this is of interest let me know and we can have a chat.

Hello there, we are going to adapt some empty IBC containers we have in the depot. We are going to take the plastic tank out and then ply line the IBC to prevent the logs sticking out between the gaps after you have filled the vented bag. All we have to do then is put the m3 vented bag in the IBC, secure the loops to a hook or something to keep it open and away you go. The IBC is already fixed to a pallet so it's easy to handle. We are going to adapt a couple tomorrow and try them next week.

Hi Mark, I've just renewed my fleet policy and liability insurancess with Trust Insurance for the 2nd year running, all my vehicles are 3rd party which brings the costs down massively, but its obviously an individual choice. I've found them very good and easy to deal with...... Hope this helps David

Hi Sarah, sorry to hear about your theft, we are in the Midlands and I'll keep my years open. We have been robbed in the past and here's a bit of advice based on personal experience. You are very vulnerable to a 'second bite of the cherry' when you replace your stolen equipment because quite often thieves wait for a bit (or watch you) and then have a second go, it happened to a friend of mine recently, and it's happened to me as well in the past. If there is any way that you can keep your gear securely at a different location you may want to consider it.....

Many thanks for the suggestions, I'll speak with Andy,my fitter, on Monday. That flow divider idea sounds good because it would mean we can run the splitter and firewood processor as we are now. I'll also see about an electric motor because we have a 3 phase electric supply already, I'll ask Andy if it's possible. Again, thanks for the suggestions......

We've just bought a WL10 Multipla log splitter from Fuelwood and we've been running it off the hydraulics on our JCB Teleloader and also an 18T Hiab lorry and it works fine except for the fact that the pipes heat up and we have stop every hour or so. Apparantly this is because the flow rate for the splitter is 9 ltrs per min whereas the rate on the JCB and lorry are much greater, and this causes overheating in the pipes. I've also got a Japa 300 log processor on order (also run on hydraulics) and I've been advised that the best thing to have is an hydraulic power pack (preferably running off an electric supply) more suitable for the splitter and processor. Does anyone else have any experience of this..?? I'd really appreciate some advice

Hi Mark, I've pm'd you about the beech cordwood.....

Does anyone know of a timber haulier in the Kidderminster/Stourport area? I'd appreciate any recommendations...

Thanks for the responses, I'll pm you but maybe I didn't make myself clear. I'm using the assorted timber in our yard to see how the process works. We've got all sorts of shapes and sizes, some of which has to be split before going through the log processor, once I've done this I'll have a much better idea of how the process works, and I'll have converted the yard timber into logs that we can sell. I have a 17,000ft2 unit, with 24hr security and access, loads of outside hardstanding and we are only a couple of minutes away from J5/J6 on the M6. I also have my own JCB telehandler and 2 big hiab lorries and I want to see if we can diversify into wholesale log production. Once I've got the yard timber logged up, which will be in about 2-3 weeks I'm looking to buy either standing or roadside timber to process. This is a new venture for us so I have to accept that we may not get it right first time but if I can control and minimise my production costs then I'd really like to supply regular wholesale deliveries to people who already have a retail operation up and running. A lot of people on this forum are very experienced and knowledgeable and I'd like to come and meet anyone who is interested, any good advice is always welcome.....

We are just getting organised to go into log production and I'm going to 'experiment' with about 50 tonnes of assorted seasoned hardwood timber in our yard in Birmingham. I've bought a new Japa 300 processor and ordered 50 x 1m3 vented log bags and 25 vented barrow bags from Bag Supplies just to get started. I'd really appreciate some advice on the log sizes that sell best, I don't know whether to go for 8" or 10" logs - could anyone give me some advice please. What I'd like to be able to do is 'mass produce', is anyone interested in taking bulk deliveries of logs in vented bags..??

Yes it's plus VAT.............

Hello Mike, I was at Woodline last Thursday buying some kit and have got their current price list. The rrp for the WL10 Multipla BM with 2 speed Honda petrol engine is £1375. Hope this of help

We have just decided to set up in firewood production in Birmingham and I need to get a couple of moisture meters and I want to make sure I get good quality ones. Can anyone help?

Thanks for letting me know, I'm trying to get an indication of what is possible, and obviously what determines everything is the final price we can sell at, and what the competition is. We are in a position where we could buy a reasonably decent stand of timber of maybe 200 tonnes and then fell and extract it ourselves and process it into firewood and bag it up, and deliver it ourselves. We have most of the men and equipment in place already and in 2 or 3 weeks I want to get started. It may work out that we have to process the firewood and then leave it for a while to season before we can sell it, or even sell it as is if anyone is interested. I really appreciate the info you've given me, I'll go back to the drawing board and perhaps take a look at bagging the logs up into 1m3 bags rather than builders bags.

I came on the forum a few days ago, we are going to start buying standing timber in a month or so. Thanks to those of you who responded to me, I'll be getting back to you in a couple of weeks or so. At the moment I have about 150 tonnes of mixed timber in my yard of which approx 70-80 tonnes is mixed hardwood and I am seriously considering processing it into logs that we would put into bulk builders bags. I'm not really interested in the retail market and would prefer, if possible, to supply wholesale say a minimum of 30 bags at a time to someone who retails. I've got my own 18tonne flatbed with a loglift hiab that is ideal for delivering. I was wondering whether a price of say £40- 45 per bag delivered within 50 miles of Birmingham would be of interest to anyone.......

Hi everyone, I used to own a fairly big freight forwarding company with my own fleet of lorries going all over Europe carrying just about anything you can think of, and I know quite a bit about what's involved in transporting bulk loads internationally. If anyone is seriously thinking about buying bulk loads of birch logs from Russia I would first of all contact a reputable freight forwarder (RW Freight have been going a long time..) and ask if there is any duty payable (I don't think there is but it would be best to check). In any case you will have to pay 17.5% VAT cash up front to the UK customs clearance agent before the load is released from the Customs at the port, the VAT is calculated on the price of the goods on arrival in the UK. You will need to find out whether you are responsible for the customs clearance charges as well. Therefore you should ask the supplier for the details of their customs clearance agents in the UK. There is also a thing called demurrage, if the load is delayed in the customs clearance you will be liable for a daily 'demurrage' charge that can be quite expensive, so check to see how long is allowed for the customs clearance at the port. You also need to check how it is going to be delivered to you. If it is in a 40ft shipping container then I doubt that you will get 60ms3, if you filled one with water you would only get 60ms3...it might be delivered in a roll on/roll off trailer which is easier to unload and holds more as well. Finally how would the supplier get payment from you..?? If it is 'cash on delivery' who receives the money from you and how is it transmitted, and how are you going to check that the goods are what you have bought..?? You just need to be careful and make sure that you check everything first....

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site but I've been reading it quite a lot over the past few months. We are an Arb contractor in the West Midlands with a lot of equipment, including a 44T Volvo timber lorry. I'm on the verge of going into forestry work and buying my own lots of standing timber (oak/ash/beech etc) suitable for firewood with a maximum dbh of say 30cm, and would like to know if anyone would be interested in buying regular 25tonne lots from me on a delivered basis. I'm trying to get an idea of the market price and was wondering if anyone could give me an indication..... Thanks David