# pricing logs?



## mga (Nov 12, 2016)

we've been dropping ash trees all summer and have about close to 75 logs, each 10 inches in diameter or more and at least 12 feet long. more trees will be coming down soon and we should have over 100 when done.

the smaller diameter logs will be sold for firewood. (8" or under)

trying to sell to a local sawmill. we can load the log truck for them as well with an excavator.

not sure how to price these out...is it by board foot?

thanks for any help with this!


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## Gypo Logger (Nov 12, 2016)

This is a tough one answer without seeing the logs. Hardwood sawlogs are generally cut 8'4"- 10'4" to get the highest grade log. Cutting sawlog to an arbitrary length just lowers grade and yield.
Were the trees dead when felled and do they have large hearts? 
You may or may not get your best price from a commerial mill, but you may try to find a small sawmill owner who is willing to buy.
Without seeing the logs and knowing the local prices, 250/ thou may be ballpark.
The Doyle log rule is tip dia minus 4 divided by 4, squared x log length, which is the rule used on most hardwoods


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## Gypo Logger (Nov 12, 2016)

I just wanted to point out that a 10'log with an 8" tip has 10 bf, while one with a 12" tip has 40 bf. On the Doyle.
You may find that you just have alot of glorified firewood, but I hope not.


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## mga (Nov 12, 2016)

ugh...don't need any more firewood...way too much as it is.

ok, thanks for the info...I
i'll see what I can do with them.


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## M.R. (Nov 12, 2016)

In the pipe, fabrication, welding trades
a rule of thumb is that anytime one
Doubles the diameter of pipe you
increase the volume by 4
.
Wondering if someone had the time....
How close this, or as a guesstimate
would hold true in the different
log scales?


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## bitzer (Nov 12, 2016)

I cut lengths of 8,10,12,14,16' everyday. They want at least 4" of trim but 6" is better and usually 8" on high grade 8s and 10s. Ash splits pretty quickly in summer so I would guess if they've been accumulating all summer you might have a bunch of firewood. Number one ash will get 600 per thousand bf. Number three is like 250. Most mills want 10" small end. Bolt mills take 7" small end if they are nice. With 100 logs I will bet you have 6-7000 bf. The question is if they are all split and checked then you might have considerably less.


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## northmanlogging (Nov 12, 2016)

M.R. said:


> In the pipe, fabrication, welding trades
> a rule of thumb is that anytime one
> Doubles the diameter of pipe you
> increase the volume by 4
> ...


On a log rule the bigger it gets you get exponentially more wood since there is less waste pipe is fairly straight forward bigger hole equals bigger volume


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## ChoppyChoppy (Nov 12, 2016)

We use Scribner scale. Dunno which is better, just that's what we use.


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## Gypo Logger (Nov 12, 2016)

ValleyFirewood said:


> We use Scribner scale. Dunno which is better, just that's what we use.


Using some different scale comparisons on a 16' log with a 12" tip:
Doyle 64
Scrib 79
Int'l 95
Double the tip dia to 24"
Doyle 400
Scrib 404
Int'l 425
What's more important than the scale used is the price per thousand, but the Doyle really beats up on smaller dia logs compared to the other scales.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Nov 12, 2016)

Gypo Logger said:


> Using some different scale comparisons on a 16' log with a 12" tip:
> Doyle 64
> Scrib 79
> Int'l 95
> ...



I don't do much on the lumber side of things... about the most I've done is be the guy tossing off slabs and boards off the mill or running forklift.
Tried running the mill once, getting max lumber out of logs is something that takes experience!


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## mga (Nov 13, 2016)

many of them were just dropped within a month...all live trees.

maybe our best bet would be to just advertise them for firewood and let some one else hassle around with them.

thanks for all the input. i'll leave logging to the pros and not bother trying to sell them to a mill.

we just have so many right now and are hard pressed to get rid of them.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Nov 13, 2016)

100 10-12" dbh trees is maybe 20 cords with them trimmed to ~45ft, so a decent little pile. Around here that would sell for about 3k.


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## bitzer (Nov 13, 2016)

mga said:


> many of them were just dropped within a month...all live trees.
> 
> maybe our best bet would be to just advertise them for firewood and let some one else hassle around with them.
> 
> ...


Call a mill and have them send a log buyer. Won't hurt.


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## PJM (Nov 16, 2016)

Be mindful of the emerald ash borer quarantine before moving these trees off-site. They are likely infested. Unfortunately, it sounds to me like you got a good load of firewood though. Those are small trees, probably green ash and you're kinda far from most of the bigger buyers. GLWTS


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## Marshy (Nov 16, 2016)

bitzer said:


> Call a mill and have them send a log buyer. Won't hurt.


That's exactly what I was going to recommend.

If the ends are checking and cracking then your are going to lose a lot. Even if your scaled them and assumed $250/1000 bdft, how much can you load on a standard log truck? You would want to know that and compare what you could get for selling log length firewood. I have a local guy that sells hardwood log length at $1000 per truck+pup and $750 per truck. People with a processor might be willing to pay slightly more and buy quantity for straight log lengths. Good luck.


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## Ted Jenkins (Nov 18, 2016)

When I cut mill logs I waxed the ends to keep the ends from drying out too fast. Other wise I had to add a foot or so the length. I learned the hard way that if you have nice mill logs sell them to the mill even if it takes more effort. Firewood is extra hard work. Thanks


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## madhatte (Nov 18, 2016)

Local rules change everything. We can't accurately armchair quarterback from here. You're gonna have to do some homework.


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## woodfarmer (Dec 3, 2016)

My bush just got hit, I found one tree so far with eab damage. I have probably 30 24-30" dbh, no branches for 30-40' and strait as an arrow trees. I called a log home builder and the good news is they can build a round log house no problem. The kicker is they build with green logs. I figured I could just work at my own pace to get the trees out. I may need to fly Gypo in for a vacation.


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## bitzer (Dec 3, 2016)

Those trees will be powder by the time "old slow hand John" would be able to lay them out.


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## chucker (Dec 4, 2016)

ValleyFirewood said:


> We use Scribner scale. Dunno which is better, just that's what we use.


selling logs on the scribner scale usually leaves me at a slight loss! a loss that goes to the buyers and gives them a few extra board feet which seems to always put a smile on their face! a face full of smiles has always brought them back to buy another load and a feeling they got one over on me ? lol a full wallet and more sales are what keeps me in the tall firewood business ......


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## Woody912 (Feb 11, 2017)

mga said:


> we've been dropping ash trees all summer and have about close to 75 logs, each 10 inches in diameter or more and at least 12 feet long. more trees will be coming down soon and we should have over 100 when done.
> 
> the smaller diameter logs will be sold for firewood. (8" or under)
> 
> ...



local sawmill told me ash prices are still stable in this part of the world. His scale count did not match mine, then I figured out he was using Doyle and I was using INt'l. Which ticks me off. Doyle is a major screw job under 24" diameter. If you have access to a good trailer load them on top of a chain so they can be lifted off and haul them yourself after you find an interested buyer


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## mga (Feb 25, 2017)

Woody912 said:


> local sawmill told me ash prices are still stable in this part of the world. His scale count did not match mine, then I figured out he was using Doyle and I was using INt'l. Which ticks me off. Doyle is a major screw job under 24" diameter. If you have access to a good trailer load them on top of a chain so they can be lifted off and haul them yourself after you find an interested buyer



we just added some oak logs to the pile and i'll be cutting several huge cherry trees down this week. we don't have any thing large enough to haul them. there is a potential buyer coming up to look at them maybe next week. i told the owner of the golf course to not expect a gold mine out of the logs because they have been sitting for at least two months or more.

right now he just wants to get rid of them and if he can make some money on them, it'll pay for our lunches. ha ha

thanks for all the input!!


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## Woody912 (Feb 25, 2017)

mga said:


> we just added some oak logs to the pile and i'll be cutting several huge cherry trees down this week. we don't have any thing large enough to haul them. there is a potential buyer coming up to look at them maybe next week. i told the owner of the golf course to not expect a gold mine out of the logs because they have been sitting for at least two months or more.
> 
> right now he just wants to get rid of them and if he can make some money on them, it'll pay for our lunches. ha ha
> 
> thanks for all the input!!



cherry prices are in the toilet around here, couple yrs ago it was right up there with white oak


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## Gypo Logger (Mar 22, 2017)

Was thinking about going back east to cut some more green gold, but was wondering if rotary and slicer have held their value?
Would be nice to know what to pay on the stump. I ain't paying anymore than a buck a foot on bush run timber. That's roughly 500$ per cord, which is a pretty slimey way of measuring wood Lol


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## Gypo Logger (Mar 22, 2017)

When I walk into a bush, I can see it, I can smell it, I can hug and dump it. If I say its worth 10g's on the stump, then there is a pretty good chance you'll get 17,500 once it's veneered out.
Stay small, keep it all!


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## Woody912 (Mar 22, 2017)

Gypo Logger said:


> Was thinking about going back east to cut some more green gold, but was wondering if rotary and slicer have held their value?
> Would be nice to know what to pay on the stump. I ain't paying anymore than a buck a foot on bush run timber. That's roughly 500$ per cord, which is a pretty slimey way of measuring wood Lol



Walnut is still good but cherry and red oak in the toilet. #1 hard maple dropped from $700/mbf to $500 overnight couple months ago at the local sawmill ( delivered) seems like you got to be on top of the market to know what to sell and when


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## Trever (Mar 23, 2017)

I know this is an older post, but click here for the TN's Forest Products Bulletin. Have a blessed day.


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## Gypo Logger (Mar 24, 2017)

Woody912 said:


> Walnut is still good but cherry and red oak in the toilet. #1 hard maple dropped from $700/mbf to $500 overnight couple months ago at the local sawmill ( delivered) seems like you got to be on top of the market to know what to sell and when


In some ways I'm glad I got out when I did, but it is all relative. When I left the hardwoods in 07 a two faced clear sided sawlog was worth a buck a foot with 1/3 heart and A+ rotary hard maple veneer was worth 7$ a foot US.
I could do well on a 1/4 of that, knowing what I know now.
I still have another kick at the can or two. Hand logging as we know isn't very physicaly demanding unless your working steep ground.
Rolling with the punches is what it's all about and finding your own nicque.


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## woodfarmer (Nov 24, 2017)

Lately, these live edge slabs have become all the rage. People making harvest and coffee table and such.
It doesn’t take too long to run the 066 down a four foot log to make a 3” slab.


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## SliverPicker (Dec 2, 2017)

ValleyFirewood said:


> 100 10-12" dbh trees is maybe 20 cords with them trimmed to ~45ft, so a decent little pile. Around here that would sell for about 3k.



I would get about $900 for that same package here.


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