# Starting a firewood business with a wood bundler.



## arlen (May 7, 2008)

I want to start a side business selling bundled firewood. I am going to order a wood bundler on the 15th $2300 dollars delivered. I have a new splitter on back order form Harbor Freight. Have you guys seen the 30 ton splitter with the log lift with a 9hp robins engine for under $1,500. dollars. I have a source of firewood eucalyptus a friend is cutting down 4 acres of euc and he says I can take all I want.
1] It is 5 miles from my home. 
2]I have to pick up the dropped trees with my tractor put them in my pile,
3]cut them with my saw
4] load them in my small trailer that I tow with my mini van.
5] drive home 5 miles unload the trailer.
6] split the wood.
7] bundle wood.
8] stack bundled wood on pallets.
9] Load wood in trailer and try to sell.[ I am hoping for $7.- a bundle retail and $ 4.- whose sale.

If I can make some money on this venture I will buy a one ton dump truck. I have a 1 acre lot with about half I could use to cut split and stack. Do any of you sell bundled wood ? What do you guys think ? Have any suggestions thanks David


----------



## aandabooks (May 7, 2008)

How much wood do you realistically have, as to # of bundles? Your numbers indicate that you'll need to sell 543 bundles to hit the breakeven point on the equipment you have purchased at your retail price. That does not include fuel and other overhead.

What are you going to do for wood once your supplies run out? Is your buddy going to want a piece of the action once he sees you making money on this trees?

As to where to sell, convienent stores and large chain grocery would be good places to start.

Just some things to think about.


----------



## cjcocn (May 7, 2008)

aandabooks brought up some good points.

You may also want to consider making some initial contact with your potential clients before dropping $3800 on your equipment.

Some of the things that you may learn from making some contacts:

Would they be willing to switch suppliers? (they may have entered into a contract, they may buy from the store manager's buddy, etc)

How much are they actually willing to pay? If someone is selling them bundles for $3.50, they won't feel very motivated to make the switch to your $4 bundles.

How are you financing the purchases and how does that compare to the selling season for bundles in your area? I know that you have to purchase the equipment early enough to start using it and build up a supply of bundles, but if they aren't interested in buying bundles until the fall, can you afford to buy the equipment now and not see a return for about 6 months?

How much is a permit/license to conduct business in your area? Insurance? Can the retail outlets purchase from you if you do not have these?

Who is your target market and how do you plan on reaching them? (you can simply visit the retail outlets, but who else will buy your bundles? People with fireplaces in their houses/apartments/condos that only like burning for the effect/looks and not necessarily for the heat? What is the best way to reach these potential clients, how much will advertising cost, and when should you start advertising?

HTH


----------



## jjett84724 (May 7, 2008)

Congrats on making the jump to work for yourself.

I did not look at where you are from but out west your prices are high. I just talked to an owner of the only convenience store in town and he bought 50 bundles for $137. :jawdrop: I had been selling to him for $2.50 a bundle. 


Check the local campgrounds. The other replies have good ideas and things to think about. You may not see a return on your money for six months, maybe longer. I am not saying this to disuade you in anyway. If you can stick out the first couple of months, not making any money, then you can make it. Its a good part time job. 

Which firewood bundler did you buy? 
Good Luck


----------



## cjcocn (May 7, 2008)

jjett84724 said:


> Congrats on making the jump to work for yourself.
> 
> I did not look at where you are from but out west your prices are high. I just talked to an owner of the only convenience store in town and he bought 50 bundles for $137. :jawdrop: I had been selling to him for $2.50 a bundle.
> 
> ...



Great point about the local campground. If you can think of any other areas that may buy bundles, check those out too. Maybe you can get in as a sole supplier and help your numbers out greatly. For example, if there is a company in your area that specializes in fire pits, then maybe you can work something out with them and be able to sell your bundles out of their facility.

I would also like to echo what jjett said about us not trying to dissuade you. We are only trying to give you more info so that you go into this with both eyes open and eliminate the potential for any deal-breaking surprises once you've sunk money into this venture.

jjett

That 0.24 doesn't sound like much by itself does it? But when one considers that you were actually losing about 9% on each bundle - that number really grows! Hope you are able to keep selling to the convenience store for the going rate of $2.74 per bundle.


----------



## Zodiac45 (May 7, 2008)

It's a very labor intensive and high volumn business. I just don't see it happening without a large outlet for the bundles and large advance orders. With that you then need a processor that can blow through a cord or better an hour which your splitter is not going to do and then you've got labor cost of someone operating the bundler. Then you need a reliable supply of wood (after your buddys runs dry) and that's not going to be free. Not trying to be negative, and I wish you the best of luck. If it's just a side bizz then maybe you'll end out paying for your equiptment and you've got a splitter and you can resell the bundler.


----------



## arlen (May 7, 2008)

aandabooks said:


> How much wood do you realistically have, as to # of bundles? Your numbers indicate that you'll need to sell 543 bundles to hit the breakeven point on the equipment you have purchased at your retail price. That does not include fuel and other overhead.
> 
> I don't know wood volume very well, I have a friend in the wood business and he has arrangments with tree trimmers to drop off wood for free. I know a few more people with some wood and the tree trimmers cut it and stack it in the street sometimes so I could get more wood.
> 
> ...


.


----------



## arlen (May 7, 2008)

cjcocn said:


> aandabooks brought up some good points.
> 
> You may also want to consider making some initial contact with your potential clients before dropping $3800 on your equipment.
> 
> ...


.


----------



## arlen (May 7, 2008)

jjett84724 said:


> Congrats on making the jump to work for yourself.
> 
> I did not look at where you are from but out west your prices are high. I just talked to an owner of the only convenience store in town and he bought 50 bundles for $137. :jawdrop: I had been selling to him for $2.50 a bundle.
> 
> ...



I am not going to borrow money for the equipment I will pay for it. I would like a return on the investment eventually. I know a person who sold bundled wood to a convience store for $ 4.- a bundle and he did not want to sell it any more. For Me that would be great. I haven't seen people selling bundles of wood on street corners like flowers but hey it could work if I had the right location.  I think it is called the wood beaver it has an electric motor 4 drop through trays and a foot switch. I looke at the hand crank ones. I believe I could bundle wood all day with an electric bundler David


----------



## cjcocn (May 8, 2008)

Well I'll tell you one thing - the return on a cord of wood sold by the bundle is huge compared to that of a cord sold as one load (there are a few threads on this subject on this site and IIRC it works out to approximately $950 per cord).

Good luck with it and let us know how it progresses (just be sure to try and find a use for your bundler before you buy it!).


----------



## blackdiesel (May 8, 2008)

cjcocn said:


> Well I'll tell you one thing - the return on a cord of wood sold by the bundle is huge compared to that of a cord sold as one load (there are a few threads on this subject on this site and IIRC it works out to approximately $950 per cord).
> 
> Good luck with it and let us know how it progresses (just be sure to try and find a use for your bundler before you buy it!).



With this kind of return on a cord, and you have the bundler on it's way. You might want to buy a cord or two of seasened wood, and check out your market. Your going to pull the guts out off your van, and a splitter like that is SLOW. By the time you get to sell some of the wood you have cut, you might lose intrest. Get you a splitting maul and bust what you've bought smaller, it will be alot faster. JMO


----------



## arlen (May 8, 2008)

blackdiesel said:


> With this kind of return on a cord, and you have the bundler on it's way. You might want to buy a cord or two of seasened wood, and check out your market. Your going to pull the guts out off your van, and a splitter like that is SLOW. By the time you get to sell some of the wood you have cut, you might lose intrest. Get you a splitting maul and bust what you've bought smaller, it will be alot faster. JMO



I have a few seasoned cords at home and I could buy some if I need it. I asked my friend who sells wood it he thought there was a market for a bundler in San Diego he thought there was. His friend has a homemade crude hand crank bundler he said I could use it and make up some bundles and see if I have luck selling them. I may try that this weekend. It it did work out I could make some money I would probably buy a supersplit to process the wood or buy wholesale from my friend to make bundles. David


----------



## abohac (May 8, 2008)

*Arlen*



arlen said:


> I have a few seasoned cords at home and I could buy some if I need it. I asked my friend who sells wood it he thought there was a market for a bundler in San Diego he thought there was. His friend has a homemade crude hand crank bundler he said I could use it and make up some bundles and see if I have luck selling them. I may try that this weekend. It it did work out I could make some money I would probably buy a supersplit to process the wood or buy wholesale from my friend to make bundles. David



Sounds like you have the wood bug like all the people who are responding. My advice (for what it's worth) is to go for it. You are not spending alot (I'm assuming you have a job and the $3800 isn't taking food from your kids mouth). Like some other guys I question where the rest of your wood is going to come from. But there must be other sources in califournyyeh. Make what you can, Break even working your ass off, and move on to the next project with paid for equipment (of course then something will break down or you will need the next new and great thing associated with wood like the rest of us). I would suggest that if you need your mini van for something other than hauling wood to get something else to haul wood with (it'll be junk when you are done) and get a dump trailer to eliminate one handling.


----------



## abohac (May 8, 2008)

*Zodiac45*



Zodiac45 said:


> It's a very labor intensive and high volumn business. I just don't see it happening without a large outlet for the bundles and large advance orders. With that you then need a processor that can blow through a cord or better an hour which your splitter is not going to do and then you've got labor cost of someone operating the bundler. Then you need a reliable supply of wood (after your buddys runs dry) and that's not going to be free. Not trying to be negative, and I wish you the best of luck. If it's just a side bizz then maybe you'll end out paying for your equiptment and you've got a splitter and you can resell the bundler.



Zodiac, I have talked to you before and have appreciated your advice, but I have to tell you that thing you have next to your name is a creepy looking dude. Got anything else other than that thing?


----------



## blackdiesel (May 8, 2008)

abohac said:


> Zodiac, I have talked to you before and have appreciated your advice, but I have to tell you that thing you have next to your name is a creepy looking dude. Got anything else other than that thing?



X2


----------



## KsWoodsMan (May 8, 2008)

abohac said:


> Zodiac, I have talked to you before and have appreciated your advice, but I have to tell you that thing you have next to your name is a creepy looking dude. Got anything else other than that thing?





HUH ?! You don't recognize the commander ? Forget the show now , even forgot the network it was on. Probably Comedy Central. Ahhhh the memories ....

Have long since faded into my daily routine. Cheers Zodiac45


More on topic : Go for it. ...better to have tried and failed then to not have tried at all. If it comes down to it you can recoupe some of your costs from the sale of the equipment. 

+1 make sure your supply of wood doesnt run out before you get established.

And don't give away your product/service or they will expect to be free everytime.


----------



## arlen (May 10, 2008)

KsWoodsMan said:


> HUH ?! You don't recognize the commander ? Forget the show now , even forgot the network it was on. Probably Comedy Central. Ahhhh the memories ....
> 
> Have long since faded into my daily routine. Cheers Zodiac45
> 
> ...




Thanks for the advice on the wood David


----------



## arlen (May 10, 2008)

abohac said:


> Sounds like you have the wood bug like all the people who are responding. My advice (for what it's worth) is to go for it. You are not spending alot (I'm assuming you have a job and the $3800 isn't taking food from your kids mouth). Like some other guys I question where the rest of your wood is going to come from. But there must be other sources in califournyyeh. Make what you can, Break even working your ass off, and move on to the next project with paid for equipment (of course then something will break down or you will need the next new and great thing associated with wood like the rest of us). I would suggest that if you need your mini van for something other than hauling wood to get something else to haul wood with (it'll be junk when you are done) and get a dump trailer to eliminate one handling.



I would love a dump truck 1 to 5 ton. I do own a one ton cargo van. I can pull wood with. The one ton van gmv savana with a 350 gets 9 mpg the mimi van gets about 20 mpg. I don't have a large trailer at this time and it is hard to back my cargo van and a large trailer into my back yard. A dump truck or an old sturdy pick up truck would work better. Maybe a one ton truck with a dump box inside the bed would work. David


----------



## JerryNycom (May 10, 2008)

arlen said:


> I want to start a side business selling bundled firewood. I am going to order a wood bundler on the 15th $2300 dollars delivered. I have a new splitter on back order form Harbor Freight. Have you guys seen the 30 ton splitter with the log lift with a 9hp robins engine for under $1,500. dollars....... thanks David



Did you get the Harbor Freight log splitter? How is it? Whats the cycle time? Got any pics or videos? Anyway good luck with your venture, I am looking for a log splitter and $1500.00 for a 30 ton splitter and log lifter caught my eye....

Thanks!


----------



## arlen (May 10, 2008)

JerryNycom said:


> Did you get the Harbor Freight log splitter? How is it? Whats the cycle time? Got any pics or videos? Anyway good luck with your venture, I am looking for a log splitter and $1500.00 for a 30 ton splitter and log lifter caught my eye....
> 
> Thanks!



No it is on back order I ordered through harbor freight Internet sales. I have heard good things about the harbor freight 30 ton splitter with the Robbins engine. I have not seen any with a log lift before. I was told that it comes unassembled, and need to be put together. The freight was pretty reasonable about $90.- I will post about it when I get it. David


----------



## arlen (May 10, 2008)

I cut about a cord and a half of [ read heart ] ecu it looks pretty straight grained. I took three loade back with my 4x8 trailer I stood the 16" rounds up I guess that equals a face cord so three trips equals one cord I used the mingo marker it worked great I painted my hand and my glove the first time the tip came off of the paint can so it didn't spray. After I got used it, it worked great I ran the wheel backwards to the stop than ran down the log and sprayed blue marking paint. I marked about three or four rounds than came back with the chainsaw and cut the rounds. If the rounds were on the ground I used the Log Rite cant hook [ short one for the mill ? ] and rolled them over and finished the cut. The rounds sure are a lot more uniform using the mingo versed the guess method. I have about three cords of ecu in the yard waiting to be split and bundled. I will order the bundler on the 15th. Today found a few mice in the cracked ecu in a couple of logs I pulled out a mother and her baby out , and put them in a milk carton and brought them home to my son. They sure are cute. David


----------



## gink595 (May 11, 2008)

abohac said:


> Zodiac, I have talked to you before and have appreciated your advice, but I have to tell you that thing you have next to your name is a creepy looking dude. Got anything else other than that thing?



Yes I agree Zodiac, what the hel is that thing? I think he needs a pic of Valentino!!! ehh zodiac??


----------



## gink595 (May 11, 2008)

cjcocn said:


> Well I'll tell you one thing - the return on a cord of wood sold by the bundle is huge compared to that of a cord sold as one load (there are a few threads on this subject on this site and IIRC it works out to approximately $950 per cord).
> 
> Good luck with it and let us know how it progresses (just be sure to try and find a use for your bundler before you buy it!).



That reminds me of a thing I seen in the paper once, talked about buying a new 85 Ford Escort for I think 7K, but to buy that car part by part it would have cost 35K. WTF is up with that? Criminals or smart buisness wheres the line?


----------



## hornett224 (May 11, 2008)

*what i don't get is............*

paying more for a bundler than a splitter.


----------



## arlen (May 11, 2008)

hornett224 said:


> paying more for a bundler than a splitter.



Because a bunker has more of a potential of making money than a splitter I could buy split seasoned wood and still make money with a bundler.

Of course this is just my opinion and I haven't made any money with a bundler yet. opcorn: David


----------



## hornett224 (May 11, 2008)

*sorry for the confusion.*

it wasn't directed at you.more so the manufacturer.i just find it amazing what some things cost.seems like a splitter should cost more than a bundler.

kind of like how i look at chainsaws.of all the equipment in this business,i think they are the most resonnably priced thing we buy.what you get for the money is amazing.other things just don't make sense.


----------



## arlen (May 11, 2008)

hornett224 said:


> it wasn't directed at you.more so the manufacturer.i just find it amazing what some things cost.seems like a splitter should cost more than a bundler.
> 
> kind of like how i look at chainsaws.of all the equipment in this business,i think they are the most reasonably priced thing we buy.what you get for the money is amazing.other things just don't make sense.




Ok no offense taken.
My opinion they sell a lot more splitters than bundlers.

To Me looks like a lot of engineering went into the bundler with a limited amount of customers as compared to splitters and chainsaws. Most homeowners own a chainsaw. I know a lot of people that own splitter. I only know one person that has a bundler.
David


----------



## arlen (May 16, 2008)

arlen said:


> I want to start a side business selling bundled firewood. I am going to order a wood bundler on the 15th $2300 dollars delivered. I have a new splitter on back order form Harbor Freight. Have you guys seen the 30 ton splitter with the log lift with a 9hp robins engine for under $1,500. dollars. I have a source of firewood eucalyptus a friend is cutting down 4 acres of euc and he says I can take all I want.
> 1] It is 5 miles from my home.
> 2]I have to pick up the dropped trees with my tractor put them in my pile,
> 3]cut them with my saw
> ...



I ordered a different bundler from John's Welding the cost is $750- for a hand crank model. I should see it in three weeks.

The splitter is ordered three to 4 weeks out.

I ordered a bench mounted hot knife. to make my own handled with for about $100- dollars plus shipping plus an extra knife. total of [ $140- ]

I am still bring back firewood I only have the weekends at this time.

I will be discharged from the Air Force on the 16th of June, than I will have more time to work on this. 

I am a Plumbing contractor by trade. I haven't done any work in 5 1/2 years. I guess it is time to start back up again. 
:monkey: David


----------



## arlen (May 17, 2008)

I spent the day on my tractor cutting and stacking euc. I rented a 6 1/2 yard dump truck. It cost $250 a day I get to use it two days because they are closed on Sunday. I will spend Saturday and Sunday filling my yard with wood. So I guess it will only cost me $125 a day. I looked into renting a 3 yard dump trailer for $148. a day. I think the dump truck will work much better. Load with the tractor with grapple bucket, and dump with the dump truck. David:monkey:


----------



## arlen (Jul 7, 2008)

I cut and split eucalyptus until 3pm on the 4th. I used my new Troy/built 27 ton horizontal vertical splitter. I bought this on Vetrans day at Lowe's the splitter was $ 1,350 reduced to 1200. I also got a 10 % military discount. So out the door I got the splitter for under $1,200. It seems to work OK I get a two year warranty with it.The rounds were about 24" in diameter so I used the splitter in vertical mode, to quarter the rounds and toss them back into my tractor bucket. a 72" low profile skid steer tooth bucket. It is pretty easy to pull the split rounds off the tractor bucket to the splitter. used it in the horizontal mode. I had some scrap aluminum so I built a shelf on the opposite side of the splitter by the motor. I split the round in half push half of the round over on the shelf and continue splitting the round into 3" to 4" wedged for the bundler for bundler wood. [ which I haven't purchased yet }
When I am working the splitter in horizontal mode I have a two wheel plastic tub wheel barrel on the engine side of the splitter. a trash can at the end of the splitter for small scraps and bark. The rounds that are 16" long and split go into the wheel barrel, The scraps go into the trash can the shorter rounds of the end of the log get tossed near the tractor bucket. When the wheel barrel is full I cart it 20' away and toss in a pile. when the tractor bucket is empty I throw the short rounds back into it and take them to another pile for campfire wood. I reload the bucket and drive the tractor back to the splitter and the process starts over. I work under a 35 long 15' wide 15' high metal carport beside a 40' shipping container I try and sit in a swivel shop chair when I am working. This keeps me out of the son most of the day. My container has electricity I run a radio and a fan blowing on me during hot days. I am trying to work as comfortable and efficiently as possible. MY back hurts a lot so I sit down a lot and move around alot. I have used 2 to 3 plastic trash cans full of wood bark and chips for a few outdoor wood firew and out door cooking seem to work good and I get the satisfaction of using my scraps of the splitter. Out Britney Spaniel loves to sit in the three person swing and watch the fire and be pet. David


----------



## wdanforth (Jul 7, 2008)

Thanks for the update. I roll my splitter up on a couple of car ramps to work at a more comfortable height. 

Any whole sale outlets yet?


----------



## arlen (Jul 7, 2008)

wdanforth said:


> Thanks for the update. I roll my splitter up on a couple of car ramps to work at a more comfortable height.
> 
> Any whole sale outlets yet?




No not yet. 
I have been cutting and splitting wood.

I will drive to the beach where they have fire pits to see if I can sell some wood. I want to go to our local farmers market and try and sell some bundled wood, hopefully I can get some contacts there.  David


----------



## yotehowler (Jul 7, 2008)

arlen said:


> No not yet.
> I have been cutting and splitting wood.
> 
> I will drive to the beach where they have fire pits to see if I can sell some wood. I want to go to our local farmers market and try and sell some bundled wood, hopefully I can get some contacts there.  David




Did you get your bundler yet? If so, how's it working for you?


----------



## arlen (Jul 8, 2008)

yotehowler said:


> Did you get your bundler yet? If so, how's it working for you?



I just mailed a bank check for the bundler it costs $750.- plus $200.- to ship. It is a hand crank bundler.I am buying it from john's welding they are located in Wisconsin. I hope to have it by the middle of July I will post pictures when I get it. David


----------



## CRThomas (Mar 20, 2011)

*Reply*



Zodiac45 said:


> It's a very labor intensive and high volumn business. I just don't see it happening without a large outlet for the bundles and large advance orders. With that you then need a processor that can blow through a cord or better an hour which your splitter is not going to do and then you've got labor cost of someone operating the bundler. Then you need a reliable supply of wood (after your buddys runs dry) and that's not going to be free. Not trying to be negative, and I wish you the best of luck. If it's just a side bizz then maybe you'll end out paying for your equiptment and you've got a splitter and you can resell the bundler.


 When I started I took a 12 inch pipe and cut 8 inchs off it then split it into put blocks on the back side used my wood splitter to compress the bundle the wrapped the ends took it out wrapped the middle with colored wrap women eat that up after I got going good an seen it was going work I bought a real log wrapper CRThomas


----------



## blackdogon57 (Mar 20, 2011)

arlen said:


> I just mailed a bank check for the bundler it costs $750.- plus $200.- to ship. It is a hand crank bundler.I am buying it from john's welding they are located in Wisconsin. I hope to have it by the middle of July I will post pictures when I get it. David


 

Why does it take 4 months to ship to you ? Hope you have a lot of trust in the supplier. I wish people would pay 4 months in advance for firewood.


----------



## arlen (Mar 21, 2011)

*Wood Bundler*

I got my wood bundler and I am satisfied with it. It is a hand crank unit and simple to use. The slow part is loading it with wood not cranking it and wrapping. I think I sold 300 to 400 bundles to one convince store this winter. I split wood for heat so selling some pays for gas and some maintains on my equipment. I canceled the Harbor freight wood splitter and bought a 26 ton at Lowe's it is horizontal and vertical and words just fine. To take some of the strain off of my back I sit down in a swivel padded metal chair. I load the rounds close to me and use three wheel barrels to move the split rounds. the longer ones for the bundles I cut off the excess and the shorter ones to sell or for stove wood. I have a new wood stove. David


----------



## CRThomas (Apr 18, 2011)

*Answer*

At 4.00 dollars a bundle buying the wood at 275.00 dollars for 15 ton you can do very well.What it comes to is what you dream for.
There are million dollar firewood wrapping business in the USA. As uncle Sam and the oil companies and stock brokers get the price of oil hoot is make firewood business very good. So hang in there.


----------



## CRThomas (Aug 30, 2011)

*Tax. Info*



arlen said:


> I am not going to borrow money for the equipment I will pay for it. I would like a return on the investment eventually. I know a person who sold bundled wood to a convience store for $ 4.- a bundle and he did not want to sell it any more. For Me that would be great. I haven't seen people selling bundles of wood on street corners like flowers but hey it could work if I had the right location.  I think it is called the wood beaver it has an electric motor 4 drop through trays and a foot switch. I looke at the hand crank ones. I believe I could bundle wood all day with an electric bundler David


 
Most people do not talk about the tax write off at the end it is free later


----------



## CRThomas (Aug 31, 2011)

*Info*



arlen said:


> I am not going to borrow money for the equipment I will pay for it. I would like a return on the investment eventually. I know a person who sold bundled wood to a convience store for $ 4.- a bundle and he did not want to sell it any more. For Me that would be great. I haven't seen people selling bundles of wood on street corners like flowers but hey it could work if I had the right location.  I think it is called the wood beaver it has an electric motor 4 drop through trays and a foot switch. I looke at the hand crank ones. I believe I could bundle wood all day with an electric bundler David


 
I have the Hudson large hand crank and it works great for less than half of what your paying might look at there machine later. I set my wood holder so I could make different size bundles the 12 x 12 bundles is to heavy for my elderly customers. All ways remember you put the bundle in the trunk of there car then they can not get it out. So they don't come back. My bundles are about 12 lb. Try putting a full 12 x 12 in a fireplace with out a getting off balance. You want to try delivery your firewood. I do it for 7.00 dollars a bundle many days I get to deliver a whole truck load in one apartment complex. That is a 100 bundles in one day at 7.00 dollars each. In St Louis Mo my trend delivers bundles for 10.00 each him and his wife have delivered 250 bundles in one day. I live in a smaller town 70,000 people. So if I do a hundred in one day that is super for me.I mix my bundles with ash and a couple of cherry or sass what ever the customer wants. I give up rank and Rick and make more money and I stay out of the way of the fly by night fellows that do it for a case of beer they take a s10 or a ranger and tell there customers they getting a rank of f/w for 35.00 dollars and it is green. When I sold bag f/w a fellow showed up with a ranger I tried to put it in his truck and about massed it thru the ground. He ended up taking a little over half of the bag and his bed was running over. Later


----------



## Cedar Ed (Aug 31, 2011)

The bundles in my area look like they just use some twine and tie it around by hand.But I 've seen at fred myers it has a label and plastic wrap.


----------



## CRThomas (Sep 1, 2011)

*Info*

People that buy bundle FW don't always buy it for heat they are upper class people and have money they not on the have to list and they want there bundles to look nice. I have a bag I call waste I throw the stuff that don't look good and sell it to somebody that is hurting for FW money I bundle up two orders yesterday I deliver them today. I will collect 280.00 dollars if that had been bulk I would only make about 30.00 dollars. Remember your bundles have to please the customer. Always tell them how beautiful the home is and old people like to talk so listen. If you don't have time to listen you need to get out of the FW business. As I said before in the delivery FW business you have a different type customer that is bundled. You don't deliver in a mud splattered truck. I dress like I am going to church. I wash my equipment before it gets dirty. Bundled and bulk FW is two different kinds of business. Later


----------



## CRThomas (Sep 1, 2011)

*Hudson*

I got a Hudson large hand wrapper ordered it on Friday got the following Tuesday. It. Is great to buy a electric one you have to be weak. Yor can buy two hand operated wrappers for the price of one electric wrapper. Two people wrapping and one splitting. Great balls of money


----------



## arlen (Sep 1, 2011)

CRThomas said:


> I got a Hudson large hand wrapper ordered it on Friday got the following Tuesday. It. Is great to buy a electric one you have to be weak. Yor can buy two hand operated wrappers for the price of one electric wrapper. Two people wrapping and one splitting. Great balls of money


 I thought I needed an electric bundler but my hand crank bundler is easy to crank. I have more problems with adjusting the tension on the plastic too lose wood falls out too tight the bundles tear. As the roll of plastic gets smaller the tension needs to be changed. Most of my time is spent splitting and cutting to the correct length 14" to 16" not sure off the top of my head. I pring up flyers with my name and phone number on the bundles I use four wraps two raps aroung the bundle insert the flyer wrap two more wraps now the flyer is water proof and the customer that buys my bundles from a retail store calls me and asks if I have larger quantities. David


----------



## CRThomas (Sep 3, 2011)

*To arlen*

After Christmas have you wife shop for Xmas paper when it gets dog cheap. Try next Xmas use that for a wrapper insert. My grand kids love to cut the pieces for me and stamp our info on them remember as I say women shop not the men try that in your area. See how it works. Halloween, labor day, new years, birthdays. I do and it work and tag little money on the price of the bundle. Remember people who buy bundle firewood buy for plesure not comfort. Me and my wife tested what look good on our hearth. Later


----------



## CRThomas (Sep 19, 2011)

*Info*



arlen said:


> I have a few seasoned cords at home and I could buy some if I need it. I asked my friend who sells wood it he thought there was a market for a bundler in San Diego he thought there was. His friend has a homemade crude hand crank bundler he said I could use it and make up some bundles and see if I have luck selling them. I may try that this weekend. It it did work out I could make some money I would probably buy a supersplit to process the wood or buy wholesale from my friend to make bundles. David


 I got into the firewood business done it different ways finally settled down to small bundles at $2.50 a bundle. We have talked before so I am sure your on your way to success. Let us know how you are doing later


----------



## BILLSFIREWOOD (Jan 17, 2012)

*If you do bundled firewood do the best out thar.*

Over time 3 years we do a lot of bundled firewood, for the smalle wood year we have. Ftum OCT. To now we whose saled over 2500 bundles. Know wot your custermer is needing, and do it. My kiln is home made and works good. All dundles are kiln dryed. We do camp fire wood and heat wood. Over time we made two home made electric dundlers that do adut 90 a HR. Good luck if you are aver neer us hear in NC come and see wot we have dun. lol Bet you can get good info on wot not to try and wot to try.


----------



## CRThomas (Jan 17, 2012)

*Wrapped firewood*

I do the bundled fire wood I buy a rank of Ash. I always have to split it to what my customers want the people I buy it from look at me like I crazy. One fellow said I sell you firewood and you turn around and sell it to some body else. I said crazy I guess I'm crazy. He spit a big wade of tobacco juice on drive way and said ou just stay crazy and keep selling you firewood.just smaller and went to splitting. I get 3 4x4s out of a truck load which disclose to a rank there are 30 bundles to a 4x4 wholesale that's $2.50 a bundle. Retail I get $5.00 delivered I get $7.00 do the math who's crazy now and I don't have to work as hard as he does and it a whole lot safer when that tree comes down stay in there wood wrappers another trick cut out the comp. I sell to store wholesale consignment I pick up the one that get no payed for. Venders jump right on that. I might have lost $30.00 last year from stealing. I made 50.000.00 plus lat year.


----------



## CRThomas (Jan 17, 2012)

*Info*



arlen said:


> I want to start a side business selling bundled firewood. I am going to order a wood bundler on the 15th $2300 dollars delivered. I have a new splitter on back order form Harbor Freight. Have you guys seen the 30 ton splitter with the log lift with a 9hp robins engine for under $1,500. dollars. I have a source of firewood eucalyptus a friend is cutting down 4 acres of euc and he says I can take all I want.
> 1] It is 5 miles from my home.
> 2]I have to pick up the dropped trees with my tractor put them in my pile,
> 3]cut them with my saw
> ...


When you sell bundled F/W you don't need a lot of stock I keep about 2 cord on hand in my kiln that from 2 to 3 weeks supply. I use to keep 100s of tons of FW on hand I let a fellow talk me into bulk sales that took it toll on me and didn't make much profit. Bundled firewood sells year round.


----------



## Bucko (Jan 17, 2012)

Bill , CRT, lets see those kilns


----------



## CRThomas (Jan 18, 2012)

*Pictures*



Bucko said:


> Bill , CRT, lets see those kilns


I don't know how to put pictures on I have email them to a member a year ago to put up never saw them up. He sent me a email thanking me for the pictures. I am not a computer wizard. I be back home in the middle of Febuary I'll email you them you can put them ok. So send me your email address or how to put pictures up later


----------

