General Logging Question

[BubbaG]

Let me apologize up front for being a complete idiot, but I gotta ask.

I drive 70 west from St. Louis to South 54 into Jeff City MO once a week. Each trip, without fail, I see one or two big rigs hauling massive loads of logs North on 54. My question is this and I know it is vague and there are hundreds of variables-- how much would a load of logs like that cost to have delivered. Approximately.

Let's assume over 14 inch diameter, hardwood, don't need top grade etc... Just get me started and maybe I can ask better questions
Again I know there are hundreds of variables.. maybe you could respond with options. Like.. 40 logs, hardwood, 14 inch plus, mid quality =$.

Again, I apologize for not knowing anything, but you gotta learn somehow and I don't know any loggers, truckers or mill owners.
thanks

 

[Gologit]

I don't have any numbers for you because I'm not familiar with logging in your area. Try calling some mills or the trucking companies that are hauling the logs.

I do know a little about selling truck loads of logs that might help you. Be prepared to pay whatever the local mills are paying. Around here firewood in log length is usually sold by the ton. Try to buy wood that's as dry as possible. Water is expensive when you're paying for it by weight.

If the truck bringing your logs isn't a self loader (unloader) you'll need a way to unload him quickly...like in less than half an hour. Time is money and if you can't get the wood off of his truck quickly he'll probably charge you by the hour for the delay time. Delay time out here usually runs around eighty five dollars an hour. He'll also need plenty of room to manuever his truck and room to deck the logs.

Look at the load carefully before it's unloaded and while the unloading is actually happening. There are unscrupulous people out there who'll sell you a load of crap...especially if they figure it's a one time deal and they won't be seeing you again. If you're buying by weight ask for a certified copy of the weight tag. It should have gross, tare and net weights listed. If they don't want to produce one you're taking a chance on a light weight load that you'll pay full weight price for.

 

[madhatte]

If they don't want to produce one you're taking a chance on a light weight load that you'll pay full weight price for.

Also taking a chance on buying stolen property. Those tags are important.

 

[possumtrapper]

I buy "off cuts" from forests, most are 20foot long and 12 inchs thru,
contact the local forest owners, ask if they'll sell you their reject logs.
I get it here for 5% what you'd pay for a saw log. Then ask them who is running self loaders
in their forests. They run at $180/hr here and carry 30m3 or about 9 cord and the guy above is right,
they need shedloads of hard ground to turn around and unload on.. Good luck.

 

[lmbrman]

not certain it will help, but around here a county or state forestry office can tell you what verious products are selling for on the stump, and also what a reputable logger will expect to make off each product per cord-

 

[Ironworker]

Find the nearest logging company and give them a call, if they are busy they are always looking to get rid of stuff, that's where I get my wood.

 

[bead1099]

Let me apologize up front for being a complete idiot, but I gotta ask.

I drive 70 west from St. Louis to South 54 into Jeff City MO once a week. Each trip, without fail, I see one or two big rigs hauling massive loads of logs North on 54. My question is this and I know it is vague and there are hundreds of variables-- how much would a load of logs like that cost to have delivered. Approximately.

Let's assume over 14 inch diameter, hardwood, don't need top grade etc... Just get me started and maybe I can ask better questions
Again I know there are hundreds of variables.. maybe you could respond with options. Like.. 40 logs, hardwood, 14 inch plus, mid quality =$.

Again, I apologize for not knowing anything, but you gotta learn somehow and I don't know any loggers, truckers or mill owners.
thanks

$2400 delivered (#1 Black Oak 4000')

 

[Ironworker]

$2400 delivered (#1 Black Oak 4000')

That sounds like alot, I get this for $600

Mixed hardwoods in New York

 

[BubbaG]

$2400 delivered (#1 Black Oak 4000')

How many logs are in 4000 '
How does black oak stack up. Is it a premium log

 

[BubbaG]

That sounds like alot, I get this for $600

Mixed hardwoods in New York

When you get a load like that are the trees tagged to identify species?
How Dow you think the price would change if I needed all the logs 14 inch diameter or greater---

 

[Big L]

How many logs are in 4000 '
How does black oak stack up. Is it a premium log

About 20 - 18" x 14' logs

Black oak stacks up as excellent firewood!

 

[BubbaG]

About 20 - 18" x 14' logs

Black oak stacks up as excellent firewood!

Thanks for the info. I'm not doing firewood. So how do other hardwoods stack up in price to black oak? Told you I don't know much. Ideally I'd like a load of mixed (no red oak) between 14" and 18" diameter. I don't NEED long logs if that helps. Thanks for the help. I'm trying to get some knowledge before I call someone and make a fool of myself or get ripped off

 

[BubbaG]

How would that $600 load go up in price if all logs greater than 14"? I could see getting a load like that going
On a mixed load do the trees come tagged with the species?
Are the trees fairly fresh cut

 

[axeman73]

Depends on what you want the logs for! And no the logs are not tagged with a species most guys can tell that by looking at the log or by smell like one guy I know yes most of the logs are green (fresh cut) that go to a mill best source of info is your states dept of agriculture div of forestry in my state they post local market prices for logs paid at the mill most mills pay on the board foot based on how good the wood is based on knots and cracks and rot in a log

 

[floyd]

I have never understood why the boom is on the back?

Does it have something to do with bridge laws or something?

I can understand having a boom at the back of a truck delivering to the roof, better reach off the back

Maybe mills being set up for 8' & 16'logs?

Educate me, please.

 

[Driver625]

It's on the back so they can load a pup trailer.

 

[floyd]

Thank you. Pups "here" are part of a mule train. Self loaders have the loader on the tractor. Guys hauling off my neighbor would use the loader to load a long logger with pine that went 300 mlies. The fir went 40 miles on the self loader.

 

[Driver625]

Pups here are usually a tandem axle trailer that will take a 16' at the longest. Have seen some tri-axles and some wagon style with the front axle steerable like a hay wagon. Here you can haul 99,000 on a tri-axle truck and tandem axle pup and only 73,000 on just the truck. Every ounce counts.

Edit- That's with a state issued permit.

 

[serial feller]

Hey Bubba, Missouri Dept of Conservation post quarterly stumpage price reports here Timber Price Trends | MDC

As you already know there are too many variables to look at a truck and guess the price. Here in my neck of southern MO there are basically three species worth cutting. Walnut brings the most followed by white oak stave and tie logs, then red oak. Unless you can find a specific buyer for anything else, it's worth more as firewood. I recently cut 4300 BF of mixed walnut and white oak. The buyer from the mill was concerned about putting it all on one truck, but I'm sure he did. He wrote me a check for $3200.00 which I had to split with the landowner. This load was everything from the good butt logs to the knotted up garbage in the tops. I hear your walnut up north is better than mine. Southern MO walnut has a wider sap ring and smaller heart wood. Just last Friday I cut two walnut trees which made five 8 foot logs and one 10 foot log. The stump on each was just wider than my 24" bar. I delivered and the mill wrote a check for $827.00. That crushed the price per BF on the larger job I described above.

In many cases you won't know how valuable any tree is until you cut it. Rotten cores, peck, a lightning strike from 50 years ago... The worst hidden flaw is mineral deposits. Nothing like cutting a walnut and finding the heartwood is blue with iron deposits. The value of the butt log just went into the toilet. That may not be so common up north as it is down here in the rocks.

 

[bead1099]

How many logs are in 4000 '
How does black oak stack up. Is it a premium log

14" x 8' about 60 to 70 logs.

Premium log species are Hard Maple, Cherry, and Red Oak that I'm familiar with.

#2 Black Oak are about half the cost of #1 according to the price sheet I have. What quality are you looking for?

Can you share with us your intentions?