How much for that log?

[sb47]

Got a call from a guy the other day asking if I had a short log about 2 feet long and about 18'' round.
I said I'm sure I have something like that.
He showed up today and we looked around and I asked him what he was going to use it for so maybe I can find him exactly what he wanted.
He said he was starting a new blacksmith hobby making some kind of body armor. He wanted to dish out one end to pound out metal on.
He was looking at a nice post oak log and I pointed out how it would split to easy and may not last very long. So I found a nice elm log that was the perfect size he was looking for and I pointed out how it wouldn't split like an oak log will and may last longer.
Then came the big question, he asked how much? I was thinking 20 bucks, but said make me an offer. He said $150.00.
He said he had called around and thats what people were asking among the few he said he could even find.
I thought "holy crap" I said man....I can't do that to you, how about 40 bucks? He smiled and said "deal"
Now I love money and surly need it in a big way, because I don't make much money, and I'm sure I get over charged a lot of times. But I just can't rip someone off like that. I got twice what I thought it was worth and he got it for 80% off what he thought it was going to cost him.
I will admit, a "very small" part of me said, Dude!!! You just screwed yourself out of 110 bucks! The the better part of me said, no you got twice what it was worth.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

But, you did him right! Nice!

 

[farmer steve]

Good job SB. What goes around comes around.

 

[ammoaddict]

Good job. I take pride in honesty and it is the best policy, but when he offered 150, I would have to had said, you're in luck everything is half price today.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[sb47]

Good job. I take pride in honesty and it is the best policy, but when he offered 150, I would have to had said, you're in luck everything is half price today.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

The log he took was bigger then what he said he originally wanted, but seeing it up close, first hand made him realize that the size he quoted me was not what he thought it would be. He got a log 3 foot by 24'' witch cut and split may have been 20 bucks worth of firewood depending on how it was packaged. I still took him for 20 bucks, because the log he wanted I was thinking 20 bucks, but I asked 40.

 

[full chizel]

I found a womans wallet in a store parking lot just before Christmas with $400 and some credit/debit cards in it. I didn’t want to turn it in to the store knowing the money most likely would be gone and the cards would be taken and figured that it might be all the money she had so i just looked at the address on the drivers license and took it to her. She was so thankful that she gave me $50 and said Merry Christmas. I could’ve had $400 but i slept good that night knowing i did the right thing.

 

[Husky Man]

I would say that you Both got a Great deal.

I'm just learning Chain Saw Milling (CSM), last July we had 3 large Cedars taken down in our yard, I had done some milling on them without a definite project in mind, and had some slabbed logs leaning against the garage door, I came home and there was a note asking if I was interested in selling some, I called him and him and his Buddy came by that weekend and I milled up 5 slabs 22-28" wide, 5-7'long and 2" thick, I spent maybe 1.5 hours doing it, had to change mills as the last slab ended up being about 2" too wide for the mill I was using.

It was the first wood I had milled to request, and I wasn't sure what to charge, we had talked about some of the CL ads that we both felt were over priced, they offered $250 for the 5 slabs, maybe I sold too cheap but they were yard trees that I didn't have to buy, and they expressed an interest in buying more in the Future, I think that like in your case we both got Fair deals.


Doug

 

[full chizel]

I’m a firm believer that the road you leave behind you is another road you’re gonna have to go back down.

 

[Husky Man]

sb47, if you talk to that customer again, rounding the end of the log, rather than dishing it out, Convex, instead of concave, could accomplish the same objective by turning the work piece over, and hammering from the opposite side.

Also, banding the log just below the working area, even with a Large hose clamp, could also extend the longevity of the log, unless of course you want to sell him more logs

He also may be interested in a second log, so he could have both convex and concave forms to work with, he is already saving so much compared to what he Expected, and Accepted paying, that a second form will stihl be much cheaper than he anticipated.


Doug

 

[Husky Man]

Dang, wife called while I was posting the previous post, by forming on a convex surface, rather than concave, the force of the hammering should have a less detrimental effect on the form, by hammering Against the form, where with a concave form, the hammering forces would be directed in an outward force, much more likely to lead to splitting the form(Log) than the forces on the convex form would do.

Not that either method of forming wont have any detrimental effect on the form(Log) but the forces involved with the convex hammering will be less detrimental than the forces involved with concave forming.


Doug

 

[sb47]

sb47, if you talk to that customer again, rounding the end of the log, rather than dishing it out, Convex, instead of concave, could accomplish the same objective by turning the work piece over, and hammering from the opposite side.

Also, banding the log just below the working area, even with a Large hose clamp, could also extend the longevity of the log, unless of course you want to sell him more logs

He also may be interested in a second log, so he could have both convex and concave forms to work with, he is already saving so much compared to what he Expected, and Accepted paying, that a second form will stihl be much cheaper than he anticipated.


Doug

I have already talked to him again, and since he is into hobby's he may know some other hobbyist that may want some interesting material to work with. I let him know that I do get interesting stumps and flares that make great rustic tables.
I'm sure he will be coming back for more stuff.