Pipe dream or can I make decent money
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ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
There's so much variability that it's impossible to truly answer.
What will work well in one area won't work in another, and those areas can be just the next town or two over even, never mind another state.
What will work well in one area won't work in another, and those areas can be just the next town or two over even, never mind another state.
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
You haul 2 cords on an F250?!
I thought I was pushing it pretty hard hauling that load on cab and chassis 1 ton and 1.5 ton trucks.
Ryan'smilling
Addicted to ArboristSite
I'm thinking that's with a trailer.
NSMaple1
Addicted to ArboristSite
Has to be.
D
Deleted member 117362
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I have seen 5 to 6 foot high racks on 1/2 and 3/4 ton truck with nose in the air and wondering when rear axle would snap. Why make two trips, just snap an axle and make no trips. Those people selling wood like that are just a moment from going out of business, or heating their home.
It would be a hard way to make a buck consistently.
Figure how many man hours per cord, and expenses.
Also figure in weather, as you have.
The rub is every young person should try and put some money back for old age.
With a family, unless your job has that option or does it for you, you could be hurting financially (and possibly physically) in twenty years.
If you have seen my posts it is somewhat of an illusion, as most of my equipment has been purchased out of pocket, and with small loans. I love doing it, but sixty to seventy cord a year is not income money.
I live off a pension/social security, not any income from firewood.
Best of luck...
Figure how many man hours per cord, and expenses.
Also figure in weather, as you have.
The rub is every young person should try and put some money back for old age.
With a family, unless your job has that option or does it for you, you could be hurting financially (and possibly physically) in twenty years.
If you have seen my posts it is somewhat of an illusion, as most of my equipment has been purchased out of pocket, and with small loans. I love doing it, but sixty to seventy cord a year is not income money.
I live off a pension/social security, not any income from firewood.
Best of luck...
Time is money, and making delivery's for an extra 10 bucks is not worth the time spent. If your gonna make delivery's you need a dump trailer so you can just dump and go, with no stacking.
Also be prepared for bad weather days that will cut production. Next you will have to stock up a year in advance in order to keep seasoned stock ready for sales.
Also having a lot of wood in stock is one thing, making sales is another. Be prepared for slow times and busy times as they come in spurts.
Also give it time to build a costumer base because it will probably start off slow.
Also be prepared for bad weather days that will cut production. Next you will have to stock up a year in advance in order to keep seasoned stock ready for sales.
Also having a lot of wood in stock is one thing, making sales is another. Be prepared for slow times and busy times as they come in spurts.
Also give it time to build a costumer base because it will probably start off slow.
I’ve many times thought about quitting my day job to cut firewood full time (again) I did when I was in college. You’ll have to get your productivity up to make it work. One a day may get you by, but you won’t have much and probably can’t have descent equipment. I can have 3 cords split and stacked on the trailer and ready to deliver by lunch and I still keep my day job since I have retirement and insurance and I’m still holding out for getting where I get a big bonus.
I set back $50/cord for expenses and usually i have leftovers at the end of the month that I stash away for the big stuff. The saw should cost you almost nothing/cord.
$1200 ms461 run it 400 cords without any expenses. $3/cord
Gas and oil $3/cord (and I run stihl oils)
Bars and chain. $5/cord (my mesquite wood ruins bars and chains fast. )
$450 for a sharpener and riveter. I’m not sure what it costs a cord because I bought mine used in maybe 2003? and it’s not depreciated any since then. I’d bet the electricity it uses to sharpen is more expensive per cord.
Axes, I use up enough axes it’s probably $1/cord.
Diesel can kill you, I try to haul 3 cords but if it’s slow or I’m sick I’ll settle for 2. I average 9 cords per $100 in diesel. Sometimes I get 12 sometimes 7or 8. So say $11/cord for me delivering them.
That leaves me roughly $25 for mostly ruined tires. (Run bias ply trailer tires, that will save you lots of cut tires in the woodpatch)
I used what I had saved for a saw and spare trailer (so I don’t have to unload) to go in and buy a transmission for my truck in January.
Unless your old or splitting some wood that won’t split by hand a hydro splitter will kill your productivity. I’d run a fiskars until you get tired and then use the hydro until your better.
Sounds like you want to do it and don’t have anything to loose. I bet you’ll get faster and longer lasting quick.
I set back $50/cord for expenses and usually i have leftovers at the end of the month that I stash away for the big stuff. The saw should cost you almost nothing/cord.
$1200 ms461 run it 400 cords without any expenses. $3/cord
Gas and oil $3/cord (and I run stihl oils)
Bars and chain. $5/cord (my mesquite wood ruins bars and chains fast. )
$450 for a sharpener and riveter. I’m not sure what it costs a cord because I bought mine used in maybe 2003? and it’s not depreciated any since then. I’d bet the electricity it uses to sharpen is more expensive per cord.
Axes, I use up enough axes it’s probably $1/cord.
Diesel can kill you, I try to haul 3 cords but if it’s slow or I’m sick I’ll settle for 2. I average 9 cords per $100 in diesel. Sometimes I get 12 sometimes 7or 8. So say $11/cord for me delivering them.
That leaves me roughly $25 for mostly ruined tires. (Run bias ply trailer tires, that will save you lots of cut tires in the woodpatch)
I used what I had saved for a saw and spare trailer (so I don’t have to unload) to go in and buy a transmission for my truck in January.
Unless your old or splitting some wood that won’t split by hand a hydro splitter will kill your productivity. I’d run a fiskars until you get tired and then use the hydro until your better.
Sounds like you want to do it and don’t have anything to loose. I bet you’ll get faster and longer lasting quick.
NSMaple1
Addicted to ArboristSite
There is no way in heck I would try to do wood for a living using an axe for a splitter.
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
There's no way you are making 3 cords in 4-5hrs by yourself with using a saw and splitting by hand. It's not possible. Just the stacking alone would be a good .75-1hr each cord.
Thanks for this thread, because I do like hearing how other people get it done.
But like my own posts and others, there is a lot to read between the lines.
Are they working alone, or are they referring to themselves and two helpers kind of thing.
Are people talking a cord (128 cu. ft.) or a local cord which may in fact be a face cord?
Hard to tell sometimes on the internet. Still, it gives you a little something to go by.
My biggest expense is maintaining a DOT current, 2000 Top Kick 5500. Plates...$599.; commercial vehicle insurance; annual inspection and service; any repairs. I could use six tires right now. Tread is good but they are old.
My biggest time drain is delivery, because I use a flatbed and hand unload. A landscape box cost more than a dump trailer, but a dump trailer can't haul as much unless it is stacked.
I could use home equity and buy a processor tomorrow to increase production, but I'm not going there.
So part of how you work may be how comfortable you are with risk.
That also comes out in some of the posts in how people operate.
But like my own posts and others, there is a lot to read between the lines.
Are they working alone, or are they referring to themselves and two helpers kind of thing.
Are people talking a cord (128 cu. ft.) or a local cord which may in fact be a face cord?
Hard to tell sometimes on the internet. Still, it gives you a little something to go by.
My biggest expense is maintaining a DOT current, 2000 Top Kick 5500. Plates...$599.; commercial vehicle insurance; annual inspection and service; any repairs. I could use six tires right now. Tread is good but they are old.
My biggest time drain is delivery, because I use a flatbed and hand unload. A landscape box cost more than a dump trailer, but a dump trailer can't haul as much unless it is stacked.
I could use home equity and buy a processor tomorrow to increase production, but I'm not going there.
So part of how you work may be how comfortable you are with risk.
That also comes out in some of the posts in how people operate.
I have the best credit rating going, but cant get a cent from the bank as im lacking in the credit history department. Own everything I own and pay outright for everything I buy, banks dont make a cent off me, but sucks when ya need a lil jump.
I’ll have the first in the trailer in less
It will take more like 5-5.5hours. I can usually be started good by 6:45. I can do the first in 1.5 hour if I’m in good big trees. I carry 2 if not 3 saws gassed and sharp. Split off the ground. I don’t stand anything up less than 14”. I can work my way down an average tree (1/4 cord) before a guy can get his hydro splitter in place and cranked up. I cut anything that’s in my way preventing me from driving right up to the trees to load them. But hey I am a freak, 6’3” and 330# in good enough shape to get preferred rate life insurance even though I’m “obese” I’ll admit if I have to unload and stack all 3 in the same day I’m dragging by the end of it.
It takes me all day to cut split and stack a full legal cord of oak. Production depends on several things. Different types of wood split differently. Dry vs green makes a difference as well. I can cut and split ash faster then I can oak and I can split oak faster then pecan.
Ash is more stringy then oak so it takes a full stroke to get it apart. Where dry red oak almost jumps apart when I split it. Knots and forks take more time then strait grained wood. Dry wood is lighter and ash is much lighter then oak be it dry or green. Lots of things can speed up or slow down production.
Ash is more stringy then oak so it takes a full stroke to get it apart. Where dry red oak almost jumps apart when I split it. Knots and forks take more time then strait grained wood. Dry wood is lighter and ash is much lighter then oak be it dry or green. Lots of things can speed up or slow down production.
Ryan'smilling
Addicted to ArboristSite
Agreed. If that's green hardwood we're talking 12-16000#.
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
On a good day if all goes well, I don't get interrupted much, the hired hand is on time, don't have to stop to fuel anything, or sharpen a chain, etc, don't have to fight with logs much, and the logs are all decent sized, like 10-16" area, and the customers are fairly close, I can do two 2 cord loads in an ~8hr day. Cut, split, stacked in the truck and delivered.
More often I plan out 1 order a day and then cut for other things I need, like wood I'm seasoning, or for campfire bundles.
Just remember the old joke/riddle, "how do you make a million dollars selling firewood?........start with two million!"
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