Redprospector....

[Gologit]

Anybody heard from him?

 

[strangersfaces]

Not since around the time of the last, somewhat encouraging update in his What the Heck thread.

Hopefully, he's quietly gaining on winning the battle with the county...

 

[redprospector]

I'm still kickin'.
I've just been busier than a cat covering up crap on a tin roof. Haven't had much time for the computer. I've got a new one with Windows 8, I really dislike Windows 8 but I'm trying to learn. Did I mention that I don't like my new operating system?

We closed on the land that we had planned to use for a pellet plant. County has decided in their infinite wisdom not to pursue a pellet plant...Right now.
I may have won that battle, but I'm not comfortable enough to invest the kind of money it will take to start making pellets for fear of the government pulling the rug out from under me. :bang:
We are exploring some other options, but for now I'll just keep on cuttin' pecker poles with nothing to do with them.

Andy

 

[slowp]

I made a bed headboard and footboard from AZ precommercial thinning slash. However, I don't think furniture is where it is at for a comfortable income.

 

[redprospector]

I made a bed headboard and footboard from AZ precommercial thinning slash. However, I don't think furniture is where it is at for a comfortable income.

Yeah, I tried the furniture deal once & bout starved.
Actually, I grew up in a wood shop. Everything from picture frames, to furniture, to custom cabinets.
When the mill I felled for layed us all off in 91 I started a little wood shop making Southwest style furniture. I had to keep cutting yard trees, and hazard trees to make ends meet. I cut for a gypo or two for a while when things were really slow.
I got a bandsaw mill to make my own lumber for the shop, which grew into a custom milling gig, which grew into a tree removal & milling package deal, which grew into the thinning business that I've been in for the last 14 years.
It seems we may be coming full circle now. There is absolutly no market for timber around here any more, and I am convinced that if I can develope some kind of small market for small diameter timber that I'll make out alright. My wife & I are talking about setting up a small mill, and a few solar dry kilns on the property we had planned on putting a pellet plant on. If we do this we'll be focusing on 8" and under lumber, 1x's & 2x's. The plan is to set up a moulding shop to turn out 1x6 v groove panneling, quarter sawn Doug Fir flooring, and 8" log siding.
The housing market is surprisingly stable (not strong, but stable) around here for some reason. After a little research, these are the products that building contractors in this area are having a hard time finding in a quality product.
I will keep on thinning when I can find the work until and if things take off in this new venture. If it works it will provide a few jobs here in Otero County, and a little bit of a market for some of the small diameter timber. Then maybe it will spark an idea in someone else that will create more of a market for the pecker poles.
I am convinced that a dozen little "mom & pop" opperations is a better market than one big mill. especially when one of them shuts down.

Andy

 

[treeslayer2003]

Yeah, I tried the furniture deal once & bout starved.
Actually, I grew up in a wood shop. Everything from picture frames, to furniture, to custom cabinets.
When the mill I felled for layed us all off in 91 I started a little wood shop making Southwest style furniture. I had to keep cutting yard trees, and hazard trees to make ends meet. I cut for a gypo or two for a while when things were really slow.
I got a bandsaw mill to make my own lumber for the shop, which grew into a custom milling gig, which grew into a tree removal & milling package deal, which grew into the thinning business that I've been in for the last 14 years.
It seems we may be coming full circle now. There is absolutly no market for timber around here any more, and I am convinced that if I can develope some kind of small market for small diameter timber that I'll make out alright. My wife & I are talking about setting up a small mill, and a few solar dry kilns on the property we had planned on putting a pellet plant on. If we do this we'll be focusing on 8" and under lumber, 1x's & 2x's. The plan is to set up a moulding shop to turn out 1x6 v groove panneling, quarter sawn Doug Fir flooring, and 8" log siding.
The housing market is surprisingly stable (not strong, but stable) around here for some reason. After a little research, these are the products that building contractors in this area are having a hard time finding in a quality product.
I will keep on thinning when I can find the work until and if things take off in this new venture. If it works it will provide a few jobs here in Otero County, and a little bit of a market for some of the small diameter timber. Then maybe it will spark an idea in someone else that will create more of a market for the pecker poles.
I am convinced that a dozen little "mom & pop" opperations is a better market than one big mill. especially when one of them shuts down.

Andy

I think you right, we now have only 1 big pine mill.they now set the prices. pine was much better with a bunch of little mills. I like the way your thinkin, good luck to you sir

 

[jrcat]

We have only one pine mill in this area in Angelica, NY. they set the prices as well. Other than that its all amish mills that buy up the softwoods. I wont even mess with it ... unless I get into a stand of really nice hemlock but even with that they want it 25' long and it only pays $1100 a load so by the time a guy buys it cuts it and skids it then pays for trucking at $300 a load....... not much meat left on that bone.

 

[treeslayer2003]

We have only one pine mill in this area in Angelica, NY. they set the prices as well. Other than that its all amish mills that buy up the softwoods. I wont even mess with it ... unless I get into a stand of really nice hemlock but even with that they want it 25' long and it only pays $1100 a load so by the time a guy buys it cuts it and skids it then pays for trucking at $300 a load....... not much meat left on that bone.

that's about all we get for a semi load a big loblolly trees. could get almost twice that few years ago

 

[jrcat]

that's about all we get for a semi load a big loblolly trees. could get almost twice that few years ago

Sucks dont it? A year ago most softwoods here were worth more in a piles of chips. But now that's gone too.

 

[DavdH]

We could get lots of pine but the trucking is more than the delivered price to the mill. Last year some went to China, to early to tell this year, export is dropping as I type.

 

[treeslayer2003]

Sucks dont it? A year ago most softwoods here were worth more in a piles of chips. But now that's gone too.

i'm waitin for the foresters to start sprayin pine to plant sweet gum. why not its worth more than pine now.

 

[redprospector]

I think you right, we now have only 1 big pine mill.they now set the prices. pine was much better with a bunch of little mills. I like the way your thinkin, good luck to you sir

Thanks, I've got a feeling I'm going to need all the luck I can get.

Andy

 

[redprospector]

We have only one pine mill in this area in Angelica, NY. they set the prices as well. Other than that its all amish mills that buy up the softwoods. I wont even mess with it ... unless I get into a stand of really nice hemlock but even with that they want it 25' long and it only pays $1100 a load so by the time a guy buys it cuts it and skids it then pays for trucking at $300 a load....... not much meat left on that bone.

Around here $1100 a load is just a fond memory. What they call a market here is 100 miles of trucking to get $900 a load. Not much bone left there.

Andy

 

[treeslayer2003]

We could get lots of pine but the trucking is more than the delivered price to the mill. Last year some went to China, to early to tell this year, export is dropping as I type.

china really? and this administration wonders why theres no jobs. they got any timber over there?
on second thought I believe much of our hard wood grade goes over seas. there is something wrong with this pitcure

 

[Gologit]

Around here $1100 a load is just a fond memory. What they call a market here is 100 miles of trucking to get $900 a load. Not much bone left there.

Andy

Not much different here. We have plenty of mills going...but they all belong to the same people.

 

[treeslayer2003]

Around here $1100 a load is just a fond memory. What they call a market here is 100 miles of trucking to get $900 a load. Not much bone left there.

Andy

a man can't make a living that way. it ain't like the land owner gonna take less than he did last year. tell um price is down they say wait till it goes back up. wait to go to work? the public don't get it.

 

[treeslayer2003]

Not much different here. We have plenty of mills going...but they all belong to the same people.

what ya'll think happen if we all just quit? every single one of us. I know theres allways some but what if we did have a voice.

 

[redprospector]

a man can't make a living that way. it ain't like the land owner gonna take less than he did last year. tell um price is down they say wait till it goes back up. wait to go to work? the public don't get it.

Making a living is a relative term. Sometimes it comes down to putting food on the table.
But you're right, which is why I'm thinking of sticking my neck out to try something new, and maybe create a little better market, and a few jobs.

Andy

 

[treeslayer2003]

Making a living is a relative term. Sometimes it comes down to putting food on the table.
But you're right, which is why I'm thinking of sticking my neck out to try something new, and maybe create a little better market, and a few jobs.

Andy

last few years that's about all we can do, just get by and hope for better. if you can get it going i'm rootn for ya. gotta start somewere

 

[tdi-rick]

Good to hear your still about and kicking Andy, hopefully things improve for you a little.

I only mentioned you (although not by name) the other day in the chainsaw forum and was wondering how you and the Romeo were and funnily enough never, ever come in here as I'm not a pro's arsehole.