suggestions?

[kjp]

Hi all, i ran into a problem today that i have never delt with nor ever given it much thought. A man asked me to give him a ballpark today to clean up his property, a ton of white pine blow downs. Problem is all the wood is junk! up until this point every job ive done had some timber value. its been sitting to long,its all dry as a bone and splitting. some of it is rotting.im a small operation and a whole tree chipper is out of the question. he doesnt want to burn it there. im not looking for a miracle and i know i dont have many options but if anyone had any ideas it would be greatly appreciated

thanks

 

[treeslayer2003]

I have never done a job like this but I would say you price it by the hour plus disposal.

 

[Gologit]

If the wood isn't merchantable, you can't chip it, and you can't burn it on site your only option is disposal. Dump truck, industrial size dumpsters, or a flatbed with side stakes. Load it, haul it to a landfill, be done with it.
Figure your operating costs, add in whatever you consider a reasonable percentage of profit, and go from there.

 

[northmanlogging]

Hi all, i ran into a problem today that i have never delt with nor ever given it much thought. A man asked me to give him a ballpark today to clean up his property, a ton of white pine blow downs. Problem is all the wood is junk! up until this point every job ive done had some timber value. its been sitting to long,its all dry as a bone and splitting. some of it is rotting.im a small operation and a whole tree chipper is out of the question. he doesnt want to burn it there. im not looking for a miracle and i know i dont have many options but if anyone had any ideas it would be greatly appreciated

thanks

I wouldn't quote it, but that's me.

Otherwise the rest nailed it, trucking, loading, disposal, and skidding and you gotta get paid too. Lots of fuel, time and energy spent picking up garbage. Probably a tangled nasty mess too, windfalls are just sucky no matter what.

I know its not merchantable as chips but what about chipping and leaving it there? Or at least chipping before hauling, the compost people we have out here make you pay to dispose of chips, but its better then taking it to the garbage transfer stations. Unless whole tree chipping is out because of the cost of a chipper, then nevermind.

 

[2dogs]

Mulching head on an excavator if he is willing to go for the cost.

 

[kjp]

Thanks for all the input, all great ideas. I think I'll give him a price to get the logs out and stack them but exclude hauling. This ones just too big for me

Thanks again

 

[bitzer]

How big is it?

 

[kjp]

probably a small job to most here but maybe 40-50 blow downs. 12-24 inch diameter mostly. Its just me one employee, a tractor, 1 ton and a gooseneck. Its really no problem cleaning it up its just getting rid of it. I dont do it full time but make a pretty decent income in my spare time at it. I would just hate to commit to it, turn down smaller jobs that seem to be good money makers for me and then curse trying to truck all the wood

 

[madhatte]

If you can get your hand on a tub grinder, the chips may have value to somebody as hogfuel for a co-generational plant. I don't know what your market looks like, but you'll want to know the price differential between "green" and "bone-dry" tons before you bid on something like that.

 

[Gologit]

If you can get your hand on a tub grinder, the chips may have value to somebody as hogfuel for a co-generational plant. I don't know what your market looks like, but you'll want to know the price differential between "green" and "bone-dry" tons before you bid on something like that.

Good point. The co-gen market out here is up and down. They're also very picky about what they take as far as size and cleanliness. They also usually want a commitment and a contract for a minimum number of tons delivered within a specified time. It's absolutely a buyer's market.
Dunno how it is where the OP is.
Maybe a landscape outfit might take the wood for mulch? Even if you have to give the wood away if they do the hauling you're better off.

Then again...a guy never lost any money by leaving a bad job alone.

 

[madhatte]

Then again...a guy never lost any money by leaving a bad job alone.

Solid point right there.

 

[HuskStihl]

You need to explain the advantages of oxidative disposal to the client. Quote him a price to bun that works for you and a quote to haul that's on the steep side. I'd only take that job if he agreed to burn the stuff there, he other options sound like more trouble than profit

 

[treeslayer2003]

Jon that is one of your best posts. that's not a joke lol.

 

[northmanlogging]

You need to explain the advantages of oxidative disposal to the client. Quote him a price to bun that works for you and a quote to haul that's on the steep side. I'd only take that job if he agreed to burn the stuff there, he other options sound like more trouble than profit

What the Hel? when did you start almost making sense? Hey when yer done with that day job wanna help me with a little cleanup? I'll pay ya in beer, and really tasty cheese booggers...

Transportation to and from is your problem... if you die, get sick or injured, mentally or physically... I'm not liable, volunteers will be treated as second class citizens, and you owe me $4,000,000 for the experiencing the utter grace of my presence

 

[HuskStihl]

I'm one step below a firewood hack, I'm a land clearing hack. Clearing and burning happen to be right in my wheelhouse. Thanks for the kind words, and I do like cheesy burgers

 

[treeslayer2003]

you know, if we all lived close by.......well the normals would have a big problem lol.

 

[northmanlogging]

I'm one step below a firewood hack, I'm a land clearing hack. Clearing and burning happen to be right in my wheelhouse. Thanks for the kind words, and I do like cheesy burgers

If yer ever in town I'll show you why I'm still fat... Locklsoy, Pilchuck drive in(2 mi from the landing), booger mill, King Charley's The Fountain, not to mention all the nasty deli fud at the local gas stations... the one in town makes casseroles, and pizza, and and... (this fat stuff has nothing to do with a wife that likes trying new baking experiments on me... or the fact that I just eat to damn much)

you know, if we all lived close by.......well the normals would have a big problem lol.

They keep us all apart on purpose, I tried to move to maryland, they met me at the border and said I couldn't stay, too many loggers or some such...

Texas took one look at my pitch filled face fro and sent me right back to Warshington...

 

[kjp]

hey guys just an update, thanks for all the comments. I ended up giving him a price to put it all in a log pile and a flat rate per truck load that i know is profitable for me if he wants me to truck it, he seems pretty interested

 

[Gologit]

hey guys just an update, thanks for all the comments. I ended up giving him a price to put it all in a log pile and a flat rate per truck load that i know is profitable for me if he wants me to truck it, he seems pretty interested

Good plan. Hope it works out for you