Firewood business

I didn't search any threads for info on this subject so I'm going to start my own.

I'm 4 years away from retiring from my "day" job and have decided to start a small firewood business to keep myself in shape and busy when I do retire. I'm starting to make some business plans now so that I can establish the business in order to walk into it when the 'day' job is over completely.

I have access to some local tree companies that are willing to sell me tree length wood at wholesale prices.
I have rented a lot at one of my friends to cut, split and store firewood. For now I can probably look forward to storing 15 cords neat enough to have enough room for bucking, splitting and storing a dump trailer.

If things work out in a year or so's time I'd like to look for a bigger lot and some more machinery. I'd like to take parts of the manual labor out by using an elevated conveyor and a skid steer loader, and eventually a commercial splitter.

Is there anyone that produces and sells more than 15 cords per year that has a setup they can share with me here. Looking for any and all ideas to use as ideas.

Thanks

 

Thanks E, things have settled down and I'm trying to get in my old groove again. I really miss it.

 

Have been averaging about 30 a year but should increase with my new splitter.

 

Tell me what your new splitter will be and what other equipment you have is. Thanks

 

I sell firewood as a side business as well as the fact that as you wrote it keeps me in shape and in my case relieves the stress I have from running my Restaurant. I am upstate NY near Albany if you ever get out this way. I made many mistakes such as buying a splitter at Lowes because it was a good price. As for a Skid Steer unless you have forks to lift the logs it is of little use. I almost bought a used one but ended up with a new front end loader with a back hoe and thumb this also allows me to do side jobs with the back hoe. Like yourself I am about a year or two from retiring and will do firewood and much more tractor work. I made the mistake of buying a 14' trailer for delivering firewood ( big mistake ) the only good thing about that is now I use it to transport my tractor to jobs.


Give me a call I will send you some pictures and maybe you can learn from my mistakes.
518-368-5813 , Tony

 

I bought the DR K-28 only to speed up the process of splitting because I should have bought something like the Timberwolf TW-P5 right from the start but bought the TW-P1 because of fear of investing over 5 grand in a splitter.

 

I started liking CRD metalworks 'Green Monster' as a possible investment down the line. I like that it comes with a 15' conveyor thats attached to the unit, which they are willing to make into a 20' for a few more $.

 

Jason in Patterssonville NY just got the Rapido Loco 20 in one of my posts I show his ad from Craigslist Albany - Farm & Garden ( firewood and I think it is still running ) that he will come to your place for a $100.00 an hour and process your logs. He paid in the area of $59,000.00 for it. Doesn't make sense to me for that kind of money because I charge $95.00 per hour with a 4 hour min. for my Kubota with me operating it and my investment was under $30,000.00 Just be careful because most of the Oak I get in is well over the 20" max that the CRD 20 can handle. The other problem is that you better figure more then a few acres to pay for that investment and storage of wood and a dump truck as he says it can do better then 3 cord an hour.

 

I totally agree with everything you said. If these preliminary years do well enough and I can create some industry recognition it will take me to another level, investing in a CRD, a skid steer or tractor with a bucket and a piece of property around 2 acres. Everything you said is kinda on my long term goals. Thanks responding

 

Check out the Wallenstein, a guy about 20 miles from where I am who buys logs from me when I have them bought a Wallenstein a few years back. Says for the money around 12 K using your own saw it does the job for him but needed a separate conveyor. I looked into it but most of my wood comes in cut in 16" lengths. What isn't cut I sell by the trailer or truck load. I have no need to cut any wood that comes in and it's in exchange for the Tree Service company parking their truck and chipper here on my property. Start checking if you can hook up with a Tree service for free wood. I also exchange people's labor, splitting, stacking or in rare instances cutting for my extra wood.

 

Theres a bit of competition down my way, a few landscape companies and some of the tree services also make firewood and sell it both wholesale and retail. I have had some luck with a couple tree outfits that do not do firewood and sell their tree length to the public. Only problem with these guys is they sell you whats in their pile, whatever is in it you get right off the top. City trees have a lot of steel in them and alot of the trees are being taken down because they are rotting due to bugs or are dead standing, either way not quality wood...so there is some loss involved.

 

As I'm doing more research I have run into a few splitters that use box splits vs typical wedge splits. Does anyone have any pros and cons on the box splitter type...

 

All I have seen from Timberwolf is that they sell the Square, Box splitters basically for campfire wood. This is what they claim I can see the advantage of it stacking neater once split that way but then you wouldn't have the air flow that I know is needed.

 

The splits end up being 4-1/2 x 4-1/2 with the box wedge. I agree with you if you were to stack this it may end up being too tight and the splits may not dry as quickly. Although if this wood was piled instead of stacked in mass production it may dry ok in smaller piles. Not sure on this, just a guess on my part. Also, I'm not sure timber wolf produces that splitter and box wedge any longer, I got their most recent catalogue and price sheet and did not see it there.

 

Not sure either but I have to order two guides for under my block on the TW-P1 I have today and I will ask them. It used to be an option that instead of a 4 way or single blade it made square shaped splits. I believe you are correct as if you make your splits the smaller size and pile them they should season quicker being smaller. A thought to keep in mind as drying time takes room. Not to disagree with anyone but my wood is stacked north to south and gets sunlight all day long with an average wind speed of almost 8 miles an hour and I find Oak is down to 15% in less then 2 years. Another thing is that the 109th Airlift Wing of the Air Force based behind my property to the east, seems to take off over my property 9 out of 10 days. They have to take off into the wind and land with the wind at their backs.

 

Got my parts today but still no reply to my question about the square shaped splitter blades they used to offer.

 

That'll raise some pulse rates! Like a redo of United 232 (Sioux City) back in 1989? Seriously, always into the wind, to reduce speed over the ground.

 

When you talk about block guides, what does that mean when you talk about your TW-P1??
And from what I can see, TW does not offer the square block wedge any longer. I heard some responses that the power of the ram and some of the gnarly rounds were forcing the box wedges to tear at the welds and disfigure. Not sure of thats why they stopped making them or not.
Automated Biomass Systems - Innovative Products for Firewood Producers :: Home (this manufacturer) makes the same kind of box wedge on a more commercial type level.