I bet the took care of that in no time. A few nice older pieces, with 6-10k hours left in them would The only firewood for sale in Fairbanks (210) miles is green, cut and split goes for $300-350 for spruce and $400-450 birch. Anchorage is 350 miles and the same price, maybe slightly more.
If there was something half that size it would be perfect. I also thought a JD 350 pulling a off road grapple trailer, slow but better than skidding. A 2 cord trailer would be a good match. All still on the small side. Then just transfer log to on road trailer or pile em high.
That's the type of setup I was seeing in my head. Depends on how much net you can make on the wood & how much you can sell. 2-4 hundred miles is a lot of trucking expense to actually make anything.
With say a International 4700 dump, that can pull a 12-14k dump trailer, at $350 a cord. Have the truck and trailer section with panels that can be dumped in 1 cord sections. 4-5 cord load trips. There is money to be made.
The preacher he only sold log length loads. He did 2,000 to 2,500 cords a year would not deliver more that 150 miles, 250 a cord plus mileage.
That math works. Another option is paid return loads of something. Gotta be somebody that needs something from the big city right?
Yep, it's craziness. Ran an owb at around 15 cord/yr almost entirely off yard trees scavenged around town for the last five years. PIckup, chainsaw, and a Huskee 22 ton splitter (added after hand splitting the first year.) - it's pretty close to being a second job at that level of consumption. Better than paying for oil, but more equipment would have definitely been in my future if we stuck with the owb.
This winter I've gone through 7 cord. Started in Oct so its right around 1 1/2 cord a month usage, heat and hot water. Sounds like a lot but overall, it is down. A few years back I started firing up with only a half load when it is mild (teens and above) and it makes a huge difference as opposed to firing up with a full load.
Top soil is the plan for the summer and whatever for other times most likely wood pellets. The glaciers only left us with sand a gravel, can find some clay here or there. Both Fairbanks and Anchorage have nice black top soil. Folks love their gardens in this area and use bags of soil to help their gardens.
Agreed to a second job! Good thing we like cutting wood. Anything with a motor and hydraulics help. I have been in Alaska since ‘12 and have probably burned more wood in that time than many have in their lives. In Maine I only used 7 cords a year, for 10 years-ah the good ole days....easy street.
Sounds like a good plan to me. I burn about the same amount as you and have bought some smaller equipment, just not a skidder yet. If done right, your tax guy can legally help you on your taxes. I sell some wood each year, not much, but the tax benefits are legit and help some.
All the little deductions add up. More than anything, advice on record keeping and paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, receipts, receipts, receipts. IRS auditors love paper and documentation. Without it they deny, deny, deny. Assume nothing. Tax code has gotten so complex that it is far too easy to leave money on the table. Uncle Sam deserves some of what you earn but not more than you owe.
I just got a line on a Cat skidder for my house...very ironic timing for this post. I am not sure if I will buy it, but I am seriously considering it.
Nice machine-cable or grapple-both? This is a cousin, he left Alaska and a present at the house. I just need a flatbed to move her and a grapple trailer and time. It’s a 518 with eaco grapple and cable with 5 chokers.
