Especially the way you and most of us here do it! Anyone making a living on it is definitely not swinging a splitting maul, pulling a splitter behind their pickup, or stacking any firewood. Probably looks more like firewood processor with conveyor making massive piles and a loader that loads large dump trucks for delivery. Makes a great hobby though
A dirty little secret. I make more a month than the logger I purchase from. He pays two guys full time to run his equipment and dump multi facecord deliveries. I drive to his yard, load, unload at my splitter, split and stack and season to 15%. Then load, deliver, wheelbarrow, and stack for 5 times what I paid. Have been cutting on my property a little the past week, but making less by doing so.
I turn the logger’s big split mixed firewood into solid gold by re-splitting into perfect pieces, segregating the wood by type, stacking and drying until perfectly seasoned and then applying great customer service to the product. Simple stuff to bring home major Benjamins.
I sometimes think about approaching the logger with a business proposal. Pay me this annual salary and do what I say and we will own middle TN. But, I don’t enjoy dealing with people problems at any price. I am into doing things these days without any problems. My biggest strength is knowing how to make the Uber wealthy of this area happy with a product and service.
Firewood Displays Are So Popular, Even Gas-Fireplace Owners Want In. An article in today’s Wall Street Journal. I take extra care in stacking for my customers since the firewood is a part of their home decoration. I occasionally check out Nashville FB market place to see what my competitors are up to. Usually garbage wood stacked with little regard to appearance.
Ideally I would have a 1 ton dump and a trailer to haul my tractor around. Fill the dump bed and still haul the tractor home in one trip. That’s how I’m working to be set up for retirement, so If my my current employer doesn’t want to keep dumping at my place, I have the means to collect logs from other sources. I will also do some tree clearing at my place to accommodate the big wood trucks of tree services to dump. Right now maneuvering around trees is best accomplished with a 1 ton dump. A 2 ton can be challenging but can dump on or next to my driveway. Right now I have a homemade splitter, lots of saws, 06 Tacoma, 01 F150, Kubota MX5100, and lots of split and stacked firewood ready to sell. Once I get the tractor paid for I’ll be shopping for the 1 ton dump and a trailer. That will be in 25-26. In my area we have hurricanes, tornadoes, straight line winds, ice storms, occasionally big snow storms. Some or all can make a lot of trees get horizontal and chit ton of money and firewood can be made in a short time with the right equipment. Good luck with your firewood business. What works for one may not be right for you. You will figure things out as you go. I’d also like to have a skid steer and 10 acres of flat clear ground devoted entirely to logs and firewood storage. I will also need a sawmill and buildings to cover the sawmill, equipment, firewood and boards.
I don’t want to criticize a new guy BUT in my opinion if saw maintenance is one of your larger expenses something is wrong. I don’t sell wood but have processed more than few cords. Heck wear and tear on equipment causing repair/replace budget should be higher. T.Jeff Veal what your longevity of your front spindle on your Bota? Cost to fix them buZZsaw BRAD has a famous tailgate Welcome to the FHC
If you catch the bearing failure early, about 1.5 hrs time and maybe $100 parts... One time ran it for awhile longer, parts were $1000 and couple days washing things out
Love the username, menziesii. I do not believe, even with free logs delivered, that you can get 30$ per hour selling firewood in the PNW. The market is just not that strong and costs are too high. Would be curious to see your math. I have been selling about 5 cords a year in 1/3 cord increments from an F350. I buy log truck loads. It's a hobby for sure, not a career.
A GOOD trailer is something worth investing in . 12,000 lb capacity minimum . You don't want to have trailer problems EVER !! PLUS , if you upgrade to a piece of equipment like a skidsteer, small excavator, tractor , hydraulic log loader. Your trailer will be within the good safe zone . Already!!!
If u are in a good place for it. I strongly recommend adding a 1 ton , 4x4 pickup or heavier duty. And , don't be bashful about adding a piece of machinery to make your life easier . A mini skidsteer , regular sized skidsteer, tractor , or small excavator. Or a wood conveyor. Depending on the amount you want to grow your business .
My net take home after expenses yesterday was $45. Per hour. It does help that I live where if people don't have heat they will die . And we get storms , and quakes that knock out the power . Supply and demand . In the summers, doing it with saw , pickup and pulphook my best days run $80. Per hour take home. But I can't do that every day. My best week this past summer was 5 cord. All hand work.
