WinonaRail's Wood Yard

Sounds like you're killing it and everybody is close by. I live in a much more rural area. I don't think anybody uses CL here. It's interesting how things are different around the country. I advertise there but never get calls or messages. Everything is Marketplace or Google. Sounds like nuggets are on the move! I've sold 8 IBC totes of them this year. I had to break out one of the cordless lights to split last night. I was actually inside before 7. I can tell winter is coming.

 

I wonder how far they went to get it? I guess I just got near wood. All the trees come from within 20 miles of my house. Should I put up a sign too? Or is far wood better than near wood?? I'm just confused...

 

Sales have been painfully slow for the last 3 weeks but finally picked up today. The highlight was a couple that filled totes and a big box in the back of their SUV. They bought cherry, hickory and some mixed hardwoods. I asked how they found me, they did an online search and drove from Fort Wayne (city of 250K people 40 miles away). They said they'd been here before. I must be doing something right.

Here's the current state of log inventory, not counting some really big diameter stuff I have in the storage yard.

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Always get you nervous when sales do that. With that much wood occupying space id be scratching my head on where to start! Always a good feeling when you have a happy repeat customer.

My sales have been steady enough. Winter bundle sales have started. I tapped into one shed at storage and have used most of the good dry wood there already (maybe 200 bundles worth) Some ten month old oak will get restacked with fresh cut wood to continue drying. I set up a nice bundling station here next to the deck for the four cords i have here for bundling. Did that Thanksgiving day. Its next to the spotlight so if need be i can work in the dark. Half cord out today with 45 bundles going tomorrow. At least two half cord deliveries going next week and im sure a bundle order too.

 

Sounds like a nice system for making bundles! I'd like to see your setup. I sold out last weekend and need to get more bundles made for the stand. Just about everything else got wiped out so I'll be busy refilling all the bins.

 

Delivered 45 yesterday. First ones assembled at home from my four cord stash. He has another rack i will fill up with another 30 hopefully this week. Wood is sugar maple, ash, cherry, tulip poplar, tree of Heaven, catalpa, and sassafras.

Delivered 15 tonight to another. I'll try and get him 45 by weeks end. Ran out of stretch wrap and need to order. Ill order tomorrow and get them next day.

My simple set up behind the shed at storage. I pull arm fulls of splits and assemble. (you can see the original shed far left that i have to duck into to pull splits. That will be torn down and replaced i a couple months) Ten in the wheelbarrow and wheeled to the pick up or staged to be moved when needed. Last pic shows fresh cherry splits i moved to the shed today. Ill have to get a pic of my station here for bundling.

 

I get stressed when I have to make 8-12 bundles for the stand. Making 45 at once is a lot. 23 sold out of the stand last week. My production is way behind. And I usually only keep1/4 cord max of bundle wood in the wood yard. I really need to get more split. If I had 4 cords of bundle wood on hand I'd be absolutely elated!

 

Three of the regulars can take 60-75 bundles when empty. One is cheap and only takes 30 which is my normal order or increments of 15. One hasnt had gas for sale in many months as he needs new pumps. Him and the other out of towner are slower sellers. I ration when im low on dry enough wood usually in the Warmer months.

With my current cut it will fill the bundle wood shed with 8 cords with an addition planned for January that will take another four cord. Ill have to restock the four cords here soon too. Im hoping a revolving inventory of 12-16 cords of bundle wood will be ample for a year. Id love to have a steady supply pf red maple and SS woods.

 

You don't mess around! I'll probably finish out the year using 2.5-3 cords of bundle wood. Probably 70% is ash. now I know why I've never gone after commercial accounts. I'd have to quit my day job! One day I'll aspire to do half the bundles you do!

 

FIFY!!! More so from wood stress than assembly!

Ive debated on asking around for other bundle accounts. More money in them but more of a PITA. Id be less fussy about split quality/grade and buy a bundling machine. Just got my order of stretch wrap today. Company called Uline. I call in an order and it comes next day. Four 2000' rolls. Should be enough for 850-900 bundles. 9' piece per bundle

 

I get my wrap from Amazon. I found one that has the right amount of stretch, unrolls well but sticks. Has a really nice handle as well and cheaper than anything comparable I've found elsewhere. I can't justify a commercial bundler that is maybe 5 seconds faster than the manual thing I built from scrap lumber. I'd have to be making bundles 8 hours a day to make that work. I calculated break even at 16000 bundles (my manual version is pretty efficient). I'd be dead long before getting to that number! I realize there are some people that do enough volume to make it worthwhile. You could probably knock those out in your spare time!

 

Any pics of your jig? What width roll are you using?

 

The another PITA thing is i have to unroll, cut and reroll 9' pieces of wrap as its impossible to wrap a bundle with a full roll.

 

There must be a way to make this easier. Something like a big home-made cling film / Saran wrap dispenser?

 

It's just a 5" roll. It fits nicely between the uprights. I'll have to get a better pic. It sits on casters so I can lean it back and roll it around.

Weather was typical Indiana winter yesterday, cold and wet. So I brought a tote into the shop to do some resplitting. Some of it made nice bundle wood so I made 8 while I was at it.

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I've looked at that size roll but for the same reason, I stick with the 5" stuff. 4 times around and you're good.

 

Wow! Being able to work inside on wood! Nice simple jig too.

I think i used a narrow roll once or twice years back when i first started. Yes the wide roll is inconvenient but holds together well although my last delivery one bundle there had ripped open. Looks like someone cut it open IMO. Happens every now and then. Ill take it home and rewrap.

Ill get some pics of my set up here.

 

It's supposed to be rainy-ish today and tomorrow. I'll bring in a tote of mini bundle wood (12" +/-) tonight to wrap more for the firewood stand and to split a few rounds of nearly dry cottonwood that I mix into my regular campfire bundles because they are easy to light. I have plenty of light and a concrete floor that I can simply blow the debris off of when I'm done. Plus all my equipment stays inside (clean and secure). I love my shop!

 

Here's another picture of my bundler with a mini bundle wrapped. It makes good use of the short end pieces of logs.

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