Processing Firewood for a living?

[weatherguy]

It would be a good idea to start part time and see how it goes, just get enough equipment to get by and if things take off you could upgrade.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

Around here firewood sells for around $50-75 a face cord. A lot of people cut their own wood, scrounge, or get tree service wood.
I used to work real hard scrounging but now I just get it from tree services and I am swimming in wood. I have talked with a friend about selling it......We need to get ahead first.

 

[Eightball1313]

First he has to do the research and find out if there is really a market for the firewood. Sounds like his uncle stopped many years ago and his clients likely found new suppliers. Without a potential customer base there isn't even any point in finding out the possible net income.

he retired about a month ago

 

[Eightball1313]

It would be a good idea to start part time and see how it goes, just get enough equipment to get by and if things take off you could upgrade.

yeah im thinking the same thing bud, i have a skid loader already just need a mason dump and a processor lol. sell firewood to pay the processor off and see where it goes from there. once its paid off its a whole different ball game

 

[EbS-P]

If I got logs dropped off and I had the space I could easily with the tools I already have (200$ chainsaw and a fiskars axe) process two cords a month and call it my gym time. Call it 25 cords a year. It’s hard work. But the overhead is pretty low. So I think there are two business models (and lots in between). One is keep overhead super low and financing to a bare minimum, growing the business as market and cash flow allow. The other is (if credit allows) finance a large scale operation where quantity quotas are how you make the payments (and profit). I’m pretty cautious and would like to “test the waters” but I have a full time job with benefits and a bit spare time since I’m not going to the gym. I do think having an efficient way to load and transport and unload is important. Firewood bags or IBC totes that you could charge customer a deposit for and buy back empty would be something I would consider. Partly because I could just buy a trailer and use a vehicle I currently own to transport the wood. But again this my work better for smaller volume sales. Just a few thoughts.
Evan

 

[Isaac Carlson]

If I got logs dropped off and I had the space I could easily with the tools I already have (200$ chainsaw and a fiskars axe) process two cords a month and call it my gym time. Call it 25 cords a year. It’s hard work. But the overhead is pretty low. So I think there are two business models (and lots in between). One is keep overhead super low and financing to a bare minimum, growing the business as market and cash flow allow. The other is (if credit allows) finance a large scale operation where quantity quotas are how you make the payments (and profit). I’m pretty cautious and would like to “test the waters” but I have a full time job with benefits and a bit spare time since I’m not going to the gym. I do think having an efficient way to load and transport and unload is important. Firewood bags or IBC totes that you could charge customer a deposit for and buy back empty would be something I would consider. Partly evacuate I could just buy a trailer and use a vehicle I currently own to transport the wood. But again this my work better for smaller volume sales. Just a few thoughts.
Evan

That's my motto. Do what you can with what you have and have a few good tools. Loading, moving, and unloading are important.

 

[Prof]

Came across a you tube video from a guy in Ohio(I think) explaining how is firewood company was established and how it started and now works today. His take away was that as an entrepreneur he was a problem solver first. A restaurant could not source sufficient dry firewood. A high end customer didn’t like the mess and wanted stacked a certain way. Anyway I liked that retrospective assessment. Here is the video. The title is is a bit click baity.

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I find his strategy to be sound. Finding a niche is as applicable to selling wood as it is to any other business.

 

[clancey]

the video was good and I thought of this when I had to order firewood but it had to be kiln dried and shipped...If I was a wood person and a whole lot younger I would invest in a kiln dry open type of deal and see that kind of wood and that would be my niche so to speak..enjoyed thanks..clancey