Buying Logs to Sell Firewood - Is it Profitable?

Buying Logs to Sell Firewood - Is it Profitable?
Check out our Felling and Firewood playlist for more videos like this
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At Rockhill farm we think outside the box and put out daily equipment videos. Running our 2038R compact tractor, 325G skid loader and a variety of other toys.
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[@RockhillfarmYT]

Check out our Felling and Firewood playlist for more videos like this kzbin.info/aero/PLmYnhJtNUq7fT6tin6FKooDf7_oeqwyex

[@tholi1052]

Very good analysis. You might be low on the cost of a cord. Here, they are getting about $150-$175 for seasoned oak/hickory about 16ish inches stacked about 4x8. This usually includes delivery. Typically stacked 5 squares long (5x16 = 80 inches) but higher than 4 foot; so still comparable to a rick or face cord. As you said the math differs based on circumstances. If we drill it down to the cost of a face cord - you had 3 face cords at about 3 hours - 1 hour each. You had depreciation/fuel costs of $75 - $25 per face cord. If you estimate an hour to deliver and stack and charged $150 a face cord, which is the going rate here; $150 less $25 for depreciation, less $20 for initial log cost yields $105 at 1 hour to split and 1 hour to deliver puts you at $52.50 per hour. Again, as you said, the math differs based on what you can charge, how far to deliver, etc., but I think you can get higher than $25 an hour.

[@bwillan]

As Chris at In the WoodYard states in his many firewood business videos, buying logs and having them delivered you end up making more money per hour worked. Unless you are getting your free tree service logs delivered, then buying your logs is the next most profitable. There is a market price in every area that customers are happy to pay. So the name of the game is to minimize the amount of hours worked to produce and sell your firewood product.

[@Dirtpoorhomesteader]

Exactly! People making firewood don’t understand that you can easily be in minimum wage territory if you aren’t deliberate about workflow efficiency and having the right equipment.

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Good data points, Brock. I fear the $ per hour of labor are much lower once you figure in all the costs of your equipment. But as you say, if you like doing the work and you've got nothing else going on, it's worth it.

[@Tennessee_Jon]

Buy yourself 20 sheets of galvanized tin roofing buy 12 heat lamps and a few 2x4’s build a box 6x6x14 wrap it in the tin stack the wood place heat lamps and 2 dehumidifiers plug it into a generator run 3 tanks of gas and you have 1 year season wood in 3/4 days plus get some cross ties gap them 18 inches but get as many as your log length needs. Then on one end stack 2 on each other lag bolt them together and but your log ends to them. Then it’s zip through them chain out of the dirt and more time efficient.

[@lynnhudson838]

Gum is used in furniture, if they use any wood nowadays! It is a very tough wood, that's why. Don't remember knowing anyone who ever burned gum furewood unless they were clearing a fence row and mixed it in with good firewood.

[@frankdrahos8569]

Pretty fair analysis. As you said, lots of variables. I think the acronym YMMV applies!

[@FireDude13]

Good stuff Brock. I learned from my grandpa to measure my cuts by stretching my hand twice across the log (tip of my little finger to the tip of my thumb). I just measured that - comes out to... 16 inches lol. 6:34 Grandad was a pretty sharp cookie! Thanks for sharing!

[@mikeiwamoto3811]

I have larger hands for my size 5'8 160 so from the pinky to thumb tip it's 9 3/4. Pretty handy to know!

[@marvindiamonjr.9631]

Big wood, big saw. I learned that after I got my first big saw. Didn't take long to figure that out! You figured it out quickly, too. When splitting stringy wood, I always keep a hatchet handy. That's less tiring than pulling the wood apart by hand, especially if you're at it for any length of time. Lifting a full basket of firewood is quite a task. Even my 3046 needs counterweight. I see you used your stump grinder for weight. I think some people underestimate the safety concerns of lifting the heavy weight. I'm sure you know that it's possible to tip the tractor on level ground if you lift your load too high and the back wheels lift off the ground. Just wanted to mention that for new tractor owners. Great video and commentary!

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Call yeah, that is right at my lift capacity. I actually could not lift them at all until I switched out my loader and then it’s very low to the ground and very slow. I can just barely get the loader up high enough to set them in a dump trailer. I will actually move them most of the time with the skid loader

[@FredFlintstone21]

Awesome video! I got the 500i, added a light bar to cut the weight about 17 oz, looks like you got a bark box on yours, ive heard that bumps the power up a bit. I bought a jason egan air filter kit as well. I also have the ms250, ya so i ended up buying (3) different 2 in 1 sharpeners since my 064av and 500i are 3/8 chain, ms250 is .325 and ms180 is 3/8 pico. I love the ibc tote idea but i dont think my 2017 2032R deere will pick it up. It can pick up about 1200 lbs full mast if i recall right. I got the countyline splitter. Really it needs to be a thing of passion to make money at this, if a feller can get the wood logs delivered free that would be awesome. I've heard stay away from cottonwood!

[@leovogelgesang4398]

I never realized the advantage of a longer bar saw till now, I have a ms250 also, great saw even with an 18” bar lots of bending over.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

I typically like to pick a saw based on bar length in relation to the size of the wood I’m cutting. While it is more comfortable/convenient to not have to bend over by using a longer bar, it increases the hazard potential to have all that extra chain/bar length and to cut so far away from the case of the saw. I like to keep the meat of the wood I’m cutting at the dogs (close to the saw) rather than out at the tip of the bar. It just is a safety factor. Less chance of kickback, less chance of clothing or body parts getting near an exposed section of chain/bar.

[@homergee57]

Same here safety first and wear glove all the time ?

[@RockhillfarmYT]

My guy, bucking Billy Ray sells merch that says “stand up and buck”. I actually didn’t realize this is what he was talking about until today’s video from him

[@steveking1053]

Good work Brock. I didn’t see the link to the Acu-Cut magnetic guide you had for your chainsaw. The ones I found on Amazon received poor reviews. Can you help a guy out assuming you approve of the one you have? Thx. Enjoy your content!

[@pattersonlandscaping5621]

another excellentway to make money... and your presentation gave concise info on the costs...

[@pauldumitras3774]

I think you forgot to add the link of that tool to measure the logs. Can you please post the link. And as always, great video

[@vincedee6607]

Nice video Brock. In the NE, tree companies are always looking for places to drop logs. Unless they are making firewood to sell, they pay to dump it. You probably have a lot more leverage than you think with tree companies. they should bring it to you, and tell them no gum trees, no rotted wood. Might take a season or two to build some relationships but eventually you will be getting more wood than you can handle. Then you can buy a faster splitter!!

[@jeanpomerleau8416]

I get my wood either free or cheap, then cut and split it to sell bundles. I enjoy it so much that the only complaint I have is that I don't sell more so I can cut and split more :)

[@cisco5400]

Thx for honest review, well done!

[@scrhino40]

After I split a few sweet gum logs, I would always stay away from sweet gum from then on because it was so tough to split. Once sweet gum dries out it burns ok. Have a great day be safe.

[@joshuagillitzer2428]

Cottonwood is very stringy and hard to split like that when dry. My tip is to cut a 4-6" long round and place at the bottom so your splitter wedge can cut through the log and you don't fight it as much at the bottom of the split.

[@toddcaskey9984]

My 3 cents is Don't buy Gum and you will make more , and your back will not hurt as bad 🤪also stacks better. Great job as always

[@toddrabideau5576]

I can just imagine Paul is laughing watching these last two videos Brock! Boy that wood sure looks nasty to split. Never heard of “gum”, but we got elm and yellow birch. Splits similar it seems. Aggravating….

[@doctormcboy5009]

sweetgum is like weeds down south they get huge also. they have nasty cockleburs also.

[@Silvereagledude]

Good stuff

[@fricknjeep]

hi there good show . kind of like the sawmill . takes the same time to saw oak as pine but the oak has lots more valve john

[@joeyoliver579]

The chain seems to be dull. And that wood splitter needs replacing, its VERY SLOW. This is nicely though, I like your videos

[@BG-pu9tq]

Congratulations on 30k subs. Good video! I enjoy hearing about your thought processes! Keep them coming!

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Thanks

[@steveliles5146]

Gum is also very smokey when it is burnt and is not good for your chimney at least that is what I have been told.

[@benagain7617]

Hey Brock, I'm sure you've seen them but I think you could really benefit from a quicker splitter. They are probably way too expensive but that Eastonmade Axis looks really fast and strong, plus you could dump the wood right into the crate and you don't have to lift the logs up to the splitter. Probably cut your time in half but may not be worth the money. Anyway, keep up the good content.

[@jimwagner6260]

Super split. All day long.

[@RockhillfarmYT]

We are both responding to old comments but this person was suggesting the Easton made axis and I got one that’s very similar to the Easton axis but they were the original original company to make a version like that and they are less expensive I Finally Found the Perfect Log Splitter...For Me kzbin.info/www/bejne/npyTo32qm6h_o8U

[@bruceandericalee9515]

It’s 300-$400 seasoned in Nh & Vt

[@dirtdobber1959]

It's not whether buying logs is profitable for fire wood. The question is would it have cost more than $50 to go to the woods and cut that load of logs? If you have your own trees ,haul the tractor to load them, dangers of cutting them if you don't get stuck with the truck, haul them home then go back and get the tractor, wear and tear on your equipment and saws. I think $50 to go let someone load them on the truck just to haul home is a lot easier and less dangerous. Then the rest of the question is whether it is profitable to cut logs for firewood or not whether you buy or cut your own trees if you have them. You also have to realize that you are utilizing what would be pulp wood or a railroad tie to the sawmill which you are turning into a more useful product. Recently subscribed keep up the good work I enjoy your videos. I started out with a Ford 1920 tractor doing side work also now have a dump truck backhoe and track skidsteer, still find the tractor the go to piece of equipment though.

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Yeah, you’re exactly right. I think I may have said that at the very end. In my situation there’s no way I could’ve got those logs harvested for $50 including my own labor. Some people may have a perfect set up to access the logs but for me it’s the best solution I found

[@lifeonmttammanyridge2565]

Is it me or does The wood chips coming from that Saw are very fine

[@tonystone3397]

Great vid, thanks for sharing

[@JeffGeorgalas]

I know this video is eight months old, but I'm just now seeing it. When you pulled that Farm Boss (or whatever it is) out, I had to chuckle to myself. I was thinking "boy, I'll bet he gets tired of using that saw after a few minutes" LOL. Low and behold, I was correct. I'm not knocking the 50cc saws. I have and use a 261 often. But in "larger" wood like that, they can just be painfully slow. I know you had a larger, Pro level saw. I couldn't remember if it was the 462 or the 500 until you went and grabbed it. The difference is like night and day between those two saws, isn't it? Again, nothing wrong with the Farm Bosses, or Wood Bosses for most occasional or homeowner users. But when you cut larger wood, or relatively often, the Pro level saws sure do come in handy, don't they? 🙂

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Yes sir. I almost exclusively use the 500i now

[@ke6bnl]

all the wood I get splits like that, I have the tree service drop off logs and chips for free. I battle every log but in So. Calif. we don't have those hard woods, especially for free delivered. I do it and it puts me in a peacfull state state. That is my heating source for my house.

[@andrewanderson1436]

Way to put in the work on this one Brock. I know that was tough bit to split up.

[@thecatsupdog]

good

[@tlak]

Time saving would make it more profitable. If you would have hauled the splitter and the basket out at the same time with the tractor. Checking the saw before coming out or some off day instead of when you're going to work. Mounting your cut gauge to the saw handle it stays with you for each cut and you cut and move on instead pre marking the whole pile. Probably one of those little electric saws to cut the stringy.. And stage the splitter and cages where you logs would be dropped.

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Thanks for the tips. I’m always trying to improve my process. Last week I got a vertical commercial splitter with a high table.

[@tlak]

@@RockhillfarmYT Anything faster than the homeowner splitter is better, one didn't seem too pricey at $2300.

[@brianhill5190]

$200 for a full cord is super cheap! Granted it is based on your market, but we typically charge $375 for a full cord

[@markdiulio2245]

It isn’t that I’m dating myself but when I did firewood for a living I would get 75 dollars for green and 95 for dry, also used a maul for splitting

[@JB-70]

How do you like the champion log splitter. Thinking of buying one. Seems to be best price and cycle time in its class. And I like the auto return.

[@ronaldharmon9891]

Nice price break down, like you said if you don't like being outside and working, move on lol

[@bruceandericalee9515]

Where do you get your totes?

[@agentmango]

If you had to buy new equipment, and you have the option of working inside or within 50 to 100 feet of a structure, would the fuel savings be worth it to buy 120V corded tools?

[@kipcudd7253]

Seems like the cycle time is pretty slow on that splitter. Course it's not an eastonmade or woodmiser. But if you're not really into just firewood you probably don't need a real expensive splitter.

[@survivingcountrylife7069]

Very good content !!!

[@426superbee4]

Now count the hours into it. Your log splitter is way way to slow

[@MrEst1953]

Your splinter is wearing out Charge for it .

[@itsyurb0ylayy4]

What kinda wood is this ??

[@LIFEISHARDSTUPID]

Sweet gum is good for one thing, pulp wood 👍👍 You do you though 👍👍

[@doctormcboy5009]

i saw a documentary that are used for veneer. they suck for everything else

[@DC-kc5ks]

That tractor, splitter and your chainsaws are also overhead and has to be included in your costs also

[@dustdevl1043]

You could also deduct the price of a gym membership!

[@sethmeashey3219]

Get yourself hooked up with a tree service.. they will prob dump at your property for free, or at a bare minimum load your trailer on site.

[@zack9912000]

Hell a cord of wood here is 300-380

[@jefffrancis6824]

👍👍

[@tommyweaver9718]

Man that splitter is slow

[@RockhillfarmYT]

I upgraded Better Than I Deserve kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmnWpmmPfb53bZo

[@dontriplett5132]

He should have paid u to take those fire wood logs, u could have done twice as much wood if the logs were oak or cherry, or just about any other kind of wood.

[@wesleycallison5593]

In Ohio they cry if you ask $150 !

[@zack9912000]

lol in my area people are charging 300-380 a cord. Price will be up evev higher when cold weather hits

[@toddlandeck4461]

You lost money before you even started doing it the way your doing it

[@RockhillfarmYT]

A lot of people on KZbin say that they buy logs to sell firewood. I’m just trying to determine if that’s realistic or not.

[@leroysavoie2981]

Bull shut

[@mikeiwamoto3811]

What was that big ass bug at 4:55?!?!