Logs are rolling in!

[Kirk Allen]

I assume its because other larger mills are shutting down but lately we have had quite a few customers bring logs out to be cut into lumber.  The large circle mill to the south is now only cutting ties and pallet lumber.  He said if it werent for that business right now he would be out of business.  He is hoping those dont dry up us well. 

I am sure the pallet business will slow as less goods are being shipped. 

I provided some White Oak deck boards (2x8) to a local farmer for his 6 foot wide, 16 foot long trailer and this morning he brought out a 16 1/2 foot Veneer Red Oak with a small end diameter of 20".  Traded straight up for it   He is happy, I am happy

Power company exec came buy and he will be bringing 20+ WRC power poles to be cut.

Maybe its spring feaver with folks wanting to get a jump on projects but right now I cant complain about our business. 

The sawmill has been the best investment I have ever made!

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

I have been turning logs away.   I no longer have any room for more logs.

[Kirk Allen]

I know that feeling.  Space is getting to be a premium.  I got another 2 white pines in this morning and just got done marking another 10 osage orange logs.  Most of them were in the 24" range and 9-20 foot long

The farmer that swapped the log for lumber this morning brought out 4 spruce logs to be cut into 4/4 material.  Smallest one was 20" adn the largest was 26".

I hope this trend continues as times get tight everywhere else. 

[Stephen Wiley]

Kirk, whatya bet Frank's got room for...........osage  orange

[Kirk Allen]

I might be able to trailer some out that way for some nice burl wood 

[danweb]

Hey Kirk, how you doing? I was reading your post today about getting busy. I have had a few responses form an add I ran in the local paper, and looking for more, but most people want to trade wood for the sawing jobs. I will definately do that, but then again just the wood alone doesnt pay the expenses if I cant sell it? But I am doing a lot of work around home so in the long run maybe I will come out on top. But man it would be nice to have some green!!! Congrats on your new cicular mill. Sorry you are deserting us poorly ol band sawyers>    But Well be here if you decide to come home.  :-) Talk to you later.

[Kirk Allen]

Good to hear from you Dan.  Cold here but warmth is around the corner! 

I hear you on the wood trade.  I tend to stay away from it more now than I use to but every now and then there are those logs you just cant refuse

Dont let that Circle mill intimidate you to much Dan.  I plan on proving to all those so called "Real Sawyers" that our little band mills can hold their own quite well

[Kirk Allen]

Wacked out almost 500 bf of white pine this morning for a local farmer.  Sun was out, mild wind and I was under cover!  Sure is nice to have a roof over your head

[Stephen Wiley]

Wacked out.......

 

Was that by hand................

Old logger freind who was a mentor for me in my younger years.........use to tell us how he 'hand logged' an area.  Use to razz him that his hand must of hurt after all that wacking.

[Kirk Allen]

I got back today from our big fire show in Indy and it appears my log yard has grown. 

The power company dropped off 10 sixty foot Western Red Cedars and a local tree service dropped off 3 sixteen foot white pines, 4 eight foot white pines, and a 30' poplar.

Nothing like free logs delivered

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

Well done, Kirk.  You might have to go to more such gigs to get more logs delivered.

[Kirk Allen]

Its realy wiered how this works out.  Everytime I go on the road I get a bunch of logs dropped off and a fair amount of nozzles ordered so when I get home I am buried just from that, let alone the business created while on the road. 

My Dad tells me I need to stay on the road more since things pick up when I am gone

[Kirk Allen]

I have spent the last 5 days cutting 10K BF of Western Red Cedar and I dont care if I EVER see another utility pole again! 

This makes the second largest single cut job and yes it payed well but man that stuff is hard on blades and nostrils

Cut most of it into 2x6x16' and 2x4x16'  material with 30 of them being 3 1/2" x 10 x 16 foot.

I have a BOAT LOAD of pics to get loaded but wont get to it this week unfortunatly.  I ended up getting all the SYP poles from a pole yard and the RR rails they sat on as well as the pillars holding the rails.  I plan on using the rails and pilars to set up my log yard as I have slam run out of room for ANY more logs or poles. 

I can say with confidence, my mill was the best investment I have ever made........................next to my wife!