4500BF ro, cedar & pine will make great bonfire

[The WoodButcher]

Hi everybody, It's ALL fixin to burn. I have several stacks of red oak, cedar & pine lumber. Putting it all in a pile and adding gas this evening. I have had the final insult. I was offered $0.30BF for 500BF of very nice QS red oak and $0.40BF for 300BF of very nice cedar. I told the guy it would go up in flames before that happend. People seem to think that because I'm not Georgia Pacific, I give lumber away. I have a great paying job running a crane, I just thought I'd try something new, I did and it don't work. That being said I'll go to work Monday with a whole new out look on my job as a crane operator. I am going to be selling the sawmill, forklift and all support equipment, in the near future. I just don't think the market allows for a small timer like me & my little operation, here in Waxhaw NC. I really did think I could make a living with this mill, but I just can't seem to find any paying customers, they all want it for free (Whats up with that???). This has got to be the most insulting venture I have ever had any dealings with in all my 46 years on this planet. I recon I should have given this whole thing more thought. Oh well You'll have that from time to time. Glad my real job pays well enough for me to try these new toys. But the sawmill is NOW CLOSED.
Later All

[MikeH]

That stinks!!!!! There has to be a better way than burning it all. I hope this thread drums up interest and we can do something to change your mind. I would more than happy to buy lumber at a fiar price if only I have someplace to put it.

Come on North Carolina Woodworker!!! We need to rally here!

[NCPete]

Randy, hold onto that wood! There are many members here that are interested in good deals, but won't try to rip you off like that. In my experience here, we tend to be a very fair bunch. Sure, the wholesalers won't give you a dime for your dollar, but the individual users will! I'm sure you have spoken with Kyle and learned of his aggravations starting up his operation, and Jeff, Ivey, Scott or anyone else that has broken out into a business of their own. What you are sitting on is a great asset. The people that offered you 30 and 40 cents are best described by words that I would have to moderate out of my own post. some **** cheap *&#@&%*'s.

post your wood in the classifieds here. Bernhard never expected his 3000bf of cherry to sell so fast!

[The WoodButcher]

Hey Mike, I had a guy call me asking if I had some scrap wood he could have (for free of course), said his Father lived in a mobile home and was crippled. He only had the steps that came with the mobile home and would like to build his Dad a small deck to make it ez'r for him to get in & out. I told him I would give him all the lumber he needed to build him a nice deck all he had to do was come get it. I've yet to see him. There's just way too many tire kickers in this biz for me. You are right though, this is kind of a knee jerk reaction, but I am going to stop pushing the mill biz and if I find a buyer at my price, I'll be shed of it all together.

[Travis Porter]

IMO, having it kiln dried would help, but still, it is a tough business. Have to find cabinet shops or other types of business that need the quantities that you have to offer.

Don't give up too easily. It took Thomas Edison a many a try to get a working light bulb.

[jeff...]

Randy - sawmilling as one of the toughest rackets I've been involved in. I can feel your frustration. I did some rough calculations about 6 weeks ago and I'm ashamed to post how much negative dollars an hour I ended up working for last year. Things have a way of working themselves out - hang back and see. But don't burn your inventory that's not the right way of thinking. If anything donate it charity at least you can write some of that off on your 2008 taxes if you filed your business with the government - you know?

Thanks

[BKind2Anmls]

I'm glad you're having second thoughts. What is "your price"? Are you going to post it in the classifieds?

---Susan

[Makinsawdust]

Randy,
Hang in there. Don't feel like you are all alone in this. Those of use trying to make a go of it in the woodshop biz know your pain all too well. The general public are so import conditioned they have no idea how much it takes to manufacture something here in the USA. They want to waste hours and hours of your time, want a better product and expect the price to be lower than the furniture stores.

The point made about getting it dried is a good one. Since you are close by I'd love to buy from you but I've got to have dry, ready to use lumber. I just don't have space to AD it. Also, holding all that inventory until it dries ties up working capital for us small timers.

Rob

[Tarhead]

Randy,
I saw your ad on Craigslist and I'm shocked you didn't get any takers. Sometimes you have to smile and not blink and say "You know, you're not going to find anything close to this quality for this price this close to Charlotte. $1.25/bf was my price but for you it's now $2.25/bf for my time you're wasting and you're still getting a deal! Call me when you want to do business." Slowly start walking away and see if they start to follow. Craigslist brings out all the cheap horse's backsides in our society. You need to take a "Soup Nazi" approach and not take it personal when some one wants you to give your hard work away. Make it clear your price is firm when you set up an appointment or mark up your advertised price and be willing to bicker.

[PurpleThumb]

Originally Posted by Mike Davis

Randy,

I have a strong feeling that God put you in the sawmill business for a reason. You may not be able to see that right now. But, just like my farm crisis it will be resolved in good time. You can't rush His will and you can't give up when the dark forces try to push you away from His plan.

Think about it.

It's not the work that's bad, you are just working for the wrong people. There is a path that leads to Him and you will find it.

(anyone who is offended by my post please excuse me.)

Don't ever apologize for that sentiment.

In my years here on earth I've had some false starts too, and sometimes you do need to pull the plug, but only after you talk to Him.

[WoodWrangler]

Originally Posted by Tarhead

Randy,
Craigslist brings out all the cheap horse's backsides in our society.

I know you weren't talking about me, Tarhead!

On a more serious note ... Randy, sounds to me that may be upset over something too small. Kind words work well most times in my life, but this thread makes me want to get down the real dirt ... As a business-person, and not an employee (like your other job) you're going to have to take a different stance & understanding. People are going to "low ball" you today, tomorrow ... and probably always. You have to establish your value, stick to it, and be willing to turn away business without a second thought. Decide the value of your time, the price you are willing to accept and still be able to walk away loving what you do (and if you don't love it, then leave it because love is never a forced thing). Then when people come in with a low ball offer (remember, it's gonna happen like it or not), remind them of the value you provide, the service you provide, and the price (which hasn't changed). Sometime you'll have to help them understand what they are buying, sometimes you'll have to understand what they want.

In my business (software industry) we have the same issue ... and I think every industry does. We sell software that is nothing less than six figures to get started ... and still EVERY week we have someone call and ask if we'd sell it to them for a few grand. It's an insult, but people are just "poking" around hoping for a great deal. And guess what? Some people they ask will fall because it will be at their threshold, but that doesn't mean it has to be yours.

Decide what you "want" to do -- is this something you enjoy? If so, stick with it; if not, find another path.

Find your value, find your way.

Hope this helps ...

[PeteQuad]

Wow I just did a search on craigslist and found your listing, that's a very generous price in my opinion! Does anyone know how long someone would have to air dry lumber like that?

[WoodWrangler]

Originally Posted by PeteQuad

Wow I just did a search on craigslist and found your listing, that's a very generous price in my opinion! Does anyone know how long someone would have to air dry lumber like that?

A year? Dunno.

Randy - One more thing, if you did offer air-dried or kiln-dried lumber too, you'd certainly have more buyers -- especially for us city-folk who don't have any place to dry lumber (or our neighborhood associations won't allow such). Personally, I only buy dry lumber because I can't dry it myself with the setup I have.

[NCPete]

The cedar is almost dry coming off the log, I am pretty sure others here would verify this, too. the RO??? that will take more time. just put a rack up in the shop or storage shed, sticker it, and maybe stick a moisture meter in it every so often.

[jeff...]

Yep ERC dries QUICK, real QUICK.

Randy shoot me a PM with your telephone number, I'll give you a shout tomorrow evening. I stopped sawing for a while myself, had my truck break down with a cracked block, but I fixed that for the time being, till I got me another truck.

Everyone around here that's in the lumber business is edgy right now. Loggers are on quota's, even though log prices are still good when the big mills are buying logs that is, lumber prices are the lowest I've seen since I started keeping track of them. The housing market has took a dive and that impacts us small time sawmill guys believe it or not. I expect things will pick back up sooner or later, just hang tight if you can.

Later