[esw97]

hope everyone is well,
let me share a little of my knowledge/history so you guys know where im coming from,
ever since i was 13 i was working summers at my family company which is a lumber mill, recycling wood, mulch etc i finished highschool at 16 and have been working full time since as a log yard manager for a pallet mill so logs from 8"-18" in diameter. so i run a cat 966 with a log grapple and cat 938 with forks. ive always had a "how can i make money out of this?" state of mind and over time i learned the value of wood. what wood is worth more than others, who to sell it to, how to cut them. etc ive used chainsaws my whole life growing up, because thats a need to know thing growing up on a farm. once i got my license and bought a truck ive been doing tree work on the side with just my pick up now i have a big trailer a good collection of saws and a better truck. currently i do bigger tree removal jobs when offered, i buy logs from local companies or residents and resell them but i would like to move it up a notch and start doing small 1-5 acre clearing jobs (depending on the land) how do i go about finding jobs? and any tips and advice would be much appreciated. thanks

 

[hdavis]

In the building side of this, people who do small lot logging / clearing can get referrals from excavation companies. Otherwise, the excavation company will just go in and have the trees dropped and cut up, and it all gets hauled out, along with stumps. Everyone I know around here that does small lot clearing has a skidder.

The land owners that are just doing some land improvement, and aren't going to build right away can have a tough time tracking someone down. Arborists don't generally want to do it, and the loggers with tree harvesters won't bother with something so small and aren't insured to work close to houses.

 

[JAH]

Most of the smaller logging operations around here are 1 man and 1 skidder. I would think it would be hard to make a decent profit from a 5 acre building lot. Our excavating contractor owns a forwarder and firewood processor. Most of the other guys push the trees over, sell the logs and haul the rest off in 100 yard trailers.
To answer your question.... I would reach out to the larger logging operations and see if they have any leads for projects that are to small for them to do.

 

[hdavis]

Firewood processors can be a decent gig. There is a fuel company in the next town that sells oil, kerosene, and wood off a wood processor.

 

[JAH]

Firewood processors can be a decent gig. There is a fuel company in the next town that sells oil, kerosene, and wood off a wood processor.

I can think of about 6 locals that have decent sized processors. Processing and delivering is a full time job for a 1 man show.

 

[esw97]

i will, i appreciate the advice guys