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Thu, 2020/01/23 - 10:26am
#1
wbrent
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Fair pay?
I local dropped by yesterday. Noticed that I mill a lot. He wondered if I was interested in milling some 30-40 cedar logs for him. Sounds like they are all 8 footers and already debarked. But have been lying in a pile in his yard for a few years. I reluctantly agreed to do it but said I'd do it when I have time and gave him no date for finishing. This is just a hobby for me. Cut a lot for me friends and family only. This would be my first paying job. So I have no idea what to charge. Hourly? Lump sum? What is a fair price. Thanks.
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Thu, 2020/01/23 - 10:29am
r.garrison1
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Do you have a use for cedar? I cut quite a bit for someone a couple years ago, on shares. Because of the amount, we split the wood 50/50. Normally. I do 70/30 (I get the 70) or something closer to that if someone only has one tree, or something.
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Thu, 2020/01/23 - 10:42am
wbrent
wbrent's picture
No I have a lifetime of cedar in my own woodlot. Definitely dont need any more.
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Thu, 2020/01/23 - 10:58am
Bill
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$50 an hr. ?
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Thu, 2020/01/23 - 6:39pm
eddiemac
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If it's eastern red cedar you'll spend a lot of time on it (knobby knots, tapering logs, occlusions, etc.; so an hourly wage makes sense. However, I always charge 30 cents/bd ft no matter what I cut (I'm slow and have a 15HP engine, manual mill). Even if I don't relish a job, I generally do it anyway as long as the logs are sound; I consider it a community service.
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Tue, 2020/02/04 - 10:40am
Post Oakie
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You might agree to cut a half-dozen logs for him at a set rate to see how it goes. A lot depends on the size and quality of logs, so an hourly rate is best, in my opinion. I charge $60/hr to run my HD36-- that comes to $1/minute, which makes it easy to calculate.

Good judgement comes from experience... experience comes from bad judgement.

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Sun, 2020/02/09 - 6:07pm
kirk
kirk's picture
I guess i made out pretty good charging $2.50 a board ft. for cutting oak decking for a low bed trailier. I have an Lm29 I milled 2" x 8" x 10 ft
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Sun, 2020/02/09 - 6:57pm
(Reply to #7)
eddiemac
eddiemac's picture
If you were cutting their logs, yes you did extremely well.
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Mon, 2020/02/10 - 6:47pm
kirk
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not all of them were my logs, I had to pick up 2 logs out of his yard. My mill is set up at my house on a concrete slab.
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Sat, 2020/03/21 - 12:18pm
Freddie1812
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Hourly charge is the route you should take, you should be paid according to how much you actually work, cause it could take a while.

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Sun, 2022/02/13 - 6:23am
Tommas
Tommas's picture

Who is interested in the job?

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Sun, 2022/02/13 - 6:26am
Neowin
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Even if I don't relish a job, I generally do it anyway as long as the logs are sound; I consider it a community service.

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Mon, 2022/02/14 - 8:04am
Thus
Thus's picture

yes you did extremely well

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