iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Bad, bad job.

Started by Qweaver, December 16, 2013, 10:58:36 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Qweaver

Some jobs just stink.
I milled a really bad red oak yesterday.  The customer wanted 2" x 20" x 8' for a bar top but the log was 40" dia. with really bad circular shake at an 18" dia.   I can't mill 40" on the WM so the only option was to get it to a 28" cant on the Peterson and then finish it on the WM.  Guess what?  You can not mill a 28" cant on a LT28...even tho' the book says 32".  Long story short, it took 5 hours to unload, saw and reload what was essentially not very good lumber.  So I decided to only charge 4 hours and no blade charge.  The customer was livid about having to pay $180  for the job.  I actually tried to talk this guy out of sawing the log or at least taking it to a big mill that could handle it.  He knew the hourly rate and I told him about the difficulties but he insisted that I saw it. 
I finally agreed to $150 and told him to never bring me another saw job.   Has to be my worst job ever.  I could have tried double cutting with the Peterson but positioning the log for that would have been hard also.
So Many Toys...So Little Time  WM LT28 , 15 trailers, Case 450 Dozer, John Deere 110 TLB, Peterson WPF 10",  AIM Grapple, Kubota 2501 :D

Tom L

this guy could just be a problem for a customer. he may skip around to different sawyers every time he needs something done.
then wears out his welcome at every turn.

better off taking his money or keeping his material until he can afford to pay what you quoted.

that 32" dimension is just for a round log. cutting off the outside boards. I think the 28 has the same can't capacity as the 40 at 26"


I hate customers like that, unfortunately you find them in any business, they just like to complain and cheat you out of  a couple of bucks

Peter Drouin

Well you won't do that again .And stand your ground when you say no. When I say no the talking is over. And that's what works for me, good luck
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

beenthere

Now both of you are smarter. :)

You should not have backed down on your initial charge. IMO
Because now,
1) he can't bring any more logs to you,
2) you lost money doing his crappy log, and
3) you are not happy.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

terrifictimbersllc

Double cutting is easy with the Peterson but like you say, IF you have the log positioned right to begin with, this needs to be taken into account at the beginning.  I double check the position by measuring off the mill at the beginning, to make sure that the blade boss is going to clear the right side after it's trimmed vertically. If I recall correctly you want the right side of the log to be about 36-40" from the extrusion on the rail that the roller rides on, and one is limited to about a 40-45" diameter log.  It depends too how heavy one vertically cuts the sides.
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

Qweaver

My saw is in a shed and the log was too heavy to lift with the and of the forks.  I could have rolled it to the center but the leveling would have been an issue and the shake required taking the boards off all four sides.  Lots of good reasons that I did it the way I did.  You had to be there!
So Many Toys...So Little Time  WM LT28 , 15 trailers, Case 450 Dozer, John Deere 110 TLB, Peterson WPF 10",  AIM Grapple, Kubota 2501 :D

terrifictimbersllc

For sure believe you without being there!   Forgot you're often moving the log not the mill and have to roll it which disturbs the orientation.  Maybe when one sees shake it is best just to shake hands and say good-bye!  :D
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

dboyt

Jobs like that happen.  It is easy to agree to jobs that push the limit of your equipment.  You need to remember that the average person has absolutely no idea of what the sawmilling process is all about.  You have an advantage with both a swing blade and a band mill.  I have to break down the big log with a chain saw and that really runs up the hours.  I can't afford to charge less, though.  The worst part of it is poor relations with a customer.  Hope your next job goes better.
Norwood MX34 Pro portable sawmill, 8N Ford, Lewis Winch

isawlogs

 Where does it saye that a the LT28 can saw a 32'' wide board, it can saw a 32'' dia log, but I have yet to see any LT mill saw 32''  I am only trying to learn where you may have seen this.  ??? :P
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

Qweaver

In the manual, but it does mean a 32" log not cant.   The saw setup does waste about 3" of blade clearance on the left.  We offset the log past the stops to get it to saw the 26" cant.  It was a time consuming pain but it was what we had to do.
So Many Toys...So Little Time  WM LT28 , 15 trailers, Case 450 Dozer, John Deere 110 TLB, Peterson WPF 10",  AIM Grapple, Kubota 2501 :D

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Big Q......without getting into the numbers and the what if's and what not's.....
I highly commend you for sharing this......I probably would not have.  :D :D :D

IMO, you did the best you could under the circumstances.

We all live and learn.  :)
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Delawhere Jack

Sorry to hear about your bad job. Can't speak for others, but it seems to me that the majority of milling customers are pretty decent folks. I've milled a couple jobs where the logs didn't yield the quality lumber we expected. I knocked a little off the bill just to keep their good will, and then I explained in a matter of fact kinda way what a Good sawlog looks like.

On the other hand.... When we start cutting some REALLY PRIME LUMBER, I make sure to let them know what an OUTSTANDING BARGAIN they got by calling me!  ;)

Lumber Grader

We all live and learn and the lessons we remember the most are the ones "we pay for".
A wise old sawmiller, that ran a large hardwood grade sawmill, once told me, that he never sawed any log on his mill unless by doing so he would make a profit. You put some wear and tear on your equipment, and did not make a profit, and now you are wiser for it.  You will remember this lesson, I'm sure!  Merry Christmas to all.

scully

I have been sucked into this situation more than I care to mention . {not just milling} I try and tell myself never ever again but it never fails later on down the line I get boned ! I always try to give folks the best job they could ever get ,yet a I seldom charge anywhere near what I should . My latest fiasco was a tree/milling job that cost me well over 200$ When it all came to an end the individual took what I allowed him to and I like to think he new better than to push on me any further . I swear I really learned this time ! Hopefully I never have to ever deal with a situation like mine or yours ever again !
I bleed orange  .

thecfarm

My wife sells some stuff. We go other places and some will charge double and they get it. She feels bad to charge more,but I figure out how much it cost for her,or us, to make and we are not making much. As I tell her,I can go dig rocks in the field and make more than you are.  ::) 
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Thank You Sponsors!