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Good times, hard times.....

Started by islandlogger, October 27, 2010, 09:38:37 PM

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islandlogger

I was limbing out a large Western Red today when my nearly new chain just gave it up, weak drive link I guess, it happens and I threw a new one on and happily carried on, but it reminded me of days when I didn't have a spare....

It was one of those winters, few jobs goin and small ones at that, had taken a few construction jobs on the side but that dried up as well, everyone seemed to have hunkerd in for the winter, locked their bank accounts and set the alarm for Spring. At long last, a call came through from a friendly local farmer said he had some big ol' knarly Doug Fir Field Hogs he wanted cleared out and could I do that? I think I was in the truck before he had hung up, I had enough in my wallet to get some gas and saw mix and a cup of coffee. Problem was, I was on my last and I mean LAST saw chain, nothing left hung on the nail in the shed, no forgotten relics under the seats, nothing except the chain on my saw with the rakers filed down to bout nothing and the teeth down to tired nubs. But hey, that ain't goin to stop a old fool like me right? I peel into the job site and look things over, the Firs are big, propper field hogs with limbs *DanG near big enough to run through the mill. So Mr. Farmer points out the ones he wants down and hey would I mind if I buck the butt logs into 12" wood for his little cook stove and if it wasnt a problem would I mind cuttin the limb wood that size to etc etc. I listen and nod and secretly disregard fleeting visions of my wore out chain that is goin to struggle it's way through all this, but man I need that pay check!! I proceed and get three knocked down easy enough, do all the limb wood and start bucking the butts into his firewood, and yes the inevitable happens, I tangle into old fence wire and my near dead saw chain is now dead and alot of work left to do. I'm to emabarassed to tell Mr. Farmer that I have been that hard up that I havn't restocked on saw chain, but he spots me idle out there and comes to see whats what, he sees the fence wire and sees my chain and jumps up and down shouting old time cuss words, asks me what kind of chain is that anyhow and I tell him full skip round file 105 drivers etc and be danged if he doesnt storm off get in his truck and tear off down the road to leave me scratching my head and wondering what to do, and is he coming back? Come back he does and roars strait up the field in his truck jumps out throws a box of new chain at me and says if I hit any more wire by gawd he will by me chain till the cows come home! Didn't hit any more wire, finished the job out at the end of the week, got my check, and yes stocked up on chain and basics and paid bills and mortages and all that fun stuff. Work picked up again not long after and hasn't sunk down that low again for awhile. Thank goodness for friendly local farmers that forgot to tell me about fence wire!!

Good luck Boys! (and girls!)

-islandlogger

Okrafarmer

Nice memory. I love those kind of jobs, the low-stress ones where there aren't any houses, fences, sheds, or power lines to have to worry about dropping a tree on.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

Operating a 2020 Woodmizer LT35 hydraulic for Upcountry Sawmill, Dacusville, SC

Now selling Logrite tools!

Writing fiction and nonfiction! Check my website.

Coon

I have been in a similar situation where I was trying to make ends meet doin' a small saw job.  I had sale for any and all the firewood I could supply.  I barely scraped up enough cash for a new saw file, some fuel and oil.... enough to get me started.  The fellow that wanted the firewood told me to give him a call when I had the first cord or so ready to pick up.  Well I had just under a cord done when I needed to fell and buck a few more trees to get the first cord ready before dark so I could call the guy to come pick up the first load.  Well as luck would have it, a wind gust came up as I was putting my final touches on my back cut on the final tree for the day.  I pinched the bar and chain bad enough that I had to remove the powerhead and leave the bar and chain there for the night.  I had had no wedges with me.  No problem I have a couple at home. I called the customer and told him that I had run into a few problems but by the time he got there I would have the first cord ready.  The next morning I arrive at the jobsite to find that someone had taken my bar and chain from the road allowance I was clearing.  Not sure what to do about the situation as I had no moneys for a new bar and chain I sit there and pour a coffee from my thermos and wait for the customer to show.  Wasn't too long and the customer arrived and I explain that my bar and chain was gone when I showed up and that I didn't have a full cord ready.  NO Problem he says..... get in we'll go get you some supplies from town.  Well we went and got a new bar, two chains, half dozen files, chain oil, fuel mix, new jerry can, and a couple new pairs of gloves.  ;D   Ok.  I tell myself that I am gonna have to work my butt off and get alot of wood cut to pay for all of this stuff as well as make some money to put some vitals on the table and pay some bills.  No sooner I tell myself that I can do this the customer says "Don't worry about paying for the supplies we got for you. You are obviously short on cash and trying hard make ends meet.  I am simply too old to be working in waste deep snow and I need the wood."  We got the wood loaded and I topped off the load with every last stick I could get on.  I got paid cash for five cords that day. I worked my butt off for quite some time and cut a total of 42 cords of stove length firewood for this one customer.  Still to this day I get a Christmas card with a $100 bill every year with a short note saying to take my family out for a nice dinner.  The guy still purchases some of his firewood from me.  He usually buys two winters worth about every second year.  He called about a couple of weeks back and put his order in and asked if I still had some spruce slabs for firewood.  I told him I have his order ready whenever he is ready.  Little does he know as of yet that he can have all the slabs he wants for hauling them away.  ;D

Brad.
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 w/Kohler,
Husqvarna, Stihl and, Jonsereds Saws

Ironwood

Coon, Islandlogger, great stories, I love folks like that. If'in ya can in time, "pay it forward".

  I have had the privilage of having some of the nicest customers and am greatful for it. I dont have much but I always try to help someone else out if I can, mostly hard working folks (they deserve it). Wife does the same, although she did get burned once as the "lender of last resort" for one young couple who needed a little used truck. Cant take it with ya, and we have enough.

            Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Buck

You are so right Ironwood, Thanks for the stories guys.
Respect is earned. Honesty is appreciated. Trust is gained. Loyalty is returned.

Live....like someone left the gate open

islandlogger

Coon, good story, this is what I'm looking for, everbody has had down times with just a few cents to thy name and needed a bit of a hand up to keep us going.

Keep the stories coming folks

Ironwood, dang rite, pay it forward!!

islandlogger

Coon

Thanks guys.  I live by the old saying "what comes around goes around." I know all to well first hand that I could have it worse than I do.  I know others have it worse.  I got a call early this morning about a guy needing some firewood but he says he has no money to pay me right now cuz he is out of work.  Now not knowing the guy but knowing where he lives and knowing one of his neighbours I stop in and talk to the neighbour.  Neighbour says DanG hard worker....... well, I just got home from taking him a half ton load.  This was the last that I have here in town.... lots at the farm 75 miles away.  Hate to see someone cold and it's -10 degrees Celcius here right now.  I told the guy that I would be more than happy to help him cut and haul a few loads of wood to keep him going if he can find some somewhere close to here to cut.  Shouldn't be too hard.  :)
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 w/Kohler,
Husqvarna, Stihl and, Jonsereds Saws

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