What's Fair?

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Last November......LAST NOVEMBER.....9 months ago.......I go to the mill and find 12 of the prettiest Red Oak logs. Everyone sawn 8'-6" with no taper.
I ask everybody I knew....make phone calls, etc. Everybody wanted them but they were honest and said the logs didn't belong to them.
The logs were dumped in the middle of the yard......so I moved them and blocked them up off the ground.

Time passed and passed.......until yesterday.

A guy comes to the mill in his car, parks and starts walking around the yard. I turn the mill off and walk out to talk to him.
He said.....There they are....the 12 logs I brought.
Before anything registered in my mind on how I was gonna reply......I pointed my finger at his face and told him he he ever pulled another stunt like that.....he would be charged with trespassing coming down here.

He turned white as a sheet. The bad thing is knows me....we have seen each other at lunch at the country store 82 times in the last 9 months and he never said a word. I don't know him but have seen him.

Short story long.....he wants the 12 logs sawn and is gonna bring 16 more.

I was gonna saw the logs for firewood and wished I had now.

Question? I'm gonna put up a sign that reads......Any logs dumped here without my knowledge and lay here for 3 weeks without notification......will be sawn and sold as my lumber.

Is 3 weeks fair? This just got my goat! (old saying ).

[Magicman]

Has it ever happened before?  If not, then I would just chalk it up as an oversight by the customer.  If it is a regular occurrence, then 30 days should be fair.

[barbender]

Boy oh boy, you're an ornery old cuss! ;D I would think a sign saying no drop offs without prior authorization, or something like that.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Has it ever happened before?

It has happened before but not a 9 month wait. I have had logs dropped a many a time but always get a call or a come by within 24 hours.

[JB Griffin]

I think that it should be 30 days, thats a pretty common timetable (no return after 30 days) comes to mind.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Boy oh boy, you're an ornery old cuss! ;D I would think a sign saying no drop offs without prior authorization, or something like that.

Most customers call first.....I have tons of logs in my yard, organized per customer along with my personal logs....some customers will come and dump in the wrong place. Cedar is the worst.....they bring a load of Cedar in....see a pile of Cedar.....and dump their Cedar with the rest of the Cedar that belongs to someone else. 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I think that it should be 30 days, thats a pretty common timetable (no return after 30 days) comes to mind.

You're probably right J.B. 30 days may be best.

[barbender]

Sounds like you need a gate, with a sign stating the hours available for log drop offs.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Sounds like you need a gate, with a sign stating the hours available for log drop offs.

Well....my mill is on the farm and there's several ways to get to the yard.

[JB Griffin]

Sounds like you need a gate, with a sign stating the hours available for log drop offs.

that might be the ticket      MANY gates ;D

[Bill Gaiche]

I can see the problem. If a man forgets that he has dropped off that many logs for more than 30 days, then he has lost them to the sawmills owner for rent of space. I would hate to waste my time trying to figure everyones logs that have been dropped off. Its not the responsibility of his to keep up with until the owner has made some arraignments about the logs. Time is money and frustration is worse. bg

[YellowHammer]

Sounds like you need a gate, with a sign stating the hours available for log drop offs.

I was about to say the same thing, seems a little "open" and if people can drop off logs they can take stuff, also.  I use a wireless video security system and love it.
Of more concern is how did he unload the logs?  Did he just hop on your tractor or loader and use it?  That would be unacceptable. 
Aside from that, I specify 30 days for pickup or I sell the logs or wood from the logs and have a a big sign with my cell phone number at the gate and my barn.
Sounds like you already had a good talk with him.
YH

[justallan1]

Your much nicer than I am, but you do this for a living and have to put up with it to a point. Myself, I'd call them mine after a month, IF I was in a good mood. ;D

Allan

[schmism]

"logs dropped off without prior owner permission are subject to storage fees.  Logs may be sawn and sold to recoup storage fees after 30 days"

[thecfarm]

That is a LONG time. What was he thinking?? :

[Peter Drouin]

Every one gets a 2# chance, After that ,Well you know 

[WDH]

That would get my goat, too.  Some people can be impertinent. 

[Tom L]

"logs dropped off without prior owner permission are subject to storage fees.  Logs may be sawn and sold to recoup storage fees after 30 days"

that sounds like the way to do it

[Dewey]

ALL CUSTOMERS SHOULD CALL FIRST !!!! My biggest pet peave is moving material more than once... No one drops logs of hear without calling me first.. If left to the customer they will be dropped in the middle of the yard ....

[NMFP]

I have about 10000 bf of soft wood logs here in my yard that were dropped off last year when I was on vacation for a week.  I have no idea who owns them, no neighbors know anything and no one has called me. 

Talk about a pain in the rear when I have this much laying there and no clue what to do with it.

[ellmoe]

I have about 10000 bf of soft wood logs here in my yard that were dropped off last year when I was on vacation for a week.  I have no idea who owns them, no neighbors know anything and no one has called me. 

Talk about a pain in the rear when I have this much laying there and no clue what to do with it.

   In

I have about 10000 bf of soft wood logs here in my yard that were dropped off last year when I was on vacation for a week.  I have no idea who owns them, no neighbors know anything and no one has called me. 

Talk about a pain in the rear when I have this much laying there and no clue what to do with it.

In both cases, they sound like gifts ( of logs ) to me,

[giant splinter]

This situation has only happened once here ..... the sign came down and a gate went up with the phone number on the gate. I later found out that the trucker that dropped them could not read or write so we worked it out and he has the gate combination now, when logs get mixed up or dropped with other similar logs it can be difficult to deal with and may result in errors at the mill ....... I get in enough trouble without that stuff happening, my operation is small and normally easy to keep up with. A game cam has been added to help me sort out the things that get fowled up or dropped in the wrong spot. People are people and at the end of a long day they just want to get home and rest ..... pulling out from under a load of logs is the last thing on the list, maybe thats how the term (Drop) got started. materhead

[goose63]

Sounds like thy are yours now just do what you want with them :D

[LittleJohn]

I have about 10000 bf of soft wood logs here in my yard that were dropped off last year when I was on vacation for a week.  I have no idea who owns them, no neighbors know anything and no one has called me. 

Talk about a pain in the rear when I have this much laying there and no clue what to do with it.

FIREWOOD  :D :D

[sealark37]

It sounds to me that this situation is backwards.  On this side of Char-Meck, the customer visits the sawyer beforehand, marks his logs clearly, calls or comes by every week, until he stops by in the rain and finds his lumber dead-stacked with white stuff growing on it.  As I see it, unmarked logs and no contact in 30 days makes them your logs.  The two words that I have always had a question about are "fair" and "enough".     Regards, Clark

[Cedarman]

We get logs dropped once in a while with no one around.  When talking with people that call about bringing logs, I explain hours and what to do if they come in late. (Blown tires can cause this).  They are to write their name on a piece of paper and attach it to the load.  Or call and let me know what is going on.  In 25 years of buying , have never had a load come in that wasn't accounted for in 24 hours.  People want to be paid for their logs and logic dictates that I must know who they are if they are going to get paid.
If I had a load come in that was unaccounted for after a day or two, I would stick it in an out of the way place and not even think about it.  I have hundreds of more important things to think about. 

[beenthere]

In both cases, they sound like gifts ( of logs ) to me,

   

I'm sure Poston has thought of plenty of other things to say to this guy when he finally showed up.  ;D

[Deese]

Poston you should be ashamed of yourself.
I think you should apologize and cut them for free.  :D :D :D

[Dave Shepard]

This sort of thing really ticks me off. Why would someone think it is ok to come on to private property without first making arrangements? This spring I had one load show up at 7:00 pm unannounced. Fortunately that was in a dump truck. The next one showed up just after lunch. I was in the middle of sawing a very time sensitive order, and had to fiddle the logs off the trailer between the fenders. That took almost two hours out of a very cramped time frame. Then I had another load show up on a Sunday afternoon just as I was trying to go somewhere. None of these jobs was profitable, or solicited. People just assume because you own a sawmill, that you want to waste your time on their problems. I would have a security system if I had the money. I was thinking a nice polite sign saying that any logs left without permission would be claimed for the hassle they present to me. Owner responsible for disposal fees @$20/yard for all junk. Argue with me and I'll have you arrested for trespassing and illegal dumping. Have a nice day and don't come back.

[LittleJohn]

Deer cameras work for a CHEAP sercurity system.  At least you might get a face, real lucky a license plate

[clww]

What about a pad, pen, and a locked box with a slot? I'd have a sign, "Log Drop Off. Leave Name, Address, and a Good Phone Number. If logs are left for 30 days without all required info, THEY BECOME FIREWOOD".

[Compensation]

Clww beat me to it. I was going to say a mailbox, sharpie, pad of paper and tape or something to fasten the paper down to the log temporarily. But it sounds like you need a lock box and survey cards haha

[red oaks lumber]

settle down you old goat!!
i have stuff show up all the time, eventually someone always come forward. the longest was 2 1/2 yrs. unless it is in the way why the big deal?

[drobertson]

30 days if fair in my view,  this happens from time to time here as well, but never without a call or previous discussions.  the only drawback to not being there is the quality that has often been left, which is culled and then reloaded at the time of pick up.   With quality logs like what you described, that would have been a hard call during slow times, especially with that quantity,  they may have been sawed and stickered here, this would be a tricky one.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

settle down you old goat!!
i have stuff show up all the time, eventually someone always come forward. the longest was 2 1/2 yrs. unless it is in the way why the big deal?

Its the principle of being a responsible customer expecting good customer service when he finally tells me how he wants his logs sawed.

You old goat? What chu talk'n bout Willis?  :D

Steve....I may send you some Grits and wait 4 days to tell you who they came from!  ;D

[Dave Shepard]

settle down you old goat!!
i have stuff show up all the time, eventually someone always come forward. the longest was 2 1/2 yrs. unless it is in the way why the big deal?

I'll have to get you a pic of my mill yard. There's barely room for two squirrels to walk side by side through mine. :D

[red oaks lumber]

you may wait 4 days but, i'll know right away there from the old goat .

typing this reminded me... what does the N stand for on nebraska's helmet?


knowledge :D :D


sorry sandhills i'm just joshing

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

you may wait 4 days but, i'll know right away there from the old goat .

typing this reminded me... what does the N stand for on nebraska's helmet?


knowledge :D :D


sorry sandhills i'm just joshing

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[clww]

the longest was 2 1/2 yrs.

2 1/2 YEARS?!?! OMG!!
If that happened here at The Beach, it would be a pile of bug dust in half that time. :-\

[red oaks lumber]

when we are frozen half the year, the process takes longer

[WDH]

Old Goat  ???

If the shoe fits, wear it (old saying). 

[slider]

Old goat was the first thing that came to mind when I first met poston at customsawyers.All this time I thought I was sizing him up wrong and now old Steve has let the cat right out of the bag.Thanks Steve.

[Magicman]

Now y'all be nice now to my LFB.  The bestest thing about having an old goat for a friend is knowing which one he is.   poston-smiley

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

 

 

YAWN........Y'all starting to sound like a worn out blade.  :D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

  The bestest thing about having an old goat for a friend is knowing which one he is.   poston-smiley

:D :D :D :D My Dad says this.  :D :D :D :D Must be an Old Saying.

[samandothers]

Well at least now I understand the change to the goat image.

[clww]

Great picture! :D

[gimpy]

Make a sign with the rules. That gives you the option to modify them as needed.

Seems like 48 hours is fair. "Anything left for 48 hours without the knowledge of the management becomes donated goods."

Then you can decide situation by situation how much time you feel is "more reasonable" for good customers. If you don't demand that they let you know then they won't. Fair is fair.

You can always "hide" their logs and when they come in 9 months later; "You're not sure if they are still on the lot." If you choose, you can find them, even a day later and the guy won't do it again and be happy they didn't get lost. You can still retain the customer but they won't make the same mistake in the future.

[NWP]

The Amish pallet mill keeps a couple of cans of spray paint out by the logs so logs that get dropped off after hours gets the loggers name painted on the ends.

[thecfarm]

Magicman,change that to LFOG.   :D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Magicman,change that to LFOG.   :D

Well look who finally showed up.  :D

[thecfarm]

Did ya miss me??  ;D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Did ya miss me??  ;D

To tell the truth........yep.  :D

[thecfarm]

Well!!! I'll just climb back into my hole.  ;D

[drobertson]

Well since the ole goat has been kicked around enough ;D  what's he going to do?

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Oh Im gonna put up a sign.
If I don't give a warning of what I will do....I will be branded as a Baaaaaaaaaaad man.

[red oaks lumber]

sorry guys, i don't see the big deal about logs/lumber getting dropped off without warning. my tolerance for this must be higher than most.

[Cedarman]

Red Oaks, I'm with you.  This problem ranks way low as far as problems go.  Very easy to deal with.  5 minutes or less with a loader and problem moved to out of the way.

[Dave Shepard]

You are both larger operations with plenty of real estate. Like I said earlier, my yard is tiny. My mill yard is 120'x140', with a 50'x70' void in one corner where there is a building. I can deal with log deliveries, but only with preparation. If the logs are nice logs, great, but what about the junk? Now you have to tell whomever brought the logs that they aren't worth sawing, or you have to dispose of them yourself if the owner never shows. I hate a lack of communication.

[thecfarm]

Fine if someone drops off logs and the next days calls,if you have the room.
But 9 months.  :

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Fine if someone drops off logs and the next days calls,if you have the room.
But 9 months.  :

Exactly Ray. Don't miss my point Y'all.....I've had logs dropped before and have been notified within 24 hours of who they belong too.....no problems at all........NO PROBLEM AT ALL RO  ......but 9 months??????
Yep....put a sign up and "NIP IT, NIP IT, NIP IT....IN THE BUD".

Logs are organized in my yard....don't mess it up! 

[Daver]

I am not in the milling business but I would think something should be left with the drop off, either a note or a sign in sheet stating where and what was dropped off and when.. Along side should be your sign stating if not claimed after 30 days items will be subject to rental fees... $50 a month.. ;-)

[Cedarman]

A big zip lock bag with small zip lock bags, stubby pencils and a note pad, (be sure to tear the pages apart on the note pad or they might use the whole pad) and instruction sign  might help.  Notice I said might.  Paint can is good, but that might disappear.
I very much understand the lack of space.

[barbender]

"Do not drop logs without prior authorization. It really gets my goat." ;D

[Peter Drouin]

Ya 4 days to find out who did it is not bad but, 9 months is over the top. 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Ya 4 days to find out who did it is not bad but, 9 months is over the top. 

:D :D :D You killing me Peter.  :D

[goose63]

Leave all the logs here you want to over thirty days wife wants a BIG 3 car garage  :D ;D

[tmarch]

I run archery business and while I don't mark up my kids bows or setups I expect to be treated fairly.  I had a mother come in and order 2 full setups, I gave her a figure and she agreed so I ordered the setups.  6 months later she calls and wants to pick them up without a clue that I had 6 months interest and the grief of having to turn down other sales on those bows.  I changed my pricing at that point, lesson learned.

[Jim H]

I don't get too many drop offs, but several years ago a customer called and said he dropped a log off beside the barn and wanted it cut 2" thick as wide as I could get. So I go to the barn and cut up the nice cedar log that I find there. I call the guy back and tell him his cedar is ready, and he says "I dropped off a cherry". I went back and looked and found his cherry on the other side of the barn. I never did find out whose cedar that was, but wound up selling the lumber to someone else a bit later. Now I ask a few more questions before I start sawing :D.

[Gideon_70]

 

 

Last November......LAST NOVEMBER.....9 months ago.......I go to the mill and find 12 of the prettiest Red Oak logs. Everyone sawn 8'-6" with no taper.
I ask everybody I knew....make phone calls, etc. Everybody wanted them but they were honest and said the logs didn't belong to them.
The logs were dumped in the middle of the yard......so I moved them and blocked them up off the ground.

Time passed and passed.......until yesterday.

A guy comes to the mill in his car, parks and starts walking around the yard. I turn the mill off and walk out to talk to him.
He said.....There they are....the 12 logs I brought.
Before anything registered in my mind on how I was gonna reply......I pointed my finger at his face and told him he he ever pulled another stunt like that.....he would be charged with trespassing coming down here.

He turned white as a sheet. The bad thing is knows me....we have seen each other at lunch at the country store 82 times in the last 9 months and he never said a word. I don't know him but have seen him.

Short story long.....he wants the 12 logs sawn and is gonna bring 16 more.

I was gonna saw the logs for firewood and wished I had now.

Question? I'm gonna put up a sign that reads......Any logs dumped here without my knowledge and lay here for 3 weeks without notification......will be sawn and sold as my lumber.

Is 3 weeks fair? This just got my goat! (old saying ).

[Daver]

Great sign Gideon..  What program did you use to make it?

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Now your getting my attention! Good sign Gid.

[red oaks lumber]

sign shming, like i said before whats the big deal?
do you want customers to feel welcome or feel like they are inconveniencing you? believe me people  pickup quick to sensing when they arent welcome or their bothering you. ok if your wood lot is real small maybe but, again whats the big deal?
peoples schedule dont always work into our"8 -4" buisness hours so, if they have come from 100 miles they arent going home with it.
if anyone should get anoyed you would think i would cause it usally happens weekly, we just move to the side and wait for a call or someone to stop in.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

You keep missing the point RO.......Communications vs. 9 months. 

[red oaks lumber]

who cares, do they drop off on your dinning table or in your bed? doudtful the communicaton isnt on you but, its you guys issue not mine so, i'll just mosie on over the hill and watch my bison ;D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

 :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D