Today's happy customer

Oliver05262 · March 17, 2019, 08:56:23 PM

Folks will travel sometimes just for the enjoyment of the journey.
A couple of years ago, I decided to clean some "stuff" out of the back of the shed. There was an old stone boat that I got at an auction for $10 that I hadn't used for 20 years. It even had character with one busted board in the middle, so you had to just put rocks there that couldn't roll out. It did have a good steel front end. I put it on Craig's for $20, thinking I'd have some room to dicker.
Several days later a gentleman called me about it from way up in Eden. Beautiful country, but it is quite a ways from me. He said he wanted it, and would mail me a check. That he did, and I called him and said I would hold the stone boat until he could come.
Quite a while went by, but he eventually called me and said could he come down on such-and-such a date? Sure thing, I'll have coffee on if you want. The man and his Brother-in-Law arrived in a short box F150, and after we visited, he decided we could load it up. Ten foot stone boat, plus 18-20" of steel on the front. By now, the BIL was trying not to burst out laughing. I didn't know what that was about, but it was finally decided I should cut the front off, and he would just take that home. Probably $20 was still less than it would cost to make that 30" wide, upturned piece of 3/8" plate with a rod welded around the edge for reinforcement, even if you had the steel already. I asked it he wanted the wood to take home for the stove, but he said no, so that got put on my wood pile. Splitting it up to fit my stove door reminded me why nobody wanted to have Elm firewood if they could get anything else.
Before they left, the BIL couldn't hold it in any linger. Told me that my customer got a speeding ticket on the way down, somewhere in Londonderry or Winhall.
That will be a cherished thing, that stoneboat. He does enjoy his horses, though.
I suspect he came all the way down on Rt 100 to Londonderry, then west to Manchester and south on 7. Scenic ride, but 150-160 miles any way you cut it.

Jim_Rogers · March 21, 2019, 05:23:17 PM

Yesterday, during the bright sun shine I had a visitor from "the dark side":

He didn't stay long because the "force" was strong in me.

Later on I had a happy customer who came over to pick up one piece of round edge pine.

Today's happy customer was from a towing company in Worcester, MA who got some planks to fix their low bed.

Jim Rogers

Jim_Rogers · March 23, 2019, 04:51:03 PM

Today's two happy customers drove up from the Brox, NY to pick up a 2" piece of clear white pine for a vanity top and other projects. They also got a 1" piece of clear white pine with one natural edge for shelving. And a 4' piece of pine for a coffee table top.

Thanks Kiana.

They saw what the wanted on Facebook marketplace and made an appointment to pick them up. I had to cut them back to fit in the short car. But they were happy and said they'd send me a picture of everything when they have them done.
Jim Rogers

Old Greenhorn · March 23, 2019, 05:03:42 PM

Holy cow! They must have driven past 200 saw mills to get to yours!

Bruno of NH · March 23, 2019, 05:27:28 PM

Jim has great service that's why they made the trip

thecfarm · March 28, 2019, 09:05:43 AM

Facebook is working well for you!!! ;D

Jim_Rogers · March 28, 2019, 09:36:33 AM

Yes it is Cfarm. I have sold over 150 pieces of lumber since June 28th through that method.
I'm very happy with it.
Jim Rogers

PS. I had another unhappy customer who called and wanted some 2x10's or 2x12's dry. I didn't have any of that.

Brandon1986 · April 04, 2019, 12:24:19 PM

Scrolling through your pictures... most people in your area don't believe in real pickups do they? I saw 1 half ton Chevy and a 1 ton Ford.... Oh and the KW.. I don't know why this strikes me as amusing. I guess where I live most everyone drives at least a half ton platform of some type or another.. Not many people are trying to cram 1x18'x7' boards in their cross over :D :D

Jim_Rogers · April 04, 2019, 02:20:33 PM

Today's happy customer was a couple of workers from a towing company that came over to pick up some 6x12x4' oak pieces, some 6x6x4 oak blocks and some 4x6x4 blocking for them to use to move a D6 bulldozer next week.
I was the happy camper as they brought a nice check to me.

I have to make the same order for another heavy hauling/towing company as well.
I'm not looking forward to wrestling with more 6x12s. I estimated that they weighed 138 lbs each.

Jim Rogers
PS really nice new ramp truck, and the driver backed it all the way in first try.

Magicman · April 04, 2019, 04:08:26 PM

I am happy to see your happiness Jim!!

mart · April 11, 2019, 12:44:43 AM

Love to see happy customers. I had one yesterday and today. I cut some 2.5" thick cottonwood sideboards for a guy's dump truck last year. He just had to have them right away. Never came back for them. I put them on Facebook marketplace and a guy scooped up two of them for making workbench tops.

A few days ago cleaning up my log yard I grabbed a birch out of a group of logs that had been around for a couple of years. They were some of those I was going to get to but kept putting it off. After awhile I decided to let them go a while and see if they would spalt. I cut five nice spalted birch, two inch, live edge slabs and a gentleman just left with two of them. He was thrilled to get them. I've got three more logs from the same group. I better get them on the mill.

Keep the pictures coming. I enjoying seeing that happy faces.

WDH · April 11, 2019, 07:48:10 AM

Jim,

Which section on Facebook marketplace do you post in?

Jim_Rogers · April 11, 2019, 07:50:18 AM

miscellaneous but Bruno uses garage sales

Stephen1 · April 11, 2019, 08:44:42 AM

great work Jim and it is great cashflow.

Jim_Rogers · April 11, 2019, 11:45:03 AM

Today's happy customer got away before I could get a snap shot.

I got a bunch of 1x boards for his shed project.

Jim Rogers
Edit:
I went over to his place the next day and got some shots of it in place:

Jim_Rogers · April 14, 2019, 01:06:54 PM

Today's happy customer was a returning customer who wanted a 2" thick piece of red oak to make a table top to go onto a set of singer sewing machine legs. He and his wife picked out a nice one. Thanks Tim:

Jim Rogers

Bruno of NH · April 14, 2019, 01:10:50 PM

I use market place and the local group yard sales

thecfarm · April 14, 2019, 02:08:26 PM

I've been planing on doing that too. I think I have 2 stands,one is a white.

Darrel · April 14, 2019, 09:04:24 PM

This may be a bit off topic, but let me tell you about White sewing machines and one machine in particular. The house my family lived in when I was a small child was in California's Motherload and built during the gold rush. The bathroom was huge, and the only things in there were the toilet and this sewing machine and on the wall directly across from the machine hung the tp roll. This setup was convenient to this little boy because it was fun to run the tp through the sewing machine, just get the paper started and treadle like mad. The tp only needed occasional guidance. During one of these occasions, the last one as I recall, my right index finger found itself being sewn to a strip of toilet paper.

LeeB · April 15, 2019, 01:31:49 AM

I suppose that would make for an unhappy customer. Yes somewhat off topic and somewhat related. :D

thecfarm · April 15, 2019, 07:59:17 AM

More off topic. ;D
Brenda bought a White treadle sewing machine at an antique store. She had some question about it and called up White about it. They sent her a copied manual for it!! I was shocked and at no cost. Must of been 50 pages. Very good customer service.

Jim_Rogers · April 15, 2019, 10:08:50 AM

Saturday morning on my way to CT I stopped by one of my customer's and saw his stack of quarter sawn white pine, that I showed you before.
I thought he did a good job of stacking it: