Turned down a sawing job

[Magicman]

Actually a very big sawing job as in over 200Mbf of SYP. 

The setup would be at a commercial sawmill.  Their loader would bring me the logs, remove the slabs/waste, and handle the output.  The principal product would be various 16' & 20' timbers for RR bridges/trestles plus any side lumber that was produced as the timbers were sawn.

My answer was NO!  I could easily name 6-8 good reasons why this setup would be a recipe for disaster.   

The guy that I bought my sawmill from had a similar setup/deal and sawed for two years until the commercial sawmill went belly up.  His sawmill then sat idle for a year with him making bank notes until I came along and bought it.

[KenMac]

That sounds way too much like real work!! I would not take that offer either.

[WV Sawmiller]

   Probably a good decision but I have to ask - was it because you can't ride that fancy seat when cutting 20' beams? :D :D (Sorry, the devil made me ask. ;D)

[Jeff]

@customsawyer could add a link to his chain.

[Magicman]

Yup, I thought about Jake.  30 miles closer and 50 years younger I might have considered it a bit longer but as it was, it was no deal.  Actually Howard, the 20's could be bucked to 10's but I would have had to do it.  They said 20 because that is what they are now bucked to.  Their finished product would be 10's & 16's.

I would insist upon having my own loader (as Jake does) to keep from being dependent upon their loader/operator.  I would also set up my own edger (as Jake does) but then you are dependent upon hired help with "dependent" being the key word.  Sawmill?  Yup, a dedicated sawmill would be in order.

For all practical purposes I am already sawing full time so the simple fact is that I do not need them.

[donbj]

Smart move Magicman. Unless you had to do it out of necessity, you lose the freedom you have now.

[fishfighter]

Lynn, at your age, a 9-5 is a no no. :D You need to slow down some and smell the roses. ;D

[customsawyer]

When I started down at Beasley's it was the right time for them and me. I was young, hungry and nuts. Now I'm old, fatter, and more nuts. I probably would have looked at it.

[WV Sawmiller]

   It would still be a real tempting proposition at least if they were agreeable to part time. Maybe one week out of the month or such. I agree I would not be interested in a full time clock punching scramble to get it done but a little extra steady work might be okay. 

   I talked to a guy yesterday who has a low hours LT50 he wants to sell and was willing to consider basically letting someone work it off but it also sounded like more pressure and scrambling so I turned it down.

[Magicman]

No, this would not be a "part time saw when you want to" job.  They have logs to be sawn and orders to be filled.  It would be a full time churning out timbers job.

I am already sawing 3-5 days a week and have 14 definite jobs ahead of me.  There are 23 jobs including the "foot draggers" some of which I will eventually saw.  I don't need another job. :

[Sixacresand]

The commercial mill should add a industrial saw and staff it with 8 to 4 jobs.  No place for a small sawmiller.   You have to follow their rules, safety training, OSHA inspections, liability insurance, schedule, etc.  I don't see how Jake does it, but he figured out how it make it work to his advantage.  

[Tom King]

Sounds like more work, less adventure.  Too much like a real job.

[terrifictimbersllc]

I've sawn regularly (at times) for three other business, one of which was a sawmill, with invitation to come pretty much whenever I wanted. 

I set my own days pretty much and was always a contractor giving them an invoice, like any other customer. Their people were the log bringers and off-bearers. 

That worked out very well and contributed to my getting many other jobs and also being in those areas where I could schedule other jobs by staying overnight at a nearby motel when I wanted to. 

But it sometimes touched the edge of being too much work, on the road too much, and dependency of them on me which I felt the need to constantly deliver on.  

[Peter Drouin]

When I started down at Beasley's it was the right time for them and me. I was young, hungry and nuts. Now I'm old, fatter, and more nuts. I probably would have looked at it.

That worked out well for you. I did try that with a mill up here, No go to little $$ for what they wanted. 
Cutting 40' 12x12 with a 70 is a handful for sure. But getting paid by the BF, a man can make some $$$
And have no $$ in logs at the big mill is the best part. Just cutting. 8) 8)

[Banjo picker]

Cutting rr ties is a fickle business.  They either want all or more than you can do or then...they want nothing.  I started out cutting ties, and done real well at it.  Then one day my buyer called and said bring me what you got cut and cut the logs you have bought, but don't buy anymore.  I was selling to Gross & Janes a fairly big out fit.  Was taking them to Amory Miss.  That whole yard is gone.  By then I had already cut my sweet gums.  I never mentioned to custom saw, but you have to change gears ever once in a while.  Tim

[Southside]

Banjo - sounds like they were real decent about things changing.  These days you would get an e-mail saying they are shutting off buying ties at the end of the day they sent the e-mail and that is all she wrote. 

[Banjo picker]

I agree Southside, they were very good to me.  I got a call about 2 years later from an outfit, can't remember the name that was wanting trailer truck loads and they would send the truck to pick them up, I declined as I had taken a job with the state by then.  Stayed there long enough to get a little check each month....makes Debs car payment.👍. Tim

[moosehunter]

I am presently turning down every saw job. I started building my house, between the house and a full time job I don't have time to saw. Hopefully the house will be done enough so that I can start sawing again in March/ April. I miss it already and it's only been two weeks!
mh