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OldJarheads Milling Thread...

Started by OlJarhead, April 06, 2016, 02:06:53 PM

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OlJarhead

 

 
I love it when a plan comes together :D  I'd say I nailed it :D
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

OlJarhead

 

 
Off to the races!  167 miles to my next milling job (not even a long one LOL ) outside of Leavenworth WA.  This one looks to be 8-12hrs of milling and we'll leave tonight after Darci gets off work and drive to about half way where we'll camp out in a state park for the night.  Then we'll get cracking in the AM and keep on trucking.  Should arrive onsite about 10am giving me time to set up and get organized before the customer shows up (he works long shifts and won't be there until noon).

With luck we can knock it all out and be back on the road by 2 or 3pm the next day.  Then the next weekend I head over 250 miles to my next job for another 12hrs of milling or so before spinning around and returning home.  After that I had a weekend off except for an event with the WSU Forester in Walla Walla (gotta check on that) but have a customer wanting me to fit him in before Memorial....and he keeps losing help so we keep pushing it.

Busy start to the year of milling!
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

Ljohnsaw

OJH,
Do you charge a mileage rate or just hourly as you are driving?  Seems like you'd have to charge a minimum of $2/mile each way just to break even on fuel let alone the wear and tear on you're vehicles.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

OlJarhead

Quote from: ljohnsaw on May 06, 2022, 10:10:44 AM
OJH,
Do you charge a mileage rate or just hourly as you are driving?  Seems like you'd have to charge a minimum of $2/mile each way just to break even on fuel let alone the wear and tear on you're vehicles.
I charge a mileage fee of $1/mile each way.  It's actually not too bad as with diesel at $5.45/gallon here I will use about 40 gallons which runs $218 for the round trip.  I'll make $334 on mileage fees plus $100 setup/delivery fee so that will cover my fuel and maintenance costs more or less.  Doesn't really cover my time to drive but it's a selling point I suppose.  Though customers, I think anyway, don't view that as 'working time' but seem to accept that I have to pay for fuel, maintenance and my time to deliver the mill.
I then charge $100/hr regardless of what I'm milling or how much I will (too many variables in what I do -- remote portable milling) which makes it worth my time.  
If of course, fuel continues to climb my rates are subject to change!
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

OlJarhead

 

 

 
Camped out for the night at a state park.  It's free for me so kinda nice!  We hut the road early to head to the job site another 89 miles down the road
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

OlJarhead

2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

OlJarhead

Arrived before noon, got setup and started milling at 1:15p.  Finished for the day at 6p and over 1200bf later.  Not the best production but then quarter sawing a 32 inch Doug Fir slowed me down

 
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

Peter Drouin

Good job, You go farther than I ever did when I was on the road.
50 miles is all I would go. 
But you and MM can have it.  ;) Now I go 100 yards to mill. ;D
Best of luck. 8)
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

OlJarhead

Thanks!  250+ miles next weekend! 

 



Tha was insanely steep!  .use have. even over 15* but we nade it!
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

OlJarhead

 

 
1200bf in full dimension 2x12s and over 1200bf of full 1x's plus 2x4s and some live edge stuff.  Quarter sawed up a 32"Ă—16' Doug Fir and a 39"Ă—10' Doug Fir all into 1xs...these folks worked HARD this weekend! 
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

OlJarhead

Off-bearing lumber, can Gen Z keep up? [YES!] - YouTube
Wow!  I took the time to give a big shout out to my off-bearers on a previous job and the video is rocking!

But then, these kids were rocking so cool beans!  8)
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

Old Greenhorn

That was a great video and a service to anyone who goes portable. If I were routinely doing portable work I would send that link to each of my clients in advance of my arrival.
 The only thing that could be better than this is an actual training video for tail-gunners but that would be a lot of work for somebody with skills.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

Ljohnsaw

I'm sure they felt it the next morning!  Any particular reason they didn't stack the waste slabs on the arm and then use the skid steer to haul?  It's great that they kept you in the wood full time but I see a lot of extras steps (footsteps) that I don't do when there is MHE available.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

OlJarhead

Quote from: Old Greenhorn on May 09, 2022, 09:39:37 AM
That was a great video and a service to anyone who goes portable. If I were routinely doing portable work I would send that link to each of my clients in advance of my arrival.
The only thing that could be better than this is an actual training video for tail-gunners but that would be a lot of work for somebody with skills.
Thanks!  I'm always trying to come up with new ways to show folks how to do this to improve the overall experience and production once I arrive :D
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

OlJarhead

Quote from: ljohnsaw on May 09, 2022, 10:02:36 AM
I'm sure they felt it the next morning!  Any particular reason they didn't stack the waste slabs on the arm and then use the skid steer to haul?  It's great that they kept you in the wood full time but I see a lot of extras steps (footsteps) that I don't do when there is MHE available.
Honestly, that could have been done but the skid steer operator was always over bucking logs and prepping them, loading one up and standing by to get the logs to the mill...so it's a wash.  Though I'm sure you're right, he could likely have done that and hauled off the flitches etc....they put them in stacks they could sort and we edged a fair bit of them later.
Now the crew this weekend is feeling it more LOL  25 2x12x20's all full dimension milled out of dripping wet Doug Fir....and then the 2x4's and 1x's...about 3600bf of the stuff and even I'm sore! lol
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

OlJarhead

Well this will be an interesting week!

I head out today to drive 146 miles north to a customer near Spokane...mill a couple days there and then head north to the Canadian border (darn near) in Idaho (another114 miles).  Once done all the milling I will return sometime later in the week (next) and drive a good 253 miles to get home!  Over 500 miles.

Going to be interesting and the first time I've combined two customers into one trip (which saves the further customer some mileage costs).

I've been told a few times now that no one wants to tow their mills anywhere so people are willing to pay the mileage to have me come out (can't complain  8))

My wife thinks I'm crazy and should be taking a break between gigs and I don't totally disagree  LOL but this weekends was a goof on my part.  Two customers, who somehow got crossed up in my calendar wanted me and one was flexible so I've made it work.

I return to scoot out that Saturday or Sunday to mill 50 miles from home for a few days and then get a break for a week or two.....sure hope my bands come back.
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

beenthere

You are a marine, you can do it. Hang in there. 
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

WV Sawmiller

   Eric, good to see the posts here. Any issues with crossing the state line into Idaho? I am close to the Va line and have had customers come over and buy from me but I have not traveled there yet. I am only licensed here in WV and not familiar with the sales tax laws and such there. Not saying I would not go but I'd rather stay here in WV.  Stay safe. Semper Fi.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

OlJarhead

Quote from: WV Sawmiller on May 13, 2022, 10:01:46 PM
  Eric, good to see the posts here. Any issues with crossing the state line into Idaho? I am close to the Va line and have had customers come over and buy from me but I have not traveled there yet. I am only licensed here in WV and not familiar with the sales tax laws and such there. Not saying I would not go but I'd rather stay here in WV.  Stay safe. Semper Fi.
Thanks bud!  Good to be back milling and to have the time to post! 
Idaho only requires a state license if you do over a certain amount of business which I won't, so no worries!
Finished up the 1st job today.  About 3100bf but lost count at over 2700 because they were hauling it off faster than I could count it lol
Good thing I'm hourly!
Off to North Idaho tomorrow!
The Old Jarheads Sawdust Roadshow continues!
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

OlJarhead

 

 

 

 

 
Good Morning!  This guy was here all weekend at the jobsite and decided to be my alarm clock at 4am lol
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

Andries

Great photos, and a very colourful bird.
My alarm clock was a ruffed grouse drumming at four in the morning.
These bad boys must be thinking that "the early bird gets the girl".
Nice thread about your good times milling on the road.
LT40G25
Ford 545D loader
Stihl chainsaws

WV Sawmiller

   Remember "The early bird may get the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese." (Credit - Larry the Cable Guy.)
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Crossroads

Quote from: WV Sawmiller on May 15, 2022, 10:21:01 AM
  Remember "The early bird may get the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese." (Credit - Larry the Cable Guy.)
I bout spit my coffee 
With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

Walnut Beast


OlJarhead

2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

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