Credit to our Off Bearers/Laborers

[islandlogger]

Everyone here that runs a mill knows the value of that extra pair of hands. Lately I've been alot more involved on the logging side of my business so the mill has been enjoying some well earned R&R. I've had a few orders stacking up however so switched gears toward the end of last week to start laying open some boards. However my off bearer wasnt available until today, man did I miss him!! Trying to do all the moves by myself reminded me to give credit where credit is due!! I wouldn't last long with out the help my man gives me, he is a huge credit to my business but seldom GETS the credit HE deserves. He is never late, always eager, worked with me long enough to "second guess" my moves and increases my production three fold. When I can I always cut him a bonus and take care of him in whatever help he may need in professional or personal matters. Good help, good people...priceless!!
How about a thread to give thanks and recognition to our helpers??

-islandlogger

[Brucer]

My part time helper, Mary, doesn't do much off-bearing. She deals with all the side lumber from my custom timber operation. I use the dragback on my mill to pull the flitches off and I stack them on a pair of low horses next to the edger. When the pile starts to grow, I give Mary a call and she tells me when she'll be available to edge. I feed the edger and she handles the outfeed.

From there it's all in her hands. She trims the lumber, pulls out the clears, stacks and stickers it, and tarps the finished piles. If she runs out of time on edging day, she sets her own schedule to get the job done.

I've had to do the whole works when Mary's on holidays or committed to another job. It sure makes you appreciate the help.

[Norm]

Patty does the off bearing when we saw. I do give a hand on the opening slabs or the heart cant but that's about it. I did try to get her to mill but she doesn't really like running it.

[Magicman]

Since I'm portable, my help is dependent upon the customer.  The customers with the biggest mouth are generally the slackest workers.  Generally, the hired hands are good workers.  With repeat customers, and look forward to working with some of them.




Gabby is my all time favorite. 

[thecfarm]

What's an off bearer?   lol  I saw alone. Just do it for my own use. I can see where an off bearer would be needed or missed.  ;D

[r.man]

Cfarm, you need to give yourself a pat on the back. You're great.

[paul case]

I saw alone as well.
Don't touch my back, its sore.   ;D
  PC

[thecfarm]

r.man,there are others that do alot more than me on here.I would,but I have not sawed for 2 years now. So you can see how much I use mine. But I do need to fire it up.Wife wants a building to sell her veggies,jams and her baking items in. Really enjoy using it though. I get to cut the trees down and saw them up and than build. I'm real slow when I do saw. I cut a tree,saw it up,than build,than start all over again. Easier on my body to do something different,instead of the same thing all day long.

[Chuck White]

Up until this last Spring, I had a friend (about my age) doing the off-bearing and he picked up on things real quick.  He decided that he wasn't going to off-bear this year.

This Spring I got a 14 y/o nephew to do the off-bearing and at first he was more interested in learning how to operate the mill, then he finally got to thinking "I'd better just do my job".  He caught on quickly and was good with numbers, many times at the end of the day he'd tell me how many board feet we cut, myself, I have to use the calculator.

Without an off-bearer, my production would probably drop by 2/3.

[nas]

I have a 16yo student helping me in the summer and Saturdays.  The worst thing I can say about him is that he tries too hard, and gets ahead of me and himself sometimes.  He can't stand still and wait for anything.  Who said kids don't work like they used to.  There are still a few good ones around 8)

Nick

[WDH]

I am my own off-bearer, and I appreciate myself  . 

With a good off-bearer, production on my manual LT15 goes up about 2.5 fold. 

Dodgy Loner is the best that I have ever had helping me!  Now, he is his own off-bearer  .  It is all a big circle, like was said on the Lion King..........

[Magicman]

Dodgy Loner is the best that I have ever had helping me! 

I have had him since you have.     



I am now holding his trailer and 4 Cherry logs hostage.  They are in the background in this picture.

[WDH]

That boy never could pass up wood  :D.

[Banjo picker]

I was the off bearer when Bobby ran the mill....now I get to run the mill and off bear. Tim

[thecfarm]

That's why is say, If I Don't Do It,It Don't Get Done.

[Magicman]

I started a saw job yesterday that I failed to discuss an Off Bearer with the customer when he called and we made the deal.  I was trying to visualize his logs and what he wanted and just simply forgot.

Well, he can hardly walk, much less carry slabs or stack the lumber back onto his trailer.  I dropped the ball, so I will do it all with no additional charge to him.  If it had been a larger job, I would have probably reconsidered my decision.   :-\

[WDH]

Now you can be a credit to yourself  :D.

[bandmiller2]

I've had different offbearers help me on the circle mill most pick it up quick.When I'am slabbing a log their not too busy and get cocky, once I get a cant, I set on the fly and their doing the Curley shuffle on the downstream end.I cut alone sometimes but production is cut almost in half. Frank C.