How'd it go today?

I'll always be a Bermudian in Oz...they way I talk when something's got me going...blank looks all around, my accent just reverts to bermy...
I try to sprinkle it with 'mate' 'normal' 'karked it', 'shot through'...just to get understood sometimes...
 
Today started out rough. To much wind shield time yesterday killed me. Did all bucket work today which was great. It wasn't till after lunch that I started feeling decent. Came home and played with my new to me piece of equipment for a short while and then started tearing things apart to clean it all up. I'm supposed to go in early to drop five trees for another crew to clean up ( their foreman is off tomorrow) and then do some more county bridge clearing work. It's gonna rain all day so hopefully I'll be shining equipment and trucks at home.
 
Yes. No luck on getting a rain day. I swear my boss sold his kids souls. We have got a bubble around us or something. Oh well I won't melt in a light drizzle.
 
I have to find a new apprentice.
The one we had on trial didn't make it ( And, No Mick, we didn't kick him out for listening to old Santana records!)
Kid turned out to be out of shape. He was kinda chunkily buildt, so we didn't notice at first, but he was carrying maybe 20 pds too many.
We did what to us is an easy job,
clearing vegetation off a bog and burning it.
Sure, you drag brush and inhale smoke all day, but it is not bushel work, there is time to stand still and bullshit.
Also we only ran 50cc saws.
He was done in by noon every day. Worthless in the afternoon.

So on the last day, before he went back to school, we gave him a pep-talk. Let him know that we expected him to use the month of school, he had left before starting with us, to get in shape, or he wouldn't last 2 weeks of logging season.
Figured we'd give him a chance to shape up. But I also told him that if he didn't get in shape, not to bother coming back.
I was pretty disgusted with the whole thing. How does a 21 year old kid get the idea to sign up for one of the world's hardest jobs ( If you've never been a bushel faller, don't comment on that) and thinks he can do it without training for it??????????

Anyway, today I got an email from him, saying he was reconsidering his career choice, and couldn't accept an apprenticeship with us.

So we go back to looking for a new one. At least he didn't start up with us, so we'd have spent a couple of grands outfitting him, and then have had to see him quit the week after, when the realities of logging hit home.
 
Sorry he did not work out. Last kid we had like that kept puking by noon. Sad...
Day two of our small logging camp. I have lost count of the trees. I have to go back down the hill and count. Been chipping the slash, so we take one or two down, move in the chipper to the landing and clean up. Rinse and repeat. Had to climb the first one. Road below all of them so pounding my little heart out on wedges. Off my game a bit today, seems they were all 10 to 15 degrees out. No harm done. Just prefer to hit my marks.
 
Pruning and Dragging stuff (mostly dragging stuff) 8)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ppyLGqD6ots" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

If that doesn't put you to sleep. . . haha

Cheers!
 
Too bad about your new guy Stig. Hope the right one comes along soon for ya.

Made it home with new-to-me truck tonight...Standard 3/4. Drove pretty nice on the ride home.
 
I've seen new guys so plotzed out in the afternoon after doing some tree work, that it was they'd rather you fall a tree on them then they have to try and move.
 
I'm happy with what I got for what I paid Gary. Just a simple truck in decent shape that should last me a good while. :)

I'll put it in the garage later this week and have them go all through it. Already planning on tires and brakes very soon.

It was weird on the way home using the cruise control...been over 15 years since a vehicle I owned had that feature...I rather enjoyed it.:D
 
fiddler, I know the feeling you had about the cruise control,
I had the same feeling when I used the windshield wipers in my new to me truck:D

nice work grendal, I love labor saving technics:thumbup:
 
Pruning and Dragging stuff (mostly dragging stuff) 8)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ppyLGqD6ots" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

If that doesn't put you to sleep. . . haha

Cheers!

Sam, I don't know how much skidding you've done. Its amazing what a few roller logs or skid logs will do for moving bigger logs than dirt would allow. Kinda fun, too, if you're nutty.

Have fun with that. Looks really a lot better than hand dragging.
 
Thanks Sean, If I ever get bigger stuff to haul I may have to give that a try. Most of my skidding (quite a bit) has been done by Machine, so overcoming friction hasn't been an issue.

Truth be told, I may need to look into a different rope. The Sta-Set is too slippery and won't bottom out the motor, it just slips on the drum.

Have a good day guys!
 
Stig: I'm just glad that you didn't invest all kinds of TIME in the guy. Let us know how the apprentice hunt goes.

Stephen... You could be out there fine-pruning all day with me for the last few days... One's heart just wanders out into the woods. "Uh... that looks soooo great you guys, but could you just go a little bit lower?"
Us: "Yes ma'am." :(
 
My son worked for a contractor for several years. Before that he was a roofer for a few years. His boss was really slow one winter so my son, who would rather be working than collecting unemployement, started cutting and dicing trees for a firewood guy. Although he is in great shape and used to hard work he told me he was not sure he could stick with the job. It was killing him. I said your shoulders and lower back, right? Yup. He stuck with it on one of the coldest winters we have had for 20 years.
 
Pruning and Dragging stuff (mostly dragging stuff) 8)
If that doesn't put you to sleep. . . haha
Cheers!

Sam, the giant pile of boughs that go by from around :20 to :38 sec remind me of some creature from Doctor Who or Star Wars, maybe an evergreen Jabba the Hutt or something? They just move at such a sinister pace! Too funny!
 
:lol: Jim your cracking me up!

Got woke up this morning to play relationship counselor/mediator. :X Things are somewhat calmer now; sis is on her meds, he is gone for the day, and my ears are ready for a nap :|:
 
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