# Timber Fallers



## slowp (Nov 1, 2015)

http://olympic.craigslist.org/trd/5296044518.html


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## Gologit (Nov 1, 2015)

250 million feet of burn salvage. Sounds interesting. I know a couple of guys I'll pass this along to.
I think I can get in touch with Burvol too.


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## slowp (Nov 2, 2015)

Gologit said:


> 250 million feet of burn salvage. Sounds interesting. I know a couple of guys I'll pass this along to.
> I think I can get in touch with Burvol too.



I noticed that they were not advertising locally--Yakima. I found that off the Olympic Peninsula Craig's List. Out of towners are needed, I guess.


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## northmanlogging (Nov 2, 2015)

Well I'll give it a go, beats sitting in a machine shop...


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## northmanlogging (Nov 2, 2015)

slowp said:


> I noticed that they were not advertising locally--Yakima. I found that off the Olympic Peninsula Craig's List. Out of towners are needed, I guess.


Not many good cutters near there, or they done hired all of em?


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## Gologit (Nov 2, 2015)

northmanlogging said:


> Not many good cutters near there, or they done hired all of em?


 
Or, with it being winter work, is the money short?


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## Gologit (Nov 2, 2015)

slowp said:


> I noticed that they were not advertising locally--Yakima. I found that off the Olympic Peninsula Craig's List. Out of towners are needed, I guess.



Probably all the local guys know about it. It's not hard to find fallers but finding _good_ fallers who'll work in the black on steep ground, put up with the snags and foot traps, and know how to save out that stuff when it starts getting brittle, might be in short supply. 
One good thing about burn salvage...you don't have to worry about smashing any reprod for the first year or two.


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## SliverPicker (Nov 2, 2015)

I wonder if they would be lenient on the required _Warshington_ state driver'a license?


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## Gologit (Nov 2, 2015)

SliverPicker said:


> I wonder if they would be lenient on the required _Warshington_ state driver'a license?



Probably.


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## madhatte (Nov 2, 2015)

250MMbf is enough volume that it will likely affect our prices on this side. Have to keep an eye on that.


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## slowp (Nov 2, 2015)

Hmmm, wonder if they'll keep the road plowed open that comes this way. They've done so in the past. That's where the flooded truck was from. The mills over here buy from the Yakama Tribal folks.

The one big time salvage I worked on was hard on people who didn't know how to walk with snowshoes on. The loggers hired guys to shovel out paths to the trees, if they didn't have a cat to
doze out the trees and trails. It was a record year for snow and if I didn't have snowshoes on, I had to stay on the skid trails or drop out of sight. There was 6 feet of snow on the ground. 
It was interesting and cold.


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## bitzer (Nov 2, 2015)

Does the five years experience apply to flatlanders? I like the detailed list. I qualify on all those points and then some.


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## northmanlogging (Nov 2, 2015)

prob shouldn't put this here... Whatever..

Got an email back from em, 320 per day, they want 30 day contracts, Haven't heard about who covers insurance, L+I, or housing... 

Eastern Warshington isn't so bad, its steeper here... At least on the east side its drier, so your toes don't start to mildew after the first 3 hours. No viney maples, no devils club, no salmon berries, no black berry thickets, Hel that's before it burned 

If the housing thing works out, or if I can find a chitty camper to hole up in, I may have to seriously think about it, its paying better then the day job is currently.


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## slowp (Nov 2, 2015)

Bitzer: I don't think it is as steep there as it is here, so you might not have much of a shock. I could be wrong though.


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## northmanlogging (Nov 2, 2015)

madhatte said:


> 250MMbf is enough volume that it will likely affect our prices on this side. Have to keep an eye on that.



All the pine beattle/burn stuff has affected prices at least a little bit for the last few years at least with pine anyway. this last burn, I don't think that there are enough loggers or equipment to salvage it before it rots, or burns again.


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## northmanlogging (Nov 2, 2015)

P.S.

They do have rattle snakes and scorpions on the east side though, and black widows... and some big deers, elks, mooses (what is the plural of Moose anyway... Moossees?)


**** I may be excited about this...


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## slowp (Nov 2, 2015)

The mooses hang out more in up nort warshington. Rattlesnakes also don't hang out at the higher elevations, but I can't say what that elevation is. Maybe they got burned up though. I grew up on da east side and never saw a scorpion, but there were lots of black widows. Elks like that side of the hill. 

If any of you do work there, it isn't a very far drive to come over for the swap meet and the Logger's Jubilee is in August, if you are still working then.


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## northmanlogging (Nov 2, 2015)

Seen scorpions on the Columbia gorge they're tiny wittle things, and rattlers all over.

Mooses I think are just kanukian tourists, they don't actually live in warshington, they just come down once a month to shop at costco.


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## bnmc98 (Nov 2, 2015)

hmmmm... the word "employee" at the end and the list of equipment you need to provide as well as own tranportation... housing? tough to get deductions on all those expenses as an employee....


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## bitzer (Nov 3, 2015)

bnmc98 said:


> hmmmm... the word "employee" at the end and the list of equipment you need to provide as well as own tranportation... housing? tough to get deductions on all those expenses as an employee....


Thats very true.


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## SliverPicker (Nov 3, 2015)

I was wonder about that as well.

$320 per day for 7 hours ($45.71 per hour). 

The 2+ month gig I had here until last Wednesday was $190 per day for 9 hours ($21.11 per hour). All expenses where my own other than saw gas and bar oil despite being on the books as an employee. The other guys on that job were getting between $13.50 and $15.00 per hour, but I think they had health insurance of some sort.

$320 sounds a dang sight better than $190.


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## slowp (Nov 3, 2015)

I guess it would also depend on the availability of housing. I'm thinking the big burn was around the Glenwood area. I have not been there. I have been to Trout Lake, and suspect it would be affordable only with a travel trailer. Maybe if you are one of those people people, you could talk motel rates down.
http://community.gorge.net/glenwood/

Here's windy Goldendale. 
http://www.goldendalechamber.org/stay.html

Also, I'm thinking the Yakama Reservation is a dry area--no booze and lately pot is not legal on it.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Nov 3, 2015)

northmanlogging said:


> P.S.
> 
> They do have rattle snakes and scorpions on the east side though, and black widows... and some big deers, elks, mooses (what is the plural of Moose anyway... Moossees?)
> 
> ...




Meese... duh!


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## northmanlogging (Nov 3, 2015)

they where pretty specific about drug testing... so I would say leave the weed at home on this one, as far as dry reservations... don't get caught..

Got another email lodging is not part of the deal so we'd be on our own, I'm thinkin a camper parked right near the unit, act as security at night and just roll out of bed and get to work.


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## Locust Cutter (Nov 3, 2015)

Pics will be necessary if you do this.


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## SliverPicker (Nov 4, 2015)

I bought a camper for $300 four years ago and have used it on every job since. The camper is 18ft and built in 1973, but everything works in it. The roof leaks of course. So far I have only put about $15 into it since I bought it. 

In 2014 a small bear crawled in the bedroom window, walked across my sleeping bag and proceeded to open most of the kitchen cupboards. He did zero damage inside, not even scratches. He did leave muddy foot prints on the counter. I was only away from the camper for about 20 minutes. The bugger must have planned it and waited for me to drive off. All he got was a half a corn cob out of the garbage. The crappy part is when I returned to the camper he ran across my bunk and went back out the window when he did he took 1/3 of the window with him. There was glass scattered for 20 feet.

So if you get a camper you might have a big black furry neighbor to keep you warm at night! That's one of the perks.

I call mine the Tiltin' Hilton.


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## slowp (Nov 4, 2015)

Call me wimpy, but I kinda like access to a boot dryer and hot shower after a cold wintry day of work. A camper sounds too cold and damp and frosty.


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## SliverPicker (Nov 4, 2015)

The last two weeks at the last job it was cold. The heater was broken (since been fixed). When I would get up in the morning it would be in the high twenties. That's i_nside_ the camper. If I had had a way to haul water I could have had a shower each night as the water pump and water heater both work perfectly. Since I couldn't dry my boots I brought 4 different pairs for throughout out the week.


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## 1270d (Nov 4, 2015)

SliverPicker said:


> So if you get a camper you might have a big black furry neighbor to keep you warm at night! That's one of the perks.



Northman might get his own trailer.....


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## SliverPicker (Nov 4, 2015)

Yeah. Even in grizzly country he'd probably get his own.


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## northmanlogging (Nov 4, 2015)

slowp said:


> Call me wimpy, but I kinda like access to a boot dryer and hot shower after a cold wintry day of work. A camper sounds too cold and damp and frosty.



I like it damp and cold... just not a big fan of wet feet...

If this where to go down I'd probably find the cheapest hunk of road worthy crap, toss the welder generator in the crummy, grab the 12v simington, and gopher it, Pretty much all of my other tools are in the crummy now anyway, just kinda curious as to how the war dept is going to handle me being gone for a week at a time...

Maybe get one of them tiny franklin stoves for in the camper, take some of the end drops and cut out the dry center wood...


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## Locust Cutter (Nov 4, 2015)

There is a company that makes a 110 electric plug-in window unit pellet stove that supposedly works well. It's a thought for heat assuming you have electricity available.


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## northmanlogging (Nov 4, 2015)

Not a big fan of pellet stoves, lots of advertising, for less heat, more mess, and your dependent on a bag of water soluble dust. And when the power quits you gots no heat, yes I know they have battery back up now but how long does the battery last? And when it goes dead then what?


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## Gologit (Nov 4, 2015)

Down here most of the guys I worked with have travel trailers. It gives a guy some choices and a lot more mobility than trying to commute.
Some of the trailers are downright luxurious. And I gotta admit, it's darn nice after a day outside in the cold and wet to have hot chow and a hot shower if you want one. I carried a Honda generator and it ran everything I needed in the trailer. 
Nothing the matter with living civilized if you can.


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## slowp (Nov 4, 2015)

This looks like just the thing. 
http://olympic.craigslist.org/rvs/5260506063.html

There's also a nice, plastic airstream in the same general area.


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## madhatte (Nov 5, 2015)

northmanlogging said:


> grab the 12v simington



Did you say "12v simington"? That sounds like a handy piece of gear to have.


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## northmanlogging (Nov 5, 2015)

Yup, its old but it works pretty good, have it hooked up to a batter charger right now. Mostly cause I'm too cheap to get a battery too hook it too. 

It came with a little 12v converter taped to the side, but it didn't have much grunt, I imagine that hooking it up to a real battery would give it plenty of power...

Think its a 450c ? or just a 450, nearly identical to the 451 but with an older sand cast frame and a tiny little 12v motor on it.


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## mdavlee (Nov 5, 2015)

Travel trailers are nice. I should have bought one years ago. Motel life sucks for the most part.


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## slowp (Nov 5, 2015)

mdavlee said:


> Travel trailers are nice. I should have bought one years ago. Motel life sucks for the most part.



The Columbia Helicopters crews had super deluxe ones. Some would be up in the woods on the landing and usually with a couple of black labs, and some would be down in an RV park. They looked to be very comfy.


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## SliverPicker (Nov 5, 2015)

I lived in my tool trailer for a month or so last winter. 1/2" plywood sides and no insulation at 9000 feet. The trailer has a woodstove. At the ceiling it would be 100º + and by the time the meltings from the roof ran down the inside of the walls to about 18" above the floor it would freeze . Good times!


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## Locust Cutter (Nov 5, 2015)

mdavlee said:


> Travel trailers are nice. I should have bought one years ago. Motel life sucks for the most part.


If I was doing things like that I'd ty to pick up a used toy hauler version with a smaller "garage" on the back end. Set it up as a saw shop and you'd be in business. A small Franklin stove wouldn't be bad as Northman had a good point. I wonder if there would be any camper parks within a reasonable commuting distance to the site?


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## northmanlogging (Nov 5, 2015)

Park a little trailer next to or very near the site, no commute needed, just a grocery/beer-whiskey/gas run every couple days, head home once a week to visit the wifey, and sleep in a real bed. 

Motels suck, rv camps are probably worse, KOA's are ok during the week, but anytime there is a communal shower involved I get visions of athletes foot and crabs... just sayin...


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## madhatte (Nov 5, 2015)

northmanlogging said:


> Yup, its old but it works pretty good, have it hooked up to a batter charger right now. Mostly cause I'm too cheap to get a battery too hook it too.
> 
> It came with a little 12v converter taped to the side, but it didn't have much grunt, I imagine that hooking it up to a real battery would give it plenty of power...
> 
> Think its a 450c ? or just a 450, nearly identical to the 451 but with an older sand cast frame and a tiny little 12v motor on it.



Ah, nice. I'm still hunting for an affordable square grinder. I just wish I'd bought a Silvey when they weren't unobtanium. I have a 510 at work, but nothing for square chains.


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## northmanlogging (Nov 6, 2015)

Stumbled onto this one on C's list awhile ago, had to have it shipped...

they are out there, just not real fast production, and they cost like 1k new... Madsen's is a dealer, as well as Woods


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## madhatte (Nov 6, 2015)

Yeah, hoping to not pay new prices. Willing to be patient.


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## slowp (Nov 20, 2015)

Anybody hired yet?


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## Gologit (Nov 20, 2015)

slowp said:


> Anybody hired yet?



Haven't heard of anybody. I thought maybe some of the Eastern guys who always talk about coming out here to cut Left Coast timber would jump at the chance.


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## Skeans (Nov 20, 2015)

We have a toy hauler just for the reason of having the garage it's nice having a place you can take off your wet stuff and not worry about it destroying the inside. Another thing is they are self contained water is 110 gallons, generator, and it's all worth it.

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## northmanlogging (Nov 20, 2015)

called em, seriously considered it, then booked another 5 acre project here... I would have to quit Northman as well as the day job to pull it off...

Seemed like an upright dude.


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## bitzer (Nov 20, 2015)

Gologit said:


> Haven't heard of anybody. I thought maybe some of the Eastern guys who always talk about coming out here to cut Left Coast timber would jump at the chance.


If I didn't have 5 little kids I'd be out there in a heartbeat.


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## Skeans (Nov 20, 2015)

bitzer said:


> If I didn't have 5 little kids I'd be out there in a heartbeat.


Too many little ones for me, move them all out here.

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## treeslayer2003 (Nov 20, 2015)

by the time i am out of responsibilitys here, i will be to old to production fall over there. maybe i can come visit though.


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## dooby (Nov 20, 2015)

it does sound like a decent job for the most part. we have tried to get a full time cutter out here in Wyoming for awhile now. as soon as you mention they will be expected to pull yarder line and pimp on the landing they quit callin'. we pay by the ton and they dont like that either but have been around alot of so-called fallers who need Mcdonalds job apps. i read all 3 pages for this thread and boot driers were brought up. has anyone ever had any luck with the propane styles. always wondered about the moisture propane gives off when i see them at Cabela's.


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## Skeans (Nov 20, 2015)

dooby said:


> it does sound like a decent job for the most part. we have tried to get a full time cutter out here in Wyoming for awhile now. as soon as you mention they will be expected to pull yarder line and pimp on the landing they quit callin'. we pay by the ton and they dont like that either but have been around alot of so-called fallers who need Mcdonalds job apps. i read all 3 pages for this thread and boot driers were brought up. has anyone ever had any luck with the propane styles. always wondered about the moisture propane gives off when i see them at Cabela's.


Heck I lived in Wyoming and I'd go back if the money was worth I'd go back.

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## dooby (Nov 20, 2015)

Skeans said:


> Heck I lived in Wyoming and I'd go back if the money was worth I'd go back.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


 send me a pm with your contact info and experience. we can take it from there. the winters here in the Bighorns are not for the faint of heart. Yarder will be running by end part of Dec. of first part of Jan. if all goes well. we have crawler ground till then.


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## northmanlogging (Nov 21, 2015)

lived in Douglas/Casper/Mudwest-Edgerton for sometime, lots of half family out there...

Not even sure I want to visit let alone work in WY... As much as i like the Bighorns, Tetons, and what not... The "family" makes it difficult to visit.


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## dooby (Nov 21, 2015)

i came down here almost 2 yrs. ago to retrieve a stolen fire truck and a healer/coyote mixed breed dog(she was in truck when it got stolen). A log home builder i met at a gas station gave me the # of a area logger-2 weeks later i was falling in 3-5 ft.of snow and 9300 ft. they were using a Kubota mini exc. with rubber tracks to shovel stumps. the ex's voice is alot harder to hear down here. Family can be difficult for many reasons. Our kids fallowed me down here one at a time. Sometimes "family" makes it diff.to go home- or want to go home. The double edged sword


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## slowp (Nov 21, 2015)

I did not know there were propane boot driers. I've wondered if there are 12 volt ones available and I think there are.


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## Gologit (Nov 21, 2015)

dooby said:


> ... we have tried to get a full time cutter out here in Wyoming for awhile now. as soon as you mention they will be expected to pull yarder line and pimp on the landing they quit callin'. we pay by the ton and they dont like that either ...



That might have something to do with it. Most fallers don't care much for working in the rigging. 
I think the guys back east do that quite a bit...fall, run skidder, hook their own turns...on some of that high-dollar hardwood. Out here it would be hard to get enough production to make it pay.
If there's enough work for a full time faller he shouldn't have time...or the inclination...to do anything else.
Would training a new guy work out?


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## SliverPicker (Nov 21, 2015)

Gologit said:


> Haven't heard of anybody. I thought maybe some of the Eastern guys who always talk about coming out here to cut Left Coast timber would jump at the chance.



I have been salivating at the idea. There's just too many entanglements here on the home front. If it was a 3 or 4 month long job I would have probably gone for it. A job that size would almost require that I move there. I was also kicking around going back to the U.P. to cut my own property for the winter. 

If days were 48 hours long or if there was two of me the whole thing might be a different story.

At any rate three weeks ago I was offered an opportunity to partner up with a guy I worked for for a few weeks in September. My saws are in mothballs, but I have put in just under 70 hours per week for the past two weeks (door to door, 3 hours of driving per day). I'm running forwarder, loading trucks and plowing snow, plus whatever else crops up. We have 1200 acres at our disposal. If every thing works out on this one I may walk out of here with a processor and a self loader. I'm not holding my breath as the only person you can rely on 100% of the time is your self, but we will see...


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## SliverPicker (Nov 21, 2015)

dooby, I sent you a PM along time ago inquiring about your job, but never received a reply...


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## northmanlogging (Nov 21, 2015)

Dude mentioned it was full time from jan through Feb, then hit and miss through spring and back to full time for the foreseable future


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## Gologit (Nov 21, 2015)

treeslayer2003 said:


> by the time i am out of responsibilitys here, i will be to old to production fall over there. maybe i can come visit though.



You might give some thought to coming out for our NorCal GTG next November.


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## Gologit (Nov 21, 2015)

bitzer said:


> If I didn't have 5 little kids I'd be out there in a heartbeat.



Yup, it would be tough on the little ones. If you're doing okay where you're at it's best to stick with it.


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## bitzer (Nov 21, 2015)

Gologit said:


> Yup, it would be tough on the little ones. If you're doing okay where you're at it's best to stick with it.


They'd have to double that pay to make it even realistic. The wife does talk of moving from time to time.


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## dooby (Nov 21, 2015)

SliverPicker said:


> dooby, I sent you a PM along time ago inquiring about your job, but never received a reply...


Yes i should have also mentioned the other possibility was my access to a computer. i now own one. please forgive me.


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## dooby (Nov 21, 2015)

Gologit said:


> That might have something to do with it. Most fallers don't care much for working in the rigging.
> I think the guys back east do that quite a bit...fall, run skidder, hook their own turns...on some of that high-dollar hardwood. Out here it would be hard to get enough production to make it pay.
> If there's enough work for a full time faller he shouldn't have time...or the inclination...to do anything else.
> Would training a new guy work out?


Members of small crews have to wear many hats to make it all pay off. Oilfield hands drop like flies, ranch hands-enough said. we did find a tree climber who is catching on quick. would take two more just like him and be patient. then i could cut 3 days a week and do whatever else needs to be done the other 2. I now there is a pony in here somewhere said the optimistic child


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## northmanlogging (Nov 21, 2015)

what part of WY you working out of anyway?


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## dooby (Nov 22, 2015)

N.east side of chit-Buffalo and Tensleep are pretty close.Sorry-got wrapped up in cuttin' up some dog faced whitetail. They are worse than an over crowded yeller perch pond(4.5 yr.old buck w/120 rack will weigh 150lbs. live). Unlimited doe tags makes the freezer full. The residential deer tend to share gene pools. Elk and bear is already over unless you drew a spec. tag or know a senator.


northmanlogging said:


> what part of WY you working out of anyway?


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## northmanlogging (Nov 22, 2015)

I do miss hunting in WY, makes hunting out here seem like too much work.

2 days 3 deer, 5 antelope, home before dark, unless there was beer money... then it could be sometime the next afternoon.


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## Locust Cutter (Nov 23, 2015)

Gologit said:


> That might have something to do with it. Most fallers don't care much for working in the rigging.
> I think the guys back east do that quite a bit...fall, run skidder, hook their own turns...on some of that high-dollar hardwood. Out here it would be hard to get enough production to make it pay.
> If there's enough work for a full time faller he shouldn't have time...or the inclination...to do anything else.
> Would training a new guy work out?


Bob, if you ever come out to Kansas for any reason, I'd love to put you up at the house for a week, to take you on some ranches with me and give the PhD level of instruction. I'm not a faller and don't intend to be but I would love to expand y knowledge with some OJT via someone who's been-there and done-it with the scars to prove it...


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## Skeans (Nov 23, 2015)

dooby said:


> it does sound like a decent job for the most part. we have tried to get a full time cutter out here in Wyoming for awhile now. as soon as you mention they will be expected to pull yarder line and pimp on the landing they quit callin'. we pay by the ton and they dont like that either but have been around alot of so-called fallers who need Mcdonalds job apps. i read all 3 pages for this thread and boot driers were brought up. has anyone ever had any luck with the propane styles. always wondered about the moisture propane gives off when i see them at Cabela's.


One thing I can say if you're paying for busheling basically you can't make it with a guy pulling the rigging and falling that might be why you can't keep a cutter.

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## dooby (Nov 24, 2015)

Skeans said:


> One thing I can say if you're paying for busheling basically you can't make it with a guy pulling the rigging and falling that might be why you can't keep a cutter.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


the faller makes 25-30% more than the choker setter on the days they fall. the other 2 days they make the same as everyone else. we supply the liquids(for saw)and one loop of chain every 2 weeks.


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## HuskStihl (Nov 24, 2015)

dooby said:


> the faller makes 25-30% more than the choker setter on the days they fall. the other 2 days they make the same as everyone else. we supply the liquids(for saw)and one loop of chain every 2 weeks.


That may be good enough for guys like Gologit and RandyMac, but I won't even get out of bed for 15% more than a choker setter


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## slowp (Nov 24, 2015)

HuskStihl said:


> That may be good enough for guys like Gologit and RandyMac, but I won't even get out of bed for 15% more than a choker setter



Well, that certainly puts folks in their places.


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## Skeans (Nov 24, 2015)

dooby said:


> the faller makes 25-30% more than the choker setter on the days they fall. the other 2 days they make the same as everyone else. we supply the liquids(for saw)and one loop of chain every 2 weeks.


What's a choker setter making?

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## dooby (Nov 25, 2015)

Skeans said:


> What's a choker setter making?
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


 $100.00 per day for newbies. if they make the cut we put 'em @ $2.00-2.50 per ton. We avg. 70 ton per day with the yarder and Christy carriage. The people we have come across a pretty green. The best hand we have found so far was a tree climber. He is learning how things work quickly and we are very glad we found him.we day pay him $125.00 (he has been w/ us for about 3 weeks). He is catching on to filing, how to set chokers, were to be when chit starts moving, etc. He is a keeper. The yarder will be up and running last week of Dec. and hopefully we find one more just like him, then we could run a three man rotation.


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## Gologit (Nov 25, 2015)

Is your faller running his own numbers or do you take care of taxes and such? How about WC? I hope your WC is lower than ours...California is expensive.


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## Skeans (Nov 25, 2015)

dooby said:


> $100.00 per day for newbies. if they make the cut we put 'em @ $2.00-2.50 per ton. We avg. 70 ton per day with the yarder and Christy carriage. The people we have come across a pretty green. The best hand we have found so far was a tree climber. He is learning how things work quickly and we are very glad we found him.we day pay him $125.00 (he has been w/ us for about 3 weeks). He is catching on to filing, how to set chokers, were to be when chit starts moving, etc. He is a keeper. The yarder will be up and running last week of Dec. and hopefully we find one more just like him, then we could run a three man rotation.


Sorry but you couldn't get me out there for 15 an hour that's what a lot of the guys I know in the rigging are making here.

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## bitzer (Nov 25, 2015)

I'm curious about hours in the rigging. Cost of living in general can be pretty different too. I'd have a hard time doing anything in the woods for less than 25 per hour. I have a lot of mouths to feed tho. 5 kids, wife, two hounds, 16 chickens, 5 fish, and a fiddler crab. Me and the crab get the scraps when its all over.


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## treeslayer2003 (Nov 25, 2015)

well......couldn't get me to fall for less than 100 bucks a load. but then again, i am a rarity around here and don't really want to fall for some one else.

to expand that.......these guys here piss me the hell off cuz they get hurt but won't listen about ways to not get hurt. its very frustrating.


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## dooby (Nov 25, 2015)

$2.50 x 70ton=$175.00 cor an exp. chocker setter that can hook their own strip without guidance and not tear chit up. $3.75per ton to fall and cut butt logs off. thats $262.50. the bad part about tonnage is when the sawing is tough for a few days a month something happens to the cutters mind and pretty soon they are attempting to reneg.on the whole sale.


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## dooby (Nov 25, 2015)

This sure as heck isn't Idaho or N.W.Montana or the coastal big four. Its Po-Dunk,middle of now where. There are only a hand full of mills within the hauling range that the weight factor dictates.


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## treeslayer2003 (Nov 25, 2015)

70 ton......like three loads or a little less?


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## dooby (Nov 25, 2015)

they are long log self loader loads and avg. 27 ton per load. and the avg. load has 35 stems to the load. 2 ft. multiples from 8'6"-50'.


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## Skeans (Nov 25, 2015)

dooby said:


> they are long log self loader loads and avg. 27 ton per load. and the avg. load has 35 stems to the load. 2 ft. multiples from 8'6"-50'.


Not running a shovel on the landing for sorting or ect?

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## dooby (Nov 25, 2015)

Skeans said:


> Not running a shovel on the landing for sorting or ect?
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


Not yet ! we were using a Hahn 110 for a while but it needs a new head and doubt it will ever run again. to out of date and takes 2 people to operate.


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## Skeans (Nov 25, 2015)

dooby said:


> Not yet ! we were using a Hahn 110 for a while but it needs a new head and doubt it will ever run again. to out of date and takes 2 people to operate.


Even a small 120 conversion shovel would unload most log trailers from the trucks and load all logs, and have a quick disconnect for a processor head that you could get enough wood done up to load for a few days well you stack with the yarder.

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## dooby (Nov 25, 2015)

Skeans said:


> Even a small 120 conversion shovel would unload most log trailers from the trucks and load all logs, and have a quick disconnect for a processor head that you could get enough wood done up to load for a few days well you stack with the yarder.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


yup- but we have to pay for one machine at a time. Waratah 480HD is about the only head that i know of that can process 5-7" ponderosa limbs. Log Max- not sure of. Self loaders have to be used because they unload themselves at each mill site. So we will most likely get into a slide boom first for the $. Pierce's grapple/processor head may be a good choice but so would having $80k laying around for a used one.


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## Skeans (Nov 25, 2015)

dooby said:


> yup- but we have to pay for one machine at a time. Waratah 480HD is about the only head that i know of that can process 5-7" ponderosa limbs. Log Max- not sure of. Self loaders have to be used because they unload themselves at each mill site. So we will most likely get into a slide boom first for the $. Pierce's grapple/processor head may be a good choice but so would having $80k laying around for a used one.


Another good easy head to work on is a Fabtek 240 I have one sitting here anyone can work on them. Waratah and log max are both good heads but expensive to keep up on.

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## dooby (Nov 25, 2015)

So do they handle the woofy chit too? We have never been around them. what kind of flow requirements does it take ?


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## Skeans (Nov 25, 2015)

dooby said:


> So do they handle the woofy chit too? We have never been around them. what kind of flow requirements does it take ?


It seems too, they were built in the great lake states before being bought by Blount and then Cat. Our was on a 320 but they did put them on the Fabtek 153 carrier or 653 John Deeres. You can also run the head even if the computer isn't working for limbing and cutting it has its own relay box.

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## 1270d (Nov 25, 2015)

I have lots of experience with the 480 head and if you feed it any kind of steady diet of limbs that size it will be junk very quick.


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## 1270d (Nov 25, 2015)

You need a big head for that stuff, waratah, keto, log max, etc. The fabtek like skeans talking about crack up quick in heavy limbing too.


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## Skeans (Nov 25, 2015)

1270d said:


> You need a big head for that stuff, waratah, keto, log max, etc. The fabtek like skeans talking about crack up quick in heavy limbing too.


Ours we did a lot of bracing but it also has 15k on the hour meter.

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## 1270d (Nov 25, 2015)

I've heard pondo is super tough for a conifer. Almost like hardwood sometimes. If those fabtek heads are slammed through everything they start to bust up at 2500 to 3000 hrs. 
Our last 480 made almost 5000 before it needed some rod. We got rid of it at 13000 and many many pounds of 7018 were onboard by then. And that's using the saw for the big limbs.


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## dooby (Nov 25, 2015)

To bring this back around to "Timber Falling" - this all got started w/ 2 Stihl saws and an S-15 GMC one stump at a time. Now we have 2,5mmbf of timber, a yarder, jd 650G, Franlin 170 dual function awaiting new 6bta and possibly a Cat 518 Swinger. And six chain saws. Thats all in 1.5yrs. Trying not to sound all about it but we have been very busy and diligent(my son and i). God is good all the time!


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## Skeans (Nov 25, 2015)

dooby said:


> To bring this back around to "Timber Falling" - this all got started w/ 2 Stihl saws and an S-15 GMC one stump at a time. Now we have 2,5mmbf of timber, a yarder, jd 650G, Franlin 170 dual function awaiting new 6bta and possibly a Cat 518 Swinger. And six chain saws. Thats all in 1.5yrs. Trying not to sound all about it but we have been very busy and diligent(my son and i). God is good all the time!


One thing to remember is don't get too big too fast because mills can say we don't need anymore wood real fast.

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## dooby (Nov 25, 2015)

ponderosa limbs are the toughest i have seen on the east slope. very unforgiving. A Kesla short stroke head works very well for this and will run a 120 class machine. it would take a 160-180 class machine to handle some of the bigger bunk logs(4000-6500lbs.)we butt log in the brush on the bigger stuff


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## Skeans (Nov 25, 2015)

dooby said:


> ponderosa limbs are the toughest i have seen on the east slope. very unforgiving. A Kesla short stroke head works very well for this and will run a 120 class machine. it would take a 160-180 class machine to handle some of the bigger bunk logs(4000-6500lbs.)we butt log in the brush on the bigger stuff


Worst thing over here is spruce they are hard as heck or just fold over, even firs do that here too in the young wood. What's the max size on the butt you guys see?

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## dooby (Nov 25, 2015)

Skeans said:


> One thing to remember is don't get too big too fast because mills can say we don't need anymore wood real fast.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk





Skeans said:


> One thing to remember is don't get too big too fast because mills can say we don't need anymore wood real fast.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


That is why i insist on paying for one machine at a time... that "Automatic" song by Meranda Lambert comes to mind right now.


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## dooby (Nov 25, 2015)

Skeans said:


> Worst thing over here is spruce they are hard as heck or just fold over, even firs do that here too in the young wood. What's the max size on the butt you guys see?
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


the biggest dbh so far has been 47". a lot in the 32-40"dbh.


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## Skeans (Nov 25, 2015)

dooby said:


> the biggest dbh so far has been 47". a lot in the 32-40"dbh.


Sounds like a good place for a 200 class shovel to me. We handle much larger wood with our 200 and it's not a full shovel.

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## dooby (Nov 25, 2015)

We have 4 MS 660R's on layaway. They have 32" Suga Hara bars on them. They will be put to use way before any of the above happens, for sure.


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