The Real Ax Men??

[Metals406]

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[Greystoke]

They definitely have the theatrics down! There have only been a couple of guys on that show that have impressed me. Ryan Conners a good guy though.

 

[Metals406]

They definitely have the theatrics down! There have only been a couple of guys on that show that have impressed me. Ryan Conners a good guy though.

Yeah, I thought it was a pretty fun/goofy video. . . Post and pole loggers are pretty good actors! LOL

I think half of the drama from Ax Men is found via the editing room. I, too, can take several days worth of footage, and chop it up to make it seem more dramatic.

Anyway, I thought these Colorado boys did a good job for a no-budget-production. LOL

You ever do any cutting under R&R then? How do you know him?

 

[Greystoke]

Yeah, I thought it was a pretty fun/goofy video. . . Post and pole loggers are pretty good actors! LOL

I think half of the drama from Ax Men is found via the editing room. I, too, can take several days worth of footage, and chop it up to make it seem more dramatic.

Anyway, I thought these Colorado boys did a good job for a no-budget-production. LOL

You ever do any cutting under R&R then? How do you know him?

na, I never cut for him, I just know him cuz we are both bitteroot boys.

 

[Metals406]

na, I never cut for him, I just know him cuz we are both bitteroot boys.

That makes sense. . . How close are you to that log builder down there that shut down? I was at their auction this spring. . . It was my first time in about 13 years I was that far down into the Bitteroot.

I think it was Bitteroot Log Homes in Victor?

 

[Meadow Beaver]

What is he cutting those trees for? Cabins for the vertically impaired?

 

[Greystoke]

na, I never cut for him, I just know him cuz we are both bitteroot boys.

My Dad and I did a small logging job in '06 and his company hauled the logs for us. He has got a good thing going I think. I saw him just before hunting season, up the East Fork where he was helicopter logging, anyhow his foot was in a cast, but he was still out there making sure things got done.

 

[Greystoke]

That makes sense. . . How close are you to that log builder down there that shut down? I was at their auction this spring. . . It was my first time in about 13 years I was that far down into the Bitteroot.

I think it was Bitteroot Log Homes in Victor?

I live in Missoula now, so maybe 25 miles. Did not know the guy, but he was one of several in the Bitterroot that shut down. Now, Smurfit Stone is shutting down. Only mill I know of now that produces much is Pyramid in Seeley Lake...I suppose they are next :bang:

 

[Metals406]

I live in Missoula now, so maybe 25 miles. Did not know the guy, but he was one of several in the Bitterroot that shut down. Now, Smurfit Stone is shutting down. Only mill I know of now that produces much is Pyramid in Seeley Lake...I suppose they are next :bang:

Yeah. . . There's a HUGE buzz up here about Smurfit closing. A lot of loggers', truckers', etc up here were relying on Smurfit for a living as well.

I remember hearing some time ago that Pyramid shut down??? If they're still going at it, God's speed to them.

 

[slowp]

That makes sense. . . How close are you to that log builder down there that shut down? I was at their auction this spring. . . It was my first time in about 13 years I was that far down into the Bitteroot.

I think it was Bitteroot Log Homes in Victor?

Wow. I think they are the ones that were buying logs from some NE Warshington loggers. It was a 9 hour trip one way when the weather was good, which in the winter it wasn't. They bought the larger logs off a bug kill salvage sale. During one storm, the logger had trucks hunkering down and strung out all along the route and was having a hard time keeping track of who was stuck where.

Sad to hear about more mills and log buyers going down. Our local one has started paying more and buying more logs right now. Log inventory is down. I was told they have an aggressive sales team so have found outlets for their wood--so far.

 

[Metals406]

Wow. I think they are the ones that were buying logs from some NE Warshington loggers. It was a 9 hour trip one way when the weather was good, which in the winter it wasn't. They bought the larger logs off a bug kill salvage sale. During one storm, the logger had trucks hunkering down and strung out all along the route and was having a hard time keeping track of who was stuck where.

Sad to hear about more mills and log buyers going down. Our local one has started paying more and buying more logs right now. Log inventory is down. I was told they have an aggressive sales team so have found outlets for their wood--so far.

Yup, it is sad Patty. . . Not sure if you've been to Troy, Libby, Eureka, Kalispell, Trout Creek, Thomson Falls, or Plains. . . But all these towns were heavy Logging/Mining towns when I was growing up. And many more too numerous to list.

Now we have squat. . . Bad Gub' Ment policies, lobbying Greenie weenie groups, and the "Progressive" Movement have done a number on our industries. Smurfit Stone in Missoula paid an average of 70k a year. Now, you'll be working in a crappy paying service based job (Missoula is a college town). . . You might get lucky and work all year for 19k.

Libby is in Lincoln county. . . Once the richest county in Montana due to real jobs. . . Logging and mining. The Libby High school is called the Libby Loggers.

Now Lincoln county is the poorest county in the state.

If we keep allowing the stupid Government Morons to make horrible decisions, we're screwed. We won't have any economy left. We have trading agreements with Canada, that only benefit Canada. We import their softwoods (the same species we log and turn into lumber). . . Why import what we have? Because we need to "feel bad" for Canadians. So we cut our own throat. Decisions are made based on "feeling", instead of good Ol' Fashioned logic.

It's like being a bread manufacturer, and buying bread from the grocery store.

The more I think about it, the more it pisses me off, so I'm gonna quit now. :rant:

 

[forestryworks]

Smurfit-Stone's Frenchtown mill closure

http://www.missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_c215b778-e9fb-11de-a6c9-001cc4c03286.html

 

[jimbo@stn23]

If we keep allowing the stupid Government Morons to make horrible decisions, we're screwed. We won't have any economy left. We have trading agreements with Canada, that only benefit Canada. We import their softwoods (the same species we log and turn into lumber). . . Why import what we have? Because we need to "feel bad" for Canadians. So we cut our own throat. Decisions are made based on "feeling", instead of good Ol' Fashioned logic.

It's like being a bread manufacturer, and buying bread from the grocery store.

The more I think about it, the more it pisses me off, so I'm gonna quit now. :rant:

Do you really think you're in the only place that has had to run men off in the wood industry? And NAFTA has only benefitted Canada? Here's a few facts that may make your day.

Two of the guys we just hired came from Vancouver Island where a mill with over 1000 guys is now running with less than 100. That's only the tip of the iceberg. We used to have a vibrant mining and logging scene here as well that has disappeared.

We export oil to the great USA and pay more for our fuels than you do, wanna know why? Because we are not allowed to pay less than you for the commodity we export to you, for some reason it's "un-nieghborly or un-fair" or something along those lines. I'm pretty sure it's the same for electricity.

Do you remember anything about R-CALF and the mad cow debacle? Most folks will remember it for the poor joke it was. Especially when some good 'ol boys from Montana showed up at the Fort Macleod auction to buy cow-calf pairs when the market price was about a fifth of what it was a year prior. Things got pretty heated for those auctions.

Any day you want to start, we'll keep our goods, you keep yours. Don't ever feel sorry for me and I'll do the same for you, but with any luck, you are now as pissed off as me.

 

[Gologit]

Any day you want to start, we'll keep our goods, you keep yours. Don't ever feel sorry for me and I'll do the same for you, but with any luck, you are now as pissed off as me.

Sounds good to me...but I don't see it happening. The politicians don't really care about us guys down here in the trenches. They never have and they never will.

In the mean time, let's not fight with each other. If the politicians encourage us to argue and fight amongst ourselves they figure maybe we'll lose sight of who the real villain is.

Canadian logger or American logger, it's a tough business and the challenges and problems are unique to our industry. Let's save our anger and direct it where it will do the most good.

 

[Meadow Beaver]

Sounds good to me...but I don't see it happening. The politicians don't really care about us guys down here in the trenches. They never have and they never will.

In the mean time, let's not fight with each other. If the politicians encourage us to argue and fight amongst ourselves they figure maybe we'll lose sight of who the real villain is.

Canadian logger or American logger, it's a tough business and the challenges and problems are unique to our industry. Let's save our anger and direct it where it will do the most good.

Now imagine if every logger in the world quit logging for a year. No lumber being milled or sent anywhere in the world. Then maybe people would realize how hard it is to live without wood products. No paper, no lumber, no ply wood, no musical instruments, no mulch, no cardboard, well I think we get the point.

 

[Metals406]

Do you really think you're in the only place that has had to run men off in the wood industry? And NAFTA has only benefitted Canada? Here's a few facts that may make your day.

Two of the guys we just hired came from Vancouver Island where a mill with over 1000 guys is now running with less than 100. That's only the tip of the iceberg. We used to have a vibrant mining and logging scene here as well that has disappeared.

We export oil to the great USA and pay more for our fuels than you do, wanna know why? Because we are not allowed to pay less than you for the commodity we export to you, for some reason it's "un-nieghborly or un-fair" or something along those lines. I'm pretty sure it's the same for electricity.

Do you remember anything about R-CALF and the mad cow debacle? Most folks will remember it for the poor joke it was. Especially when some good 'ol boys from Montana showed up at the Fort Macleod auction to buy cow-calf pairs when the market price was about a fifth of what it was a year prior. Things got pretty heated for those auctions.

Any day you want to start, we'll keep our goods, you keep yours. Don't ever feel sorry for me and I'll do the same for you, but with any luck, you are now as pissed off as me.

Exactly. . . My comments were aimed at ridiculous Gub' Ment policy -- not the working man. And I know you fellas have been hurt just as much as us. I'm all about fair trade. . . As long as it's "Fair trade". Canadian lumber has hurt our local economy. . . Sorry, but them's the facts.

I don't hate any of my Canadian brethren. . . I hate stupid American and Canadian policies'. Both our Governments couldn't run a profitable hotdog stand, let along a country.

Sounds good to me...but I don't see it happening. The politicians don't really care about us guys down here in the trenches. They never have and they never will.

In the mean time, let's not fight with each other. If the politicians encourage us to argue and fight amongst ourselves they figure maybe we'll lose sight of who the real villain is.

Canadian logger or American logger, it's a tough business and the challenges and problems are unique to our industry. Let's save our anger and direct it where it will do the most good.

Amen

 

[jimbo@stn23]

Exactly. . . My comments were aimed at ridiculous Gub' Ment policy -- not the working man. And I know you fellas have been hurt just as much as us. I'm all about fair trade. . . As long as it's "Fair trade". Canadian lumber has hurt our local economy. . . Sorry, but them's the facts.

I don't hate any of my Canadian brethren. . . I hate stupid American and Canadian policies'. Both our Governments couldn't run a profitable hotdog stand, let along a country.




Amen

Fair enough Gentlemen. I have always liked you folks down south and it would seem as the western states/provinces would be better served if the border was run perpendicular to the one we have, eastern North America and us folks out west.

Thanks for your thoughts Bob and Metals, and the civility. I used to truck once and awhile out of the Plum Creek mills to home here, so I know how you folks have been hurt around Kalispell. I wish things were different.

 

[tramp bushler]

Sounds good to me...but I don't see it happening. The politicians don't really care about us guys down here in the trenches. They never have and they never will.

In the mean time, let's not fight with each other. If the politicians encourage us to argue and fight amongst ourselves they figure maybe we'll lose sight of who the real villain is.

Canadian logger or American logger, it's a tough business and the challenges and problems are unique to our industry. Let's save our anger and direct it where it will do the most good.

.

. I totally agree 100% . Lets face it , the timber of the western half of North America has been managed , not for us , but for a few people to trade it only as a comodity for their own wealth ..... When the environmentalists moved in they just decided the cream of the profit was getting used up on lawyer fees .... They pulled out and now all the small outfits on all sides of the borders don,t have the mass to give them stability ....
. Those of us who log for a living need to not fight with one another .... Plenty of moderate and extreme liberals who need to feel the force of our fight ........,,,,,,,,,,

 

[slowp]

.

. I totally agree 100% . Lets face it , the timber of the western half of North America has been managed , not for us , but for a few people to trade it only as a comodity for their own wealth ..... When the environmentalists moved in they just decided the cream of the profit was getting used up on lawyer fees .... They pulled out and now all the small outfits on all sides of the borders don,t have the mass to give them stability ....
. Those of us who log for a living need to not fight with one another .... Plenty of moderate and extreme liberals who need to feel the force of our fight ........,,,,,,,,,,

Well, here's one moderate liberal that believes there could be a heck of a lot more trees cut than there are now, so don't beat me up, please.

No, I have only driven through Montana. The cutters for the helicopter company that is no longer in business were mostly from Libby. They were in awe of the height of our trees and had big grins when they saw the lower elevation trees they got to cut. But then the market crashed and they had to leave. I often wonder how they are.

I hear from some of the regulars. They've been working sporadically and at anything they can. I keep hoping that things will get going again. Meanwhile, I give a lot of stuff to the food bank and clothes for kids. Our county is now tied for having the highest unemployment level in the state.

 

[Hddnis]

Well, here's one moderate liberal that believes there could be a heck of a lot more trees cut than there are now, so don't beat me up, please.

No, I have only driven through Montana. The cutters for the helicopter company that is no longer in business were mostly from Libby. They were in awe of the height of our trees and had big grins when they saw the lower elevation trees they got to cut. But then the market crashed and they had to leave. I often wonder how they are.

I hear from some of the regulars. They've been working sporadically and at anything they can. I keep hoping that things will get going again. Meanwhile, I give a lot of stuff to the food bank and clothes for kids. Our county is now tied for having the highest unemployment level in the state.

slowp, the enemy of our enemy is our friend.

I know guys out of work that have never wanted for work before. Some of them worked steady through the downturns in the eighties and nineties. This one has left 'em scratching to get by.

I get calls from them asking if I've got anything going. Some of them when they get a little work they split it with a friend that is in need. Puts food on the table and makes another house payment for both of them. It warms and breaks a heart to see that kind of giving spirit. I just wish the people writing the laws could see that kind of character. They live in such an artificial world and they never know real need and they never know real honest working men and women.



Mr. HE