Is this worth considering?

[pdqdl]

Normally, I don't hang out in the forestry forum, as that simply isn't what I do regularly. I came across a job listing for a "feller". Upon further inquiry, I was told:

"a faller is responsible for inspecting the area to be logged, estimating the BFT of logs he can cut from the stand of timber , and then falling the trees, de limbing and bucking the usable logs from them. There is a minimum quota of 5000 bft per 8 hours falling for the first 480 hours, and after the faller should be cutting in the 15000 - 20000 bft per 8 hour range."

Quite frankly, I don't see how a feller could produce that many board feet in a day, given the puny trees we have in the midwest. That would be a pretty good sized tree estimated, cut, limbed, bucked, and measured every 20 minutes.

I don't think that is possible in a hardwood forest at 500 board feet per tree. Your opinions?

 

[slowp]

Think of it as a load. Depending on weight, 5000 board ft. is a PNW truck load. Visualize loads, visualize what your stand is. Then there's a lot else to consider, which guys who do it can explain better than I.

 

[Oldtimer]

I'd like to see a man cut, limb, and buck 20,000 feet of hardwood a day.
A small mechanized crew will do well to hit that mark.
Also, cutting the useable logs out...does that mean the tops / pulp is left in the woods?
Keep looking..

 

[hammerlogging]

if its really 500 bf/tree then yes its reasonable if all the factors lie right: slope, bf/acre, no equipment in the way, etc. But if you're in that league, you better get paid your due!

 

[madhatte]

Big thing I see in this equation is saving out every BF possible. Sounds like pretty tricky falling. I'm probably comparing apples to oranges here, but 500 BF/tree for hardwoods sounds pretty optimistic by PNW standards. 20MBF/day? VERY optimistic.

'Course, I'm talking from experience mostly in the Puget Trough and the Willamette Valley, so my judgment may not even accurately represent my region. Either way, though, this contract sounds like a recipe for going broke.

 

[Gologit]

Normally, I don't hang out in the forestry forum, as that simply isn't what I do regularly. I came across a job listing for a "feller". Upon further inquiry, I was told:

"a faller is responsible for inspecting the area to be logged, estimating the BFT of logs he can cut from the stand of timber , and then falling the trees, de limbing and bucking the usable logs from them. There is a minimum quota of 5000 bft per 8 hours falling for the first 480 hours, and after the faller should be cutting in the 15000 - 20000 bft per 8 hour range."

Quite frankly, I don't see how a feller could produce that many board feet in a day, given the puny trees we have in the midwest. That would be a pretty good sized tree estimated, cut, limbed, bucked, and measured every 20 minutes.

I don't think that is possible in a hardwood forest at 500 board feet per tree. Your opinions?

Interesting. Where does this come from? The "eight hour" thing puzzles me.

 

[ryan_marine]

Only 3 times have I cut that much in an eight hour period. That is a heck of a lot of wood to cut and have ready for a skidder. Not unless your in to some timber that has large (48"+) dia. trees. I would love to get in to a stand of timber like that.

Ray

 

[slowp]

Interesting. Where does this come from? The "eight hour" thing puzzles me.

This meaning that out here in the West, fallers are limited to a 6 hour day.

 

[Gologit]

This meaning that out here in the West, fallers are limited to a 6 hour day.

Yup, that's the tradition and it's a good one. Back East they must work a longer day.

 

[fmaglin]

61 trees

Well, the last job I cut I had 61 trees to cut. I was able to have them all on the ground in 6-1/2 hours scaling out at 15000 bd ft; however, the conditions were right, flat ground, average dia about 26" and trees grouped fairly close together. Everything was skidded out the same day, bucked, loaded and sold. The outfit I did the falling for always pushed to get in and out as fast as possible, but this also created a few safety issues working under the gun all the time, and at my age I really could feel the toll it took on my body. So, to answer the original question,"Is This Worth Considering?" I'd say it depends on a lot of variables. If the trees are big, and grouped well on flat ground, maybe; but, as in my case with smaller trees, I think I'd pass on having to do it again.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Yup, that's the tradition and it's a good one. Back East they must work a longer day.

Weather and daylight permitting many (including myself) often try to swing 10 hour days, but I never work anything less than 8.

 

[slowp]

In my state, 6 hour days are the law. Not supposed to work longer if you are falling.

 

[dancan]

In my state, 6 hour days are the law. Not supposed to work longer if you are falling.

Wow !
We're wide open up here , I've run out of daylight on a few jobs .... I'm sure quite a few others around here have had the same kind of days ....ummmm six hour work days (insert drooling smiles here) .

 

[Gologit]

Wow !
We're wide open up here , I've run out of daylight on a few jobs .... I'm sure quite a few others around here have had the same kind of days ....ummmm six hour work days (insert drooling smiles here) .

Come on out. We'll let you pack a 660 or a 390 with a 36" bar, wedges, gypo jugs, maybe a set of jacks, a few tools, along with your water and lunch of course up and down some of the terrain we work on. It's not really steep enough to be called vertical, not everywhere at least. Some of it isn't any steeper than a cow's face but it does tend to get brushy at times. Hell, we'll even let you commute two hours or more each way (for free), and get up early enough to be on the saw as soon as you can see the trees. As an extra added attraction we'll let you keep the same pace we do...start to finish...for that measly six hours. It's easy to stay ahead of the skidders if you just move at a good trot all day, don't get hung up, don't waste a lot of time falling down too much, eat your lunch while you're changing chains, and get your resting done while you're on your own time someplace else. All you have to worry about is keeping everything in lead and bucking stuff that wants to roll down the hill.
Look at the pictures TarzanTree posted where he's stretched out over a log bucking the far side. You'll get to do some of that. And you'll get really good at catty escape moves when everything breaks loose and gravity takes over. And after you're done...haul yourself on to the next one. And the next and the next and the next. Don't dawdle...if you're busheling you need to go hard to make any money. If you're day-waging you still have to go hard...the side rod wants wood on the ground...and lots of it. Oh, and there's springboards too. Yup we still use them. How's your knees? But hey, it's only for six hours, right?

So...come on out. Six hours a day? How hard can that be?

 

[wvlogger]

Come on out. We'll let you pack a 660 or a 390 with a 36" bar, wedges, gypo jugs, maybe a set of jacks, a few tools, along with your water and lunch of course up and down some of the terrain we work on. It's not really steep enough to be called vertical, not everywhere at least. Some of it isn't any steeper than a cow's face but it does tend to get brushy at times. Hell, we'll even let you commute two hours or more each way (for free), and get up early enough to be on the saw as soon as you can see the trees. As an extra added attraction we'll let you keep the same pace we do...start to finish...for that measly six hours. It's easy to stay ahead of the skidders if you just move at a good trot all day, don't get hung up, don't waste a lot of time falling down too much, eat your lunch while you're changing chains, and get your resting done while you're on your own time someplace else. All you have to worry about is keeping everything in lead and bucking stuff that wants to roll down the hill.
Look at the pictures TarzanTree posted where he's stretched out over a log bucking the far side. You'll get to do some of that. And you'll get really good at catty escape moves when everything breaks loose and gravity takes over. And after you're done...haul yourself on to the next one. And the next and the next and the next. Don't dawdle...if you're busheling you need to go hard to make any money. If you're day-waging you still have to go hard...the side rod wants wood on the ground...and lots of it. Oh, and there's springboards too. Yup we still use them. How's your knees? But hey, it's only for six hours, right?

So...come on out. Six hours a day? How hard can that be?

great post rep yeah when i can

 

[slowp]

You might get to play on ground like this. It gets steeper below the yarder.

 

[forestryworks]

well just any old feller can't produce that much BF but a Faller sure could.

 

[forestryworks]

You might get to play on ground like this. It gets steeper below the yarder.

nice picture

 

[joesawer]

Come on out. We'll let you pack a 660 or a 390 with a 36" bar, wedges, gypo jugs, maybe a set of jacks, a few tools, along with your water and lunch of course up and down some of the terrain we work on. It's not really steep enough to be called vertical, not everywhere at least. Some of it isn't any steeper than a cow's face but it does tend to get brushy at times. Hell, we'll even let you commute two hours or more each way (for free), and get up early enough to be on the saw as soon as you can see the trees. As an extra added attraction we'll let you keep the same pace we do...start to finish...for that measly six hours. It's easy to stay ahead of the skidders if you just move at a good trot all day, don't get hung up, don't waste a lot of time falling down too much, eat your lunch while you're changing chains, and get your resting done while you're on your own time someplace else. All you have to worry about is keeping everything in lead and bucking stuff that wants to roll down the hill.
Look at the pictures TarzanTree posted where he's stretched out over a log bucking the far side. You'll get to do some of that. And you'll get really good at catty escape moves when everything breaks loose and gravity takes over. And after you're done...haul yourself on to the next one. And the next and the next and the next. Don't dawdle...if you're busheling you need to go hard to make any money. If you're day-waging you still have to go hard...the side rod wants wood on the ground...and lots of it. Oh, and there's springboards too. Yup we still use them. How's your knees? But hey, it's only for six hours, right?

So...come on out. Six hours a day? How hard can that be?

Well said!

Then maintain your gear and grind your chains on your own time.
I have worked a little longer but as a rule it has not been profitable. The only time it is is when the bureaucrats and ologists make you stand around instead of burning calories makin money.

 

[056kid]

It all depends on the ground & the timber..