I'm getting sick and tired of custom cutting :(

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brookpederson

Prairie Lumberjack
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Messages
279
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Location
Minnesota
It happens about once or twice a year, i get a call asking if i will cut up some ash logs for someone. I ask what they are?(Ash) Are they yard tree's?(No) Are they straight and solid? Yes they say. Then they bring in the dirtiest, crookedest most rotten pieces of **** i've ever seen. These were by far the worst, not only were half of them completely rotten some were cracked and shattered.Now I charge by the HR so sometimes i don't mind, some people like really rustic knotty boards with cracks. But I draw a line at Rotten wood. Well sorry for the rant here are the pics:blob2:

View attachment 265961View attachment 265962

I did cut up a couple of the smaller ones for him
 
That is really some crappy wood. Waste of time and I fully understand you're getting sick of this, hope you made the customer pay well for wasting your time ;-) that makes it a little easier, aye ;-)
 
Ash

It happens about once or twice a year, i get a call asking if i will cut up some ash logs for someone. I ask what they are?(Ash) Are they yard tree's?(No) Are they straight and solid? Yes they say. Then they bring in the dirtiest, crookedest most rotten pieces of **** i've ever seen. These were by far the worst, not only were half of them completely rotten some were cracked and shattered.Now I charge by the HR so sometimes i don't mind, some people like really rustic knotty boards with cracks. But I draw a line at Rotten wood. Well sorry for the rant here are the pics:blob2:

View attachment 265961View attachment 265962

I did cut up a couple of the smaller ones for him

Just remember never underestimate the stupity of some people.
jnl
 
Some people look at the end of a log and see boards. They have no idea what's inside the log, or how much waste is involved when milling them. I wouldn't call it stupidity, just a lack of knowledge or experience. We've encountered our share of "beautiful" logs that we turned into firewood after 1 or 2 cuts on the mill.
 
Some people look at the end of a log and see boards . . . .

. . . when all I can see is half inch wide checks.

Then I ask, "Where are the check free boards?", they point to a 1" wide check free area - they seem to think the checks will stay perfectly straight up thru the log. . . .

Even they they will sometimes say Oh I will just fill those.

That's about when I just walk away.
 
. . . when all I can see is half inch wide checks.

Then I ask, "Where are the check free boards?", they point to a 1" wide check free area - they seem to think the checks will stay perfectly straight up thru the log. . . .

Even they they will sometimes say Oh I will just fill those.

That's about when I just walk away.

Like I said, "just a lack of knowledge or experience." A lot of folks think ALL logs produce good lumber. I'd point out the defects, then saw them, "Cash in advance, extra charge for damaged blades".
 
Yep, Most are good a few are bad. Thanks fer listening and let all logs from now on be straight clear and figured walnut:clap:
 
As far as Ash logs go, I'm pretty much done milling them. Been a while since EAB hit here, whats left standing is good for firewood, thats it. The checking is terribe wherever the bark is split, their so damned dry the sawdust is like flour when you mill them, need lots of lube and push like heck to get the band through the log.


Ed
 
As far as Ash logs go, I'm pretty much done milling them. Been a while since EAB hit here, whats left standing is good for firewood, thats it. The checking is terribe wherever the bark is split, their so damned dry the sawdust is like flour when you mill them, need lots of lube and push like heck to get the band through the log.

Ed

Yep. Sounds like those aren't worth putting on the mill. Fortunately we have enough good oak, walnut, cherry, and hedge so we don't have to deal with crappy logs.
 
You didn't hit any nails??? Biggest problem I've run into is people who don't know diameter from circumference. I've had several calls from people who have "monster logs" 30" in diameter only to find that they measured around the tree, and want me to mill a 10" diameter pole-- and they want 1x12s! I agree that they're not really stupid, just don't have the experience. Stupid is when they won't listen to someone who does have experience. At least they brought you the logs, and you didn't tow your mile 140 miles.

Mac88, you list your location as south of BFE... just out of curiosity, where's that? From the species of logs you mention, you can't be too far from me.
 
You didn't hit any nails??? Biggest problem I've run into is people who don't know diameter from circumference. I've had several calls from people who have "monster logs" 30" in diameter only to find that they measured around the tree, and want me to mill a 10" diameter pole-- and they want 1x12s! I agree that they're not really stupid, just don't have the experience. Stupid is when they won't listen to someone who does have experience. At least they brought you the logs, and you didn't tow your mile 140 miles.

Mac88, you list your location as south of BFE... just out of curiosity, where's that? From the species of logs you mention, you can't be too far from me.

We use a metal detector on all logs we mill. We're about 320 miles NE from ya.
 
I hope you got wood 320 miles ne its cold . Just wanted to say [the customer is always right ]:laugh:

I think we're covered. :msp_smile:

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We've got about 20 cords done, and another 4 or 5 waiting to go on the splitter.
 
I just purchased a supersplit, so maybe I can make a pile of sticks like that.

No doubt. This was done with our old "relic", farmer-built splitter. It's pretty old, but still gets the job done. You can see the wedge and beam on the right side of the pic. It will split those big rounds, but I can't get them on there by myself so I just noodle them in half to get a manageable weight.
 
I cut way back on custom sawing because of the crud people bring. One thing that weeded out some jobs well was a deposit down and hourly charge plus $10/ blade used.

It does get frustrating.
 
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