Firewood Pet Peeves.You know you want to vent...

[avalancher]

There are few things that really chap my hide, but rude people have got to be at the top of my list.
Had a guy this morning call me for a load of wood to be delivered. I was on the road, so I pulled over along the highway to get his info. 20 seconds into the conversation his phone beeped, told me he needed to get the other line and put me on hold.No big deal.
After 6 minutes, he comes back and started giving me directions. Then he got another call and put me on hold. Was gone almost ten minutes as trucks were whizzing by my truck at 70mph.
Back again, and you guessed it, another call.Didnt even apoligize for the previous two, just put me on hold again. I finally gave up and hung up on him, got back on the road. He called back and got testy for hanging up on HIM!
Man I hate folks that call me and then put me on hold!
What are your pet peeves about this business?

 

[Engineeredlawns]

I was on the road, so I pulled over along the highway to get his info. 20 seconds into the conversation his phone beeped, Was gone almost ten minutes as trucks were whizzing by my truck at 70mph.
Man I hate folks that call me and then put me on hold!
What are your pet peeves about this business?

I hate people trying to drive and talking on the cell phone, holding up traffic and being a hazzard. I respect you for pulling off the road to talk. The guy was rude in taking the other calls while talking with you.:greenchainsaw:

 

[aandabooks]

While I'm not in the firewood business, my biggest pet peeve about the whole of the firewood process is:

When I've got my mind set on cutting for a few hours on a Saturday morning and my wife decides to remind me on Friday night about some stupid thing she committed us to months ago and never mentioned again. Last week it was family Christmas pictures and lunch at the in-laws.

Another irritant is when that really good looking tree gets felled and its rotten at the stump. Some of the best wood is gone or reduced to the campfire pile.

 

[dnf0929]

I think the thing that has pi$$ed me off the most in my brief career is the few customers who seem to look down at me like I'm some sort 2nd class citizen who must be desperate for money if I'm selling firewood. Truth is I walked away from the very type job (white collar) most of them probably have because it made me miserable...like they are. My wife and I do very well financially and the money from wood is just gravy. They main reason I started selling it is that it gives me a legitimate excuse to cut and split more. Fortunately these people are the exception.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

I got numb to that crap growing up working in my Dad's biz, then my own. But nothing tops working around Gov't/Gov't contractor people! Your tax dollars are working hard here!...keep sending them!

 

[trek5900]

yes, he was rude. If he was a regular client and demanding I would consider firing him. Some times you do need to let some clients go. Some client are like milk - they go sour.

If he is a potential new client I would let him go. Not worth it in the long run.
Just my two cent opinion of 25 years working with the public.

 

[darren_nh]

While I'm not in the firewood business, my biggest pet peeve about the whole of the firewood process is:

When I've got my mind set on cutting for a few hours on a Saturday morning and my wife decides to remind me on Friday night about some stupid thing she committed us to months ago and never mentioned again. Last week it was family Christmas pictures and lunch at the in-laws.

Another irritant is when that really good looking tree gets felled and its rotten at the stump. Some of the best wood is gone or reduced to the campfire pile.

+1

Every time I have a plan to make some progress on the woodpile she has something to do that involves me. The part that really peeves me is when I am running behind, it is late spring or early summer and she wonders why it is such a priority to get the wood cut, split, and stacked to dry for that year. She loves the heat, but doesn't like to afford me the time to get it ready on time!

I could go on all day!

 

[LAH]

Firewood Pet Peeves

People getting in my wood pile. Finally put a good cable across the entrance to the lot Tuesday. It would be one thing for them to bring a saw and cut a few logs but no...................they got to load what I've already cut.

 

[AIM]

Seems like all the BEST trees are in an impossible spot to get close to. I have a HUGE white oak blow down in a swampy area of the woods. Probably 200' of truck sinking mud to get to it.
I've got a very large dead locust at the bottom of a steep hill with a creek directly on the other side.
Last but not least is one of the biggest dead elms I've ever seen leaning over a large creek. I think the lean is to much to pull it the other way.
There's tons of other wood to be had but I WANT these 3 bad!

 

[darren_nh]

People getting in my wood pile. Finally put a good cable across the entrance to the lot Tuesday. It would be one thing for them to bring a saw and cut a few logs but no...................they got to load what I've already cut.

Sounds like it is time for some "camping" near the woodpile.

 

[LAH]

Sounds like it is time for some "camping" near the woodpile.

We give wood to those in need but if you have a truck & a saw & a splitter & can load wood................

BTW: Love NH

 

[mtfallsmikey]

I feel your pain, Brother Darren!

My first wife was like that...my third wife much better, can run the MS-170, loads the boiler, helps stack wood.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Getiing Paid or should I say not getting paid.

Hey I'm not the US Gov't, don't look to me to finance your life. I don't expect you to work for free so why should I?

I can deal with rude, that's easy, tell them to buy their wood elsewhere.

More than one load has gone back on the truck for non-payment.

Take Care

 

[woodbooga]

+1

Every time I have a plan to make some progress on the woodpile she has something to do that involves me. The part that really peeves me is when I am running behind, it is late spring or early summer and she wonders why it is such a priority to get the wood cut, split, and stacked to dry for that year. She loves the heat, but doesn't like to afford me the time to get it ready on time!

I could go on all day!

aandabooks, darren, and I seem to be in the same boat. Boy didn't I catch holy he!! last Sunday for going off to my cutting site 5 mi from home to snag some downed-but-green red oak. Even after I tended to my honey-do list.

This hasn't been a problem for some time (and probably not an issue for anyone who posts in this forum) but when we first started burning, the cutting and bucking part was a real drag. My only saws were a Craftsman 40cc that was unreliable and an erratic 017. There's nothing worse than being lacking in the saw department when you're wanting to do firewood. And, as God is my witness, I will never be hungry again!

 

[avalancher]

I think the thing that has pi$$ed me off the most in my brief career is the few customers who seem to look down at me like I'm some sort 2nd class citizen who must be desperate for money if I'm selling firewood. Truth is I walked away from the very type job (white collar) most of them probably have because it made me miserable...like they are. My wife and I do very well financially and the money from wood is just gravy. They main reason I started selling it is that it gives me a legitimate excuse to cut and split more. Fortunately these people are the exception.

Man, I have to second that one! I met a friend of my wifes last year. We stopped by their house, and I was introduced to her husband. We sat and chatted for a bit while the wives gushed over something in the other room. He asked me what I do for a living, i told him what I did and added that I sell firewood in the winter when my other work slows down.Silence.....
All I got out of him after that was one or two word replies to my end of the conversation.Later he told his wife that he didnt realize that we were,"that type of people"
Shoot, my wifes a school teacher, we both have college degrees, and I have a great business doing well. What type are we, anyway?:censored:

 

[bigjake]

What makes me mad someone will call i have some trees bla bla bla and i say
be there sat or whatever get to the place and someone else has got all the
good wood and the tops and brush are there and the owner says well the
guy said he would do it now and you could have the rest .When i cut trees
i get rid of everything out of appreciation.And some customers you are better
off without.

 

[avalancher]

How about those knuckleheads that call you up, got your number from someone you knocked a tree down before."Hey, i got a huge oak tree that needs taking down, interested?"
Sure, I will stop by tomorrow.
You get there and its a 12 inch poplar right next to a barn.
Get a book people, or just say "its some kind of tree"

 

[Laird]

Dst

Why does DST have to end at the end of October? I get home from work @ 4:30 (I have a Govt job) and only have about an hour or so to work outside before dark. Barely enough time to go grab a trailer load of logs or split for awhile but not both. I guess I should consider myself lucky that I live on the far W side of EST. I pine for the summer days when I have till 10:00 PM to work outdoors. I need to invest in some outdoor spotlights I guess.

 

[wdchuck]

One peeve....not finding the paid wooded lot cleanup jobs. Even getting all fuels covered would be nice...like a gas card pressed in my hand or left in the truck with a note "thanks".

The other peeve...not having the health that this line of work/hobby requires....strength, endurance, healthy internal systems.

Both are things that I'm working to change for the better.

Thankfully, the wife actually plans some of her vacation time to give me 4day weekends during Oct/Nov to harvest wood during the cooler temperatures. Just get it home, then process during the daytime weekdays once the snow keeps me out of my sources.

A peeve for the wife...during the firewood season for me, her workload of domestic duties increases, since my dishpan hands turn to woodgrubber hands for a couple months. Also, I'm not one to take my sh!tkickers off every time I walk into the house.

One last peeve...there is a guy in town selling oak/cherry firewood for $100/cord because he got paid to cleanup all the landowners fallen trees and deadwood. So he is just having a negative effect on the market for everyone else.

 

[Zodiac45]

aandabooks, darren, and I seem to be in the same boat. Boy didn't I catch holy he!! last Sunday for going off to my cutting site 5 mi from home to snag some downed-but-green red oak. Even after I tended to my honey-do list.

This hasn't been a problem for some time (and probably not an issue for anyone who posts in this forum) but when we first started burning, the cutting and bucking part was a real drag. My only saws were a Craftsman 40cc that was unreliable and an erratic 017. There's nothing worse than being lacking in the saw department when you're wanting to do firewood. And, as God is my witness, I will never be hungry again!

I'd have too agree that a POS saw is most irritating. My ex-firewood partner (RIP Ralphie) used too consistantly bring 2-3 saws that invariably crapped out over the course of the day. One fine sat morning we were cutting up on Easter Ridge at 2 year old veneering operation. We were close too a small lake called Round Pond. This was beautiful rock maple and yellow birch tops and crooks that we were able too back right up too. So, I'm cutting away with shooting muffs on when I can hear yelling (over my saw) and out of the corner of eye I see a red flash and a splash. Old Ralphie had lost it and slung(hammer throw style) a recalcitrant Homelite right into the pond! All I could do was continue too saw and laugh too myself. He was good old dude but his own worst enemy when it came too anything with an engine on it. We had some fun and interesting times though and he'd been on some the last log drives down the Machias River back in the late 60s. He'll be missed. His wife told me he's either up there scouting for wood, or (more likely) down below stoking the boilers.