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[Swamp Yankee]

More to the point

How do the other firewood sellers on the forum find temporary help when they need it?

Often times from Labor Day on I find myself in need to hire someone for a few days a month to help with deliveries, cutting and splitting on the piles of treelength, helping to rig a take down on an ongoing land clearing job etc. Problem is finding someone that is both reliable and has enough experience to do the job without constant supervision.

So far this year I've "auditioned" 4 guys and they were all, let's just say typical 3 cord a year lumberjacks that wanted to play chainsaw. They all talked a good game, but that's about it. One guy I told to go away upon arrival. When we spoke on the phone I told him he needed to bring PPE including chaps, ear & eye protection, and steel toe boots. He shows up with a saw no PPE wearing sneakers. The other 3 couldn't cut 2 pieces the same length, (16 to 18 inches) or if they did it was by random chance. Finally I started marking the treelengths for them and guess what they still were way off because they couldn't cut the ends close to square. We won't get into the time wasted fiddling with their saw and how they can't pick up rounds because they hurt their back

OK, so I've ranted. I'm not looking for something for nothing. I pay $15 per hour cash at the end of the day, typically 5 to 6 hours, or if they prefer I help them cut and split a load to take home if they have a truck, their choice. I supply the mix and B&C oil unless they prefer to use their own. Believe it or not the best help I've had so far this fall was one of my customers who was out of work. She helped load and unload doing deliveries for a few days until she got called back. Sorry to lose her, she could outwork most men.

So how do you guys track down temporary help? Am I not paying enough to get someone decent?

Last thought. Any members in the NE CT area interested in helping on a temp basis please drop a PM and some contact info and we'll talk. I have 50 cord of treelength in the landing right now with more coming, have about 1/2 dozen trees to rig and take down on another job site.

Deep Sigh,

Take Care

 

[MasterBlaster]

We hired our last groundie via Craigslist. I received a call within 30 minutes and he wound up getting hired. I got three other calls during the remainder of the evening, until I pulled the ad. It's free - give it a shot!

 

[zogger]

Ha! I think around here you could get two guys for 15 clams an hour..I guess it just depends on your local economy.

From what I understand, your general area is rather high rent, so wages must be generally pretty high. My area hits the very bottom of the pile right now (well, #2 from the bottom...), housing bubble collapsed the local manufacturing, sent tons of guys outta work and a lot of home owner house foreclosures and bankruptcies, etc. Between CL and the local trader mag must be a couple dozen firewood sellers, all out lowballing each other. Plus, the crime rate has gone up a lot...first hand knowledge of that here unfortunately...

Anyway, if the commute wasn't so bad..Id be all over some part time 15 an hour to do firewood as opposed to my 20 bucks a day salary....HAHAHAHAHA!

 

[Festus]

At first thought, $15 an hour sounds pretty good, but if you think about it a little deeper, it's understandable. You're asking for someone who is smart enough and responsible enough to own a descent saw, understand the importance of personal safety, be humble enough and responsible enough to work their tails off and do quality work. These are the qualities of a person who is already employed. Welcome to the world of running your own business. There are a lot of people out there that want a paycheck, but darn few that are willing to work for it.

 

[jrider]

I am a high school teacher so I have access to unlimited teenagers. Don't laugh- some do know how to work and many others are willing to bust their butts for someone who is willing to take the time to teach them. Do I have them handle saws? Certainly not but they do all the grunt work for me. They do everything but run saws so I don't have to put it down often.

 

[Festus]

I am a high school teacher so I have access to unlimited teenagers. Don't laugh- some do know how to work and many others are willing to bust their butts for someone who is willing to take the time to teach them. Do I have them handle saws? Certainly not but they do all the grunt work for me. They do everything but run saws so I don't have to put it down often.

Yes, a lot of kids are good workers, but as you almost stated, it's almost illegal to let them actually work (letting them use a saw). These kids that are working well for you are the ones that will either be in college in a couple years, or employed somewhere with benefits and year around work, rather than cutting wood for cash.

I wish society would realize that we are not doing these good young people any favors by not letting them do things like running a chainsaw. Jrider, I'm not criticizing you at all, just the opposite. I'm not suggesting that you don't work according to child labor laws or do something that would get you in trouble with their parents.

 

[philoshop]

You might check for names with some local crop farmers that are done with their harvest. Strong young backs that aren't afraid to work, and they tend to have their wits about them when it comes to machinery.
The danger is they'll try to work you 'til you drop.

 

[HD2010]

I wish you well in finding good help. We had had about a dozen different guys helping in the woods. I think 2 of them would have worked out but they found other jobs. It's just frustating when need good help and can't find it. It is truly hard to find good help.

I love it when people ask me about a job. I tell them Menards or Lowes is always hiring. Oh they don't want to work there. They just don't want to work.

I better stop, I can go on and on with this.

 

[Jim Timber]

Sounds a lot like a couple of my friends. Not the work ethic, but trying to flush cut saplings results in little tire poppers everywhere. You want a hinge that's level? Bwahahaha! Not gonna happen... Hell, they're lucky if they get the slice out.

One claims to have grown up cutting firewood. His bar is always 20+ degrees from plum.

 

[Steve NW WI]

(snip) These are the qualities of a person who is already employed. .

That's pretty much it. Even in a poor economy, the good people have jobs. Your mission, Yankee, is to find one that has a job but still needs a bit more money to keep the wolves at bay. Also, it'd be wise to be flexible. Someone might not know which end of the saw is the sharp end, but is a dang good worker that could easily be worth every penny splitting or delivering.

 

[blackdogon57]

Same problems exist here in Ontario. I have been using my 16 year old and a buddy to the grunt work last couple of years. No way I would let them or any other "cash" employee touch a chainsaw. If an accident happens I would be bankrupted by litigation. I also use outside contractors to do processing for really big jobs and pay them by the cord.