Lets talk skidders...

[Greystoke]

Just found two job listings for work in the woods... Choker setter job for $15-$16 an hour... Both jobs are for same company.

Sawyer, $157.50 a day, plus $22.50 a day for expenses. :jawdrop:

That better be for a 6 hour day!

Pathetic! My first Professional Timber Falling job was in '95 in the Bitterroot; I had just turned 18 (still very green, but I could get the job done); I was getting $175 for 7 hours. Last day wage I worked for was in Southeast Alaska in '05; $350 for 6 hours plus they paid for pickup gas, and saw gas and oil. It is getting sad out there.

Cody

 

[Metals406]

Pathetic! My first Professional Timber Falling job was in '95 in the Bitterroot; I had just turned 18 (still very green, but I could get the job done); I was getting $175 for 7 hours. Last day wage I worked for was in Southeast Alaska in '05; $350 for 6 hours plus they paid for pickup gas, and saw gas and oil. It is getting sad out there.

Cody

Yeah... It makes me wonder if that's gypo on my numbers too? A 6 hour day would be 30 bucks an hour... But, that would be minimum wage if I had to do my own comp, insurance, saw gas, ect.

 

[bullbuck]

guess it depends on what you are used to getting paid?157 plus gas sounds damn good to me!down in these parts we get paid by the piece,80 cents a count,two count for 33' and 25' logs one count for 16'no count for 8' logs you gotta get with it to cover expenses and tax...oh yeah this is self employment too

 

[redprospector]

Hmm.
If they pay $16 an hour for a choker setter ($128 a day), and all you have to bring is your lunch. Or for $52 dollars more a day you can provide a saw, a back up saw, a pair of chaps, hard hat, saw gas, bar oil, maintenance, parts, and chain for those saws, your truck, fuel for said truck, plus insurance, and then you can still bring your own lunch. Sounds like a heck of a deal to me.

I'm with bullbuck, $180 a day wouldn't be bad around here (it's a depressed area ), but a choker setter ain't gonna make no $16 bucks an hour either.

Andy

 

[Metals406]

guess it depends on what you are used to getting paid?157 plus gas sounds damn good to me!down in these parts we get paid by the piece,80 cents a count,two count for 33' and 25' logs one count for 16'no count for 8' logs you gotta get with it to cover expenses and tax...oh yeah this is self employment too

Hmm.
If they pay $16 an hour for a choker setter ($128 a day), and all you have to bring is your lunch. Or for $52 dollars more a day you can provide a saw, a back up saw, a pair of chaps, hard hat, saw gas, bar oil, maintenance, parts, and chain for those saws, your truck, fuel for said truck, plus insurance, and then you can still bring your own lunch. Sounds like a heck of a deal to me.

I'm with bullbuck, $180 a day wouldn't be bad around here (it's a depressed area ), but a choker setter ain't gonna make no $16 bucks an hour either.

Andy

Yeah... I'm not saying the choker wage is bad... When I quit setting in the late 90's I was making 11 an hour.

I'm gonna call on both of them tomorrow and see whats up?.. They're probably already filled.

 

[bullbuck]

is that settin chokes for a line machine or cat?

 

[Metals406]

is that settin chokes for a line machine or cat?

From the description, I'm gonna say line machine...

Wage $15.00 - $16.00 Hourly Location COLUMBIA FALLS, FLATHEAD, MT, 59912
Choker Setter. Permanent full time. Wage is $15 ~ $16 / hour depending on experience. Must have at least 24 months experience, able to do very physical work, be quick on feet and able to run up and down mountain sides all day long, have a hard hat and good boots. Must also be able to work quickly and safely, have a good attitude and be a team player. Must have a contact phone and transportation to employer in Columbia Falls. Employer states terrain can be steep and hard, so good physical conditioning is essential. Transportation arrangements may be available to certain job sites. Lifting up to 50lbs.

Wage $157.00 Daily Location COLUMBIA FALLS, FLATHEAD, MT, 59912
Sawyer. Permanent full time position working 40 hours/ week, Monday ~ Friday. Wage is $157.50/ day plus $22.50/ day for expenses. Must have 2 years sawyer experience, own transportation and own equipment. Must also have or be able to obtain a current First Aid and CPR Certification. Current work location can be obtained from employer. Benefits after 1 year of employment. Lifting up to 50lbs.

 

[bullbuck]

i would rather cut myself, given the choice...i hope that you get the job whatever it may be?count my blessings every day just to have my job.there are alot of very hungry people right now...best of luck

 

[Metals406]

i would rather cut myself, given the choice...i hope that you get the job whatever it may be?count my blessings every day just to have my job.there are alot of very hungry people right now...best of luck

I'm going to check it out minimally... I still want to see about that Stewardship contract coming up the end of this month.

Thanks for the well wishes!

 

[bullbuck]

no doubt!do everything you can to get that!there is enough money in the thinnin right now to put a guy in business,i have seen some numbers on paper and yep stewardship is where its at...we are about 7/8 completed on our first 120 acre unit and things are going smooth loading three a day,turning alot of logs because they all come in tree length,other than that no downside as of yet...

 

[Metals406]

no doubt!do everything you can to get that!there is enough money in the thinnin right now to put a guy in business,i have seen some numbers on paper and yep stewardship is where its at...we are about 7/8 completed on our first 120 acre unit and things are going smooth loading three a day,turning alot of logs because they all come in tree length,other than that no downside as of yet...

Yeah, they seem like a way better sale than just a straight up timber buy. They're a more diversified sale, some clearing, some thinning, and some timber buying.

I'll have to see how it goes... The biggest ass kicker on doing these FS jobs, is trying to come up with the startup capital.

 

[bullbuck]

i hear you,i just bought a house and once i remodel it out of pocket, hopefully within one year from now i can have it reappraised and hopefully there is enough equity that i can lien against less than half value,so my necks not all the way out,this is my plan for the startup of my own small company...its risky but i gotta try

 

[Metals406]

i hear you,i just bought a house and once i remodel it out of pocket, hopefully within one year from now i can have it reappraised and hopefully there is enough equity that i can lien against less than half value,so my necks not all the way out,this is my plan for the startup of my own small company...its risky but i gotta try

I started my welding shop on a wing and a prayer... I have learned a crapload about owning a business since then.

I went into it thinking it would be awesome being the boss... I know better now.

 

[bullbuck]

i hate being the boss,my boss now wants me to boss and i wont do it,not for what hes paying!same as what he paid me 15 years ago,but anyways the numbers i saw on paper is the only reason i would even think about this,i just hope that in a year or two things still look good..

 

[Metals406]

i hate being the boss,my boss now wants me to boss and i wont do it,not for what hes paying!same as what he paid me 15 years ago,but anyways the numbers i saw on paper is the only reason i would even think about this,i just hope that in a year or two things still look good..

It's a lot of work being the boss... I can't even count the sleepless nights. It feels good to be an Indian every once in a while, rather than a Chief.

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of rewards to being the man... But there are a lot of bad things as well.

I developed a good case of insomnia since I went on my own in 2004... It drives my wife nuts! I'm not fond of it myself.

 

[bullbuck]

i guess there is a give and take to everything,i think that i can stay small,ideally me and one employee(sounds good right?)i do not want to get rich,i would just like to move forward instead of spinning wheels,and i have lots of people around who will help,this makes a world of difference...

 

[Metals406]

i guess there is a give and take to everything,i think that i can stay small,ideally me and one employee(sounds good right?)i do not want to get rich,i would just like to move forward instead of spinning wheels,and i have lots of people around who will help,this makes a world of difference...

I say go for it! You and I aren't getting any younger.

 

[bullbuck]

that is one thing that is certain...

 

[Metals406]

that is one thing that is certain...

What I meant was, you don't want to be 45 years old, and look back and regret not giving it a try... Even if it doesn't work out in the end, at least you can say you had a go.

I've come into contact with a lot of Saturday morning quarterbacks, that are full of a lot of advice and criticism... And they've never owned a business, and they wouldn't even try--but it doesn't stop them from criticizing.

 

[redprospector]

i hate being the boss,my boss now wants me to boss and i wont do it,not for what hes paying!same as what he paid me 15 years ago,but anyways the numbers i saw on paper is the only reason i would even think about this,i just hope that in a year or two things still look good..

I'm not trying to be a stick in the mud, but remember, you can make anything look good on paper. I'm not saying don't do it, I'm saying be sure to do all your own homework before investing the equity in your home. It's tough, with one employee you're stuck on the job at all times because you can't leave one man alone in the woods. With 2 employee's you'll be lucky if they get anything done while you're gone looking at the next job. On the weekends while your employee's are going to the lake, or riding dirt bikes and having fun, you'll be doing the maintenance and repairs on equipment so they can go to work on Monday.
I want to encourage you in this, but I want you to walk into it with both eye's open, and no rose colored glasses.

Andy