First Forestry Job

[Rick_uk]

Hi guys I have posted here once before asking advice on how to get a job, now Ifound a job. It's cutting trees down and getting paid by the ton. Just cross cutting and stacking.

Me and another guy have definetly been thrown in at the deep end, it's actually my first week properly using a chainsaw which I did explain to my new employer more than once.

Anyway, first 2 days the boss said he had no complaints everything fine. Then the last 2 days of the week he is saying he doesn't know if I can make it, he said my chainsaw use is a bit shakey, which it is but it's my first week, is this guy expecting too much from me? I really love the job and can't afford to get the sack so I asked for 1 more week to see if I improve, i'm getting about 1 truck full a day and the other guy whos been doing it for 10 years or so is filling 2 trucks or more a day.

Is he being unfair by expecting so much out of me too soon? On the first day he said he doenst care if it takes me all day to cut 2 trees down, now he just seems like he wants more trees coming down. I'm going as hard as I can all day, I have no forestry hand tools, just my chainsaw, my arms are black and blue from dragging BIG ass logs all over the place.

Just want to know what u guys think? He's making me feel like I shouldn't even be doing this job. Kind of annoyed me because I did explain to him on the phone before I started the only experience I have is from a 1 week chainsaw course. Any advice? I have another week coming up starting monday,then he'll decide if he keeps me or not I guess.

 

[oldirty]

take it as a threat and that this guy is going to be taking food out of your mouth. normally in that case you fight till you cant fight anymore but since its work you have to make it your challenge.

improve on every cut you make man. obviously your speed will improve if your technique is solid. you did get thrown into the fire and now its do or dont eat. and i am assuming you like to eat.

dont beat yourself up mentally but definitily beat yourself up physically. IE work your balls off.

be safe and work hard. that combination is a great 1-2 punch and that guy will be hard pressed to replace your effort if you take is SO VERY serious.


good luck man


oldirty

 

[ctrees4$]

Sounds like this guy may be a slave driver expecting so much so soon.When anyone is working with or for me saftey is most important and will sometimes slow you down.Your boss should know that.If this job doesnt work out for you try the residential work with a tree service, you will still be dropping trees just not having to fill two trucks a day.

 

[tree_beard]

your foreman sounds like a bit of a pr1ck, but thats life..

youre new to this so none of its second nature yet, all you can do is work smart and work safe.

think about every move you make, work out how to get the most timber in the least moves. get yourself some basic forest tools, some timber tongs for example means you dont have to bend right over, and get a hand hold on the log, you just clamp, drag, and release one handed, saving time, effort, your back and your hands. productivity from having the right tool for the job.


just dont compromise safety for productivity.


what kind and size timber you cutting up there in sunny wales? and whats the moolah like? i like the sound of two trucks a day of big ass logs...

cheers and good luck

 

[clearance]

take it as a threat and that this guy is going to be taking food out of your mouth. normally in that case you fight till you cant fight anymore but since its work you have to make it your challenge.

improve on every cut you make man. obviously your speed will improve if your technique is solid. you did get thrown into the fire and now its do or dont eat. and i am assuming you like to eat.

dont beat yourself up mentally but definitily beat yourself up physically. IE work your balls off.

be safe and work hard. that combination is a great 1-2 punch and that guy will be hard pressed to replace your effort if you take is SO VERY serious.


good luck man


oldirty

+1, good advice. Follow it, if you are fired, so be it, you tried your best, thats the best you can do. Don't complain, work harder, try harder, if the guy sees this and fires you anyways he is no good. And, when you are trying your best, you will get better, people will see this for the rest of your working life, and most will like it and respect you. Cheers/Jim

 

[Rick_uk]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies.

I wouldn't say the boss is a pr1ck, he's just a bit confusing. I did go balls out all week and worked my ass off. This week i will just go even harder at it. I think my worst problem is hung up trees, this really takes it out of me to try and get them down, it's alot of time and effort, the boss can get hung up trees down easily with his machine, but I always try and get it down before he see's that i've got another hung up tree.

The trees that we are working on are beech,ash,birch and larche but mostley beech. We get paid £12 per ton which can be easy money, like if you get 2 50 footers in a row with 10 inch trunks, but then your next tree might be 5 inches wide so it's really up and down.

I'm still getting used to my chainsaw, and trying to make it feel as natural as possible to hold but it's only been a week, that's the part I think the guy is being unfair, if you join the Army your not a crack shot with your rifle stright away, its not any differant with a chainsaw, I need time to get used to it. Well next weeks a new week so I will just do as much as I can. See what happens.

Thanks for your replies.

And sorry for a bad question, i've now got a sthil chain on my husky 357,can i use the same file size and file angle as my original husky chain?

 

[sawsong]

if you check inside the box the stihl chain comes in, it'll tell you on a chart what size file and filing angles the chain requires

jim

 

[Bermie]

If you don't have the box still, tell us what the pitch # is stamped near the depth gauge.

As for hung ups, well if your boss wants you to hurry with those he's an idiot. You need to take care getting them down cause they can kill you if it goes wrong.
Dd they expect you to be taking down these hungups with just hand tools or do you have access to a tirfor or come along? Working with winches usually comes in cs32, but did you get any exposure to them in your 31 training?

Hope its still going ok with you, keep us posted

 

[Rick_uk]

Hi guys and thanks for replying.

I'm not working for that same guy anymore, he is an ??????? IMO, he expected too much way too soon, I told him many times that I was inexperienced but inexperience isn't an excuse with him.

I spooke to a few differant tree companies about him, they don't know him but I explained the way he runs things and most said get away from him.

Any confidence I did have in my first week was knocked down by him almost daily, didn't get any encouragement from him or any training which he said he would give. Obviously time is money for him so I would prefer not to work there. He didn't discuss any saftey procerdures with us, no first aid, no grid referance, no chat about where the nearest hospital is.

As for hung up trees, he didn't really give us any tips about them, sometimes he would use the machine to pull them down, or he said, try using the felling bar, like I never thought of that.

Anyway,I found a much nicer,more polite south African guy who is just starting out his own business who said he will teach me to climb,provide gear and teach me anything I need to know. I have a much better feelng about the job i'lll be starting next week.

Thanks again

 

[Canyonbc]

Hi guys and thanks for replying.

I'm not working for that same guy anymore, he is an ??????? IMO, he expected too much way too soon, I told him many times that I was inexperienced but inexperience isn't an excuse with him.

I spooke to a few differant tree companies about him, they don't know him but I explained the way he runs things and most said get away from him.

Any confidence I did have in my first week was knocked down by him almost daily, didn't get any encouragement from him or any training which he said he would give. Obviously time is money for him so I would prefer not to work there. He didn't discuss any saftey procerdures with us, no first aid, no grid referance, no chat about where the nearest hospital is.

As for hung up trees, he didn't really give us any tips about them, sometimes he would use the machine to pull them down, or he said, try using the felling bar, like I never thought of that.

Anyway,I found a much nicer,more polite south African guy who is just starting out his own business who said he will teach me to climb,provide gear and teach me anything I need to know. I have a much better feelng about the job i'lll be starting next week.

Thanks again

Good to here...the guy did sound like a real..." " well you know what i mean.

Safety is always first...like others have already said.

Sounds like this new set up is poss. a much better situation. Dont let your old boss discourage you too much..if he runs a operation like that its only a matter of time before something horrible (hope not) happens and puts him out of business.

Best of luck

Mike

 

[Sprig]

Glad ya got away in one piece man! People who push like that have no regard for their men/women's safety in this most dangerous work, there is no place for that sort of attitude, it kills and maims and bungholes such as him more than likely throw an injured worker to the dogs, for them production is the bottom line over safety. Hope your new job works out for you and keep us curious folk posted on your progress eh!



Serge

 

[Bermie]

Good move rick...
Let us know how things go with the new job.
Good for you for not being willing to compromise your safety or your future for the sake of a few $$ and knowing how to tell the difference.h

 

[Rick_uk]

Thanks guys, thought I might get chewed up on here for not sticking with it,I knew I was slow as I was doing the job and I really enjoyed it too, I do wish I could of stayed longer and improved over time, but like I said, even 4 days in the boss was being funny with me. I didn't like the pressure he was giving, made me rush the work I was doing which isn't really safe with a chainsaw in your hands.

Well Monday is a new day, the guy i'm starting for is a 1 man band but he says he does everything by the book and no shortcuts which is what i'm looking for. But he said for the first job he won't be able to pay me as he's already made the quote for the job he is doing and I kind of invited myself along. Well he sure sounds alot better than the last guy so fingers crossed.

Cheers guys.

 

[Themadd1]

You can only do as much as you know how... If the guy was any good he would have taken the week to train you on proper felling techniques. If he didnt have the time to train you then he shouldnt have hired you.

My other gripe would be that he didnt have enough equipment for you to use for removal/clearing debris.

Sounds like he doesnt know how to work with other people.

Good for you to move on. Let him know that the power company here in ohio could use some more hacks.

LOL

 

[Frank Boyer]

Make sure that you treat the job right. By that I mean show up 20 minutes early, listen to what you are being taught, review the new material every night, keep notes so that you retain the training. and leave the drugs and alcohol for the unemployed. Communicate with every person on the job and stay busy. Good luck!

 

[Rick_uk]

Frank there would be no point me showing up 20 minutes early with my last employer, he just showed up as and when he wanted to. Maybe he had other stuff going on who knows, but we never heard anything about it, we didn't get taught correct felling procedures by him atall, he didn't teach me ANYTHING. Doubt he will even pay me as he hasn't so far.

If he wanted more experienced men working for him he should of written that in the job description. Showing up for work on time and leaving drugs and booze at home goes for any job, not just forestry and that's just common sense.

I'll see what happens with my new employer,fingers crossed.

 

[Frank Boyer]

You are defining your work habits. Don't let a ????ty boss affect your personal standards. Great "soft skills" and a strong work ethic will keep you working for a life time.