Makes me feel good.

[POSTONLT40HD]

My ex-supervisor from the Forest Service bought his Woodmizer back in 1989. This is how I learned about a Woodmizer. This is the reason I bought a Woodmizer.
For 20 years, on and off, he sawed my lumber and I helped as an off bearer.

Now he is in his 80's, has trouble breathing, has trouble with his vision and stumbles when he walks.

Against Doctors orders and family advice he still goes to that old LT40 and fires it up and saws 2 or 4 logs a week.
After sawing he is completely exhausted.

From time to time he calls me and I go over and adjust his chain on his WM or grease the fittings. Last week I took the electric motor off the guide arm and had bearings put in it.

I could "toot" my horn about the things I've helped him do on his WM because of his health. But that's not my point.

My point is I get to see something that is very rare.

Here is an old timer who has never been on the internet in his life, has never touched a computer, does not know what the Forest Forum is, reads about forestry issues from magazines using a magnifying glass, can figure BF numbers in is head so fast it'll make me dizzy and calls his LT40 his baby.

We all talk about the "good 'ol days". Every time I go over to help, I feel the feeling OF "the good 'ol days".

My thoughts: Help an old person, now.  Because one day you will be the old person, before you know it. You'll learn a lot more than you think. And thanks to Woodmizer for giving this 'Ol Timer something to look forward to when he sees the sun come up everyday!

P.S. After all these years,  his old LT40 is no longer orange, it's Walnut Brown. 

[mad murdock]

That is good advice POSTONLT40HD!  I also have a neighbor in his 80's who loves to go in the woods and cut.  This year I helped him put out 8 loads of logs to the mill off his place, and helped him clean up (with my 2 teenage boys help), the 2 acres or so patch we were working in, so he could sell 10 cord of firewood on the side.  I like working with him, and I know that if it were not for is woodlot, and his desire to go out and cut, he would have left us a long time ago.  He had knee surgery recently, and this next spring, I hope I can keep up with him I only hope that when I am that old, I can still get out in the woods and whack down a few trees.  The woods is the best Rx in the world IMO, whether you are cutting trees, or milling lumber, working with wood just has a satisfaction you have to experience, it just is hard to describe for some reason.  Words don't do it justice.  I hope my kids will be around to help out this old guy when I get the hankering to go out to the woods, or mill, and want to make something when I get to be the "age of a tree".  Long live the good ol days, and long live all the old guys!

[houtwurm]

   respect

[Peter Drouin]

Thats why my WM has a chair, so when im 110 I can still cut wood

[POSTONLT40HD]

I told John about the WM chair. He told me he was scared of going to sleep in that chair and waking up at the end of a cut 3 hours later!

[Peter Drouin]

good one

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

POSTONLT40HD

I can definatey relate to your post. Some of the people that bring the most joy to my life are the old timers I know. They give of their time willingly and it is wonderful when they have a passion in life that keeps them young at heart.

One such fellow who is pushing 70 was in need on a heart transplant and for the longest time it did not look like it was going to happen. As he approached what appeared to be the final roundup, he called his family members together and virtually gave away everything he owned except for his house and truck. Likewise he gave his share of a 40 year old business to his partner whom he worked side by side with for all those years. By the grace of God, and with only weeks to spare, he received a heart transplant and is doing well now health wise.

Unfortunately, once he was given a new lease in life medically, then his problem turned to financial ones. The portions on the medical bills that the insurance company did not pay were bigger than most of us pay in a lifetime. None of the family members offered to return a single thing that he had given them, nor did his partner who took his extra 50% share in the business and basically forgot all about him. At 70 years old, he was basically starting all over but with a huge medical debt to pay on top of that.

You would think he would be angry and bitter, but such is not the case. He has a smile and a good hearted laugh at all times. What little he has, he would give to someone in need without reservation. Rather than be bitter about his partner no returning his share of the business to him, he worked the phone and his contacts and built a new business up from scratch, wheeling and dealing in used machinery of all types.

Some would say he should go out on disability and just sit home every month and wait for the check to come in the mailbox, but that will never be his way of life. It is the passion he has for getting up each day and being productive that keeps him young at heart. I try to get together with him as often as I can as I truly enjoy his company and positive outlook on life. Likewise I try to send him as much business as I can. People like him are an inspiration for us all.

[T Welsh]

Learn from your elders! And I think you know he enjoys the time you spend together. Tim

[Chuck White]

Great post POSTONLT40HD!

If any of you get the chance to buddy-up with an elder who truly enjoys getting out and doing things like sawing logs, cutting fire wood or any other job that resembles a trade or job, just remember the friendship goes both ways and you'll always remember the elder.

I got into sawing logs by helping my FIL on his 1992 LT40G18 manual mill.  He's 75 now and he still runs the ole mill and enjoys it.  Some days he might only saw one or two logs, but he always goes home with a satisfied look on his face.

The key words are RESPECT and ADMIRATION.

[Magic Smoke]

Great Posts!

[nomad]

POSTONLT40HD 

     Great post, and great replies too.  I enjoy most every minute I get to spend with folks older and wiser than I am; I learn a lot that way.

  Busy Beaver, you could help that old feller out some.  Learn to make voodoo dolls.

[pineywoods]

My thoughts: Help an old person, now.  Because one day you will be the old person, before you know it. You'll learn a lot more than you think. And thanks to Woodmizer for giving this 'Ol Timer something to look forward to when he sees the sun come up everyday!

It's not all sawmills and logging either. There are 5 woodmizers in my neighbohood.  Every one of the owners/operators has seen the 3/4 century mark pass by. The backgrounds of these old timers is absolutely astounding.  Nuclear physics, chemical engineering, pipeline construction, supercomputer specialist, oil well drillers and yes logging and sawmilling .Somewhere along the way, we all got bitten by the sawdust bug 

[beenthere]

 

............  I enjoy most every minute I get to spend with folks older and wiser than I am; I learn a lot that way.

  ............

I do to, but the 'older' are harder and harder to find....

[POSTONLT40HD]

Look in the mirror. 

[beenthere]

 
I avoid mirrors. 

[WH_Conley]

I don't like old guys. That is the reason I don't shave.

[Bill Gaiche]

Thanks for the post. It really makes you think how fast the years are passing by. So you just have to make the best of everyday for it may be your last. Spend some with a person that you like to share your works or just a visit with. The time spent is good medicine. bg

[zopi]

I have always liked hanging out and listening to old guys....alot to be learned.

[Woodchuck53]

Evening all. Happy Holidays. Talking about this, I have been re-reading thru Tom's Old Folks post every chance I get. We can all slow down an appreciate what is rapidly leaving us is a natural treasure. And true to form most of us that have raised our families and now have a lttle disposable income can invest in a hobby or second job are now the old guys. I know I don't feel 56 and my wife says I work harder than any body she knows. We went to one of those class reunions and found out right quick that stopping smoking made a great improvement on my longevity. The guys I played ball with are in bad shape. Some are already gone. I"ll take hard work and cleaner living any day. I get to dad's as often as I can, not as much as I should and he has a lot of old stories also. Take care.

[Brucer]

My friend, John, ran a home-made circle mill for years. It was powered off the PTO of his tractor and had a small blade. It could only handle an 11" log -- good for a 6x8 at most, but that was all he needed for his farm. Most of his "commercial" sawing was boxcar dunnage for a local company.

Two years ago John called me in the winter and asked if I could bring my mill out to his place in the spring. He'd fallen out of the loft of his barn and broken his back, his leg, and his pelvis ... and he had a contract with a nearby city to supply the bumper rails on an old bridge. He didn't want to give up the contract, even if he didn't make any money on it. I told John I'd be happy to help him out.

Come the spring, I drove over to John's farm in the next valley. I found him in a body cast, dressing a freshly slaughtered steer with help from his son. He was a bit embarrassed to see me and said he'd decided to buy his own hydraulic Wood-Mizer and saw up the logs himself. He'd meant to call me but hadn't got around to it.

I think John was worried that I'd be ticked off, but it didn't bother me. He has his own market and I've got mine and we never end up competing. In any event, I told John to drop by my mill any time he had a question. Since he drives by my site on the way to town, he often does stop by and we swap information. He can still read a log better than I can, and I know more about the quirks of operating a Wood-Mizer.

John was 76 when he bought his WM, and shows no sign of slowing down  .

[bandmiller2]

It is the folly of youth to put down old men and old machinery.Everything I've learned thats worthwile I've learned from old timers. Frank C.

[tractormanNwv]

Goes to show...no matter how smart you think you are, there's always something to be learned if you just listen.

Jim