Your Biggest Stumbling Block

[Kevin_H.]

I dont know what kind of response this might get, but I was wondering for the full timers and serious part timers.

What is/was your biggest stumbling block and what have you done/doing to work around or fix the block.

I will go first.  

I find that our biggest problem is production. I consider myself a part time sawyer, I still work my real job, but I do saw 3 or 4 days a week atleast 7 hours each of those days.

Everything that comes off my saw is sold. I dont really have to inventory anything.

To up our producton we try to make ourselfs as efficent as possible, handling each pc of wood as little as possible, and I am sure a bigger sawmill is in our near future.

Next?

[CHARLIE]

I don't have a mill but I'm trying to make stuff to sell in my woodworking shop.  I find my biggest stumbling block is my organization. I tend to use a tool and then lay it on the workbench instead of putting it back in it's place. Pretty soon I'm wasting time looking for my tools.

[Percy]

You are right on Kevin, in bringing this point up. Realization that you WILL have stumbling blocks, the open mindedness(issat a word??) to accept that you may be doing somthing wrong and the humbleness to change your ways so as to make things better is the first step. That being said,(still workin on the first step..heh), organizing my time is difficult, I need to hunt for logs, call customers about a certain aspect of their order, ensure that all  facets of my operation are workin smoothly...AND cut wood at an astonishingly rapid rate and still I feel like I could have accomplished more in the day. Im sure I could have if I had been more ORGANIZED...Im workin on it..heh

[Kirk_Allen]

Kevin,
As a serious part time sawyer my first major stumbling block woud be getting logs.  I now have quite a selction of wood; W Oak, R Oak, Cherry, Walnut, Spalted Maple, Maple, HIckory, Ash, American Elm,Cedar Elm,  Honey Locust, Osage Orange, Hackberry, Burch, Cottonwood and Box Elder and it was all free   I have found quite a nich in getting free wood.  Simply contacting developers of subdivision has been the best source.  The other has been through on line woodworking sites.  Just yesterday I did a 50/50 cutting job.  500 bf of Red Oak, 300 BF of Basswood.      

I cut for our farmer for free and he now drops of logs weekly from his dozer operations.    So I would have to say my first concern is by far my last

Next wood be where to store my wood collection.  Solved that by moving back to the family farm .  Plenty of storage in the Old Chicken barn.

Next it was having a means of getting logs onto a trailer and in position to saw.  Partial fix was the winch on the truck. Final fix will be a loader of some sort.

Next is getting this inventory dried.  Once our move is completed I plan on building a Kiln from a 48' Refer trailer.

Next is finding buyers:  Dont think that will be to big of a problem.  I have a few small buyers but have had numerous requests from several sources seeking kiln dried wood.  So I think this problem will be solved by the preivous one being addressed.

I thought my biggest problem would be finding people to cut for.  NOT!  I try to park my mill on the south side of the barn (out of site) when I cut on the weekends now.  Simply to many people stopping by wanting something cut up.  Now dont get me wrong, I want to cut there wood, but until I make our final move in June, I simply dont have time for any new customers.  

[HORSELOGGER]

My biggest stumbling block is having attention deficit disorder! Actually, lack of labor!  I run all aspects from logging to selling finished flooring. Lots of customer contact ( which I love ) and while I am yakin with the customers, nothing is being done. I use captive slave labor ( have 6 kids) but only use them when their schedule allows. Boys are 11, 9 and 6. Plan is to survive the next few years as the business grows and eventually let them take up some of the slack. My middle daughter really likes the millwork shop, so I will keep letting her do more.The darn red tape , taxes and insurance just make it hard to stay small and friendly with employees.

[OneWithWood]

Well I have encountered a series of minor problems that have caused delays for me.  Some I could do nothing about such as physical probs like a torn right bicep last spring - really crimped my style - and three eye surgeries in the last 18 months.  The weather has a habit of doing exactly the wrong thing on the days I can devote totally to building the barn or falling trees.  But I would have to admit the two biggest obstacles by far are the full time job that pays the bills and my own stubborness of always wanting to do everything myself  
I have vowed to work on my antisocial behavior and allow some other folks to share in the fun - yeah right  
One other thing - there are not enough daylight hours in a day for too much of the year  :-/

[Captain]

My biggest stumbling block is time. Much of this is self induced, I have a full time job 5 days a week, PLUS the sawmill operation PLUS the Fire Department at any given time.  For the next 11 weeks(on Sundays), I will be in a class for my EMT Intermediate, plus 100 hours of clinical time after that.

Lately my biggest stumbling block is dealing with FREE logs.  I have been working with 2 tree services, one that has a log truck, one that does not.  The one WITH the log truck will just show up and drop some stuff off weekly, some good, mostly low grade softwood.  He is also a great resource for logs I "gotta have" to do custom jobs.  The other tree service is the source of my dilemma right now, better logs but no log truck.  I parbuckle them with my 1 ton flatbed.  They call on short notice, and need the logs moved ASAP.  This really cuts into my time.  I've got 1MBF+ of softwood here in the last 2 months, with little time left to saw.

My priorities need to be sorted.  If I am cutting instead of hauling logs, I can probably earn back the $$$ spent to have the logs hauled EVENTUALLY.  To spend TIME or to spend MONEY??  I think we have all pondered that question.  That's it, I need a log truck

Captain

[Kevin_H.]

Captain I know exacxtly what you are talking about in regards to the free logs, We havent had to buy any logs for well over a year, but it's very time consuming to go and retreave these freebee's

We had a two week period when we didnt saw at all because we were hauling in logs. real easy to get behind in a case like that.

Logs would be easy for us to buy, a phone call today would get me a truck load of logs tomorrow, but its just hard to bring myself to pass up the free ones.

Good luck on your EMT I

We have had to deal with labor issues in the past. We ran full time a couple of years ago and had "Leased" 3 employees, To me this was a huge drain. with the cut up line that we had going you needed all 3 to keep up production. If some one was sick the first thing you had to do was slow down all the machines.

Right now it's just the wife and I running the mill, This keeps us real flexible.

[Brian_Bailey]

My biggest stumbling block is ME!  

I have a hard time saying no to a customer, so I tend to bit off more work than I can chew.

One thing that I've been working on, is the realization that I can't fulfill everyones needs.

So I have been refining my business plan, if you can call it that, into a plan that fulfills my needs rather than a vehicle to pursue the almighty $$.

[raycon]

Time seems to be the largest hurdle.
Wrapping up a barn timberframe design sized the principal members so at least I can now start using the mill again.

The interim hurdle is I need to work on the F-250 (fuel tanks,oil pan,clutch),put the F-350 back together,replace the rear axle bearings in the GMC van and weld up a new undercarriage for the backhoe subframe. The to be milled log pile for the barn has grown to 60+ logs another 20 to pickup for free first come first served -- I'm behind but in no hurry.

[shopteacher]

Hi, this is Butch,  and my biggest problem is getting the Teach off his big arse. And that's all I got to say about that!

[rebocardo]

> your biggest stumbling block and what have you done

Not having enough money to buy the tools I need first time around.

[Bibbyman]

I don’t think we have stumbling blocks.  More like an obstacle course.

Here are some:

Getting specific logs to fill orders.  At this time, we probably have 10mbf of logs on the lot and not one 12’ oak log.  Guess what people order the most of?  We’ll eventually get 12’s and then people will want 14’ stuff.  Never ending struggle.

Weather.  Wind, rain, cold, heat.  Been planning for the past couple of years to build a building we can saw in all weather.  Just not had time.

What to do with stuff left over from filling orders.  Our biggest oak customer buys only 2x6 and 1x6 oak.  What to do when the log makes a couple of 1x8s and 1x10s? (Any 1x12s are split – any 2x12s x 12,14,16 are kept for dump truck side boards.)  Still end up with a lot of other stuff.  People come and need stuff but it’s almost never what you got.  After a stack in picked out,  bundle it up and make a pig farmer a deal on the whole pile.

Same with below grade lumber from sawing grade lumber.  Oak and some other hardwood logs we can make 2 or 4 3”x4” pieces of blocking out of the heart saws.

Disposing of slabs and sawdust.  Even cutting up a lot of them into firewood,  we still have slabs to burn.  Sawdust is “composted” as there is little interest in using it for bedding or anything else.  Usually contains walnut sawdust – not good for horses.

Customers that make appointments (usually at a time of our inconvenience) and then not show up.  Customers that take up more time than they are worth.  When Mary and I are both running the mill,  only one of us tend to the customer.  The other continues to work.  I think this shortens the customer’s “hang” time.  

Customers that don’t pick up their custom sawn lumber for months – even years later.  Got the log lot ringed with piles of this and that.  Most all of it is paid for.  If it wasn’t it gets sold after some reasonable length of time and number of calls that fail to produce results.

[EZ]

My biggest stumbling is I try to do everything perfect and if its not I get mad about it and do it over again. My wife trys to keep me from being so perfect on some things, but when she walks away I do it over again.
EZ

[DanG]

All of the above, except for EZ's problem. Most anybody can tell you that I ain't never run across that one.

[DR_Buck]

Thought my biggest problem was going to be getting logs also.  Got so many free ones offered up and not a good way to go get them.  Looks like a new 10,000 16ft trailer is on the horizon.   Had a builder offer "as many tractor trailer loads as I can take"....delivered for free!   Problem is I don't think he can get a tractor trailer across the hump from the RR track at the end of my driveway.   Waiting for him to let me know.


Charlie - I solved the laid down and lost tool problem.   I bought more tools!  

[FeltzE]

I think our biggest stumbling block is focusing on the product.

That is to say; "here is the target product and consumer need" and focusing all our energy on that. Over the last 6 yrs we went from primarily on site sawmilling to expanding to picking up tree service materials and wholesaling the logs (sawing klunkers to order) to currently sawmilling to order only. While keeping some grade KD hardwoodsand SYP on hand for retail sale.

We got everything in line to do everything we could imagine including sawing, drying, and molding in preperation for retirement from military service. Then   I took a new job a 8-4 fairly inflexible hours and that cured the picking up logs 1-2 times during the week to only weekend pickups resulting in drying up the free log supply. Our primary free state supported classified ads paper won't take sawmilling ads any more. So our primary customer base has slowed to word of mouth and has fallen off a bunch. Good thing we don't owe money on anything!

[DanG]

"Good thing we don't owe money on anything"

Lawdy, Lawdy, ain't that the truth?  A debt-free operation is the ONLY thing saving me, right now.  My stuff ain't fancy, but it is all paid for.

I get plenty of offers for free or cheap logs, but most of them are too far away to make it worthwhile. I live way out in the sticks, so it is 30-40 miles, each way, to most of them. One trip shoots a half-day, and I just can't afford that kind of time unless the logs are really nice. Ain't it funny how a 24 incher on the telephone looks more like a 12 incher, in person?

I'm also having a hard time convincing folks that I ain't a logger, or an arborist.  They just can't seem to get that through their heads.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  "BUT, BUT, I'll GIVE you the log, if you will just cut the tree down and clean up the mess"    

[ElectricAl]

Two things that get in the way of good production is the phone that is next to the sawmill, and retail customers.
We are almost to the point of not answering the phone any more.  
"Got Oak" just blows my mind.  

[Bibbyman]

One better.   "You the guys that cut wood?"

[Kevin_H.]

I can relate to the whole "focusing on product" thing...This is the main reason we dont cut grade lumber...too many different piles of lumber lying around.

We will cut just about anything to order but, we have one main product that we produce when we are not filling personal orders.

I think this also helps with cash flow, when you are dealing with tractor trailer loads, It takes a long time to get loads together when they are going in two or three different directions.

[Frank_Pender]

MY number one stumbling block is being tooooo nice to customers that pay part then not the other part. :-/  I have in excess of $10, 000 in receiveables.  DanG blaste it anyway.  I got to quit being so easy.  

[shopteacher]

Your just an old softie Frank!  

[bull]

Saying NO !! is my biggest stumbling block but Im Learning fast, If free logs aren't delivered they are not free !! I the free logs are junk they cost you money..... If your retail lumber sells for more than custom sawing pays,say No to Custom sawing......  Keep an available inventory for your retail customers..... Just say No !!