The Saga Continues

[JoeyLowe]

 8)Bidness is getting busy ;D

I woke up this morning early and decided to go the post office right off.  While there this guy approaches me and says "You're the sawmill guy right?"  I said yes and he quickly went on to tell me about how he owns a tree service and has some walnut logs that he wants to get rid of and I can have them if I'll come pick them up.   ;D ;D

I then headed over to meet with a guy about some logs that he needs milled.  When I get to his property, I discover that this has to be some of the prettiest land in Texas.  I took some pics and will post shortly.  He has 300 acres and has cut, limbed and bucked 200 pines and another 100 hardwoods that he wants milled into 1 by stock and posts.  He introduces me to his builder while I'm there.  This guy is building a timberframed house.  The builder has three other projects going and wants to know if I can mill some cedar beams if he provides the logs.  Of course I said yes, so he takes me over to the other jobsite where he has 40 cedar logs all at least 24" in diameter.

The first guy needs some cedar decking cut too, so I work a deal where I can use some of the smaller cedar logs for that and sell the decking to the first guy. :D

I leave these guys and head to my second appointment where this fella has another 20 cedars and about 60 oaks that he wants milled into lumber.  We work out the details and as I'm leaving from there, this guy pulls up and blocks me in and tells me that my wife let him know where I was at and that he has some logs to be milled as well.  While visiting with these guys, the preacher stops by and proceeds to tell them what a wonderful job I did for him on milling some lumber.

By now, I'm feeling pretty full of myself and I leave to head to my 3rd appointment with a trailer manufacturer.  I want to buy a larger flatbed trailer that can handle my forklift and loads of lumber with relative ease.  When I get there, I explain to this guy what I'm wanting to accomplish and he tells me that they are looking for an additional supplier of trailer deck boards too.  I get an order for 1000 2 x 6 x 18 deck boards to fill.  In return, they agree to take the trailer I bought from them 4 months ago back at 100% trade-in value and apply the refund to the new trailer that they are specing for me now.

I've got a smile and a half on face by now, so I get in my truck to head to the house after spending almost an entire day of scheduling jobs and meeting people so that I can keep the funnel full and I get another phone call from the lumberyard that I delivered all that oak to last month and still have not been paid for.  They tell me that it will be another week before I can get paid.   :( There went the smiles.  The saga continues.

Oh btw, it's still fun!!!!! 8)

[Bibbyman]

Wasn't you the guy that was worried about getting sawmill work?

[WoodChucker]

Sometimes it just doesn't pay to leave the house! lol

[Paul_H]

Sounds like a DanG good day Joey.It's encouraging to hear.

We just shipped out our first B-train with 25000 bdf of RR ties on Tues.Thursday,my wife and I,and 18 mo daughter drove 2 1/2 hours to the treatment plant,to talk to the inspector. Half way there I saw a load of ties coming toward us.I spun round and followed the truck.My wife said"how do you know they're yours?"Told her "I've handled each and every one,you just know."Turned out the driver had mechanical problems,and was put on another truck for a day.He was heading up for a new tire,then off to the treatment plant.

With time to kill, we grabbed breakfast,then stopped at a big finger jointing mill.I went in and asked for Bob,who I had talked to the week before about our side lumber.The lady at the front was cold and stiff,wondering who I was,what I wanted,and when would I be leaving?Do you have an appointment?No maam.Card?No maam. :-[I started to wonder who Bob was.Well he came out,I introduced myself and told him I was just a gypo logger with a sawmill,and that we had talked on the phone the week before.
We went out in the yard and looked at the different grades,then he took me for a full tour through the plant.It was an impressive operation,fully automated.After he told me he would take all I could send,for a higher price than he quoted on the phone.He gave me his card,and when I got back to the truck,I saw that he was the president of the company.That explained the secretary,and her demeanor.But, Bob was a down to earth, mill man,and I was glad to meet him.

Now we are cutting 40,000 bdf ,7"x10" x 20' planks for a customer,and still looking for that "niche market" :P

[JoeyLowe]

 8) ;)  Bibbyman, uh yep, that was me!  Haven't advertised in two months, but word of mouth seems to have picked up significantly.  The builder I mentioned above has already called me with two more orders for siding and beams.  Just like Paul, I'm still looking for a niche.

[Bibbyman]

Yea, after the last couple of years,  I get to where I like to set down one time to supper and NOT got get a phone call (sometimes we take the phone off the hook),  or have someone drop in with a load of logs to saw, or something.  I don't think I've set down and watched a movie all the way through in years.  You'll plan to get away on Sunday morning and then someone calls on Saturday (during supper) and wants to bring over a load of logs.  Can't do it any other time because they need the trailer.  Then they don't show up because they didn't get the logs loaded so they went on to do something else – but didn't think to call you and tell you.

Sometimes you're sure you're working on someone else's DanG good and ready time. >:(

Still like opening those logs up to see what's in them.

[Tom]

The last 6 or 8 weeks, I 've sawed everyday or at least traveled to set the mill up   Well, with the exception of the Agricultural show.  I took off one day to walk 893 miles around the fair grounds.  

Yesterday, as a favor for an old customer, I set the mill up at home and sawed some oak that I had procurred for him.  He came over and helped,  took his wood and was gone by 4pm.  

Home alone this weekend I slept in this morning, sunday, and at 8:30 heard a diesel engine running up where the mill was set up.  I jumped out of bed and ran to the window because my big work truck loaded with tools and the mill were there all alone.  I couldn't see anything so I hurriedly put on my pants and ran out the back door in enough time to see the white top of a large truck pulling out down my driveway.  I jumped in the the pickup and spun out in the front yard (wife's going to like that) and passed my saw area in pursuit.  My truck and mill were still there.

I hurriedly caught up with a automobile wrecker with a slide-back and honked my horn.  Out of the passenger door came an old customer. "I thought you'de be up by now"  I left some logs by the mill, when do you want to saw them?"

I said, "now !!"  I have to break the mill down to be on a job in the morning. We don't have much time."

He went home to get his truck and trailer and should return shortly.  I've made some breakfast and am trying to get in the mood.

As I passed my mill on the way back to the house, there were his logs.  Must be more than a dozen of them 15-20 DBH cut sixteen feet ramped in front of my mill.  He wants it all cut into five quarter fence boards.

How do they know? I didn't tell anybody I was home.  :-\

[Tom]

Another weekend under my belt and still no time of my own. Three hundred smackeroos later and a mill to break down in the morning will find me at another site to saw cypress.

You know, the customer today asked me to go home with him for dinner and he'd bring me back home.  His wife was fixing something special because their kids were coming over and he just knew I'd like it.  

I know I would have too but my wife is due home tonight and I don't want to have already eaten.  Two reasons. I'd have to eat again is one and I don't know what the other one is.  :-\