Offbears

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

For 4 years, I've sawed by myself. Just me and my backhoe....bless her heart.
I had a Police Officer come buy some Cedar from me about 3 weeks ago. He truly has the love for wood and has a nice work shop at home.
He now offbears  for me on his days off. He is 50, very smart, has common sense, and is hungry to learn. He ask lots of questions and is a CLEAN freak. During waiting times when I'm actually sawing, he keeps the sawdust pile in order, makes sure stickers are ready, and carries the slabs out and stacks them in a neat pile. He blows off customers trailers, makes sure their lumber is stack according to size. I'm going nuts!  :D :D :D

Now....I've become set in my ways working alone.....if I wanted to stop and go get a Sun-Drop at the store.....I'd go. Sometimes I wouldn't go to the mill until 10am and sometimes I would quit at 2 pm and do something else.

Well since Kirk came aboard.....my off bearer is working the daylights out of me!
He shows up early with Sun-drops and bottled water, likes to take 30 minutes for lunch and wants to work 'til dark.....and his favorite saying is ..."1 more log". 

So far I have paid him in lumber and he is overwhelmed! Thats what he wanted.  I did pay him cash for todays work and he earned every penny of it. I'm actually getting out more than twice the lumber than when I was by myself.
He talked me into listing my lumber on Facebook.....Katie bar the door. ( old saying ).....the orders have been coming in from the Horse farmers and most of them are bringing their logs.

My question is......what do you guys pay your off bears?
Thank goodness he helps me on his days off......don't think I could keep up with Kirk everyday!  :D
But don't try to steal him!  ;D

[Dave Shepard]

Pay? Experience, a sense of accomplishment, a little adventure, and whatever else I can buffalo them into believing. :D

[Lewisman]

If they truly work like your guy, 10 bucks per hour cash.  If they can't see what needs to be done and ultimately aggravate me and slow me down i pay them 7 bucks an hour once then don't offer them any more work.

[sealark37]

Pay him in lumber.  He is just a few years (maybe less!) from retirement.  Offer to sell him the mill, and offer to help him in your spare time.  You aren't really successful in a business until you sell it for a nice profit.  Regards, Clark

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Good point Clark.  :D

[4x4American]

When I offbeared for a sawyer, he started me at $10/hr.  He would have me running with that mobile dimension mill.  I never sat idle.  I'd be stickering/stacking as fast as I could.  I was also the guy bringing the logs to the mill, dogging them to the deck, cleaning them with a wire brush, undogging what's left, replacing the teeth, dealing with the slab pile, etc.  I always try to see ahead.  After the first year he gave me a raise to $11/hr.  Then $11.50, then I quit after the third year for a job that paid $20/hr  ;D

[hackberry jake]

If I were you... I would pay him with a one way plane ticket to Northwest Arkansas. Me and Larry could use him!

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

If I were you... I would pay him with a one way plane ticket to Northwest Arkansas. Me and Larry could use him!

No can do.....he's to valueble and has become a good friend.

[tmarch]

Pay him in lumber or cash, no problem for either of you and no benefits (deductions) for either of you.  That or a barter system if he has something you want.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

That or a barter system if he has something you want.

Yes....his energy!  :D

[Holmes]

    Would you pay $100 a day cash for his help for 8 hours or $50 for 4 hours?  Think of a number you both will be comfortable with.  It must make you feel good to have that type of new friend and help around.  Don't let him get WIND of your Goat alias. :D

[Sixacresand]

My last offbearer was a customer who brought a trailer load of log he wanted milled.   We started earlier than I normally would, did not take a nap after lunch, and worked almost to dark.  I feel your pain, Poston 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

My last offbearer was a customer who brought a trailer load of log he wanted milled.   We started earlier than I normally would, did not take a nap after lunch, and worked almost to dark.  I feel your pain, Poston

Then you know what I'm talking about.  :D :D :D

[WDH]

David,

Don't let him know about your goat fixation.  It might scare him off.  Stay in the closet.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

David,

Don't let him know about your goat fixation.  It might scare him off.  Stay in the closet.

You're a baaaaaad man......but gots a neat farm.  :D

[YellowHammer]

I don't pay by the hour, I pay by production rate, at $100 per MBF, lunch and all the water they can drink. Since a good helper can easily double production, if he is making money, then I'm making more  ;D.
YH

[WmFritz]

I don't pay by the hour, I pay by production rate, at $100 per MBF, lunch and all the water they can drink. Since a good helper can easily double production, if he is making money, then I'm making more  ;D.
YH

I'm gonna bet 'lunch ' doesn't include tin cans.  :D

[WDH]

Not when I was there.  It was steak  ;D. 

[terrifictimbersllc]

Sounds like a good deal.  And he can provide security and be your DOT compliance officer too!

[roger 4400]

Police officers are always ( I mean often)  good people.....How I know, been one for over 30 years and did WORST' I MARRIED one  , my wife was an officer also ( retired now ) and worst than that we were partners on the same police car for 12 1/2 years....and we like wood and sawmills.  :D Have a nice day, watch those goats

[Bill Gaiche]

3 days = $300.00. bg

[mesquite buckeye]

Just remember that bears and goats don't mix. ;D Goats end up as lunch.

Just kidding. I'm sure he is a nice guy. Personally, I like the company and the help as long as I can still make money. ;D 8) 8) 8)

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Good story Roger. 

[Buck]

Whew!  I came through Rock Hill a few days ago.  I thought about looking you up.  That could have turned out bad if it would have been the wrong day. You'd have tried to get that kind of work out of me.  ;)

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Whew!  I came through Rock Hill a few days ago.  I thought about looking you up.  That could have turned out bad if it would have been the wrong day. You'd have tried to get that kind of work out of me.  ;)

Snicker, snicker.... :D :D :D :D :D You should have came by Buck.

[FarmingSawyer]

DanG...you guys pay your offbearers?? When I was offbearer for a sawyer, all I got was his daughter and 20 years of misery..... I did get 5 great daughters, though....so if any y'all come looking for a job at the mill....have I got a deal for you......

[landscraper]

My teenage son offbears for me (sometimes vice versa).  He rides with me sometimes hauling logs to 2 hardwood mills and a pine mill and I pointed out the guys working pulling 6x6 and 8x8 off the green chain in the summertime.  He prefers sawing to offbearing but doesn't gripe much either way. 

[SPD748]

You sure do attract an awful lot of lawmen Poston. I wonder, are they protecting or watching you? 

-lee

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

You sure do attract an awful lot of lawmen Poston. I wonder, are they protecting or watching you? 

-lee

I think they y'all are setting me up!  :D :D :D

[Don_Papenburg]

Lee , I think it has to be the latter.   "watch that old goat" ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[coppolajc10]

I'm a little late to the party on this one... but I think you should pay your offbearing friend with my new favorite beverage:



 

  8)

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Do you really want me to tell you whats in that?  :D :D :D :D :D

[coppolajc10]

in what, a goat rodeo?  yes, please do explain ;D

[thecfarm]

Isn't there an Old Saying about,Keep your friends close,but your enemies even closer.  ;D

[Ocklawahaboy]

Poston, I think you need to give him fair warning to put in for vacation time and come to the sycamore project.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Poston, I think you need to give him fair warning to put in for vacation time and come to the sycamore project.

Hummm......now ya got me scratching my noggin on a post.......I'm thinking.  ;D ;D ;D

[red oaks lumber]

hey ,if cops are coming i'm staying home me and law enforcement don't see eye to eye :D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

hey ,if cops are coming i'm staying home me and law enforcement don't see eye to eye :D

I'll bring 2.  :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[barbender]

  So a goat and a policeman walk into a...

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

A man in a movie theater notices what looks like a goat sitting next to him.
"Are you a goat?" asked the man, surprised.
"Yes."
"What are you doing at the movies?"
The goat replied, "Well, I liked the book."  :D :D :D :D :D :D

[wetdog]

Pay him whatever he wants and get as much work out of him as you can. It probably won't be long till he gets his own mill, sounds like he's been bit by the sawmill bug.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Kirk, my off bearer, gets to work about 3 days a week.
Everyday he works he ALWAYS sees that the mill is clean, sawdust out, new blade on for the next morning, water jugs filled, and lube system drained. Everything is blown off with the air compressor, he cleans the yard and other things while I'm figuring BF.

Things have really picked up since I started this post.

I never told him to do this....he picked up on it and just does it.

Man I feel lucky....oh yeah.....he gets paid good! 


 

[Peter Drouin]

Good help is hard to find, when you do keep them.