Why I had to step down w/ my forestry mulching business

[@rfc-dl4qb]

Don't give up on your dream my friend. You will know when your ready to give it another run. Good luck and God's speed.

[@85ccmaster]

@@rfc-dl4qb much appreciated! I’m 3 weeks from going out again full time with my sawmill business.

[@hitch7883]

Thanks for sharing brother. God bless

[@85ccmaster]

@@hitch7883 sure thing!

[@BrandonBotello-f8f]

Keep your head up king, life knocks us down but as men we get back up. You find the best thing you can do with the skills you have. So you can own your time because at the end of the day it’s the most valuable commodity.

[@85ccmaster]

@@BrandonBotello-f8f for sure! Thank you for the kind words!

[@villageearthwright]

Sounds like had a tough run at the end there glad to hear you are still keeping busy otherwise though, keep up the good work!

[@85ccmaster]

@@villageearthwright I’m doing my best, about to go out on my own again sawmilling. Thanks for the kind words!

[@timbradeen8459]

Sorry things went the way they did for you. Todays day and age you have to get the equipment paid for and owned ASAP. Its hard sometimes to do that as you said. Cutting cost and doing the best you can is all you can do. There is some luck that goes along with it. I started in 2011 built things up. I thought covid was the end of things for me. Turns out it wasnt but things have never really come back to the good days before covid bs.

[@85ccmaster]

@@timbradeen8459 oh yeah it’s hard to pay expenses like that off fast and have money to live on with the personal side of things. Having a low overhead helps a good bit. That’s kinda where I’m at with my new business so hopefully it works out better. Good luck on continuing with yours!

[@timbradeen8459]

@85ccmaster Covid pushed everything into massive state of inflation. Ive been doing this for 15+years. Its made it very difficult for new younger guys to get into this field in some instances, not all. With repairs, parts, fuel, rubber, fluids, transport, grease, bad ground its the small stuff that gets a guy over time. I do think there's going to be some very good deals on vehicles and equipment before long bc the lots are full and nobody's buying. Keep your head up.

[@85ccmaster]

@ I bet so, I know I had a good run till things happened. Brand new start ups in this time are hard to get going. I’m going to buy a used machine hopefully sooner than later.

[@foardhook]

So long story short you weren't charging enough. This winter was super tough for me and I too have been doing some serious sole searching. My conclusion is I am competing for work against idiots. Myself included! NONE of us charge enough! I have hiked up my rates up a lot and I don't give a fuck anymore. I'm sick of working for fuck all wearing out my gear. Its all good while the gear is new but as soon as it starts wearing out you can't make money. WE ALL NEED TO CHARGE MORE!!! I have gone off the beaten track with my machine and I have NO competition. NO one can compete with my price unless they want to design and build the tool I have and the thing prints money. If you do what every other idiot does you will be in a race to the bottom. A slow moving sloth dragging a crescent behind him around a workshop is now charging $130.00 per hour here in NZ about the same as most fuckwits charge to run a 75 sized skid steer. I'm now $200.00 for my 120 sized machine with my tool on I'm $300.00. But really I price on M3 rate. That way they have no idea how much I charge. The tool is stupid fast and does a great job. I now do all my own maintenance and engineering. Keep your gear new and busy. If you can't tell I'm sick to death of guys under valuing what they do. Its takes a decent set of balls to go out and buy this gear and build a business and then we give it all away. Very few people can do what you did and sometimes we need to be reminded of that. Most men are gutless and amount to nothing, you are way further up the food chain from them so charge accordingly!

[@85ccmaster]

@@foardhook best of luck to you! I made a good living but the combination of my machine burning up & the slow winter months made for me getting in a hole I couldn’t get out of. I’m running my sawmill full time now, trying to give it another shot

[@foardhook]

@@85ccmaster Like you I need a bit of luck. Also like you I make the bulk of my money out of the machine. In fact I make more with the digger than the skid steer although I expect that to change over the next year or two as the tool gains work. Hourly charge out is not a good long term plan, we all do it more than we would like I'm sure. The construction work I do I could not do without the equipment particularly the EC 220 as it does all the heavy lifting on site. We just have to find a way to survive and thrive. I'm have no doubt you will be fine.

[@85ccmaster]

@ oh yeah my livelihood is in my sawmill, like my skid steer was. Hopefully it’ll all be fine!