The one man show to grow

Fastdirt said:

I would never be bothered if somebody carries on a mile long conversation here. This place can be just like if we were all hanging out over the bed of a pickup truck telling stories. Calling me by someone else's name however is bothering. HAHA, just kidding CM.

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Hey like my mom always said, "Call me anything except late to dinner!"

I have always been able to get a natural high from getting on a roll with work. I have been going hard and don't plan on letting up. It seems like it's been several 14 hour days mixed in with regular long days. Moving machines late and on Sunday and even digging on Sunday. I really wish I was riding in my lowboy but that will come. I am trying out guys and track loaders.

It wasn't me. They hauled in some dirt here. Dump truck driver backed in fine but wacked the Goalrilla (they aren't cheap) on the way out and taco'd the square tube. I felt giving that day. We had to use the 6' breaker bar and some sledge hammer action but we got her close.





I am a die hard Ford guy but this is just one beautiful truck that belongs to a customer.

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Rains come fast and heavy.


The 379 finally has all three windows in the 36" flat top.

What's the scoop on the loader?

I am consistently amazed at the amount of work you have! Looks like there is a lot of work going in your area. Makes me think I need to move. How far do you normally travel to stay busy?

Nice work as always!

Great looking work as always! Is that your track loader?

Keep the pics coming.

Chris

Well thanks guys. The story with the track loader is that I want to buy it or one with an enclosed cab. I have bitten off more work than I can do so I am really trying to find a guy to hire that can operate, grade, excavate, and drive the dump truck. I am about to have my lowboy back so I will have a full rig and a machine. I would probably rent the 953 for awhile to get adapted to the extra work load and then purchase a good used C model. Right now I do not have a guy. My brother can run the heck out of some machines but he is unmotivated and has led me on too many times. I have a lot of work I could take on such as house demos and spec home lots. I could even get into some overload work from some. Bottom line is I don't have a right hand man right now. It's a shame too. I wish I could find a guy like myself when I was 20 years old. I have lost a lot of work from really good customers too because I can't keep up and it affects me in many ways like my attitude. My reputation has become that I am only a one man show. I want to change that. I spent my whole working life as a finish grader and foreman on all types of jobs. I have confidence, I just can't back it up. I keep myself full up and cater to my core customers but something has to give.

This current job just escalated into a huge job. I discovered a huge trash pit below the house and garage. It was from 1973 when a tornado leveled the place. They buried all the trees. I have gone down to 16' and still haven't found virgin ground. Had to pull off to keep my schedule up. Builder is waiting for a price. Really have a good bit of other jobs needing to price. I'll probably loose them.

Oh and I 953 hyd. pump went out. I had 40 stumps to extract and think that might have played a factor in it.

nice work , although i am surprised to see people in buckets

If I was out of school and had my CDL already I would pack my bags and be down there in a skinny minute. That really sucks that you can't keep up with all the work you are getting. Look at is this way at least you have more than enough work rather than not enough. Hang in there man.

Good looking jobs Fastdirt.

Look on the bright side, having too much work is much better than sitting on the couch, waiting for the phone to ring. Been through both and choose being busy.

It's going to be a problem (as I am sure you are aware) to find a guy like you are looking for. Finding a kid with your drive and determination at that age is like finding a needle in a haystack, not saying anything about todays young workers, just reality. You might want to consider finding an older guy with experience but that comes with it's own issues too. Finding good employees is difficult and only getting harder.

Have you kept in touch or have any contact info for prior guys you have worked with? That might be an avenue to pursue.

Now a question on the job you posted above -

What's the process for clearing a lot in your neck of the woods? I see you are on the job after the trees have been cut and the vegetation ground but the stumps are still in the ground. Do they salvage the valuable timber and chip the rest?

The reason I ask is it's done a little differently here. The clearing contractor clears everything including the stumps and grinds it all. They load it out and usually sell the chips for boiler fuel.

BTW - I love the silt fence on the high side of the lot that will never receive any run-off. I know it's probably a city required item. Actually I see this on commercial plans all the time. Run silt fence the perimeter of the job regardless of terrain. On our current job we ran 100'+ on the high side of the project that gets no run off. It's silly but I charge them and put it in.

They are out there! I would have loved to find a guy like you when I was looking for work. Sounds like a dream job to me demo, grading and whatever else. I sure miss that stuff. I work at a mine now so a lot of repetition.
Cool jobs and pictures!

Your work is inspiring! Keep up the hard work.

That goalrilla is 2500 and takes five guys to assemble, i did one a few weeks ago haha. Wish i had an excavator! Im in the same boat looking for a guy, its definitrly hard. Keep at it.

Read the whole thread, excellent photos. Your work speaks for itself, meticulous...

I think you should start doing videos again I sure do miss watching them.

What he said...