Its been a bit since I posted anything new. I set up and built several concrete slabs for buildings, cleared a lot for a commercial building, move many loads of dirt and rock, cleared a fire break, most recently I have been clearing a house site (on job now for 20 days and they just added another week) all this since I posted here last.. I lately would call myself overworked. I have stopped taking smaller jobs and that has given me more time. But now the jobs are getting bigger and they are taking much longer. I really want a tub grinder now, I feel like I could make a small fortune with one, or more likely spend a small fortune on it
Here for the last few years I have had a hard time finding men that are willing to go 110%. Most are 60% type guys. Here lately I have grown tired of working with other guys on clearing and building work. My concrete men are good but my other guys really seem to just want to stand around watch me work and get paid for more than they do. I don't have any younger help and the older guys seem to just get slower. It is like I must be a baby sitter. I have scaled back to minimal help. I absolutely can not stand keeping up with other men. I call them in to help when I need a hand so they are more like an 10-99 type worker. But it really is just not worth dealing with them. From showing up late, to no shows, to leaving and claiming they are on the clock, from just a complete lack luster of not caring.. Most are just a flat let down.. So I work alone a lot now. I know it is dangerous cause if you drop a tree on yourself there is not anyone there to help...
And up to this point I have not met another person that likes to work like me. That could be bad and good, I guess. I am the type of guy that almost would rather sleep at the job-site than leave with work undone... I am driven.
I sort of consider this thread to be for the new guys that are considering getting into some heavy equipment so most of this is directed to those just getting going.
For anyone that is just getting started, here is my best advice. Only depend upon yourself. If you don't know how to do something figure it out. Learn to weld, learn to be a mechanic, learn to be a salesman, get your CDL, learn to be a saw man, learn to ride around and not worry if your AC is working, learn to get to the job-site 25 mins early. Be eager and willing to learn and work. Learn to balance your money so when you don't have work for 4 weeks you can be looking without being hungry, you don't need a new truck, or a new machine, you just need the will to push forward no matter what.. Any thing and everything can be done by YOU. Just find a way, anyway, and do it.
Forget drinking, smoking, drugs. Grab a sweet tea, Gatorade, water, and go. Focus on your work and do it. Yesterday was a big day, the person paying me was coming to the job site.. I got up at 400 am, left at 445 am, arrived at the fueling station and 530 am purchased $250 in diesel, on job site at 615 am, fuel machine grease and lube, sharpen saws. No coffee, no breakfast, one large water from the house to start the day. At 1200 pm I am behind schedule boss is on site at 200 pm, I ask for 45 more mins, dumpsters are running slow, they say no cant do it, 4 people coming to site with him. I say Ok. Bring me a burger. I skip lunch to finish clearing the main site for there staking party. Never left the site, never stopped for a break, did not have a water cooler, dam was I thirsty.. Got home at 830 pm.. That is what it takes sometimes ... That is what sets you above the rest.. Some tell me that I will pay the price later. You only have so many seasons to be fruitful, don't waste it doing nothing. My family does not come from a line of men that operate machinery.. sort of.. dad uses f-350 truck and trailers and a forklift but no earth moving machines other than a small tractor..
I am that guy that bought a machine without ever being on one. My dad told me I was crazy and that I did not have a trailer or truck to move it.. I said I can pay someone else to move it and I did.
I decided that I needed something bigger than a bobcat and I went to craigslist, I talked to a few sellers. I told him that I did not know how to use it, I asked if he would explain it to me and that I wanted to "test it before I bought it".
Seller hesitated but then was like go for it and just go slow.. I bought the first one that seemed right which was the first one I looked at.. It seemed right and it was. He said to me buddy this is fine machine it is a great machine you will love it.. I did not believe him but I was excited, I was so thrilled, it was like having my own tank! Turns out he was not lying not even a little... Never in 1000 years could I believe that a machine with 14,000 hours on it could do what it does and what it has done for me. I fix it when I break it, I run it and I know it. I have learned as the years go by just what it means to load it up but not over do it. I take care of it. It will make you cuss, cry and be proud. Over and Over and over.
It was time to start moving forward again. I found a little work and was paying to have the machine moved to the sites. So I stated looking for a trailer, which I found. Then I paid someone to move my machine on my trailer which saved me $25.00 per hour. A year or so later I found a truck which I did not drive. I spoke to many men about trucks. Basically I knew I wanted a truck set up with a factory air-brake system, a large motor for power and a large dump bed. I basically wanted the biggest badest dump truck I could find for $10,000 grand. I found it after a lot of searching. I then got my CDL. The truck was driven to me and it sat waiting on me to get the CDL. I had never driven it before I got my CDL. It was quite an experience to drive the brute compared to a new truck at a CDL school. Completely different. I will never forget the first time I got in that old truck and went for a ride. Lost all my air in an intersection. Stopped traffic, could not get it to shift holey hell... I did not think I was going to get it to move.. But I did.
So if you are on the fence just jump off and get in the game. It is worth every bit and it will lead you to somewhere you want to be. I love my job and I look forward to it everyday and I think about my work while away... and don't let me fool you it is not easy it is hard work but it is worth it. This type work takes a special person are you the one?