Can the community please help me understand is this a cultural thing, or where is the miss understanding?
I sent the following message to all the woodworkers I could find in a 30 mile radius on google maps. All of them (5+) all gave a resounding no.
Message: “Hello, I too am a professional woodworker. I’m visiting family for the holidays. I’m hoping that a local woodworker can help me harvest a bit of wood out of a log that my father in-law has been keeping for me. Do you have a maul, splitting ax, froe, ripping handsaw, a bandsaw with a sled for mini logs, or even a chainsaw? I just want to harvest two quarter sawn pieces out of this and get it off their patio. I will pay for the help and time. Thank you for considering. -Mark”
Am I crazy for asking, are NY woodworkers exceptionally unhelpful, or what is going on here? Meanwhile in my career in San Antonio, TX I have completed this same type of small milling job for at least 15-18 people.
Replies
Maybe since it’s Christmas they’re busy with their families. And you can buy a maul at HD or Lowes, or elsewhere.
Maybe offer to bring it to them? The gear load / unload + 30 min travel each way is a bear for a tiny task. Here in NYC I would assume there's metal in it, let them know you'll replace blades if need be.
I thought for sure bringing it to their shop was a given. I don’t know anyone who has a bandsaw they travel with. I’m not going to try to offer them anything after such a hard “no.” They have already shot down the conversation, idea.
I’ll rent a chainsaw local, and deal with it. I would have rather given the 50-60 bucks to a fellow wood worker than the big box rental place but se la vi I guess. I guess there is a greater spirit of cooperation than in the East. I hate to generalize, but if the shoe fits.
I never look down on little jobs like these. If I can buy groceries for my family with the little jobs I can do on my lunch break it is a no brainer for me.
I thought you might have included small sawyers in your search... bandsaw mills like woodmizers are trailer-mounted. These guys travel because trees are tough to move.
I'm not sure how you "searched" for woodworkers. There has to be more than 5 in a 30 mile radius. Tons more.
I wouldn't dream of asking 5 random people I'd never met for a favor at Christmas. And I wouldn't assume the reaction of those 5 random people, at this point in time, represents a valid regional difference in how nice or helpful people are.
I second this…. Seems like we learned more about you than you learned about them…
Seconded, absolutely. -NY woodworker.
Seconded, also a NY hobby woodworker. I would have gladly done it. You likely looked up pros who may be shutdown for. The holidays.
Well John, am not really into parenting and educating kids that are not mine, but I’ll take a crack at it. Most internet searches use this thing called google. You can search on a map for all types of businesses relative to your location. It is really an amazing feat of modern technology.
Your attempt to pick apart my post is part of the toxic environment that is Internet forums, degrading what could otherwise be a legitimate conversation, and could be a case study in your poor reading comprehension. I’m not out here asking randos for favors. I contacted more than 15 NY woodworking businesses who are out here advertising their services online. The only responses I got were 5 firm “no’s.”
Wow. I can't imagine why people aren't lined up to help you.
I second this. Everyone’s tone has been respectful except yours, maybe take a look in the mirror before berating others and then engaging in gaslighting suggesting that others are berating you when you’re the one calling people names.
Bring it north of the NY border, I will do it for you for a 4 pack of your local IPA !
They'd probably take it away at the border because of the bug rules.
Where in NY are you?
I’m north of NYC 45 min on the Harlem line. Pleasantville, on the sawmill parkway ironically. I rented a chainsaw, and gave that $70 to a business that wanted it. This post should be considered closed since nothing else positive will come from it.
FYI it is "C'est la vie"
Haaaa, he took the time to remove his bad French. I guess he's monitoring replies to the post he pronounced closed. It seems even egos are bigger in Texas.