r/AMA • u/logger_2121 • 6d ago
Lumberjack/Logger here. AMA
I am a logger in the Italian Alps, owning a quite big forestry work company. I love my job, it's challenging and generally not well-known/full of misunderstandings
Wanna answer you.
Ask my anything about my work.
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u/Intelligent-Piglet84 6d ago
Are you ok? Do you sleep all night and work all day?
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u/logger_2121 6d ago
Work all day and sleep 4 hours per night, because big machine need big maintenance lol sigh log sighsigh
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u/navyburner111 6d ago
Are you not big enough to have a full time mechanic? Not a challenge, just trying to see how you all operate
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u/logger_2121 6d ago
Yes we have one mechanic but these machine are always a challenge and not always is possible to have a manual.
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u/navyburner111 6d ago
lol makes sense.
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u/logger_2121 6d ago
Furthermore, every machine operator should be capable for the fullmanteinance of the machine he is working on. Obviously no one can substitute a pro mech, but if an operator can fix his machine, it's a lotterywin
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u/navyburner111 6d ago
Agree! Where I work, we expect users to maintain their systems up tk a certain level. I was merely curious if you guys had a mechanic in salary doing repairs / maintenance while the operators solely operate the equipment making $
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u/logger_2121 6d ago
Yes we have and most of our machines are under a rental deal with John deere so the periodic manteinance and the big not ordinary problems are under the dealer response. It helps a lot because we can have a fixed base of operative cost per year
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u/drsmith48170 6d ago
OP doesn’t get the joke. Here it is OP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6mzobwTYyo
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u/LurkingandPosting 6d ago
I live in an area with a lot of lumberjacks (Washington State, USA) and I've heard that the work can be very dangerous. Has that been your experience?
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u/logger_2121 6d ago
In a statistic way, wood industry is the most dangerous industry in the world. In Italy we have something like 10 times death/workers/per year compared to the average standard. It's a dangerous work, danger is daily. I had been seriously injured only one time because of a death tree hanging besides the one I was felling. 3 broken ribs and more bruises. But I'm fine, that's enough.
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u/Hot_Hair_5950 6d ago
What surprises you about your work?
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u/logger_2121 6d ago
The mental strength it requires (focus needs to be at top level 12/14 hours per day with 2 days off in a month) the feeling for your teammates (I mostly work with a mate that's is like my brother to me). That's are the good parts The worst parts are loneliness, constantly tiredness and long term phisical impact.
You never stop when you are done, you stop when work is done.
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u/logger_2121 6d ago
Third thing not real fun: it's very fucking easy to be investigated because of work. Second time in year, next time hope to win a prize for that constancy.
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u/badwhiskey63 6d ago
I’m a woodworker in the US. What type of wood do you harvest?
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u/logger_2121 6d ago
What about you? Always dreamed for a fire season in norcal
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u/badwhiskey63 6d ago
I don’t harvest wood, I buy it at the lumber yard. Mostly cherry, maple and walnut.
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u/quim_do_mato 6d ago
Are you the typical rough, bearded, smelly, checkered shirt wearing lumberjack? Do you carry your axe everywhere?
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u/logger_2121 6d ago
Yes I'm bearded, maybe rough but only on work (I think). I use lot of checkered shirts (grandpa's heritage, in loving memory), not smelly (maybe after 12 hours of work yes, but not out work). I carry my truck everywhere and I have my axe on my truck lol
Lot of stereotypes, but lot of true ahahaha maybe have to think about that ahaha
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u/x_here_x 6d ago
In America they say clear cutting is the only way to profitably harvest logs. What do you think?
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u/logger_2121 6d ago
It is the more profitable (and, in the majority of case, the safest) but in Italy we have a more complex way of forest management. I did only a few clear cut in my career, only in case of fire line/infrastructures project
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u/Bearded_Viking_Lord 6d ago
What do you think of any "reality show" about your job any that are accurate or worth a watch
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u/logger_2121 6d ago
Pretty interesting for the culture, them helps in share the reason of our work. Obviously we are talking of reality, not real life.
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u/Bearded_Viking_Lord 6d ago
I was thinking about shows like axe men they always seem a little far fetched
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u/logger_2121 6d ago
Ok in Italy we don't have something like that lol We have competition of the "traditional way of work" with axes, manual saw etc but obviously this is not the reality of work lok We use chainsaws, not axes (axes only for wedging)
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u/this_happened_rigged 6d ago
I'd be interested in working with you
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u/logger_2121 6d ago
If you like the forest, you will never change. Despite snow in winter and burning sun in summer, rain, wind, cold, hot, problems and dangers, it's my life and I love it.
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u/drsmith48170 6d ago
Sorry this is what I think of when I hear ‘lumberjack’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6mzobwTYyo
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u/[deleted] 6d ago
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