Working alone.

BubbaJr · Jan 4, 2005

My wife is great inside.. but outside she's.. um.. about useless. Can't climb a fence.. or tote a bag of feed. 

It sounds like we are married to the same woman. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I too work by myself almost all the time. I take every precaution that I can think of, the most important being my cell phone when I'm cutting trees. I was using my pike pole last fall, when the bark came off the tree, and I went over the top landing in a heap on the other side of the tree. I skinned up both legs, knees, and wrists, and dislocated two discs in my back. I was able to get back home, but it made me even more aware of the dangers when you least expect it. It also taught me that when I'm tired - QUIT. There's nothing out there that can't wait until I'm ready to do it.

I'll keep working by myself out of necessity, but I wish I had someone to help or just to keep me company sometimes.

SkyPup · Jan 4, 2005

I ride my motorcycles alone 99% of the time and operate my tractors alone 99% of the time, everything else I do is 100% not alone! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Grassgod · Jan 4, 2005

I do most of my own yard work alone but my wife will help if I ask her too. But I am a landscaper & work alone about 85% of the time. I have crews that work for me but the jobs I work on are one man jobs & most of the time I am on the tractor doing something. I do alot of different kinds of stuff for work & unfortunatly dont take all the safety precautions that I should. I have been working alone for soo long that I just have my own ways of doing things. Usually one day of the week I keep 2 guys with me to accomplich all the things that I cant do alone. Some people that watch me work that I am a little crazy, Time is money & I dont have any to waste so I hammer.

Turkeyman · Jan 4, 2005

I work alone 99% of the time and even haul /load tractor 50 miles alone. I am out of cell range on the property but I call a freind to let him know I am in the woods and back out. Invest in good Equip, it is cheaper in many ways. I have a FOPS and for $575 it is cheaper then an ER visit, if I could make it to the ER. Too many pine beetled trees where I work.
Also just because you work with somebody does not mean you are safer. I worked during college with a professional" and he notch a "widow maker" wrong with a bow saw and it fell 100 degrees in wrong direction and the last 4 ft caught me. A broken back later I learned the lesson, the hard way- I must watch out for myself.

PineRidge · Jan 4, 2005

While most of the time I do work alone help is always appreciated. I have helped my good neighbors change calcium filled tires, cut trees, stack heavy stone slabs using the loader, repair balers, plow gardens, pull down a large satellite dish, blow snow from drives, dig stumps, and just about anything else I can help with.

Likewise if a job comes up here that is a bit large, where help would be beneficial then we have no problems asking as there is always plenty of help from friends and neighbors.

RobS · Jan 5, 2005

I work alone a good bit of the time. Actually enjoy the challenge of figuring out how to do the work alone. Quick grip clamps are great for solo workers.

I almost bought this book called "Working Alone". Some of the reviews found it pretty basic though so I passed.

I do get nervous with the chainsaw so I try to have someone keeping an eye on me at the least. Might have something to do with a tree falling on me as a kid and 16 stitches over my eye but that's another story /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Michigan_Mike · Jan 5, 2005

Most of the time I work alone, but I carry a "walkie-talkie" with another one turned on in the house.
The advantage I see over a cell phone, is I only need to press one button to "ring" the other one.

SkyPup · Jan 5, 2005

I have portable FOG HORN wrapped around the ROPS, everyone within one mile of me knows what the sound of that means.

One day a limb fell on it's GO button while I was FELing out a root stump and it scared the livin' daylights out of me but three of my neighbors all came flying over to see what was wrong.....little embarrassing but better to be safe than sorry. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Soundguy · Jan 5, 2005

( I'll keep working by myself out of necessity, but I wish I had someone to help or just to keep me company sometimes )

I know what you mean.. there are a few times when I could use a hand. My new FEL is nice.. so is a boom pole or block and tackle.. but every now and then I'd like to have a person working with me.. instead of a brace or rope.. or long lever.

Jokingly one time I said that I needed a 'husband' to help me out. Right in line, my wife piped up.. "yeah.. well make sure he has a wife to come in and help me in the house too!"

We both got a good laugh out of that one.... Seriously though.. I've become a master at building things that takes two people by creative use of ropes, brace poles.. jacks, and unhealthy stress on my back! ( which I'm now paying for in the form of a minor back injury... hence me finally breaking down and getting a tractor with front end loader... )

Soundguy

JDNineNinety · Jan 5, 2005

Penokee, I also work by myself most of the time. I have a parcel of land about 60 miles from my home that I bought for hunting, fishing etc. I am 75 years old but love to work on my land. My children live far from me so it's work by myself or not at all. I take my cell phone and call home at
lunch and supper. Sometimes I leave at 6am and get home at 7 or 8. My wife is not happy about me going alone but it is that or the dreaded TV all day. I take great care (especially when climbing my 15-foot deer stands). If the man upstairs takes me at the farm I'LL DIE HAPPY.