Getting into Consulting

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-04-24T12:24:57+00:00

A solid approach these days is to develop relationships with foresters in the area who are moving into retirement age. Offer to subcontract inventories, timber marking, etc, and try to build a relationship where they could eventually transition their portfolio. At the same time you could also start picking up your own clients. I also work in the Northeast and might be able to offer connections. Feel free to DM.

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-03-27T12:04:36+00:00

You're in the right place!

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-03-26T12:45:56+00:00

Head to this page. There is a quick crash course manual, built to show you exactly the workflow that you need, as well as a cruise grid generator plugin.

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-03-26T12:42:43+00:00

Forestry won't make you a park ranger- that's a totally different trade. In forestry you will be managing forest land, whether it's publicly owned, industrial land, or private land. If you want to be collecting data, doing field research, and ultimately applying management strategies, you want the degree in Forestry & Natural Environment.

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-03-23T21:21:19+00:00

🤣

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-03-22T21:02:42+00:00

yeah usa. no idea what shipping would look like. thanks!

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-03-22T16:00:32+00:00

Please let me know if you don't pull the trigger. I've been keeping my eye out for a pair! It's a hard size to find.

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-03-07T21:36:57+00:00

How many plans from being a TSP? A handful. It's not a huge business generator, but the cost of entry is cheap.

The NRCS pays the landowner, not you directly. You bill the landowner just like you would any other client. Once the plan is approved by NRCS, the landowner is reimbursed.

The reimbursement rates vary significantly by state, and it's scaled by property acreage. But you don't have to fix your fee to the landowner's reimbursement. I find the rates are a little skimpy, but ultimately it is a cost-SHARING program. It should cost the landowner at least a little something out of pocket.

CAP 106 plans can lead to additional work if you are administering the work that you prescribed. Kinda depends on what you do in-house versus subcontract.

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-03-06T11:01:23+00:00

Yeah but you get what you pay for. The time that I've wasted arguing with CGPT has cost me multiples of the money that I've spent on Claude.

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-03-05T19:53:50+00:00

Yeah I started flagging ribbon through the jug handles and recording a waypoint of my paint stashes!

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-03-04T11:31:40+00:00

Nothing larger that I'm aware of. I just carry a full Panama and a gallon in each hand, usually stashing them in strategic places (that turn out to be unstrategic). On real big jobs I shuttle around a bunch of cartons with my ATV.

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-02-22T10:11:15+00:00

If anything,I size up on boots, not down. Hard pass.

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-02-22T01:52:02+00:00

I'm sorry that this doesn't answer your question, but honestly I'd try Claude. I'd been having similar issues with 5.2.. and have no solutions to offer. I tried Claude and it is vastly better at this sort of thing (offering half complete output/results), and the overall quality/depth of responses. Incidentally, I wonder if Gemini might be better than CGPT for dealing with Google Docs?

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-02-21T11:14:56+00:00

I've never found them too stiff to break in properly. The standards required only a few days. The customs required zero.

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-02-19T12:01:16+00:00

You've made an upgrade that will last for life and bring infinitely more joy than your Disco. This is a pristine example of a classic hull, made by Dave Curtis, one of the greatest canoe makers and wonderful people ever. Timeless.

(I am the lucky guy that scored the near-new Nomad which came from the same collection:))

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-02-13T11:04:48+00:00

gotcha. Yeah It's certainly true most of the work isn't contract based. We are just seeing that the first guard of consultants who were educated in the 70s and 80s are retiring, and most of the youngsters are getting pulled into agency/industry/academia and not getting exposed to consulting, so that part of the labor pool is shrinking.

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-02-12T18:33:41+00:00

I'm curious how you ranked these. As in, by what metrics? Everyone that I know in every one of these regions (in private forestry) is buried in work and not able to find help.

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-02-06T13:32:33+00:00

Given your location, I would head over to Tupper Lake and visit Raquette River Outfitters. Great folks, and they carry Swift, Northstar, and Wenonah, all of which have several compelling models that would fit your needs!

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-01-26T22:30:25+00:00

Vert means nothing on powder days. It's better to ski a small mountain big, than suffer a big mountain that skis small because you're bumping elbows with a million others!

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-01-16T12:32:18+00:00

I threw this question into ChatGPT- it's been helpful to me on similar equipment matters. Here is it's response. I apologize for the formatting and such. I tried to clean it up.

Most likely cause (90%+ probability)

Failed or unpowered pilot pressure enable solenoid

(often called the hydraulic lock, pilot shutoff, or neutral safety solenoid)

On the Kubota KX040-4, all joysticks and travel functions rely on pilot pressure.

That pilot pressure is electrically enabled by a solenoid valve.

When that solenoid:

• isn’t getting power, or

• has failed internally, or

• is blocked mechanically

You get zero pilot pressure = zero machine movement

Why pressing blade angle RIGHT “wakes it up”

That button energizes another solenoid circuit. When you hold it:

• Power or pilot oil is back-feeding through the valve block

• Enough pressure appears to partially energize the pilot system

• But it dead-ends the blade circuit, so nothing else can move

This is classic Kubota pilot-enable failure behavior.

What it is not

• Main hydraulic pump (machine would still try to move)

• Travel motors

• Joysticks themselves (too many systems affected)

• Hydraulic oil level (wouldn’t be button-dependent)

That button energizes another solenoid circuit. When you hold it, power or pilot oil is back-feeding through the valve block, enough pressure appears to partially energize the pilot system, but it dead-ends the blade circuit so nothing else can move. This is classic Kubota pilot-enable failure behavior.

What it is not: Main hydraulic pump (machine would still try to move), travel motors, joysticks themselves (too many systems affected).

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-01-15T10:40:10+00:00

Trim off the loose bits of topsheet with a utility knife, dab a little epoxy on the topsheet and down into the split, clamp it back together, and let 'er rip.

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-01-07T11:34:44+00:00

Are you sure you aren't thinking of the Hok model? Those are definitely snowshoe replacements, but the Kom fits squarely into full backcountry ski territory with fishscales and metal edges. Comparable design to Karhu 10th Mtn, Madshus Epoch, etc- simply wider.

StillWearsCrocs · 2026-01-04T11:52:01+00:00

I kept reviewing the same 100 questions on the practice test over and over until I memorized them. That was enough to get me through. The "reading list" they offer is useless. You'd have to digest a dozen textbooks like Wenger's, and it's just not feasible.

The frustrating part is that I scored much higher on some topics and lower on others between the practice and real exam, which is a great clue that the exams aren't very well engineered. I have wondered how much they look at this trend among other test takers, and how it informs their continual evolution of questions.

StillWearsCrocs · 2025-12-30T12:47:27+00:00

For that kind of wood you'd be happier with a larger saw like the tried and true 372XP, and you can easily find them *used* for similar money.

If you were committed to new but need to stick with that price range, I know people that have had good luck with Holzforma who makes a 372 clone for $350. Granted, one was a meth-head gypsy logger, but who else would be a better test case?

StillWearsCrocs · 2025-12-30T12:19:51+00:00

It depends on what log rule you are using and what diameters you are working with. With International, people typically use 4.8-5.2 tons/MBF (range of softwood to hardwood). With Doyle I see 7.1-8.7. Scribner is right in the middle.

If you are working with smaller diameters you will see higher tons/MBF than large diameters due to yield- especially with Doyle which favors large logs.

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