The Side Jobs Thread

[jk96]

I thought this might be a good thread to post some of the side jobs we do for others, whether for money or just helping a friend or neighbor.

I try to do a few side jobs each month, not a lot, but enough to make the payment on my CTL to justify the cost of having it for personal use. Doing this I get into some interesting jobs every once in awhile but some of these are not enough to start a thread on its own. So feel free to post some of your own side jobs as well even if it's just helping out a neighbor.
Jeremy

 

[jk96]

I'll start with one of my own from back in December. I received a call from someone that needed a stump removed. Because I have a $500 minimum, includes 3 hours of machine time, for any job using my CTL I suggested that he might be able to find someone a little cheaper to come in and grind it. He prefered to have it completely removed and said it should be a fairly easy dig, he thought it was mostly rotted. Turns out it was far from rotted and the biggest stump I've ever tackled. Root ball ended up being right at 8 ft at its widest point. I'm pretty sure at some point in this tree's life a T-Rex probably scratched his ass on it.

 

[jk96]

Oops, I intended to post this in the Owner/Operators Forum. Mods if you see this and feel that's a better location feel free to move.

 

[groundcover]

Quite a nugget!
Thought I would give the garden girl a hand blowing leaves and debris out of a garden we look after. Turned out to be more than either of us had figured. More that the tarp and I wanted to deal with. Small trailer and his tractor crossed my mind but also a pain to load and unload. Slapped a carry all of sorts out of some scraps I had kicking around. Easy to load and even easier to dump ! Used my forks and clipped them to his tractor .

 

[scootr]

I mow a couple of neighboring parcels for fuel $. Nets me about $1k which buys about 300 gallons. All with equipment I have purchased for personal use so little or no additional expense.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I have plowed my neighbor road twice this winter but it's just not worth the money.. I mow my neighbor trails but I do that for free any jobs I get asked to do during the summer I usually say no I am simply too busy and need my tractor. I also do some side roofing jobs during the summer I have two planned coming up....

 

[BackRoad]

I plow our private road which is about 1/2 mile and while at it, my 84 year old neighbor lady's drive which takes about 37 seconds...all gratis...

But about 2 years ago, I offered to clear an acre of rough 40 year over grown pasture for her...some trees, lots of scrub...

Then I cut it with the rotary cutter over about 6 months to tame the weeds and then leveled it so her nephew could start mowing it with a lawn mower. It turned out to be a pretty good looking lawn.

I might have 25 hours into it all told. She offered to pay me for doing it, which I kindly declined. (One of the perks of retirement is being selective in doing what you want to do...and not doing what you don't!)

At church later, she handed me a $150 Gas Card "to pay for diesel" she said.

I can't call it a side gig...the last time I worked for only $6 per hour was 1977!

 

[RjCorazza]

I just finished hauling 5 loads of Leland Cypress branches for my immediate neighbor with my pallet forks. It would have been an all day job for him to cut it up and haul it away.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Afternoon jk96,
I used to bush hog a real wet spot in one of my neighbors fields, that the guy that was doing the hay wouldn’t dare go into for fear of getting tractor and haybine stuck. More than once I broke through the sod and was up to the rims, but I kept motoring along because if I stopped , I was literally sunk and stuck. Always managed to get it done, never took any money but I think I was payed in beers !

 

[two_bit_score]

Great thread

 

[TractorTYMe]

Just came back from the 1st tractor job of the year. One of my customers I mow fields for couldn't find anyone to grade their HOA's common driveway to get rid of the potholes. So he called me, it was a quick 2h job.

 

[jk96]

Good Afternoon jk96,
I used to bush hog a real wet spot in one of my neighbors fields, that the guy that was doing the hay wouldn’t dare go into for fear of getting tractor and haybine stuck. More than once I broke through the sod and was up to the rims, but I kept motoring along because if I stopped , I was literally sunk and stuck. Always managed to get it done, never took any money but I think I was payed in beers !

I've stuck my tractor a few times but nothing like I've done in my CTL. Once its bellied out it's usually over. Twice I've had to call one of the local wreckers that has a large CTL and front mount winch to pull me out. Now I don't play in the mud much unless absolutely necessary.

 

[BackRoad]

Mr. TractorTYMe, the road looks great!

Did they make it worth your "tyme"?

 

[TractorTYMe]

Mr. TractorTYMe, the road looks great!

Did they make it worth your "tyme"?

Oh absolutely, I only earn enough to have some mad stash $$$ through out the year.

 

[2515R Dude]

I retired at age 54, so my two side jobs - one i invest in the market and second i trap unwarted creatures, coyotes, foxes, racoons, bobcats, opossums and groundhogs, on my neighbors properties keeping their chickens, cats and dogs safe. Free of course.
In return one cuts hay on my 30 acre field and take all the hay for free of course LOL, and also one of them tried to clean my 1/4 mile driveway from the snow and took a large chunk of blacktop with him. Cost me $800 in concrete and 4 days of labor, i did it myself. When i hinted him i might need some help, he did not understand my hint

 

[Hay Dude]

I help with mowing, snow, leaves and mulching at my church.

 

[scootr]

I have plowed my neighbor road twice this winter but it's just not worth the money.. I mow my neighbor trails but I do that for free any jobs I get asked to do during the summer I usually say no I am simply too busy and need my tractor. I also do some side roofing jobs during the summer I have two planned coming up....

Roofing is young mans work, I'd rather drive the tractor

 

[WM75Guy]

I have a 14' dump trailer so I haul material for my retired buddies. Last was 6 yards of improved topsoil. We meet up for breakfast once a week, I usually get a free breakfast after a trip.

 

[shooterdon]

I process firewood. Sold 27 cords last year

Help neighbors who need tractor work.

 

[jk96]

I process firewood. Sold 27 cords last year

Help neighbors who need tractor work.

You must have a pretty good system setup if your processing that much by choice. I'm normally doing good to stay ahead of the next winter just for my own use.