Chapter 154 The Lumberjack
Timber production in forest farms consists of five processes: felling, pruning, timber collection, loading, and clearing the forest.
The first step is logging, where loggers use tools such as axes and saws to cut down the trees growing in the mountains and forests.
Previously, logging was done entirely by hand, with sawers using a curved-handle saw or a large-bellied saw with a very sharp file.
In the mid-1960s, the entire organization began to promote the use of chainsaws, and the domestically produced Type 051 chainsaw was generally used.
Sheng Xiping had once heard his father mention that when chainsaws were first introduced, the old chainsaw operators were not used to them.
So, while logging, they would light the chainsaw and use a thin rope to secure the chainsaw's throttle pull rod.
The chainsaw whirred at a moderate volume, and the sawman continued sawing down the tree with the curved handle.
It was only when the leaders went to the site to investigate the promotion of new technologies that they discovered the secret.
Afterwards, the supervisor demanded that a chainsaw be used and assigned someone to inspect it.
Left with no other choice, these veteran sawers began to accept new technologies.
Those old saw-makers from back then are now about the same age as Sheng Liancheng.
Some have been promoted to foreman, production scheduler, or production manager, while others have taken on less demanding jobs.
For example, they might watch over the tractor storage, or tend the stoves and kang beds for the work team; or they might retire early.
Nowadays, most of the loggers in the forest are young people in their twenties and thirties.
Qianchuan Forest Farm currently has four timber tractors and two winches.
If each work team is equipped with two timber tractors and one winch, the current four work teams are simply not enough.
Therefore, we can only adopt assembly line operation for some parts and shunting operation for others.
The educated youth team was not part of the formal staff; they were only supplementary personnel outside the established staffing system.
In previous years, there were fewer educated youth, so they were all mixed into other work teams and had experienced workers to guide them.
This year is different. There are too many educated youth in the team, so we can only form a separate work team, just like the previous outsourcing contracting. They are independently accounted for, and the more they do, the more they earn.
The regular work teams didn't even have enough machinery, so naturally the educated youth teams wouldn't get a chance.
The forest farm only provided the educated youth team with a chainsaw for logging; all other tasks, such as timber collection and stacking, were done manually.
Loggers, also known as chainsaw operators, all need to undergo training and assessment.
Only qualified personnel who have obtained the corresponding qualifications can be allowed to work.
Although Sheng Xiping and others all know how to operate chainsaws, they are not formal employees of the forest farm and have not obtained the relevant qualifications. Therefore, they are not allowed to operate chainsaws for logging. The forest farm must provide chainsaw operators.
Sheng Xiping never expected that the saw-wielder assigned to the educated youth team by the forest farm would be Li Dazhuang.
This man, like his father, was notorious for being a procrastinator.
According to the normal production procedure, loggers should proceed step by step along the designated main logging road according to the logging operation diagram provided by the production department, and must maintain a safe distance of seventy meters from other processes.
This requires loggers to enter the mountain area three days earlier than other workers to allow sufficient safety distance.
But Li Dazhuang is really not a good worker.
After working for a while, I'd sit down and smoke, or chat with others.
In just three days, the work area has barely been cleared of trees. If he continues to work like this, how will the educated youth team make any money this year?
"Xiping, what should we do?"
Li Dazhuang is slacking off at his work. If he continues like this, it would be a miracle if he could even maintain a safe distance in three more days.
This work is progressing too slowly; we won't make any money.
Wang Jianshe, Chen Weiguo, and others approached Sheng Xiping to discuss countermeasures.
"I feel that he did it on purpose, deliberately working slowly so that we couldn't move on to the next step quickly."
Wang Jianshe glanced at Li Dazhuang, who had sat down to smoke again in the distance, and whispered in Sheng Xiping's ear.
Sheng Xiping understood, of course, that Li Dazhuang was deliberately causing trouble.
It's likely that Li Dazhuang guessed who was responsible for the bulging of his kang (heated brick bed), but he had no evidence.
So they used this method to make things difficult for the educated youth team and prevent them from making money.
In fact, sawing hands is more dangerous than other jobs, and the wages are not actually higher than other jobs.
However, sawing hands has one advantage: it offers flexibility in terms of time.
Some sawers will complete several days' worth of logging at once, then free up time to rest or do other things, such as hunting.
In the work team, the saw operator and the tractor driver are the most likely to have conflicts.
Often, sawers will cut more wood than needed, cutting enough wood in one go to do several days' worth of work for a tractor.
Then he sawed off his hand and left, either hunting or going into the forest to use a cannon tied to a pine tree to pop pine cones, which meant he made money through side jobs.
Meanwhile, the tractor was responsible for hauling out all the trees that the sawers had felled.
If it snows heavily in the mountains, the ditches and trenches will be full after a snowfall, making it impossible to see where the felled trees are, and they can easily be missed.
If any wood is missed, the tractor driver's wages will be deducted if the inspection fails when the snow melts next year.
Therefore, tractor drivers and saw operators often have conflicts and even fights over these things.
This shows that the saw-hand can work very quickly.
Li Dazhuang's ability to pass the sawing test proves that his skills are up to par, but the fact that he is working so slowly right now is clearly intentional.
"This is just the beginning, it's not good to make trouble with him."
In this way, you and Junzi will both be Li Dazhuang's assistants.
Try urging him to get to work faster.
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