Great video Geoffrey, with an informative comentery of all that is going on. Arnie is a very good shearer, quick, neat ,and careful with the sheep. You have a very nice set up for a small farm. Even a wood heater! I managed to save an electric screw press from being scrapped. but other than that it is like our shearing. Even generator powered.
Hi David, I am glad you enjoyed the video. I am very pleased to have finally found a good local shearer, he did a great job. We use to camp in the shed a fair bit. We spent a lot of cold nights huddled around the wood heater with dinner cooking on the top of it. I still need to finish building the proper front fill catching pen and finish off the roof to give a bit more under cover space for the sheep. Is your press a sunbeam twin box? These were pretty good presses. Thanks from Geoffrey
@@brookdalefarm7986 yes it is a Sunbeam twin box press. You say about improving your shed, you can invest a lot into this infrastructure on a small farm and only use it one or two days a year. Regardless of this consideration I enjoy having thing work easy and smoothly eaven if it's made from second hand material. It's better for the stock and Shearer and me when I have taken time off to do the shearing I don't want to spend a day patching before we start.
Hi David, those sunbeams twin boxes are good presses even if they are slower than the modern ones. There were a few still being used around here when I was roustabouting. I understand what you are saying about over investing in something that is only used 2 days a year. The sheds hear have been designed to be multi use, so things like the seconds wool bins are hinged and fold flat against the wall when not in use. The under cover space for the sheep is also where the harvester will be parked when we are snot shearing. There will only be a grating in the catching pen, and that is going to lift up out the way. The pen will be made from pipe panels that drop into pipe concreted into the floor so they can be moved out the way. It’s a bit of work to build, but it won’t cost too much as it’s mostly second hand stuff I have salvaged. Shearer’s are getting so hard to get around here now that if you don’t have half reasonable facilities they won’t come back. I also like to make it a little easer for myself on the busy days. Having said all of that it will still take a couple of years to pay for it all from just the wool check. Thanks from Geoffrey
@@brookdalefarm7986 Your shearing shed will be very nice to work once you have completed all those plans. It will be very satisfying to have it at a high standard. About shearers. I was working in a shed last year and the subject of pay rates came up and they said for a better job they could slow down for another $ 2.00. I was staggered at this comment. I thought an already negotiated rate would have been for a good job ? They were doing a fair job, but their minds were on the clock and tally board. Australias sheep numbers have risen in the past two years and NZ have increased their shearing rates so shearers really can and do dictate terms. I don't mind a fair deal, for all parties. I remember in the 90s shearers begging for a stand and offering to negotiate the other way. This is when sheep were being shot by the truck load.
Hi David, I guess the higher rate is for your prize breeders, but for that price there had better not be a single scratch on them. I know a lot of shearer’s who are racing the clock or the guy next to them, but there are still lots who take pride in what they do. I know some learners get paid a bit more by some contractors to make them slow down and learn the right technique, but a good shearer should be able to do a good job at the standard rate. Yes sheep numbers have come up a lot. Our area was once predominantly a grazing area, (too wet for cropping). 15 years ago there were almost no sheep left and very few cattle. Now it’s coming back the other way a little bit. Thanks from Geoffrey
Hi David, well spotted. Yes it’s an M. It dose have the engine in it, but is missing the tin work and has another piece of mettle over it that makes it look like the engine is not there. It is actually almost complete, other than the tin work and the front wheel rim. It has had water in the engine, so it needs a complete rebuild. I will get to it eventually. Thanks from Geoffrey
