Rubber Trees

[cobbler]

The worker normally starts at about 10 or 11 PM and Taps untill finnished at maybe 5 or 6 AM ,have a break during the night.Then goes back and collects all the latex and then makes the mats.Generally finnishing about 9.30 to 11 Am.Then eats and sleeps.

There is no doubt about it ,this is a difficult job.That's why if you get a good honest worker ,you keep them.

If this job was done any other way,especially this year with the prices being so low,.The workers wont make enough money to survive through the closed season.So they will leave and go to a farm to try to make more money

[jamescollister]

The worker normally starts at about 10 or 11 PM and Taps untill finnished at maybe 5 or 6 AM ,have a break during the night.Then goes back and collects all the latex and then makes the mats.Generally finnishing about 9.30 to 11 Am.Then eats and sleeps.

There is no doubt about it ,this is a difficult job.That's why if you get a good honest worker ,you keep them.

If this job was done any other way,especially this year with the prices being so low,.The workers wont make enough money to survive through the closed season.So they will leave and go to a farm to try to make more money

Trouble with workers tapping too many trees is that out put will be down. If they tap to the clock and not the weather. I try to have more tapprs than are needed, say the night is cool tap early, hot night tap in the ealy hours when it is cooler. hot temps dry up the latex, it is a balancing game. More tappers the better, but they make less, if they don't make enough they leave. It;s a business and you have to play the margins, few Baht here and there make a difference at the end of the month. Jim

[kolohe]

Another problem with having an overly ambitious tapper is they can make sloppy cuts in their haste and damage the trees. This problem can be had when a tapper tries to have too many trees or when he is working multiple farms at once. A few years ago we had this problem and he really jacked up the panel on the trees. Promptly kicked him out but the damage was done and we had to take the trees off line and wait for them to heal.

[Mosha]

We have ours on a steep hill. The husband and wife cut ours and the stepdaughters, about 1300 in all. Stepdaughter only does kee yang.

He sends her to collect and he makes the sheets. They're Mon and honest.

Edited October 25, 2012 by Mosha

[thaiguzzi]

Brother in law and his wife cut 1850 trees between them now. They cut perfect, but they are on the limit. That piece of land has 2250 trees on it. No way could they cut the lot in one night. I think 700-800 per person per night is about right, and comfortable.

Mike.

[thaiguzzi]

Brother in law and his wife cut 1850 trees now. And they mix the formic in, in the morning. They cut perfect but they are on the limit. That land has 2220 trees on it. No way could they cut the lot in one night. I think 700-800 trees per person per night is about right, and comfortable for a good cutter.

Mike.

[cobbler]

The worker normally starts at about 10 or 11 PM and Taps untill finnished at maybe 5 or 6 AM ,have a break during the night.Then goes back and collects all the latex and then makes the mats.Generally finnishing about 9.30 to 11 Am.Then eats and sleeps.

There is no doubt about it ,this is a difficult job.That's why if you get a good honest worker ,you keep them.

If this job was done any other way,especially this year with the prices being so low,.The workers wont make enough money to survive through the closed season.So they will leave and go to a farm to try to make more money

Trouble with workers tapping too many trees is that out put will be down. If they tap to the clock and not the weather. I try to have more tapprs than are needed, say the night is cool tap early, hot night tap in the ealy hours when it is cooler. hot temps dry up the latex, it is a balancing game. More tappers the better, but they make less, if they don't make enough they leave. It;s a business and you have to play the margins, few Baht here and there make a difference at the end of the month. Jim

I understand your point .I guess we are lucky and my wife's Aunty who has 600 rai is also lucky.It's a bugger ,what to do?I can see now why you give your workers a beer at selling time.I can also see why the workers don't stay,but if you can make money and cope with it that's the bottom line.

People will just use your trees to practice on untill they find a better farm paying more money.Workers also don't like moving the whole family,but if it's slave labor,they have no choice.They kknow they can't survive in the closed season.A straight 60% for us and 40% for the worker works well for us.60 40 also for the poi too.

Having new workers come onto your farm is a big risk also.Theft ,butchers.Also I don't like to get a bad name in the area with locals too.Locals know if your workers are just slaves.Be careful 1 day something might happen to you.Or does everybody in your area operate this way?

Edited October 26, 2012 by cobbler

[cobbler]

Another problem with having an overly ambitious tapper is they can make sloppy cuts in their haste and damage the trees. This problem can be had when a tapper tries to have too many trees or when he is working multiple farms at once. A few years ago we had this problem and he really jacked up the panel on the trees. Promptly kicked him out but the damage was done and we had to take the trees off line and wait for them to heal.

Yes this can happen.We have only had workers with us who are recomended by other workers.Touch wood no butchers YET

The mon who cuts 1500 trees has been with my wife's aunty for 20 years since he was a kid.His wife helps him.Price is down this year so she is cutting 1000 trees on another of the aunties farms,I think it's different up in your area,not easy to get good workers,

[cobbler]

Think I don't get it James.If you have 1 person tapping and another unrelated person collecting and making mats.This means if you are 50% for you and 50% for the workers .The worker tapping gets 25%.Not surprised they don't stay.Or if you are 60% for you and 40% for the tapper ,that means the tapper only gets 20%.You said the more tappers the better.Would you even get them to cut less than 800 trees if you could?Changing workers all the time lessens productivity too.Trees are like anything else.Have big short,fat ,thin,Also the bark has different thicknesses too.It takes time for the worker to get to know each tree,.Hence getting maximum output from each tree..If the workers are coming and going they don't know or care ,as they are just waiting for a better farm to go to.Never thinking long term on your farm.All the workers I've seen are thinking a year ahead or more.They plan what they are going to do what's best for the trees as this makes them money.It's good for us too.They have been doing it for years and live and work on our trees every 2 days out of 3 and sometimes 3 days out of four.Being fair and good with our workers makes sense as it's also good for us.If we create a suffering environment for our workers,we also suffer,.Through loss of output.

Edited October 26, 2012 by cobbler

[thaiguzzi]

Ken,

not the last auction (42.37 baht per kg), but the previous one (49.35), the winning bid lost a LOT of money. That chap wins most of the auctions, but he stayed away at the last one, and will miss the next two. The price was ok, what was'nt was the quality - too much water content. Nice chap too.

Mike.

[kwonitoy]

Ken,

not the last auction (42.37 baht per kg), but the previous one (49.35), the winning bid lost a LOT of money. That chap wins most of the auctions, but he stayed away at the last one, and will miss the next two. The price was ok, what was'nt was the quality - too much water content. Nice chap too.K

Mike.

Tt

That would explain what happened, Mine got weighed about noon and by the time my ticket got to the money table they had run out of cash. Had to send one of the guys back at 4:00pm for the money.

Missed the last sale due to being laid up in hospital for a hip operation, but I'm going to try the auction in the next village to ours next tuesday. Its closer and I'll post the price when I sell.

T

[Mosha]

Any of you guys end up baby sitting the tappers kids? Our family have a 4 year old, and he is usually here when his mum and dad are working . They are sending him to is Grandparents after the New Year. His dad doesn't want a Thai education for him, Heck he has 3 languages he speaks I hope they teach him English.

[cobbler]

Any of you guys end up baby sitting the tappers kids? Our family have a 4 year old, and he is usually here when his mum and dad are working . They are sending him to is Grandparents after the New Year. His dad doesn't want a Thai education for him, Heck he has 3 languages he speaks I hope they teach him English.

Edited October 27, 2012 by cobbler

[cobbler]

Any of you guys end up baby sitting the tappers kids? Our family have a 4 year old, and he is usually here when his mum and dad are working . They are sending him to is Grandparents after the New Year. His dad doesn't want a Thai education for him, Heck he has 3 languages he speaks I hope they teach him English.

MAte don't worry too much.Myanmar teach english as a second language.But nice to see you care.These people have a very difficult life.Even saw 1 Thai acting as a middle man.Getting 40% and then giving the Myanmar workers 40% of that.Sorry but I just don't understand these type of people.For sure you can see him at the temple though.How can they sleep at night.?Expecting people to live on nothing but a fart in a cup.Not surprised when the workers have had enough sometimes and turn on the owner like a pack of dogs,coz thats how they've been treated

[Mosha]

Well It's great to see several days production drying. I've taken the noose down until next year. Hope the hangover has gone Jim

[jamescollister]

Well It's great to see several days production drying. I've taken the noose down until next year. Hope the hangover has gone Jim

Heavy sessions you have to come down slow. So after a day of sweat, watering my newly planted coconut trees a few beers are needed. Should have totally recovered for the Ubon HHH on Saturday, then it all starts again. Jim

[AA1]

Ken,

not the last auction (42.37 baht per kg), but the previous one (49.35), the winning bid lost a LOT of money. That chap wins most of the auctions, but he stayed away at the last one, and will miss the next two. The price was ok, what was'nt was the quality - too much water content. Nice chap too.K

Mike.

Tt

That would explain what happened, Mine got weighed about noon and by the time my ticket got to the money table they had run out of cash. Had to send one of the guys back at 4:00pm for the money.

Missed the last sale due to being laid up in hospital for a hip operation, but I'm going to try the auction in the next village to ours next tuesday. Its closer and I'll post the price when I sell.

T

Not sure where you are based but in a village near the road 24 in Surin yesterday we got 44.50 Baht per Kilo so no grumbles other than wish it was much higher!!

AA1

[Mosha]

Funny how rubber drops and palm rises, and vice versa. Palm around here is over 4 Baht for the 1st time in months

[cobbler]

Funny how rubber drops and palm rises, and vice versa. Palm around here is over 4 Baht for the 1st time in months

Hi Mosha.We might all be in for a price rise if this gov is kicked out.Things are brewing in Bangkok.There's more than just surply and demand at play in the pricing of products in Thailand.Specially when you've got a gov that badmouths it's own countries products.

[stainforth]

Hi Everybody,

Next April my trees will start their 3rd year tap, I am looking into the viability of making USS and storing for up to 12 months. I have come across a latexometer manufactured by Zeals. I can't post a link but google will find it.

Has anyone seen/used this to measure the DRC of liquid latex?

The D4009 can measure between 50 - 450 gr per ltr. As a rule of thumb am I right in thinking the DRC for 3rd year tapping will be around the 30 % mark (300gr per ltr)?

Regards

Paul

[jamescollister]

Sorry cobbler maybe I didn't explain it right. each plantation has a boss tapper, wife usually. My newest set are tapping near on 100 kilos of dry sheet per tap. Just too much work for a man and wife to do, so I leave it up to them to hire, usually family members to help. Some may tap, others collect and make sheet, it's a family affair, BIL one day Uncle next. Now at the next sale they have 4 weeks of sheet 40% share ergo they get 800 kilos worth as their share, fingers crossed and it's 90 Baht a kilo or $3 US. They as a family pocket $2,400 US for the month They pay out to their family as they see fit. Not a problem taking care of one plantation, but you can't organize and keep tabs on 4, Workers here just up and move or can't be bothered to work when they have a fist full of Baht, but extended families can cover for each other. These aren't Burmese they are Issan Thai and I have to fix into there ways and it's the best way I have found so far next to chains and whips. Jim

[jamescollister]

Hi Everybody,

Next April my trees will start their 3rd year tap, I am looking into the viability of making USS and storing for up to 12 months. I have come across a latexometer manufactured by Zeals. I can't post a link but google will find it.

Has anyone seen/used this to measure the DRC of liquid latex?

The D4009 can measure between 50 - 450 gr per ltr. As a rule of thumb am I right in thinking the DRC for 3rd year tapping will be around the 30 % mark (300gr per ltr)?

Regards

Paul

Thanks for that I have been trying to find a tester for about a year now, will look with interest.

As for storing USS for a year not going to work unless to have climate control in the shed. Even our RSS gets fungus growing if left to long and fungus often starts to grow on the USS fast while it hangs in the shed waiting to be smoked.

Have just built a trial hot air dryer, so the sheets can be hot air dried one day after the sheet is made. Jim

[glennb6]

http://www.an-anek.com/2010/main.php?p=5&id=74

thai tech

[cobbler]

Sorry cobbler maybe I didn't explain it right. each plantation has a boss tapper, wife usually. My newest set are tapping near on 100 kilos of dry sheet per tap. Just too much work for a man and wife to do, so I leave it up to them to hire, usually family members to help. Some may tap, others collect and make sheet, it's a family affair, BIL one day Uncle next. Now at the next sale they have 4 weeks of sheet 40% share ergo they get 800 kilos worth as their share, fingers crossed and it's 90 Baht a kilo or $3 US. They as a family pocket $2,400 US for the month They pay out to their family as they see fit. Not a problem taking care of one plantation, but you can't organize and keep tabs on 4, Workers here just up and move or can't be bothered to work when they have a fist full of Baht, but extended families can cover for each other. These aren't Burmese they are Issan Thai and I have to fix into there ways and it's the best way I have found so far next to chains and whips. Jim

Yep I got it now.Mate ,I wish I could send you up some good Mon or Myanma workers.It would change your game completely For sure there are some good Issan workers,but what I've seen of them down here I wouldn't touch them with a forty foot pole.If you are ever down this way feel free to tell me and you're welcome to stay here with us and I could show you around this area.I think you'd be surprised.Likewise I think I'd be surprised if I went to your place.I think it's all different up there.Guess we all have to do the best we can .

Cheers Cobbler

[stainforth]

Hi Everybody,

Next April my trees will start their 3rd year tap, I am looking into the viability of making USS and storing for up to 12 months. I have come across a latexometer manufactured by Zeals. I can't post a link but google will find it.

Has anyone seen/used this to measure the DRC of liquid latex?

The D4009 can measure between 50 - 450 gr per ltr. As a rule of thumb am I right in thinking the DRC for 3rd year tapping will be around the 30 % mark (300gr per ltr)?

Regards

Paul

Thanks for that I have been trying to find a tester for about a year now, will look with interest.

As for storing USS for a year not going to work unless to have climate control in the shed. Even our RSS gets fungus growing if left to long and fungus often starts to grow on the USS fast while it hangs in the shed waiting to be smoked.

Have just built a trial hot air dryer, so the sheets can be hot air dried one day after the sheet is made. Jim

Thanks Jim, it looks like I have to go the RSS route. What is the longest time you have kept RSS before you see fungus that effect your sale price?

The hot air dryer sounds great, looking forward to reading how the trial turns out. Paul

[jamescollister]

Hi Everybody,

Next April my trees will start their 3rd year tap, I am looking into the viability of making USS and storing for up to 12 months. I have come across a latexometer manufactured by Zeals. I can't post a link but google will find it.

Has anyone seen/used this to measure the DRC of liquid latex?

The D4009 can measure between 50 - 450 gr per ltr. As a rule of thumb am I right in thinking the DRC for 3rd year tapping will be around the 30 % mark (300gr per ltr)?

Regards

Paul

Thanks for that I have been trying to find a tester for about a year now, will look with interest.

As for storing USS for a year not going to work unless to have climate control in the shed. Even our RSS gets fungus growing if left to long and fungus often starts to grow on the USS fast while it hangs in the shed waiting to be smoked.

Have just built a trial hot air dryer, so the sheets can be hot air dried one day after the sheet is made. Jim

Thanks Jim, it looks like I have to go the RSS route. What is the longest time you have kept RSS before you see fungus that effect your sale price?

The hot air dryer sounds great, looking forward to reading how the trial turns out. Paul

Stock piling would infer that I had enough money to hang on to the stuff, not an option, hand to mouth at these prices.

You can keep it for over 2 years if the storage area is dry, but if you were looking long term storage, I would buy a press and make blocks. You sprinkle anti fungal powder and rap up, up to 5 years then. Very hard to stop rot here, high temps and humidity, even my rubber beer holder/condom/stubbie holder grow fungis if left out of the sun. Jim

[jamescollister]

Cobbler, have to say labor is a real problem here, these are jungle people, all they need is supplied with little effort. As long as the rice is there, they can swing in a hammock. Other work is to buy something, whether Lao Kow or a motorbike, when you have earned the money, why work anymore.

Can't bring in outsiders, if you are not local you are not welcome and not being welcome in a place where villagers openly walk or ride around with rifles, is really not welcoming.

The only real way to get any output is to hire people who have pickup truck payments, they love those cars. Jim

[stainforth]

Hi Everybody,

Next April my trees will start their 3rd year tap, I am looking into the viability of making USS and storing for up to 12 months. I have come across a latexometer manufactured by Zeals. I can't post a link but google will find it.

Has anyone seen/used this to measure the DRC of liquid latex?

The D4009 can measure between 50 - 450 gr per ltr. As a rule of thumb am I right in thinking the DRC for 3rd year tapping will be around the 30 % mark (300gr per ltr)?

Regards

Paul

Thanks for that I have been trying to find a tester for about a year now, will look with interest.

As for storing USS for a year not going to work unless to have climate control in the shed. Even our RSS gets fungus growing if left to long and fungus often starts to grow on the USS fast while it hangs in the shed waiting to be smoked.

Have just built a trial hot air dryer, so the sheets can be hot air dried one day after the sheet is made. Jim

Thanks Jim, it looks like I have to go the RSS route. What is the longest time you have kept RSS before you see fungus that effect your sale price?

The hot air dryer sounds great, looking forward to reading how the trial turns out. Paul

Stock piling would infer that I had enough money to hang on to the stuff, not an option, hand to mouth at these prices.

You can keep it for over 2 years if the storage area is dry, but if you were looking long term storage, I would buy a press and make blocks. You sprinkle anti fungal powder and rap up, up to 5 years then. Very hard to stop rot here, high temps and humidity, even my rubber beer holder/condom/stubbie holder grow fungis if left out of the sun. Jim

My plan is to hit the market every Mar/Apr. I will make RSS and keep a close eye on it. Jim, thank you very much for your advice. Paul

[kwonitoy]

Ken,

not the last auction (42.37 baht per kg), but the previous one (49.35), the winning bid lost a LOT of money. That chap wins most of the auctions, but he stayed away at the last one, and will miss the next two. The price was ok, what was'nt was the quality - too much water content. Nice chap too.K

Mike.

Tt

That would explain what happened, Mine got weighed about noon and by the time my ticket got to the money table they had run out of cash. Had to send one of the guys back at 4:00pm for the money.

Missed the last sale due to being laid up in hospital for a hip operation, but I'm going to try the auction in the next village to ours next tuesday. Its closer and I'll post the price when I sell.

T

Not sure where you are based but in a village near the road 24 in Surin yesterday we got 44.50 Baht per Kilo so no grumbles other than wish it was much higher!!

AA1

Well the sale in the village next to ours was for 43.2 baht for wet cup.

I think I'll keep selling there, it's a 30 kms drive to the place next to Mike's and then I have to scrub the truck to get rid of that lovely smell

Ken

[Mosha]

Storing the mats long term, I'd be crapping my keks. Theft is a big problem