First day with Alaskan

[BobL]

Thanks for posting the pics Rockfarmer.

I see you're using a plastic tub for toting stuff around. I find them pretty handy as well except they don't seem to be UV stabilized as the Aussie sun makes them really brittle in a couple of months so I need to keep finding new ones.

 

[olive_oil]

Thx for pics & keeping us posted:agree2:
Yeah after looking at that wood w/all those big knots, the snow on the ground, and, geez a bullet too...you definitely deserve a day off, and your best friend there too!!!
I have yet to run into steel, but I have quite a few large logs with nails in them from a down tree in my backyard that I'll need to cut sooner or later - I think I'll wait 'til I get a little more experience

 

[Brmorgan]

Thx for pics & keeping us posted:agree2:
Yeah after looking at that wood w/all those big knots, the snow on the ground, and, geez a bullet too...you definitely deserve a day off, and your best friend there too!!!
I have yet to run into steel, but I have quite a few large logs with nails in them from a down tree in my backyard that I'll need to cut sooner or later - I think I'll wait 'til I get a little more experience

Or better yet, a good metal detector! Experience doesn't help you see what's hidden, unfortunately.

 

[olive_oil]

Thx Brad

Or better yet, a good metal detector! Experience doesn't help you see what's hidden, unfortunately.

I never thought about using my metal detector:jawdrop: well now I dont have anymore excuses, so guess I'll have to get on it.
...running low on wood anyway

 

[Rockfarmer]

So yesterday

I spent the day cleaning in the garage. Got a little fire going in the woodstove and getting the area ready for my beam. I took the dump body off my trailer and mounted a 10 x 10 block of dunnage just forward of the axle. I know the axle can take the weight of the beam cause I beefed it up but the tongue is questionable. Obviously I needed the block to raise up the hitch point to get tongue weight. I went out with my floor jack, straps, bar and come-along. The beam was easier then I thought to get up on the block and she came out of the woods slick.

Now, can I set that beam in place? I know it will shrink as it seasons, but how much? Do you think it will deflect under its own weight. How much will it twist? It was cut out of a decent trunk log with no real compression or bends, its pretty much a straight cut true to the heart.

First pic is the skid, second is the goods so far.

 

[Rockfarmer]

Bob, I find it actually amazing that I can talk to someone from Australia on a daily basis! I got stacks of those buckets if you want to come over and grab some

 

[BobL]

Bob, I find it actually amazing that I can talk to someone from Australia on a daily basis! I got stacks of those buckets if you want to come over and grab some

Dang, you got buckets to spare!! I end up having to scavenge them from building site dumpsters around our neighborhood. I even had the students laughing at me at work when they saw the Head of Department (that's me!) scabbing a couple of buckets out of a dumpster.

Yeah although I post a lot on an Aussie woodworkers and milling forum I like this site, I get on well with 'mericans, lived in SD for 2.5 years, love your big beers etc.

 

[redoak]

Rockfarmer,

White pine is a great wood to work with green as the shrinkage is very manageable (there are tables you can look up online). Ther are also tables to check deflection, but I think you said this beam was 8"x16" at 16'? That will not deflect under its own weight... or the weight of a couple cars hanging from it.

I just ran some deflection numbers on this piece of wood. Mind you, you would have to check against horizontal shear, but to deflect this beam by 1/2 inch (about 1/360 of the length) you would need to load it at center with a little more than 9000 lbs. Again, that kind of weight would beg a bunch of other questions... but I think deflection is not the problem here.

I'll get you a pic of that sledge over the weekend.

-redoak

 

[olive_oil]

I spent the day cleaning in the garage. Got a little fire going in the woodstove and getting the area ready for my beam. I took the dump body off my trailer and mounted a 10 x 10 block of dunnage just forward of the axle. I know the axle can take the weight of the beam cause I beefed it up but the tongue is questionable. Obviously I needed the block to raise up the hitch point to get tongue weight. I went out with my floor jack, straps, bar and come-along. The beam was easier then I thought to get up on the block and she came out of the woods slick.

Now, can I set that beam in place? I know it will shrink as it seasons, but how much? Do you think it will deflect under its own weight. How much will it twist? It was cut out of a decent trunk log with no real compression or bends, its pretty much a straight cut true to the heart.

First pic is the skid, second is the goods so far.

You know i'd love to create a calender for you and all the rest of us of this...if ya don't mind, i'll try to keep pics in sequence & I know its alot to ask, but keep a journal when you can that I can ---just something that comes to your mind...if not, thats ok too ---
this may may seem trival to you guys, but...what can I say...well Rockfarmer, the idea you created in your head & daily tasks you're sharing with...us, uuhmm, are really meaningful {ok,Im a girl & thats the only word I can come up with}
Godspeed Rockfarmer & Family!!!

 

[stipes]

Nice,,,Nice,,NICE!!!!

Great pics!!! Thanks for posting em .. Really good job!!!Ok,,You got me...I'm gonna have to get my butt out tomorrow and mill some...After them pics,,I cant stand it...LOL!! Gonna try to finish the cant I have left and start on some oak...Gotta feelin this gonna really test the Jred...
Thanks again for the pics!!

 

[irishcountry]

Great stuff as always I've said it before this site is about all I like about the internet keep the pics coming. Hey BobL for the record if you were back here I would definately buy you a big beer, and I like Aussie beer too!! Cheers everyone have a good weekend and if ya get out milling have fun! irishcountry

 

[BobL]

Great stuff as always I've said it before this site is about all I like about the internet keep the pics coming. Hey BobL for the record if you were back here I would definately buy you a big beer, and I like Aussie beer too!! Cheers everyone have a good weekend and if ya get out milling have fun! irishcountry

Cheers Irish, I agree - definitely a good side of the internet.

Next time you raise a glass, you have one for me and I'll have one for you! Same goes for the rest of you blokes! Could be a lot of beers :biggrinbounce2:

 

[irishcountry]

Thats a deal!! Cheers

 

[olive_oil]

How's it going Rockfarmer? We had a lot a snow out here in California...Im wondering if the weather has down production for you too?

Keep us posted :Eye:

 

[Rockfarmer]

How's it going Rockfarmer? We had a lot a snow out here in California...Im wondering if the weather has down production for you too?

Keep us posted :Eye:

Hey! I just logged on here from the FD

I lost power on the 12th and still dont have it. I have been doing lots of :chainsawguy: but its very dangerous with the trees all bent over and spring loaded. The ice storm broke 6 of 7 poles on my driveway and because I'm in a rural part of down I'm last priority. We are all fine but living without water and power is getting old Thank God I have 10 cords of wood and 2 woodstoves I hope all you guys have a great Christmas and I'll get back online here someday I hope. The power company came yesterday and set poles so now its all new wires, transformers, ect, these guys worked through the last couples storms we got a couple feet on the ground More ice and then rain expected tomorrow. Before the storm I did put that beam in place, have pics and will upload them when I get back on! Merry Christmas!!!

 

[Trever]

Thank you

PS Rockfarmer- I don't know if you've seen it yet, but last week I finished scanning the book "Chainsaw Lumbermaking" by Will Malloff into PDF form, so you can grab it directly from HERE if you're interested. The related thread is HERE. The tips I gave you came straight from that book, and there's tons more good information in there too.[/QUOTE]

Brad, thank you very much for taking the time to scan this book. I and I know others greatly appreciate it. Have a blessed and Merry Christamas!!

 

[Rockfarmer]

Hey guys I finally got my cable back on, only a month without phone, tv or internet :jawdrop: Comcast sucks, but thats a whole different story,..

I'll post a couple pics of the storm damage in a day or 2 then I'll get back to

 

[dustytools]

Hey guys I finally got my cable back on, only a month without phone, tv or internet :jawdrop: Comcast sucks, but thats a whole different story,..

I'll post a couple pics of the storm damage in a day or 2 then I'll get back to

Its good to hear from you again Rockfarmer. Im glad everything is going well for you again.

 

[Rockfarmer]

Ice Storm

Hey Dusty, thanks for that

Heres a couple of pics from the storm, 12 days no power, 1 month no internet

 

[Rockfarmer]

I set that beam I made a while back

, the pic didnt come out to great but its in. I also notched the beam and made a couple support brackets so that my overhead trolley can pass underneath it. I fabbed it out of 2 x 2 angle iron, 7018 rod and thru bolted it with 1/2" threaded rod, it should hold. Now to frame the floor,.. I have about 1/2 of the joists I need and everything in the woods is now buried in white,.. I got some work to do