The salvage operation continues

[mtngun]

Back to the blow-down site that I have posted on before. Today's blow down was burned in the slash fire, however, it was only charred on the outside, and is still good inside. It is a smaller douglas fir, with quite a few knots, but still quite acceptable for siding and framing material.

Here's how I like to set up the first cut. My 2x12 guide board sags a bit, so I prop it up with a few sticks. If you want to stretch a line and install rows of lag bolts, as per Malloff, be my guest, but full length guide board propped up in a few places is a lot faster to set up.

Instead of placing wedges in the kerf, I jam sticks in. There are plenty of sticks laying on the forest floor.

A one inch slab that may be used for siding or for exterior trim or half a dozen other things. It's not hard to find a use for free lumber.

Note the sticks laying on top of the log.

This is the second trip to the woods for the Bailey's gas jug (hidden behind the oil jug) and I'm quite fond of it. It may be the most expensive plastic gas jug, but it's worth it. Very easy to use without spilling a drop.

After cutting only six boards, the Stihl's muffler rattled loose, and darned if I forgot to put the T27 wrench in my tool kit. So that was the end of milling for the day. I topped off the load with firewood, and skidded a few logs down the hill to the main skid trail, where they'll be easier to get to next time.

 

[forestryworks]

nice pics, thanks for sharing

looks like the fire really cleaned out the brush, go fire!

 

[BlueRider]

Be careful where you put that gas can in the summer. I had one with a couple of inches of mix left in it and stashed it in my metal storage shed and forgot about it during the summer. We get a handful of days during the summer that get up over 100* F and I guess that is all it took to blow apart the top on my fancy EPA approved gas can. With no vent valve to release vapor pressure it just built up and cracked the plastic lid in a nice spiral clean as a whistle. I was surprised when my saw shop told me it was the first one they had seen.

Nice stash of boards.

 

[Rockfarmer]

Cool pics Mtngun Hey you should add your Chevy skidder to your tool sig line Its in good shape! Hard to find them around here that arent rusted to death. Cool bumper

 

[Brmorgan]

Hey, how did you find your chain liking the charred bark? I've cut a few burned Douglas Firs for firewood, and they always seem to dull the chain noticeably faster.

 

[woodshop]

Hey, how did you find your chain liking the charred bark? I've cut a few burned Douglas Firs for firewood, and they always seem to dull the chain noticeably faster.

I was wondering that also... it's only charcoal, but...

 

[mtngun]

I was concerned about the charred bark dulling the chain, but after sawing 6 boards out of the first log, and slabbing the second log, the chain was still cutting well. Normally I swap chains after 5 - 6 boards.

If the bark cooperates, I will peel it before milling, but normally it doesn't come off easily unless it is wet.

The "skidder" is indeed a rustbucket, but it is perfect for my needs. If I had a newer truck, I wouldn't take it on these skid trails.

 

[Zodiac45]

Nice going! Great too save wood from a burn like that too. Usually you will dull the chains faster than normal but it looks like you don't have enough char to make a big difference. Excellent.