Today's Job...

[MCW]

looks like they both make short work of those stumps! I always love watching your vids Matt.

Awe fanks Nik :msp_wub:

One day we WILL have beer...

Same here. I was in Australia in July 1994. Love the place. Brings back memories.

Yeah I like it here. Which part of Australia did you see?

Matt, why do you choose to cut one stump and not the next few?

See below mate.

Because he's like a little kid running around playing and having fun, and can't decide one thing from the next.

Thats a bit ruff Will...

It's a warning to the other stumps.

Funny

Because he is getting paid for the job by the hour.

That's a bit ruff too

Apart from being a slack bugger, it saves on fuel and chains!

Plus he's making time to take vids and text!

Bloody hell Al I thought you'd understand...

Anyway...

Wrong on all counts gents. I am only cutting the stumps that have significant regrowth Not every stump is actually alive and even then some stumps are mostly dead with only maybe 10% of the trunk still alive. This is why you see me jumping from stump to stump with no real pattern. That is the main reason I cut that large stump down so far - I wanted to see ample living wood to get maximum chemical uptake, particularly on a tree that size. There are also a number of large stumps with the smallest little tuft of growth. These stumps weren't cut but that small bit of fluff was getting sprayed. A small amount of growth cannot sustain a massive root system like these trees have so by spraying it delivers the death knock to these trees that are on their last legs and only "just" alive.
As Rick has mentioned you also need to get the chemical on within basically an hour. Once that stump gets a dry look to it it's starting to get too late for adequate uptake.

Because you need to get the herbicide onto the stump NOW.

If you cut two or three stumps then go back to the first, the chances of a decent uptake of herbicide is drastically reduced, almost to zero as I'm guessing the tree tries to seal itself with sap.

I'm not too clear on what action a plant takes when wounded like that, all i know is you don't have much time to get the herbicide into it.

It's what we do with woody weeds, slash with a brushcutter and paint the stump instantly.
Contractors have a spray setup on their brushcutters so that as soon as they cut they hit the wound with a squirt of herbicide.

Correct Rick. These trees haven't got the canopy to have massive amount of sapflow because as you'd know sap flow is basically directly related to transpiration. Without a large canopy you don't get large transpiration. In fact sometimes the amount of sap oozing/running out can actually affect herbicide uptake on the odd occasion. With the added Metsulfuron these trees won't be coming back to life anytime soon and Metsulfuron is one of the best "Woody" weed killers

 

[MCW]

Back out cutting stumps again the last two days. Used the Dolmar 7900 that has been fitted with the ex Makita pop up top end and the 261.
The Dolmar is really humming with this topend and I've finally got it tuned properly where it's now rivalling the grunt the Makita had with this setup fitted. I was running both a 24" bar and a 32" bar. The 24" bar is Chinese and the chain was knock off Stihl RMC (for the record I was given these and won't be buying any). The bar showed excessive wear yesterday afternoon (Saturday) about 6" back from the nose and needed dressing. The chain seems to hold an edge OK and cuts nicely but is stretching excessively. I have to readjust it every tank and it is very close to needing a link taken out after only about 10 hours of use. Stumping is hard on chains but even then that is way too much stretch.

Ah, 7900's A joy to use...

Some of these stumps are VERY hard work. The ones that have massive amounts of regrowth are making it very difficult and time consuming. I feel like a hairdresser having to trim everything off to finally find the stump and start cutting. It is taking a massive toll on my forearms holding the saw out at basically full arm extension. I actually ended up moving to another section with smaller stumps just to use the 261 and have a bit of a break.
The last thing I want is my forearm diameter to exceed my bicep diameter. I don't want to look like Popeye despite having a love of Spinach...

Had a funny one today where the Dolmar was flat out in the cut and I saw a dry piece of wood about 3" wide land on the chain and it came off like a bullet. I've had my face shield down a lot on this job but this one hit me in the forearm. Came as quite a surprise and went in like a dart about 1/4". I didn't know how deep it was at the time but it took a bit of pulling out. Interestingly there is now bruising around where it struck. You wouldn't have wanted that to hit you in the face or the eye if you didn't have glasses on...

I'm sure this happens to everybody but even the frugal 261 always manages to run out of fuel with one or two cuts left...

I noticed the idle on the Dolmar started to get a bit odd a few hours in this morning. It was fine at WOT in the cut with ample grunt, even on a 32" buried, yet for some reason the idle was up and down and it was even stalling when backing off from WOT.
Anyway, I decided to check the filter as it was showing the same symptoms I've seen with blocked filters and nearly fell over when I noticed the filter had popped up and it had been sucking dust for the last couple of days. I hadn't clipped it in properly last time I cleaned it and the back of the filter had about a 2-3mm gap. I remember looking at all the dust while cutting hanging around the air intake over the last few days thinking "HAHA, you'll never get through the Dolmar HD filter!".
Anyway...

There was a lot more dust than it looks and I took the photo AFTER I'd stuck my finger in the intake and scooped a massive wad out...

This had me really concerned so I pulled the top end this afternoon and there was a fair bit of dust in the crankcase but everything else engine wise looked good. I fitted a new Caber ring I had, put it all back together, and went and buried a 32" bar in a hardwood log I have here. As good as new thankfully

Next week I'm taking the 200T to trim a few of these hairier stumps prior to getting the bigger saws out...

 

[parrisw]

Ya Matt, I've noticed you rally got to watch that back of the clip, it's popped out on me a few times putting it in, although I noticed before cutting. Glad you saw is A-OK!

 

[wyk]

If I am gonna be using a 70-90cc saw all day, I will wear one of those athletic braces on my left arm and I switch hands often during work. I have strained the tendons in both arms in the past, but it's worse in my left, so I like to play it safe nowadays. I'm just not a kid anymore.

Matt, I was limbing maybe 2 weeks ago when the 372 picked up a chunk of wood maybe 1" X 4" and flung it directly into my ankle past the chaps. I got pretty fancy with my speech at that point. I was surprised it stung so coz I had loggers on. It was even worse the next day. Took me a week to shake it off. It musta hit just right. It just happens sometimes.

 

[parrisw]

You just have to expect to get bumped up a little doing this kind of stuff. Last week I dropped a 3-400lb round on my foot, landed just behind the steel toe! OUCH. If I didn't have steel toes it would of been much worse, but it hurt good for a few days.

 

[Stihlman441]

Looks like ya been in the wars there abit Matt,a bit lucky unlucky with that filter spring depends on how ya look at it.hope the dust didnt do any long term damage.
Thanks for the pics and wright up.
:msp_smile:

 

[MCW]

Looks like ya been in the wars there abit Matt,a bit lucky unlucky with that filter spring depends on how ya look at it.hope the dust didnt do any long term damage.
Thanks for the pics and wright up.
:msp_smile:

Yeah I'll live mate. It was more of a warning as to why you should wear eye protection or have your face shield down. The piece of wood came off like a bullet with a fair bit of force.

I think the Dolmar will be fine although there was a bit of baked on crap on top of the piston. I removed it prior to reassembly

 

[056kid]

See!:msp_biggrin: those Dolmars are baaad news!

 

[MCW]

See!:msp_biggrin: those Dolmars are baaad news!

Nothing but trouble those things Especially when the owner doesn't clip the filter on properly!

 

[Stihlman441]

See!:msp_biggrin: those Dolmars are baaad news!

Would not happen on a Stihl :msp_biggrin: (sorry cant help myself)

 

[gmax]

Would not happen on a Stihl :msp_biggrin: (sorry cant help myself)

Looking at your sig you seem slightly biased towards Stihl :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Stihlman441]

Ya funny that the first saw i ever got was a Stihl and my farther had them all his life,no real reason when ya on a good thing stick with it.A bit like Ford Holden thing i have allways worked at Ford so i drive them.Maybe if i hang around you and Matt i will get a chance to try differant breads.

 

[gmax]

Ya funny that the first saw i ever got was a Stihl and my farther had them all his life,no real reason when ya on a good thing stick with it.A bit like Ford Holden thing i have allways worked at Ford so i drive them.Maybe if i hang around you and Matt i will get a chance to try differant breads.

There's nothing wrong with Stihl apart from the rip off prices they charge Aussies although Husky are the same, anyway your going to love that ported 660 Matt has.

 

[MCW]

Would not happen on a Stihl :msp_biggrin: (sorry cant help myself)

Actually it did. The 660 I'm sending you only has 90psi compression after I threw a handful of gravel in the intake

There's nothing wrong with Stihl apart from the rip off prices they charge Aussies although Husky are the same, anyway your going to love that ported 660 Matt has.

Yeah Stihl are good saws. Their pricing in Australia is what I don't like. Pity that 660 didn't feel as nice as the 390's Hell it's got some balls though As a felling saw it's nowhere near the 390's for balance but as a simple drop and chop saw it would be hard to beat!

 

[Stihlman441]

I may just check inside that 660 before i start it.

 

[MCW]

I may just check inside that 660 before i start it.

I had to get the compression lower Andrew so you didn't hurt yourself You may be lucky enough to get a big mofo parcel tomorrow

 

[Stihlman441]

I will be like a fat kid in a lolly shop.:msp_thumbup:

 

[MCW]

I will be like a fat kid in a lolly shop.:msp_thumbup:

If I ever want it back it will be like pulling a cat off a flyscreen

Have fun with it mate. Remember I sent it registered post so it will be to my benefit if it somehow goes missing and never makes it to you Heh heh...

 

[gmax]

If I ever want it back it will be like pulling a cat off a flyscreen

:hmm3grin2orange:I haven't heard that one before

This brochure came with the junk mail yesterday, I would like a 346XP but for $1299 I'll pass.

 

[boatman]

I just bought a 395xp new from the dealer for $1225. Jumping the prices up by $700? For a new style carb and ignition? I think the used saw marked just got a boost!