Age and heat

[turnkey4099]

Middle of harvest seassn here and a heat wave. Temps high 90s and a few 100 or more, 101 Friday, today 100. I have eagerly awaiting the farmer to cut a couple fields so I can get into his willow groves. He cut one Friday. I was wondering how I'd stand cutting in that heat. Turned out not to be a problem. Arrive at 6am with plans to cut until the heat gets to me and quit. Turns out my age 79 1/2 and heat are coordinated. By the time the heat is building I have "pooped out" and ready to quit anyhow - usually at about the 3 hour point although the last 30 minutes are more just 'picking at it' than really working.

First day out yesterday I got skunked. Promised the farmer that I would remove a tree ready to fall in his field. Turned out it had already fallen anyhow. I cut it back to the field edge and piled brush. Got only a shirt tail full of wood out of it as it dead and rotten the full length. Today another - same situation but this time still alive and good wood. Came home today with a very small load but enough to cover the expenses. Back tomorrow to continue working on that one - it was two stemmer and I got most of the smaller one. Bad lie, though, bridges a deep ditch so I can't get the truck to the lower half of the tree. I'll have to cut short sections and skid them out with the truck. Sure would like to have the use of one of those huge farm tractors but I wouldn't have a clue as to operating one.

Harry K

 

[MasterBlaster]

This really helps me when it gets hot.

http://www.glaciertek.com/default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

 

[Whitespider]

When the thermometer says 70° I'm done... flat done...
*

 

[MasterBlaster]

You'd love 95 degrees with 98% humidity! The bayou's steam!

 

[Fred Wright]

Yep... I have not been able to get much work done in this kind of weather since I was a kid. It's like taking a beating just getting started. I had to clean up after a freak windstorm last month, a red maple top was laying in the yard. Was all I could do to get that done. Took a lot of breaks, spread it out over a few days.

I hope the weather breaks soon and you can get back to working on those trees.

 

[zogger]

Heat doesn't bother me that bad the older I get, but the cold is starting to get to me every winter.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I wish I had that problem! We don't get "cold."

 

[woodchuck357]

Potassium and salt help regulate the body's response to heat and cold. Most of us old farts don't get enough in our diets to handle hot summer days. Every one is overly worried about the effects of salt on blood pressure. For me totally cutting added salt didn't lower the BP even a little bit. I have gone back to salting food more and still cut my BP meds out totally (on Dr. orders).

 

[MasterBlaster]

I quit drinking Gatoraid a long time ago and went to the generic version of Pedialyte. Additionally, when it's into the 90's every day, I pre-load by drinking a bottle before I leave the house. It ain't cheap, but it keeps me from cramping up and helps me make it through the day.

 

[zogger]

I wish I had that problem! We don't get "cold."

I think north georgia and alabama are about it for bonafide cold in the winter. I consider it cold when you got to run the water good to keep the pipes from freezing, have to jump through hoops to keep the dogs/cats/chickens in liquid water, etc. We get snow on the ground fairly regular, the ground does freeze some, although not too deep, some inches, I have seen both the creek and all the ponds here frozen over, etc. The stove in the room is real spiffy then......

Now I have lived where it gets quite cold in the winter, double digits below zee-ro very common and expected, and yep, even 70s seemed excessive hot to me then in the summer. 90s was keel over weather. Now though 90s to me, meh, have to work anyway.

It is what ya get used to. I was in the keys once and it hit 50s, it was like arctic blast freezing! BWAHAHAHAHA I think there were some flurries in miami then.

hmm, seems to me around '78 or so, have to check....off a year in my recollection it was 77

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_wave_of_January_1977

 

[Locust Cutter]

I have realized at the ripe age of 33 that I can't quite go in the heat like I did at 18, but I still get a lot done. KS ain't the bayou, but we have our share of days near or above 100°F an 90%+ humidity. I just pace myself and get it done. I've hd heat prostration once and nearly fell off of a tractor after having cut wood all day and then mowed out 8 acres for a rancher friend with an old Massey 165 with a 6'mower. Since then I've learned to listen to my body, pace myself, stay hydrated and work smarter. Dad is usually my cutting partner and at 58 doesn't go like he did at 33, but he's steady and does the same. Either way we're not trying to kill ourselves but there's no use wimping out due to heat or a lack thereof as nothing gets done then.

 

[jaroh]

Once the humidity goes up, hot or cold I slow way down. Can't wait to move back to the dry heat/cold of Montana next year!

 

[muddstopper]

Seceret to surviving the heat is hydration before you get thirsty. If you wait until you need to have a drink, its already to late to start drinking water. Drinking small cups of water frequiently is better than downing a large bottle full all at once

 

[turnkey4099]

I must be getting used to it. Made 3 1/2 hours today and could have continued a bit more but it was a good stopping point for the day and an easy "finish the cleanup tomorrow' point. Came home with another rsmall load. Tomorrow is the money load. Only about 30 minutes of brushing left and then the bucking of big rounds starts. Butt End will be in the 24-30" range.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

Third day on that same tree. found that the F150 does fine skidding out 4-5 sections of 16" rounds. Lots of screwing around dragging cable, hooking up, towing, bucking, rolling rounds out of the way, etc.

Got all the way to the stump today but the 361 wound up with a very tight chain (not from overheat) on the last cut, 310 quit on me to finish it (out of gas), I quit - too tired to noodle and load any more than the half load I already had.

I'll have to check that 361 to see what the problem is with that chain. It ran and cut fine for a long period, then the chain refused to move - got it freed up by raking it across the log, Cut fine for bunch more cuts and then bound up again. Benching it tomorrow as well as the 310 and 192T for sharping.

Day off tomorrow to unload and stack the rounds that accumulated on three days work.

Harry K

 

[navgatr]

Got all the way to the stump today but the 361 wound up with a very tight chain (not from overheat) on the last cut, 310 quit on me to finish it (out of gas), I quit - too tired to noodle and load any more than the half load I already had.

I'll have to check that 361 to see what the problem is with that chain. It ran and cut fine for a long period, then the chain refused to move - got it freed up by raking it across the log, Cut fine for bunch more cuts and then bound up again. Benching it tomorrow as well as the 310 and 192T for sharping.

This happens to me a lot if I have the bar burried in bigger logs. I just drag the chain across the log a few times to give it a push and free it up. I always thought it was just sawdust packed in the sprocket tip of the bar, though I never stopped and pulled the bar off to check.

 

[Sagetown]

Arrive at 6am with plans to cut until the heat gets to me and quit. Turns out my age 79 1/2 and heat are coordinated. By the time the heat is building I have "pooped out" and ready to quit anyhow -
Harry K

This really helps me when it gets hot.
http://www.glaciertek.com/default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Here in SE OK the the summertime humidity is usually high right along with the temp. My cloths are soaked almost immediately, and in 4 hours, my day is done, done. At 70 yrs , pushing 71, I'm having a tough time preventing overheating lately.
This heat vest in your ' link ' looks interesting. Do you have any comments that might show more light on the subject? Like; How do you prepare your vest prior to using it ? ; .... and do you recommend the ' SPARE ' packs ?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Concerning the humidity, wearing a wicking shirt makes all the difference in the world. NEVER wear cotton! It sticks to you like glue!

I have nothing but great things to say about the cool vest. My only complaint is the stitching on the camo vest, and I think they're working on that. I washed it on regular cycle and it started to come apart. I bought another and started washing it on a gentle cycle and it's holding up fine, so far.

The worst part about it is having to pack an extra cooler with ice water to hold the chilling packs. And YES, you need to spring for the extra packs so you will always have a set to swap out. The whole shebang will knock a hole in three bills, buy it's worth every penny.

Go for it, brother. I guarantee you will like it.

 

[Sagetown]

Concerning the humidity, wearing a wicking shirt makes all the difference in the world. NEVER wear cotton! It sticks to you like glue!

I have nothing but great things to say about the cool vest. My only complaint is the stitching on the camo vest, and I think they're working on that. I washed it on regular cycle and it started to come apart. I bought another and started washing it on a gentle cycle and it's holding up fine, so far.

The worst part about it is having to pack an extra cooler with ice water to hold the chilling packs. And YES, you need to spring for the extra packs so you will always have a set to swap out. The whole shebang will knock a hole in three bills, buy it's worth every penny.

Go for it, brother. I guarantee you will like it.

I'm seriously considering it. LoL ! Wouldn't you know it. I've got my eye on the camo vest too.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I also got the blue, pull over vest. It's very stout!