I found another old giant while my saw is at the doctor!

[cityslicker]

Well we got rained on for the first time on this job all day yesterday, it was not terrible though. We were able to get both CSM logs completely prepped and ready for milling. We also were able to whittle the root ball down to a manageable size that would fit in my truck. I got it home and will try to clean it more then slab what I can off it this spring.

Next trip out there we mill!

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[john taliaferro]

OK now how are you gonna get that out of the truck or did you think of that.

 

[cityslicker]

I was thinking I could mill it in the back of the truck?

Actually I got it out today, I have an old apple tree stump just behind the fence in my backyard that I just wrap a strap around and then just pull the truck out. Then I pulled it upright so I can continue to pressure wash it.

 

[cityslicker]

Well you folks probably thought I gave up! We finally finished the tree yesterday. It was a 15 hour day for me and atleast 12 for my Dad, cousin, and co-worker, I left at 6:30 am and had the tools out of the truck at 9:30 PM!

I had my saw rebuilt and tweaked by our own Mastermind. It ran very well and I am so far really pleased. It is a stihl 088, the tiny tach was reading 11,500 rpm with the 70" bar out of wood. In the wood I was seeing about 8000-8500 rpm which it seemed to like. I was touching up the chain every other pass. I went through 3.5 gallons of fuel and thankfully did not hit even one staple in either of the logs! We pressure washed both logs before milling. The log yielded 7 slabs ranging from 42" to 54" wide 9 feet long and 3.25" thick, I estimated that they weigh about 450# each.
A few of the slabs are incredibly spalted and when I unload them off the trailer I will try to get pics of the spalt.


I also found a tilting flatbed trailer with a 9,990 gross weight to assist me in recovering logs better. I mounted a 5 ton BeeBee brothers manual winch up front along with a 3 ton chain fall I can hook onto the other corner which allows me to suck some big logs onto the trailer.

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[cityslicker]

Here are a few pics of a silver maple trunk that 7 feet long and 36" on the small end.

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[BobL]

Great pics - thanks for posting.

FWIW, In the West Australia timber workers Hall of fame there is a list of those who have died or severely injured on the job. It is interesting to see how many of these were from winch accidents (more than chainsaw accidents), usually from a snapped cable/rope/shackle. I realise that rope in particular has improved enormously in the last couple of decades but I still think that if possible it is basic safety not to stand next to a winch while a load is being applied or in the case of a hand winch maybe at least face shield of some kind?

 

[SDB777]

Curious to why you didn't mill that last log where it was? I like milling where I don't have to shovel, rake, dispose of saw chips made during milling Or was it a 'You-have-to-take-it-if-you-want-it' deal?


Got any photo's from the new log?!?!?!






Scott (sure is a purty one) B

 

[cityslicker]

Bob, I am concerned about being so close to the winch. I am using synthetic line with hopes that if a beak does occur it will be less severe. I think I will start using my chainsaw face mask as well. Thanks for the heads up.

Scott B, I have not milled the silver maple yet, but I will post pics when I do. The owner of this tree did not want me to mill it where it sat. Also it was a good shake down test for the new trailer. I learned alot of what to and not to do.

 

[Fallguy1960]

If you 2 parted the line with a block in the middle the log should pull right up the middle of the trailer with just the one winch. With the new synthetic lines the biggest thing you need to watch is a sharp edge on you decking keep the line clear of that and you should be OK. Also hand operating it gives things time to move and you get a feel for when it is bound up before to rope goes.

 

[cityslicker]

Fall guy I planned on snatch blocking the future logs which is why I angled the winch a bit. I am going to use a snatch block like you said then anchor the winch hook upto the opposing d-ring. It should slow things down real nice.

 

[Mastermind]

Thanks for sending me the pics you did Jon. It's great seeing saws we've done in real working conditions. What a fine job you guys did on saving that walnut!!!!

Your 088 was a head scratcher for us. I hated having it so long but wanted to be sure it was going to be trouble free when it went home. That's the first of that series I had seen with a coil that was over advanced. I have no lies to tell.........we were scared to start it to run a timing light on it when it came time to verify the actual timing number. :msp_mellow:

I had hoped to get some feedback from Stihl on the coil but they wouldn't even reply to one of their own silver techs about what the timing specs were suppose to be. :msp_thumbdn:

Thanks for your patience..........let me know how she fairs in the future.

 

[Nato]

I can only wish to get a hold of some big walnut slabs like those someday. Those would make some great tables.

 

[cityslicker]

I milled the root ball today, It was very punky on the underside where it was submerged underground. But after peeling all the bark off and carefully cleaning the rootball I found what was hiding. The entire rootball was spalted! In the center it is quite solid and I think most pieces will dry pretty well. The BSM only found one golfball sized rock buried right in the middle of one slab. I yielded just over a dozen spalted english walnut pieces about 20"x20"x3" with four at 4.5" thick.

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