K.I.S.S. method ALMOST backfired today!(pics)

[johnnylabguy]

So I knew that I only had a two hour window to cut wood today...

How should I attack it?

My regular wood cutting regimen to my woods 5 miles away is either:

-quad with multiple saws and small 4x6 trailer
-truck and saws
-truck with 6x8 trailer with gator and saws
-truck/gator/quad with splitter behind and saws

With my limited time frame I decided to go with the least toy usage fun factor of my truck and saws. It is even less fun given the fact that my woods is about 350 yds off the road down a lane that right now is covered in half-frozen mud puddles. Great for the floating old school gator, but I just ain't got the time to rig all that stuff up with getting up and making breakfast with the 9 month-old son like I promised "the worlds greatest wife" and gittin r' done before the daughter's noon basketball game...


Yes that's my 12 acre woodlot waaayyy back there on the left side of the fencerow that I CANNOT drive my truck to because of the 30 ft waterhole you can't see right in front of it because its just teasingly covered in 2 inches of ice...and yes it did crack under my girlishly lightweight of 185 lbs daggonit!

And yes I know I need some stone hauled in for that. Remind yourself that I have 3 children and a 12 acre woodlot to pay for yet. And I need exercise because I weigh 185 lbs. and am not 6 foot 5 inches tall.

So I liked the idea with my time frame of the Keep It Simple Stupid(KISS) method like I read about in the old/old school thread recently posted. I almost used the kid sled like suggested because my children like to leave there's out so they are easier to find for such handy usage as firewood tool carriers or toy kites for Old Man Winter.

Then I thought WHAT THE HECK! Let's get raw...One saw...One gas can...One jug of bar oil...LET'S DO THIS OLD SCHOOL!!!

I made it back and enjoyed the peacefulness of it all actually. Except for the crunchiness of thin ice breaking with every step. I'm glad I'm not deerhunting today. Tough conditions for that. And yes, I have killed deer back there. But it was before the two hour window of children. And the deer were too small for pics, but I digress! let's move on!

After a little searching I picked out an easy leaning Emerald Ash Borer infected(unfortunatley, I have many) tree to drop because in my KISS method ernest I forgot a felling wedge. I missed one of those. It was in the truck 400 yds away. and 30 minutes on a schedule. No biggee. Dropped just fine.

All was right and happy in the world till I flushcut the stump for that last little greedy 14 inches of firewood until I looked and the chain was off the bar right outside the topside of the case. WTF?
Shut saw off.
Bar scrench out of pocket.(remembered that)
adjust.
retighten.
start saw.
cut.
slack.
shut off saw.
adjust.
retighten.
saw on.
cut.
chain slack.
saw off.
adjust.
retighten.
saw on.
cut.
saw pinched.(DANG. NO WEDGE! LEFT IT IN TRUCK 400+ YDS AWAY!)
saw off.
YANK.
saw free.
saw on.
chain no move.

After 30 minutes I realized the bar was pinched at the sprocket tip and was luckily able to free up the groove at the sprocket tip. Thank the good lord I remembered the scrench. It free'd it up and I was able to at least buck up the tree and get one tank of gas thru the saw today. Normally I'd just grab the other saw.

And I got to watch my 8 yr old girl make her first 4 points in basketball today. And she is not 6 foot 5 either. Sorry no pics but I was too busy cheering.

So in the end. The KISS method was a success today. But next time I want to use more man toys. Otherwise my wife might catch on.

 

[esshup]

You did better than I did when I tried that. I had to leave the bar and chain in the wood and take the power head back home..........

 

[Steve NW WI]

Simple solution - move up here. We've got a month and a half before mud becomes a problem oke:

Seriously, props to you for making the best use ya could of your cutting time. I know too well the "don't have enough time to do it right, but wanna do something" blues.

 

[VTWoodchuck]

Good story!

 

[flashhole]

Great story except he left out the part where the Princess kissed the ugly toad (Husky) and it turned into a real man toy (Stihl).

 

[REJ2]

Your fuel can is the exact kind i look for at garage sales, i've got several but always on the look out for more. Especially if the screen is still intact. Those and the no-spills are the best small fuel cans out there.

 

[stihl023/5]

We have problems like that lately with warm spells and rain in the middle of winter. It sucks!

 

[Ronaldo]

Great pics and story-- enjoyed both. Glad you could at least get something accomplished while out.:msp_smile:

Ron

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

When we saw in areas where a truck will cause too much damage we use a pull wagon like this.

You can pick them up for less than $75.00 new or just make your own or watch yard sales. I made a board that sits on one end for filling and field work on the saws. Saved many a walk back and easy to do than carrying.

 

[alleyyooper]

Wondering the depth of the mud under the 2 inches of ice. ?


Al

 

[johnnylabguy]

When we saw in areas where a truck will cause too much damage we use a pull wagon like this.

You can pick them up for less than $75.00 new or just make your own or watch yard sales. I made a board that sits on one end for filling and field work on the saws. Saved many a walk back and easy to do than carrying.

I've eyed those before too! I really think the sled idea would've worked great yesterday, but when I went to the shed the door was frozen shut. And like Sweet Brown said, I didn't have time for that!

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

I've eyed those before too! I really think the sled idea would've worked great yesterday, but when I went to the shed the door was frozen shut. And like Sweet Brown said, I didn't have time for that!

We Packed it in quite a bit when we were sawing on others property too. Landowners don't like damage and I don't either. When you do them right they'll keep you in all the wood you'll ever need through word of mouth. Did a lot of fencerows that way as we'd cut when it was wet or not froze enough. Haul when dry or deep froze. Windrowing brush takes a little time but burn day is easy.

This was on my place and about 3/4 of a mile long.

Another trick to do when the snow gets a little deep, Get one of those snow carpet sleds(Thicker plastic that rolls up) and attach the wagon to that. I just drilled a few holes in the plastic and ran a Bungee cord over the axles using the hole for an anchor. Keeps it on top and pulls easier in snow. A homemade bike wheel cart will work too. Watch the roadsides on trash days and let you mind wander.

 

[alleyyooper]

Buy a set of tire chains for a 4x2 truck or 2 sets for a 4x4 truck. Amazing the snow and mud they allow you to get thru.

Al

 

[procarbine2k1]

I've eyed those before too! I really think the sled idea would've worked great yesterday, but when I went to the shed the door was frozen shut. And like Sweet Brown said, I didn't have time for that!

Havent seen you post in a while, hope all is well. I need to get my tail in the woods as well, just havent made the time.

 

[johnnylabguy]

All has been well here! I spend more time on the forums lately reading about running saws than getting to cut with the addition of another toddler to the mix. They limit your outdoor activity a bit for a year or two, but that's ok because they are my brushpile clean up crew down the road! lol. Wouldn't trade him for anything.

I hope your still getting some saw time for yourself. I was intrigued today from a CL Sachs Dolmar 112. I don't even know the cc's of that old model but know its a good saw. I'm trying to stay away from the chainsaw forum because its like sitting at a bar for an AA meeting! I find a "need" for saws I don't need. lol.

As for the mud...I had a slim hope to get some loads out today(world's greatest wife even took the kids shopping with her today and I had a window!) but it got up to 48 F today. The risk/mess outweighed the reward. I'll wait til spring or summer before I load up the equipment/shop with mud for the mess I would have made of my trails today. Although I had to stop myself at least 3 times from going

 

[MotorSeven]

I thought I was the only one running low on firewood. During this warm spell I cut up a cord of slabs off the mill, then a cord & a half of white oak that had been down for 2 years. Everything is all split & stacked in pallet containers & under open sheds. Having a tractor with forks is cheating:msp_thumbup:

You should not have to tighten up your chain so often. Dull chain, worn sprocket or improper bar lube is the culprit. If the temps were really cold you might be using a summer mix of bar oil...too thick.

It's still warm here so I am burning the slabs which is a mixture of cedar, pine, hemlock & walnut.

 

[farmer steve]

You did better than I did when I tried that. I had to leave the bar and chain in the wood and take the power head back home..........

been there done that.:frown: