The Descriptive Process
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Some days it’s better to be lucky than good. Matt, I think you’re both.
Today I was neither.
That is the first time I’ve stuck a saw in… Five years. On a little cleanup job of all things.
Today I was neither.
That is the first time I’ve stuck a saw in… Five years. On a little cleanup job of all things.
its ok, it happens to all of us... part of being a man etc..
Was there... an audience?
no witnesses... you have to take my word for it
I guess, man. But I would have figured it would have been some big tree where I was in a hurry clearing a tangled mess of blowdown. Turns out, you pay better attention in those instances and bigger trees are easier to cut than the small ones.
The better part was that my 461 flat out refused to even start to cut the damned thing out. It wouldn’t even flood. And yes Karl, it had gas in it.
they say that struggle builds character.
picked up new fire wagon today, bought with cash, drove it straight to the sight, popped the top... 1/4 full of dry hardened silt... and a **** load of cobwebs...
Ok, I'll just put some water in, it will soften up, and wash right out... kinda, gotter half full and put the fire hose to er helped mix it all up, then drained via fire hose (both drains at this point were open, but blocked with muck.
then I proceed to fill er up, tie a chain on to move it into its parking spot with ye ole essavator...and I over balance the damned thing it stands nearly straight up on its ass, and pours out just about every bit of the 400 gallons I've spent the last 2 hours filling...
on the good side because of my antics getting it back on its feet... most of the sediment is gone, or at least mixed with water enough to drain out.
So my 1/2 day of a pleasant drive, and a quick fill up back home just after lunch turned into a prolonged picnic in 100+ degree heat, with wet socks, covered in mud of dubious origins...
Ok, I'll just put some water in, it will soften up, and wash right out... kinda, gotter half full and put the fire hose to er helped mix it all up, then drained via fire hose (both drains at this point were open, but blocked with muck.
then I proceed to fill er up, tie a chain on to move it into its parking spot with ye ole essavator...and I over balance the damned thing it stands nearly straight up on its ass, and pours out just about every bit of the 400 gallons I've spent the last 2 hours filling...
on the good side because of my antics getting it back on its feet... most of the sediment is gone, or at least mixed with water enough to drain out.
So my 1/2 day of a pleasant drive, and a quick fill up back home just after lunch turned into a prolonged picnic in 100+ degree heat, with wet socks, covered in mud of dubious origins...
guy I got it from, "had" another one, complete with pump and fire tool box, he had lent to another local logger, who then smashed said tool box and all the fire tools inside it...
Same guy a few years ago, had been renting an essavator from same guy... and smashed the cab level with the engine... so he ended up buying said essavator, some how these two are still friends lol, I've never met the guy who keeps smashing all the fist guys stuff, but the first guy keeps rebuilding it, and then dude buys em off him... anyway old loggers when you can find them make good allies when it comes to rescuing junk.
Same guy a few years ago, had been renting an essavator from same guy... and smashed the cab level with the engine... so he ended up buying said essavator, some how these two are still friends lol, I've never met the guy who keeps smashing all the fist guys stuff, but the first guy keeps rebuilding it, and then dude buys em off him... anyway old loggers when you can find them make good allies when it comes to rescuing junk.
Well, ripping the diverter wires and bending up my steel hydraulic lines on my little Deere 4710 pushed me over the edge. After a lot of research, weight limitations (wanted to keep my existing trailer) and nostalgia, I bought a 1958 John Deere 420C similarly equipped as my dad's 420W wheel tractor. It is a late model so it has the engine and transmissions upgrades like the early 440 but without the heavier finals. It weighs slightly over 6,000# and will pull its weight. Carburetor issues kept it sidelined for a while, but after the fourth float, we had a fit. In the meantime, I rebuilt the generator, replaced the points, coil, condenser, cap, rotor, wires and plugs, fashioned a winch mount and plumbed a small military surplus hydraulic humvee winch. I got a little anxious when I discovered that once again everything on the internet is not correct - in this case, the hydraulic system is not 1500 psi but rather a lowly 850 psi which means my winch will operate at about 60% of its rated capacity. Nevertheless, it works fine for the little dozer and I don't have the fear of grenading it like my last one that i was running at 170% or more of its capacity.
Old bitzer will have a cow as I am using the little dozer on a familiar site - a site over 6 years ago I was given permission to cut everything but saw timber. Being an igmo, saw timber to me is nice straight stuff 15" dbh or so and up. In 2016, I cut a bunch until bitzer pointed out I was cutting stuff he would sell. So I left the site with a big donut hole clearing I had made to fall trees into. Fast forward to the end of June of this year when the property was sold and the new owner gave the wood ministry 30 days to cut anything we wanted so long as we left 3' or higher stumps. The white oaks alone that I am felling for firewood would easily pay for my dozer many times over. I think of bitzer and I think of the pavilion and equipment shed I want to build every time I put one down. The donut hole is now wall to wall with straight 20' to 30' tall 2" to 4" saplings. Those saplings are what took out my diverter wires and bented my hydraulic lines. The little dozer with its 6' blade just bowls them over. However, it doesn't have enough traction to uprooted them as it goes, which means I am creating and encountering spring loaded hazards at a level far above my experience and liking. I can't wait to be done at this site and move to a mature woods.
Here's a few pictures of the old dozer and some background shots:
The seat is not original. Nor are my homemade winch mount and the new muffler. All else pretty much is.
First major mishap. Just one of many learning experiences. I previously knocked off the old muffler and put the first dent in the 64 year old sheet metal.
"Custom" wrench I made to tension the tracks. Apparently, Deere has been making "compact" tractors long before that term became a benchmark.
A few of the white oak logs. I started skidding 60' lengths, but the hill in the background proved too much so I started bucking to 20'.
Nice hickory I felled today. The high lift on the blade is handy for knocking stems off those 3'+ tall stumps.
White oak. Don't tell on me - I got a little short on that stump.
Ron
Just edited my post as it appears that auto-correct changed "diverter" to "diverted". Maybe it was just thinking of most of my daily plans. Ron
now yer loggin!
Way to run what you brung to get the logs out!
jolj
ArboristSite Operative
I want one!
They are out there for less $ than a nice riding lawn mower. You just have to look for them. However, you can sink a lot of $$ in one that isn’t in good running order.
Ron
Hopefully, my last chest high cut for awhile.
Beech.
I have packed and moved back to the shooting range. Hopefully, it will soon dry up enough to get the truck up the hill.
The more I run the little crawler, the more I like it.
Ron
Beech.
I have packed and moved back to the shooting range. Hopefully, it will soon dry up enough to get the truck up the hill.
The more I run the little crawler, the more I like it.
Ron
hel ron you ain't living until yer running an 084 on spring boards cutting over yer head... (wait no... that totally sucked and I don't suggest it)
I’ve run a 395 overhead. My arms felt like jello for three days. An 084? On springboards? You’re more of a man than I, sir.
Think that was the day I finally broke a spring board... luckily the ground was soft and a slight slope so it was mostly funny.
I thought about you spring board PNW fallers a few Saturdays back when cutting this white oak - I told myself that I had no right to complain.
Ron
Ron
