Whatta mess!

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Work periods are getting kinda short these years. I am usually good to go balls to the wall for about 3 - 3 1/2 hours and then it is like hitting brick wall.

The slow progress cutting that tree though (after the brush was gone) is a function of:

1. Hauling with a 1/2 ton PU. Even overloaded as I do doesn't get a lot of log out.

2. Locationof the wood. Make a load and then cut rounds for the next load and they won't be there when I go back. Already lost 1 whole standing tree several years ago overnight. He was a nice guy though - he left all the brush for me to clean up. I learned years ago that if I need to leave wood lay, make sure that anyone with sticky fingers will have to do some serious work to get it.

Still whimping out on the splitting. Using the Hydrualic to keep the unsplit pile down to a reasonable size. When I finish this tree it will be a 'down time' - need to wait until after harvest as that huge mutha wants to go partly into his crop. Will use the down time on the maul and wedges.

You-all get bored with the progress reports, just say so. I tend to get diarhea of the keyboard.

Harry K

Keep those reports coming I only wish you were closer so I could
lend a hand even though, you probably would not want it. My dad
is like that but has started to take my help and I am proud to offer
it.
 
I'm just hoping I have still have control over bodily functions at that age.

Turnkey, you are an inspiration. Keep on buckin'!

+1

A little tip for you guys. No matter how impressed and inspired you are by Turnkey's work DO NOT share it with your wife.

I made that mistake and apparently "I should be ashamed of myself and the amount of wood I put up this year."

Chicks are crazy.:chainsaw:
 
+1

A little tip for you guys. No matter how impressed and inspired you are by Turnkey's work DO NOT share it with your wife.

I made that mistake and apparently "I should be ashamed of myself and the amount of wood I put up this year."

Chicks are crazy.:chainsaw:

+1 on that mine makes statements sometimes that, if she only knew
what I would do to a man for the same. They are the greatest armchair
quarterback in the business:laugh:
 
Turnkey, you are an inspiration to the rest of us. I'm almost 20 years younger than you and after about 3 or 4 hours of cutting and loading I'm done. I don't consider using a splitter whimping out. It's still work but just makes it go faster.

Keep the pictures and updates coming.

I won't leave wood laying unless it's where I know it'll be safe. I'm afraid that some of the entitlement crowd will take advantage of it.

Danny
 
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+1

A little tip for you guys. No matter how impressed and inspired you are by Turnkey's work DO NOT share it with your wife.

I made that mistake and apparently "I should be ashamed of myself and the amount of wood I put up this year."

Chicks are crazy.:chainsaw:

You said it. My wife gets PO'd if I'm late getting home and have a Rangerload of wood. Happened 2 days ago.

Hey b1rdman, how'd you make out with the storm/tornado yesterday? We were right in the tornado zone but it was uneventful for us (thankfully).

If you have a mess (there's a lot of them around!) and would like some help, PM me and I'll see what I can do.
 
Hey b1rdman, how'd you make out with the storm/tornado yesterday? We were right in the tornado zone but it was uneventful for us (thankfully).

No problems at home (Loudon) but I work on the Chichester/Epsom line and it was NASTY just before lunchtime.
 
Thanks for all the comments. I probably make it sound worse than it is. Temperature for one. Yep, it has been up in the 90s on the days I was out there but I was back long before it got that hot. I can stand working in heat but hate having sweat running down my face (and over my glasses). Time I cycle through my 4 sweatbands it is time to quit.

Been hitting it every two days, one day out there, one at home on honeydos and a bit of splitting. Out again tomorrow for another load. Minor amount of brushing, the rest is just fun cutting and no-so-fun loading.

Spotted a dead locust today on way back from Clarkston, WA today. Bit far out but may try for it. It is a very small one though, probably about a 1/4 load.

Pile now has 7 1/2 cord split and another 1 1/2 waiting for splitting. Time I finish this tree plus that huge one, the pile will be over 10 or 11 cord. Way more than I wanted for this summer.

Definitely going to chain/padlock the pasture gate.

Harry K
 
The piles are right by the house. The old piles start right behind the garage. What I really need is a driveway alarm as I have no clue anyone pulled in until they ring the bell.


log.jpg


That is as I left it on the last load except that I had picked up all the stuff that was cut. The last cut on the big limb on the left is 35' 6" from the butt end and measures 22"

log1.jpg


As I left it today. Another full load. Not a good day. I rocked out two chains cutting up the big limb to the right on the ground - it was sunk into the dirt by about 4" and I couldn't find a spot to free it withoug cutting dirt.

That log gets bigger every time I look at it. The maul handle gives a good idea. Just past that crotch (next cut) the log is tight to the ground so you can see how much bigger through it is than the maul handle.

Begginning to wonder if I will even be able to work it up. Not good at sharping chains anymore as I can't really see what I am doing. Sharp on the bench, hit the 'patch and find that it won't cut for anything. I carry 3 20", 2 18" and 2 25" loops and hope that I can get at least two to work. I even bought one of those cheapy HF grinders last year to use - doesn't work at all for me except to get the teeth back to the same size after I have been at them with a file a couple times.

Harry K
 
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Another full load today. That makes 4 full loads. I got curious and measured my loads.

Bed is 5'4" between rails, bed to top of racks 4'. I put in 4 ricks across and rack high which gives a cube of

4'x5'x5' (rounding everything down). That comes to 100 cu ft. Considering that my ricks go above the racks by a couple inches and 4 ricks of 16" is actually 5'4" I would say that I am hauling 3/4 cord wood each load!!

As I left the log today.

log3.jpg


Log remaining is 15'. Looks like 2 more loads, possibly some left over.

Beginning to re-consider on that big tree waiting in the wings. I may offer it, or at last part of it, to another guy. I am getting a bit tired of this.

Out again tomorrow after putting some more bench time trying to get a good sharp job. I sharped two chains yessterday and the felt sharp, looked sharp (as well as I could see) but wouldn't cut without pressure. Sun happened to catch a tooth just right and I could see my angle was a bit off leavign a dull spot on the outside edge - redid it again this evening.

Harry K
 
nice job!!

hope I'm that fit when I reach 73...

by the way do you have a peavy? don't see one in the pic's

couldn't operate with out a peavy to move larger wood with.

no more hero tactics for me... too big.. cut it down, then split it sideways with my 064.

moving 3ft + oak rounds to the splitter can kill ya..
much less energy to cut em down to size.... safer too!
 
Keven, he's splitting them before loading.


Nice job Harry! That's a lot of wood still sitting there. That tree will keep you warm for a long time... wish I had one or two of those to whittle away at myself.

Keep up the good work! :clap:
 
Wedges and maul. Willow splits fairly easy if no knots/crotches. If it looks like a problem - I make curly fries witht he saws. Depending on the size of the round I load half, quarter, or more chunks off each round. Those today were taken down to 6 pieces.

Finished it up today Remaining are 3 rounds and a trimmer at the falling cut end. What is there will remain until I tackle that big thing (if I do).

log4.jpg


Not as much there as I thought. Makes 5 complete loads.

Here is the monster:

bigtree.jpg


brushtree-1.jpg


Goes well over 4ft DBH and is brush top to bottom.

Be attending the weekly coffee club in town on Friday. Will be offering that thing to anyone who wants it and hoping someone does. If not, I have to do it as that is the one that the farmer really wants out. It has to wait until after harvest as part will be in the field. The previous 3 trees were preliminary as the crowns would have hung and they were in the way of that monster.

Looking forward to jusst splitting/stacking wood for awhile.

Harry K
 
Harry, are you knocking down the rakers on those chains??? That usually lets the saw pull itself into the log, no pressure needed.

Nice job, lots of work, too!!!
 
Harry, that last pic with your truck in the foreground. I swear I see a frown on the grill of your truck.

Lots of wood in that monster.
 
Lots of wood in that monster.

No doubt, that looks like a lot of work Harry!

Sometimes you have to know when to say enough is enough. Wish I lived closer, I'd give you a hand with that old bear...
 
Harry, are you knocking down the rakers on those chains??? That usually lets the saw pull itself into the log, no pressure needed.

Nice job, lots of work, too!!!

Yep. I take em down .030 since it is soft wood. My lasst trip it was cutting better but not all that great yet. Need to find someone sharping them with a decent grinder I guess. The one who used to do them, closed 2 years ago.

I can get them to cut sorta ok but not self feed anymore.

Harry K
 

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