Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[JimR]

As did all the other manufacturers. My bil has replaced a couple harnesses on his 07 Chevy 2500 a number of times . I haven’t had rodent damage as of yet in my vehicles but they did chew off the grips on my snowblower .

My neighbors 2010??? Camaro got eaten up under the hood.

 

[SS396driver]

Soy based plastics are not a good idea for cars at all

 

[Lionsfan]

My neighbors 2010??? Camaro got eaten up under the hood.

My MIL's Bonneville got ate up several times. They chewed on her Camry also.

 

[Haywire]

Cut up a nice stick of standing dead spruce today. Wasn't huge by any means but at 75ft tall, it yielded 4 sled loads for the stacks.

 

[Philbert]

I have long said, ‘Start with the battery platform’.

Can your DeWalt or Milwaukee 18 / 20V do this?


Philbert

 

[sean donato]

90% confident I found the problem with the truck. Torn o-ring in the injection pressure regulator valve. Took it out to pressure test the system, and noticed the o-ring looked funny. System held 135psi for about a half hour. Unfortunately, I didn't have an oring on hand that matched up and was viton material. Ford doesn't offer the o-ring separately, so i ordered an aftermarket o-ring kit for it. Since I'm running to the junk yard tomorrow anyway, I'll see if I can find a truck that has a newish looking one and grab it. (Or 3, "sensors" are cheap.) Hopefully have it running Sunday.
I also ordered the updated oil cooler, stc fitting and basically all the gaskets for the top end of the engine. Already have it half tore apart may as well do it all and be done with it.

 

[LawrenceK]

I live close to a large park managed by the Corps of Engineers. Every October I procure a woodcutting permit from the Ranger for dead and down trees. The permit allows up to 10 cords of wood. I usually look for the dead red elms primarily, but also gain a lot of seasoned black locust as well. My woodstove is a Jotul 602N, not very big, but a decent heater on cold mornings. Just being out there scrounging is a relaxing time walking through the woods and seeing all the different things there are to see. I also have various tree cutting services in my area that are willing to drop off a load of wood if their job is close enough to me. I suppose it can be difficult to get wood for those living in the city without paying to have it delivered. But it can be had if you have friends or family with sizeable woods. I sell firewood every Sept. thru March. My customers are mostly stoveys. If I wasn't fortunate enough to live in a semi-rural area, I probably would never have gotten a very deep interest in woodburning, chainsaws, log splitting, and all the fun stuff that goes with it.

 

[chipper1]

My uncle's friend says that's partially true. He says they scrapped a few here and there because the rodents had invaded the cab. But the ones that just needed rewiring, were hauled into the shop and repaired. It just took them a long time since they still needed the mechanics for other jobs.
I did hear that they are selling most of those at a good deal, as they are getting older and people are less interested in them.

Fixed it.
There were hundreds of them at just the one lot I saw, and they had manually over town, just think how many cars stellantis has sitting around right now. Auto manufacturers need to get the prices down, and the main way they can do that is to stop making cars with every option, most are willing to exchange the options for a lower cost. Another thing is the dealers need a stop adding all the crap onto them when they get them, so many times they tack another 2-3k onto the price themselves.

 

[chipper1]

90% confident I found the problem with the truck. Torn o-ring in the injection pressure regulator valve. Took it out to pressure test the system, and noticed the o-ring looked funny. System held 135psi for about a half hour. Unfortunately, I didn't have an oring on hand that matched up and was viton material. Ford doesn't offer the o-ring separately, so i ordered an aftermarket o-ring kit for it. Since I'm running to the junk yard tomorrow anyway, I'll see if I can find a truck that has a newish looking one and grab it. (Or 3, "sensors" are cheap.) Hopefully have it running Sunday.
I also ordered the updated oil cooler, stc fitting and basically all the gaskets for the top end of the engine. Already have it half tore apart may as well do it all and be done with it.

Congrats on the new ride.
That's awesome.
When you starting the bodywork.

I found a 94 camaro that has an engine noise for cheap, low miles and a great looking body, not really my favorite yr. Tempting, especially since I only have like 27 projects to wrap up .

 

[Lee192233]

It's been too long since I've dropped some serious(to me) trees. Couple nice ash that will be made into 5/4x6s for the bed of my dually.Gotta say, I love the square ground chain and the 24" bar on the MS400!

 

[H-Ranch]

Tempting, especially since I only have like 27 projects to wrap up .

Yes, in my mind it works like that too... ONLY 27 projects going.

 

[sean donato]

Congrats on the new ride.
That's awesome.
When you starting the bodywork.

I found a 94 camaro that has an engine noise for cheap, low miles and a great looking body, not really my favorite yr. Tempting, especially since I only have like 27 projects to wrap up .

After it's running to my satisfaction, then I'll do the body work. Rockers and cab corners are pretty easy. Bed cross members are pretty easy too. Just takes some time to do them is all.

Yes, in my mind it works like that too... ONLY 27 projects going.

Shoot, if 27 projects is all I'm way behind. Thank I have at least 127 projects, and most of them are on the wife's list not mine.

 

[sean donato]

Just got to the junkyard, apparently they just instituted a policy that no one under the age of 16 is allowed in the yard. So my daughter isn't allowed in. My wife is on her way out to get her. Asked the guy when they started that policy? He said it's always been like that. Called bs on that, I've been coming to this yard since they opened 10-12 years ago. The kids have been with many times over the years. Kinda made the guy stutter a bit. The owners here, and came out to talk to me. Explained it was a recent policy, and insurance is what drove it. I get it, but at least they could list it on their website or have a sign up out front about the change in policy.
My daughter is not happy about it, but what can you do?

 

[djg james]

Just got to the junkyard, apparently they just instituted a policy that no one under the age of 16 is allowed in the yard. So my daughter isn't allowed in. My wife is on her way out to get her. Asked the guy when they started that policy? He said it's always been like that. Called bs on that, I've been coming to this yard since they opened 10-12 years ago. The kids have been with many times over the years. Kinda made the guy stutter a bit. The owners here, and came out to talk to me. Explained it was a recent policy, and insurance is what drove it. I get it, but at least they could list it on their website or have a sign up out front about the change in policy.
My daughter is not happy about it, but what can you do?

Isn't your daughter 17? Who would know? lol

 

[husqvarna257]

I am deciding between the Tecomec Evo chain grinder and the Oregon 410. I know this has been in this thread before but I can't find it. Anyone who owns one have any input?

 

[Lee192233]

Scrounged up some Marquette tickets...

 

[SimonHS]

I am deciding between the Tecomec Evo chain grinder and the Oregon 410. I know this has been in this thread before but I can't find it. Anyone who owns one have any input?

@Philbert will know.

 

[Philbert]

I am deciding between the Tecomec Evo chain grinder and the Oregon 410. I know this has been in this thread before but I can't find it. Anyone who owns one have any input?

EVO has a sliding vise, which works better with the ‘Square Jig’, if that’s of interest.

I like the Tecomec ’Compact’ (really full sized) grinder in that price range. Full amperage motor, and controls are easier to reach.


Philbert

 

[MechanicMatt]

Do you need the money right now or not? Can you afford to build a home on spec for that price? Can you afford to sit on the home for a few years if the interest rates go up while paying HOA fees if there are some, taxes, upkeep on the home etc? How about building costs? Lumber and other building commodities skyrocketed during Covid raising building costs to the point contractors raised their price to finish or just paid out a non completion penalty as it was less than the material inflation costs and walked off. Can you afford to dump $100k into a house then be left scrambling for someone else to complete it at the new materials cost? Lot's of people do it but only you can decide if you can afford it. Budget it out and include the average sale time of the homes in the community with what it would cost you to keep the home that long plus a buffer in worst case scenario. Building a spec house is a good way to make money but most of the guys I know doing it are contractors themselves so are doing it for cost and can sell cheaper for the same profit others do plus the cash flow to sit on it if they have to.
Say the average time on the market in your community is 2 years and the selling price has to be discounted for the property to move. Average lowering price is $25,000 before sale. It costs you $15,000 a year in taxes, maintenance etc. That $200,000 home you put on the market for $300k just required you to drop it to $275k to move it. $30k plus 6% brokerage fee to sell is $46,500 plus other nonsense so say $47,500. You sat on a house for 2 yrs and made $25,000 which is a good profit but what is the red hot real estate market doing in 2 years? Will your house sell quickly or will you have to wait 3 or more years? Will house prices drop to keep them moving? Did you have to borrow equity in your home or from a 401k to get the deal done? What if another emergency pops up and now you don't have the equity in anything to pay for it? What if your cash flow from your job stops because you broke your leg and can't work for 2 months. Do you have an emergency fund to draw on to keep the bills paid? Don't believe a real estate broker on any of this, they will paint you a happy picture to get your listing.

You only said you paid "a song and a dance" for the lot. If you paid $8,000 for it and sold it for $16,000 that's a 100% profit. Not good enough? It would be for me and I'd take the $16,000, look around and do it again and again and again. Pretty soon your buying $100k property cash and selling for $150 or $200 without risk as you pulled your original $8,000 out long ago, allocated 5 or 10% of the profit to yourself as a "salary" and are now playing with other peoples money. If you lose everything then you still have a nice profit plus your original money in the bank.

Paid less than $1,000 and Zillow shows lots in there going for 8-10

 

[diver64]

Paid less than $1,000 and Zillow shows lots in there going for 8-10

Oh, well in that case I'd sit on it for a bit and see what the market does but I'm risk adverse. Your going to make a killer profit any way you look at it.