Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[MustangMike]

If I cut Red Oak to length before the winter, then split it in early spring, and keep in on pallets in a good sunny location, I have no trouble getting it dry enough for burning. However, moisture content is high when first cut.

Re: 20" bars, I have 2 60 cc saws and 2 70 cc saws with 20" bars, don't need more of them, the smaller saws are primarily for limbing. I'm likely going to put a 24" on one of the 70 cc saws (it is from one of the 77 cc saws I recently sold).

 

[woodchip rookie]

I got a 20 on my 395. Hardwood. Monster.

 

[Cowboy254]

I think logger Nate wins the award for lifting the biggest chunks. I think he better own up to being an ex Olympic weight lifter.
Nice pics cowboy.

Thanks! This really is bonus scrounge. Being big and a bit awkward to cut no-one else can be bothered taking it on now the small stuff is gone but I've seen a number of cars do slow drive-bys. The first load was less than one tank in the 661 and I was done in no time, the last two loads have been 2 tanks each with all the extra noodling and cutting off of stubs and other irregular bits. And much, much more time, if you put a price on your time it wouldn't be worth it. But I'm happy to chip away. Even quartered or sixthed, those chunks were about as heavy as I'd want to lift, I don't need to bust a gut pretending I'm 20 again.

 

[woodchip rookie]

I know. I was just saying big ash sucks lifting.

 

[MustangMike]

Even quartered or sixthed, those chunks were about as heavy as I'd want to lift, I don't need to bust a gut pretending I'm 20 again.

Wait, U mean I should not be lifting these things all by myself???

Too Late - Oak, Cherry, Ash!

 

[Cowboy254]

Nothing wrong with lifting heavy things, Mike. I personally have pulled the horns in a bit in that respect in the last couple of years after finding out that I'm not invincible (to my disappointment). I used to accept anything as a physical challenge, now I'm a bit more selective.

Nice rounds too!

I'm a bit curious now to see how heavy those manna gum chunks are, I might weigh a couple when I get home. Or maybe I shouldn't, it'd be a bit embarrassing if I find out that I was struggling to lift 30 pounds .

 

[Logger nate]

I think logger Nate wins the award for lifting the biggest chunks. I think he better own up to being an ex Olympic weight lifter.
Nice pics cowboy.

Lol, that would be my son, or my buddy Scott

 

[Logger nate]

Nothing wrong with lifting heavy things, Mike. I personally have pulled the horns in a bit in that respect in the last couple of years after finding out that I'm not invincible (to my disappointment). I used to accept anything as a physical challenge, now I'm a bit more selective.

Nice rounds too!

I'm a bit curious now to see how heavy those manna gum chunks are, I might weigh a couple when I get home. Or maybe I shouldn't, it'd be a bit embarrassing if I find out that I was struggling to lift 30 pounds .

Wise man

 

[MustangMike]

Nothing wrong with lifting heavy things, Mike. I personally have pulled the horns in a bit in that respect in the last couple of years after finding out that I'm not invincible (to my disappointment). I used to accept anything as a physical challenge, now I'm a bit more selective.

Nice rounds too!

I'm a bit curious now to see how heavy those manna gum chunks are, I might weigh a couple when I get home. Or maybe I shouldn't, it'd be a bit embarrassing if I find out that I was struggling to lift 30 pounds .

I was just joking with you there cowboy, I'm allowed cause of my age!

I did make my Grandsons do a math problem last year, based on real facts: If Grandpa cut up a Red Oak log that was 1.5 cord into 16 rounds, then quartered each round, and Red Oak is 4,800 lbs per cord:

1) What was the average weight of each piece that Grandpa moved?

2) How many pieces did Grandpa move?

3) What was the total weight Grandpa moved?

Just like real school Math questions!

Unfortunately, some of the quartered pieces were larger than average, but I got it done anyway!

 

[Cowboy254]

Wise man

Well curiosity got the better of me. I took the bathroom scales down to the shed where it's level and brought up a couple of the chunks from yesterday and Saturday on the hand cart. Not sure if it's enough to keep my man card.

This was one of the bigger rounds from Saturday. I didn't lift this one fully, I flipped it onto a smaller round then flipped it from there up onto the trailer.





This one was from yesterday, had to lift this one.

 

[Cowboy254]

I was just joking with you there cowboy, I'm allowed cause of my age!

I know . If I put my professional physio hat on for a moment, I can make a couple of observations.

1. Lifting heavy things (and other forms of resistance work) is very important for maintaining muscle mass. Males hit their physiological peak at 25 then there's a slow decline for a number of years. But 49 is the magic age. After that, the rate of deterioration (base case scenario) is significantly more rapid in several respects, including loss of muscle. Of course, you don't have to go along with that meekly and swinging saws and lifting heavy things is one way of staving that deterioration off, or reversing it if you're serious. Lack of strength is the single biggest factor in older people falling as well.

2. That said, lifting heavy things is not without its risks. Lifting heavy things per se is not a problem but poor technique is asking for trouble and maintenance of the lumbar lordosis when lifting is important. The biggest problem though is poor sitting position. It will silently cause creep in the collagen walls of your discs and make them more susceptible to injury, so lifting heavy things after you've been sitting poorly for an extended period is really asking for it.

Physio hat off, having taken a chunk of the trailer to weigh it, I figured I might as well unload the rest. Looks like I have a bit of swingin' ahead of me. It'll help maintain my muscle mass (luckily, I'm not yet 49).

 

[dancan]

And you guys laugh at me while I'm cutting all these spruce poles
Hey Mike , you forgot to get the kids to take into count the amount of wood turned into sawdust lol

 

[dancan]

I'm pretty sure Turnkey4099 is work on reversing muscle loss !

 

[LondonNeil]

I love your photos Dan, I think you cut in a beautiful spot. I also love cowboy's' photos, his wood always looks beautiful.

 

[MustangMike]

When I was in College, I worked for a moving company. It got you strong, and you learned how to use your body to help you lift things.

When splitting, I'll sometimes roll a heavy piece on top of another piece to get it off the ground, then just pick it to me knee and use my leg to help lift it. Then I will often pull it into my hip, my whole body is being used, not just arms & back & legs, everything!

If you do it a lot, it becomes routine.

The other thing about not getting hurt ... do it regularly. If you don't do something for a while, be cautious at first.

My Dad used to say "Mother Nature gives you the first 40 years, after that you better work at it". The older you get, the more diligent you have to be about staying in shape.

That said, I do get a kick out of putting things into the splitter (in horizontal mode) that no one thinks I can get in there!

 

[svk]

When I was in College, I worked for a moving company. It got you strong, and you learned how to use your body to help you lift things.

When splitting, I'll sometimes roll a heavy piece on top of another piece to get it off the ground, then just pick it to me knee and use my leg to help lift it. Then I will often pull it into my hip, my whole body is being used, not just arms & back & legs, everything!

If you do it a lot, it becomes routine.

The other thing about not getting hurt ... do it regularly. If you don't do something for a while, be cautious at first.

My Dad used to say "Mother Nature gives you the first 40 years, after that you better work at it". The older you get, the more diligent you have to be about staying in shape.

That said, I do get a kick out of putting things into the splitter (in horizontal mode) that no one thinks I can get in there!

You are in as good or better shape than anybody your age that I have ever met and definitely the strongest. Just keep it up and do not overdo yourself and you should see many great grandchildren.

Genetics help but like your dad said we need to do our part too. I was adopted at birth but recently discovered my birth families. One grandpa made it to 91 and the other is 85 and in excellent physical shape. My civil war great (x3) grandfather made it to 97 and my grandfather that is still living had an uncle make it to 102. So I guess I have no excuse but to take good care of myself going forward!

 

[JustJeff]

 

[95custmz]

I don't know exactly. But it looks like a hardwood.

 

[dancan]

Spruce of course .

 

[chucker]

View attachment 605107

?? from the lay of the wood, I wood be guessing it's a short piece of hardwood on a spruce frame for a nimble sway in the hay field ?? but then I am just guessing and not knowing how others may see it?? so if it's standing proud and still it must be hardwood waiting for school marm.... lol