Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)
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Thanks to all, as always very many knowledgeable people with helpful inputs, Jeff, Ryan, Steve and philbert and James. I'll use it with confidence.
That looks fun philbert, you were helping with the clear up?
Sorry to hear this
To my knowledge the only semi chisel, pro chain is DPX which has the ramped depth gauge like LPX.
In full disclosure I have no idea what chains were made in the past.
Ryan'smilling
Addicted to ArboristSite
If you are interested in high quality mowing, those machines are hard to beat. The rear discharge eliminates blowing grass onto landscapes, sidewalks, etc. They are also MUCH safer around nearby pedestrians; a real tipping point for some mowing operations. The independent floating decks really conform to tight curves and tough terrain, but they add a lot of complexity to the machine. That means lots more caster wheel problems, bent yokes, worn out linkages. When one little caster wheel falls into a gopher hole, you are then pounding it into the dirt with a big powerful machine. Again: these deck designs don't like high speed mowing. That problem isn't as bad of course, if you don't have knuckleheads running the machine on rough terrain.
If I was a small time operator doing big locations at high quality, that is the type of machine I would want. There are big labor savings to be had when you aren't spending 1/2 the day cleaning up the mess made by your side discharge.
Why so many machines for so few people? Is there a crew with your wife, or does she break so many mowers that she needs a full time mechanic and several backup machines?
My father was in WWII at the very end, joined up under-aged, and was involved with the Battle of the Bulge. He really wouldn't tell any war stories; just a couple that were battle related. A few more about the pranks and "stuff" that he did while in Europe. All told: maybe a 3/4 hour of tales. Only one was "heroic", all the rest were just incidental.
He did say that his plattoon was trapped for 6 weeks behind enemy lines. Hide in the daytime while the Germans were looking for them with spotter planes. Forced march of 20 miles or more at night to a different location. Repeat daily.
He refused to tell more; I don't think he had a very good time. I don't think that it is very fun being a foot soldier in a tank battle. Especially when you are a machine-gunner, and have to carry all the extra weight.
just compared the oregon and stihl rs side by side and although the stihl looked wider i realised since its 1/4 worn and the cutters are shorter i ought to measure it. not very easy to do but the digital calipers seemed to show the oregon is indeed slightly narrower across the top of a cutter, albeit only about 0.1mm, or about 4 thou. but when the gauge difference is 5 thou I am thinking the cutter width may indeed alter as the gauge does. My limited sample doesn't prove diddly though.
panolo
Seldom right...Always opinionated!
When I was in high school I got in a fight and won. The kid needed 3 stiches on his eye brow and I was charged because he was bleeding and I was not. After court I was sentenced to 50 hours community service and walked into our local VFW to ask if I could complete it. It's a small town and the manager knew what had happened and she said no problem. The kid I fought had bullied her younger son on the bus so she thought he had it coming. My community service was to wipe down chairs and than come to the bar for a pizza and pop. While sitting at the bar I met an old fellow and we struck up a friendship. He didn't like many people and the manager found it funny that he took to a snot nose 15 year old. For the next two weeks I came in and basically had lunch and pop at the bar with Don and "fulfilled" my community service. Don had stormed the beach at Normandy and on first rush his boat had been destroyed. He was tossed over and had to jettison his pack and rifle to float. He clung to dead bodies in the water for hours pretending to be one of them. He was one of only a handful of soldiers that survived from his squad.
Over the next few years I was in the VFW 3 times a week rain or shine. Don helped me with my school projects about the war and told me many stories about his time. Some good, some hilarious, and others that brought him to tears. He'd never let me buy the pizza or the pop. Chewed my ass if I did something dumb and in a back handed way made me learn respect for the people that fought for this country and the sacrifices that were given by so many. He taught me how to be ruthless at cards and that if you wanted something go work for it. It wasn't going to be dropped of by "Sandy Claws".
I was a urn bearer at his funeral and his daughter always said he lived an extra couple years because he had lessons to teach me yet. It was one of the most rewarding relationships I will ever have and it was the best damn fist fight I ever got in. Cherish life, cherish the friendships, and cherish the history.
Sorry for your loss Cowboy and rest in peace Phil.
Over the next few years I was in the VFW 3 times a week rain or shine. Don helped me with my school projects about the war and told me many stories about his time. Some good, some hilarious, and others that brought him to tears. He'd never let me buy the pizza or the pop. Chewed my ass if I did something dumb and in a back handed way made me learn respect for the people that fought for this country and the sacrifices that were given by so many. He taught me how to be ruthless at cards and that if you wanted something go work for it. It wasn't going to be dropped of by "Sandy Claws".
I was a urn bearer at his funeral and his daughter always said he lived an extra couple years because he had lessons to teach me yet. It was one of the most rewarding relationships I will ever have and it was the best damn fist fight I ever got in. Cherish life, cherish the friendships, and cherish the history.
Sorry for your loss Cowboy and rest in peace Phil.
Awesome. Priceless memories.
As a kid I had friendships with two crusty WW2 vets. One was a mechanic in the 8th AF and the other was a coastguardsman who didn’t even finish HS before he joined and received an honorary diploma in his 70’s.
Both were cantankerous and let me have it a few times lol. I tent to hold a grudge so it took some time for us to get back on good terms again. Really enjoyed listening to their life stories though.
Both were cantankerous and let me have it a few times lol. I tent to hold a grudge so it took some time for us to get back on good terms again. Really enjoyed listening to their life stories though.
Sorry for your loss Cowboy, the Greatest Generation (those who served in WW II, including my Dad + Uncle) are rapidly disappearing.
My Dad was one who did not like to talk about it, which unfortunately leaves nagging questions about the whole truth of what he did (or not).
He was in the reserves when the war broke out, and his artillery unit was reclassified to Tank Destroyers (771st battalion … research it and see what they went through). Only he, and one other guy from the original unit returned at the end of the war, all the others were replacements. He was in both Battle of the Hedge Rows, and Battle of the Bulge. He served under Patton in a recon unit.
When my brother and I asked him what a recon unit was, he replied "That is when you drive around the Countryside, and when somebody shoots at you, you know you have found who you are looking for".
They sent them out in Sherman Tanks telling them they were as good as anything out there … they were not even close. The first time they ran across a Tiger Tank they thought they caught it looking the wrong way. I think the Tiger was playing possum. Thirteen Sherman's snuck up on it and opened fire, their shells bounced off it like pink pong balls. The Tiger wheeled around and blew away 9 of our 13 tanks, the rest ran (we were faster than the German tanks). One of my Dad's best friends was the gunner in the lead tank, he did not survive.
My Dad was a radio operator, and the fellow serviceman who came to his funeral said the only reason any of them survived was because my Dad could speak German, and they had captured a German radio, and my Dad was able to tell them what the Germans were planning before they did it.
My Dad said that 3 times artillery shells landed so close to him that if they had exploded he would not be here, but they were duds. He credited the "forced labor", mostly Polish, that bobby trapped the munitions they making even though it meant death if they were caught. He also told my Mom that he never expected to return home, and though it was just a matter of when, not if.
My Dad did not return right away after the war, and two of my older cousins tell us it is because he served as an interpreter at the Nuremburg Trials, but he never spoke of it. (My Dad spoke both Italian and German fluently, having one Grandmother of each, and growing up during the depression while both parents worked). I paid to get a copy of his Military Records, and all they sent me was his admission papers, his discharge papers, and a grainy photo from when he was in the reserves. I just can't believe that is all they had.
He said the winter in Germany that year was so cold you did not even want to go into the officers quarters to get warm, because you knew you would have to go back out again and get reacclimated to the cold. He also often stated that sleeping in wet, cold fox holes resulted in subsequent back problems. He also said there was often no time to did fox holes, and they would just sleep under the tank.
Few of us can imagine the Hell these guys went through. We have a lot to be thankful for, and must work hard not to loose it.
My Dad was one who did not like to talk about it, which unfortunately leaves nagging questions about the whole truth of what he did (or not).
He was in the reserves when the war broke out, and his artillery unit was reclassified to Tank Destroyers (771st battalion … research it and see what they went through). Only he, and one other guy from the original unit returned at the end of the war, all the others were replacements. He was in both Battle of the Hedge Rows, and Battle of the Bulge. He served under Patton in a recon unit.
When my brother and I asked him what a recon unit was, he replied "That is when you drive around the Countryside, and when somebody shoots at you, you know you have found who you are looking for".
They sent them out in Sherman Tanks telling them they were as good as anything out there … they were not even close. The first time they ran across a Tiger Tank they thought they caught it looking the wrong way. I think the Tiger was playing possum. Thirteen Sherman's snuck up on it and opened fire, their shells bounced off it like pink pong balls. The Tiger wheeled around and blew away 9 of our 13 tanks, the rest ran (we were faster than the German tanks). One of my Dad's best friends was the gunner in the lead tank, he did not survive.
My Dad was a radio operator, and the fellow serviceman who came to his funeral said the only reason any of them survived was because my Dad could speak German, and they had captured a German radio, and my Dad was able to tell them what the Germans were planning before they did it.
My Dad said that 3 times artillery shells landed so close to him that if they had exploded he would not be here, but they were duds. He credited the "forced labor", mostly Polish, that bobby trapped the munitions they making even though it meant death if they were caught. He also told my Mom that he never expected to return home, and though it was just a matter of when, not if.
My Dad did not return right away after the war, and two of my older cousins tell us it is because he served as an interpreter at the Nuremburg Trials, but he never spoke of it. (My Dad spoke both Italian and German fluently, having one Grandmother of each, and growing up during the depression while both parents worked). I paid to get a copy of his Military Records, and all they sent me was his admission papers, his discharge papers, and a grainy photo from when he was in the reserves. I just can't believe that is all they had.
He said the winter in Germany that year was so cold you did not even want to go into the officers quarters to get warm, because you knew you would have to go back out again and get reacclimated to the cold. He also often stated that sleeping in wet, cold fox holes resulted in subsequent back problems. He also said there was often no time to did fox holes, and they would just sleep under the tank.
Few of us can imagine the Hell these guys went through. We have a lot to be thankful for, and must work hard not to loose it.
92utownxh
ArboristSite Operative
My grandpa was in the Coast Guard during WWII. He turned 91 back in April, just retired from preaching a couple weeks ago. He was in the Great Lakes and around the east coast for the most part. Newfoundland too. No so much across enemy lines, but still served. The one story I always remember him telling me is when they all went to shore in Boston for some celebration. He was in the Commons and saw a police officer on horseback. They rode away and the next thing he sees in a couple sailors on the horse and no officer.
James, just tell him to get a big boy saw and not worry about it. I've never seen .404 in safety.
Incredible
My grandpa’s cousin (they called him Uncle Bill) was a commander (or whatever they call the guy in charge of an individual tank) in the 899th tank destroyer battalion. Tank destroyers were basically Sherman’s with a larger (although unarmored) main gun. He had 3 TD’s destroyed and lost men in two of the hits. He received a Purple Heart in the Battle of the Bulge. Came home with bad PTSD and never married. Took his own life in the early 80’s so I wasnt old enough to remember him. I have his dog tags and Purple Heart.
This is how my birthday started LOL. Post-op reveals the tire was made in January of 06’ which explains why it blew out despite having 80 percent tread remaining and at correct air pressure. Must have sat in someone’s barn before my buddy gave it to me.
I changed it with factory provided jack and lug wrench and was back on the road 11 minutes after I came to a stop. And I did it all in dress clothes and didn’t even get myself dirty.
Rim was undamaged.
I changed it with factory provided jack and lug wrench and was back on the road 11 minutes after I came to a stop. And I did it all in dress clothes and didn’t even get myself dirty.
Rim was undamaged.
They kept upgrading our guns (on our tanks), started with 75mms, upgraded to more powerful 76mm, and near the end of the war had a few 90mm, but they were still no match for the German 88s, which had a tapered shell and a larger powder base. They could reach further, and penetrate more. Our guys generally had to hit them broadside (the armor was thinner), hit them in the tread and run, or call in artillery or air support.
Our tanks were lighter and faster, but that came at a price. Our tanks ran on gas, theirs on diesel. When out tanks got hit, the gas and munitions often did not let you escape. My Dad said there would often be nothing left of the guys except a pile of white dust and some jewelry.
As a Radio Operator, they assigned my Dad a 30 carbine, which was near useless in the open farm country where they were. I asked him what he was able to do with a 30 carbine, and he told me "first thing I did was trade it for an M-1, with someone who did not need his any more".
Our tanks were lighter and faster, but that came at a price. Our tanks ran on gas, theirs on diesel. When out tanks got hit, the gas and munitions often did not let you escape. My Dad said there would often be nothing left of the guys except a pile of white dust and some jewelry.
As a Radio Operator, they assigned my Dad a 30 carbine, which was near useless in the open farm country where they were. I asked him what he was able to do with a 30 carbine, and he told me "first thing I did was trade it for an M-1, with someone who did not need his any more".
This is how my birthday started LOL. Post-op reveals the tire was made in January of 06’ which explains why it blew out despite having 80 percent tread remaining and at correct air pressure. Must have sat in someone’s barn before my buddy gave it to me.
View attachment 673211
I changed it with factory provided jack and lug wrench and was back on the road 11 minutes after I came to a stop. And I did it all in dress clothes and didn’t even get myself dirty.
Rim was undamaged.
Glad you were not hurt.
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