Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[MustangMike]

Temps are at freezing and are predicted to stay below freezing for the next 5 days. No snow, and it has been so wet that even on clear days the ground is just too soft to do anything.

Never seen a year like it for this time of year.

2 days ago it was a little warmer (40s) and a dry day, so I finally put the Blizzack Tires on the Mustang … latest I have ever done it. TG for Battery Impact wrenches (used my 1/2" De Walt 18V). I did not want to wrestle with a lug wrench and risk re injuring my back.

 

[Streblerm]

View attachment 695754 Still not sure about oak. This is a piece I split a minute ago to get a pic of the inside.

It sure looks like maple. It could be a red or swamp maple. If so it is somewhere in between silver and sugar. I’m happy to burn any of the three.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

Heigh Ho, Heigh HO, t'is off to work I go.

Jan 10 12:11 am, temp 40, dry some breeze, ground not frozen yet and bare. Normally we should be in low 30s, ground frozen and at least a foot of snow on the ground. Conditions like that say I'm going 'wooding' at Von's in the morning. Loaded the car with all the tools including 4 saws to remove a brushy willow right by the road. Someone back when cut a willow and allowed it to sprout again, must be a dozen stems of small caliber. Taking the MS210/16" bar. Old saw and hasn't been used except as a backhoe cutting stumps flush with the ground. Might as well give the old girl a taste of real wood. If it runs well it will sure save hoisting around the MS362 to cut small stuff.

Never though I could get out and about with the saws this time of year.

thanks for the SE Washington weather report. have lived all over WA state... E, Ctrl and W... used to go down to the snake river area there... yrs ago... and pick cherries.

 

[turnkey4099]

thanks for the SE Washington weather report. have lived all over WA state... E, Ctrl and W... used to go down to the snake river area there... yrs ago... and pick cherries.

One orchard is still in business. They are the only people down there now, building the dam wiped out most of the agriculture. I used to go down and fish the river banks, never caught much of anything.

 

[turnkey4099]

Heigh Ho, Heigh HO, t'is off to work I go.

Jan 10 12:11 am, temp 40, dry some breeze, ground not frozen yet and bare. Normally we should be in low 30s, ground frozen and at least a foot of snow on the ground. Conditions like that say I'm going 'wooding' at Von's in the morning. Loaded the car with all the tools including 4 saws to remove a brushy willow right by the road. Someone back when cut a willow and allowed it to sprout again, must be a dozen stems of small caliber. Taking the MS210/16" bar. Old saw and hasn't been used except as a backhoe cutting stumps flush with the ground. Might as well give the old girl a taste of real wood. If it runs well it will sure save hoisting around the MS362 to cut small stuff.

Never though I could get out and about with the saws this time of year.

Three hours was all I could make and I was dead beat by then. I thought I was keeping shape, but no. Gotta take my Husky top handle back to the dealer. It threw the chain and I can't get the cover back on. I suspect the chainbrake is set but it doesn't release when I pull hard on it. I'll go to Pullman after the coffee club in the morning and then on down to Von's to continue beating my body up.

 

[rarefish383]

I started across the back yard heading down the hill to the wood pile. I have a bunch of 20-24" Oak rounds that are straight as an arrow, dead, no bark. Tuesday was 5 weeks since my new knee. So I figured I could swing the Fiskars with out much trouble. The thermometer on the wood shed was right on 30*, thin skim of ice on the dogs water. My wife told me not to split wood till the doctor said it was OK. I said I was fine to stand and swing the ax, I wouldn't try to lift anything heavy. I walked out from behind the house and a 30 MPH wind hit me. I turned around and went back in. My wife said you didn't split much. I said I decided you were right, and I'm following your advice. She just laughed.

 

[LondonNeil]

Good! be sensible. Sit in the shop/by a stove rebuild saws, sharpen chains and restore axes, or just sit, stroke the dog, kick the cat, drink coffee or beer depending on the time of day amd watch buckin' on youtube.

 

[Deleted member 149229]

Good! be sensible. Sit in the shop/by a stove rebuild saws, sharpen chains and restore axes, or just sit, stroke the dog, kick the cat, drink coffee or beer depending on the time of day amd watch buckin' on youtube.

What do you mean drink beer depending on the time of day? 2 times to drink beer, daytime and night time.

 

[James Miller]

What do you mean drink beer depending on the time of day? 2 times to drink beer, daytime and night time.

Can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning.

 

[James Miller]

So I decided to try the glove thing. There nice when its freezing and the wind is whipping. But I still don't see me wareing them when its above freezing to warm.

 

[Deleted member 150358]

Been using some dipped jersey gloves lately. They are ok above 30°F but... My hands sweat in em like canvass gym shoes. Great for splitting snow n iced over chunks. Just gotta find some smaller jersey gloves for liners

 

[Deleted member 150358]

I think they were for the honey wagon guys or cleaning public restrooms. Got a bag of used ones on an auction. I ain't skeered.

 

[MustangMike]

I was going to do some outdoor stuff too, but in the mid 20s and windy as heck, so I went back inside … just no fun being out there!

 

[hamish]

I was going to do some outdoor stuff too, but in the mid 20s and windy as heck, so I went back inside … just no fun being out there!

You mean -20'sF???? Its not bad but gets to be a pain especially on older arthritic hands, gloves are a must..............

Its winter, LOOOOOOOOVVVVEEEE it!

Cant remember last time i had to go to the fridge to get a cold beer.

 

[James Miller]

I prefer the cold weather to. Hoping we get enough snow Saturday I can make a little money.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

One orchard is still in business. They are the only people down there now, building the dam wiped out most of the agriculture. I used to go down and fish the river banks, never caught much of anything.

that is quite a river! indeed! I read where before the dam... they relocated many of the cherry trees. sure were some good cherries. mid to late 50's....

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

I started across the back yard heading down the hill to the wood pile. I have a bunch of 20-24" Oak rounds that are straight as an arrow, dead, no bark. Tuesday was 5 weeks since my new knee. So I figured I could swing the Fiskars with out much trouble. The thermometer on the wood shed was right on 30*, thin skim of ice on the dogs water. My wife told me not to split wood till the doctor said it was OK. I said I was fine to stand and swing the ax, I wouldn't try to lift anything heavy. I walked out from behind the house and a 30 MPH wind hit me. I turned around and went back in. My wife said you didn't split much. I said I decided you were right, and I'm following your advice. She just laughed.

 

[turnkey4099]

Three hours was all I could make and I was dead beat by then. I thought I was keeping shape, but no. Gotta take my Husky top handle back to the dealer. It threw the chain and I can't get the cover back on. I suspect the chainbrake is set but it doesn't release when I pull hard on it. I'll go to Pullman after the coffee club in the morning and then on down to Von's to continue beating my body up.

Got home and took care of some housewife stuff then looked at the saw again on the diningroom table. Yep, chain brake was set and released once I had it half on the saw so I could give it a hard pull. Back out there in them morning. I cleaned 3 of the multiple stems. tomorrow I tackle a stem that is more of a small tree but 20' or more tall. I am getting some very nice Fiskar's candidate rounds. Farmer handed me $200 'in appreciation for your work'. Nice but it is only drop in thebucket for the amount of gas I burn going back and forth. Year before last I even put 24 gallons of gss through the saws.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

Good! be sensible. Sit in the shop/by a stove rebuild saws, sharpen chains and restore axes, or just sit, stroke the dog, kick the cat, drink coffee or beer depending on the time of day amd watch buckin' on youtube.

right on!

or restore refurb wood rasp. just finished this redo. very sharp, aggressive wood rasp. rusty, found in deal in scrounged garage sale...

before, handle is from sledge project...


after ~


file's hickory handle project includes machine shop metalcraft, woodworking and gunsmithing... inlaid action in epoxy, custom finish... and trick fasteners. those brass 8/32's 1/4 hold the steel to the wood, rock solid... rasp's handle end is inlaid into the hard hickory!

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

under that dark greasy grimy old sledge hammer handle... grain. nice wood grain, even some tiger tail!!