Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[Lee192233]

Just got some bad news. My friend and local tree guy died yesterday. His bucket truck went over and he was killed on impact.

He was in his 50s, meticulous and careful. I'm in shock!

I'm sorry for your loss Mike. I'm praying for you and his family. It's always hard losing friends.

 

[JustPlainJeff]

Sorry about the loss of your friend @MustangMike. Some nasty storms have blown through here for the last two days. Power has been out since yesterday. Had to cut my way through our road to get to town. I had to wait to cut these up as the power lines were still live for a few hours. After a few hours we said "screw it", called some friends that live about a mile from our other house in Land O' Lakes to see if they had power and he said that they did. So, after it got to about 90 degrees, we packed up the fridge and freezers (as much as we could), and came over to our other house, to wait until the power has been restored in Iron River.

 

[djg james]

My trip to NH yesterday went well, 195 miles each way and the truck got 23.7 MPG w/traffic jams and a stop at Cabela's! Still had more than 1/4 tank when I got home!

You're truck gets over 20 mpg? I've got a bottom of the line 2 2WD Dodge truck and best I get is 17 mpg.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Sorry about the loss of your friend @MustangMike. Some nasty storms have blown through here for the last two days. Power has been out since yesterday. Had to cut my way through our road to get to town. I had to wait to cut these up as the power lines were still live for a few hours. After a few hours we said "screw it", called some friends that live about a mile from our other house in Land O' Lakes to see if they had power and he said that they did. So, after it got to about 90 degrees, we packed up the fridge and freezers (as much as we could), and came over to our other house, to wait until the power has been restored in Iron River.View attachment 996319View attachment 996320View attachment 996321

Looks like it got a little nautical!

 

[mountainguyed67]

Took some starter wood over to the burn barrel last weekend. The logs already bucked up have mostly already been hauled away, we took them to friends that run a store. They’ll either sell them or burn them themselves. Forgot to get a loaded trailer pic. These were dead trees I felled recently, it’s good to get them off the property right away. They can quickly clutter up the place. We put a low hours turbo engine in the loader last year, I’m happy with it.

 

[JustPlainJeff]

Looks like it got a little nautical!

I'm just glad our other house is only about an hour away. We've been considering putting in a standby generator since we bought the house in Iron River last Summer. Now that we've lost power three times in that year for extended periods, my mind is made up. Calling a Generac and a Kohler salesman tomorrow.

 

[rarefish383]

As Fallers and/or Buckers. Each and every one of us must stay 100% focused, and 100% in the game if we want to stay alive. The number one injury to Fallers is caused by widow maker's. Weather its a broken hand while holding your saw (not protected by a hard hat) or a broken neck (protected very little by hard hat) Especially if the widow maker has any significant amount of weight to it! We all heard about Nate's accident from a little widow maker, and hes a Professional Timber Faller on an industrial scale!!! How many do you think he's dodged by keeping his head up? Probably Many! How many have all of us dodged by keeping our heads up? Personally for me. Its more than I can remember! Keep your head up at least until the falling tree is at the 45 degree angle, especially when brushing and clearing other standing timber. Then watch for ricochet's, teetering catapults, whips, or any other hazards that can possibly come at you from the ground! Focusing on the accuracy of your shot should be the last thing on your mind, or it may be the last time you ever focus on it! Check out the accuracy of your shot after the wood is on the ground! Trust me. Its not going to get up and walk away! It will Stihl be there long after watching and standing by to juke, dash, dodge, or even dive! Away, from possible hazards and dangers heading your way! We must stay in the game to finish the game!!!

Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware!

When my dad was still in business it was my job to teach trainees. I would sit down with them and tell them as a ground man they had to support the climber. Do not go under the tree when his saw is running. When going under a tree yell, "All Clear?" If he Yells, "Headache", don't laugh, get the hell out quick. An hour later on the job, they would just start under the tree. I'd grab them by the arm and pull them back. Me, "Why are you going under the tree?" Him, "The rope man lowered a limb, I was going to pull it out." Me, "He's still running his saw!" Him, "Oh?" Me, "That climber always flushes off his cuts before moving to the next limb. He doesn't want the next limb to hang up on the stub." Him, "OK, I understand" Next limb, there he goes with out looking up first. Thinking you are aware is dangerous. It's not natural to walk under something while looking up. Especially a new guy that's watching his feet trying not to trip in all the brush. People think they are safety conscious when they haven't a clue of the dangers around them. We found it took about 2 years to work all the bad habits out of a ground man. We never had a serious injury on one of our crews. But, my uncle had a teenager fall off a roof while sweeping sawdust off it, he had used his older brothers Id to get a work permit. He broke his neck, quadriplegic. Turned out he was a coke addict. Doctors said he may of had a seizure trying to kick the dope. A few years later he drove his chair out into traffic and killed himself. Worse part is, other guys on his crew new of his issues and wouldn't rat him out to the boss. My uncle had to pay some giant fines for having an under age kid on the job. In MD you have to be 18 to work for a tree crew.

When my son and I went to Philmont with the Scouts out in NM, back in Virginia, a Scout leader got killed putting up a dinning tent. It had metal poles and he stuck one in overhead wires. When we got home my wife asked my son if he was glad he missed the big Jamboree in VA? He said no, why. Well your dad may have gotten killed like that other leader? He laughed and said, come on mom, dad looks up before he walks out the front door. When we go camping and all the other guys are looking for the flattest, smoothest spot, Dad's looking for widow makers. I didn't just get born doing that. Being fourth generation in the business, I learned it young.

 

[rarefish383]

Figured Id share a couple milling pic's. I don't mill nearly as much as I use to. When I was much younger. A high school flame of mine and I lived in a 16 x 24 cabin. That I built out of Spruce framing and western cedar siding. All milled with a 066 on a 32" Granberg. Wish I had pictures. Although the flame was extinguished long ago. the memories Stihl remain. Probably always will. It was some good times in my life.

These are some Sitka Spruce bural's I milled up this winter. The biggest bigger ones being 50", across and 4" thick! They are far from finished, as they are Stihl curing. When Asked what am I going to do with them? All I can say is. "Not sure yet, but when I look at one of the bigger flats.I see a poker table in the future for the man cave!"
I'm not sure what the red colored wood slab is in the center bottom of the pic. I think its some kind of Asian or South American exotic. I milled it from a root wad washed up on the beach, and man let me tell you what! It is some hard hard dense and heavy wood! Even now that its cured! Never seen another wood like it. Except South American Apoton! View attachment 996285

This is my banya I built a four or five years ago. It is far from finished on the outside and in. But definitely operational. I milled the three sided logs for the stem wall's. The Spruce benches as well as the Alaskan Yellow Cedar lumber for the ceiling in the sweat room, and also the Western Red Cedar interior siding stacked in the dressing room.View attachment 996287View attachment 996286View attachment 996288View attachment 996289

Her side of the dressing room.
View attachment 996290

"His side!" View attachment 996291

Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware!

I like your walls. Mine are just interior grade 1" thick Pine. I got two 2, 20' pallets for $100 at an auction. Just barely had enough to finish in side. I got a 12'X40' garage package and turned it into my home away from home. The fold up table I made from a big White Pine blow down ten, twelve years ago.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

When my dad was still in business it was my job to teach trainees. I would sit down with them and tell them as a ground man they had to support the climber. Do not go under the tree when his saw is running. When going under a tree yell, "All Clear?" If he Yells, "Headache", don't laugh, get the hell out quick. An hour later on the job, they would just start under the tree. I'd grab them by the arm and pull them back. Me, "Why are you going under the tree?" Him, "The rope man lowered a limb, I was going to pull it out." Me, "He's still running his saw!" Him, "Oh?" Me, "That climber always flushes off his cuts before moving to the next limb. He doesn't want the next limb to hang up on the stub." Him, "OK, I understand" Next limb, there he goes with out looking up first. Thinking you are aware is dangerous. It's not natural to walk under something while looking up. Especially a new guy that's watching his feet trying not to trip in all the brush. People think they are safety conscious when they haven't a clue of the dangers around them. We found it took about 2 years to work all the bad habits out of a ground man. We never had a serious injury on one of our crews. But, my uncle had a teenager fall off a roof while sweeping sawdust off it, he had used his older brothers Id to get a work permit. He broke his neck, quadriplegic. Turned out he was a coke addict. Doctors said he may of had a seizure trying to kick the dope. A few years later he drove his chair out into traffic and killed himself. Worse part is, other guys on his crew new of his issues and wouldn't rat him out to the boss. My uncle had to pay some giant fines for having an under age kid on the job. In MD you have to be 18 to work for a tree crew.

When my son and I went to Philmont with the Scouts out in NM, back in Virginia, a Scout leader got killed putting up a dinning tent. It had metal poles and he stuck one in overhead wires. When we got home my wife asked my son if he was glad he missed the big Jamboree in VA? He said no, why. Well your dad may have gotten killed like that other leader? He laughed and said, come on mom, dad looks up before he walks out the front door. When we go camping and all the other guys are looking for the flattest, smoothest spot, Dad's looking for widow makers. I didn't just get born doing that. Being fourth generation in the business, I learned it young.

Great stories and Information! Thankyou very much for sharing with us!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

That pine looks very nice.

With the exception of the tongue and groove red cedar on the sweat room wall with the benches. My walls are just CDX plywood! However. It will eventually be sided with chainsaw milled western red cedar from logs I score on the beaches around here.

Let me tell you. Milling beach logs is hard on saws and chain!!! At least until the cant is milled

 

[sean donato]

That pine looks very nice.

With the exception of the tongue and groove red cedar on the sweat room wall with the benches. My walls are just CDX plywood! However. It will eventually be sided with chainsaw milled western red cedar from logs I score on the beaches around here.

Let me tell you. Milling beach logs is hard on saws and chain!!! At least until the cant is milled

Saw milling logs is a beach no matter what lol. One of the hardest things to do with a saw imo.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Roger That! Nice pun! Milling is the hardest thing on a saw. If you haven't already. Try squaring off a log that has been soaking in saltwater and rolling around in the surf and sand from beach to beach for months on end! You'd be surprised how much sand gets in to the first outside inch of a log. Some are worse than others. Some horribly packed with sand, some hardly at all. Its just a luck of the draw on how nice a bone mother nature throws on to the beach for you from storm to storm!

 

[H-Ranch]

Got a call from one of my new best friend's best friend today - he's the neighbor of the local guy I got 3 trailer loads of logs from last year. He is a good guy and I very much enjoyed talking with him. Youngish retiree with a lot of knowledge and experience, not to mention some nice equipment. I left both of them my name and number like I often do - quite often it works and I get return business. LOL. Anyway, he called my cell phone (which service stopped working for last week) and when I didn't call back he went to the effort of looking up my home phone and called.

He wanted to make sure that I had a chance at the wood if I was interested. Even when I told him about my knee delaying getting firewood, he was happy to hold it for me all summer if needed. (And I figure the log pile will only grow with time.)

Ahhhh... It's good to keep more than one source of wood lined up!

 

[svk]

Figured Id share a couple milling pic's. I don't mill nearly as much as I use to. When I was much younger. A high school flame of mine and I lived in a 16 x 24 cabin. That I built out of Spruce framing and western cedar siding. All milled with a 066 on a 32" Granberg. Wish I had pictures. Although the flame was extinguished long ago. the memories Stihl remain. Probably always will. It was some good times in my life.

These are some Sitka Spruce bural's I milled up this winter. The biggest bigger ones being 50", across and 4" thick! They are far from finished, as they are Stihl curing. When Asked what am I going to do with them? All I can say is. "Not sure yet, but when I look at one of the bigger flats.I see a poker table in the future for the man cave!"
I'm not sure what the red colored wood slab is in the center bottom of the pic. I think its some kind of Asian or South American exotic. I milled it from a root wad washed up on the beach, and man let me tell you what! It is some hard hard dense and heavy wood! Even now that its cured! Never seen another wood like it. Except South American Apoton! View attachment 996285

This is my banya I built a four or five years ago. It is far from finished on the outside and in. But definitely operational. I milled the three sided logs for the stem wall's. The Spruce benches as well as the Alaskan Yellow Cedar lumber for the ceiling in the sweat room, and also the Western Red Cedar interior siding stacked in the dressing room.View attachment 996287View attachment 996286View attachment 996288View attachment 996289

Her side of the dressing room.
View attachment 996290

"His side!" View attachment 996291

Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware!

Very nice, all of it!

 

[sean donato]

Roger That! Nice pun! Milling is the hardest thing on a saw. If you haven't already. Try squaring off a log that has been soaking in saltwater and rolling around in the surf and sand from beach to beach for months on end! You'd be surprised how much sand gets in to the first outside inch of a log. Some are worse than others. Some horribly packed with sand, some hardly at all. Its just a luck of the draw on how nice a bone mother nature throws on to the beach for you from storm to storm!

I'm spoiled anymore my one uncle and cousin lives just down the road with properties adjacent to each other and they got a little band saw mill set up... never been so spoiled lol. Take the buck 2 miles down the road hop on the skid steer and set it on the mill and go to "work". I have a few white oak bucks I need to take over before the ms400 gets too hungry..... also need a day off work .

 

[svk]

I ran up to my cabin today between work projects. Scoped out the damage done to the nearby woods two weeks ago. Lots of trees down but thanks to TSI practices (at least I’ll attribute it to that) my yard was unscathed. Mrs Robin built a nest on my ladder. It’s not very high so hopefully nobody bothers her. Looks like the eggs were just hatching today… Nothing was here as of 2 1/2 weeks ago.

 

[sean donato]

Give them 2 or 3 weeks they will be out of the nest. We have a pergola over the hot tub, a Robin made a nest right at the corner post nearest to the patio. Was kinda cool for us and the kids to watch the chick's hatch and grow. Went really quick too. They all left the nest last week.
Glad to hear your cabin was left unharmed.

 

[mountainguyed67]

View attachment 996349View attachment 996350View attachment 996351View attachment 996352View attachment 996353

How in the world are you going to handle all those giant trees???

 

[sean donato]

Whats everyone's opinion on a redmax gz4000? Friend just texted me and said he grabbed it up at a yard sale for $80.00 and figured I would take it from him. Figured loaner saw since the poulan collection doesn't exist anymore.

 

[svk]

How in the world are you going to handle all those giant trees???

I’ll manage somehow