Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[chipper1]

You guys cheating with your big equipment ... where is the skill!!!

I use HD 5/8" rope and a rope winch to pull things. Since rope stretches a bit, it works very well even if you don't have a helper. For snatch blocks, I love my Fusion Strux 8152 blocks. They swivel to let you get the rope in w/o taking anything apart. IMO, they work very well, and you can easily place them anywhere. They are also lightweight aluminum. They are very handy to have around, have used them a lot, and you can add or remove them from the rope any time you want.

I was gonna use my 5/8 with a pulley attached to the end and 1/2 in the pulley, then pull the 5/8 up into a crotch to stand it up, then another to pull it the direction I dropped it. But looking it I thought I could stand it up with the tractor and I did. But I had to push directly the way it fell or the roots would have loosened up and I could have lost it over top of me(the box elder it was resting in was my protection, unless it fell too ). After I stood it up we tied it off to another tree so I could turn the tractor as the bucket was in the way of the direction I wanted to fall it, then I got back under it and stood it up tall and dropped it. All in all it took about an hr and a half, and I had to run back to the house for something(can't remember what now), but I felt as though that we did a pretty good job getting it down and dicing it up in that time frame.
Oh yeah, pretty sure there was a little skill involved .
Did this one for a buddy we get raw milk and some veggies from.
It was a bit into the wire so I cut that out first. I told him he should have let it take the wire/pole down, that pole is in rough shape, as are the lines for such a long run.

I used my Japanese ladder so I didn't have to climb to trim the branch out of the wire, then used my Japanese power wedge to fall it, use em if you got em boys!

 

[djg james]

Another reason for cutting off to the side is wear on the bar on one side making the surface not flat. Your chain will pull to the short side. You can check the squareness of the bar with a good square. Also make sure you don't have burrs on the side edge of the bar.

I'll check squareness out next time I use the saw. I recently filed off the burrs along the edge.
Thanks

 

[JimR]

She’s almost ready to come home , waiting on some work lights

Very nice machine.

 

[chipper1]

The 550 with the 18 got the nod to drop it.



200 rear handle to limb most of it, then the 550.



The 462 to flush cut it, that chan will be getting tossed!



This one was leaning to the field and towards the shed, but I managed to swing it, the wind helped a lot .
No wedges were abused in the falling of these trees .

 

[MustangMike]

Cutting crooked can be the bar, the bottom of the chain, or the top of the chain. If angles are not the same, or rakers not adjusted the same, you may have problems. If re-sharpening cures it, just go with that. Always do the simple stuff first.

 

[sean donato]

Looks like some nice wood in that. Them stress fractures can make a bad day out of what was thought to be a good one. They can be very difficult to get a read on as there is tension/pressure where it shouldn't be and the other way around too.
Are you leaving the one standing/leaning on the right, is that the one over the nasty neighbors. Maybe his tune will change when he sees you cut the neighbors tree, but not his. On another forum the guy had a nasty neighbor who was always calling on him, because of him he had to get rid of a bunch of wood at his place, this fall the township guy asked the guy from the forum if he'd sell him some wood, he said he would have but they made him move it . Also the nasty neighbor ran into some issues with them and hasn't said a mean word to the guy on the forum since .
You never know how things will work out, the neighbor I share the main drive with was a jerk, the one there now is the guy who I dropped some locust for this spring and he brings me all the logs/wood. I bring him cherry when he wants it so they can burn it in the fireplace, I guess he doesn't like BL in there, not sure if it's all the popping or the nasty smell . It works out well for both of us much like my other neighbor to the north .
Did I post this one here, next neighbor to the south had this BL blow into a large box elder, leaning towards his shed. I thought I was going to need to do some real fancy rigging, did a little, but not as fancy as I thought .
No stress cracks in this one. I diced it into firewood for him and he pulled all the brush.
I have a large nasty maple to drop at another neighbors that he's gonna get the wood from too if he wants it, otherwise I need to haul it all back here.
View attachment 1025230View attachment 1025232View attachment 1025233

Yeah the one hung up leaning over the fence I'm letting alone. After all my jerk neighbor (his name is Richard) told me when I asked to trim up the border trees that have been dropping limbs on my roof, that that's why you have insurance. The crappy part for me, is if his trees drop on my roof, it's my insurance that has to pay for it. So this is just poetry in motion. I don't have anyway to bring it back over safely, and the neighbor that owns the land where the tree fell over had his insurance company out and they said leave it. They arnt liable and Richard's insurance will have to pay for it.
I was checking it put pretty good before I started on the other half, and honestly a strong wind is all it needs to go over. I'll try to get pictures of it tonight. I have to be back at work at 6pm, so I only have a few hours in-between shifts.

 

[chipper1]

Yeah the one hung up leaning over the fence I'm letting alone. After all my jerk neighbor (his name is Richard) told me when I asked to trim up the border trees that have been dropping limbs on my roof, that that's why you have insurance. The crappy part for me, is if his trees drop on my roof, it's my insurance that has to pay for it. So this is just poetry in motion. I don't have anyway to bring it back over safely, and the neighbor that owns the land where the tree fell over had his insurance company out and they said leave it. They arnt liable and Richard's insurance will have to pay for it.
I was checking it put pretty good before I started on the other half, and honestly a strong wind is all it needs to go over. I'll try to get pictures of it tonight. I have to be back at work at 6pm, so I only have a few hours in-between shifts.

Here in Michigan it's similar, my tree falls on your house, you pay. Unless, you know its a hazard and you don't take care of it. I've never ran into a situation where a storm damaged tree came from another property long after a storm and damaged something, seems like a bit of a problem depending on the interpretation of the law/how the law was written.
Totally understand not wanting to help when he's been a jerk, maybe he'll change his ways after he sees how much someone wants to clean up the mess. I try to be prepared for people to change, as I was forgiven while yet a sinner, I feel I should do the same; that being said, I didn't receive the benefits of that forgiveness until I changed my ways and accepted it.

 

[Brufab]

My problem was I never got any bigger, at least in height .

Me either been the same size since 6th grade, I was fortunate to grow a beard in grade school and had that old man strength already going into high schoolwhich paid dividends since I lived in Detroit

 

[Brufab]

I was gonna use my 5/8 with a pulley attached to the end and 1/2 in the pulley, then pull the 5/8 up into a crotch to stand it up, then another to pull it the direction I dropped it. But looking it I thought I could stand it up with the tractor and I did. But I had to push directly the way it fell or the roots would have loosened up and I could have lost it over top of me(the box elder it was resting in was my protection, unless it fell too ). After I stood it up we tied it off to another tree so I could turn the tractor as the bucket was in the way of the direction I wanted to fall it, then I got back under it and stood it up tall and dropped it. All in all it took about an hr and a half, and I had to run back to the house for something(can't remember what now), but I felt as though that we did a pretty good job getting it down and dicing it up in that time frame.
Oh yeah, pretty sure there was a little skill involved .
Did this one for a buddy we get raw milk and some veggies from. View attachment 1025260
It was a bit into the wire so I cut that out first. I told him he should have let it take the wire/pole down, that pole is in rough shape, as are the lines for such a long run.
View attachment 1025262
I used my Japanese ladder so I didn't have to climb to trim the branch out of the wire, then used my Japanese power wedge to fall it, use em if you got em boys!
View attachment 1025274
View attachment 1025275
View attachment 1025276

Dang broeverything you do with that kubota are the same things they tell you not to do in the manual I bet. BTW awesome work! your skills have surpassed the R&D departments on kubotas.

 

[Sierra_rider]

I'm so glad that I have mostly cool neighbors. The guy with the property behind me is all about thinning out/removing select trees. The bark beetle is coming back through here, so he's got a few large dying pine trees that I'm going to drop once burning opens up. He wants to mill the lumber from them...the best part is he's got a large Kubota with the grapple forks and a Woodmizer mill...so we'll get all my logs milled up as well.

 

[Zaedock]

Yeah the one hung up leaning over the fence I'm letting alone. After all my jerk neighbor (his name is Richard) told me when I asked to trim up the border trees that have been dropping limbs on my roof, that that's why you have insurance. The crappy part for me, is if his trees drop on my roof, it's my insurance that has to pay for it. So this is just poetry in motion. I don't have anyway to bring it back over safely, and the neighbor that owns the land where the tree fell over had his insurance company out and they said leave it. They arnt liable and Richard's insurance will have to pay for it.
I was checking it put pretty good before I started on the other half, and honestly a strong wind is all it needs to go over. I'll try to get pictures of it tonight. I have to be back at work at 6pm, so I only have a few hours in-between shifts.

That sucks. One of my dying Ash trees was dropping limbs on my neighbors house/land and we talked it over and worked it out such that he paid for the tree work and was charged less to leave the wood, which I then came over with my tractor and kept. I also have a 32" Ash near my house that I am having the same company take down if they gave us both a little break and they did. Overall, it made for a good deal for both of us. Sorry that you have the opposite situation.

 

[Sierra_rider]

Lol, this is a healthy looking carb on the 14hp Kohler engine from my log splitter project.

 

[chipper1]

I'm so glad that I have mostly cool neighbors. The guy with the property behind me is all about thinning out/removing select trees. The bark beetle is coming back through here, so he's got a few large dying pine trees that I'm going to drop once burning opens up. He wants to mill the lumber from them...the best part is he's got a large Kubota with the grapple forks and a Woodmizer mill...so we'll get all my logs milled up as well.

It's actually one of the reasons I decided to stay here and build the barn, rather than to sell a build elsewhere. Church family, parents being close, kids homeschool group is close, and great water is another. Location is a big one too as we are close to everything(and only 5min to the expressway) within 30mins to anything in the big city and 10min from anything in our little city, but it still has a country feel being in the woods. I'd still like to be out a bit further, but all things considered at the present it's a great setup for us.

 

[chipper1]

Lol, this is a healthy looking carb on the 14hp Kohler engine from my log splitter project.
View attachment 1025353

Is it rust from the fuel tank?

 

[Sierra_rider]

Is it rust from the fuel tank?

I'm not sure if it's that or if water got into the carb somehow...maybe condensation from sitting for years? The fuel tank was gone when I picked up this project, but the fuel inlet wasn't exposed. There is even some pooled in the intake of the motor, but not all the way to the valve...and the motor spins freely, so I think I'm good.

 

[chipper1]

I'm not sure if it's that or if water got into the carb somehow...maybe condensation from sitting for years? The fuel tank was gone when I picked up this project, but the fuel inlet wasn't exposed. There is even some pooled in the intake of the motor, but not all the way to the valve...and the motor spins freely, so I think I'm good.

Kinda odd.
I cleaned the carb on my kids quad this summer and the whole airbag was a mouse nest, and the carb was filled with mouse piss .
Pretty sure this is it as it is the same as the trx90 nozzle/jet, I do know it ran better when I was done!

 

[chipper1]

Me either been the same size since 6th grade, I was fortunate to grow a beard in grade school and had that old man strength already going into high schoolwhich paid dividends since I lived in Detroit

Dang bro, did everyone leave you along because they thought you were a cop.
Our kids don't have to deal with it as much since we homeschool, but they get plenty of interaction with other kids at our homeschooling group, which they go to once a week every week. We've only had one real issue, but what was great is since all the parents are friends we got to talk thru it together and then with the kids, and amazingly the problem never came up again . But if there was ever a problem I don't think our guys would have a problem dealing with it. Our used to beat the boy arm-wrestling (wouldn't happen now days). I used to tell him, if you arm-wrestle a girl and you win, so what you beat a girl, but, you could loose, and he did. It didn't take him long to learn not to do that LOL.
Her 5yrs ago after a win!

Dang broeverything you do with that kubota are the same things they tell you not to do in the manual I bet. BTW awesome work! your skills have surpassed the R&D departments on kubotas.

 

[sean donato]

Here in Michigan it's similar, my tree falls on your house, you pay. Unless, you know its a hazard and you don't take care of it. I've never ran into a situation where a storm damaged tree came from another property long after a storm and damaged something, seems like a bit of a problem depending on the interpretation of the law/how the law was written.
Totally understand not wanting to help when he's been a jerk, maybe he'll change his ways after he sees how much someone wants to clean up the mess. I try to be prepared for people to change, as I was forgiven while yet a sinner, I feel I should do the same; that being said, I didn't receive the benefits of that forgiveness until I changed my ways and accepted it.

It's been a odd relationship with Richard. He let himself into my house to look around when we were moving in. Then put up posted signs all around my property. (His property horseshoes mine.) Then he decided to park a 53' trailer right on the one side of my house, in which he had it brought into my drive way and backed it into position through my yard. (Township and cops didn't do a thing about it.) Has chairs set up on the property line facing my house. He was also coughs looking in the window of my neighbor across the lanes house. Right after I had my property surveyed, he disagreed with 2 of the pins, ripped them out and pounded T posts in where he thinks the line is. Township made him remove them and pay to have new pins put back in. I really don't have the time of day for him.

 

[Bill G]

Me either been the same size since 6th grade, I was fortunate to grow a beard in grade school and had that old man strength already going into high schoolwhich paid dividends since I lived in Detroit

I had a student once that had a beard going when he was in 7th grade. Now to tell the back story he was also 16 years old. I have a feeling he had been socially promoted to get him out of the grade school but at what age I am not sure. I do know he never passed the 7th grade and never even entered the 8th grade. He was socially promoted to the high school. In the spring I knew he was coming the following fall and would be in my shop class. That spring a very attractive junior high teacher was going to be coming the the high school in the fall as a vice principal dealing with discipline. I joked with her if that young man is in my class(we both knew he would be) the first time he spouted off or refused to work I was kicking him out for her to deal with. She said she would gladly deal with him. Well fall came and he was in class along with 3 of his buddies. He did not cause me a bunch of grief but I could not allow him and his buddies in the shop because after many attempts they could not pass the safety tests. I sent them to the new vice principal and she said she would deal with them. Well after two days she sent them back and said they were my problem. I sat them on shop stools and they did nothing for the rest of the term and of course earned an "F" Later on in the term the young man was stealing food from the lunchroom and refused to leave. I was asked to remove him. I looked directly at the vice principal and said "I want you to clarify this..You are telling me to use physical force on him to remove him from the area." She said YES, I tried to use reasoning but was forced to get physical. A rather large and tough lunchlady assisted while I had him in a chickenwing. The female SRO (county cop) just watched. That was 17 years ago and I wonder where he is now.

 

[chipper1]

It's been a odd relationship with Richard. He let himself into my house to look around when we were moving in. Then put up posted signs all around my property. (His property horseshoes mine.) Then he decided to park a 53' trailer right on the one side of my house, in which he had it brought into my drive way and backed it into position through my yard. (Township and cops didn't do a thing about it.) Has chairs set up on the property line facing my house. He was also coughs looking in the window of my neighbor across the lanes house. Right after I had my property surveyed, he disagreed with 2 of the pins, ripped them out and pounded T posts in where he thinks the line is. Township made him remove them and pay to have new pins put back in. I really don't have the time of day for him.

Dang, what a Richard!
Sounds a lot like the guy I was talking about on the other forum, it didn't work out well for him, but also the good guy on the forum had a bunch of crap come down on him too.
Not sure why some people have such a hard time making things work with their neighbors.
When we were looking at this place the neighbor told me that he wanted me to know that the "shared" driveway was 100% on his property (which it is). I ask him what he planned to do and then said will you tear out the concrete between your property and the line, he says no, I'll probably just put a fence up over it lol. To which I replied, okay, if we get the place(HUD home so we were bidding on it) let me know and I'll give you a hand. If he's gonna be like that, I'll be glad to help put a fence up to keep him out. He ended up not doing anything, but he certainly wasn't very social, glad we got a new neighbor.