Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[sean donato]

Once in a while instead of my F150 I'll take my old CRV if I'm only getting a few bags of sakcrite, mulch etc. I've gotten a few looks myself but the old AWD doesn't seem to mind. Can't say I've ever had some ass come over and lecture me on it, though.

First time for me too.

Looks like it's serving you well.
Could have used the big one at the house this morning, but I had my boy for a counterweight lol. This piece was only about 4' long.
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Most of that elm should be gone by tonight. That pile is close to 6' tall. The little butt log in the above picture is on the right(in the firstpicture) , the 28" made it thru for the notch, but not the flush cut.
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They always need more weight in the rear, I have loaded tires and another ~400lbs on the draw bar and it's still not enough at times.

I love my 338-06 and it is easy to make it from 30-06 brass.

Converted a 30-06 Ruger American Rifle with a Shaw 24" stainless spiral fluted barrel. Got good deals on the Rifle and Barrel and was able to build it for under $1,000.-

One of my friends works for a gunsmith and he installed the barrel and checked the headspace.

Did a lot of research before building it ... There are more bullets available in 338 than 35 and they generally have better BC (in the weights you want to shoot).

As a result, it has more power than a 30-06 (at all ranges) and more than a 35 Whelen (with most bullets) beyond 100 yards.

I put a Vortex 3 X 9 X 50 scope on it ... not too expensive but very clear and bright, and has yardage markings out to 500 yds.

My chrono graphed velocity for my favorite hunting load exceeded the published data by over 100 FPS and shoots 1/2" at 100 yds. (Barnes 210 grain TTSX over 60.5 H-380).

I took both a Black Bear and a Buck (at 128 yds) with it last year.

If I had to do it again the only thing I would change would be to get the newer Ruger action with a 3-position safety to lock the bolt when on safety.

agreed 338 is a great chambering, doesn't matter which variation it is.

Oh my back! I go vertical when I got them that big.

Log lift or tractor. Stopped doing that bending over and lifting big rounds years ago.

Guys that’s Matt Sr, I’m Jr

Pops and Uncle Mike always made a dynamic duo getting projects done. In their 70’s and they still don’t know quit….

Hope I'm as limber and able when I hit 70, really something to strive for.

Anyone have one of those cheap green bar rail dresser tools found on amazon, ebay, etc? Or better to stick with Stihl, Oregon, husquvarna, etc brands?

Mine is red, but yes. The file is meh but quality replacements are available.

 

[MechanicMatt]

If you hate HF so much why did you buy it? People who rail against HF don't have to shop there. Problem solved

For me, it’s convenience, they have stuff in stock

 

[sean donato]

I really need to get some pictures for you guys. Had a very busy weekend. (Again) groceries Saturday morning, cousins kids birthday, then down to the in laws to fix a few things and pick up a china bomb four wheeler and snow blower they wanted rid of. Not sure what I'm going to do with the snow blower. Have one walk behind I haven't used in the past 2-3 years and a bigger one for the tractor I haven't used in at least as long. The kids were all excited about the four wheeler, which of course didn't run, and I didn't have much hope for it running. (Last it ran was like 5 years ago from what my wife's step father said.) Got home around 8:30 pm.
Sunday, my daughter had some sort of cheer thing, so my son and I unloaded the trailer, pushed the blower off to the side (did I mention the transmission is locked up on it ?) Drug the four wheeler into the shop, then turned our attention to moving the split wood from the old wood shed area to the new wood shed/shop. For a 6 year old he sure is a lot of help. Kinda surprised me, he was able to pick up most the splits and at least bring them over to me to stack in the yard cart. After my wife and daughter got home, my wife helped finish moving the wood over. Just shy of 5 cord, so need to get in gear and get the other 5 split for winter. Once that was done I got the splitter over and had intended to start splitting more wood, but with all the prodding I was getting about the four wheeler, I ended up messing with that. Carb was shot, full of goo. Don't truthfully know how the bowl held fuel it was so pitted. Had to fix some wiring to the cdi/coil, changed the oil (which looked like mud) and ordered a new carb off Amazon. (Which was harder then you'd think 500 carbs popped up for "China 125cc atv".) Fixed the exhaust, pulled the chain and soaked it in oil, it's not in great shape. Attempted to get the rear brakes working, master cylinder was shot. Fortunately it's the same rear master as a spare Polaris trail boss I had laying around. Got that all fitted up and bled out. Front brakes are cable and drum. They "work". Takes a man and a boy to pull the lever, but they work. Got about ad far on it as I could/ wanted to with out making sure it would run. Finished the night off making the rest of the furring strips for the ceiling.
Moday I rearranged the shop and started putting up the furring strips in the back of the shop. Got most of them up, just have to cut the short one that goes where the chimney sticks down.
Amazon showed up with my carb, so went to toss that on and realized the choke wad on the wrong side. Not a big deal, but definatly harder to get at. Amazingly it fired up and ran ok. Needs jetted, but it ran well enough to take the kids around on it. Ordered a jet kit for it.
Yesterday was finish the furring strips and make brackets for the back wall. Got that mostly done. Should start slinging insulation up in the ceiling tonight, or get back to splitting wood. Not sure which I'll do. Wife is pushing to get the insulation done before my son's birthday party in October, so I'm kinda running short on time in that aspect. Wood needs done regardless.
Other then being busy it was a family productive weekend.

 

[chipper1]

I was just fine when I was younger. I started wearing bi-focals in the 40's and have been forced to measure ever since.

I read it like this .
Probably had nothing to do with my glasses though .
Did some non-measured cutting yesterday.
These ones were a bit short.
Did most of the pile closest.

These were a bit longer lol.
I've done all these over the past few weeks.
There's a few longer ones to the left of the pile in the above picture.
Firewood on the further pile and the closer pile is for lumber if he wanted, way less tension as they were straighter.

The after.

 

[EchovsStihl63]

Well
Went to start splitting today, the log splitter is giving me all sorts of troubles. Quickly took the carb apart, cleaned it, no better. Did a compression test, and just about wanted to cry.

So off to the local harbor fraud

View attachment 1204006
View attachment 1204007

I bet your compression problem is a leaky valve or head gasket. I had to put a head gasket on dads old 20ton MTD with the 5hp flattie Briggs about 8 years ago.

Not sure what is on yours but would be worth a quick inspection.

 

[EchovsStihl63]

Finally getting some organization going. These were all just randomly scattered across the floor before the shelves, I do not know how I put up with that for as long as I did.

1 more row of shelves to go in and that will get the remaining 4 here up off the ground. I have some more saws at mom and dads, but cant remember the exact number, it puts me welllll into the 20s though.

 

[chipper1]

There's a bear showing up at my two son's homes and their neighbor's for the past few weeks... It was laying down under the neighbors peach tree on it's belly eating peach after peach. Took one of my son's bird feeders--all but empty but it it was taken anyway. A coyote keeps showing up too... So far nothing has gotten into the chickens.

It's been quite a while since I stopped in... It's been elder care to the max... The R part of CPR failed to materialize for me while I was waiting for EMS to arrive to tend to my father... He passed at age 90 at the end of July. He was at home and I had taken Mom to a doctor appointment in the morning. When we returned we found him on the floor... My typical day now is about 13 hours long taking care of Mom and doing household chores and fixing things at their home....

If you have elderly parents do NOT believe them when they tell you that they are fine, that everything around the house is OK, and they don't want to bother you... It wasn't until I started spending the bulk of my time at their home that I "discovered" things. I previously took care of many things I did notice... cleaning gutters, soft washing the roof to get rid of moss, washing the garage, replacing 3-way switches, etc., etc., etc.

They only had a few dishes so they hand washed them.... not really, water was leaking into the basement due to a rotted out copper waste line AND the drywell for the kitchen grey water was full and backing up the 4" DWV pipe between the house and drywell. I dug the hole and pipe trench by hand and built that drywell about 55 years ago.... Got $5 for doing it! After replacing the plumbing inside the house and constructing a new drywell the dishwasher works fine!

View attachment 1204040

While going through papers to deal with the passing of my father I found service receipts for the boiler going back 5 years. Tech wrote "needs combustion chamber." I never heard that mentioned... I took the boiler apart to find this:

Front where the burner goes
View attachment 1204041

Back wall... the floor was completely gone.
View attachment 1204042

In process...It cleaned up well and is in surprisingly good condition. New combustion chamber sections are in place in the photo.
View attachment 1204043

I was doing a lot of end of season yard work and found more black snake sheds... I'm up to six now! My son noticed the shed from the big snake that was on the patio. It was under a workbench in the outdoor power equipment room. The big shed is on top of the 6... one was destroyed by the string trimmer and only a little piece was recovered! I'm saving them for my grandsons... Figure they'd be a good show and tell item. I sent one of my sons to school with a deer antler and a buck rub one time and various skeleton parts other times. He earned the nickname Bones in primary school.
View attachment 1204044

The on-going Blazer saga continues... I finally got a chance to revisit it... The delay wasn't a problem because mom stopped driving back around April or May at age 88. With further testing I narrowed it down to the IPC circuit. A new battery and alternator slowed the draw down from "dead in a day" to "dead in 3 days." The IPC was a bit wonky (fuel gauge for one) so I pulled it out today to ship it out for repair.

View attachment 1204045

This is the kind of stuff that is fine... don't believe your elderly parents!

Good to see you, I was just thinking about you yesterday.
We've done a lot for my mil and my FIL before he passed(sorry to hear about your dad. Sure hope our kids learned that's what you do for your parents.

People who rail against HF don't have to shop there. Problem solved

I don't, cause chyna!

I have a Vallorbe brand , witch makes Stihl , but they basically all do the same thing, just slightly better quality with a name brand,

Usually way better quality, but those dang predator motors run quite well, but I buy used before I'll support China. I do everything I can to avoid products from the CCP, but I love the Chinese who are suffering under their "leadership".

They always need more weight in the rear, I have loaded tires and another ~400lbs on the draw bar and it's still not enough at times.

My L3800 has loaded tires and the skidding winch never comes off it. Last night moving the logs I had one side of the back end off the ground on the slight grade with an 8'6" log(or so, didn't officially measure ).
I need a new edge on my bucket, it's worn down to the welds on the top. I'm kinda disappointed with all the porosity in their welds, but that will make it easier to change out lol.

 

[JimR]

I’m thinking I have to start keeping it covered now that I have real money into this thing

Smart move

 

[SS396driver]

There's a bear showing up at my two son's homes and their neighbor's for the past few weeks... It was laying down under the neighbors peach tree on it's belly eating peach after peach. Took one of my son's bird feeders--all but empty but it it was taken anyway. A coyote keeps showing up too... So far nothing has gotten into the chickens.

It's been quite a while since I stopped in... It's been elder care to the max... The R part of CPR failed to materialize for me while I was waiting for EMS to arrive to tend to my father... He passed at age 90 at the end of July. He was at home and I had taken Mom to a doctor appointment in the morning. When we returned we found him on the floor... My typical day now is about 13 hours long taking care of Mom and doing household chores and fixing things at their home....

If you have elderly parents do NOT believe them when they tell you that they are fine, that everything around the house is OK, and they don't want to bother you... It wasn't until I started spending the bulk of my time at their home that I "discovered" things. I previously took care of many things I did notice... cleaning gutters, soft washing the roof to get rid of moss, washing the garage, replacing 3-way switches, etc., etc., etc.

They only had a few dishes so they hand washed them.... not really, water was leaking into the basement due to a rotted out copper waste line AND the drywell for the kitchen grey water was full and backing up the 4" DWV pipe between the house and drywell. I dug the hole and pipe trench by hand and built that drywell about 55 years ago.... Got $5 for doing it! After replacing the plumbing inside the house and constructing a new drywell the dishwasher works fine!

View attachment 1204040

While going through papers to deal with the passing of my father I found service receipts for the boiler going back 5 years. Tech wrote "needs combustion chamber." I never heard that mentioned... I took the boiler apart to find this:

Front where the burner goes
View attachment 1204041

Back wall... the floor was completely gone.
View attachment 1204042

In process...It cleaned up well and is in surprisingly good condition. New combustion chamber sections are in place in the photo.
View attachment 1204043

I was doing a lot of end of season yard work and found more black snake sheds... I'm up to six now! My son noticed the shed from the big snake that was on the patio. It was under a workbench in the outdoor power equipment room. The big shed is on top of the 6... one was destroyed by the string trimmer and only a little piece was recovered! I'm saving them for my grandsons... Figure they'd be a good show and tell item. I sent one of my sons to school with a deer antler and a buck rub one time and various skeleton parts other times. He earned the nickname Bones in primary school.
View attachment 1204044

The on-going Blazer saga continues... I finally got a chance to revisit it... The delay wasn't a problem because mom stopped driving back around April or May at age 88. With further testing I narrowed it down to the IPC circuit. A new battery and alternator slowed the draw down from "dead in a day" to "dead in 3 days." The IPC was a bit wonky (fuel gauge for one) so I pulled it out today to ship it out for repair.

View attachment 1204045

This is the kind of stuff that is fine... don't believe your elderly parents!

Sorry to hear of you dad’s passing .

 

[Lee192233]

If you hate HF so much why did you buy it? People who rail against HF don't have to shop there. Problem solved

I bought it because of $$$$. I wasn't going to spend 6-700 on a Honda for my 40 year old wood splitter. I don't agree with their whole business model of copying other business's products. So no, I don't shop there. That engine was the one and only thing I'll buy from them.

 

[chipper1]

I bought it because of $$$$. I wasn't going to spend 6-700 on a Honda for my 40 year old wood splitter. I don't agree with their whole business model of copying other business's products. So no, I don't shop there. That engine was the one and only thing I'll buy from them.

I search Craigslist and buy them(edit honda, not predator)or something that will work for cheap, hate supporting China.

 

[JimR]

Good to see you, I was just thinking about you yesterday.
We've done a lot for my mil and my FIL before he passed(sorry to hear about your dad. Sure hope our kids learned that's what you do for your parents.


I don't, cause chyna!

Usually way better quality, but those dang predator motors run quite well, but I buy used before I'll support China. I do everything I can to avoid products from the CCP, but I love the Chinese who are suffering under their "leadership".

My L3800 has loaded tires and the skidding winch never comes off it. Last night moving the logs I had one side of the back end off the ground on the slight grade with an 8'6" log(or so, didn't officially measure ).
I need a new edge on my bucket, it's worn down to the welds on the top. I'm kinda disappointed with all the porosity in their welds, but that will make it easier to change out lol.

Can you put a bolt on cutting edge on your bucket?

 

[chipper1]

Can you put a bolt on cutting edge on your bucket?

Yep, but I'll need to cut the old edge off first.
Really like the toothed one on my little tractor, but I like the smooth edge on the big tractor at times too, gotta make a decision.
I will say, the toothed bucket does much better on anything with rocks or stones in it, and grades out topsoil nicely as well.
Any thoughts or suggestions, I'll probably get to it this winter sometime , or maybe I'll buy another bucket lol.

 

[husqvarna257]

Oh my back! I go vertical when I got them that big.

I'm getting older and I have thought of adding a log lift. I'm just not sure how much it would cost to do it. Then I say it's a good workout and think in a few years I'll put one on.

 

[sean donato]

Good to see you, I was just thinking about you yesterday.
We've done a lot for my mil and my FIL before he passed(sorry to hear about your dad. Sure hope our kids learned that's what you do for your parents.


I don't, cause chyna!

Usually way better quality, but those dang predator motors run quite well, but I buy used before I'll support China. I do everything I can to avoid products from the CCP, but I love the Chinese who are suffering under their "leadership".

My L3800 has loaded tires and the skidding winch never comes off it. Last night moving the logs I had one side of the back end off the ground on the slight grade with an 8'6" log(or so, didn't officially measure ).
I need a new edge on my bucket, it's worn down to the welds on the top. I'm kinda disappointed with all the porosity in their welds, but that will make it easier to change out lol.

Yeah the welds on the buckets leave a but to be desired. The bucket i used for my b is off an l series. What a mess to cut it apart. I should have replaced the cut edge at that point, but I didn't. Usually I'll get a bolt on cut edge and bolt that fast to a weld in cut edge. Didn't/ cheaped out in this case.

 

[diver64]

For you doubters of my cast iron identification I took a wire brush to the bottom of my new to me pan. First letter I uncovered was a "W" second was and "A" I says to myself "self looks like you were right" The next letter
I uncovered was a "P" Oh Yeah!
Then the "P" turned into an "R" next an "E" showed up.
This sure as heck isn't a Wapak.
View attachment 1203990
Wagner Ware made between 1922 and 1935.
View attachment 1203991
So I stand corrected.

Enough talk, lets see some cornbread

 

[svk]

Good morning guys.

I wont post pics of progress cause this site wont host larger photos now and I do not have time to crop every one. But today is the day to paint duckboats! Have three lined up to paint. New harbor freight sprayer so hopefully it works. That model was recommended by me ex-BIL who restores cars so I think it will be up to the task. Don't need anything fancy for spraying olive drab.

 

[GrizG]

I bought it because of $$$$. I wasn't going to spend 6-700 on a Honda for my 40 year old wood splitter. I don't agree with their whole business model of copying other business's products. So no, I don't shop there. That engine was the one and only thing I'll buy from them.

I find old snowblowers for free regularly… Most have run just fine… a few needed a carb. Find an air filter and adapt!

 

[svk]

I find old snowblowers for free regularly… Most have run just fine… a few needed a carb. Find an air filter and adapt!

Almost every one of those is dead due to crapped up carb! I did work on on where the governor stuck wide open and the internals grenaded lol.

The rest of them have frozen auger shafts because people didn't grease them.

 

[GrizG]

Sorry to hear of you dad’s passing .

Thank you. It’s been a challenge and I’ve learned a lot. My diet has improved through preparing meals for mom… This as seeing body function numbers associated with various foods was an eye opener…