Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[djg james]

Another "Oh $hit" moment.
I was fixing my damper on my Heatilator fireplace today. The rod attached to the damper plate broke at a bolt hole holding the rod to the damper. I think I can fix it by using a couple of small U-bolts (cable clamps) straddling the rod at the broken ends. No problem there, it's just take some time. Wish I had a MIG welder.

Last year, I noticed the fireplace smoking alot and just attributed it to the broken damper. While repairing it, I noticed that a seam inside the fireplace had separated a little allowing smoke to circulate around the fire box and come out the vents where normally warm air comes when the fans (not hooked up) are turned on. (Best image I could get...1/8" max gap x 1" to 1-1/2" long).



Not really a concern fire-wise, because the flames don't get that high. But I just painted the smoke damaged ceiling and I don't want to have to go through that again. I'm thinking I could clean up the surfaces with a small wire brush attached to a drill using a couple of extensions. Then use a compound used on flue pipes. I believe Rutland makes something. Any type of caulk work? Any other ideas?

This joint is down inside the Heatilator unit and simply changing a section of flue pipe is not an option.

 

[sean donato]

Another "Oh $hit" moment.
I was fixing my damper on my Heatilator fireplace today. The rod attached to the damper plate broke at a bolt hole holding the rod to the damper. I think I can fix it by using a couple of small U-bolts (cable clamps) straddling the rod at the broken ends. No problem there, it's just take some time. Wish I had a MIG welder.

Last year, I noticed the fireplace smoking alot and just attributed it to the broken damper. While repairing it, I noticed that a seam inside the fireplace had separated a little allowing smoke to circulate around the fire box and come out the vents where normally warm air comes when the fans (not hooked up) are turned on. (Best image I could get...1/8" max gap x 1" to 1-1/2" long).

View attachment 1217868

Not really a concern fire-wise, because the flames don't get that high. But I just painted the smoke damaged ceiling and I don't want to have to go through that again. I'm thinking I could clean up the surfaces with a small wire brush attached to a drill using a couple of extensions. Then use a compound used on flue pipes. I believe Rutland makes something. Any type of caulk work? Any other ideas?

This joint is down inside the Heatilator unit and simply changing a section of flue pipe is not an option.

I'd be welding it, but this stuff works pretty well. Just used it out in the shop stove. Follow the curing directions and it should be fine.

 

[djg james]

I'd be welding it, but this stuff works pretty well. Just used it out in the shop stove. Follow the curing directions and it should be fine.

I found the same stuff in a 16 oz tub locally. I'll pick up tomorrow. No one locally had it in a caulking tube. I can reach it by hand, so after I clean the surface, I'll just apply it like drywall compound.

 

[SS396driver]

All done had the alignment done today . While it was on the rack I cut down the lower front and rear bump stops . Had to take an inch and a half off . Ride is much softer now without it bottoming out

 

[MechanicMatt]

Got all the ash split and stacked, showed my Ford loving Uncle what a Chevy is capable of

 

[MechanicMatt]

Also dragged 9 pieces of cherry, about 8ft long out and have it all bucked up. Split enough of that to fill out wood “spot” inside the cabin

Got the shooting lanes cleared up for my uncles stand

And my BIL worked his tail off and got the bathroom all insulated up. MustangMan and I helped, but Kent did the lions share of the insulation

Got home intime to have a beer and unwind


Uncle Mike, that level slid out the back of my teuck

Tomorrow, jump on your quad and ride to Joes cabin. I’m sure it’s on the uphill from the big quarry to his cabin.

I love that 6ft level so please try and find it for me!

My uncle may be 72, but he has little issues keeping up with two fellas in their mid 40’s doing the labor work up there

Pray I’m in as good of shape when I’m his age!!

 

[MechanicMatt]

As for the EV debacle, its state mandate

Not federal, Uncle Donny may pull the plug federally

But Queen Hochul is dead set on keeping it going

Oh well, I’ll just have to put on my thinking cap and figure something out

 

[chipper1]

If I had enough oak, I would have built it completely out of it. I did get ground contact rated pt, and after everything was in place treated it with Copper green wood preservative. I don't think I took any pictures after I added the sister joists, before it got enclosed/insulated. The bottom side is lined with tin, holes spray formed closed, then sealed with roofing tar, then 4" of insulation, then the 1" white oak boards top it. The ledgers and front and rear joists are completely covered too. So besides the posts that stick out 6ish inches bellow the floor and rest on the concrete pillars, there's very slim chance of moisture getting to any of that wood. The rear ledger, sits on top of the concrete pad for the shop, so fully supported. I did seal the concrete before hand in the hopes of preventing moisture tearful through the pad to the wood Everything was fastened with head-lok structural fasteners and structural screws for the joist hangers. Tried my best to over kill it. I really don't want to have to redo that section in 20 years. Has a good air gap under it so hopefully any ground moisture will have ample air circulation to dry out quickly. You can kinda see how i did the posts here.
View attachment 1217819
And possibly see there by the man door, where the room joists sit on the pad.

No, there's no wood between the bunker frame rail and the truck frame rail. Metal to metal.(well, both have a coat of epoxy paint on them, so not really metal to metal.) I really wish he would let me take pictures of it. He's very old school in that regard.

Right. I had a nice piece of white oak board from the mill, my buddy wanted me to cut a couple ft off it to use for some nailers in the barn, I was like no way! Hate to waste something so valuable and much harder to get when I wasn't in a hurry and I can grab a 2x4 from the local yard 5-6min away.
Just to be clear, I wasn't thinking you didn't use the right type of PT wood. I was just saying as a general rule, people dont know there are many types. I didn't realize how many types there were until a short time ago myself.
Looks good, I just wasn't able to process what were saying, sure others have that problem with me at times .
I still like that front door, what a beast.
Is his trailer Amish built, can't have its picture taken lol. Sure it looks great.

 

[SS396driver]

As for the EV debacle, its state mandate

Not federal, Uncle Donny may pull the plug federally

But Queen Hochul is dead set on keeping it going

Oh well, I’ll just have to put on my thinking cap and figure something out

If the feds pull the subsidies it will be an uphill battle but that’s enough on that subject

 

[chipper1]

Yea, sorry, I need to clarify a bit. First, the shed cannot be built into the ground. That would be too easy. It has to set freely on top of the ground or would be taxable. And my property taxes, like all of you, are high enough already. The ground slopes downhill by a foot to a foot and a half depending on the length (12' or 16').

The joist framework (PT) will set on top of 6x6s PT runners. The spacing is up for grabs depending on which way I run the joists.
For a 10' x 16' shed for example: a) Do I want 10' joist riding on two (10' span) or three (5' span) 16' 6x6s
or b)16' joist riding on three (8' span) or four (5'-4" span) 10' 6x6s.

It all depends on which way is easier/cheaper to do and based on how much weight I want to store. Still not sure.

The post holes I was talking about was a 2' deep hole packed with rock the first foot or so and then capped with concrete using something like a sonotube(sp?) to get the tops to grade. Stupid idea to mix the two; it will sink for sure over time. Trying to save money since it's only a shed.

So it will have CONCRETE pillars in the ground supporting the ends of the PT 6x6s (above ground).

Sorry for the length. If I could have drawn a diagram it would have been shorter.

I see now.
My shed is now up on two BL logs that I cut two flats on. I placed them about a ft in from the 10' width of my shed, so 8' between them. We are in sandy/gravel soil, and it shouldn't move around too much. When the auger was here for the post holes on the barn I angled a couple holes under the ends of each post as I thought I may want to put some BL logs in as pillars, but I haven't done anything like that yet.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Oh yeah, almost forgot

They do call me hop sing up there for good reason

Thats Venison backstraps cooked to perfection over black cherry

 

[benz66]

Can’t wait for 5 o’clock!!!

What a day!

Assistants uncle passed in the early morning, good tech and great guy- his father in-law has a stroke around 9am, shuttle driver gets rear ended and taken away in a ambulance around 10:30, three angry customers-two are from techs being lazy. One the lady is just a miserable person…..

GM announces that NY state is mandating that by 2026, 35% of our new vehicles sales need to be electric or they will hold back our allocation of ICE vehicles

Techs don’t want to do the electric car training because they don’t want to work on them. Boss says, but they wear electric safety rubber gloves. Lead teach says, if there is a absolute gorgeous girl that wants to have sex, but she is HIV positive, I don’t care if I’m wearing a rubber, I’m not sticking my **** in her. I gotta agree with him, big boss nods cause he understands.

Dunno how I’m going to get 15 guys 100% EV certified in a year, when it was hell convincing the three I do have certified to get certified. (They still don’t wanna work on them, but did the training outta respect for me)

I think I just heard Jimmy Buffet say, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere…..

Maybe it is time to consider a move out of crazyland. Or maybe if you are patient, Elon will eliminateEPA and a bunch of other worthless fuds. Even that does not keep the crazies in NY state from ruining your life. BTW, life is great in the Gulf Coast, and we have GMs here.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

My nephew and me, put in another day splitting for my customer friend and moving firewood for him, just over 4 cords total. The guy even had some huge oak crotches he said I could have if I wanted them, so we put the Husky 562 to work cutting them down a bit,

After moving 13 heaped baskets of splits about a half mile to the "big house", we loaded my nephew's trailer with two oak logs, and then I loaded my tractor on my trailer,

I put the final log in front of my tractor, to haul it home too,

Overall, it was a pretty nice day, and I ended up with three nice oak logs to cut/split for my own use.

SR

 

[Lionsfan]

Got all the ash split and stacked, showed my Ford loving Uncle what a Chevy is capable ofView attachment 1217932View attachment 1217931View attachment 1217933

1st gen Chevy Silverado was the best pickup they ever made.

 

[WetBehindtheEar]

Arrrrh.... Don't you just hate it when this happens?

View attachment 1217769

That was the last of the mulberry I just split last month. Going to try to get it restacked before the noon rain starts. I have more garden work to do this week before my duck season starts next Saturday and I certainly don't have the time to re-do things.

Squirrels, I tell ya!
It's the damn squirrels!
Kill 'em all.

 

[WetBehindtheEar]

Yesterday was dock take-out for the rowing team. Bunch of teenagers in chest waders in 50° water taking floating dock sections out.
I spent the morning winterizing our launch motors. Say what you will about Made-in-USA, but these 15Hp Honda four-strokes are a dream to work on. And essentially bomb-proof.
Although, when changing the lower unit oil & checking the back of thrust washers, I discovered this little gem.
What's wrong with this picture?

 

[GrizG]

The prolonged dry spell here in the Hudson Valley has created a situation with which I am not too familiar… Namely truly dry firewood!

I burn social fires in a fireplace with a heatilator and no way to control the draft. Firewood is stacked outside on racks and any rain/snow that gets under the wide soffit is free to land on the wood. High humidity works on it too.

I was used to stacking several logs on the fire and have them burn at a moderate pace. Now… if I do that I end up with a raging fire! The new fire lay is a couple logs laying side by side and when they burn down I add one.

It’s a new world! Lots of wildfires in the area too.

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/go...wildfires-across-new-york-and-provides-update

 

[SS396driver]

The prolonged dry spell here in the Hudson Valley has created a situation with which I am not too familiar… Namely truly dry firewood!

I burn social fires in a fireplace with a heatilator and no way to control the draft. Firewood is stacked outside on racks and any rain/snow that gets under the wide soffit is free to land on the wood. High humidity works on it too.

I was used to stacking several logs on the fire and have them burn at a moderate pace. Now… if I do that I end up with a raging fire! The new fire lay is a couple logs laying side by side and when they burn down I add one.

It’s a new world! Lots of wildfires in the area too.

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/go...wildfires-across-new-york-and-provides-update

The Peekamoose fire is real close to me .

 

[SS396driver]

Picked up this gem the other day . Old Signal Corps US Army meter made by Gruen watch company . Made in USA



People moving south got a few various hand tools too . Mostly older Stanley and craftsman American made items . They had a few boxes out at the curb for free so of course I scrounged them

 

[GrizG]

The Peekamoose fire is real close to me .

Kingston is very smoky…. Kingston Plaza: