Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[MechanicMatt]

Good on ya Matt!

It’s good to see you’re still around and kicking, us guys in the civilized 48 were starting to worry about you

 

[bob kern]

Hello Gents! It's been a while. Sorry I haven't been in touch with you fellers. I have no excuse. I've been staying busy with my tree service and driveway repair business. I hope all is well with you guys and that you've all been getting your proper scrounge on this fall and winter!
I thought I'd share a couple photos of the saw rack I built yesterday for my pickup. I think it will work quite well!
Yup, that's a Husky. A modified 390XP gifted to me from my last boss I worked for over on Afognak Island a couple years ago. One can never pass up a free saw! Even if it is a Husky. However, it's Stihl no Stihl!


View attachment 1229206View attachment 1229207

Cut safe, stay sharp and be aware!

Good to hear from you kk. I like that honest dirt in the truck!!

 

[chipper1]

Hardwood Noodles, covered with birch bark, covered with small kindling ... gets the fire going fast every time!

I'm thinking of making some wax coated noodles ... that would really work nicely!

I've used the hardwood noodles before, as well as soft, and they work nice. I made up a bunch of bags of them, my wife uses them in the chicken coop under where they sleep and lay eggs, and the one chicken nests.
Back when I was a kid my dad and I cast a lot of bullets, he'd get the pot up to temp, then shave a little wax off a bar and drop it in, I think he then lit it, then scraped the crap off the top. It was a long time ago, and I have no idea what the actual purpose was or if it helped, guessing he was getting the dross off the top and it helped somehow.

 

[chipper1]

Yep, more or less sealed up. The big door has some cheap Amazon self adhesive door seal flap stuff on it. Actually works better then I thought it would, for as cheap as it is. Insulation is more or less as good as it's getting for this winter. I'd like to add more everywhere, but I think the ceiling is going to take priority for getting a second layer first.
Progress has been slow otherwise. Since hunting season, I have not done much out there. Between the holidays and work schedule its been very slow.
I did come up with a jointer (I think you can just see it in the background of the dog Pic.) Old craftsman unit, my logging buddy found. I got that cleaned up Monday after work, wired in an on-off switch and started jointering (?) The boards for the little room. Hopefully I'm ready to start hanging them this weekend.

Nice, I've got quite a bit of insulation in the walls most the way around. I cut 8' strips of 1/2 foil faced polyiso that fit between the trusses(two pieces per run, so 1" total) for the ceiling of the main and I have some cellulose insulation to blow up there whenever I get a min, probably closer to spring, or next fall lol. Hopefully down the rd I can add more, but you gotta start somewhere, and since the walls are all enclosed I started there to get things finished or at least more finished. My schedule has been all over the place, being in retail, holidays mean very little; then when you're on the trucking side of it, they mean nearly nothing. Except double pay, which is nice!
I noticed that in the pic. You're getting closer to having another big chunk finished.

 

[chipper1]

I use a little torch to start my fires too. Even have a special little hole to stick it in, in the house furnace where I don't have to hold it lol.

I was inspired to get out the ole resinous wood today to get a fire going, so I did.
Split up a bit for the top of this pile of BL sticks.

This is the piece I took that stuff off from, I have another much bigger chunk of it that this came off.

Still used the torch to light them though .
Man was that stuff smoking, my neighbors probably thought I was burning insulation scraps.

 

[GrizG]

I do have an affinity for drill indexes - I think this is the only number drill index I have though. Not that you can't get by without them, but for the investment it's worth it if I only ever use it one time.

The best bargain was probably the pipe threading tools. Tough to beat for about $3 all in. Oh, and the Lodge cast iron - but only because I can flip those and more than pay for the rest of the stuff.

Early in his career my father served a tool and die apprenticeship and worked as a journeyman at IBM. He used those bits to make a living in the days IBM actually made things!

 

[SS396driver]

I just bought a set Made in USA

 

[bob kern]

I was inspired to get out the ole resinous wood today to get a fire going, so I did.
Split up a bit for the top of this pile of BL sticks.
View attachment 1229268
This is the piece I took that stuff off from, I have another much bigger chunk of it that this came off.
View attachment 1229269
Still used the torch to light them though .
Man was that stuff smoking, my neighbors probably thought I was burning insulation scraps.

For the longest time we used wood pellets and a shot of alcohol for starting fires and still do some. It works great. The wife has also made some little starters in paper egg cartons. Just some talo and dryer lint in each egg spot. Just tear one off and light it. Works well too.

 

[chipper1]

For the longest time we used wood pellets and a shot of alcohol for starting fires and still do some. It works great. The wife has also made some little starters in paper egg cartons. Just some talo and dryer lint in each egg spot. Just tear one off and light it. Works well too.

I've done that too, except I mixed a batch up in a small container and just dumped them out, ready to light. Now I mainly use the torch! I bought the adapter to fill the 1lb tanks off my 20lb tanks, I don't even use a whole tank throughout winter.

 

[Haywire]

Yeah, a torch works good too, but kinda noisy. Sometimes you need to be stealthy lighting the fire. Don't want to wake this little cutie...

 

[chipper1]

Yeah, a torch works good too, but kinda noisy. Sometimes you need to be stealthy lighting the fire. Don't want to wake this little cutie...
View attachment 1229278

What a cutie.
When our guys were young and they started to go to sleep I'd shake the bed, my wife was like what the heck, then I explained. I'm not getting up with them everytime the slightest noise is made, if you don't mind, I'll stop lol. They slept thru anything, "like babies" .
I had already raised two, glad she trusted me, now break out the torches .

 

[Haywire]

Funny thing is, she doesn't wake up because it scares her, she wakes up because she wants to help dad build the fire.

 

[chipper1]

Funny thing is, she doesn't wake up because it scares her, she wakes up because she wants to help dad build the fire.

That's cool that she enjoys the torch, good kid, with a warm future .

 

[bob kern]

Took the boy out to the shop tonight. He has a little car that launches discs out of it , but he only had one disc. We took some 1-1/2 PVC pipe , heated it and placed it between boards in a vice and let it cool. Bingo , sheet plastic! After some shaping, sanding etc. he has plenty of new discs.

 

[bob kern]

We drilled some holes to lighten them up a bit. He's happy as a hog in slop.

 

[chipper1]

Anyone looking for s deal on a nice mount.
https://battlehawkarmory.com/produc...xtended-fde-apra211212.?avad=190366_f3e7f5cdd

You need to put it in the cart to see the price.

 

[lloyd786]

We’ve had a border collie for 2 years, and they are more human than dog , incredibly intelligent, ours need a ton of outdoor activity weather hiking or playing per day , my better half is a runner and takes him in the trails every day for a 4 to 7 mile run, if he doesn’t get his exercise every day he gets a attitude lol , some people don’t realize they are were breed working dogs and need to do it daily, View attachment 1228999

My border collie goes to work with me every day and does whatever she can do to help. Take yours fishing it’s my dogs second favorite thing next to working.

 

[Haywire]

That's cool that she enjoys the torch, good kid, with a warm future .

Haha, yeah she's awesome. One of those later in life surprises that God blesses you with sometimes, but wouldn't want it any other way.

 

[Squareground3691]

My border collie goes to work with me every day and does whatever she can do to help. Take yours fishing it’s my dogs second favorite thing next to working.

Nice

 

[Kodiak Kid]

It’s good to see you’re still around and kicking, us guys in the civilized 48 were starting to worry about you

Yup, I'm stihl kick'n. I'll try to be more social with you guys. I'm sure you guys miss my smart a** remarks and 6th grade humor and if y'all don't. Well, ya otta!