The Old Man and the Tree - Chapter 5

[flashhole]

If you saw my other thread you know I was fighting a large Ash tree that was knocked over by a storm. I cut it up into sections and pulled it down from the other trees it was hung up in (chapters 1-4). Today started off as a rainy day, it let up and I went to the woods to see if I could make any progress skidding the big logs up from the ravine with my 30 HP tractor. I no sooner started work in the woods and it started to rain again. At least it was cooler but I still sweat like a pig. It was about 1/2 mile from the tree to the milling station. Didn't have a camera with me in the ravine.

Snake trail to the milling site.



This is the first of 4 sections I need to pull out of the ravine. It was a LOT of work to get this puppy up to the asphalt pad. It took about 3 hours but I got it done. The plan is to mill 4 beams from this log for a horse shelter. I will post other pics of the progress.

 

[flashhole]

To quote Phil Robertson - I was happy, happy, happy!

 

[mad murdock]

Looks like you are off to the races! That is a nice piece of wood there

 

[Mike Van]

Just my 2 cents flash, but I'd watch those cement blocks the way you have them - I've seen them just fail -

 

[lazyguy]

I agree with Mike.

Nice whak of wood.

But, I agree with Mike.

I would put the cinder blocks the other way, and cut 10" x 18" pieces of plywood, 3/4 thickness.

Put this between each section of block and on bottom of block.

This way any "tab" of cement will squish into the plywood, not start a crack.

It doesn't take much to start a crack. Cement is very strong, BUT, very BRITTLE!

 

[flashhole]

Sounds like good advice regarding the cinder blocks. I will definately make up some plywood reinformements.

Here are some pics of today's activities.

Set up and first cut.



Fastso me in action.



Top cut removed. Will do more later today when the shade moves over the work area, to dang hot out there.

 

[flashhole]

Seems to not want to take the third pic. Top cut removed.

File was corrupted ... fixed it.

 

[olyman]

This is the first of 4 sections I need to pull out of the ravine. It was a LOT of work to get this puppy up to the asphalt pad. It took about 3 hours but I got it done. The plan is to mill 4 beams from this log for a horse shelter. I will post other pics of the progress.

[/QUOTE]

4 beams for a horse shelter...NOT posts,right??

 

[flashhole]

Turns out I'm only going to get two 6" x 12" x 12' beams from this log. That's likely what I will get from each Ash log. The rest goes to firewood. I also have to wrestle some 30" hemlocks out of the woods.

 

[Nato]

I like the wall of wood also!

 

[RVALUE]

Nice whak of wood.

But, I agree with Mike.

I would put the cinder blocks the other way, and cut 10" x 18" pieces of plywood, 3/4 thickness.

Put this between each section of block and on bottom of block.

This way any "tab" of cement will squish into the plywood, not start a crack.

It doesn't take much to start a crack. Cement is very strong, BUT, very BRITTLE!

So is concrete.

 

[flashhole]

So here are the two large slabs (future beams) in the garage. I need to put stickers under them and stack them. Next log will be chapter 6.

 

[flashhole]

I like the wall of wood also!

The wall of wood is actually 5 walls of wood. The pic only shows one of them, the rest of the rows are behind that stack. About 7.5 cords all together.

 

[BobL]

This photo has me intrigued.

No sawdust coming from the saw

Not a single piece of saw dust on your boots?

Also no hearing protection?

 

[flashhole]

Just made it through the cut. Can't explain the shoes but my socks were full of chips at the top of the shoe and all over my arms. I don't think my saws are loud enough with the stock muffler to wear hearing protection but I do wear earplugs on occasion.

 

[isaaccarlson]

That might make some darn fine bows of the growth rings are good.:msp_scared: