Heat wave working hours.

[Bibbyman]

Question;  If it's 105 in the shade,  how hot is it in the broiling hot sun?

Answer;  Too hot!

It's been unseasonably hot this spring.  At first we kind of enjoyed the warm, dry weather rather than the 50's and rain we'd normally get.  But when it started to get in the 90's about every day and get hotter sooner,  the fun wore off.

I'm not ashamed to admit that when it gets above 90,  I start to find good reason to knock off for the day. 

Up until a couple of days ago, we'd get up at the first glow of dawn and be out working by 6:00 or 6:30 at the latest.  We'd delay any work out in the log yard until early in the morning as it was still shaded by the big black oak trees.  But now that the sun comes up higher, faster,  the shade melts back pretty quick.

We have been working until early noon and go in a get a quick bite to eat and rest up a minute, then go back out and work a couple more hours. That would be all we could stand.

This week,  we'd make our usual early start but hit the wall by early noon.  Yesterday we sawed until about 10:00 when a customer came to pick up his order.  After he left, we continued on to finish the bundle we were working on and headed to the house.  It was just past 11:00 and already 95.

We were enjoying the AC when the logger called. That was about 3:00. They had a load on the truck and were giving us a heads up that they were coming.  I unloaded the truck while Mary took the logger to the shade and fan in the sawshed.  It was 102 when we started and when we got done and it was 105!

We'll take up the logs the first thing this morning and try to get them stored before the shade is gone. 


Are you guys working through this heat?  Shifting hours?  Or cutting out early?

[Ianab]

"Only Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the Midday Sun"  :D

This is why the Siesta was invented. Start at 6 like normal, work till lunchtime, and knock off when it gets too hot. have a snooze for a few hours, then get in a couple more hours of work later when it's starting to cool off. 4 to 6 maybe? Stage up the logs for an early start in the morning etc and knock off for the day.

Still gets 8 hours of work in, but you avoid that 12-4 when things are crazy hot.

Ian.

[Chuck White]

I think we've changed our hot weather work hours.

When the thermometer hits 85-90°, depending on the humidity, we call it quits.

We will work in the morning hours and then again after 5:00PM.

Between me and my helper (off-bearer), we will routinely go through about 1½ gallon of spring water in a days work this time of year!

[Kansas]

We are still working normal hours. We have pared back the overtime a bit but that is because we have finally slowed down a little bit. We go through a lot of bottled water.

[Bibbyman]

Seems once it hits that 100 mark, it doesn't cool down in the evening until the sun goes down – right now about 8:30.  Everything is hot.  I'm careful to park the loaders in the shade or under roof when I can.   Else the seat gets as hot as a cast iron skillet. 

We have fans and a refrigerator in the sawshed and that helps.  We also pace ourselves and not try to push the production rate.

BTW,  It's already 81 this morning at 6:00 am.  :'(

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

"Only Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the Midday Sun"  :D



Ian.

Well I'm the Mad Dog. Getting ready to go fill the cooler with ice and bottled water. At 105 in the shade today, I can see it's gonna be another "MOLDY" day with the lumber.  :D

[Magicman]

When it is miserably hot, I like to be sawing by 6:00.  We will make it until about 1:00 and then "call in the dogs".

[bandmiller2]

I'am on a light duty chit when it gets real hot,by all means slow down production especially if you have some years on your frame.Theirs nothing more important than your health and well being. Of course a yankee heatwave is anything over 86 degrees. Frank C.

[bugdust]

Here at the mill site the early morning sun is semi-blocked by a few large oaks, but around 10:00 look out, here she comes. By 5:00 the large poplars block the evening sun. This is usually the best sawing time, that is if the humidity isn't busting 90%+. The good thing about sawing in the heat is takings lots of breaks, sipping ice water, and enjoying these beatiful WV mountains.

[westyswoods]

There was a day when the hotter the better. 1988, 100 plus for many days if not in the high nineties. Building our home working 16 hour days no problem.

Yesterday started bucking up firewood and splitting around 0530 quit by 10:00,( 94 with high humidity) just didn't have the desire or physical ability to go any longer. Amazing what a mere quarter century will do to one.

Makes one appreciate what all those young men and woman fighting wildfires face every day. BTW don't see too many obese wild land  firefighters do you.

[SPD748]

The weatherman is calling for 99* today in my area. I've got about 8 hours of welding left today before I can quit. I'm on lunch break now. Ya know, at the time wearing a leather jacket in this heat sounded like a good idea. I'm quickly having second thoughts

-lee

[mikeb1079]

I've got about 8 hours of welding left today before I can quit.

i will continue to work outside when it's toasty like this (to a point)  but one thing i won't do is metal fabrication.  it's a complete drag when it's this hot outside.  your pieces never ever seem to cool off!  i feel for ya brother! 

[hackberry jake]

We have fans and a refrigerator in the sawshed and that helps.

The refrigerator just makes things hotter. I had a buddy and his ac in his house went out so he opened his fridge and put a box fan in it. I explained to him that for whatever cold air he was getting, he was getting more heat off of the back of the fridge where the coils are.
Of course I'm sure you are referring to keeping beverages cold.

[Larry]

Is it hot out? :D :D :D

This morning I had to saw out an emergency order of mater stakes.  The farmer was trying to use string between stakes but said a lot of plants were too heavy.  He was all smiles as he is irrigating out of the creek...most growers are going to lose out due to the drought.

I doubt if the mill will run much till September, maybe October due to the heat.

Our extremely low humidity for the last two months is quite unusual.  Last night at 7:00 it was 99* with a RH of 25%.  The weather bureau said a heat index of 98*.  I didn't even know it worked that way.

I sawed about 300 foot of 4/4 red oak and put it on sticks less than two months ago.  I checked it with the meter yesterday and it read 18%.  I figured it would be checked but it looked good.  The stack is covered with tin and along with little rain we've haven't had much wind either.  I guess that's what saved it.  So much for the inch/year drying tale.

Going to be a very quiet fourth.  All the counties and now the cities have burn bans in effect...here its no fireworks unless an organized display.  Feel sorry for the sellers sitting out in there hot tents with few buyers.

[OneWithWood]

I had to get 3000bd ft of ash and walnut milled and in the kiln by today so it can be picked up before I leave for the pig roast.  The mill sits in the barn so I was not in full sun and a good breeze was moving the hot air around.  I drank gallons of cool water, taking a break after stickering the boards.  I work by myself so I get to take a break after every log to sitcker the boards  : 
Mill hours have definately been adjusted to allow for a siesta.  It does not begin to cool down until after 7pm.

[Magicman]

I hope that no one on my saw list calls.  If they do, I'll just have to remind them that I do not saw for crazy people.   :D

[tcsmpsi]

I think we, here in the Big Thicket, would dry up and fade away (not enough wind to blow away) if humidity ever got below 80%.   :D

[Bogue Chitto]

Yes, I am in the heat.  On vacation sitting on the beach Gulf Shores Alabama.  8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

[Tree Feller]

I only saw for myself and never in the summer heat. This time of year, I retire to my woodworking shop with AC and try to use up some of the wood I have accumulated.

When the daytime highs are below 85 degrees, I'll think about sawing again. It's fun but it's not THAT much fun.

[grweldon]

Well, my new toy was just delivered about 10 days ago!  I was out there cutting yesterday evening... It was 94 degrees, but the humidity was unusually low... around 40%.  I love the heat!  That's why I moved to Alabama!

[davch00]

i will continue to work outside when it's toasty like this (to a point)  but one thing i won't do is metal fabrication

I used to work at the local shipyard and I can say that using cutting torches and welders in the heat is not fun.

They are forecasting 100+ for the next 4 or 5 days here. I'm glad the humidity is down around 35% instead of being in our normal 75-90% range. I don't mind the heat near as much as the cold I just make sure I drink lots of water and take more breaks. I've always said I would take 105 over 25...I just would like a little rain with it. 

Be careful out there in this heat.

[grweldon]

I'll take 105 over 25 any day... you don't mention in your post where "here" is...

[cutterboy]

It's 90* outside now and I'm sitting in the living room with the air conditioning running. I have oak to saw but I'll get to it early in the morning. I have my mill set up in the woods in the shade.

[Bibbyman]

I'll take 105 over 25 any day... you don't mention in your post where "here" is...

Me?  Middle of Missouri.

We started about 6:30 this morning.  Measured up a load of logs. Mary cranked up the mill while I put 11 logs on the deck out of the load that fit the production we were working on. While going through picking out these logs, I put about half the remainder away.

Mary asked why I didn't put them all away. I told her I'd put the rest away in the morning, figuring the loggers would not be back today. I was wrong.  They're brought another load while I was gone.

[davch00]

I'm in Southeast Missouri.

[WH_Conley]

106 here in NE Ky. I am not even going to attempt anything. Maybe set a few blades, in the basement.

[JVK]

Up here in the Pacific Northwest, I still have to decide if I should wear a long sleeve shirt or not. Don't suppose you feel bad for me!  Jim

[Magicman]

No, happy for you.   :D   No need for everyone to be miserable.  I need Gatorade in my portfolio, 'cause their profit level surely is as high as the temps.   

[clww]

It seems like it is hot everywhere, so far. I go for the siesta routine, cutting firewood. Like Bibby wrote, it's still in the mid-80s even when the sun has set. Slow down and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

[Bibbyman]

Frustration level tends to rise dramatically when the temperature goes up.  Mary and I tend to be in a fowl mood when we're hot and miserable.

[Magicman]

There is an old saying about misery likes company.  At least you can both laugh about your misery and keep each other company.   

[hackberry jake]

When it's hot and I'm working outside, there's nothing like a big cool glass of sweet tea. Of course you Yankees wouldn't know about that  :D. It always amazed me when I went up north and wanted to order sweet tea. I would always get "we have iced tea and there's sugar on the table". It's not the same. Have you ever tried to dissolve sugar in ice cold tea?

[cutterboy]

  Mary and I tend to be in a fowl mood when we're hot and miserable.

No, not Mary. She looks much too sweet to ever be in a foul mood.

[Magicman]

Maybe da foul fowl mood problem is da rooster.   :D :D

[John_Haylow]

You may be on to something there Magicman. Although he did let Mary have the inside job out of the sun. ;)
John

[Magicman]

   I'll admit what dis rooster is doing during this hot weather.  Working for da hen.  Plus fortunately there is no HOT weather involved because it is inside and as long as I do everything her way, I can stay inside. I'll do a thread later about her kitchen re-do.

[Indiana Robinson]

Speaking of inside jobs... I was just curious if anybody here saws in an air conditioned building?


.

[MHineman]

  I can work through most of the heat and humidity we generally get here, but this week's 105 did me in.  I'm fine with water breaks at 95 and take longer breaks up to 99, but I had to quit about noon on Wednesday when it got to a 100 or a little more. 

  A couple hours later I went out to try to work some more and after 20 minutes gave up.  I try to have some work I can do inside when the weather is this bad.

  I expect I can get acclimated to that kind of heat, but I'm not sure I want to.

[Indiana Robinson]

  I can work through most of the heat and humidity we generally get here, but this week's 105 did me in.  I'm fine with water breaks at 95 and take longer breaks up to 99, but I had to quit about noon on Wednesday when it got to a 100 or a little more.

  A couple hours later I went out to try to work some more and after 20 minutes gave up.  I try to have some work I can do inside when the weather is this bad.

  I expect I can get acclimated to that kind of heat, but I'm not sure I want to.

East Central Indiana and the name Hineman... Fayette County maybe?


.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Speaking of inside jobs... I was just curious if anybody here saws in an air conditioned building?


.

Just when I wear my dress and earrings.  :D :D :D

[hackberry jake]

Piston, I always look forward to your comedic posts. That was a good one!

[WDH]

Down here it is so bad that the # of times that you go outside for a while = the number of showers and change of clothes that you go through  . 

Seriously.  It is rough on the washing machine and the well pump.  You can't have that kind of stress on the equipment, so it is perfectly justifiable to lay around rest in the heat of the afternoon  :.

[Sixacresand]

Its been 100 plus degrees and the ground is dry as a bone.  It will be a miracle if I have to mow the grass again this year.   I am not doing anything outside between noon and 6.  I guess milling on the midnight shift is the answer in this heat.    I do have lights. 

[bama20a]

Wife @ Little fellow from down the road went behind the house to pick some Blackberries,around 1 this afternoon,That sure didn't last long :D,Around 100 degrees today,But they did get a coffee cup full.Well maybe ;D

[Nomad]

     Sawing for a customer yesterday, I wimped out about 1.  High heat, no shade (for me at least) high humidity and no breeze had me badly overheated.  Got to try to finish it today, but I dunno...  starting late never makes me happy but in these conditions it's a prescription for misery.

[Indiana Robinson]

Speaking of inside jobs... I was just curious if anybody here saws in an air conditioned building?

So do I take it that no one is working in a cooled work space or are they afraid to answer since apparently cooling your work-space diminishes your manhood?
I posted this as a legitimate "business" question since so many are shutting down from the heat and losing money by doing so... Many that are still working full days are doing so in great discomfort...
It is not that expensive of a proposition to make a cooled work area. Many many years ago I was working for a plastic films conversion factory. It was one of those that was often really hot. We got a contract from Honeywell for making the little laminated strips that they used to operate their humidistats. The trouble was that they could not be made in a hot or damp environment. We used about 6 mil poly sheeting to build a tent of sorts around that piece of machinery (ceiling to floor) and stuck a good sized air conditioner in a window. Yes it did add cost and yes the tent was not super efficient but it got us started and making serious money on that project. The heat transfer through that poly was surprisingly low. Later a special climate controlled room was built but that poly tent and AC operating cost was repaid hundreds of times over.
Obviously cooling is easier for guys working in a fixed location but then again we farmers now days use a lot of AC in tractor and combine cabs as does a lot of the newer construction equipment. Even when you spend a lot of time getting in and out to do stuff getting back in can cool you back down and lets you dry out.
I personally see the added cost as far better than just shutting down and I for one work far more efficiently in reasonably cool dry air than in hot humid air and I think that my productivity is enough better to pay the small added cost.
I'm just putzing around part time so it isn't such a big deal for me but a lot of guys here are making their living at this. I think business productivity is a more important consideration than manliness.  :D


. 

[Magicman]

For me, I am afraid that the expense  $$$   would be greater than the income,    so it is more economical for me to just cool my manliness.   smiley_beatnik

[Bibbyman]

The factory where I worked for 33 years was designed in the late 60s and built in the early 70's. It has some 17 acres under roof.  Some of the first work they did was to excavate a large lake out front. It was not for aesthetics but for heating and cooling. The building had to be air conducted to control the humidity because of the papers used in winding the coils.

It was considered very progressive to have a building that large with considerable amount of welding and bake ovens, etc that was air conditioned.

Unfortunately, the air handling system was a closed one - thus didn't exchange with new outside air.  In the 90's they called these building designs "sick buildings" because of the air quality.

[Kansas]

I have kicked around the notion of geothermal cooling for the work space, and for that matter, the office and other shop where they build skids and boxes. It wouldn't cost that much because we have both a good well plus could discharge into a shallow pond on the place. Probably won't get it done this year. I don't know how feasible it is, because it would take one heck of a unit. I spent all my time worrying about getting us in this new building because of winter. Then we didn't have one. Now we have a scorching summer. Go figure.

[Indiana Robinson]

For me, I am afraid that the expense  $$$   would be greater than the income,    so it is more economical for me to just cool my manliness.   smiley_beatnik

Then you could just cool the seat on your mill and not everything else.  :D

My first store location back in 1974 had an unusual cooling system. When I describe it some say it was a "swamp cooler" but it wasn't. It was a typical 2 story w/full basement old downtown building with really thick brick walls. The building was heated with a large steam boiler in the basement but instead of radiators or baseboard units it had a big blower and a big square flat tubing coil in a space above the office area. The ceilings in the rest of the store were a lot higher than the office area and so there was a big grill into the store about 2/3rds of the way up. The big coil was right behind the grill. The steam rose to the coil and the blower blew filtered air through the coil heating the entire store. Not that unusual so far. For summer use there was a set of valves in a back stairway that you used to switch over. Of course the boiler was shut down then you closed a valve that shut off the steam line from the boiler and opened a valve that led to a drain. Then when you wanted AC you "cracked" another valve that allowed the city water to flow a small stream of water through the coil and out the drain. As with the steam heat a simple thermostat in the store started and stopped the big blower as needed. While the air never touched the city water much of the moisture in the building did condense on the coil assembly and dripped into a trough below it and ran to the drain. It did do a surprisingly good job of removing high humidity. It all worked very well and was extremely cheap to operate. Of course that was in the mid 1970's and city water has gone up radically in price here since then. Still I don't think it would be all that high. There were no moving parts except the blower and it was just a very large squirrel cage one, quiet and trouble free.
I rarely ran it at night or weekends. Those big brick walls held their temp pretty well as long as people were not going in and out.

BTW, I hope that it was understood that my comments about "manliness" were also mostly humor... Note also that I absolutely refuse to use the phrase "tongue in cheek" in this context...  :D :D :D


.


.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

A song by Cole Porter, sung by Ella Fitzgerald.......

"IT'S TOO DARN HOT"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhs3Qklz5a0&feature=related

[tcsmpsi]

When I got out of high school, I already had a school and job lined out for the next season.  In the meantime, I got a job at UTEX industries (Universal Packing & Gasket).  They had me in several different areas, from the huge heated tables were gasket blanks were assembled, 80 ton hammer press, material seaming, to finally end up in the steam press room.  There were 25 rows of presses, making gaskets from 8' diameter down through transfusion gaskets.
I was transfered to presses 6-10, handling the largest gaskets not using a crane.  X99 the biggest of these with the most problematic of gaskets.  Big, lots of steel, molds with a top and bottom insert, taken apart with air pressure (I have seen x99 kick its bottom out and take about 8 brick out of the wall.  Presses were steam heated with multiple tiers, and different valves to apply pressure.  Three people worked that line, and I was replacement for one of those.  Seems a lot didn't make on that line for very long.  Lots of gasket and quota problems with some of those particulars. 
That room stayed about 120 degrees.  The molds had to stay in a certain heat range, which gave limited time to clean, soap (solution for non-sticking) with two pair of gloves (putting one up against ones' wet-shirted belly, and it would sizzle...upleasantly).
The short of it, is that after I had worked that line for about a month, first one, then the other fellows on the line, left for different reasons.  They did not try to replace them, as I had ironed out the problems on the gaskets that were giving them trouble, and I kept a better quota.  After having turned down an offer from them to, continue/they send to to school/continue, I had heard they were going to install air conditioning in the pressroom.   I advised the supervisor that it would not work, as it would cool down the molds too much, and keep the surrounding temperature cool enough that the gasket material would behave differently.   I kept in touch with a couple of the fellows I worked with.  About a year later, they told me that they had installed it, had gaskets sticking in the molds all the time, and after about 3 months of trying to conform gasket material/blanks, they turned it off.

Those presses sure made a good TV dinner for lunch.    :D

[hackberry jake]

All the commercial mills around here have a climate controlled saw cab or two. The rest of the grunt labor just have a roof over their heads.

[Dave VH]

I do appreciate not having to shovel snow and all, but i would rather have 20° rather than 100°.  I work outside all year.  You can always add more layers, I've run out of layers to take off without making a whole different kind of statement

[SPD748]

I've run out of layers to take off without making a whole different kind of statement

!!

-lee

[TimGA]

Dave, 
I have shoveled snow, put layers of clothes on, stayed inside all winter because I was froze all day at work.  Thank you but I will shed all I can swat a Gnat or two jump in the pool and relax.  The best part of the south is I can do almost anything I want any time. Just slow down in the bad Heat and hydrate. It is hot here now in south GA, I will say I miss a fresh snow and crisp air but not the slop afterward.
                                                                                                                  Tim   

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I've run out of layers to take off without making a whole different kind of statement

!!

-lee

Stop laughing Lee.......sounds like you're just waiting to write a citation for indecend exposer.   :D

[Magicman]

Happy Birthday, TimGA, and Congratulations on making the Big 50 !!!.   

[SPD748]

Stop laughing Lee.......sounds like you're just waiting to write a citation for indecend exposer.   :D


I can honestly say that I've never charged that one and hope I never will 

-lee

[TimGA]

  Thanks  MM,  Would love to going as hard as you and be in good health at 68.
            Thanks again been a great day.
                                           Tim

[davch00]

I guess milling on the midnight shift is the answer in this heat.    I do have lights.

That's a good way to feed the skeeters. Around here the skeeters are so thick that everyone pretty much tries to avoid going outside after dark.

Would love to going as hard as you and be in good health at 68.
            Thanks again been a great day.
                                         

I'll second that!

[Bibbyman]

We're still getting out early but it's already hot before sunrise. The humidity is high and no breeze. 

100 by noon today - 107 high - 102 at 7:30 pm.

Weather man says hot again tomorrow but highs in the 80s after that!

[boatman]

It was over 100 in the woods yesterday.  But the mill I am using keeps vapor locking so I am getting lots of breaks.

I spent today working on a hay rake, the metal was too hot to hold my hand on.

[Bibbyman]

Heat advisory all this week.  Add in higher humidity than we had a couple of weeks back.

Mary and I went out about 7:00 this morning to scale a load of logs we'd got in yesterday afternoon.  That end off the lot is in the shade until about 9:00.

We no more than got out there and started and I was soaked with sweat .

[Chuck White]

That just about describes what we've had here Bibby.

I had my last saw job for the summer just about done (lacked about 400bf) when we gave up to the 90+° temps yesterday.

I had my alarm set for 5:00 this morning and I ate breakfast and was out the door by 5:45 and the blade was in the wood at 6:15.

We were done by 10:15, done sawing, mill cleaned up, hooked to the truck and pointing towards the road, then we took a break and went inside because the customers wife "just" made fresh coffee and a double batch of doughnuts.

What's not to like!  8)

That job put me at 41,000 bf since Spring.

Next job will be in early fall, late Sep/early Oct.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

then we took a break and went inside because the customers wife "just" made fresh coffee and a double batch of doughnuts.

Fresh Donuts?  My phone didn't ring! 

[tyb525]

Makes it a lot of fun roofing...You can't get on the roof early enough. I wish my boss would let me bring some lights out and roof at night - at least the shingles wouldn't be so dang soft then

[Chris Burchfield]

I've seen lights set up at night with guys laying shingles.  Hot days like these and Arky would talk about working the Mexican shift.  I went out on the deck this morning with coffee at 5:a.m. and it was eighty degrees F.  It's 95°F. right now.

[Chuck White]

then we took a break and went inside because the customers wife "just" made fresh coffee and a double batch of doughnuts.

Fresh Donuts?  My phone didn't ring! 

I thought about how rough some of my comrades (you guys) have it.

I mean those doughnuts were still hot and I really had to force myself (with the insistance of the customers wife) (nice lady) to reach across the table for a 3rd doughnut!

Sorry David, I just couldn't remember your phone number!

[Indiana Robinson]

Maybe this would be a good time to re-ask my earlier question about if anybody here was sawing indoors in an AC building...    :D :D :D :D  Maybe it doesn't seem so silly now.   
There has been a lot of lost working time reported this month. I know that it has about brought me to a stop on working but I'm a retired old man. 
Not too practical for the guys sawing on site but I have a 24' X 48' building with a lean-to add-on about 8' X 23' just currently being used as storage. I could empty it and my little LT-10 with 21' of track could sit in the center and have all kinds of room to work around it. It is also is easy to heat. It only has about 8' ceilings but the center 24' X 24' is cathedral ceiling with about 12' clearance down the center of it. It has a lined brick chimney and a wood stove in the lean-to part and a pretty large window AC in the north wall.
It seems even more like a good spot after this summer.
The exhaust could be plumbed out or I could go electric.


.

[Magicman]

The fuel injector pump on my sawmill is erratic when the temp climbs above 90°, and quits completely above 95°.   ;D

I love my Diesel engine for taking care of me.  That's my story   :P  and I'm sticking with it.    :D

[Cedarman]

Our big saw shed 45' x 120',  has lots of big open doors, 12' ceiling made of tin with 6" fiberglass on top of that. A very very good investment.  Keeps the heat from radiating down.  With fans, it is not that bad.  Productivity is a little less, but still pumping the cedar out.

[Chuck White]

Wow, that would be great to saw in an AC environment!

My favorite sawing temperature is 40-50°

[tyb525]

Mine is about 65-70, so that no extra clothing besides jeans and a t-shirt are required!

[barbender]

Up here, 40-50° is jean and t-shirt weather 80's are manageable, 90° plus weather makes me want to stay inside. I can't imagine dealing with those sustained 100° + temps. I worked on asphalt paving crews for many years, 12-16 hours a day out in the hot sun shoveling 200° black asphalt, so I have had my share of the heat. Those hot days just kill the whole crew, now I am out in the woods running a Ponsse forwarder, AC cab and it feels great ;)

[rmack]

5:30 this morning, 8* celsius (46.4* fahrenheit) under clear skies.

17:00 PST, 27*c (82*f) in the sun

too bad I'm out of logs. :(

[Bogue Chitto]

That sounds good rmack.  8)

[drobertson]

"Only Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the Midday Sun"  :D

This is why the Siesta was invented. Start at 6 like normal, work till lunchtime, and knock off when it gets too hot. have a snooze for a few hours, then get in a couple more hours of work later when it's starting to cool off. 4 to 6 maybe? Stage up the logs for an early start in the morning etc and knock off for the day.

Still gets 8 hours of work in, but you avoid that 12-4 when things are crazy hot.

Ian.

[drobertson]

This is just what I do as well, early then later, and don't worry too much about the hours cut, just try to make quality the rule.