summer chores 2020

[doc henderson]

here is a pic of my son William helping clean the pool cover so it can dry and be stored for the summer.  the pool is an amoeba shape we installed about 12 years ago, and is 30 by 60 feet.  we did it ourselves, and the company has only sold 5 of the kits, since they are difficult to get right.



 

this is the shallow end half.  William is using a pressure washer floor cleaner, with a little soap to clean, followed with a scrub brush and a rinse.  then have to hang up to dry.



 

that is right, you can see my flag on the left, and this is America, and i can do all kinds of crazy stuff in my yard!!   :D :D 8) 8)

[Old Greenhorn]

You are one of a kind Doc! I have never seen any shadow or hint of a pool in any of your other photos. I can't imagine how you would ever find time to get in it?
 If I didn't know better I would think you didn't sleep. Glad to see your son is taking your lead and staying busy (while keeping out of trouble  ;D).

[doc henderson]

it is on the other side of the house.  

[doc henderson]

the clinic behind us built up the ground 3 feet so now we do not drain on the lower backside of our property  so William has been helping with establishing grade and drainage from our sidewalks down to a swale.



 



 



 

lumberjack stake pointer.

[WV Sawmiller]

   I gotta look into that Lumberjack stake pointer. Looks like same concept as my tenon cutter from them. I got out and sharpened the blades on it today BTW. I even reversed the knives on my planer.

[doc henderson]

It works ok, got it on sale.  we use the dewalt 18 volt drill.  the blades wing out so made the holder so you do not hit your leg with the back edge of the blade.  tubes diff. sizes, welded to the expanded steel scrap, so you can stand on it, and change stakes faster than a clamp, and safer the standing on the stake with your foot.  easier to use than a tenon cutter.

[Walnut Beast]

the clinic behind us built up the ground 3 feet so now we do not drain on the lower backside of our property  so William has been helping with establishing grade and drainage from our sidewalks down to a swale.



 



 



 

lumberjack stake pointer.

Start trucking in dirt and get it to drain back that way 😊. Or drainage tile with a couple small risers

[Magicman]

That is a civil engineering/building permit problem.  No landowner is allowed to change the water flow on another property.

[WV Sawmiller]

   I just watched a video of a guy using them to make stakes similar to what I do. Looks like moving and clamping the individual stakes was the biggest time constraint. The stakes look better than mine which have one 45 degree cut. I usually cut 10' boards then edge them into 1" stickers, line them up crossways on my 5X8 trailer then saw them in half with  my 7-1/4" circle saw at an angle so each half has a one angled point. They would be prettier If I notched off the angle into an arrowhead shape but that would mean individually handling each stake again. I bundle them into groups of 12 and tie with a leftover hay string (I knew feeding that mule was gonna pay off one of these day! :D) I'm only selling mine for $10/dz which is likely too cheap but still works out to $2/bf and I could not sell rough cut 4/4 ash boards for that around here. I could not do it if I was sawing full time for a living like Peter D or Yellowhammer but this is my hobby time and I can get by with it.

   I guess I could spread my 10' "stickers" out a couple inches apart like I do now only put a heavy weight on the middle to sort of mass clamp them then walk around each side with my drill with the stake cutter head on it, cut a point on each end then saw them then stand them up and saw them in half with chainsaw or circle saw or take them to the RAS and cut in half.

  Thanks for showing and explaining. I may pursue this in the future.

That is a civil engineering/building permit problem.  No landowner is allowed to change the water flow on another property.

Lynn,

  I wish you'd tell the road department guys that here in WV. I have been fighting a running battle with run-off from a neighbor's drive that causes excess water that stops up the drain by my mailbox. If I don't spot it in time and clear the drain of leaves, Autumn is the worst season, water will get 6" deep in the road and run over and flood my log barn. I've diverted some of my run-off and should get auxiliary pay from the county and road dept. for getting out in the rain and opening it to prevent a bad traffic hazard. They have been out to see it and admit the design is bad but they approved it. I feel sorry for my neighbor as her drive washes out and I don't know how many mufflers and tailpipes and such she has replaced or repaired and in the winter it freezes and they have to park at the bottom and walk up there.

[Walnut Beast]

That is a civil engineering/building permit problem.  No landowner is allowed to change the water flow on another property.

Well they did it to him. Depends on the zoning rules I would assume. If he didn't live in the city limits there probably would be no rules except for digging 

[doc henderson]

That is a civil engineering/building permit problem.  No landowner is allowed to change the water flow on another property.

that is true.  I got with the builder and he gave me some dirt and said to call the architect and civil engineer.  I have a buried dog fence, and am redoing that.  so it is complicated.  I have been told I can do what I want, but hate to get legal.  good advice for sure.  thanks MM

[doc henderson]

this was the reason to get the sidewalk along the retaining wall done, to grade off of to the swale.  The land behind me 8 years ago had deer, coyotes, and foxes on it.  

[Walnut Beast]

I did a subdivision years ago. Unfortunately if people do stuff that affects your property legally or not you have to get a lawyer involved and that's $$$$$. Been there done that. And I'm still dealing with stuff

[Resonator]

Seeing that pad mount transformer, (if you haven't done so already) make sure you call 811 (dig safe) and get everything marked. 

[Magicman]

But of course it goes both ways.  If your water was previously going onto the adjacent property, it's a different situation.  :

[doc henderson]

there was a natural waterway between the properties, but they have bought 3 properties and stopped that drainage.  prob. for 100 years it had been that way.  I will fix it.  that is comm's only but good suggestion Res.  good hard work for my son to learn on.

[Southside]

I have the same Lumberjack pointer mounted on my Shop smith to make garden stakes.  Takes 5 seconds per stake and they come out perfect.  I don't clamp them in place, just use the tail end table as a place holder and push down, works well. 

[doc henderson]

@Southside can you post a pic for those of us without a shop smith?  here are some pics of my daughter helping out.  she is a senior in college and still helps out dad.  her trampoline was worn out with broken springs and tears in the safety net.  



 

taking the old one down.



 

she says the new one works good!



 

helping sticker some walnut here, with Mulberry on the right.  had some ant damage down the center, but should make a nice epoxy pour opportunity for someone.

[WV Sawmiller]

   Very pretty young lady. She must take after her mom. :D

  Here is our latest pix of 15 mo old gd. We have not seen her and 3.5 y/o brother in several months and I'm going into withdrawal.


 She and her brother look just like their dad with our daughter's eyes and hair. She is eating hummus and crackers and got upset when she ran out. She went for 15 month check up last week and got her shots and instead of getting nervous or scared she just got mad when they poked her with the needle.

[RichTired]

Doc, I am surprised you have a trampoline, being a doctor! Lots of broke bones in kids with trampolines when my kids were growing up...

                                        

[Corley5]

Our home owners insurance policy asks if we have a trampoline.😉️. We don't.  Never have had one.

[farmfromkansas]

I bought a trampoline for the granddaughters to use, never had any accidents.  The state of Kansas has laws about drainage, can't dam up water on your neighbor, etc, but cities do not abide by those laws.  Guys block the neighbors water from going across their yard,etc, and you can do nothing about it. The plan on our last subdivision, I was going to designate the rear of the yards as a drainage easement to prevent problems with people blocking drainage, but the city got difficult and we did not develop that land.

[Sedgehammer]

Trampolines are great. Yeah, they might get hurt some, but that's life and better they learn that early on vs not until they are snowflaked already. we've become too civilized and it's doing more harm then good.

[doc henderson]

only one jumper at a time.  yes I saw 3 broken arms in one shift when they opened a trampoline park in Wichita.  but many people at one time.  a larger person with a smaller one is a big no no.  you can launch the smaller one by the multiple of the weight of the larger one.  little kids not expecting it, land on their heads, and bad news.  if several kids start jumping, everyone off the trampoline.  My daughter is 21 and loves it as a stress reliever and exercise.  still have the net on the outside to keep little one from just getting on and or falling off.  when my daughter was about 2 we were on the cousins, and we started playing the game of running from dad to the other side, and she got so good, she beat me there once and fell off, bit her tongue.  we never played that game again.  We have had no broken bones, due to in part parental supervision.  it could happen.  we also have a pool.  My dads younger brother drown in the river while he was in the military.  we have all been in swimming lessons since we were 4.  My mom and wife are both afraid of the water, cause they never learned to swim.  My mom was afraid for us but felt it was good to learn.  the biggest compliment she ever paid me was to let me take her out in my sail boat.  Of course she brought coffee and filled my cup to the top and set it on the bench beside me.  that was hot.  spilled and ran on my leg as I was tacking out.  My wife took adult swimming lessons and can swim, is still a little afraid, and cannot dive off the side of the pool.  So do not know the right answer.  I am a little bit of a "that which does not kill us ... kind a guy.  

[Chuck White]

In this area if you put up a trampoline, your homeowners insurance WILL be cancelled if it isn't removed within 30 days of notification!

[doc henderson]

we have had 3 roofs from hail done, and a couple of driveway assessments for hail on vehicles.  no one has ever said anything.  don't ask, don't tell.     our agent is still form out in Hays!  wood stove in the shop is the same way.

[Magicman]

Maybe he is the person that removed the "Weather Rock" that hung in Hays at the intersection of I70 & Hwy 183?

[Southside]

Does Hays still "Has jobs?"  Funny the catchy slogans you will remember.  Here is the Shop Smith setup.  I hold the stake with two hands, one between the table and the cutter and the other off the back side of the table where you see my right hand.  I can pick up a stake, point it, and set it down in 5 seconds when doing batches.  


 

[Magicman]

I have traveled from I70 to I80 on Hwy 183 many times.  We generally took that route when heading West and then through Dodge City on the way back home.  Bad thing about the Southern route through Dodge City was the cattle feed lots.   
smiley_airfreshener

[Nebraska]

I was on a trampoline at a party in college home from the summer with a couple girls drinking and bouncing. I was paying too much attention to the bouncing going on  and not where I was bouncing towards, which was the edge. I promptly missed the fabric and landed a straddle a spring. Never before was I as happy to be over six foot tall. Embarrassed yeah, hurt only my pride by the slimmest of margins. Glad it was before cell phones.

[WV Sawmiller]

   Statics have proven "The more attractive the girl and the more witnesses there are the more likely something like that will happen." :D

   Then again, Larry the Cable Guy always says "87% of all statistics are just made up on the spot." ;D

[doc henderson]

will had some friends that wanted to hang out, and he had chores.  so they offered to help.



 

It is the mulberry tree half dead processed into firewood for next winter.


 
this shot shows the roller bucking frame, and the crate that the wood is conveyed into.

[doc henderson]

this thread is for all to post summer chores if you like, and it will not be considered "hi-jacked"  

[doc henderson]

I use this crane device to unload and load logs, with several size tongs.  can lift out of a trailer with it on the track loader.  also move my trailers in the yard.  the 32 foot gooseneck in the mud was too much for the added 2 inch receiver.  it had bent several times and the metal fatigued.  Welded back on.  no pic but the end is painted orange for safety.  "watch your head"!



 

[WV Sawmiller]

   Well if this is for all summer chores I just completed getting 74 bales of hay out of the field and stacked in the barn so with what i had left over from last year I should be good for next winter.

[doc henderson]

any pics?

[firefighter ontheside]

Well, my summer chore so far is building my drying shed.  It's going slow. Normally my dad would be helping me, but I won't let him.  Im Sure I'd already be drying wood in there if it weren't for the rona.

[WV Sawmiller]

any pics?

Nope. Too busy throwing hay. Had the wife driving in the hay field. The neighbor cutting and baling the hay I bought had good help and they loaded most for me on my P/U and 5X8 trailer. My son came down and he stacked in the barn while I unloaded the hay on to my electric hay elevator - a great labor saver.

[farmfromkansas]

I have some hay down, but none baled.  The brome I was cutting this afternoon was like cutting wet rags. Ideal hay, bad conditions. Need more of that hot, dry wind.

[doc henderson]

putting up the firewood.  about 3 crates of "camp"  wood for friends with firepits etc..  and 14 crates of mulberry, locust, elm, oak etc..  loose in the crates from the conveyor, with a little stacking as the crate fill to eliminate large voids.  about 4 crates make a full cord when stacked.



 

 

Will getting workout, in the heat.  nice breeze in the shade.

[firefighter ontheside]

I have a log cabin with no fireplace.  Sometimes I lament that fact, but then I think about all the time I don't spend cutting firewood. Now, I produce enough from my mill that I would not have to go in the woods to get it.  

I have to work for my wife the next few days, as her assistant is on vacation.  My wife is an audiologist with a private practice, so I just answer the phone and sometimes make calls to doctors offices and hearing aid companies for her.  This is gonna delay me getting my first load of lumber into the drying shed, but i will get some in there this week.


 

[K-Guy]

She won't want you helping if every time you answer anybody in the office or on the phone with" Speak up I can't hear you!!"  :D

Just kidding. Nice of you to help out!! ;D

[firefighter ontheside]

No joke.  It can be very difficult to be answering the phone at an audiology office when people on the other end can't hear.  Cindy and her assistant are better at it than me.

[doc henderson]

What?!

[Tacotodd]

Southerners, HUH!

[firefighter ontheside]

I'm the doctor's assistant today.  I've answered the phone numerous times today to folks who could not hear me.

[hedgerow]

Summer chores around here consist of a fair amount of mowing lawn and road sides spraying corn and beans and trying to get some hedge {Osage Orange} trees cut. Had my two helpers last Saturday out and we spent twelve hours logging out some hedge trees. We started before six A.M. and we were pulling out of the pasture gate at six P.M. I think all three of us are getting too old to cut that long in the heat. I spend most of the day hauling trees and piling brush with a skid loader the AC is not working on. I need to haul it home and get it in my shop and find the freon leak. I think its the front seal on the compressor and the compressor is buried in the engine compartment. 

[doc henderson]

I had just replaced my damaged (ice storm) power line to my shop.  My son and I ran underground conduit.  was going to scrap the galvanized mast, but decided to make this to help with lifting with the crane.  had a bunch of  8 x 20 concrete paver mats deliver.  with a chain the long way they try to curve into a U shape.  so make this from the old galv. mast section.  


 

 

much better to get onto a trailer.