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First Blood - (or would that be sawdust?)

Started by crtreedude, February 11, 2006, 03:07:53 PM

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crtreedude

Finally the big day arrived.  Mills got shipped to Costa Rica - along with Harold (aka Florida Dead Header) and we definitely are behind on wood cut.

Hector bought a home (more on that on another thread) and like usual, starts with "It just needs a little work" and ends with a complete overall. Complete overall means rip the roof off and do it right. This of course means new beams.

Hector is in love with hardwoods and knows the best - so, the beams instead of just being whatever is availabe ends up being ojoche or something that up your way would cost 10 dollars a board foot - or more if you could even find it.

We had one that was looking a little long in the tooth and seem like it needed to come down. Was starting to drop some limbs and showed evidence of heart rot. Trees don't last that long in the tropics - this tree was probably about 100 years old - no more.



So, how did I end up here anyway?

crtreedude

Harold has built and run a bandmill - but never a swingblade. He told me that he wanted something to practice one - so we got him this one.  ::) I would say he looked a little concern. This tree is probably more  than 2,000 BF - and VERY expensive wood. Does he look a little concerned of where to start?  ???



It took quite a while to get the saw working right, it had been disassembled and reassembled a few times getting it here - and one of those times it ended up not totally put together correctly. After we fixed that little problem, we were good to go.



So, how did I end up here anyway?

crtreedude

This will give you a good idea of what ojoche looks like. It is not uniform, it is a mix of cream, deep red and at times a very bright green.



This wood is considered hard - which makes it probably harder than oak - not as hard as corteza, but plenty hard. One like this with a lot of heartwood will be around 0.72 in hardness. The Peterson did just fine.

So, how did I end up here anyway?

crtreedude

Harold is very good about encouraging the guys to take a turn on the machine. Here is Beto, one of our workers slicing a logs. Beto has used an Alaskan sawmill for many, many years for cutting trees - I think he is spoiled for life.  :o



We figure it will take about 1 1/2 days to cut up this tree. With an Alaskan, it would be closer to 10 days according to Beto.

Yes, I did help off-load some, but since I am the person with a camera, there is no evidence.  ::)
So, how did I end up here anyway?

crtreedude

It was a great day - LOTS of sawdust flying. We worked until it was nearly dark, which in the tropics would be about 5:30 PM.



The guys were very impressed with the sawmill and with Harold. Just as long as he keeps his grits away from them, I think he will be okay...  :D
So, how did I end up here anyway?

crtreedude

By the way, you will notice there were a lot of defects to this section of the log - even so, we got probably more than 500 BF from it. We were nice to Harold and didn't have him start on the good sections.  ;)
So, how did I end up here anyway?

getoverit

Beautiful wood CR !!

Looks like a good log to do some "log walking" on too. I got my first experience with that yesterday, and can say its much easier to walk the log than to walk along beside it at a certain point. It doesnt seem to hurt the log a bit  ;D

I'd love to get some really nice big logs like that to sink my saw teeth into. Hope you have more pics and stories to follow on how this lumber is used :)
I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok, I work all night and sleep all day

crtreedude

Some of you might have noted that the tree was dropped among the teak. We plant a lot of "spares" just for this situation. These teak trees are about 5 months old and most of the squashed ones will jump right back after being pruned off - if not, we will replace with something like ojoche for after all the plantation trees are gone.

I guess I can't say "No teak trees were hurt in the filming of these photos" but we only planted 1500 extra this year, so I think we will be okay.  ;)



So, how did I end up here anyway?

crtreedude

Hi Getoverit,

I was seeing in your thread that you just got a new sawmill - this one is older, but still doing fine. I swear we will wear out before it will!

I think this log is about the limit that we can cut - The first time we setup, we didn't allow enough room on one side.

Big logs are cool because you can really cut a lot of wood quick - we only cut about 3.5 hours and got more than 500 BF - if the wood was solid - it would have been more like 700 BF.

But, toward the end, we had to raise the bottom of the log and put stuff under it so we could keep cutting. A slab that is 8" thick, 4 feet wide (or more) and 20' long is very heavy... Harold figured out how to get it done though.

So, how did I end up here anyway?

MULE_MAN

Good Picture's    8)  Thanks for posting them
Looks like Harold has his work cut out for him .
Wood-Mizer LT40HDG25 with Simple Setworks, debatker, 580 CASE backhoe

SwampDonkey

Up till now Harold, it's all been funnin. Now put them guys to work. ;D :D :D

Nice photos CR and a nice whack of lumber. That was a nice log to 'cut your teeth' into eh? ;) So what ya think Harold, will CR make a good off bearer? ;)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

crtreedude

So, how did I end up here anyway?

Furby

It gets dark at 5:30 pm in the tropics ???
Man, it's closer to 6:30 pm then 5:30 pm here when it gets dark.
I sure do feel for you fellas! ;)

iain

CR good to know things are going good

and that your doing your your bit for the planet,
what with all the recycling your doing over there ;),


iain (cold wet sunday morning in Derby) :(

Burlkraft

Hey Fred,

I'm glad to see that you finally got poor Harold some work...........I was afraid the guy was going to get lazy on ya before the mill got going :D :D :D :D :D

Looks like you guys are going to do fine.

It does look like The Deadheader is loosing some weight. He must not be gettin' enough gritz and bacon :) :) :) :)
Why not just 1 pain free day?

Teri


I talked to dad last night on the phone,and he seems pretty happy down there. He's having a blast! ;D

Fla._Deadheader



  Sure was a big "first" log. It's unbelievable how quck these guys catch on and how hard they work to get things done.

  Fred mentioned lifting the slab. We set up with the tracks a little above ground level. That proved to be a bad deal. The slab was probably close to a ton, no kidding. This wood is HEAVY. Fred got in a hurry and tried to pry it up by himself. He stated, "we can't lift this piece". I told him to hang on and explain to the guys what I was telling him. 20 minutes later, the slab was high enough to saw another row of 2 X 6's.  ;D ;D  Fred told me later that the guys were very impressed that we moved that piece. At least no-one got hurt, and the guys said they liked to work with me.  ::) ::) ::) ::) Little do they know, HUH  ;D ;D

  It is a pleasure to work with these men, even tough we use different languages. Fred has stated often on the Forum that CR people are eager to learn. Y'all don't have a clue as to the truth to that statement. We are always helping each other with words and ALWAYS have a big laugh about mistakes. What a great bunch of workers.  Fred mentioned Beto. This guy scares me.  He could literally pick me up and set me out of his way.  :D :D   Beto carried 5 of those 2 X 6's X 20 Feet long, over 100 feet to the stack under a shade tree, BY HIMSELF, on his shoulder. I stopped him before he crushed a disc in his back. Beto is probably 5' 3" tall. He really likes the Peterson, and I might make him my Sawyer. Got an image to uphold, right ???

  Fred also mentioned that Hector bought a house. It's ALMOST on top of a hill. Hector has a really LOCO NEIGHBOR, ME. I just bought the house ABOVE Hector. I block his view of the Volcano, SOOOO, H :o :o :o :oector is adding a second floor to his house, so he can see the Volcano.  :o :o :o  Never figure to out do Hector.  Some day, I wil get access to MY Computer and a better connection, and post some photos. I have a couple hundred stored on chips from my camera.
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

ellmoe

Harold,
   Glad your having a good time. Five 2x6x20's in heavy wood! :o That's over 500lbs. You sure you want him as your sawyer? What if he messes up? You going to tell him? ;D Maybe you should make him your personal protector. :)

   Looks like play time is over. At least your feet are dry.
Good luck !

Mark
Thirty plus years in the sawmill/millwork business. A sore back and arthritic fingers to prove it!

Fla._Deadheader


  Howdy Mark

  Tat was 5 pieces, one at a time, he carried. I'm sure you knew that  ::) ::) :D :D

  Every morning here, the grass is saturated with moisture. It dries by 9-10 AM though.
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

crtreedude

By the way, what Harold hasn't said yet, nor I is where first blood comes in. Get me near any kind of equipment and I will manage to cut myself - nothing serious. Just enough to look like I am working...  ::)

Harold and the guys are getting along just fine.

Harold - you know when you finish this one, the ron-ron is already down... And Hector thinks he found some 20 year old Teak - and of course there are all those Corteza waiting for you  - and of course we have the permits for the Laurel (Hector has them) and in another week all the wood at the other farm will be ready to cut (100,000 BF)

Get the feeling you are falling behind?

By the way, I got a picture of a neighbor sneaking around the backside of Hector's construction site (otherwise known as his house)


So, how did I end up here anyway?

crtreedude

Harold has a great place. I won't say how much he bought it for or you will think he is robbing people down here. The house is only a few years old - classic Tico home. Obviously him and Hector are already making plans. I has about 4+ acres too.

The view of the volcano is amazing from there - Harold, you have to change your profile - now we know where you are in Costa Rica.  Linda Vista. (Translation - Beautiful View)

After he finishing fixing it up it will be worth twice what he paid - if he could ever bear to part with it.

You all are right, Harold is melting away - pretty soon he will be as thin as the Ticos!



So, how did I end up here anyway?

jpgreen

There's a guy I know in my area that just bought a new Woodmizer LT15 at the show this weekend.  He's shipping it to Costa Rica, and moving there too. I guess he has a friend there with property and trees. 
-95 Wood-Mizer LT40HD 27 Hp Kawasaki water cooled engine-

crtreedude

The LT15 will be good for the smaller stuff - forget it on this log. We figure we need a bandsaw mill and a swingblade, and both should be going all the time.

There are several bandsaw mills here - but our Peterson is the first I know about. However, that doesn't mean much. One of the guys said that he thinks that the Mennonites might have one.

So, how did I end up here anyway?

Fla._Deadheader


Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh   Back to the Internet.  8) 8) 8)

  I see Fred has been story telling while I'm out bustin butt sawing HEAVY lumber. The Ojoche is very heavy, and will make perfect rafters for Hectors remodel of his home.

  As Fred has told y'all, I purchased a little place on top of a hill, with a magnificent view of the Volcano, which is about 20 miles or so away. On a clear day, you get the whole thing thrusting up out of the ground. It is definitely an awesome sight.  The house needs some touching up. Hector already has plans on replacing the roof and adding a porch at least on 3 sides and modifying the kitchen and bath. I told Hector it's easier to build from scratch and demolish the old houses, but, he does things he knows works, and that's fine with me.
  Got a nice garden spot and many fruit trees. No need to spend a lot of money on groceries.  Hector and Chrissy just bought half a small pig, probably around 45 pounds, and the lady down the hill had it cut up and ready to freeze within an hour. Oh yeah, had FRESH chicharrones, Fred. These folks can really put on a meal with minimal effort and not a lot of variety. Change a couple spices and the whole dish changes. I've probably lost over 40 pounds and eat VERY well.  Fred, on the other hand, is putting it back on.  Even gave away the gloves that Pete gave him, to Hector.  ::) ::) ::)  Hector said Fred would never wear them out.  :D :D :D :D

  Been out setting up the Peterson and making lumber. Had to do a LOT of head scratching, but, finally got it running like it should. The helpers are eager to learn and I let them saw for a couple days while I went back to my house for fresh clothes. You can't imagine how hard these guys work and we have a great time telling lies in different languages.  :D :D :D

  Actually, I'm picking up the Espanol and can have a decent conversation, as long as I get time to remember what I am trying to say. They are impatient, and try to help, which is MORE confusing, but, we laugh and all is well. I think we have invented a new style of sign language, also. It works well when we try to get technical. A lot of the people understand enough English, that they can follow my thinking, BUT, it is very difficult to get them to speak it. The vowels are very differently pronounced and their efforts embarrass them. When they laugh at my attempts at Espanol, I get on their case about English, and we all laugh.   Actually, when I stay at the farm for a few days, we have English- Spanish lessons before supper, and sometimes after.  Never figgered on teaching school in a different country.  :D :D :D :D :D  I thinkthe guys are trying to teach me bad words, as a joke, but, when in doubt, I whip out the Dictionario, and you should see the looks on their faces.  ::) :D :D :D  What a great time we have.

  Got the new Cant Hook that Pete brought down, but, the hook is too small for some of the logs. I gotta get a replacement before I return here in a few weeks. I'm headed stateside in a couple days to renew my Visa and settle the income taxes. Then, Back to fun city.  8) 8) 8) ;D :D :D :D :D
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

SwampDonkey

Well, finally we get to here the truth about that place down there for a change. :D :D :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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