:D What a day! We got a late start on those twenty logs. Didn't get started milling until 2:00 p. m. although we got on site at 11:00 a. m. which is still a lot later than I like. (We had company and couldn't leave).
When we got on-site, the logs were staged on a slope and on the wrong side of the mill. Wasn't much room to turn around especially in a F350 long bed. So we drove to end of the driveway (about 1/2 mile) in the hopes of turning around at the house. We had to cross a bridge that wasn't wide enough, but the creek was pretty dang deep. Almost put the mill and the truck into the creek when one side of the bridge collapsed from the weight of the truck. Whew! Did save the day though and did get the mill set up to saw and did get about 8 ten foot, 20" diameter logs milled into 2 x 6's before we decided to call it day. Oh, and the log owners had plenty of help on hand and they worked hard at offbearing.
Now for the bad news. As I was packing up the mill to go home, I noticed that one of the loading forks was bent in towards the other fork about 10 degrees. I don't know how this happened and I never left the mill unattended. Also, when I was wrapping the mill up and getting ready to set the saw head down on the stow pin, I heard a loud pop followed by a phist and saw that my fuel line had blown off of the fuel tank. Looks like the plastic piece decided to blow off. So now I'm down until the new parts arrive from Woodmizer. I didn't order the lift forks since that looks to be a pretty big piece and probably expensive too.
Oh well, now it's time for a shower and dinner. See ya.
For those gas line fitting into the plastic gas tank, try your local boat place – they should have a setup to match or replace it with a similar quick connect unit. Or..you may be able to get a brass fitting from Westlakes or an industrial supply place.
I'd think it would take a lot to bend one of the loading arms. Would a couple of whacks with a heavy sledge do it? Maybe use a big chunk of pipe for a cheater bar to spring it back?
My loader forks got bent a little bit and I've seen other mizers with bent forks from the same thing. Some one with a tractor will try to slide a log fore or aft while it is sitting on the forks and, invariably, one or both will bend. Trying to bend them back is almost an effort in futility without a lot of heat. The good part is that it doesn't really hurt anything too much......'cept maybe feelings.
yep, i bent one of my forks pulling a log into place with the dump truck. i couldn't understand why it would not move. :D as for the gas tank, i used a brass nipple from an auto parts store when i hit mine with a slab. the brass i found screwed right into the plastic and the line slipped over it.
By crunching the bridge are they going to have you saw more timber for the repairs? That's job security :D
:D
I went ahead and ordered the parts from Woodmizer. I'll go by the boat shop in the morning and pick up some extras. I went by the Tractor Supply and they had everything but the size I needed. The fork is bent and I guess it is gonna stay that way.
As for the bridge, the fella said that it was rotten anyway. I've cut a couple of 6 x 6 beams that I'm going to deliver to him in the morning. That should shore up that problem without a hitch. He referred me to another customer and they had already heard about me. So word (I just hope GOOD ;D ;D) is getting out. Another fella saw one of my ads and sent me an e-mail about a potential job. I sent him my rates and I borrowed Tom's line about 20-20-20 and the guy agreed to the terms. He has 18 logs for me to saw as soon as possible. That means that I have 5 jobs lined up for the next two weeks plus a couple of others waiting in the wings.
This weekend, parttime sawing is beginning to grow on me and one day may grow into more than that. Another plus is that I'm down twenty pounds. 8) But let me give credit where credit is due. I firmly believe that I would not be as far along as I am now without the kind help from members of the forum. Thanks again..
Hey, You heard it, totally unsolicited, The Forum's first weight loss testimonial. 8) :D
Is that what it is? I have lost 35 lbs since first of January. We gotta get the forum in a bottle and off to market...
Well, I wish you guys would quit sending it down here. ;D
Yea, I think I know where some of the weight went too Tom. ;)
:D Shoot I'm glad it's gone and good riddance. In fact, I still have some to spare so I'll be glad to pass it along too. I'm 6' 7" tall and was weighing 405 lbs. Now I'm down to 385 lbs. Figure another 6 months and I'll be down to a light weight of 300 lbs.
well, I used to be taller !
Good for you, Joey! Could be a lifesaver for you- get down to fightin' trim here.
My sister is upwards of 6ft, and my brother is about 6' 6". They both had problems with their lower back(s) from time to time and were told it was cuz they ARE so tall. The doctor had the idea that the ligaments of those lower vertebrae get a little longer and looser with increasing height and make a person at more risk for back injuries and disc problems. I'd be careful (all of us really) with heaving stuff around to take very good care of the back. I know about everyone I know who's worked in the woods has a tale to tell about that. Safety equipment and training should possibly extend to this area. lw
Some one taller than me... you got an inch on me Joey. :o What size shoe?
;D 13E on the shoe size. (Got small feet :o :o)
Reference back injuries, I can relate to that, I've had two back surgeries for disk problems related to my former life as the poh-leese. Injured it once in a car chase and resulting crash and again a few years later when I jumped a fence and the ground on the other side was farther down than on the side I jumped from :o
Had a great surgeon and cept for the occassional twang I do pretty good. No more real heavy lifting, but I can still bark orders pretty good. 8)
"Had a great surgeon and cept for the occassional twang I do pretty good. "
That's good to hear Joey, how long were you out of work?
One of my cousins married a slow talking man from Alambame. He was well over 6' tall, maybe 6-5 or 6-6. He was ax handle wide across the shoulders and his hands were as big as dinner plates. Reminded me of Clint Walker.
One night they were at the VFW hall and some guy kept coming around to bother my cousin (she probably didn't weigh a 100 lbs.) – after the third time, her husband stands up and asked the guy to leave. He looked up at the man towering above him and said: "Good God!! Your big enough to go bar huntin' whif a fly swatter!" and staggered off. He wasn't that drunk! :o
Tall enough to hunt geese with a rake :D :D
I have clown feet...15B and still getting bigger. :o ;D :D
Joey I'm laughing my butt off at your "poh-leese", I hear that every day. You da "poh-leese". Or when I walk onto a teir they yell ---woop woop woop to mimic a siren. That way if anyone on the teir is doing wrong they know that the "poh-leese" are close by. :D
Gordon
Hey Gordon:
The surgeon that cut me was pretty good. I was taking comp time to nurse the back and the situation had turned pretty ugly. The ortho doc wanted to treat it with pain killers and stretching but I couldn't even stand and could barely lie still for a minute at a time. Finally the ortho doc got tired of my whining and referred me to a neuro doc after about 3 weeks. The neuro doc gave me an MRI the morning of the referral, read me the results before lunch and told me that he was cutting me after lunch and that I would be up and around without back pain by dinner. He missed by two hours and I missed dinner. Nonetheless, after the surgery, I stayed home about ten days and then was assigned to desk duty. Funny thing is that they couldn't keep me on the desk for long. I was making as many arrests working the desk as I did on the street. Seems that everyone who came through the front door was wanted. So the L T put me back on the street about a month after returning to work. 8) 8)
Took some time getting used to wearing a vest again and the old Sam Brown rubbed on the scar making life miserable. The first night out, we had a guy go bad after a routine traffic stop and he fled on foot. I ended up jumping a fence right in front of my Sgt. Afterwards, he took me aside and threatened to tell my wife if I didn't slow down. ??? So I did.