Staying Busy and out of trouble, 2020-21?.

[Old Greenhorn]

Yeah Cfarm, I have been reading and following your 'rock control' project for a couple of years now. No thank you. I have nothing like that here. I do have one or two massive stones that are completely under the surface but they heave in the winter making a huge bump in each driveway. The blacktop one pops up and cracks, the crushed stone driveway just heaves up about 5 inches for a 4 ' circle, but I have nearly lost my teeth hitting it with the plow more than once. I will not touch those because I know it will be a massive hole and extraction. I live with them. But some of these other smaller ones are very fixable and from time to time I take a couple on. As you will attest, it all adds up over time. Yesterday I saw that one and thought, "today is the day we get that one started on it's way out". This whole area was fallow when we bought this place and strewn with all manner of rotten wood, dead trees, old well pipe, scrap metal, etc. Over time as you can see in the photos it is 'mostly' graded, has grass I can mow, and is usable as the mill yard. I keep pushing out the edges and working my way into the swamp to regain usable ground. We only have a tad over and acre, so I am trying to get back this dead area. To go much further I will need heavier equipment than what I have and some 40' trailer loads of fill with a way to move it in. There is no cash for that just yet, but I keep my thoughts on it for an opportunity. One day at a time, right?

[trimguy]

A dump trailer load at a time will start you in the right direction. Of course after it cools down some.😁

[Old Greenhorn]

Yeah, that would be easy, but there is no way to get a truck or truck and trailer in there. The closest I could dump would be about 100' and then have to move it with some sort of loader. That's where the expense and time comes in.
 Anyway, it will have to sit for a while longer as I am not doing anything for at least a couple of days now. My back is in terrible shape (not so gory details over on the 'did something dumb today' thread). I can barely walk with a cane right now. So everything I had in the works is done for a while anyway.
 Oh well, it was almost bound to happen, and of course I get a guy calling me last night to see if I am interested in a bunch of big pine logs. Still playing text message tag with him trying to get a price and quantity. Now he tells me he has a log truck load, but still no idea on price.

[WV Sawmiller]

OGH,

   Seems to me you are forgetting the "... and out of trouble..." part of this thread. Sorry for your misfortunes and good luck on the logs and getting back running on all 12 cylinders. 

[Old Greenhorn]

Man, I am a hurtin' unit right now. I slept mostly OK but there is no comfortable position to be found anywhere. Sitting in the desk chair doesn't seem to be good for me either as it takes a while to get the spasms to stop when I try to walk again. When it gets light I may try to walk up and down the driveway. I am just counting the hours now until my 1pm appointment. In hindsight I should have called him as soon as this happened and I might have gotten in yesterday, but that may have been his day off, not sure.
 I hate sitting around and now I can't sit, stand, walk, or lay down. It took me a while to find my better cane, so that shows me it's been a long time since I needed it. I'm not complaining it could be worse, but it's only 5am and I find myself thinking 'tomorrow will be a better day'.  :D ;D

[Old Greenhorn]

Well, not much is happening here at all. I am finally almost smart enough to know I have to lay low and let my body heal. It's not too hard because it has been so very hot, but the boredom, lack of progress, and lost time is killing me.
 I have run through what little was left on netflix that I found watchable and the pain is still bad enough that sitting in a chair is only tolerable for a short time, but improving. I can get around without the cane in the house now and only use it outside, just in case. If I have a spasm and go down it might make a good show for anybody passing by, but it will be rough on me. :D
 But on the whole, things are improving, the pain is reducing daily. My Tuesday visit should clear things up more and I will just work back into it gently. Normally, meaning before I met my chiro wizard, this type of injury would take me out for 2 weeks before I could really start working into it again. Now it's about 3-4 days. I am learning to be very happy with that.
 I still have yet to learn not to let local friends find out about stuff like this. I have been getting calls, texts, and other notes from folks checking on me. (Interesting that the customer that I was working with when it happened has not so much as checked in. I guess he got his material, and that's that. Now I am regretting compromising on the price to 'help him out'.) I did get a very sincere offer to help run errands or whatever I might need from a neighbor which I found to be very sweet. I know he meant it. And we have a dinner invite for barbecue we will accept from another neighbor. I can drive the Mule over and they have a ramp up to their deck, so it is easy on a 'poor ol' decrepit man' like me. (It's funny, but I am pretty sure that neighbor knows I could work him under the table in less than an hour even in my current condition.) We were overdue to get together with them but I have been so busy, there wasn't time.
 So I guess I will just find another movie, read a book, and try to slow down for a day or two more. In the meantime, I am doing just fine. I just have a tiny bit of trouble walking, standing, sitting, or laying down is all. :D ;D :laugh: It could always be worse, and it has at times.
 Tomorrow is another day, right?

[nybhh]

I hope the back is getting better but if I read anything more about you paying $$ for pine, we're gonna have problems!😉

I can't drop it off in a log truck but if you get it on the ground (I can help), I can drag it to a landing with the Kubota and as you know, we have acres of pine destined for clearing/thinning.  In the mean time, if you want to hobble over for a few beers and hours of bsing, you are always welcome.

[Old Greenhorn]

I hope the back is getting better but if I read anything more about you paying $$ for pine, we're gonna have problems!😉

I can't drop it off in a log truck but if you get it on the ground (I can help), I can drag it to a landing with the Kubota and as you know, we have acres of pine destined for clearing/thinning.  In the mean time, if you want to hobble over for a few beers and hours of bsing, you are always welcome.

Sounds appealing (the latter)! The back was coming along just fine until about bedtime last night it started to get a little worse and had me awake at 3:30 this morning. I got up at 4:30. Don't know what it is. I did load a small maple log on the mill last evening just for the exercise but it was only 23" x 6' and I took it real easy. I am trying to work out some of the theory I got from the Doc's seminar yesterday. Anyway, I don't think that's it, maybe something else. I had thought I was through this and on the mend, but I might need to go back another time for more work.
 As far as that pine goes: He contacted me, so I did make inquiries as to the price, after 3 days of texts I learned it was just under 4,000BF (doyle) for $850. I don't need near that much and don't want softwood laying around that long either. It would be a good deal if I were sawing dimensional stuff and stocking it, but I don't do either. I had to pass because I don't even have that kind of surplus cash. I was just keeping my ears open and my contacts talking. He has a better idea of what my situation is now and will likely have a better deal on some smaller loads of green hardwood down the road. It provided a good opportunity to have that conversation so he understands better what I am looking for.
 I look at it like it's a dance. If you don't start swinging your hips at some point and let your partner know which way you are going and what you can do, you will never get in that groove to really let it swing.

[nybhh]

I'm just kidding with you.  Sounds like a pretty good deal delivered. Probably about about 6-8 decent trees worth unless they're getting into difficult to manhandle size.  

I'm still tooling around with soffits when I can handle the sun on my back and am getting read to place an order for insulation and drywall here pretty soon so I have more to do on the interior when the weather isn't cooperating.  Sort of feel like I'm catching a second wind after a month or so of summer laziness.  Already August and we'll start needing heat in 60 days or so if you can believe it.

Hope your chiropractor works some more magic on that back and you feel better soon.

[Old Greenhorn]

Already August and we'll start needing heat in 60 days or so if you can believe it.

THAT is NOT a pleasant thought and I am sorry you mentioned it.  >:( ;D It's so hot now we can barely work, I wish there was a middle ground. I have to put that chimney in the shop and the last thing I want to do right now is think about working in the attic or on the shop roof.  I have yet to order the chimney parts, cheap guy that I am. I hate spending money. :D That project will probably kill a week or more between the chimney work, the attic work, and then digging out that stove, cleaning it up, repainting it and moving all the stuff around in the shop. I really have to get my butt in gear pretty quick here.

[doc henderson]

I look at it like it's a dance. If you don't start swinging your hips at some point and let your partner know which way you are going and what you can do, you will never get in that groove to really let it swing.

It is all about music with you!   8) 8) 8)

[Old Greenhorn]

It is all about music with you!   8) 8) 8)

No Music, No Life
Know Music, Know Life.
8)

[doc henderson]

you should add philosophy to your list of services. ;)

[Nebraska]

Take care of that back, so you feel like dancing to all that music. A little more philosophy a little less physical labor just for a few days won't put you that far behind.

[Old Greenhorn]

I have that on the tailgate of my Mule. Often thought it would make a great plaque someday.


 
As far as philosophizing goes, I don't know how much I could do of that in a straight run, but I am thinking anything over 15 minutes might sprain my brain given that my brain does not get near the amount of exercise and use that my back does (and look what kind of shape that is in!). After I rest up a bit I will have to think about that some. ;D

[Old Greenhorn]

Well, today I finally got my butt moving again. The back isn't perfect but I figured I would start using it again. I just put in 2 hard hours at the mill then had to drive the wife to pick up her sewing machine,pick up lunch on the way back, and do some writing for my FB page.
 I had put up a short 5' log about 20" diameter last night just to get a little exercise and see how I felt. Today the goal was to attack it but record all the steps and write up a 'notes' page for my FB business page. A lot of folks ask about how lumber is made. I figured if I documented it, that would provide a reference to send them to. It's also good PR and I discussed costs, how they are figured and how little is realized from a log when it is all added up. Kind of a customer education effort, I get a lot of questions.
The log I figured was a sticker log at best anyway.
 The neat thing was when I opened up this 'junk' 5' log I found it full of ambrosia.


 

 It had a lot of defects but I could get some good boards and the rest was stickers. Some faces were better than others.



 

Another neat part was I didn't really care where the pith wound up because most of it was stickers anyway. But I did drive a wedge in for a toe board to take some of the taper but I didn't measure, I just did an eyeball job to get it a little better. When I was plain cutting boards off the cant, I didn't do the math to split the pith either. But when I got down to it and took out the center board, here is what I had.


 

I put that pith right smack in the middle of the board as if I planned it that way. Even better, the other end of this same board was the same way, so it was level all the way down. I amazed myself. It was an accident, of course.
 When all done I wound up with 5 fairly nice boards and about 65 stickers. Also the 4 slabs and I might keep one or two to see what they look like when the color fades and perhaps make a bench or two.


 
 So not a bad day for a starter. But that FB page took way too long to write and the day was shot when I was done.
 I did get through the first session of Dr. Gene's drying seminar before I started work this morning. Pretty good stuff for sure.

[Resonator]

No Music, No Life
Know Music, Know Life.

Music is my medication that overcomes the debilitating effects of reality. 
I fill my prescription every time I pick up my guitar. ;D

[Old Greenhorn]

Well yesterday I did another short log just to get it out of the way. This one was better quality with ambrosia throughout.


 

I have been saving the clear boards (4/4) and stickering those, the rest gets milled into stickers because I always seem to be short on them. I get tired of it, so trying to build up that pile. I got 4 or 5 nice clear boards and another 90 or so stickers. I have one more of these short guys to do. Not sure how wewll the colors show up for y'all in these photos, but I am dying to plane them.


 

Today we had the boys for a few hours while Dad was finishing a house painting job, so it fell to me to find something 'interesting to do'. I had the rock that I yanked about an hour before I wrecked my back 8 days ago, so I decided we could move that close to where it will spend eternity holding down a culvert pipe. I had a spotter for the job and used the skidding arch. It worked better than I hoped.


 

It's tricky backing that thing up and over tree stumps, goes wherever it wants to, but I got it pretty close. After that 2 of the boys jumped in the mule with me and we went to skid a bunch of small trees a neighbor had cut to clear around his shop building. He don't want the wood, it's all small 3-6" x 12-16'. Fine firewood. So basically I was helping him clean around his shop and throwing it on the firewood pile. win-win. But after a few loads it was too hot, and it was lunch time for the boys. I am trying not to overdo it too soon. just half days for a few more until all the tweaks (not twerks Doc) are gone.
 That firewood log pile is getting messy and I am going to have to pick up the saw soon and the slabs have to be hacked up for firewood too. Gonna visit the neighbors for adult beverages and a fire after dinner tonight.
 Tomorrow is another day.

[Walnut Beast]

Get a piece of square tubing and just drill and unbolt your hitch and extend out 🤔

[Old Greenhorn]

Get a piece of square tubing and just drill and unbolt your hitch and extend out 🤔

Yeah, that's not a bad idea and I think about it EVERY time I try to back up with it on. :D But the truth is if I put a longer draw bar on it, then it becomes harder to handle by hand and it becomes tougher to maneuver in the woods. Right now it is real easy to unhook and place it right over the log, then back the mule up to it. I would have never backed that rock into where it had to go if the draw bar was 2' longer, I didn't have the turning space between trees.
 One of the 'things' on my longer list is to re-ignite my welding skills which were never very good. I have a stick machine that should get me by though. If I sell some stuff and can buy steel I will be building an arch to get stuff on my trailer first because that is a real need, plus a winch and mount for it on the trailer. Then I might build a complete log arch that will lift up an entire log so I don't have to drag it. Many of the guys here have done so and I am very envious of the work they do.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well it's Monday, so back to work . Mondays used to be SO different, I would start dreading it on Sunday afternoon, now, not so much. ;D Never thought I would look forward to a Monday, that is for sure. Things can change, and they have. We are starting to feel the pinch of a reduced income, but it is too soon the really know if that is going to hold. The first few months things are not stable. Time will tell.
 Anyway, after reviewing all the weather data last night I decided it was prudent to do some minor storm prep for that 'thing' coming up the right coast. We are looking to get 3-5" of rain and maybe some heavy wind.The wind concerns me. But I wanted to get some wood milled so I did the last of those 4' logs and put some more ambrosia maple on the rack plus another 50 or more stickers. I have started taking a hint from Dr. Gene and marking what I see on logs to help me in making milling decisions (I find it very useful). I like marking the pith, because I lose track of it as the log gets milled. It's a good learning tool for me and easy to do. It makes you think. This log had some really deep purple, but it was in a pithy area, so will go to stickers.


 
Then I grabbed another log (7' plus trim. I swear, I am going to buy a tape measure for EVERY arborist I know and teach him how to use it) and opened that up. More full ambrosia. This was a major leader off that tree and had some knots, but they are tight. So I milled it into 5/4 boards and got it on the rack.
I pulled the canopy down that was covering the mill. It might survive the heavy rain and wind, but why push it? It would cost me 90 bucks to replace and I ain't made of money, so I put it in the shed. I wanted to get the sawdust which was packed in the mill rails all cleaned up so I did that hoping the heavy rain will do the rest. The sawdust is building and I had been using a steel rake the spread it and cover the crushed stone, but it takes a while. So I had an idea and went and fetched one of the roof rakes and put that into service. WOW! that worked great! (for our deprived friends to the south, a roof rake is used to get heavy snow loads off our roofs in the winter time before the weight collapses the house (only in the winter, snows loads in the summer are much lighter).) Figured I might as well get 4 season use out of it, I have 4 of 'em. ;D


 
 I am trying to 'grade' the loading area with sawdust to cover the crushed stone which gets picked up on some bark when I roll the logs up. The dust is forgiving and lets me align logs before I roll them on the bed and I would rather re-cut sawdust than sand or stone.
 Lastly for the 'official' workday, I tarped the mill as always but added a rope to keep the cover in place just in case it gets hairy.


 
 Then it was suddenly beer-thirty before I knew it. Man, Mondays go by fast now! ;D I am searching around for water collection devices so that I can fill all my gallon jugs for blade lube and be set for a week or two. I have a plan to make something self sustaining down the road, but for now, just doing ti the manual way. Filling with the garden hose is slow and a bit of a walk. I want to put in a 275 gallon tank at the back corner of the shop, fill by the roof gutters and able to water the garden and supply the mill. On the list for next year, first we need to get the gutters up there.
 I guess I have shop work tomorrow, some storage stuff to work on, saws to sharpen, etc. and I have not been upstairs on projects in a couple of weeks now. I guess I can stay busy. :D
 Tomorrow is another day.

[WV Sawmiller]

OGH,

   Depending on the species when you see pith that much off-center you might also automatically start to think "Quartersaw candidate". 

[WDH]

Then I grabbed another log (7' plus trim. I swear, I am going to buy a tape measure for EVERY arborist I know and teach him how to use it)

It is a losing proposition.  I don't think that the ones down here are capable of doing that.  You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. 

[Old Greenhorn]

It is a losing proposition.  I don't think that the ones down here are capable of doing that.  You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. 

I believe you are correct, not sure they could read it anyway.
Howard, good point. I should look at that as I go on. Still trying to develop 'sawyers eyes', it takes time. That log I had the shot of was only 4' and not worth the effort. The next one I did was really off center but too small to get any boards of decent width. Keep in mind, these are logs that were going to be firewood until I found the ambrosia through them. Figured I would mill and air dry in hopes of finding the right client. Just clearing out the logs, y'know? I took these as junk for firewood, then I thought 'hey, some of these logs are mighty sound and might have a few boards'. So I whacked up one and found the ambrosia and the next thing you know I am milling them all for the color. Not gonna see that on my mill again anytime soon, so might as well. ;D  still have a couple of logs from this bunch, but only have 1 4° blade left. Gotta put in the order, but parting with that much cash it hard. ;D I have a bunch of 10°, but I just don't want to go back to them.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well, it's been a few days since I updated. The storm came through on Tuesday and as storms go, it wasn't a big deal. But around 2pm on Tuesday the power went out and we were without for a bit over 30 hours. I rode the line on Wednesday and found the pole with the tripped breakers about 2 miles away. Easy fix, likely tripped by a short somewhere else. But with all the real damage in other areas it took a while for them to get to our area, a few hundred thousand people were out, that's a lot of work to repair. SO when it wasn't back by Wednesday morning I got the generator out just to run the freezer and fridge and get them back down to temp. Used the camp stove to make coffee, the usual stuff. Life in the country, no big deal. I still wonder about all these folks that are screaming mad and want to know exactly when the power will be back, as if it is a human right and somebody needs to fix it for them, NOW. :D Spoiled children. I did miss Dr. Gene's live webinar on milling and was bummed about that. I will have to watch the replay, maybe today if it keeps raining. I am also trying to do the pre-reading for the Kiln Workshop next week. That should also be a very good one. Beginning to work on a site plan and prep for a small solar kiln. Mostly at this point trying to wrap my brain around the task and figuring out how to make some usable space in my swampy area. That is a project in itself that may cost more then the kiln, trucking in fill and grading it. Then I need a solid path to it. Sure wish I could do that before winter so it can settle through the frost season. I also need to get some power out to it and I want that line to be buried, not overhead.

 Anyway, yesterday I got to cutting up slabs from the mill and stacking it on the wood pile. Then I started in on the big pile of small stuff, mostly cut and throw in the trailer as is for stacking, and I bucked up the rest of the stuff that needs splitting. I have one trailer load 3/4 full and planned on splitting today, but it's raining now and the wife and I have a chiro appointment this morning. We'll see what the afternoon brings. I need about 2 trailer loads to finish the house wood, then time to focus on the shop wood, and getting that chimney started.

I got taken to task on another thread on Tuesday for what I do with my sawdust. I felt pretty stupid in the eyes of my peers. I just wanted to point out that I am a small guy and try to do the best with what I have. What works for one, does not work for all. Just as some say 'You must have something with forks to move timbers', I can tell you I move everything by hand. Yes, it's hard, and risky, and slow, but it is all I have for now, so that's how I do it, and as yet, I have not died in the attempt. I don't enjoy using sawdust to cover up all the sharp stone that surrounds my mill, but it's what I have short of buying fill and then I have mud anyway and dirt in my logs just as they go on the mill. Yeah, there is always a better way. When I can afford that, I will do it, but not just yet. Putting money into tools, a small kiln, and other infrastructure is a priority for me. Once I have something better available, the sawdust will get piled for compost or buried under the fill in the swamp. That's just me.

 So today is another day and it is time to get at it and squeeze out what I can from it. I need to drain the gas out of the generator and get that put away for the next event, then move some wood.