rain!!!

[weisyboy]

im getting mighty sick of this rain business.

its been raining on and off for the last few months, it stops for just long enough for the ground to dry enough to start cutting logs again and it starts back up.

we havent been able to get many logs out for 4 weeks, and even in the last 10 week wev only just got enough to fill a few small orders.

all the mills are running short, i have been getting calls from mills that normally have 100s of cube of logs in stockpile urgently wanting logs.

to give you an idea of how desperate there getting iv been offered up to $300/m3 and they will pickup when normally you are lucky to get $150/m3 delivered in normal weather.

we havent had weather like this in years, we used to have to pull out enough logs to last us and what we wanted to sell onto hard stand before august each year or wed be outa work, for the last 5 years tehre has been no need to, but it looks like its back to the good old days when we could make good money during the wet.

this got me thinking what do you do in winter where is snows. you wouldnt be able to log would you, even the snow in the heads would cause havoc with falling.

[Chuck White]

A lot of loggers in this area are at their best in the winter.

Logs are a lot cleaner and the ground doesn't get torn up so bad.

But, I don't run my mill once the temps drop and it's freezing weather.  The mill goes into the garage.

[Don K]

If we make it to the 20th of this month that will be 90 days without rain. Driest I can remember. Now I know how people in the desert feel.

Don

[ronwood]

Don

We are just the opposite in Mo. Had plenty of ran and the 4th hotest summer on record.

Ron

[terrifictimbersllc]

Weisy winter logging is the best especially if you have horses and sleigh.   :D :D  Check it out:
http://www.kenbrauner.com/home/kb1/page_736_9/winter_logging_christmas_card.html
There's lots more where this came from.
dennis

[Qweaver]

Yeh, rain sucks.  Even tho' we can saw in the dry of the shed, we still have to slop around in the mud to move the logs and sawn lumber.  But I actually like sawing when the temp is below freezing.  The ground is hard and the work heats me up so the 26-30 deg F is pretty comfortable.  A little snow is OK but when it gets deep then it's time to stretch out in the easy chair with a hot buttered rum in hand and look out at the beauty of the mountains covered in snow. Hummmm! Some of those icicles got 4' long. 8)

[terrifictimbersllc]

Logging and sawing both seem to be the best from the sofa with a laptop and refreshments!!!! 8)   Sorry to say. : : :

[northwoods1]

We have had an unusually wet year here also. June, July & August set records for total amount of rainfall so it has been real wet in the woods to say the least.

But the snow ( & cold) can be a good thing in the next 6 weeks here the ground will most likely be getting hard.

Then with a little snow on the ground it makes cutting wood much easier all the foliage is off and no soft ground, it also pulls a lot easier obviously.

In a normal winter as the snow gets deeper your usually working at a job and keeping the roads/landings all cleared which can be a pain but as your cutting/skidding you'll have trails and areas where you have worked all packed down.

With a good layer of snow packed down you can get in areas where you can't in the summer even if it is dry like rocky/rough ground. Its easier bucking and limbing also in the winter if you can work on a packed down area.

The limbs can break off some species really easily in the cold and eliminate some or all of the limbing.

If the snow gets really deep and by that I mean about 36" or deeper on the level than things can start getting difficult.

It gets hard for the machines to get around even with tire chains especially in cold loose snow that is deep. You can't cut steep ground for the most part when the snow gets too deep.

Sometimes you need a cat to go in the woods ahead and just open up trails for cutters and skidders to get a start. This is about when it gets to be 4' deep or so.

If your hand cutting you might need to carry a shovel to dig out the tree first so you can fall it. Yes, I have done that more than I care to think about! I always carry a shovel right on the skidder don't go anywhere without it, that is when I am cutting. 

You can't cut wood ahead if its gonna snow or you might not be able to find it come time to skid it out.

But all in all winter is the best conditions for most logging in these parts I would have to say. That is when you can get best production and cut just about anywhere with no soft ground to deal with, plus the snow and cold keeps a person moving constantly :D 

[weisyboy]

5" fell overnight.

and its still poring down, the creeks will be over and i gues im staying home today.

[fishpharmer]

If we make it to the 20th of this month that will be 90 days without rain. Driest I can remember. Now I know how people in the desert feel.

Don

I know how Don feels.  But its good haying weather  8)

[Magicman]

I'm putting seed in the ground tomorrow.  I'm just hoping that we get some rain this week.  This is really my last chance to plant before our Colorado trip.

Come on rain.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Carl My Old Man reckons loggers have gone soft over the last 10 years n and have forgotten how to Just Get it Done  Mate    ??? ??? :  ;) :D :D :D :D

I hope it dries up soon for you Mate  ;) ;D 8)

Regards Chris

[weisyboy]

yep were all big softies,

they musta had there tyres filled with helium, cos regular air just aint floaty enought at the moment.

im gunna start of a flat block at mt crosby end of the week if the rain stops tomorow like its supposed to. its to steep here to do anything for the next month.

its not only me the wheat is all going bad out west, and cotton seeds are not going to be in in time if it holds much longer.

[Meadows Miller]

Nah Mate  :D :D :D :D Just the 205 Timberjack or 666  and an Ol Loader with the forks in the rear bolster of logs on the Kenworths and later on it was the Kato just pulling from the front and they did that with only one bloke driving all two or  three at times too with the driver in the truck   : :D :D :D   two loads a day he could pull out of a blocks where there was 1' to 2" off mud for upto 1/5 a K (thats about 1/3 of a mile boys ) the mill needed two loads a day rain hail or shine and thats what they got Mate ;) theres afew winters when i was a kid and remeber every time i went they would tow th truck in then pull er strait back out fully loaded  ;) :D :D :D ;D ;D 8)

Yeah its a shame about the poor bloody farmers too it will be a good crop down here if the rain lets off and we dont get the the heavy stuff that  they says coming then we might have a big locust problem too to cope with as well this year  : : : : : :

[weisyboy]

hmmm, we cant even move the dozer without getting it stuck.

as for anything with wheels, forget about it. i winched the ute back out the other day when i went up to get some urgent round posts. she sank down to the diffs.

at least is giving me a chance to get soem things fixed/ made that have been on my list for the last 12 months.

iv got 2 winches im doing up, and building this sawbench, and building a whiskey still, and we even got some work done on the boat.

[WildDog]

Weisy, things are just starting to dry out down here, still cold and some easterly scud but the water running out of the hills is starting to slow.

Looks like S/E QLD copped a pizzling last night.

Can't complain down my way, there's a stack of feed about.

I was on a job south of Texas (Aust) last Friday, the old cocky said, I am 80yrs old, been here 80 yrs, its the best the stock have looked coming out of winter in 80yrs, its the best season I've seen in 80yrs and now after 80 yrs I have to sell :(

[weisyboy]

looks like the rain has stopped now.

storms again on friday,

hopefully will get some cutting done tomorow.

havent seen you on here before wild dog, what do you do with your lucas?

[WildDog]

havent seen you on here before wild dog, what do you do with your lucas?

Mate the Lucas has taken a back seat of late to regular work, the farm and a new addition in the family. We have mainly stringy on the place and I just mill a bit for us and my mates............Nicky wants a new verandah and garden shed so i will be cranking it up when things dry out.

Big rains are due again on Friday, I am rostered to chase Locusts starting Sunday in Bourke or Brewarrina, its already started to rain out Bourke so with a bit of luck I might get to stay home.

[weisyboy]

get that mill out and running, bugger the day job.

actualy got some millin done today.

some logs we felled weeks ago, dragged them down nearly lost the tractor twice. bobcat sank to its chassis twice had to be pulled out.

didnt start bringing logs in till 10. by the time we did a bit on the old dozer to get it going (nearly there)

was 10.30 before we started the mill up, and knocked off at 3.30 and did a bit of organizing, had to bring a few buckets of gravel up outa the creek to stop the mud.

only got 1.5 cube of log cut.

got about .82 cube of good flooring outa it.

52% ain't to bad. 8)

i work everything out on 45% so everything over that is pure profit.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Welcome Back WildDog  ;) ;D 8) 8)


Been raining here since yesterday and its going to keep going till friday down here that aint gonna hold up the show though   ;)

Carl I have also tried sending those copys but they gaot sent back with the original reply I sent you I might give you a call tom arvo Mate  ;)

Regards Chris

[weisyboy]

any time after 4 if ya wanna ring. or after 5 if you wanna ring on the land line 3374 1129

there is no mobile coverage at the mill.

try emailing it to carl@carlweiss.com.au instead of the one u have,

[Meadows Miller]

No dramas I  will try to send them through in the morning and give you a bell in the evening Mate