OldJarheads Milling Thread...

[OlJarhead]

Neat video and of course there is no way to convey he actual feeling or conditions on that road. I congratulate you for having a co-pilot that was game and had a sense of humor, which is critical. My wife would have gotten out before the first mile was done. We get some bad ones around here, but we have nowhere near those elevations involved of course. OTOH we don't have nice shoulders like you had here. The woods road I have driven in the hills here generally have a 30' drop about 6' off the passenger side of the hill, which is god enough to get you going.
Speaking of School Busses in WV, I know a musician from Kentucky who taught High School in KY for 30 years. He told me that if you had a grammar school certificate of graduation that was easily transferable to a license to teach community college in WV. Is that true? :D ;D Anyway, that's what he told me.
Been a long time since my 4 wheeling days, I got tired of fixing things all week to go and break them again the following weekend, nowadays all my off road time has some kind of productive work associated with it. Notice I did not say 'profitable'. :D

Truth!  In the video the road looks mild and easy to drive, doesn't look steep at all and even had me at times scratching my head but then I'd put on another section of vid during editing and go "wow, look at the hood camp rocking and rolling back and forth like a bucking bronc!" -- it's funny how the camera hides what's going on sometimes but part of the issue was the springs were not up to the task at hand and so I was bottoming out repeatedly if I went faster.  My buddy behind me in the red jeep felt he could do about 5 or 6mph vs my 2-3.
My wife enjoyed it except the 5 1/2 hrs of crawling along on day two and the 9hrs of driving on day one.  She'd prefer going faster over shorter distances but enjoyed the incredible views we found!
When I got home I ordered the Metalcloak True Dual Rate suspension setup.  It's supposed to be a 2.5" lift and I didn't want ANY lift but no one makes springs for a load like this at stock height so I went with that.  Can't wait to get it done!

[OlJarhead]

Eric,

  Your trip reminds me of at trip we took from Tennessee to North Carolina many years ago. .............. I finally got to the end of the road at a parking area for hikers and a sign that said "Road impassable for vehicular traffic." :P 

First, I am glad you made it!  Second, WOW!  I've been in some crazy places but that ranks up there with them all!  Yikes!
and since this is a milling thread lol I have to report that my job this weekend is being re-scheduled.  I'm actually quite happy with that though since it's hot, dry and there are some fires raging.  Rather mill when it cools down and is safer frankly....
SO I'll do other things like work on the jeep!

[Crusarius]

I ended up replacing my front coils with sway away air shocks. That made all the difference in the world. Also allows me to lift one tire 54" and keep the other three on the ground

[OlJarhead]

I ended up replacing my front coils with sway away air shocks. That made all the difference in the world. Also allows me to lift one tire 54" and keep the other three on the ground

Wow!  That's purpose built I'm guessing!

[Crusarius]

yup. I built it when I lived in AZ. I have wheeled some of the hardest trails all over the US. It has only been on its side 5 times never all the way over.

My avatar is before the air shocks.

[VB-Milling]

yup. I built it when I lived in AZ. I have wheeled some of the hardest trails all over the US. It has only been on its side 5 times never all the way over.

My avatar is before the air shocks.

Were/are you active on jeepforum under the same or similar username?

[OlJarhead]

I'm there as emcvay ;)

[Crusarius]

at one time I was very active all over the place. Even the K5 forums when The group I wheeled with started the fullsize revolution.

Life kinda got in the way so I am not all over like I used to be. I sure miss those days and the west coast wheeling. East coast wheeling is usually muddy, rainy, and slippery.

[OlJarhead]

Life definitely gets in the way but I'm getting close to retiring (from my day job anyway) and have decided to go do stuff again!  At least, don't work so much, play more and live a little.

Not milling this weekend now either so will continue mill maintenance, planing some blue stained pine for wainscotting and hopefully get the suspension done on the jeep so I can get back on the trail and pick up the pace a little :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCwWP2frW1s

[OlJarhead]

Alright!  Enough of that Jeepin' stuff for now!  Back to the sawmill!

So, years back I made an Umbrella stand but eventually the umbrella bit the dust and I got a new one with a knuckle that would allow me to tilt it, but I had to get the stand modded up to fit the new thicker pole so.....here ya go!

Best Mill Mod Ever! - YouTube

[Hilltop366]

Nice, how about a "U" shaped piece of steel with a pin across to hold the top?

It would be quick and tool-less for install and removal. 

[OlJarhead]

I was thinking of something like that.  Maybe half a 1.5" pipe welded to the small pipe up top with a 1 inch standoff and a clamp face (2nd half of pipe maybe?) with a pin or something to make it stay put.

Of of the challenges of the old setup was the pin would get lost and the umbrella would spin in the wind sometimes (irritating).

I'll sort out this last piece before I go out milling again ;)

[Hilltop366]

Yes, like that with one of these.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/CURT-1-4-Safety-Pin-with-12-Chain-2-3-4-Pin-Length-25012/205631605

The answer to all your problems! :D

[OlJarhead]

Yup,something like that to capture it...and need to prevent it from spinning etc so may need to pin it in place.

[Magicman]

I am partial to this style umbrella because it is both height and angle adjustable:  LINK

Mine is in the weather 24-7 and I usually replace the cover every two years.

[OlJarhead]

I remember seeing that before.  It's smaller so might be better in inclement weather too but I do like my 10 foot umbrella for coverage/shade on hot days!  The old one was a 6 footer I believe (I said 8 foot but I think that's wrong) and didn't give me much protection but did give some.  Now I am out of the sun at high noon!   8) and no water running down my back in the rain! :D

[WV Sawmiller]

Eric,

   I can see the umbrella for shade but I don't need one for rain as I am not going to be sawing in the rain. I may finish the cant I'm sawing if a sudden rain shower comes up but if is much I shut down. Rain clogs up my sawdust and such too much and too much risk of messing something up. 

[doc henderson]

Howard, @WV Sawmiller not everyone is able to saw in the rain!      :D  

[WV Sawmiller]

   Agreed. IMHO if you are not under a waterproof roof you should not be sawing during the rain but if you guys want to be different in Kansas you go right ahead. ;) I think I made my original comment because Eric mentioned creating a waterproof condition with his umbrella.

[Magicman]

I do not, am not, and will not saw in the rain.....at night either.

[OlJarhead]

I am pretty much 100% mobile and can't control the weather.  As such if the customer is willing to work in the rain, Snow, sleet, fog etc we work.

However, I avoid high Temps like the plague.  I don't mill during fire season for the most part but mill the rest of the time if it is safe to do so.

Incidentally,  I get injured when it aint raining lol.  Thousands of board feet made in the rain and snow here!  Whoohoo!

[OlJarhead]

Woodmizer LT10 (we call it the Super Manley LT10) - YouTube

Way back when!  Milled up as much as that little 10hp LT10 could do in 3 days while it downpoured on us the entire time!  8)

[WV Sawmiller]

Eric,

   You do what works for you but I estimate the sawing time involved and I try not to schedule a job start unless there is a high likelihood we can will have enough good weather predicted to finish. This is especially true if the job is far from home. I don't mind taking a chance on a job 10 miles from home but if I have a 2 day job 50 miles from home I won't even schedule it unless the weather is predicting 30% chance or less for rain for the time required. I did get caught in a very hard thunderstorm on a 130 mile away job a couple weeks ago which cost us an hour or so of work. 

   The only time you'll find me sawing in the rain is to finish a cant or maybe to edge one side of a fireplace mantel or bar top or such. I learned long ago "You don't have to practice to be miserable."

[Magicman]

I am also 100% portable.  The job that I rain opted out on for today and tomorrow is 26 logs and 20 miles away.  I probably could finish it in one day but it could take a full day.  No way would I even suggest that the customer or the helpers work in the rain which could also include lightening. 

A friend's horse was killed by lightening this past week and another found several goats dead and suspected lightening.

[OlJarhead]

I guess it's different everywhere.   I grew up in places that got over 200 inches of rain a year....you wouldn't mill if you didn't mill in the rain;)