A little fun in 92F heat

[sloeffle]

I don't know if I'd call it a mid-life crisis, but I'm reaching a point where I'm really starting to wonder how much of my life I want to spend splitting wood and maintaining "stuff", and starting to think about ways to simplify a little.

You couldn't of said it any better.

Every weekend my neighbor rides by on his Harley and I'm outside working or doing something. One of these days that will be me. Keeps me young, I guess.

 

[lsucet]

I'm jealous of the skid steers, especially the track machines.

That belongs to my cousin. I have it for years with me. He changed profession and don't use it anymore. He knows if he wants to sell it I will buy it from him but he enjoys more make me feel in debt with him..
We, both are like that to each other.

 

[EODMSgt]

You couldn't of said it any better.

Every weekend my neighbor rides by on his Harley and I'm outside working or doing something. One of these days that will be me. Keeps me young, I guess.

I guess I'm the other way around. I've logged tens of thousands of miles on Harleys but am now more interested in the horsepower of my tractor and log splitter. After over thirty years between the military and then a contractor for the government, my idea of slowing down IS processing firewood. Last burning season I was into eight cords and so far this year I've processed close to that with several more months left to do more before the snow flies again. I still have one Harley left (I was up to nine at one time) but now if I had the option of going up into the mountains on a cool morning to buck some rounds or hop on the bike for a ride, I'd head into the mountains.

 

[SpaceBus]

I guess I'm the other way around. I've logged tens of thousands of miles on Harleys but am now more interested in the horsepower of my tractor and log splitter. After a over thirty years between the military and then a contractor for the government, my idea of slowing down IS processing firewood. Last burning season I was into eight cords and so far this year I've processed close to that with several more months left to do more before the snow flies again. I still have one Harley left (I was up to nine at one time) but now if I had the option of going up into the mountains on a cool morning to buck some rounds or hop on the bike for a ride, I'd head into the mountains.

I traded my Mach 1 and my Yamaha FZ09 for my ram 3500 so we could move up here to Maine. On really nice days I miss the chit out of my bikes, especially with riders in the area out and about. I live on a scenic route with beautiful ocean views, so I hear quite a few bikes. Some day I hope to buy a Ural 2WD to satiate my desire to ride. A friend of mine recently died on his motorcycle, so my wife is even more glad than ever I got rid of mine. I'm with you though, my need for speed has decreased and I find myself drooling over wood working tools and saw mills.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

That ash is some nice wood. Have a kitchen full of cabinets made out of it. Seems a shame to burn it in a stove.

 

[Ashful]

That ash is some nice wood. Have a kitchen full of cabinets made out of it. Seems a shame to burn it in a stove.

True... but folks said the same when I processed several 18" - 24" DBH walnuts, all with 60 feet of straight branch-free trunk, in the wake of hurricane Sandy. Unfortunately, the mills I called at the time had no interest in them.

In the first white oak log, I hit one 16d nail, found another 16d nail with the spliter, and one huge steel timber spike. The ash had one more 16d nail hanging out the side, but nothing found internally. Mills around here tell me they won't touch yard trees, too much chance of hitting hardware hidden inside.

 

[heavy hammer]

I don't consider my self old yet 38, but like EODMSg, I would rather take the tractor the 660, maul wedges and the two labs and go spend the day in the woods. I have been doing that since I was a kid with my dad in my grandmothers woods and really enjoy it. The busy day to day stuff of work kids running around etc. Nothing beats a day in the woods, my father is 63 and is a self employed carpenter who right now is in the process of roofing a house. But for him to grab the saws and go spend the day in the woods with me and my brother some of our buddies and the dogs and process wood all day he loves it. He says it keeps him young and enjoys hanging out in the woods, plus a beer here and there doesn't hurt.

 

[Ashful]

Picked up another load of hickory today. Was supposed to get a load of walnut, as well, but it was infringing on sailing and pool time.

 

[Sawset]

Son was recently in the Air Force stationed in SC. I'm down here visiting again with the heat indexes in the 100's. We were talking about how they handled the heat where the shop they worked had open doors to the weather. He mentioned once the index reaches a certain point, then time on time off gets altered. 90 index, 50min on, 10 rest. 100 index, 40,20. 105, 20,40 - something like that. Sounds close. I couldn't tolerate much more than that with the 105 index we're having. Being acclimated helps, to a point. Said in Turkey the 100++ indexes were frequent.

 

[Ashful]

What you’re wearing also matters. My heavy work pants, logger boots, and Carhaart boot socks are great in cold weather, but they suck for working in July.

 

[Ashful]

Heat index only got up to 91F today, but I went out for another load, anyway.

First, loading a black walnut onto the trailer:



Some photos of this weekend's take:



Still gotta finish this pile from the weekend before:



I've got another 30 - 40 cords of stuff like this on the ground, on two local properties, after a tornado went thru several weeks ago. Not sure I'll split a lot of it this summer, but at least I can get it all home as 15 foot logs. This stuff is a nice manageable size, not the monsters I get from the property where I've been cutting the last few years, which is a nice treat. I can actually stack the logs!

 

[kvesi122]

How are you loading them onto the trailer in 15' lengths?

Nice score!!

 

[Kevin Weis]

With "feel like" temps above 100 for this week, unless I fall into some White Oak like what's on Ashful's trailer, no cutting this week.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

How are you loading them onto the trailer in 15' lengths?

Nice score!!

Most likely with that winch and cable you see on the first pic The big one is still hooked up!

 

[kvesi122]

Derp! I missed that. I'll go put on my dunce cap now.

 

[SpaceBus]

Today it hit 81f today and with no clouds we decided to take a break between 12-5. I can't imagine using a chainsaw in 92f anymore, and that's what I used to do in NC, for several years.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Anything over 90 in the summer is about the same as under 20 in the winter for me working outside. I prefer to stay out of it. That number(90f) falls as the humidity increases.(And as my age increases) Even 80 can be suffocating in high humidity. Forecast is 95 this saturday. Wont be doing any heavy lifting outdoors for sure.

 

[Ashful]

I hate it, too, but I gotta make hay while the sun shines. Man-up, bring water. [emoji14]

 

[lsucet]

Here in this desert with temps reaching 100 df already some days I have no choice. I have to use the evenings after work and my days off regardless outside temps. Many projects to finish or almost finish before winter shows up. Last winter was some kind of bad here plus rain and snow and everything was too muddy. This winter has to be different for me. It is not easy take care animals in the dark in the mornings before work and in the dark after work for so many months a year and into mud of snow and rain. Lol

I am trying to go indoor in everything as much as I can.

 

[Ashful]

Heat index forecast this Saturday is 109F, and not all that much better the rest of the week. I plan to be building some new firewood cribs in my HVAC’d shop, no fetching wood that far above 100F, even for me.

 

[ZZ Tom]

Heat index forecast this Saturday is 109F, and not all that much better the rest of the week. I plan to be building some new firewood cribs in my HVAC’d shop, no fetching wood that far above 100F, even for me.

Come on, man up, bring some water

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Iv got 6 big dead trees still standing on my lot. Been dead for more than a yr . They waited this long to come down they can wait till fall.

 

[Ashful]

Come on, man up, bring some water

I’ve been known to do that, but we will see. Got a couple of projects lined up that can be worked indoors though, so not committing myself either way, yet.

Of course, one of our primary (5 ton?) air conditioning systems broke down yesterday, just as the heat wave was into its second day. This is why it’s always good to have some overlap and redundancy, in heating and cooling. Our comfort is a little compromised, but it’s not a catastrophe, as the other systems pick up most of the slack.

 

[SpaceBus]

I’ve been known to do that, but we will see. Got a couple of projects lined up that can be worked indoors though, so not committing myself either way, yet.

Of course, one of our primary (5 ton?) air conditioning systems broke down yesterday, just as the heat wave was into its second day. This is why it’s always good to have some overlap and redundancy, in heating and cooling. Our comfort is a little compromised, but it’s not a catastrophe, as the other systems pick up most of the slack.

I had a feeling a lot of folks south of here would be suffering equipment failures. I don't think it's gone over 75 at my house. Any large power outages or anything going on? I would assume PA has a pretty robust power grid, but I know some southern states don't and they might have some real issues soon.

 

[Ashful]

No issues here, but like you, I suspect some areas will be pushing their infrastructure this weekend.