Timber!

[Stormin 4,458]

Spoke to a farmer neighbour on Friday, at a distance naturally, and mentioned I'd had to order some firewood. First time for 4yrs. "Needn't have done that", said he. "There's a tree you can take down in a field". Typical! 

 

 Yesterday I gave my chainsaw a check over and ran it briefly. Checked over the Sears/Roper and fuelled it up. Attached the tote box, then loaded that with all I'll need.

  This afternoon it'll be "TIMBER!"

[Stormin 4,458]

 Things didn't go quite as planned yesterday. First of all I will say I did take my camera this time. Unfortunately I didn't check the battery was fully charged.

   Though the snow, such as it was, had thawed, there was a slight touch of drizzle in the air. Water on frozen ground can be interesting. Didn't set off to the field till after lunch.

   Where the bridleway joins the farm track, there is a bit of a drop. Normally not a problem but it had been rutted by a tractor at some time and some lumps off earth left sticking up. Now frozen solid.  Trying to pick the best way down, as the front wheels dropped off the lane, the tote box on the front dug in and came off.

   Next the rear axle got high sided on righthand side. Front wheels in the gully, one rear wheel in the air spinning merrily, nothing was going anywhere. Unhitched the trailer and put the tractor in 1st high box. By lifting the tractor rear end and pushing best I could, managed get the tractor on to the farm track. Trailer back on and tote box, chainsaw etc in the trailer proceeded to the field. 

   The tree I was going to fell, was at one side of a gateway between two fields. The ground had been nicely paddled by cattle and sheep and now frozen and starting to thaw, made walking rather dodgy. The tree had grow from out the side of the bank. The only way I could get to cut it was off the bank. Also I couldn't get to it to cut a notch out the side I wanted it to fall. Though with it leaning into the field anyway, that was where it was going to drop.

   It wasn't the best of jobs, or safest I've done due to the trees position, but by being very careful it dropped right where I expected and wanted.

   I was cutting some of the limbs up, trailer length, and loading them and twiggy stuff into the trailer, when Carol arrived and assisted with the loading.

   With the tote box etc balanced on top of the load of wood, the slow journey home down the rough track was made. 

  Depending on the weather, rain forecast for tomorrow, it could be the end of the week before the jobs finished. If it doesn't kill me first.

[Alan 1,273]

You know the saying Norm.  No photo's, it didn't happen.  Any damage when the tote box came off. ?  Better luck next trip. 

[expeatfarmer 591]

Should be a good day for logging and photos today not a cloud in the sky over Cumbria.

[Aiberdonian 98]

Pity you're not a bit nearer, you could take this lot out of my way.

[Stormin 4,458]

   I went down yesterday and as you'll know Jonathan, there was a thaw overnight. The ground in the field had turned rather soggy. Stand still and you started to sink. We did get another load out, but using the chainsaw was a bit risky when your feet got stuck in mud.

   Forecast is for more cold weather on the way. If the ground freezes again I'll go back. Otherwise I'll wait for the ground to dry out a bit. Not desperate for logs anyway. Nice lad brought me a load today. Keep me amused splitting them.

 

  Something that happened yesterday when I got in the field,  the Sears lost it's steering. The connecting rod from bottom of steering column to the front came adrift at the back. The joint had parted company with it's socket. Lying in a soggy field tying to tie it up with cable ties was not much fun. I did walk home for a tarp and ties.

  Today I took it off and  centre punched the edge of the socket with the joint in place. Refitted it the other way round, so the dodgy joint is now pointing down. I'll get a couple of hemi ball joints and modify the rod one day.

 

12 minutes ago, Aiberdonian said:

Pity you're not a bit nearer, you could take this lot out of my way.

 

  You can't half go off people.

[expeatfarmer 591]

That's a lot of logs worth putting a log stove in the workshop !

[Aiberdonian 98]

I do have a wood burner in workshop and an armchair but I have to fight with the dog to get on it


I have this lot to split and burn before I can get the rest logged

[Stormin 4,458]

 Oh go on! Rub it in.

[Aiberdonian 98]

Sorry Stormin, but I just had to wind you up a bit - we need some friendly banter in these gloomy times!

[Stormin 4,458]

  With the cold snap we're having this week I got down to the field. Got a load out Monday  before my  chainsaw gave up the ghost.  Lost compression. It has done a lot of work over the last 13 years.

  Yesterday I treated myself to a new one. Same make but slightly longer bar and heavier chain. Left the old one to be sorted if possible. Be handy to have two.

  This afternoon back to the field a tackled the trunk. New saw went through like a knife through butter. Brought two loads home.

 

  Just realised I need to renew my membership. Can't post photo's till I do. Job for later.

 

 

[Aiberdonian 98]

Cold isn't the word for it - minus 15 C this morning and the cab heater in the 90 refused to fire up, it was a cold run for the paper today.
I treated my old Husky to a new bar and chain last year and the difference was amazing, you don't really notice how the performance slowly deteriorates. 

[Stormin 4,458]

3 hours ago, Aiberdonian said:

Cold isn't the word for it - minus 15 C this morning and the cab heater in the 90 refused to fire up, it was a cold run for the paper today.

 

  That is the only fault with the 90's. The rad is so big takes ages to warm up. But I wish I still had mine.

[Aiberdonian 98]

I fitted a 200 TDI to mine and it's even worse for warming up but good news is that the cab heater is working.
I don't know if it was because the digital display on the controller only goes down to minus 9 and it wasn't able to compare the ambient temperature with the set temperature or if something else upset it.
More investigation is required because it needs to work at lesser temperatures.

[Stormin 4,458]

 Put an Isuzu 2.8 td in mine. Big Alli Sport intercooler. Disco transfer box. Ran it on bio diesel as well.

 

[Aiberdonian 98]

Had the 90 for seven years now and this morning was the first time there's been enough snow to try it out.
Set off up the road to collect my butcher order from village 4 miles away in the Grand Vitara to find a car stuck in drifting snow, turned around to go down the road and around the corner is an abandoned car stuck in more drifting snow. Went back and fired up the 90 complete with snow shovel and a chain thinking I might be able to help the car up the road but by the time I got there he had managed to get out and turned round, the 90 plowed through the drifts - about 1 1/2 to 2 feet deep and I collected my order. Coming back down the road I find a guy in a Citreon bellied in the same drifting snow, 'I thought I would follow the tracks he says' - bit of a difference between a Citreon and a 90 as far as ground clearance is concerned. I turned and reversed back to try and pull him through but his wheels weren't touching the ground and I was damned if I was going to shovel away all the snow to give his car clearance. So I am now stuck with him up the road from the house and the abandoned car down the road and no way home until I remembered the farm up the back has a track around to another road that I might get to. After a six mile detour finally got on to this track, diff lock engaged, second gear and it just sailed up the fairly steep slope through more drifting snow until I was back on our road between the two stuck cars.
Even with the best 4 x 4 it does you no good if some muppet is stuck in snow and blocking the road.

[Stormin 4,458]

 Fired up the sawbench today and cut up anything of 5" diam' off the tree I recently felled. 2-1/2hrs later a good pile of logs stashed away. If it's a decent day tomorrow, I may tackle the big stuff with the chainsaw.