Cold work

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Backwoods Savage

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Feb 14, 2007
27,811
Michigan
Today was one of those days when cutting wood it was easy to work up a sweat. Yet, the little wind we had was really raw. My face really got cold. But yet, my hands did fine and I never had to change gloves. I was bringing up a load when suddenly here came a neighbor on his atv through the woods so we sat there and talked for a while. Then as I hauled the wood out after he left I really got cold. I came up to find the temperature at 32 degrees! Yet, the breeze on my face felt colder than it did yesterday when I was out at 20 degrees. Strange weather. Looks like just a small patch of snow headed our way so that is probably why it feels so cold.

I intended on cutting one more load but ended up just going back to get what I had cut but couldn't fit on the last load plus gathering up the tools. Looks like I have maybe 2 1/2 cord cut so far. I'm slow at this but I do get it done. Oh to be young again and able to work like a man...
 
I cleaned up 4 packed in loads of branches Sunday and it was raining intermittantly and windy.
Keep my toes dry and my fingers warm and I don't mind being out in the cold at all.

Then I went for a 2 hour trek in the swamp looking for deer and coyote signs /tracks in the last bit of snow.
Found nothing and yet there are other signs and sounds that evidence they are around.

Only time of year I'll go out in the swamp and it's not exactly 'safe' either, just easier.
 
Hey Bill, what is unsafe about trekking into the swamp?
 
"Oh to be young again and able to work like a man…"

I'd bet you could work circles around most of us on here and I'm not a bettin man.

Rob
 
Slow & steady wins the race.Endurance not speed is what helps you on these busy days.
 
You know your gettin old when it takes you all night to do what you used to do all night...................................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Backwoods Savage said:
I came up to find the temperature at 32 degrees!
Is there a typo there? Did you mean -32?

Back when I worked as a sawhand, I would turn down Summer work because of the heat and take all the Winter work I could get. I worked many a day at -40. You just have to dress for it.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
Today was one of those days when cutting wood it was easy to work up a sweat. Yet, the little wind we had was really raw. My face really got cold. But yet, my hands did fine and I never had to change gloves. I was bringing up a load when suddenly here came a neighbor on his atv through the woods so we sat there and talked for a while. Then as I hauled the wood out after he left I really got cold. I came up to find the temperature at 32 degrees! Yet, the breeze on my face felt colder than it did yesterday when I was out at 20 degrees. Strange weather. Looks like just a small patch of snow headed our way so that is probably why it feels so cold.

I intended on cutting one more load but ended up just going back to get what I had cut but couldn't fit on the last load plus gathering up the tools. Looks like I have maybe 2 1/2 cord cut so far. I'm slow at this but I do get it done. Oh to be young again and able to work like a man...

Sounds like we have that same weather Sav, not real cold but a small breeze. Do what you can and do it safe.

Good job, Zap
 
I’m slow at this but I do get it done. Oh to be young again and able to work like a man…
Well Dennis, you have 6 years on me and I know how it feels now, and I am just hoping 6 years from now I can still do what you are doing. So I would say you do pretty good...nothing wrong with taking your time. I do that now 'cause if I don't, I pay for it. Lucky, my son and I cut together, we are great friends and he gets mad at me if I don't let him do most of the heavy stuff. My 7 year old grandson goes too, and it won't be long before he is really good help as well. I just hope I can keep going. I will really miss it if I can't.
 
LLigetfa said:
Backwoods Savage said:
I came up to find the temperature at 32 degrees!
Is there a typo there? Did you mean -32?

Back when I worked as a sawhand, I would turn down Summer work because of the heat and take all the Winter work I could get. I worked many a day at -40. You just have to dress for it.
the older i get i wish i could turn down summer work. doing air condition installs on 95 degree humid days. this means 120 degree attics with insulaton.makes me really hate working in the summer. i LOVE to work in the winter. and love hiking in the winter. ill take winter anyday of the year.
 
KYrob said:
"Oh to be young again and able to work like a man…"

I'd bet you could work circles around most of us on here and I'm not a bettin man.

Rob

Oh if that were only true.... I've slowed down a lot the past couple of years.
 
LLigetfa said:
Backwoods Savage said:
I came up to find the temperature at 32 degrees!
Is there a typo there? Did you mean -32?

Back when I worked as a sawhand, I would turn down Summer work because of the heat and take all the Winter work I could get. I worked many a day at -40. You just have to dress for it.

No, not a typo at all and that was my point. I could hardly believe how cold my face got and the temperature was up to 32! The day before we were out working in 20 degree weather and all was fine. Just found it to be very strange.

Of course you used to do such things and so did many of us. But that has no bearing on what happened yesterday.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
Hey Bill, what is unsafe about trekking into the swamp?

I've fallen in a few times. Usually just one leg and lost a boot once. Once both legs and up to my hips. Easier to see the spots that aren't solid ground when there's no ferns, briars and general ground vegetation blocking your view.
I've taken long straight sticks (poles) and pushed them straight down and you can feel the stick hitting objects that feel like old fallen trees . Some of the sticks have gone in their whole length of 12 - 15 feet. If it's frozen at all it's usually just the top couple of inches. Not exactly a solid surface. Unless we've had a drought in the Summer I won't even try it. I've run into guys hunting out of season on the edges on what used to be private property and on my own.
Unsafe may not be the right word ?
There's supposedly quicksand back here somewhere, too, but I've never found any /it.
I have found a sink hole though. Down about two feet from the nice flat spot it was 35 years ago. If you stand on it and jump up and down you can feel the ground isn't solid. Could be something buried there years ago, though. It would have to be something the size of a tractor from a tractor/trailer.
 
Whoa Bill. That is one bad swamp!!! I'll bet it was not funny when you lost that boot or went in up to your hips. :lol: And while I wrote that I was thinking back to the time I went in with one leg. Fortunately I was able to grab something and only went in with that one leg....but it did not touch bottom! That water was cold too as it had a thin layer of ice on it.
 
I stood out in it for awhile yesterday at a mill in Vanderbilt and I got a bit chilled myself. I agree with dressing for it, but sometimes if you're not moving around it can give you a good chill. Looks like next week we're in for some more cold. Bundle up!
 
Ya, I hope you guys get hit with the cold and we get a thaw! Ha! Won't happen.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
I was bringing up a load when suddenly here came a neighbor on his atv through the woods so we sat there and talked for a while....

The moment I stop working outside and start talking, I chill down quite quickly.
And there is nothing wrong in getting older and slower. Wisdom comes with age....... hopefully.....

And you can always sit back and talk away about how you were young you could split logs all day without working up a sweat..... :)
 
What do you mean split all day? :bug: We used to use the logs for baseball bats! ;-)
 
Dennis

We had rain and drizzle for three or four days last week at the farm. Those 38 deg days sure felt colder than the actual colder days a few days before! For some reason I sweat easily when I am working even when its cold and its no fun driving back after getting all sweated up.

Billy
 
I always remember one old man we met in the UP one time. He told us the coldest winter he ever was in, he spent it in Detroit! There is a lot of difference in weather between Detroit and the western part of the UP. He much preferred the UP......and most folks would if they had a choice.
 
Cold work and Getting Colder! hahaha When the saw needs to warm up in the truck before starting....Its getting COLDER! Just got a woods they want cleared so trying to get some drop asap......BUT ITS GETTING COLDER!
 
It's cold when the bar oil is scared to come out of the bottle...
 
FireAnt said:
It's cold when the bar oil is scared to come out of the bottle...

I ran out of all my bar new and used oil but I have 4 gallons of veggie oil. Veggie oil pours a little better than bar oil this time of year. (time to change the tractor oil lol)
 
Backwoods Savage said:
I always remember one old man we met in the UP one time. He told us the coldest winter he ever was in, he spent it in Detroit! There is a lot of difference in weather between Detroit and the western part of the UP. He much preferred the UP......and most folks would if they had a choice.

now you're talking, brother!!!!! just don't let the secret out or the u.p. won't be what it is!!!
 
Yes it's cold Dennis but no bugs; no black flies, no mosquitoes, not even any wayward hornets. I love it. Be safe.
ED
 
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