CL White Pine Score,my tree service contact hooked me up again

[Thistle]

Ad yesterday afternoon,2 big pines coming down.Left a message on his machine last evening,called me back this morning.Asked 'what size am I looking for?" ,he could bring a large p/u load full of whatever I wanted.Told him "Bring some 12"-14" & under for fuel next Fall & the remainder big stuff up to 30" " "Sure,no problem,I'm real close now,I remember your address,we can be there in 10-15 minutes..."

After they unloaded,he could see I was so pleased,then asked "Would you like another load?" "That'd be awesome,yeah! I have just enough room to shoehorn it in here..."

I wasted no time,had the first batch of smaller stuff already bucked,split before they returned with 2nd load. Pic 022 is a sample piece I ripped from one of the 18" rounds,approx. 4 1/2"thick.Sure works much easier than the various hardwoods I'm normally cutting.Will be some turning blocks,slabs for benches/footstools in 2-3 yrs.May sell a handful of pieces for pocket/beer money like usual too.....

Last pic is Nick up in the bucket yesterday,I asked him "I didnt know we needed many spar trees in Iowa?...

 

[tigeroak]

I am in with my local tree guys here in my small town too. Sunday last week they brought me a heaping truck load of cherry , cut to 16-20 inch. They told me to get ready this year as they have a few trees they are going to bring me. It is nice you don't have to leave the yard and have wood brought to you.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

That is sweet Thistle!

 

[bogydave]

Very nice score.
Bet the area smells nice with the pine too
Sure pretty wood

 

[LuckyLane]

Curious to know what chain/bar length you're running in the photos? 28", 36"?

 

[Thistle]

Curious to know what chain/bar length you're running in the photos? 28", 36"?

28" with full skip chain.That pretty much stays on there all the time,until get the chance to mill the 36" Honey Locust that's been in backyard for 6 months now *sigh*.Saw came with 24" & I already had a 36" from previous saw that I sold after buying this one.

 

[thewoodlands]

Nice score Thistle, I can smell it from here.

 

[nsfd95]

Do you get covered in sap working with that stuff?

 

[bogydave]

Do you get covered in sap working with that stuff?

Cold weather not so bad.
Warm weather, can't let go of the saw. LOL

 

[Thistle]

Do you get covered in sap working with that stuff?

Friday it was around 27,so not bad with the sunshine.I have an old torn pair of jeans with a couple duct tape patches over the front pockets that have scattered oil drips,bar oil mist,paint drops,graphite,concrete form oil & other mess all over the legs.I keep those when doing anything really messy.Put them on before the pine showed up Friday morning,wore them all day.

In a week or so,they're going in the trash,didnt want to wash them with other things,even regular work clothes.I buy 5-6 pair of clean near new jeans at DAV or Goodwill for less than 5 bucks a pair.Construction & wood cutting is rough on clothes,I cant see paying $30+ for new jeans that are trashed in a month or 2. No way.

Had my beat up filthy carharrt work jacket also,they both smell like a mix between a pine forest & a oil refinery now Went to union hall Fri afternoon to pay dues,the receptionist remarked "You smell like a pine tree!" I replied,"I can barely smell anything,this time of year really does a number on my sinuses " Its messy,but cutting this pine is worth the mess though "

 

[TimJ]

Looks like you got alot of it split up in nice clean pieces

 

[Thistle]

Cold weather not so bad.
Warm weather, can't let go of the saw. LOL

I had a few spots to clean off the saws -mainly the handlebars & trigger area.WD-40 & a few paper towels cleaned them right up.Wore an old pair of thin cut proof gloves that were about done,in the trash they went late afternoon.Employers provide those for last few years. I remember back 10 or more years ago you had to buy your own,so this is nice.Heavy lined leather winter gloves I've always bought those myself,employers wont provide those.

The X25 handle was a real mess,especially at the end.WD-40 & paper towels wouldnt budge that thick tar from my gloves.Had to use a teaspoon of straight gas with a worn out ball of 0000 steel wool,cleaned that very fast.

 

[Thistle]

I needed a longer hold fast to true up & rough out some of the White Pine I got on Friday.Have 2 in the shop but are different sized & too nice to be used on 'outside stuff'.And didnt want to shell out $75+ for a fancy hand-forged one from a catalogue.

Soooo....Yesterday morning I started digging around in my metal stash behind the shed.Discovered a bunch of 5/8" structural rods (smooth with red oxide paint,not textured raw steel like concrete reinforcing rods) about 5 ft long that I brought home from a jobsite probably 20 yrs ago.Used a bunch cut into 12" & 16" lengths for pinning landscape timbers together & forgot about these leftovers.

Cut off an 18" piece with mini grinder,drew a mark at 6" with a Sharpie,clamped it in huge blacksmith vise.Since I dont have a coal or gas forge (And I didnt want to wait 3 hrs for hardwood coals to develop in the fireplace or Weber BBQ kettle) - I heated this with propane torch & bent it on my 108 lb anvil. Did most of the bending with the square hardie hole & 12lb sledge.Used 3lb cross pein hammer to get it near to 90 degrees as possible.Used mini grinder outside to grind a flat on lower side of short arm.

Total time from start to finish- about 30 minutes.Including boring a 11/16" hole w/ 18" long ship auger in that round for a temp workbench. No matter how much pounding with mallet & chisel or pushing with heavy cast iron plane,the workpiece didnt budge.Which is the whole idea....

 

[TimJ]

Looks like the pine will keep your creative juices flowing Thistle

 

[ScotO]

Nice score, Thistle. One thing I really like about cutting pine is that wonderful evergreen scent. One thing I don't like is all that damm sap!!
Great idea on that hold-down. I like it!

 

[smokinj]

Who clean the saw afterwards?

 

[MasterMech]

(broken link removed to http://www.stihl.com/resin-solvent.aspx)

Pricey stuff, but works wonders on hedge-trimmer blades. Makes WD-40 look like Kool-Aid.

 

[Thistle]

(broken link removed to http://www.stihl.com/resin-solvent.aspx)

Pricey stuff, but works wonders on hedge-trimmer blades. Makes WD-40 look like Kool-Aid.

I thought it would be.Especially since they dont show the price on webpage.Not gonna call local dealers to find out,guessing its $10 per can at least. I'll stick to straight gas,that's good enough.I do remember seeing some guys on the jobsite using a small amount of mixed gas to clean old roofing tar off their heavy wrecking bars,gas cut off saw & other tools after demo'ing a part of building once.

 

[Thistle]

Miscellaneous blocks milled & now drying. That very smooth surface you see is straight from the big bandsaw.It hasnt been planed or sanded.Once its dry in 2-3 yrs I'll decide what to do with them later.Am thinking about roughing out a 'dough bowl' in a month or so however.....

Helko 5.5lb twisted wedge arrived yesterday afternoon,had to try it out.4 hits with 4lb sledge,3 more busted it open.The Wetterlings 4lb wedge isnt here yet,its back ordered & might not be in for a month Will see how it does with 12lb sledge on the larger tough ones next.......