Fireplace/Rock Picking

[PapaDave]

Not to jack the thread, but very sorry to hear about your dog Dexter.
I'm expecting our 12 yr. old Newfie to go anytime now. Been saying that for the last 2 years though.
Progress zap, progress. I bet the kids had a blast "camping".

 

[rottiman]

Dexter so sorry for your loss. Remember the good times with him. They are like family members for sure.

 

[billb3]

When we built a fire pit quite a few years ago the general rule for digging down was deep enough to get beyond any ignitable dirt and roots. Kind of a variable rule dependent on local conditions.

It's so rocky here you might have enough rocks just digging out the topsoil and subsoil.

A pit can be nice when burning wood that pops and sends embers flying if it contains them.

 

[thewoodlands]

The hole is 12 inches deep, five feet wide x five feet deep. On Sunday I plan on filling the hole with sand then during the week start on building the fireplace.

zap

 

[DexterDay]

Looks good Zap... Keep it up

 

[thewoodlands]

Filled the hole with some sand today, looks like I level off around the fireplace this week then get my neighbor here with her Kubota to move the big rocks. If she can do it this week I'll start by the end of the week.

zap

 

[thewoodlands]

Tonight was spent limbing up some dead pine branches just to make sure the Kubota will have enough room when bringing back the rocks. We had one dead pine that was in close quarters that I dropped (hung up) had the rope on it but it was not strong enough to pull it through the tops. Back to the garage for the cable and the winch which took care of the problem.

zap

 

[thewoodlands]

Looks good Zap... Keep it up

The Kubota is a go for this Thursday, perfect timing.

zap

 

[thewoodlands]

The first pic 5811 is the rain we had dropped on us last night, pic 5812 is the entrance for the Kubota and pic 5813 is the exit, had to cut one dead standing which was in the middle of the exit.

zap

 

[thewoodlands]

Well my neighbor brought over the Kubota L2800, surprised the chit out of me when she said you drive all the rocks are back by the soon to be fireplace. The L2800 is a perfect fit for the trail I cleared, nice tractor.

zap

 

[DexterDay]

Damn fine lookin machine Zap... Gotta love a good neighbor

 

[thewoodlands]

Damn fine lookin machine Zap... Gotta love a good neighbor

She offered up a grate for the fireplace along with some other stuff she has that she does not use for her outdoor fireplace. I tried to pay her but that was a no go, looks like I'll stop tomorrow at Tractor Supply for a gift card for her, she has a heart of gold.

I even offered a face cord of one year old stacked yellow birch, declined.

zap

 

[Defiant]

Nice going zap, at least you could have posted one photo of her driving

 

[amateur cutter]

She offered up a grate for the fireplace along with some other stuff she has that she does not use for her outdoor fireplace. I tried to pay her but that was a no go, looks like I'll stop tomorrow at Tractor Supply for a gift card for her, she has a heart of gold.

I even offered a face cord of one year old stacked yellow birch, declined.

zap

Wow, that's a great neighbor. You shoulda just hauled the wood over with her tractor, stack it nice & quick & tell her you have no idea how it got there. I believe in wood fairy's, don't you?

BTW nice progress on the fire place. A C

 

[ScotO]

You look like an ol' pro drivin the tractor Zap. That damm thing has your name written all over it! May have to talk Mrs. Zappy into lettin you get one fer Christmas! Did you get the rocks locally? The look like some nice river rock, I can't wait to see the firepit when it's done. Sounds like both you AND your neighbor lady have a great next door neighbor in each other........

 

[ScotO]

I dug down about a foot, then added a few inches of sand and then pavers and placed the large rocks on the level ground above. So its still over a ft deep (from top of exterior rock to paver).

And a little R.I.P to my beloved German Shepard, Oscar... He passed away this morning? He was almost 8 and healthy as a horse? Hoping to find out Why? Why such a good dog can be taken so early. You will be missed
He is normally seen in most of my wood splitting/stacks pics... Always was hangin with me....

View attachment 71558 View attachment 71559

I don't know how I missed this thread, but I am sorry to hear about your dog Dex. That really sux...

 

[DexterDay]

I don't know how I missed this thread, but I am sorry to hear about your dog Dex. That really sux...

Yeah... It does. Thanks Scott. He was a damn good dog.

She offered up a grate for the fireplace along with some other stuff she has that she does not use for her outdoor fireplace. I tried to pay her but that was a no go, looks like I'll stop tomorrow at Tractor Supply for a gift card for her, she has a heart of gold.

I even offered a face cord of one year old stacked yellow birch, declined.

zap

Wow..... You are both lucky to have one another. If she burns wood, I would do as A C said, and just take the wood over there The wood fairy is an amazing creature.

 

[thewoodlands]

Nice going zap, at least you could have posted one photo of her driving

I offered but she said no or else I would have.

zap

 

[thewoodlands]

You look like an ol' pro drivin the tractor Zap. That damm thing has your name written all over it! May have to talk Mrs. Zappy into lettin you get one fer Christmas! Did you get the rocks locally? The look like some nice river rock, I can't wait to see the firepit when it's done. Sounds like both you AND your neighbor lady have a great next door neighbor in each other........

The rocks we had delivered were from a local pit a few miles from us. I might can cutting the dead standing on Saturday just to work on the fireplace. The majority of the rocks we brought back will be used in the fireplace, only the smaller stuff will be hauled away.

zap

 

[thewoodlands]

Yeah... It does. Thanks Scott. He was a damn good dog.



Wow..... You are both lucky to have one another. If she burns wood, I would do as A C said, and just take the wood over there The wood fairy is an amazing creature.

We will do something with the wood, I see when she is leaving next.

zap

 

[thewoodlands]

You look like an ol' pro drivin the tractor Zap. That damm thing has your name written all over it! May have to talk Mrs. Zappy into lettin you get one fer Christmas! Did you get the rocks locally? The look like some nice river rock, I can't wait to see the firepit when it's done. Sounds like both you AND your neighbor lady have a great next door neighbor in each other........

Maybe a tractor down the road, Mrs. Zappy needs a newer vehicle first.

zap

 

[thewoodlands]

Wow, that's a great neighbor. You shoulda just hauled the wood over with her tractor, stack it nice & quick & tell her you have no idea how it got there. I believe in wood fairy's, don't you? Yes!

BTW nice progress on the fire place. A C

Thanks A C, I hope by the end of the day Sunday we will have a chit load done, That's when you will see the next pictures, we also decided to go without the keyhole design at first.

The fireplace design is after the one my FIL built down at camp, we might use the same setup for cooking.

zap

 

[Jags]

For being on the smaller side that little 'bota has an impressive lift capacity. Nice machine. Keep posting Zap - I keep getting more ideas for a pit at the river.

 

[thewoodlands]

Jags, the best part was I had two ladies giving me orders, the best one was when they told me I had to stay on the Kubota. I did throw a few rocks on but not many.

When my wife was giving me orders (her father ran heavy equipment building a chit load of roads in NYS) and my neighbor who brought up her Kubota was giving me orders....they both looked at each other (thought for a bit we might have a fight) then they laughed....my wife continued giving the orders after that....my neighbor did tell me to stop operating it like a girl!

zap

 

[thewoodlands]

I brought down the gift card from Tractor Supply to my neighbor who brought the Kubota up, it made her mad. I knew better (she is old school) if she can't help someone just to help she won't do it.

I left it on her truck seat, I expect to see her this weekend when she brings it back.

zap