Sad day at Nebraska Firewood

It’s not hard…

 

Maybe a little messy but like you mention ; It's really not hard. Very few parts actually involved.
Look at the bright side ; you won't have dirty fingernails when you are done and your hands will be velvety smooth.

 

If that is something one is concerned about, hand washing the dishes every night will provide the same...gotta wear chaps while ya do it though, just so your skirt doesn't get wet
JK, JK...don't anybody get your panties in a wad!

 

No problem here , Just go Commando and this won't happen.

 

Good reminder...yeah many/most things meant to be used in the snow don't have air filters.
I'll have to check on that...its a Tecumseh...what did they call those...Snow King or something like that?

 

It's hard to get them em in a wad when i don't wear any.

 

Yeah I have one on my snowblower too...thought about the sound level already...but I also found a 10 HP version too, so then with a 16GPM pump I'd then have enough power to run at partial throttle and it still be pretty quick.
The main advantage of a snoblo engine is you can pick 'em up cheap, and the 120v electric start (no battery to fool with, and I'm usually splitting close to the garage, so no big deal for power...would probably pull start 99% of the time anyways)
Seriously considering making it so that I could run it with the electric motor, or couple minute swap out for gas, if I'm going to be working "away"

 

Thought about that too...those things are pigs.
Seen some good deals on GX Honda powered pressure washers too...with junk pumps. No electric start, but that's not a deal breaker, especially with a Honda.

 

Well, I guess the one Honda was on a (bad) trash pump (WT30X)...just not sure that would have for an output shaft...never worked on a Honda trash pump.

 

True!

 

That's what I was afraid of.
Oh well, I made a deal for the new Predator 8 hp...just gotta get over there and pick it up tomorrow.
Still gonna try to snag that 5 hp electric motor too.

 

Keep us posted, please. I think the crank on the old Briges had internal threads but don't think the new Predator does.

 

I would say that was a good call.

 

I will try to not make this a long post.

The year was 2006 when we purchased our current home with a fireplace in it. That winter we purchased a couple loads of wood using my 1996 E150 with no back seats. That winter we had to scrape the inside of the of the windows from all the moisture in that wood. Next summer I purchased a new 455 as my first chainsaw and started to scrounge around for anything I could find along with a maul for splitting. I also placed an ad on Craigslist looking for wood.

Had a reply from a farmer that he had fence lines that needed to be cleared. We met and looked like easy to get to wood and minimal amount of work dealing with brush. When I got home there was a message from this guy (Lefty) who had a place south of town (15 miles from me) where I could cut and split wood. Deal was he keeps the oak so sounded good to me. Went out to look at it and there was this white haired, full beard hillbilly kind of guy.

As I was still new using saws he wanted to watch/coach me to make sure I was safe using it. After working for a couple of hours cutting he pulled out his "Lickity" splitter, so we ran it for another couple hours. I believe it was an 8-ton and was only a foot off the ground, but did it ever split the wood. After a couple of weekends I told him about the monster pile I had at the house that needed to be split. Well next thing I know here is unloading that splitter at the house as he was going to be out of town for a few weeks. Hardly knew me but still trusting me with his splitter. I didn't know people like him still existed.

That was in 2008 and in 2009 after spending most free weekends scrounging and working out at his place processing wood I decided to do an upgrade and purchased a new Huskee 35-ton from Tractor Supply. We took it out to his place and brought his Lickity splitter to town for me to use. Worked great for several years and we both processed a ton of wood for myself, his personal use and to sell. By this time it was agreed upon that any wood sold would be split between us 50/50. Over the years we both made some nice spending cash and allowed me to pick up my 365 special that he saw at an auction. He also had a 261 Husky, Stihl 044 plus a couple of Echo top-handles as he was a retired arborist. He was amazed at my scrounging ability and we always had plenty of wood to work with. I can't remember when it was, but his 261 lost compression so he gave it to me and just used the 044, his favorite anyway. It sat for a few months but I finally was able to get an aftermarket 262 top-end for it and rebuilt it. For Christmas I gave it back and he could not believe I got it going. Amazingly it is still running well to this day.

2016 I decided to purchase a Country Line 25-ton for the house and we sold the Lickity. So now I was working wood at two locations and was able to keep myself with a couple of years' worth of wood here at the house. We never sold a ton and since it was just in large piles I can only guess that amounted to 15 cords or so a year. Not enough to get rich off of but kept us busy and some spending cash.

Over the years we became best friends and shared a lot of laughs but also a few tears during that time. New Years eve 2021 he had a chicken coop catch on fire and lost most of their chickens. Fire department made quick work of it and looked like no other spreading from it. Lefty kept checking the area until 3:30 AM before heading to sleep. I want to say it was 5:30 when they were awoken from a telephone call from a neighbor saying that the barn was on fire and fire department was in route again. I got his call at 7:00 AM New Years day 2022 and headed out thinking he was just pulling another joke, but it was no joke. Lefty and I visited while the fire department was working it and brought in a track hoe to tear the rest down and stir the remains for hot-spots. It was also the fire that took out my 25-ton splitter as I moved it out there when Edwin started to use his place to split his own wood to sale and was using the 35-ton for himself.

Time moves on and Lefty, his wife Bunny, friends, neighbors and me to a smaller extent worked on cleaning up the remains plus dealing with the insurance company. Sad days but we got past them. I've been extremely busy with my work, plus some depression, wasn't going out as often as normal. I also let me personal wood supply dwindle so that I empty here at the house after this season.

Anyway, fast forward to last Tuesday (21 March) when I missed a call from his son-in-law, very strange as he has never called me before. A few minutes later I got a call from his daughter, and I could not believe my ears, "Lefty has passed away". I knew he had a bad heart valve and was in the process of getting it taken care of. In fact, the week before they scoped his arteries and heart and everything looked very good with not cause for concern and surgery should be very straight forward. He had a Fitbit on and it recorded a few beats and then nothing.

Sorry, I will try to continue tomorrow but very hard to see the screen now. He was my best friend and like a brother to me.

Thanks for listening and I will add as I can.

 

Sorry for your loss Stephie. I just attended a viewing for an uncle tonight. It sure ain't easy loosing those we care for.