Its a SWEET machine. Log lifts on both sides even though he loads rounds with the little bobcat. 4 way on the left, single wedge on the right. Fast cycle with foot peddles. Variable speed conveyor. With two good guys splitting and nice rounds it cranks out the firewood. Thinking an ideal upgrade for jrider
Still can't get over no snow in pics from CT, MA, and southern NH. We still have some snow but it's going fast and the rain today won't help. It's way too early for all the snow to be gone (for those of us on wells, we need the snowpack for the aquafer, especially after the drought last year). Snowmobile trails used to be open sometimes into early May around here; they're already closed now. Nice load of apple and enjoy the weather, it's mud season here now.
If I heard correctly there was a city in CT that hit 80* last week. We still have a glacier full of gravel from the plowing. Do they still Summer ski in Tuckermans ravine?
Late March through mid-May is the peak time for skiing at Tucks. They have been able to ski the headwall as late as July during good snow years though.
Split most of the apple yesterday. A little maintenence on a rack in back and then I'll commence stacking. Bin of apple nuggets nearing full.
Back around Thanksgiving a friend of mine told me of roadside cutting near him. Big production staging log decks near the road. Mostly dead ash. I asked and they said have at it, BUT they will be taking it away very soon. No time to get any back then. Fast forward to January. Fresh blowover they didn't remove. Good sized and bark free. Wood was solid. Had it on my radar. Guessing the recent wind took the top one over. 24" DBH on that one. First load cut today. I kinda forgot how much work roadside scrounging is! Split 2/3 off the truck after. Dead ash that's still stringy when split is a beautiful thing. Heartwood splits for bundle wood. The rest for general cordage and some for firepit wood. I'll split the rest in the morning and may hit it again later.
Nice looking stuff Brad. I do the same thing separating the questionable outer stuff from the solid heart wood too. In my case the punky splits are for the fire pit or for boiling maple sap.
The outer wasn't that bad honestly. Most went to general courage. Some gnarly and punky went to fire pit wood which is my West Hartford customer. They will get some of Joes TOH mixed in the next order. Speaking of sap its been a couple good days for it. Running good?
Not much since yesterday. I'm still collecting from 2 sugar maples but I don't expect to get much more. Maybe enough for one more very small boil.
Great thread buZZsaw BRAD I think we are all a lil behind, this has been most wood I have burned in my stove since I bought it 2015! usually burn a lil over 4 cords have 6 at ready; this year I burned all 6 . Next winter wood is ready but only 5 cord so I need to get started as I can get in the woods when I get blower off tractor. So I need 10 cord this year to get back on 3 year plan.. 2 cord blocked and 3 cord down in tree length before snow and ice put an end to it last fall,
When I use dead wood I'll usually use the heartwood as the bark is missing, buggy dirty etc. and I don't want that mixed in. Now you've got me thinking with my bundle wood inventory shortage.
Yesterday's surprise scrounge. Right around the corner from the woodyard. Town took down this Goldilocks sugar maple. Turns out it was dead. Bark came off while splitting and some punk. Last log I hit something metal. Barbed wire playing hide and seek in the vines and brush! Split the load off the truck and sorted. Organized some...sorted and stacked. Stacked the mulberry. Bundle order to finish up today. Will move more bundle splits next door and may cut another load.
Nice scrounge. I've got plenty of logs on hand from my own property that need to be processed, and a lot more where those trees came from. More than enough to keep me busy for the year. With that being said, I miss the scrounging. Not that I would be able to do it right now anyway (health-wise), but I miss the thrill of the hunt. Used to love going out early in the morning up the mountain roads looking for blowdowns. Yes it's easier when you don't have to leave home to get the trees...but it's just not as much fun.
