I think your my Hero! Wood always heats you twice, unless you rehandle like I do then it’s four or five times!
Spent a good time cutting today. Got back into some big boys and noodled the really big or awkward pieces once to make it more manageable on the splitter. Don’t have a whole lot left. I’ve either over estimated how many logs were in this area or it went super smoothly...probably a combination. Found a few more locust logs in the pile but this is officially the end of them. Still have this big and knarly ash log to cut up. Been sawing hard for 3 straight days. Headed down the shore again tomorrow as reward!
You seem to have a good mix or work & rest in your schedule. That’s smart, keeps a fellow from getting burned out.
My body getting tired is one thing but when the mind needs a break, that’s when you gotta give yourself a day off. I like to play as hard as I work...sometimes that gets me in trouble.
Sitting on the beach at 10 am with beer in hand, phone rings and it’s one of my helpers...I answered and just said what’s wrong? The hydraulic hose on the log lift blew a pinhole. I told them put it in the horizontal position to use as a table and to just split rounds that don’t aren’t that big. Thankfully there are plenty in the pile where they are currently working. So once I got home I drove over to my moms and removed the hose. There’s a place a few miles down from where I live that I’m hoping will have a new one in the morning. Never dealt with hydraulics before. Seemed easy enough though.
Just take it with you for size/length& to get the right ends. A bit of thread sealant on the threads when you reinstall, make sure you have some hydraulic oil to replace what you lost. No big deal.
Sorry to hear about your hydraulic leak, but it shouldn't be too complex to repair or replace the hose. I suppose you will have to figure out how much fluid to replace though, or is there a gauge on the machine? I'm not mechanical and so that's one of the reasons I hand split and haven't gone hydraulic (The other reasons are limited space and I only process 5 cords a year) but I hear about leaking hydraulics all the time and so I'm surprised with all you process you haven't had more issues. Anyway, good work getting to your goal and continued health for your next goal!
Many NAPA stores will make hydraulic hoses for you while you wait. Definitely take the old one with. As for thread sealant on the threads...shouldn't really need it unless you have to change a fitting or something with NPT (pipe threads)...splitter probably has JIC fittings on it I would guess. If you do need to use thread sealant on something, I highly recommend hydraulic thread sealant from the hyd. shop, farm store, wherever...not a big fan of regular plumbing thread sealant...too thin, and doesn't set up very fast. Don't like thread tape either...strands of thread tape can get into your hydraulic system and plug up orifices and whatnot...not good! Probably not so much risk on a log splitter (pretty simple system) but in general I don't use thread tape on any oil lines unless no other choice, and then very carefully! And I never use it on engines or transmissions...just a time bomb waiting to go off...really no need to use it anyways, most times those fittings are sealed with o-rings or some other superior sealing method. My 2 ¢...
Wow that Fiskers has seen some whacks for sure! I dunno if its just my screen but that handle has got some color to it. I was thinking tannins from all that wood going through it!
Lucky me today...was cutting a maple down near the stump end where the trunks split and hit metal. I was able to get the ax and bust the crotch in half only to find this inside. Curious how old this thing is.
Got some more cutting done after putting a new chain on and am almost done with the mixed hardwoods. Also stacked up the little bit of hickory I split recently and moved it out of the way. To finish the day off I brought theses two bins of junk wood home for my OWB.
