Bruce's Journal

Bruce

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Well cr@p. After many days of the trap being set down in the little barn and untripped, I figured I was "chuck free". Then a little after 8 tonight when I went down to close the animals in the lower part, I saw a chuck racing into the drive bay of the big barn. The trap has been moved out by the big barn. Might be taking a walk in the morning again.

Update on the tree cutting.

I went after that tree behind the apple. Using non stretch rope, chain and my come-along, I pulled on the tree about 10' up. When I cut the tree the base leapt about 10' toward the tree it was tied to and the top dropped over the apple a bit to the right of "center" (several small trunks all close together). It took out one of the trunks partway up. So I guess I would say it was a partial success. If I had been thinking I would have waited on that tree until after the apples were ready, instead some have been lost, poor deer. Speaking of deer, while I was out there just inside the woods I heard walking noise. Have had people from the neighborhood up the road that runs west up our property line wandering around in our woods. Clearly I need to get a surveyor to mark so I can put signs every 100' or whatever. Anyway I was looking, listening then my eyes caught a doe about 100' away. Kinda cool, no pictures but it did happen.

Seems lots of the trees I cut hang up before they fall, I've trapped the saw under the upper part several times. Instead of the tree falling toward the hinge, and even when it is naturally leaning that direction, the upper part of the tree doesn't fall when the saw cuts through. :he Had a 9" tree yesterday right next to a bigger tree so I decided to drop it and daylight other trees near it. Didn't fall toward the hinge AT ALL and trapped the saw. I had to use the attach the come-along to the bigger tree and lift the "felled" tree off the saw, then pull from 2 other trees in succession before it came down. Talk about widow makers! And it didn't even have all that many upper branches.

I also keep finding remnants of an old barbed wire fence (bob wire to some of you ;)). Sometimes embedded in a tree low down suggesting the fence has been "gone" for some long time. Sometimes it is buried in the ground with ends sticking out. Came across a few old metal posts with wire hang off them yesterday.

Saw has gone to the shop. The chain kept getting tight then loosening when I'd done nothing to change the tension yesterday then bound up and killed the motor. I took the cover off to try and loosen the chain and discovered the washer and E clip that should have been on the sprocket (and were earlier in the day!) were missing. Time for a bit more than a tune up.
 

greybeard

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and E clip that should have been on the sprocket (and were earlier in the day!) were missing
We call that a Jesus clip around here, because when you try to remove it, the thing goes flyin off into the tall grass somewhere and ya say "Oh Jesus, I'll never find that thing!"
 

Bruce

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I didn't spend much time looking for the clip and washer. There is a nice large gap under the sprocket when the saw is held in the cutting position. Whenever/where ever they came loose is where they dropped into the forest floor. I might have found them IF I knew EXACTLY when they dropped and didn't move from that spot though that would be a needle in a haystack event anyway.

Saw needs (besides those 2 things) a new (to me) clutch. I wonder if that happens when the trees keep trapping the saw bar and chain. Gotta figure out how to keep that from happening!! I know it isn't good for the saw regardless. Apparently they have some "gently used" saws they scavange parts from so instead of $100 for the parts I need it will be $40.

Don't know what surveyors cost. The land is surveyed and I know where some of the pins are. There SHOULD be one near the road sign at the SE corner but the guy we bought from said he pounded it down (damn fool idiot) so he could mow over it. But that one isn't a real problem. The problem is in the South line where it jogs NW. There is another pin in a vernal pool behind a tree and then the one at the SW corner of the property. Too many trees and ups and downs to have any hope of finding the property line by sight.

did ya have any success with the plywood to cut the cattails?
Didn't try. I gave up THINKING I need a real tractor and decided I DO need a real tractor. Too many things I need/want to do that I just can't physically do without a lot more horsepower. Y'all can :smack:smack:smack:smack:smack me right now but since I'm not real knowledgable about tractors I'm going new with the 7 year warranty instead of used and hope I can figure out what isn't working right on a used one after I buy it not knowing what isn't working right. Couldn't find any on Craig's List anyway. 35 HP Mahindra with bucket and backhoe.
 

CntryBoy777

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I don't know much about tractors either, but ya might as well have ya some Fun while ya still can....ya only live once, so no need to wait.....tho, it has been my experience that many that buy a first tractor, always wishes they'd got the next size up for either hp or equipment ability......can't wait to see ya working with it either way......on the cutting....it is relief cuts, and not sure why they aren't falling for ya without seeing the hinge....maybe not enough angle on the wedge cuts.....suppose to be about a third the way thru trunk....:)
 

Latestarter

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Congrats on the new tractor! (now I'm really jealous :() Waiting for pics of you and your new toy... ummm I mean TOOL! yeah, that's what I meant... ;) :weee:clap A learning curve, but I'm sure you're gonna wonder why you didn't get it sooner. I know that's the way I generally feel when I finally get something I should have gotten years earlier. :confused:
 
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