REAL MAN TRUCKWORKS & SURVIVAL
PERSONAL READINESS => Hide Site => Topic started by: Flyin6 on October 23, 2023, 08:23:20 PM
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Let's begin with reenergizing this old topic.
Many of you have seen a deserted and run-down property in Rural Kentucky come back slowly, bit by bit. It has been a long road but today the place is completely functional and can be turned into a homestead without a major effort.
Th summarize where we left off in Part 7, which should have seen a major change with me actually moving and living there permanently, but the thread ended with my putting the place up for sale. I did that because, in an unexpected turn, Kat told me she did not want to live there, but preferred staying close to the grandkids. I went along with that, but it hurt. I felt like I was walking away from a big piece of my life, and sentencing myself to a life in Suburbia.
I suppose the whole exercise was necessary to show us that the only thing that really makes any sense is to move there and abandon the increasingly expensive life in a bedroom community near a metropolitan area. I want to say the latest tax increase was the final nail in the coffin. We will not make a monthly tax payment equal to a mortgage payment, and that will never go away. Further, there is the HOA thing, and increasing human pressure. With the remoteness of the farm, no one is coming, ever! It is located in the least populated county in Kentucky, and life is just different there. You have neighbors, but they stay away for the most part. There is not any sign of an overbearing government or oppressive anything. We only ever get busy for a few weeks during Deer season with the rest of the year devoid of any drama or outsiders.
From the Hide Site perspective, the place is remote. I do not actually even have a physical address! My annual tax bill is about the same as a single month's where our "big" house is located. There are still not any building regulations inspections, licenses or anything else associated with building. Just build what you want in the manner in which you desire, and no one will ever check.
It is odd how God worked all this out. I sold off a ton of stuff and implements mostly, but the actual things I really need mostly remained behind, and I still have them. Once the light bulb turned on, I pulled all the marketplace ads for the equipment and de-listed the property with my Realtor.
Having done all that we reevaluated our original plan and found it to be viable. We will convert the shed into a usable cabin, and then move into that. That's when we get busy clearing out of the mansion and get that house ready for sale. I will add another small storage building for the things we wish to keep and chuck everything else. The barn will come online as the primary place of work, and I will continue to improve the property.
Speaking of which, I started in hay production this year. The farm yields 100 ish round bales a year at the present time. I will likely continue with that since it is actually two free cuttings of the property. At $33 a bale, there is some income in that as well. I ordered a replacement sawmill today. I went back with the same mill I owned before, the Woodland Mills HM130 max. I will only set it up to cut 16' logs this time, and not the 20-something stuff which I actually never cut before.
https://woodlandmills.com/hm130max-portable-sawmill/
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We are currently reviewing "tiny homes" on YouTube to get ideas about what we want our cabin to look like.
I will be starting with the same old 16' X 32' story-and-a-half structure I built some years ago. It is due some paint and a roof repair, so it is excellent timing. At a minimum, it will get wrapped on three sides with a porch. I will remove about half of the second floor to get some cool vaulted space. I am thinking of making a space that will work efficiently for 2 years, I will need to add some square footage. I am talking to a builder at the moment about that. Initially, I am thinking of attaching a 20 X 24 pole barn structure with two full floors. That will house a master suite, a big closet, a laundry room, and a vacant second floor for storage/expansion/growth.
I think that is cost-effective and possible to be built with existing savings and no mortgage is necessary. I have never owed a dime on the property having purchased it with money I saved while contracting. Looking down the road, when the big house finally sells, the funds that yield will be used to build a comfortable 3BR on a basement Cape Cod on the top of the hill not far from the cabin. The cabin then becomes a guest house.
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We are also reacquiring some necessary implements that are needed now to start a general cleanup. We have suffered some wind damage and I have done next to nothing on the farm for about a year. Obviously, we need to baseline the place to get it ready for the coming construction. I purchased a tractor grapple which I will use on the Kubota MX6000 utility tractor. The Kubota SVL-97 will do the heavy lifting.
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Today I pressure-washed the SVL-97 and got that running well. Yesterday I did all sorts of maintenance on that Altoz RX766 tracked zero-turn which I used extensively today.
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Then it was nonstop grass cutting with both machines.
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the entryway deck thing I built for the camper was tossed around by some wind storm and the roof on the shed lost some shingles.
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The shed will get a couple of dormers and a metal roof and have a wall or two blown out to create more space.
I still have a couple of days of cleaning up. Expect to see a sizeable burn pile building.
The Ram 3500 has taken over hauling duties.
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Oh, and it seems Jimmy is playing "king of the Hill" with this new pile of dirt. I wonder what he is building there?
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Sounds like a solid plan for a start. (oh, I linked this to part 7)
I have decided another dump trailer is in the near future. Talking to the nieghbor, hauling costs as much if not more to where we are. We have a quarry just down the road so a load here and there is just the ticket.
Wind never seems to be a friend. I like a little breeze.
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Yup, hauling costs are tough. The thing you need to factor is time. Do you have it because speaking from experience 5 yards at a time takes awhile……
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I sold my flatbed 17K equipment trailer and am not missing it but kept the dump 17K. I use it like a regular trailer and to haul materials. Even lumber stacks in without needing to be tied down.
The problem is the same as with Shawn. You just can't haul that much and it takes a lot of time on a busy day to haul a load. There is the wear and tear on your truck as well. Finally, around Northern KY, I haven't found many quarries that will sell to the happy homeowner. Some idiot sued one for scratches some time ago and that was that. That forces me to buy from a middleman who adds his surcharge making the stuff more expensive. Nevertheless, at a $150-$200 haul fee per load, it is still economical to use it.
For upcoming projects, I will plan my trips to leave here, enroute to a quarry, then onto the Farm to do tasks involving that load of materials. I will need to pack in gravel around the old/new wood mill site. I need gravel for the entrances to the barn, and I will need material for concrete pads around the cabin for concrete.
I am actually planning a maintenance day on the trailer. Mostly patch up small surface rust spots, but I want to grease everything, give it a good cleaning, and make sure the brakes and wheel bearings are all GTG.
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Today's project is to source a grapple. In an effort to keep expenses low, I want to find one that will work on both the tractor and the CTL. I know that buying one that will pick up 4-ton boulders will be too heavy for the tractor to even move. On the other side of the coin, if I buy a little root grapple, it will fold like a progressive's political argument in the light of facts.
It should be fun searching out the right one.
Tomorrow, I have Corey, who built my barn, showing up to look over the project to perhaps offer some ideas about what he could build to flesh out the cabin/temp-home construction.
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Too bad you’re not closer I’d sell you my grapple with solid bottom. I’m needing a skeleton style bucket instead.
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Too bad indeed!
I think I may have found what I need. I spoke with Blue Diamond this morning. I want something that won't kill my tractor, but at the same time won't "be" killed by the track loader.
They have a grapple that weighs in at 777 pounds built for 60 HP tractors and 60-70HP skid steers. So it would work well lifting logs and clearing out debris but could obviously be damaged by the 100HP track loader. Using it will probably result in a shortened lifespan if I get too busy moving boulders around, but on this end of the equation, it will preserve working capital.
I see it as the likely correct compromise for now.
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With Corey, the original barn builder siting out the new cabin addition.
We are standing on the site of the addition.
The plan is dirt simple. I will excavate a level pad with a retaining wall made from the large boulders I already have on site. He will backfill with gravel and establish a 24X24 concrete pad, then a pole-barn-like structure with 10' wall height to the sill plate, then top it all off with a scissors truss with something like an 8/12 external pitch and 5/12 interior. I will add in beams, a timber frame style I cut from the property, and create a great room with a kitchen/open space and half bath.
The downhill slope will also get a retaining wall extending 10-20 feet made from the same huge limestone slabs, which will get backfilled and topped by even more of the stones so I will have one super solid porch area. I am thinking of extending the vaulted roof to cover a portion of that area and slipping an exterior fire pit or fireplace in there.
Living down at the farm will focus much more on being in the outdoors, whereas life in suburbia is mostly indoors.
Corey is now creating a plan which we will work over and finalize. When I like it, I'll stroke a check to begin. He will create the walls and roof and tie it all together. He may also create two shed dormers in the existing shed, and I will assist as necessary to get it all dried in. Following that, i will commence turning the empty shells into a new home. I hope to do it piece by piece without incurring any debt if possible.
As I have mentioned all along, once we reach the point where the cabin is habitable, we will physically move and vacate the mansion. She will likely quit her job and become my full-time help building the rest. Once we move, Corey suggested he first build the garage of the new home which we can use as a storage shed until we sell the mansion. Then he can take off creating the rest of a new 3BR retirement home. Once he is finished with that, we will move into it and use the cabin for family and friends.
I plan to maintain a high degree of flexibility through all this but I do feel we have finally set things in motion.
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Oh, and I pulled the trigger on purchasing that super-strong Jenkins Iron and steel grapple.
The blue Diamond stuff has become too expensive. The BD 66" Graple was $4,600. The Jenkins unit is $3,200 and appears to be just as good or even better.
Along with that, we looked at replacing the Kubota MX6000 with something that has a cab but decided to hold fast where we are.
You know, it feels good to revisit old decisions and reevaluate. I feel more and more like we are developing a solid plan.
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I like the flat bottom grapple. Really works well for dragging roads and leveling.
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I like the flat bottom grapple. Really works well for dragging roads and leveling.
I like them too.
At the moment, however, I need to move a bunch of downed trees, and trash for a general cleanup, then move a bunch of logs, and finally stack a bunch more rocks up.
I'll pick up equipment as jobs demand and money allows...
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A good box scraper works really good for gravel road maintenance, and general leveling projects.
I really think you are making a good move Don. Once your wife gets used to being in the country it would be hard to move back to the hustle of more populated life. As for medical, leave a an area large enough for the life flight team to land.
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Funny, I sold my box blade, just didn't work well (maybe it was me)
Looking a dozer blade for the skid, just needs a mount.
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Funny, I sold my box blade, just didn't work well (maybe it was me)
Looking a dozer blade for the skid, just needs a mount.
Check out this one:
https://jenkinsironandsteel.com/products/Dozer-Blade/27/
It is the one I am currently considering
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Found one on FB for 750, just need to weld a mount on it, 100 bucks.
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Found one on FB for 750, just need to weld a mount on it, 100 bucks.
No Way!
That's crazy cheap!
Worked the farm today. bent a mower blade after hitting some big stone...GRRRRRRRR.....
Concept of the operation: Temps are dropping and grass is not growing as fast. I mowed the fields and left a circle of tall stuff around all the "Holes." When I excavate the pad for the new addition, I plan to go all over and fill in those holes and seed. Goal is to make it mucho easier to mow and care for the grounds in the future. The area within a couple hundred feet of the shed/cabin will be maintained like a lawn. As you get further away, I will allow those expanses to grow naturally and cut them for hay 2x yearly, or so the plan is.
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Looks like it might be a home made unit, but solid.
Was the stone orange?
Did you figure out water? I know there was a well, is it viable? Drop a couple pipes to the bottom, fill with rocks.
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A good box scraper works really good for gravel road maintenance, and general leveling projects.
I really think you are making a good move Don. Once your wife gets used to being in the country it would be hard to move back to the hustle of more populated life. As for medical, leave a an area large enough for the life flight team to land.
Couldn’t agree more, so glad we’re out of the Colorado bustle. Being that we’re remote up here, we pay for life flight insurance and it’s an inexpensive annual cost.
Congrats on the wise decision!
Interesting read on where we may be headed.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/2-billion-could-die-current-war-cycle-charles-nenner-says-buy-gold-two-year-treasury
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Looks like it might be a home made unit, but solid.
Was the stone orange?
Did you figure out water? I know there was a well, is it viable? Drop a couple of pipes to the bottom and fill with rocks.
So water is not a problem. If I want I can source city water about a mile away. Means a lot of trenching but it's there. I already collect rainwater. I washed everything with a pressure washer, and we must have had a shower or something because the tanks were full with 6,000 gallons. I collected rain off the barn roof, and it filled two 3,000-gal tanks in a couple of weeks. I will add a catch tank for the cabin. I also have the well which has about 20 feet of water in it presently. I could also pump from my pond if necessary. I have a lot of water...
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A good box scraper works really good for gravel road maintenance, and general leveling projects.
I really think you are making a good move Don. Once your wife gets used to being in the country it would be hard to move back to the hustle of more populated life. As for medical, leave a an area large enough for the life flight team to land.
Couldn’t agree more, so glad we’re out of the Colorado bustle. Being that we’re remote up here, we pay for life flight insurance and it’s an inexpensive annual cost.
Congrats on the wise decision!
Interesting read on where we may be headed.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/2-billion-could-die-current-war-cycle-charles-nenner-says-buy-gold-two-year-treasury
She is unsettled by all this, but oddly she first wanted to live on a farm, so I bought one. Later she stated she wanted to build a house there. Next, she decided it was too remote and we needed to sell everything and start all over on 20 acres near the grandkids. Those 20 acres would cost more than the 91 I already own!
She has been watching her country-boy husband try and fit into her social/suburban lifestyle and he hasn't been happy. Finally, she admits living on the farm would be easier and more affordable. We already raise or buy cows. We already use eggs from our daughter's chicken so there's that. Then we got hit with a huge tax increase. I told her she can have an apartment here, but I am selling the mansion, especially since we DO NOT NEED 7500 SQ FT!!!!!!
She tossed in the towel, and it wasn't even a fight. She went down there a couple of months ago and told me how much she loved the place and how peaceful it was down there.
It is so remote and devoid of government oversight that we do not need a building permit to build and move into the cabin or new house. That's right, no zoning people, no building inspectors, no pesky anybody. I call that real freedom and I plan to wallow in it. I can say, I feel good every time I go down there and put in a day's work. Everywhere I look now is something I did. Cleared fields, ponds built, trees taken down, roads put in, the barn and buildings erected, electricity and water now available. It is the complete package and I will get this addition rolling as fast as I can.
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Update:
Still awaiting a shipping date/number for the sawmill
Spoke with Kurt Jenkins of Jenkins Iron and Steel. Great guy! He said they will be shipping the grapple on the first of next week. BTW, the price they quote includes shipping to your door!!!!!!
$3,200 + Tax
Concerning tax: During those months I had the farm up for sale, Kentucky changed its farm exemption rules. Before, I just supplied a simple form with my SSN, and the tax is waived. Now we have to apply for a farm tax-exempt certificate from the goofyment. So, just how free are we, anyway? Now I need to ask permission from the government to get an exemption. No longer up to me to make that call, now I need to go and ask...
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Heck, my lot is 9500sf. Yes gov wants to be into everything and know all about you/me.
Good luck on the tax issue, sure it will be fine. You already do hay and want to add a few cattle right?
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That's what we have here in GA. Cost something like20 bucks a year. We have to renew every 3 years. Sure helps.
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Heck, my lot is 9500sf. Yes gov wants to be into everything and know all about you/me.
Good luck on the tax issue, sure it will be fine. You already do hay and want to add a few cattle right?
I am planning a visit to the local farm bureau. They have grant money for everything. I want a grant for fencing and a grant for a hay barn. Once I get the grant for the fencing, I'll fence off around 15-20 acres for my first field. I think I could comfortably handle 6-10 cows in there since they are largely self-sufficient.
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That's what we have here in GA. Cost something like20 bucks a year. We have to renew every 3 years. Sure helps.
It's free here, I think
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What I have going on presently with the hide:
Cleaned and waxed up the Kubota MX6000 today. More of just routine maintenance with an eye toward longevity.
Have an inbound on the Woodland Mills HM-130max. It will be delivered this Friday. I will configure the tractor with pallet forks to make unloading the saw easier.
I have a shipping number on the grapple. Coming from Minnesota, I am expecting it to show up early next week.
The builder is now putting together a proposal to start a small house on the farm. We are all over the board on this. One day we want to just improve the shed to a minimalist thing, the next we want to add on to it significantly. Then we want to begin construction of the new 3br barndo. For now, we are gathering numbers.
Whatever we do, we will soon have the sawmill mounted again and start to saw up timber to stack and await future decks, floors, whatever.
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:popcorn:
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Want to check out our drawings?
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Want to check out our drawings?
Let me mention that to Kat
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The pond is looking pretty healthy (I think)
Water seems relatively clear and the level stays near full most of the time.
I am letting those willows grow to net me a shady spot in the future
Not sure what is going on with this algae-encrusted pond-bottom floating around. I do know it is signs of a pond turning over, but the fish seem pretty happy.
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I reconfigured the tractor with forks and began moving things about.
No longer liking the JD-green paint.
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I set up this area and that 330-gallon tank for waste oil, although I believe I just might build a waste oil furnace and move that tank up and beside the barn.
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Things may look disorganized, but I am beginning to reconfig everything to make one expansive work area and machine storage/parking area.
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You need to de-organize to organize.
Good fix for the green is a can of orange.
Thought about aerating the pond?
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They don’t put doors on barns in the tuck?
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They don’t put doors on barns in the tuck?
Well, ya know, we don't wear shoes, so...
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You need to de-organize to organize.
Good fix for the green is a can of orange.
Thought about aerating the pond?
Was thinking black...
Funny you mentioned aerating the pond. Remember when I was building that aeration system? Well, I actually moved it down to the farm yesterday. I will likely be getting on that in the near future.
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I thought you had built one, just watch to many vids to nail down!
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This showed up today, and along with that, the Jenkins Iron and Steel grapple did too!
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I finally moved the camper I built down to the farm as well. It towed very well behind the Suburban. I'll be doing overnights in it to maximize workdays until I get something a bit roomier up and running.
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Yes, shoes are optional :likebutton:
I didn’t realize the size of that camper until you put it behind the burb. Much larger than I thought.
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Yes, shoes are optional :likebutton:
I didn’t realize the size of that camper until you put it behind the burb. Much larger than I thought.
It is a pretty good sized thing
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Started assembling the Woodland Mills sawmill today.
This is the second saw I have owned of theirs. My first, an HM130 was designed to take 30" logs although due to some fuzzy math, the actual throat size was down around 26" or something like that. I found that to be an excellent saw and did a great job for me over the years. Now that I am looking at sawing up a passel and a half of timber for the cabin construction when I needed a new saw, I just went back with the same unit/same company.
Woodland Mills is a Canadian company that delivers a good product and even better customer service.
The new and improved HM-130 max is a saw designed to take a 30" log that can actually take a 30" log at the blade. That allows for those who want to saw a big slab with two live edges for that cool tabletop. I will likely never use a throat that large, but then again, I just may.
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Oh, they printed that box upside down ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. I already contacted them and have a new box on the way ;-)
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Everything is packaged separately and labeled. Look at all the hardware for the cutting head. It is labeled, for example: Bolt, M12 x 110mm.
So, there was no confusion on my part. For each assembly step, the instructions would give a list of the required hardware. I'd gather that into a small box, then go to the work site and assemble IAW the drawings/instructions.
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I thought about it, doing a step-by-step, but that's a bunch of work, so I'll just do the highlights.
You actually begin with assembling the track sections, but I decided to assemble the cutting head first. You start with laying it onto its side to insert the front legs.
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And then it just goes along step by step. I took my time working from noon until around 1800. I was able to finish the head assembly, although you do not get to tighten the bolts until it is sitting on a leveled and squared track.
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Now is it me, or does this dog of mine look like a big mole?
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Assembly point I finished with tonight:
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Honorable mention for the Burb which sees regular farm trips and now even tows things (very well!)
And
The MX6000 which for no other reason other than I am tired of buying tractors will be the go-to utilitarian work horse for now on.
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Yep, he looks like a mole. But hey, the supervisor can do as he wishes.
Good looking mill, good on the kubota, mine is a do all too. Front hydro is a must add on.
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I finally moved the camper I built down to the farm as well. It towed very well behind the Suburban. I'll be doing overnights in it to maximize workdays until I get something a bit roomier up and running.
Spruce Goose!
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I finally moved the camper I built down to the farm as well. It towed very well behind the Suburban. I'll be doing overnights in it to maximize workdays until I get something a bit roomier up and running.
Spruce Goose!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Not quite :-)
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Next installment of the sawmill setup.
I think I have one more short day of setting the critical angles of the saw after leveling the track and squaring everything, then it will be ready to transport down to the farm. Once there it gets bolted down and leveled again, then the additional six feet of track will be added, then finally it will get its first log, a well-seasoned and big cedar log that is just waiting for the moment!
As with the sawmill head build, I started with laying out all the hardware and small parts. Next, I created four "feet" to lay the track on. Later on, I'll use these to lay freshly sawn timbers on beside the mill.
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Look at the thickness of the zinc-plated reinforcing plate. This along with all the bolts made for one strong assembly
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I laid down the bunks while snugging the hardware but not tightening. The critical measurement is 37" to the outside which I maintained almost dead on throughout the process.
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After taking a lot of time squaring as I went, I took the first corner-to-corner measurement.
153 13/16"
153 3/4"
That was a difference of only 1/16" over an 11' span. I decided to leave it right there for fear I'd knock a bunch of other stuff out of alignment..
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Then I finished the assembly and thoroughly tightened everything. It is now ready for leveling and to receive the mill head.
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I'm sorry I have been busy and just now catching up on some threads.
You say you get 100 round bales a year at $33 a bale? How big are the bales? I know hay prices vary greatly place to place but even Prarie hay and grass bales are $150 ish a ton. It cost us $10 A bale to just hire someone to bale it. Large round bales weigh roughly 1,200 lbs.
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I'm sorry I have been busy and just now catching up on some threads.
You say you get 100 round bales a year at $33 a bale? How big are the bales? I know hay prices vary greatly place to place but even Prarie hay and grass bales are $150 ish a ton. It cost us $10 A bale to just hire someone to bale it. Large round bales weigh roughly 1,200 lbs.
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That's a huge difference, but according to my farming friends, around here, that's what folks were paying for them this past summer. I did not purchase nor sell any, I gave all my hay to the farmer next door who has 70-80 cows. He lost his lease on some fields and needed some help,
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Spent the whole weekend at the farm. Starting Friday afternoon until late Sunday.
It was the inauguration for using the camper down there. I stayed in it Friday night and Kat and I both stayed in it Saturday night. She brought both dogs (Which made me super nervous since it was the first day of rifle/deer season.)
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With that heater going it was super cozy and I/we both got good nights' sleep.
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The barn lighting is exceptional:
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Added a small microwave as I once again ramp up this place to be able to support us.
I can so identify with the sign.
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Saturday, I built a new road at the bottom of the slope so I won't have to drive all over the grass when doing chores in the woods
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Love the DAM sign, land looks great but the barn needs doors.
Amazing what having a microwave does for you out there. I waited way to long to bring mine out.
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Love the DAM sign, land looks great but the barn needs doors.
Amazing what having a microwave does for you out there. I waited way to long to bring mine out.
The big doors are built, awaiting hanging...
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Hard to tell right here, but I filled in a low place in the road with stones I harvested from a stone fence that was created when someone pulled thousands of stones out of the fields when the farm was first going in. These stone "walls" are little more than rubble heaps now, but I plan to use them for backfill in many future projects. This is 9 loads total!
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And I started on the cleanup of the area some wind storms destroyed some of the things I built. This actually dovetails into the building of the cabin. I will need to finish the halfway below-grade structure and close in the walls. It will house water storage and serve as a storm shelter as well.
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I harvested a bunch of gravel from that site to fill in around the old sawmill base, which I will repurpose as the new base. I wanted to level that area up more and make it more presentable. Shortly after sawing begins, it will be covered over with sawdust.
I also moved that hideous pile of logs away from the barn...what an eyesore it was. I dressed the area and cut the grass around it.
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And then for no other reason than I wanted to, I stacked up two big boulders. I was actually playing with the new Jenkins Iron grapple. I could rotate it vertically, grab a boulder from the ground, then rotate upright for transport, and then again parallel to the ground to place it where I wanted. That thing is awesome!
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And the smile on your facw as awesome I bet. Boys and toys,,,,,,,
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Sawmill is all squared and finally assembled. Just needs to be loaded/transported and have its final installation in the barn...Oh and add some oil and blade lube fluid.
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Today all I had to do with the mill was to get it loaded. It still took a while since I was super careful moving everything.
I topped up the fuel and engine oil with Penzoil full synthetic 10W-30 and added windshield washer fluid to the blade lube tank. I then ran the mill for a few minutes ensuring everything was ready to go for when it gets put to work next week.
The objective is to get it farmside and mounted tomorrow, then first of the week, I think I will be sawing up several 30" sections of a Red Oak my friend just dropped at his house.
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I don't think I mentioned it before, but I had the mulch in a bunch of my plant beds replaced with stone this summer. Here's a couple pics of that.
The big stones all came from my farm.
The photo quality is not that great since I took the photos when it was getting dark with no flash.
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I thought your dump trailer was Kaufman?
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I thought your dump trailer was Kaufman?
No, the one I sold, an equipment hauler, 17K was a Kaufman. This is a Big Tex
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So, here is the mill base before anything was assembled. It is not level, nor true. And I had another surprise coming which I did not know about until I tried to place the saw base on the stand.
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I employed the Skid steer to do the "Heavy" lifting.
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My old saw was the same brand and the same model. Apparently, there have been a bunch of improvements and one of them was a widening of the stance. This saw is wider than my old 30" saw. The feet for the base overshot the existing base rails by inches. I had to scab two pieces of framing two-by onto each side to achieve the correct width.
Looking at this and all the space it takes up in the barn, I am now thinking I just might build a dedicated sawmill shed and concrete the floor all the way to the opening.
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The base set right on the old/new rails, and then I added another 6.5-foot section to get me to sixteen-foot cut length.
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The "feet" are adjustable so for the next couple hours, I carefully leveled the saw side to side and mostly spanwise as well. The adjustable feet are a really nice feature that keeps the saw deck level and square. Hopefully, I won't be cutting too many propellers.
I again used the CTL to hoist the mill head onto the track system.
It rolled easily and freely.
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Off to the races again. Now for the doors so you don't have a wind tunel.
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Off to the races again. Now for the doors so you don't have a wind tunel.
No kidding!
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Good day today. We got a bunch of stuff done.
I pulled the belly plates off of the Kubota CTL and thoroughly cleaned that thing.
I changed the oil and filter of the machine. The factory does not have the owner changing the oil for 500 hours. Man, I can't stand that long interval so with just over 200 hours on the Hobbs, I did a drain and refill along with a fresh filter.
I lubed the entire machine.
I ended up pulling a bucket of crap out of the belly of the machine, then after soaking with a detergent and a good pressure washing, it looks nearly new in there once again.
I then changed the oil and filter in Kat's Honda Talon which hasn't been driven in over a year. I charged the battery, added fresh gas and reinflated all the tires. It, too got a through pressure washing. Man is that one fast little SxS. It will spin all the way through 1st and 2nd gears and well into 3rd!
Next, I pressure washed the barn floor as I continue to bring that thing back into proper serviceable condition.
She burned a ton of old scrap and dead wood that was in and around the shed.
We pulled the storage racks off the exterior walls of the shed as well.
We cleaned up most of what was left and now only have that wrecked deck thing to dismantle to salvage much good lumber.
She started the cleaning of the interior of the shed what will continue as I move everything out of it and relocate to the barn.
All this is in prep for the modification of that building. It is looking like I will be adding an addition of approximately 18x12 with a shed roof. we also plan to add opposing shed dormers to make the upstairs floor space completely useable as a bedroom. Following that I will tear out about 40% of the upstairs floor to make for a high-ceiling great room. I will add some windows and a French door and relocate the staircase.
The way I see it, the first step is to clear out the space completely including that wall that is not structural. Then our idea is to use masking tape to "tape off" rooms to get an idea of what layout we actually like.
While I'm getting ready for a new concrete pad outside, I will also lay out a wrap-around porch of 6' width with a continuous shed roof overhead. I'll be using all the cedar beams I saw myself. All the framing and decking will also be eastern cedar that comes off my mill.
So as you can see, there is a load of work coming, and we will be back at it again Monday when I am scheduled to pick up four huge Red Oak logs that I will saw up for a friend. The deal is he supplies the logs and we split the lumber 50/50.
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Isn't it amazing how much crud collects on the floor of a skid?
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Isn't it amazing how much crud collects on the floor of a skid?
Gives one good perspective about how the sedimentary layers accumulated over the eons.
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The "Exploded" view of my SVL-97
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^^^^^^ Should have figured those (CRAPPY) iPhone (I-bone ya) pics posted 90 degrees out. Why does everything iPhone and Apple not work with the rest of the world?
Anyway, that machine is now completely clean, has all fluids topped up, and I pumped grease until it purged the old stuff from the joints. I think I am in good shape to continue using it as I build out the place.
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Because they are apple based.
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The project is moving forward, but it was a rainy/muddy day down there.
In prepping to hang the doors, I was surprised to find there was not an already-bent metal channel to protect the 2X6 on the top of the door. So, working with the local metal store, they are bending me a custom piece of "C" channel that will cover the top + 1/8" and then wrap down the sides for 2" with a fold at the bottoms.
With those on site, I am ready to hang the doors.
The birds have left their mark, so I'll be doing some more pressure washing first.
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Here are the correctly oriented after-service shots of the SVL. The thing is looking much better.
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I think I'll be repainting these heavily scratched surfaces. I'll probably be repainting these areas regularly.
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I really need to clean up these doors!
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Cool how everything fits in the barn. There was no need to park outside, then walk inside through the mud.
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Nice, guards on the tilt rams.
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Nice, guards on the tilt rams.
And cool thing is they take just two bolts and they are off (Easier to paint back at the casa in a heated space.
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I really need to clean up these doors!
Chief, you said hang wrong here. :knucklehead:
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I really need to clean up these doors!
Chief, you said hang wrong here. :knucklehead:
Exactly!
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It's the day before Turkey Day, which really means, "Clean up the house day," but I managed to push the ball downfield a little more.
The steel was finished to cover the tops of the big sliding doors, so I picked that up.
Next, I ordered a new Jenkins Iron and Steel Auger plus a 9" and a 12" auger bit/boring bar.
https://jenkinsironandsteel.com/
I was so impressed by the quality of the Grapple that they sold me, that I looked no further when it came time to purchase the new auger. I sold the Blue Diamond unit I had for several years and notably, this new one cost me around the same $$$ as I sold the older BD unit for!
The price for everything was $2750 delivered to my driveway! That is an outstanding price.
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Nice, I got the same bits for mine. Didn't need the 18in.
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I've got an 8". The 12 is what I should have got the first time.
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So what I am planning is to lay out the shed additions and then bore 12" holes to full depth of the boring bar. I want to fill the holes with concrete and rebar then set brackets for posts on top of the concrete piers. I could just set posts directly into the ground, I suppose, but I always have trouble setting a post exactly right. And you only get one chance to get it right. So with a pier, I figure I can find the exact post location, then drill and bolt a bracket, then set the post into that. Well, that's my plan anyway...
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Some epoxy for anchors is very strong. And you can put it where you want.
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Some epoxy for anchors is very strong. And you can put it where you want.
Do you mean once I drill the fresh concrete for the exact bolt-hole location? Then epoxy the hole before tightening everything up?
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Some epoxy for anchors is very strong. And you can put it where you want.
Do you mean once I drill the fresh concrete for the exact bolt-hole location? Then epoxy the hole before tightening everything up?
There are specific anchors that are made to be ‘set’ in epoxy.
They are great and the fastener companies wil tell you they net a higher yeild strength.
It is very easy to misalign but in fresh concrete probably less an issue but ultimate strength may be compromised depending on how fresh.
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You can wait and drill in not so fresh concrete. Locate, drill, give it a squirt and drive the anchor bolt. If you want to wet stick it, use a j bolt and that works well also.
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I have the same auger, only have the 12” bit but used it again today then put it on a skid and tarp’d it (technically ky flag over it) for the winter.
I’ve been using these https://www.midwestpermacolumn.com/product/pc4600 and am very happy with them.
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I have the same auger, only have the 12” bit but used it again today then put it on a skid and tarp’d it (technically ky flag over it) for the winter.
I’ve been using these https://www.midwestpermacolumn.com/product/pc4600 and am very happy with them.
I like those.
That KY flag...smell like tobacco? So many tobacco barns smoking the leaves...Classic KY country scent.
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Negative, blue, says made in China and I always caught a glimpse of them flying from truck and trailers with no taillights in the tuck…..
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Negative, blue, says made in China and I always caught a glimpse of them flying from truck and trailers with no taillights in the tuck…..
Made in China...Hmmm
Know what isn't made in China?
All of us!
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Been down at the farm for the past two days. Felt good working in the cold. I saw a low temp of 23 and a high of 47. The camper stayed toasty warm thanks to that catalytic propane heater. The dogs did not like the cold as much as I thought they would. I ended up letting them sleep in the Suburban last night.
Saw this cool halo around the moon at around 0100
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I completed three major tasks. first was to fully assemble the doors so all that was remaining to do is simply to hang them in place...Done
Secondly, I cleaned up the area below the shed where the wind destroyed the gazebo and some other things: Done
Finally, I ran the sawmill to ensure it was ready for the big job of ripping into a big red oak this coming week.
Along with those things I cleaned all the glass in the track loader, did some service work to the Talon, and moved some gravel around.
I actually started off with cutting down the sawmill base and finished graveling in the area around it.
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A gazebo/deck thing I built before was tossed around by the wind. Instead of burning it, I disassembled it to save the lumber. I think I saved most of it, and all of that will be incorporated into upcoming projects.
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I disposed of the metal, burned everything combustible, then scraped up some more gravel.
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The barn door sliding door system is pretty slick:
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The sawmill checks out great. It is better than the one I had.
I cut up one older Cedar log that had some rot in it from sitting. Nice thing about Cedar is the white wood may rot, but the purple stuff lasts forever. I scored 90 board feet from that one log!
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Wish you were close enough to saw up a mantle for me.
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Wish you were close enough to saw up a mantle for me.
I'll do it JR. Figure out the biggest thing you can ship FedEx or UPS and I'll send it to ya.
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They ship anything, but I imagine the cost would be prohibitive, but I may look it into it.
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They ship anything, but I imagine the cost would be prohibitive, but I may look it into it.
OK, well I have 250 year old oak logs, Eastern Cedar, and some Red oak. Other species will be coming along...
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Don, this is what I use. Pour your concrete, then when you are ready to set your post/bracket location, drill holes, clean them out well, squirt in the expoy and then insert stainless threaded rod.
It’s stronger than the concrete and you don’t risk cracking concrete with wedge anchors. Literally the concrete will break before the epoxy fails.
I had 4x4x1/4 steel posts with 1/2 inch baseplates. I set them where I wanted then drilled through the holes then used the epoxy/stainless allthread.
https://usa.sika.com/en/construction/repair-protection/multi-purpose-epoxies/anchoring/sika-anchorfix-2.html
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Don, this is what I use. Pour your concrete, then when you are ready to set your post/bracket location, drill holes, clean them out well, squirt in the expoy and then insert stainless threaded rod.
It’s stronger than the concrete and you don’t risk cracking concrete with wedge anchors. Literally the concrete will break before the epoxy fails.
I had 4x4x1/4 steel posts with 1/2 inch baseplates. I set them where I wanted then drilled through the holes then used the epoxy/stainless allthread.
https://usa.sika.com/en/construction/repair-protection/multi-purpose-epoxies/anchoring/sika-anchorfix-2.html
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Great tip, I'll use that
But, I think I am going to pour a concrete pad for that 12X12 shed attachment part of the project. I will use piers, obviously for all the porch deck construction, so the epoxy will get used there.
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Try not to set the rebar where you set the anchors. I had to buy a special bit for that.
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As a part of the project, I am currently milling lumber. A friend dropped a huge Red Oak which I will mill. I made a deal for 50/50 for the lumber. His tree/my sawmill. He also has a big white oak which we will mill next. The white oak will be used to build all the cabinets and the Red oak could be used for flooring, or even the walls. She wants to experiment with various degrees of white washing/stain on the oak to see if she cha get something she likes. If she CAN settle on something, then I will save thousands on having to purchase pine T&G.
This afternoon I sawed the largest trunk into four-8' sections. The actual logs weighed between 2200-2500 pounds each. I am estimating them to yield around 1000bf of lumber. Not bad for what will amount to one day's work. I still have three 8-10 foot sections to load and haul down. This single tree will yield all of the wood I will need for all the cabinets, the whole floor, and the doors as well!
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That is a great deal and score for you!
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That is a great deal and score for you!
Indeed! And a great score for the gentleman with the timber who, shortly will have hundreds of useable boards.
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Take a look at the first log (not the largest) that we milled:
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That turned into this cant (rectangular chunk after milling away the round edges), which we used to mill off some flat pieces, then bisected it into a 6" wide cant and an 8" wide cant
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Once you get the rectangular pieces, I was stacking two or even three alongside each other, then with each pass, I had 2-3 new 1" thick boards.
I was using the Kubota and that new Jenkins Iron and Steel grapple to move those big logs with ease. The largest logs were around 2,500 pounds each.
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A friend and I worked about eight hours milling four big logs. We have three more remaining to complete this one massive Red Oak. We divided the lumber equally. I cut a variety of boards ranging from 6" to 18" wide in 1" and 2" thick sections.
He wanted some bar top so we did a bunch of live edge 2" thick by eight feet long pieces that weighed around a hundred pounds. I took a number of those so that I could build heavy countertops if I so chose in the cabin. Usually, one cuts the bigger pieces down to relieve internal stress, then reglues them after flopping or inverting adjacent pieces. But for now, I'll just let them dry and see what shakes out.
My stack is in the garage and my friend's is on his trailer.
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That looks like some great wood. I sit that cold or just being in the shade?
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Nice Don. Those chunks look like the white oak I used to make this table. Still a work in progress
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20231201/2a65b76d6d40d526456de194f83c69f0.jpg)
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Nice Don. Those chunks look like the white oak I used to make this table. Still a work in progress
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20231201/2a65b76d6d40d526456de194f83c69f0.jpg)
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Thanks, and we are only about 30% through processing all the logs into useable boards/posts/whatever
Cool table
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That looks like some great wood. I sit that cold or just being in the shade?
Cold all day. I find it invigorating to work outside in the cold all day. Talk about a good night's sleep!
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We did it again, and with this day's cut, we finished processing that single big red oak.
The bottom 8-foot log was too heavy for my tractor to lift, so Dave had to cut slabs off of it. Even then the MX-6000 Kubota stalled during the lift. I only made it by 1" getting the forks up and over the bed rails on the dump trailer.
Here it is dwarfing the sawmill deck:
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We took 1" full-width slabs off of it for who knows what, but I have an oak board 24" wide and eight feet long.
After that and a bunch of other oddball cuts, we ended up with two huge cants. The smaller one is in the jaws of the CTL and then again on the mill deck. I think we got 19- 1" x 7" boards off this one. The larger cant yielded 19- 1" X 11" boards.
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The huge stack of lumber I accumulated necessitates my erecting a temporary tent structure to stack it all in. That will again yield the floor space for other work and storage.
Still looking for some help to hang those two big garage doors...
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Beautiful wood. We always seem to need more storage.
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Beautiful wood. We always seem to need more storage.
I'll save ya a piece if you want it! ;-)
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Switching to White Oak this time along with some smaller Maple logs.
Still accumulating lumber for the remodel/build of my cabin
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It was leaning into the hillside and fence on a neighboring property. I wanted to drop it along a narrow strip of land right beside the paved driveway, and somehow that's just what happened.
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Darn pictures are showing up 90 degrees out again, and these were shot with my Sony camera, not the krapple phone.
Anyway we ended up with another day of cutting ahead of us.
The white oak will e used for cabinets and furniture.
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MS311 Stihl saw is still running great despite its looks.
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More cutting today. We got about half of the white oak processed. I have accumulated a nice pile of firewood which will be tossed into the boiler pretty soon. The stack of milled timber is almost complete, as far as hardwoods is concerned. Hopefully, this will soon be stickered and drying outside of the barn in another enclosure.
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All this material has been cut by just four blades and the one on the saw was new as of this morning and has another day on it yet.
That white oak board 16" wide and eight feet long is really nice. You just can't find material like this anywhere.
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I removed an old deck from the building I will be turning into a cabin. I am just about complete with the removal of stuff and the general cleanup of the site.
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The truck is struggling in the winter mud. It almost can't move at all sometimes. These LBGT tires are NOT cutting it!
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The pond continues to turn over some, even after the weather has turned colder. Perhaps it is time to get that solar aerator in there???
Notice where a deer is rubbing his antlers on this sapling willow tree?
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The Turkey are back. Look at the size of those tracks!
While I was cutting today several white tails transited my southern fields.
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The new rock bed I laid down on the south half of the farm road is holding and settling in nicely
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Ever going to get the doors on the barn?
Yep, those look like road tires. Good for better MPG but no real teeth to bite.
Aerator is built right?
House looks like a natural for split level.
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Ever going to get the doors on the barn?
Yep, those look like road tires. Good for better MPG but no real teeth to bite.
Aerator is built right?
House looks like a natural for split level.
Both of my boys will be home by Sunday...That's my muscle for hanging doors!
The pond aerator is built and now is sitting at the farm in the barn, just awaiting the final installation
I have considered adding another "Box" to it that you would have to walk down some stairs.
I wanted to wait a couple of years for tires, but these are really not working out well. I may have to skip ahead and get some aggressive ATs. I was thinking about installing 37's
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Few steps down, no biggie. Then build a deck on the roof.
Where is the "safe" room going?
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Few steps down, no biggie. Then build a deck on the roof.
Where is the "safe" room going?
Well...somewhere for sure ;-)
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Today I spent time moving things permanently from the shed to the barn
Two things are happening here. First, the shed is being emptied of stuff so I get that "clean slate."
Secondly, the barn is becoming functional and better organized. You will see some of that with today's post.
First up I pulled the cabinet. It was secured to the wall and was wired for 110VAC.
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Same-same with the work bench. That was detached, unwired, and relocated as well.
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They now reside against the knee wall beside the sawmill
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That little 10" chop saw will be OK for now. I'll locate a 12" compound chop saw in the shed to use while I build there.
I had a stack of milled Cedar sitting on the floor where that workbench was going, so I started hanging that on the wall. Those boards are 126" long. Eventually, I will cover all of the walls on that end of the barn with planks I cut off my property.
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End of the day configuration:
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:likebutton:
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Looking good.
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Work begets work…
Looking good
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Dogs seem to approve.
Did you lock the thread or oops?
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Dogs seem to approve.
Did you lock the thread or oops?
Nope, didn't lock it...strange
But it's unlocked again...
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Looks like you are making good progress
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Looks like you are making good progress
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Yes, I believe I am.
Picking up the pace
The short-term objective is to finish all the "unfinished" projects like hanging the barn doors, setting the solar pond aerator in place, building the other barn doors, and generally organizing the barn to support the construction of the cabin. I am blending in some of the cabin prep work as well to show the MRS some progress in that area.
I hope it will be a busy winter followed by a busy spring. Come summer, I have a couple of big trips in the Jeep planned which will eat up a month or two. So better to get at it while it's cold.
And I know that to stay warm in the cold weather, I need to keep the work pace higher than when it is warm outside.
And I suppose it is just medicinal working hard all day long.
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I think a solar setup for the farm is something to look into.
Yes I know you have power, but just think how nice it would to not have to worry about it if something is down or going on.
Get some lithium batteries, a 10-12 panel array and a simple 50kw converter. I have the similar at the ridge and it will be my main power for sometime. 48v systems (seem to be most eff) and about to double the battery storage (400AH) With panels and batteries good for 20+ years you are set forever.
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JR, I’m in a toss up myself.
We have a small portable propane genset 3500 watt maybe? And have looked at the air cooled 26k propane whole house gensets.
I’m on a shared well which is backed up by neighbors genset already. With price of the 26k unit I’ve been wondering if a battery system backup wouldn’t be a better idea / more cost effective?
We don’t pull a ton of juice with well on neighbors system. The grid could keep batteries charged and easily power the place for some time if the grid was down.
Then with the small backup I could charge batteries and even add solar (although winter charge would definitely suffer due to lack of sun).
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New tech is just getting better. The lifo 200ah batteries are now $200 less than I paid. You can run em to almost 0% and they have a 3000 cycle on that. Unless you have real dedicated system even a few panels will keep them up for days.
I will still run a gen for now when demand/220 is needed. I like diesel as it keeps for years, however propane is good if you can get it and it doesn't like the cold
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What batteries are you referencing? Link?
Propane isn’t an issue in the cold. I’ve considered a diesel genset too, with two trucks and a skid loader a gravity fed red fuel tank is already on the list to acquire.
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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P6HH4WK/?coliid=I3HK9PQM0ADSIV&colid=1Z3GNP120A3PC&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1
I paid $750 when I got them. Some are less now.
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Good discussion and with merit.
I noticed that the frig in my jeep is a shoot-and-forget setup. I hooked it up and the fridge just ran and kept things cold. No fuss, it just works.
JR is right, a stand-alone system would be the ticket and disconnecting from the grid. My power company down there charges me $26 monthly just to "Rent" their meter and pole. You know, the one that they use to measure the power I use. Sort of like us having to lease gas pumps to fill up our cars with. Then they charge me another $15 a month to power a security light at night that doesn't actually come on.
For me, right now, I have to focus on things like concrete, windows, on demand water heaters and insulation. All of that comes out of my pocket...bit...by...bit.
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PGE charges $10 to be on the "grid" with solar. My trueup this year was over 3K. I am adding more panels to offset that more and the new invertor supplies 1500watts if the grid is down (SMA).
I have about 4k tied up in the off grid system at the Ridge. 48v/200ah system which I plane to add another 4 batteries too. My panels are older, but the price was right. Also setting it up to allow easy adjustments and may even go with a tracker on it. Right now I have 2x100watt panels charging the the lifo's in parallel and a single 12v agm. With a 2k invertor it runs the micro easy and the fridge is doing fine (500ah running thet!)
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Barn doors are FINALLY installed. Both Pre-Rangers are home on leave so those two carried those rather heavy doors and the three of us worked them into position. I feel so much better!
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These two soldiers did it for me.
I have always called them pre-Rangers on this forum. Well in January, one of them begins his Ranger training. He is not going straight to Ranger school, but all the way to the 75th Ranger Regiment. He will attend RAS (Ranger Assessment and Selection) which will last a few months. If he completes that, he will be immediately assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment and sent to one of the three battalions. He wants to go to 2-75th because he knows he is not ready for 1-75th and they have a very specific mission, Therefore, 2-75th is really first up for what's next, and they are currently gearing up for something. My boy will soon join them and make the prophetic words I spoke over him at birth come true.
The other one will soon drop his packet for Special Forces. He wants to join the 10th group which has its focus on Europe. He will likely attend Ranger school after completing Special Forces training which will likely last two years.
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I have acres of additional space now, and I have already started organizing the barn to support upcoming projects. Today I added some shelving for battery charging and set up two 110VAC outlets near the new workbench. I am also moving tools from the shed, emptying it even more. I estimate it will take me a week of workdays down there to move everything and get it hung up in the Barn.
But, like always first I will need to build some storage space for all that Oak lumber I sawed up. I have decided to build a modest lean-to onto the East side of the barn and partially wall that in. I will have to level that spot and bring in some gravel. Upon completion, I will transfer all those Oak panels and boards into that new structure. That will free up that spot on the barn floor too. Only after that will I get back on moving things and gutting the shed in preparation for the new interior and modifications.
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Nice work, wouldn't the tractors have helped some? Do you look up to both boys? I look even to my 16 year old.
Has been raining here and the treck up is iffy sometimes.
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Nice work, wouldn't the tractors have helped some? Do you look up to both boys? I look even to my 16 year old.
Has been raining here and the treck up is iffy sometimes.
Nate is eyeball to eyeball. Chris is holding short a few inches...
I suggested using the tractor, then they got on each end and the next thing I knew I had a door hanging!
Love having them at home.
Oh, and they went hunting...Not supposed to, but they did. I'm in the barn pulling some wire for some new outlets and I got a call from Nate. He whispers, "Dad, we have 30 turkeys walking up on us, can we shoot one?"
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YES!!!
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Don, serious proud papa moment. Good on you and God bless them. And may he protect them.
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Doors? Whodathunkit!
What’s next, shoes?
Ken leaving H? Highly doubtful……
:popcorn:
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Doors? Whodathunkit!
What’s next, shoes?
Ken leaving H? Highly doubtful……
:popcorn:
Now wait just a moment...Let's not get too far ahead here...
;-)
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Oh and Dad told them no!
I feel compassion for the once-nominated candidate to be our national bird.
(Good choice, Congress)
They walked free to gobble yet another day.
They did get a couple of shots off at some Coyotes...
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Finally got some time down farm side again. The youngest Pre-Ranger departed yesterday to, of all things, attend RAS. (Ranger Assessment and Selection) So looks like he is actually going to become a US Army Ranger. Ranger School is a leadership school and a darned tough one and upon completion, you get to wear the famous Ranger tab forever. What Chris is doing is going through the selection process to join the 75th Ranger Regiment. He will then attend Ranger school sometime during his first year there. You can be a Ranger anywhere but only guys who wear the actual scroll are members of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
Anyway, he and Nate were my focus for the past two weeks and all we did was to hang those barn doors down at the farm. Today, I completed the wiring to the workbench and got that chop saw up and running. I screwed the wall to the floor with Tapcon screws and even covered one side with some barn metal that will help control the dust from the sawmill.
After getting the wiring complete, I removed part of that wall, which opened up the space and made that area make better sense.
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Instead of just packing up the shed and moving everything to the barn, I am trying to do it in a way that makes sense. I first create a space for whatever is being moved, then I move it. I organized this corner for commonly used hand tools. The axes and chain saw stuff are on the wall near the saw mill.
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There was a bunch more moving of things, too numerous to mention and of course, tossing things no longer needed into the burn pile. But it is slowly coming together.
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Good luck to him!!
Funny, I just make a mess then try to find places. Imagin having a place before you clean!!
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Good luck to him!!
Funny, I just make a mess then try to find places. Imagin having a place before you clean!!
Exactly!
I can do this right the first time
Ya know, before I move the drill press, wire in a receptacle for exactly where I want it to be. It's coming together like that.
It will have areas to work on vehicle-like things (tractors) and an area to build doors and tables and stuff like that. It already has a dedicated area for the sawmill and will soon have a spot to stack the milled material. Along one wall will be a linear storage area sub-divided to store materials...Plumbing, electrical, gen construction, and a dedicated area all laid out for construction tools.
The finer woodworking tools will be arrayed on the backside of the workbench and the mechanical side will get toolboxes, compressor, storage bins, and so forth.
I am thinking of building several hoist stations to lift stuff like the heavy pressure washer up onto the wall to free up floor space.
I am tired of walking around stuff. I want to have freedom of movement and know where everything is.
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Mezzanine, use skid loader to lift it up….
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Mezzanine, use skid loader to lift it up….
I may, Just may...But not in may!
The objective is to finish up all the big move and all these chores so I can get to the fun stuff of building. She won't get interested until I start cutting and nailing on our future cabin/home. Therefore focus remains strong there.
But on the Mezzanine, not only storage but emergency lodging for a SHTF and I get covered up with refugees (family members...Grasshopper family members)
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More work was completed today. The weather is not cooperating and the whole place was a wet, soupy-mud situation today.
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Getting ready to start on the lean-to. I actually went down there today to cut some of the poles. I need 5 ea. 6'x6'x13.5'
I began by sorting through the ancient be3ams I had stacked up on the corner of the barn. At first, I thought some were OK, but the more I went through the pile the more I found which were rotted. These timbers from the original barn are all useless.
This corner is where I will erect the 10x20 lean-to.
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I located my first candidate, a huge old cedar. Luckily (or so I thought), I got exactly 13.5' where it split into two lobes.
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At first I thought I had a keeper when it was at this point in the sawing process.
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But as I milled the last two sides into a bunk, I found a rotted hole, and while cutting several times the blade made a high-pitched sound.
When I removed the board I just cut, I could see three areas where what I thought were nails had been cut through.
When I tried to dig the "Nail" out, a bullet popped right out. Looks to be .30 cal FMJ.
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Every tree tells a tale and this one's story revealed it was once when someone hung a target and shot into the tree for a while. I found bullets all over it. I am guessing the large, damaged area must have been where the bull's eye was located. Notice how the bullets tore deeply into the tree, opening it to insects and rot.
I found an active black ant nest and a ton of roaches living in the cavernous voids that those bullets caused.
After all that work, I was only able to grab a few boards out of the thing. The rest was waste. What a shame!
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I cut a lot of it up into the 1" square sections I will use to sticker the red and white oak that is still on the barn floor.
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I framed out the first "Mechanical" work bench. So far all the bench space is dedicated to woodworking and construction projects. This one has one toolbox and the small compressor.
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I mounted the airline reel and created a shelf for the construction-grade job box radio thing.
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Still have plenty of room for the machines to be parked
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Did the bullets ruin any blades?
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And I'll have a bunch more as soon as this massive pile of wood is moved!
It is hard to stay ahead of the mess :-(
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Did the bullets ruin any blades?
Didn't hurt the blade at all. Brass and lead are soft. Softer than hard oak, I wonder??? You can get sparks sometimes from old dried oak and ash!