Firewood Gathering With A Power Trac

[MossRoad]

Apparently some of you have never heated up Plexiglas, and formed it to fit. You simply heat up the Plexiglas until it is soft. and gently push out a small bubble for the lever handle, or a bulge for the steering wheel. If you want to practice, take a small piece of Plexiglas with a heat lamp and when soft, push out a fist full with gloves on or rags wrapped around your hand, A bowling ball will make a nice round indentation.

Is it easy to bend around a form and then cool in that position?

 

[ponytug]

Dear MR,

I think that bending is easy, and cooling is easy. I find that heating is harder, and good heating helps to set up a great bend.

I find that my problem in bending large pieces is getting heat uniformly where you want it, e.g. a bend, but not where you don't, e.g. on the windshield. Commercial plastic heaters are very good about heating the plastic, without getting a great deal of heat elsewhere nor deforming the portion being heated. Home brew, or at least my home brew isn't so good at it.

If you can, I recommend that you build something similar to a brake box for sheet metal bending so that when you go to do the bend, it happens as you want it to.

For most windshields, I think that you might be happier with flat sheets. They will be easier to replace, and you are less likely to bend strain into the windshield that may cause it to fracture later.

I happily admit to being a total amateur at bending large sheets; I have only done it a couple of times, and I have never found it easy.

Just my $0.02.

All the best,

Peter

Is it easy to bend around a form and then cool in that position?

 

[woodlandfarms]

IMO if you want to view out the glass you probably should not attempt to bend it yourself unless you got the gear. I can bend small portions like Peter said, but you couldn't see very well out of it.

 

[MossRoad]

Good points about looking though curved glass. Probably better to built a frame with square/flat openings for the glass. Thanks for the advice.

 

[J_J]

Some how, I think you all did not understand what I was trying to say, and that was to heat and form only the area for the hyd control or steering wheel with enough space to function, and that would not interfere with looking out the Plexiglas. I have looked out of curved windows for about 20 years flying in Navy Patrol aircraft. In the front of the P2V Neptune, the first 4 ft was a curved piece of Plexiglas.

 

[MossRoad]

Some how, I think you all did not understand what I was trying to say, and that was to heat and form only the area for the hyd control or steering wheel with enough space to function, and that would not interfere with looking out the Plexiglas. I have looked out of curved windows for about 20 years flying in Navy Patrol aircraft. In the front of the P2V Neptune, the first 4 ft was a curved piece of Plexiglas.

J_J, I understood completely what you were explaining. A bubble for the joystick handle to move into. That sounds cool. What I was asking had to do with putting a bend into a sheet, not a bubble, as you describe.

 

[J_J]

Well, you can bend plastic, and see very well, as in the photo of the P2V. I looked out those windows for many hours, so bending does not affect seeing. I took many pictures during the Cuban crisis in 1962, flying at about 50 ft off the water to get a good shot of the missiles, the ship were caring.

 

[cqaigy2]

I looked out those windows for many hours, so bending does not affect seeing. I took many pictures during the Cuban crisis in 1962, flying at about 50 ft off the water to get a good shot of the missiles, the ship were caring.

Yikes!

 

[woodlandfarms]

I too understood your your comment on bending plexi, and agree that of course you can see through it when bent. What I was saying was that bending plexi, especially larger sheets, unskilled and without the large forming tools or skillsets from the 40's will leave you with results that will most likely be lacking.

Pretty cool on your hanging out in the nosecone. I have done both nose and tail work out of a B-25, but only up at 8K... Must have been a pretty mind numbing experience with the threat of nuclear war hanging over what you were doing.

Oh, the pix are not of me, but of our DOP... publicity stills....

 

[BobRip]

Just thought I would give an update. I loaded my modified rack fully and backed up a hill. About 2/3 of the wood fell off. I now load it less full, maybe half. I might modify it a little. I am still doing way to much wood handling. Gotta work on that.

 

[SpringHollow]

I bound my wood with a ratchet strap when moving my racks made out of pallets. Worked very well.

Ken

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, it is the wood handling that makes it more work. Of course, I could use the exercise, but when I'm on cord #4 and have two more to load up and I'm carrying the same piece of wood for the 3rd time.... it makes me wonder if I could do it more intelligently. :laughing:

I think I mentioned this before, but lets see how many times MossRoad touches a piece of firewood before it actually heats his home:

1. Drop tree.
2. Chain tree and drag from forest.
3. Unchain tree.
4. Cut tree into pieces.
5. Toss pieces on trailer and drive home.
6. Toss pieces off trailer.
7. Stack small pieces.
7b. Split large pieces and stack(requires more touches depending on size of log).
8. Remove from stack and put on cart.
9. Remove from cart and stack in cellar stairs.
10. Remove from cellar stairs and load in stove.

Good grief that seems inefficient. :mur:

 

[BobRip]

I bound my wood with a ratchet strap when moving my racks made out of pallets. Worked very well.

Ken

Sounds simple. Thanks

 

[MossRoad]

Update on the Holz Hausen....

I went out this weekend and brought in a few loads of wood from the pile. I am now down to the last layer of wood. Guess what? It is frozen to the ground! :laughing:

Even after a week of warm temps, all of the wood that makes up the outer ring and the pieces I stacked vertically inside the outer ring are stuck solid to the earth. I took a sledge hammer and gave them a whack. They pop right out, but the ends are obviously soaked with water, wicking it up from the ground. I will set them aside and use them as the top layer on next years pile. They should dry out fine, but I found it humorous.

I am down to only one fire per day now. I make it after dinner and with the temps in the 40s it pops the house up to 75 by bedtime. The Holz Hausen worked great for me. I burned continuously from October 1st through March 5th, only letting the fire go out 4-5 times during those 5 months so I could clean the stove thoroughly. I have enough dry wood to last me two more weeks. Had I gone one more layer up like the plans called for, I would have had more than enough even with the stuff frozen to the ground.

All in all, I am quite satisfied with the HH and will do it again for next year. :thumbsup:

 

[American Bulldog]

I used to have a Jotul woodstove, but I got into antique stoves, and now I have a Round Oak 18-O-2 and a Round Oak 18-O-3. These stoves totally kick butt. They can keep my 4000 square foot house at 75 degrees, even when outside temps are below zero. They are a little more than a new stove, but they hold their value better. They are obviously a little less efficient, but they keep the chimney much cleaner. And I just love the look of them.

Here is a link to stoves for sale - the first two are near identical to mine:

Spring Sale!

I burn about 8 cords a year, and I don't need any other heating source unless I am gone for a long period of time, or I get lazy.....

 

[MossRoad]

Just an update...
I've almost completed this years HH. I need another trailer load of dead wood to complete it. It is currently at about 7' in height. I sure like the way it looks and the little amount of space it takes up. :thumbsup:

I have about thirty 12" diameter trees on the ground from last fall still, so I can start a 2nd HH for next year and get a jump on things drying longer. My goal is to always have two piles. One for the current year and one for the next year drying.

I also found some "bonus" wood while wandering through the woods last week... apparently the storms we had this spring knocked over a half dozen LARGE cherry trees (20" + diameter) by the roots in several spots in our woods. So, this fall and winter I can go out and cut them up into manageable sections and retrieve them in the spring for splitting. I think I have enough wood on the ground for 3 years after next! I wanted the cherries out of there anyway, as there are maples that are under them and I would like to make syrup when I retire in 15 years.

 

[arrow]

Just an update...
I've almost completed this years HH. I need another trailer load of dead wood to complete it. It is currently at about 7' in height. I sure like the way it looks and the little amount of space it takes up. :thumbsup:

I have about thirty 12" diameter trees on the ground from last fall still, so I can start a 2nd HH for next year and get a jump on things drying longer. My goal is to always have two piles. One for the current year and one for the next year drying.

I also found some "bonus" wood while wandering through the woods last week... apparently the storms we had this spring knocked over a half dozen LARGE cherry trees (20" + diameter) by the roots in several spots in our woods. So, this fall and winter I can go out and cut them up into manageable sections and retrieve them in the spring for splitting. I think I have enough wood on the ground for 3 years after next! I wanted the cherries out of there anyway, as there are maples that are under them and I would like to make syrup when I retire in 15 years.

Moss, cherry wood can bring a pretty penny at the lumber yard. Your trees seem thick enough to get at least a 6 to 8 foot planking out of them.You might want to look at the going price in your area. Art schools that have furniture making as part of their design studies go nuts for this stuff so if you have any in your area, it might be worth your time to explore selling it as lumber. The problem with this idea for most people is transporting full logs. A 10" wide cherry board that is 1" thick and 5' long sells for $50 here.

 

[MossRoad]

Moss, cherry wood can bring a pretty penny at the lumber yard. Your trees seem thick enough to get at least a 6 to 8 foot planking out of them.You might want to look at the going price in your area. Art schools that have furniture making as part of their design studies go nuts for this stuff so if you have any in your area, it might be worth your time to explore selling it as lumber. The problem with this idea for most people is transporting full logs. A 10" wide cherry board that is 1" thick and 5' long sells for $50 here.

Oh, that thought has crossed my mind. They are not straight trees. Too many branches for veneer or lumber. Lots of twists, bends, knots, etc... It would be good for sculpting, though. As I recall, my parents sold some cherry logs to a sculptor when I was a kid. Plus, they are too large for me to get out of the woods with my little PT425 in 8' sections. I'd be lucky to be able to lift 4' sections. I certainly can't drag them out.

I'll be sure to give them a careful eyeball before I butcher them, though. Just in case there is some manageable pieces. :thumbsup:

 

[arrow]

I'll be sure to give them a careful eyeball before I butcher them, though. Just in case there is some manageable pieces. :thumbsup:

That is one of the advantages of furniture lumber as opposed to building lumber: the boards do not have to be long. As a matter of fact, many times one is at a disadvantage with boards longer than 6 ' A friend of mine wanted to line the sides of the couch he was making with cherry planks. They were 1/2" thick , 6" wide and 3 ft long. There was a total of 8 planks like this. They cost him $14 per. For some reason, 3/8", 1/2" and 3/4" thick boards all cost the same and thickness seems not to count until you get 1" thick and higher. Knots and curls could be very attractive in certain applications. It may pay to get one of those chainsaw type lumber makers especially if you have around $4000 worth of furniture lumber. Then the boards would have to be plained of course. It is alot of steps I agree but you would have a better idea of the worth of the endeavor with the amount of useable board feet you actually have. If you could profit several thousand dollars, it might be a consideration. Check to see what cherry furniture lumber is bringing in your area.

 

[ponytug]

Moss,

I have to agree, that is valuable wood and I bet you can find local furniture or instrument makers that would love to get their hands on it.

We had a single cherry tree that paid for an entire 1/4 section worth of trimming and thinning of smaller trees.

All the best,

Peter