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I had a hydraulic blow-out while cleaning up storm damage in the woods. I caught one of my loader curl hoses and broke it while using the grapple. The tractor and I got a bit of a hydraulic oil shower. I guessed I had only lost a couple of quarts. Managed to drive it back home with the bucket...

There are definitely two very different schools of thought on this. I do hear from pros who say to look up. I also hear from instructors (who are also professional loggers) in both Vermont's LEAP program (VT Logger Education to Advance Professionalism) and several Game of Logging instructors...

Good advice when dealing with dead Ash. The other things I do when dealing with dead trees (particularly Ash): Don't worry about making your cut down close to the ground. That's great when you are trying to maximize the timber value. However, with a dead tree, bending over like that presents...

If it was “very stringy and tough”, it was probably not Ash. If a hydraulic splitter is one of those that reaches the end of its stroke with the wedge still an inch or two from the anvil/plate, you’ll find Elm still hanging on and often taking quite a bit of effort to separate that last bit...

If you aren’t sure between Ash and Elm, just try to hand split some firewood. That will tell you in an instant: if it splits in two if you look at it too hard, it’s Ash. If it’s a pain to split even with a hydraulic splitter, it’s Elm.

Runner - I can’t see enough in those pictures to tell, especially when viewing on my phone. One thing to check: Ash has opposite branching (two branches sprout off opposite sides of the stem). Maple and dogwood share this trait. If it has alternate branching (a left handed branch, then move up...

Wow! I did not realize they were that underpowered. They are supposedly rated to tow 1100#. If it can barely pull itself up a hill, I'm not sure how it would do any significant towing. I have an antique Coot that was originally powered by a single cylinder 12 HP Tecumseh engine. I've since...

Actually, 15.8 HP, not 18 according to Kubota: https://www.kubotausa.com/docs/default-source/brochure-sheets/19_02_26_rtv400_500_ktc.pdf?sfvrsn=49bbd717_4 I've not driven one, but have heard they are geared more for work than for speed.

True of most manufacturing. I just shake my head when someone tries to promote some cheap junk as "made in the same factory as..." It means nothing.

They still have different sizes. however, the Mule Pro-MX releates to a specific model/size/engine displacement.

What is the width of your setup with the pods?

Let me Google that for you: https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=Kawasaki+Mule+Pro-MX+specs%3F (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

I thought the Kawasaki Mule looked good as well. I was looking for a smaller UTV (I use the tractor for larger jobs.) For me, it came down to between the Mule and the Honda Pioneer 520. I ended up with the 520 since I just could not find a dealer near me that stocked the Mule. (I also found a...

Thanks everyone. Some very helpful information here.

I'm not going to go 10 miles in my 13 MPH tractor to pick up a yard of stone. The NH/Kubota dealer a few miles down the road used to sell these so easily he could not keep them in stock. Something like 10 years ago, they just stopped making them. When the dealer inquired, the manufacturer told...

It has no lights and no registration at the moment. I rarely take it on the road. When I do, it's the back roads to a place less than 10 miles away. It has an SMV triangle on the back, but I'm sure it's still not legal, since it would be a real stretch to call it "farm use".

I have an old CAM Woodsman dump trailer that is 4'x8'. I got it mainly for us behind my tractor in the woods. It's great for that: since the wheels are tucked in under the sides the narrow profile makes it easy to maneuver down the trails in my woods. It's got a 3500# axle, but no brakes and no...

What you are describing is a RECOVERY strap, not a tow strap. Tow straps are designed to minimize their stretch and should not be used to jerk something out. They are made for steady pulls. A recovery strap is designed to be elastic, and works as you describe.

The trouble with the things that work off the battery is that they also accelerate the drain on the battery. If I don't have it plugged in to charge, that can be a problem. (I run into that with the wireless controller on my UTV winch. Since the winch is wired directly to the battery, the...

I've also had good luck with a couple of NOCO chargers. One is a 2 bank charger with 10 amps on each bank (used in my 24V antique military pickup). The other is their small NOCO Genius 2 (2 amp, IP 65 rating = Protected against jets of water. Limited ingress permitted.) On my tractor I've been...

There are two main voltages: one for the charging phase, and one for maintenance. Does one pot adjust both? Did you figure this out by tinkering on your own, or did the manufacturer provide some guidance? I asked years ago whether they were contemplating making something like the model 1500...

If you find that info, let me know. I've got a bunch of BatteryMINDer chargers (the oldest is approaching 25 years old and still going strong). There are a good number of AGM batteries that are fine with the flooded lead acid settings (Optima is one). Some do prefer slightly higher voltages...

I had always heard the "strong winds" theory, but was a bit suspect of it, since I found shake in Hemlock that was very well sheltered from winds. Thanks for the real story.

Don't bother with the gel batteries. They are extremely picky about how they are charged, and require a lower charging and float voltage than a flooded lead acid battery. A gel battery can be damaged by charging from a charger designed for a flooded lead acid or AGM battery. Some (but not all)...

I'm assuming he was comparing the AGM to a flooded lead acid battery.

That Battery Minder 1215C is what I use on my tractor with the same Optima battery. The 1215C is more weatherproof than their model 1500. I used the model 1500 for a couple of years ad it worked fine, but I had to be careful when the tractor was parked outside. (NOTE that both of these models...

Harbor Freight also sells some pretty darn good tools which give the high end brands a run for their money … but they do cost more than their entry level/disposable tools

The yellow top works for both starting and some degree of deep cycling. As with all lead-acid batteries, it’s better for it to be promptly recharged after it has been discharged, but it can stand being in a partially discharged state better than the red top, which is more of a dedicated starting...

When I asked, I was told that that would be considered theft since they already had a buyer lined up

Do you use both regularly? 14 years is great life for a tractor battery, given the heat, vibration, and occasional periods of disuse that many tractor batteries see. Lead acid batteries like to be fully charged. They will self-discharge over time even if the vehicle in which they are installed...

Gordon - how did you get the used ties? I tried to get/buy some when some railroad repair was going in near me years ago, but they told me they had all been pre-sold to a bulk buyer. (The just leave them piled and the buyer comes by laterand loads them up and hauls them away.) Unfortunately, no...

That appears to be a lithium battery jump starter, not a capacitor-based one. Have you actually used the brand in the link? I'm in the market for one one of these days.

And no real reason to. Why would I put that cash into paying off the mortgage early when I can earn a whole lot more than 2.75% investing it?

I assume you are talking about the regular, full-size 7/32" chain (not the 7/32 low profile stuff). In my opinion, that is too much chain for that saw. I know a number of people that do it, but if you really want to get the best performance with 7/32" chain and are looking at Husky saws, I'd...

The optima yellow top battery in my tractor is 8.5 years old. I put it on a BatteryMinder brand charger maintainer any time I won't be using it for more than a week or two. (Model 1215C - electrically very similar to their model 1500, but more weatherproof.) It's temperature compensated and has...

That is not the case for flooded lead acid or AGM batteries. They do best when kept fully charged (using the appropriate charging and float voltages). Since the appropriate voltages vary with temperature, it's important to have a temperature compensated charger for best life. I prefer a smart...

There are a lot of crappy brands for battery maintainers out there. Some of them undercharge, leading to sulfation of the battery, some overcharge, boiling off the electrolyte. If you are going to leave a maintainer on the battery for an extended period, yo really need to be using a good quality...

Time for a pickup truck thread?

I looked at doing that, but did not have a good option for attaching the strap to the drum on my winch. (Not sure I wanted to trust the duct tape method). How did you attach yours? I also need to switch back to cable in the off season, since I need more than a few feet of each on the winch...

Switching to a strap instead of the cable will take care of that, but you do need to switch back when you want to use your winch for actual winching. The strap is only about 5 or 6 feet long.

@gstrom99 - I just noticed that the plow mount (the part that bolts on to your UTV and stays there even when the plow is off) for your Ranger 800 includes a receiver hitch - something you might get some use out of outside of plow season. That's a nice addition. It's not included on the mount...

I put two of the 70# "Tube Sand" bags that my local hardware sells in the back of my UTV. That worked fine for me, but my UTV is smaller and lighter than yours. How much you'll need will depend on the geometry of your UTV. The further back from your front wheels you can get it, the less it...

Is your winch cable synthetic or steel? I ended up going with one of their Plow Straps, rather than using the cable on my winch. A neighbor who has been plowing with his ATV for years mentioned that he does wear the end of the cable more quickly: it's a lot of in and out motion over just that...

That looks more the like current model KFI (because of the square tubes along the corners). The Denali mechanism looks like this:

OK. Your earlier post said KFI. Your picture of the pin/locking mechanism looks different than the current Denali offerings.

Which may be why you wore out that 1/2" pin so quickly. For heavy, wet snow, I'd be using my tractor, not an ATV, and I can guarantee you this UTV snow plow would not hold up with the kind of pushing my tractor can do.

The poly blade also has more steel reinforcement behind it than the steel blade. That and the taller blade make up the weight savings you'd expect from a poly blade. KFI did do a redesign of what they call the "push tube" a few years ago. That is the assembly that includes the pivot mechanism...

You are in the same situation as I am as far as equipment goes: open station tractor for the heavy work (not as bad as it sounds, if you have the right clothing outdoor winter work). FYI: a 72" plow angled at 25˚ will cover a track just a hair over 65" wide. (an angle around 25˚ seems pretty...

It's fairly common here, but it's not a native species. I suspect some farmers planted it generations ago for fence posts, sill plates, etc. I don't often see it in the deep woods, so I'm guessing it is only moderately shade tolerant. We have more cedar on our property than Black Locust, so...

High BTU content: right up there with Oaks and Sugar Maple. Coals well. I've not burned a lot of it, since the better logs I save for when I need some rot resistant wood. My impression is that it's a little harder to get started burning than some other hardwood species, so I tend not to use it...

What size blade did you use, and did you have chains and extra weight for traction? In my smaller and lighter Honda Pioneer 520, I've handled 6" snowfalls without a problem, even going up hill, but I'll admit that I have no expectation of it handling the really heavy snows. I use the tractor...

I went with a 66" KFI brand plow for my Honda Pioneer 520. (I might have gotten away with the 60" if my UTV was stock, but I have spacer on the wheels which bring the width just about out to the width of an angled 60" blade.) I chose their Pro-Poly blade over the steel one: the Pro-Poly is...

Should make sure it's also a GL4 or GL5. Those grades can handle higher pressures and resist shear better than lower grades.

The manual for my 22 year old Woods BrushBull 60 calls for 80 or 90 wt, GL 4 or GL 5 gear oil in the gearbox.

I sharpen all of my chains by hand. It's not difficult to beat the quality of a machine ground chain. I probably only resharpened the Forester-type blade on my brush saw a half dozen times before abandoning it, but I'm sure I could hand sharpen it faster than I could bring it back to the shop...

I found it no different than sharpening a chainsaw. The Maxi blades are a bit quicker to sharpen.

When you are doing thinning - cutting saplings up to a couple of inches in diameter(or more, depending on the clearing saw you are using), there really is not another choice. The metal 3 armed blade won't make through saplings this size, and a string trimmer wont do much more than strip the...

Same way you sharpen a chainsaw. Not difficult to sharpen, but for my uses, other styles of blades work much more efficiently. I don't see a lot of those Forester-type blades used by guys who use clearing saws professionally.

The "go big" vs "go small" argument always seems to be a central issue whenever someone asks advice. Some of this depends on the kind of work you want to do: you aren't going to be doing heavy duty logging with either choice you mentioned, but you also mentioned you'll be contracting out such...

I didn't realize Stihl made a Combi tool that is rated for a round saw blade. I don't own a Combi Tool, but do own their FS250 and use it often with a saw blade on it - mainly for cutting Buchthorn (an invasive tree that I'm overrun with.) Before that, I owned a similar Jonsered brush cutting...

Husqvarna makes two styles of forestry helmets. I used their "Functional Forest Helmet" for years. It held up well for me. I prefer their wheel ratchet adjusting system to the slightly less expensive slip ratchet adjustment (though if you rarely adjust the size, it probably doesn't make much...

Finding the correct alloy is just the start. Getting the heat treatment right is a major part of their longevity: Too soft, and they wear too quickly. Too hard and they are brittle, chipping or breaking when they hit something hard (and flinging bits of shrapnel when they do). A lot of the...

Please do your boy a real favor and buy him some appropriate safety gear. Also: that left thumb should always be wrapped around the handle, not laid along it. It makes for a much more positive grip should something unexpected happen.

The COLD water is a major key. Some people use hot water: BIG mistake. It opens your pores and can drive the stuff deeper. Taking a hot shower after exposure is a mistake a lot of people make.

I regularly mow some rough, rocky trails. Over the past 23 years, that work has slowly beaten my Wood 5' brush mower almost to death. I'm looking at replacing it. I've been considering a flail mower, but I'm a bit concerned that it's really not the right tool for this kind of work. I'm not...

OK. I'm assuming that included a load test. It's still possible the batteries are sulfated, which would increase the rate of self discharge even with no load on the battery. There are some good desulfating charger/maintainers that are not very expensive. I own several various models of...

Yes, the two upper tubes are "limb risers" - they push the limbs up and over, rather than slapping me in the face. Once I got them, I know I'll never have a tractor used in the woods without them.

You say they test good after charging. Please describe your testing. If you are just putting a voltmeter on the battery at rest, that's not much of a test. Get or borrow a load tester and see what that says. If you've got a bad cell, the voltage will usually drop down to 10.5 volts or so over...

I had a local fabricator friend make this for me. It was from stock he had lying around left over form another project. I'm thinking he must have been watching some of the Mad Max movies before he made it. 675723

You might want to check your sources before assuming that a parts supplier who claims they are no longer available is "misinformed". A number of belt manufacturers no longer even offer matched length sets. Their manufacturing tolerances are tight enough on many of their offerings that they...

I agree. If you can find them in your size and they fit your pulleys, they are the way to go.

Good luck. You can insist all you want, but if you are trying to buy matched, same lot number belts from many retailers around here, you'll either get a blank look, or be told "they don't sell them that way any more", or hear that "what we have is what you see on the shelf."

Then you are probably missing either front chain guards or rubber or steel deflector. My Woods Brush hog came with chain guards on the front, an a solid metal piece on the rear. That solid metal pieces quickly got beat up, so I replaced it with the optional chain guards for the rear. It's 23...

I read the summary of your comment in my email notification, which did not include the picture. I was thinking "how crazy IS this guy?!" I did not pick up in the sarcasm until I viewed the whole post with the picture.

Similar experience here: the fitting the hosed came apart at was pointed almost straight up. Since I was headed up hill, that aimed the stream slightly backwards, resulting in a nice hydraulic shower for me and for the tractor.

Gordon - are you at all concerned about the stress on the toplink attachment point? I've always heard that Kubotas are better than most in terms of the strength of the toplink mounting point on the tractor, but that is a pretty good-sized lever there.

I'll be interested to see what you come up with for a trailer.

Topic drift is a way of life here on TBN.

We all help each other out in this neighborhood, and have a nice trail network that we all share and work on cooperatively.

late last week, I was out clearing blowdown off our trails and on some of the neighbors' properties. I ran out of gas (me, not the tractor) so called it quits and went home. I finally got a chance to get back out today, hoping to pick up where I left off. I got part way out there and ran in to...

There are diesel piston airplane engines. More popular in Europe than in the US, but they have made some inroads here.

No luck finding station using the Pure-gas site? https://www.pure-gas.org/

Actually, there is good science regarding the problems with ethanol in gas. However, many of the issues (at least in more modern engines) are related to either the shorter shelf-life or what happens when Ethanol blended gas absorbs moisture and goes through phase separation. Modern engines have...

I'm no fan of Chickanic. I've seen a few too many of her videos claiming to prove something when in fact they were just poorly designed experiments which proved nothing (a real mechanic who was not just out for clicks would have known better).

He is already debating it, but having a hard time justifying that purchase, plus he's a bit attached to the ability to get in to tight spaces with what he has now. (Keeping two tractors is not in the cards.)

Does anyone make a decent quality flail mower that will work on a tractor with 18 HP at the PTO? A friend is looking, but I know very little about flail mowers.

I had forgotten all about the auto-decompression stuff on the early versions of the 357XP. Mine had that. Somehow I found a little kit they offered to cap off one of the lines (tiny rubber cap and spring clamp). I was not having problems with the system leaking, but had heard enough about those...

I hear so much about diseases and invasive plants brought to North America from overseas for which our native ecosystems have no resistance. I'm sure it must be a two-way street. We must have exported some plants, insects, or diseases which have become problems overseas. Has anyone heard of...

I own a 357XP. I've mostly retired it and replaced it with a Husky 562XP though I still use the 357 from time to time. It's a nice saw, but I would not pay $500 for one when I can get a new 562XP for a little over $700 NOTE: If you get the 357 and the service bulletin to replace the plastic...

True. not only are lot of BTUs wasted, but the wood burns dirtier as well. However, if you dry your wood properly, the starting moisture content when green is not a factor.

The Blue Beech(A.K.A. "musclewood" or American Hornbeam - not to be confused with Hophornbeam) that is on my property is generally too small for me to mess with for firewood. Though it does seem dense enough that it would burn well if I ever did cut some up.

I've attached another handy thing I ran across years ago was this list of tree species ranked by "excess moisture content". (I've posted it here on TBN before - possibly even somewhere in this thread.) I'm glad I saved the info, since the link no longer works. Their definition: "Excess moisture...

I've seen a bunch of the charts, and have several saved on my computer. one problem with many of them is that they have pulled together data from several sources, not all of which use the same testing methods or conditions. I've attached one of the better charts I've come across. (I received...

I do some flipping back myself, but really want to redesign my work table to allow me to just slide it back. I just recently saw a video of one set up with a "wing" on either side of the ram-mounted pusher plate that rode along with the ram. When the log split, the two halves ended up on the...

The definition of a cord is 128 cubic feet of stacked wood (4'x4'x8'). The definition already includes the allowance for the fact that there is air space in the stack. It does not claim to be 128 cubic feet of solid wood. Some states also include a definition of a "thrown in" pile of wood to...

Exactly. We built a tight house and included a Heat Eecovery Ventilation system (which also works to cool incoming air in the summer if we have been running the AC). In hot, humid southern climates, people may want to consider an Energy Recovery Ventilation system, which also recovers relative...

If we are assuming 16" long pieces, 6 face cords equals 2 full cords. A local friend here in the Champlain Valley of Vermont built himself a super-insulated 1550 sq ft home (not including the 880 sq ft unfinished basement). He heats it with a little over 1 cord of firewood a year. Even in a bad...

I never really thought of Aspen as particularly rot resistant, especially when in ground contact.

I'm not sure what species you have to choose from in your area. Sugar Maple is very good firewood, but I wold not go so far as to say I "pick it over any other species". Around here we have Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana - tends to be small, but packs a LOT of BTUs), Shagbark Hickory (Carya...

I've seen some great stuff made from "Tap Hole Maple". It adds a lot of character (and you'd be surprised at the premium some people will pay for something made from tap hole Maple as compared to other wood species).

I don’t mind burning Ash. It makes up for its moderate BTU value being incredibly easy to split

When I first started mucking about with computers, it was a dial up connection to a time share account on a mainframe at the Technical College across town using an acoustically coupled modem: you dialed the phone, listened for the computer to pick up, then set the phone handset in a cradle...

Now I have to wonder a bit about Mother Earth News (I used to read it a lot in the late '70s and into the '80s). Poplar is only slightly better than White Pine in terms of BTU content. One of my last choices for firewood. I'd burn it if I had no other choice, but fortunately have have a lot of...

I use a couple of "Fat 50" 50 cal ammo cans (slightly larger than the regular 50 cal cans, but they go inside my larger box. One holds various chainsaw parts & tools (spare chains, scrench, chainsaw multitool, bar rail dresser, stump vise, sharpenging files & guides, and etc). The other holds...

I did discover that the Plano box design with the removable lid seems to be a bit more weatherproof than the hinged lids.

Welcome to TBN, William.

Not sure what your openings look like, but I drilled out a couple of the openings around some of my recessed zerks to make the openings big enough to accept my Lock-N-Lube fitting.

I'll admit I do like a little bit of room behind the front seat, so I have a more secure place to store chainsaws and various other items. However, I'm not a fan of the full four door pickups. The wheel base is too long for work in the woods: they are much more likely to high-center when driving...

Never had that problem on my 2022 Honda Pioneer 520. It has spent most of it's time doing low speed, high work load stuff. I can hear the fan kick on after a bit of sitting still and idling (other times, the sound of the fan gets lost under the other noise).

There is no magic elixir that cures all of the problems with E10 fuels. There are a number which help address many of the problems.

No, I have no interest in those, so never looked at them.

When I was shopping a couple of years ago, I found that many do not, particularly in the smaller SxS class.

How do you like that Mule SX/FI? I was considering that when I was shopping for a SxS. I wanted a smaller one, since I have a tractor set up for forestry work for the bigger jobs. I ended up with a Honda Pioneer 520, but it was a close choice. I was impressed by the construction and reputation...

Most states supply the data from their tax maps, which are DEFINITELY not survey grade. The apps are fine. There is a saying in the computer world: Garbage In, Garbage Out. That's the case here: the apps are only as good as the data provided to them by the states.

You could probably put a stop to them hauling limbs from other properties to your place, if you wanted. Somehow, I doubt the terms of their easement allow them to use you as a dumping ground. (Unless you want that chip source?)

The code for a circuit used for a continuous draw such as EV charging says to derate to 80%. So your 50A breaker (and presumably wire gauge to handle 50 A as well) would be suitable for up to 40 Amps when charging an EV. We have a Chevy Bolt which can accept a max of 32A charging current, so we...

Here in Vermont you can tell the utility not to use herbicides, and they'll have to use other means to control the growth.

I had a splitter with the wedge on the ram and sold it for one that has the pusher on the ram. (The new one also had a hydraulic lifter, since I'm not getting any younger.) I like being able to push the splits out the end and into my trailer when splitting in the woods. When splitting at home, I...

Jack's Small Engine wasn't exactly small - their volume was one of the reasons they had good pricing... and they've already gone down hill. It used to be no problem talking with someone who knew their stuff. Good luck with that now.

At 2700 lbs, I'm guessing that cord of Juniper must have already been dry? When green, it ought to be around ~4800 lbs.

A full cord of some of the better hardwood firewood species I regularly haul can easily exceed 5000 lbs (some will sometimes exceed 6000 lbs). You're towing that, plus a trailer heavy enough to carry that load with an ATV rated for 1300 lbs? No wonder you burned out a belt. I hope you were at...

I was participating in a community effort to eradicate Buckthorn in the woods behind our local elementary school. The school administration will not let us use herbicides on any of this, so it's pull what we can, and cut the rest, knowing that we will have to come back and cut the resprouts. We...

I got my 1 lbs estimate for a 16” bar and chain by looking at the shipping weight from a mail order place. Probably not exactly correct, but I bet it’s close. The narrow kerf bars used on most battery saws are probably a bit lighter.

Except that an empty gas tank or without a battery is not how you use the saw. I own 1 battery chainsaw and 3 gas saws. My Milwaukee electric saw is about the equivalent of a 40cc gas saw. Its spec. weight is 13.9 lbs without the battery. The 12 AH, high output battery weighs 3.4 lbs. That's...

It was only a matter of time before someone did that. Somewhere around I have a charger for my Milwaukee M18 batteries that plugs in to a 12V cigarette lighter. Its slower than my 120VAC rapid charger (and also slower than my older original M18 chargers), but it does work. In a jam, I can...

The best ones are metal. Here is one of the original manufacturers. There are others out there selling cheaper cans, but they are significantly lighter gauge metal and don't hold up as well. https://wavianusa.com/wavian-fuel-cans

Black Locust is more rot resistant than Honey Locust, though both do well in that regard.

I like the NATO style metal cans much better. Easier to pour out of - even without the optional spout.

Honey Locust has similar BTUs to White Oak. Higher than Beech or Red Oak. Prime firewood once you get it dried out.

That BatteryMinder model 128CEC1 is probably one of the best charger/maintainers out there

If I'm not using my clearing saw to cut the saplings down low... I use an Uprooter tool (successor to the Weed Wrench) to pull out sapling stumps or whole saplings if they are a problem. I've used it on Buckthorn up to about 2" diameter with good success. Years ago, one of the regulars on here...

From another Napa article: I love it when you can use the company's own info against them

The Napa dealer is blowing smoke. 12V is not "good" on a 12 V battery at rest. That's actually close to a 50% depth of discharge for a standard flooded lead-acid battery. Most battery manufacturers consider that fully discharged, since they don't recommend running it below 50% DOD. One of...

Gordon - the best forecasts for our New England that I have seen are from "New England Weather Guy". He tends to do a better job than any of the weather apps I've tried. You can find him on his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/newenglandweatherguy

A hunting club that owns 96,000 acres?! That's one hell of a club!

Vermont has one property tax rate for a primary residence, and another for residential property that is not your primary homestead. The two tend to be fairly close. There is some convoluted formula for how they come up with those. Sometimes, the formula comes up with a rate that is higher for...

@wolc123 where are you from? For your Ash timeline (over 10 years ago), I'm guessing southern Michigan or NW Ohio?

I never did understand the draw of "sport" trucks. To me, a truck is for getting something done. But I guess whatever floats their boat...

M37 Trucks are not all that expensive. That same model year in a Dodge Power Wagon (which shares many of the same components) in similar condition would probably start at 4 times the price of this one. It's when you go the "resto-mod" route that they get expensive (replace with a modern diesel...

While Ash will burn when fresh cut, It does burn much better and have higher BTU output if it is properly seasoned. The attached file shows the "excess moisture content" for various species of wood (the amount of moisture above the 20% MC that is commonly accepted as the desirable max for...

White ash is close to Red Oak in terms of BTUs: just a few % lower than RO. However, it doesn't seem to coal as well as Oak does. Black ash has about 80% of the BTU content as Red Oak.

I have a 2009 Tacoma that I bought used 6 or 7 years ago (my wife got tired of me beating up the minivan hauling stuff). After about a year and a half of driving that, I decided I wanted something with a bit more "character" and better suited to working in the woods. A friend a few miles down...

Grew up on a small farm in NW Ohio, Prime ag soils, but not enough acreage to make any sort of living on, so my parents rented the farm fields out to a neighboring farmer. Most of my neighbors were farmers (and none of them seemed to mind talking about how much land they farmed.) Moved to...

We got about 14 - 15" of snow here Saturday. Normally, I would use the tractor and snowblower on a snowfall that big, but the neighbors with whom we share a driveway had some gravel put down recently, and I did not want to risk picking it up and blowing it off the driveway. I tried the Honda...

The seat on my 2001 NH TC 33D was not as bad as that, but getting to be a problem. When I looked at the cost of replacement seats, I decided to pass on that option. I had a seat cover on my riding mower for years that had held up well. I searched around, and sure enough the manufacturer made a...

Agreed. AGM batteries tend to hold their charge longer when sitting idle, and have a wider range of operating temperatures on the low end. I put a a group 27 Deep Cycle AGM battery in my dump trailer 5-1/2 years ago which is still doing well. I put an Optima Yellow top AGM in my tractor when...

Not putting on a show. In fact, I'm surprised at the number of people who don't regularly wear appropriate PPE when operating a chainsaw. I'm all for situational awareness (I'm a pilot and was a flight instructor for years: that phrase is something that was drummed in to me, and which I took...

Chainsaw helmet with face shield and hearing protection and full wrap chaps any time I'm running the saw. Most times I also wear cut resistant chainsaw boots. I never used to wear chainsaw boots, but my wife got me a pair of Haix XR200 boots for Christmas several years ago. They turned out to be...

Look in to the cold weather performance of Lithium batteries before making the plunge... particularly cold weather charging limitations.

I put a similar patter square link chain on my Honda Pioneer 520 UTV. I wanted some traction for plowing snow, but was concerned about going with studded, since I did not want to tear up the paved loop of driveway. It's been working well so far.

I’ve used V-Bar ladder style, V-Bar Duo Grip, and now the studded Euro style (same style as what Lou is using) - all on the same tractor with the same tires used with all 3 styles of chains. I agree with Lou: the Euro style are by far the best for my use (and also the most expensive). I’ve...

Forward traction with ladder chains (especially those with V-bars) is good. They worked well clearing snow from my driveway. However, the lateral traction was not so good for my use. I had to switch to the “Euro-style” chains for working on rougher terrain in the woods and on side hills.

Gordon - Most pieces don't seem to strain any splitter I've used at all. The other factor besides pressure is the size of the cylinder. A 5" diameter cylinder puts 56% more pressure on the log than a 4" cylinder at the same PSI

I had a 2 HP motor on an 16 Ton electric Ramsplitter years ago. I ordered that because it was the biggest I could get and still run off a standard 120V outlet (it did need to be on a 20 amp breaker. 15 amp Breakers would trip occasionally.) I only had one easily accessible 240 volt outlet, but...

My favorite part is probably the felling. Almost all of what I do is more or less a thinning-type operation. (I've been doing a lot of Crop Tree Release on my property.) I enjoy the puzzle of figuring out how to get the trees down in a manner that does not damage the trees I'm keeping: threading...

My two least favorite things about dealing with firewood: clearing the brush out of my way after felling and limbing a tree and stacking. It's always a bonus when I can drop the tree somewhere that I can just leave the limbs where they land. As for stacking: if I have to do much stacking above...

If that is the case, how do you ever get to the older wood? Or did you mean that you burn first what goes in first?

I've used mine below zero, but only for a few cuts. I avoid it - with either gas or battery chainsaws - if I can. I generally save that for emergencies: helping folks dig out after a winter storm.

Have you used it below about 15-20˚F (-10 to -7˚C) much? I was out working in the woods when it was 15-20˚F a few days ago. Brought my Milwaukee M18 saw with me just to see how it would do. The battery certainly did seem to drain more quickly than the last time I used it. The Milwaukee saw does...

What size UTVs are you looking at? A new Honda Pioneer 520 starts at $10K. You'll probably want some options, so it goes up from there, but still fairly reasonable. I use it to get work done in my woods. I went with this over an ATV because I wanted the bed: I haul a couple of chainsaws, fuel &...

High of 60˚F here yesterday. Woke up this morning to 17˚. I'm actually glad to see it, since it has hardened the ground back up. I've been working on some Crop Tree Release on the far corner of my property. That area dries out quickly, but I'm faced with one of those "you can't get there from...

I've seen this a few times now: someone posts a picture, but all I see is the file name (in this case: 1709008234195.png) Clicking on that file name did nothing. It's not until someone quotes it that I can see the picture itself. Is anyone else having this issue? I'm guessing because he posted...

I looked it up years ago when I bought an Optima Yellow Top battery for my tractor. I know the charging and float voltages in my smart charger's various charging profiles. Contacted Optima for tech support on which was the best profile to use. They suggested using the standard flooded/sealed...

The Milwaukee M18 saws come with a 3/8"pitch, low profile, .043" gauge narrow kerf bar and chain. Since they are thinner than a regular bar, they tend to be more flexible. I suspect that it is the bending that causes the chain to derail. You really can't put much side load or twisting pressure...

Some AGM batteries actually prefer the standard setting (Optima AGM batteries are one example). Interstates web site says to use the AGM setting on their AGM batteries.

SACRILEGE! Pancakes are just a vehicle for delivering syrup. You can improve the vehicle, but that doesn't change the reason for it's existence. (Actually, waffles are even better, since they hold more syrup. But not those Belgian waffles. They suck.)

Once the days rise above the 40s and/or the nights no longer reach a freezing point, sap production really slows down. You definitely need to remove the taps before the buds open on the trees. Continuing to draw sap after the buds have broken produces a bitter flavor that really ruins the taste...

If you still have the link to that Coot on FBM, please post it or message it to me. I know people who are looking for them. They generally tend to get snapped up more or less locally or by someone within a decent driving distance. (Shipping can be a hassle that some don't want to deal with.) IT...

That fuel tank location was a dumb idea on their part: right over the muffler. I've never had an issue with it, but it seems like a problem just waiting to happen. The tank is on the small side, but the original 12 HP, and the current 16 HP engine do well on fuel economy: better than any of my...

Among all my options for working in the woods: tractor modified for forestry use, Can Am Outlander Max ATV (recently sold), Honda Pioneer SxS, 1951 Dodge M37 military pickup, my favorite is an antique ATV known as a Coot. It's 4WD, 4W steering, amphibious, articulated. Originally powered by a 12...

still valuable info.

Actually, middle and lower income people have participated more in recent growth than in previous years. For may years, all the growth has been at the top of the income scale. That seems to have shifted a bit recently. Not enough to make up for decades of losses, but at least it's moving in the...

I got a 15% "valued customer" coupon which expired before I got around to using it (Feb 13). Now just got the 10% No exclusions for everyone / 15% for Inside Track members. Probably won't get around to using that one either. I just don't need anything they are selling badly enough at this point.

Pretty much the same results I get here in the Champlain Valley of Vermont. Non-Oak species I can fairly reliably get to 15-17% MC over one summer if I cut/split/stack in the spring. I can get a bit lower if I get it cut and stacked early enough. Mud season sometimes interferes with working...

If what you have works for your use, that's what matters.

Those were most likely 2-link ladder style chains: the cross chains are every other link (a cross chain, a gap of one link, then another cross chain on the second link). 4-link ladder-style chains have a cross chain every fourth link (a cross chain, three empty links, then another cross chain on...

I've seen 2-link and 4-link ladder style chains before. This is the first time I've ever seen 5-link chains.

I knocked the hydraulic filter off my NH TC33D the third day I owned it when a large flat rock flipped up and hit it. It mangled the filter and snapped the flange the filter mounts to. A couple years later a friend I lent it to did the same thing when he drove over a 2x4 hidden in some tall...

Oak is one of the few species I can't get to dry enough to burn cleanly in just one summer season of drying here in Vermont. It usually has to go through two summers (and best if it's stacked in single rows out exposed to the sun & wind). Few woods dry in a reasonable amount of time while still...

4.5mm is very close to 11/64. If you cannot find a 4.5mm it’s better on these low profile chains to go down a size, rather than go up. So if 4.5mm is not available, look for a 4.0mm or 5/32” file. If you used one of the Oregon file guides (the kind that clips on to the file and is roughly 1”...

You are one of the few lucky areas in Vermont (so far). To my knowledge, no one has actually reported EAB here in Monkton, but I'm sure it's here, and we are already considered an infested area. It has been in surrounding towns for years. Often, the real damage doesn't show up in the trees until...

I'd have loved to consider a Kawasaki UTV. I was looking for smaller, so would probably have gone with the Mule SX 4x4 XC, but could not find anyone in our area with one to look at when I was shopping. (nearest dealer only stocks Kawa motorcycles, others more than an hour away had no SX models...

Most of the time when cutting for myself, I eyeball 16". I find where I tend to get messed up is when switching from a small diameter log to a big one (or vice versa): I tend to cut longer on the larger diameter log. So I'll sometimes use the bar as a gauge to recalibrate my eyeballs on the...

Yes, but that is what an ad blocker is for. My point was that which search engine you use does not effect how many ads you see when viewing the forum, it just effects WHICH ads you see

Whether they track you or not only affects the type of ads you see, not the quantity. Which ones they show me doesn't really matter to me, since I don't read any of them anyway.

I've been enjoying finally being able to get out and work in my woods, now that the ground has finally frozen up. It's been the warmest, wettest year I can remember in my 23 years of owning this property. I do enjoy working in the cooler weather. A few days ago it was around 15˚F (approx -10˚C)...

With the ground finally frozen up, I've finally been able to get out to work on the crop tree release project on the far corner of my property. 2023 was such a wet year that I've been reluctant to go out there with with the tractor or UTV. Since it's about a mile of trails, carrying all the gear...

Whether you need chain tensioners or not depends on the style of chain you go with. Many manufacturers of the diamond pattern chains recommend NOT using tensioners. Tensioners ARE recommended for ladder style chains. The flat strap is definitely the way to go for a snow plow set up. They hold...

As some have already noted, part of your problem is trying to use the loader's float function. You are putting all of the weight of your loader fame on the plow. (Another part may be the wieght of your plow blade itself: it does look rather beefy - like a dozer blade rather than a snow plow, but...

Most of my web browsing is on my computer, but I do use my iPhone on occasions. I’ve never had this sort of problem on my iPhone. Using an iPhone XR running iOS 17.2.1

Absolutely ZERO interest in pods. They rob too much power. When the snow gets too heavy for my UTV with chains on the tires, I use my tractor. I intentionally bought a smaller, lighter UTV to go easy on fuel usage and to get out to the area where I'm working when I don't have heavier machine...

Every winch I've looked at was rated at pounds of pull. (though admittedly, I have not investigated this for very many brands of winches.) Nothing to do with rolling capacity or dragging or uphill. It's the pounds exerted, regardless of what they are exerted on. Trailer hitches are generally...

Same here. I use my Honda Pioneer 520 UTV year round here in VT. It has larger than stock tires to improve ground clearance and diamond pattern chains on the back (mine are square link chains, which grip better than plain round links, but are not as aggressive as studded diamond pattern chains.)...

I was thinking of grabbing one of those hook pulleys. Was this the HF hook/pulley you were talking about: https://www.harborfreight.com/4-in-1-12-ton-capacity-aluminum-sheave-block-with-hook-63693.html I looked at one of those and was concerned that it was too light-duty for my needs. I wonder...

I'm just the opposite: With the work I do, I'd surely bust up a cab in the woods on a regular basis. I'm in Vermont, but I can dress for the cold and snow. I might have risked a cab just for the AC if I lived in the south.

I supplied some Oak logs to a local friend who was getting in to growing mushrooms. She had no need for big logs. Was looking for 4-6" diameter and 3 or 4 feet long. She's had very good success with them. She did say that one key was to get the logs while they are freshly down. You need to...

It's an expensive place to live in general. I suspect the fact that we are midway between Burlington (VT's largest city) and Middlebury (college and hospital town) tends to drive the prices up a bit. Just did a check for updated prices in our area: $495/cord for kiln-dried firewood from two...

X2. Why use up some of the limited cycles on my cordless tool batteries running a light when I can get a cheap rechargeable light and cycle that instead. It's a whole lot cheaper to replace those batteries - or the whole light - when it finally dies.

Knotty and twisted doesn't really bother me if it's someone else doing the splitting. As far as the other issues: I'd be looking for another firewood supplier if I were not in a position to do it myself. I expect a few shorts here and there (the last cut when they get to the end of a log), but...

Heat lamps do work, but "quickly" is a relative term. A tractor engine has a lot of thermal mass. In really cold weather, it can take hours to get a good preheat. Putting the heat lamp under the tractor and throwing an old blanket or sleeping bag over it can help - just make sure things are...