Good morning!!!!

[Einthewoods]

Einthewoods, if you get chains, get all 4. If you buy from a Canadian chain supplier you will pay about 30% less for them. The Canuck buck is worth about 30% less than the US buck.

Thanks! I'm going to start looking for some this weekend. I haven't had a good Cuban cigar in a couple years, so I might just make a field trip out of this and take the short trip across the border and get some chains while I'm there if I can find some.

 

[Einthewoods]

Howdy ya'll. Cold day today...glad the weekend is here.

I'm going to take a trip to a Tractor Supply tomorrow while they have their carry all in stock and grab one. I am going to build a couple different platforms to use with it:
1. A ballast box for when I am moving logs with the fel forks or otherwise using the fel
2. A cut firewood carrier and general purpose carrying platform

I plan to build the platforms so that I can pick them up with the carry all like forks and then use pins to hold them on to it. That way I can easily exchange between the two without bolts and such.

Once I get to work on it (think spring time ) I of course will get some pics.

Have a great Saturday everyone. Hope everyone can have a good health day...do something fun...and have a good meal.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Summer of 69 I turned 17, got a job with a guy that ditched with a crane and dug septic tanks on Saturday. I mostly cut small trees with an ax or dug holes with a shovel, moved 125lb skid boards to load the crane, etc...
We often blasted stumps in our path. We drilled One stump and put the usual 4 sticks in the holes, connected the wires and went to cover and blew it. When the dust cleared it wasn’t even cracked! It was Friday afternoon and we were not messing around. We drilled more and put 6 sticks in and wired them to the detonator (6v dry cell). Started back to cover and I got my foot tangled in the wire and tripped knocking down Earl and pulling the battery off the stump where we left it. As luck would have it wire number two made contact. The stump blew and covered us in debris and near deafening us. When we jumped up und looked the stump was headed for low earth orbit! Didn’t quite make it, instead reached terminal velocity about 80 yds down range and crashed through an outdoor toilet in a small black community nearby, totally destroyed the outhouse! When we got our wits we ran over there to find about 10-12 elderly black people standing around staring. Thank God the Johnny was empty upon vehicle re-entry.
I’ll never forget the sight of that 5 ft chunk of cedar arching through air that far from the launch point. And the horror I felt when I realized it was headed for the relief station! We spent Sunday and Monday building a toilet!

It was all fun til you realized it was going to wipe out an out house. Did you build the new one over the old smelly pit? P.U.

Vanagons are notorious for engine fires, Drew. VW routed a fuel line from the tank to a steel bulkhead, and chose to use a plastic pass through fitting. Even the newest Vanagon is 27 years old now, and that plastic gets brittle with age and all that engine heat. When it breaks, fuel at full pressure quickly covers the engine, and a spark from the distributor cap sets it off. The fuel keeps coming as long as the ignition stays on, which is likely in all the ensuring excitement. Someone posts a Vanagon BBQ picture at least once a month in the Facebook Vanagon groups I hang out in, and I'm wondering why the NHTSA hasn't made VW do some kind of recall.

The early Type 1 VW Bus engines were magnesium, but I'm pretty sure they went to aluminum as time went on. Magnesium was expensive, and Germans are even more frugal than their American and Japanese counterparts. As far as I know, the Subaru engine I'm using is aluminum and steel, with steel fuel lines on the engine itself.

All the remaining fuel lines have been replaced on my van, and a thick grommet protects the new lines where they run through that bulkhead. I'm also ditching the plastic engine cover for an older steel one, and covering the foam insulation on the underside with a fire proof blanket. In addition to the BlazeCut, there will be a modern 10 lb. fire extinguisher in the main compartment, located within easy reach of the sliding door on the side. There's way too much time and money riding in that van at this point to take any chances with an engine fire.:shocked:

I have personally witnessed a vanagon fire. My buddy had a part time job at an Exxon station while in college. A man drives up with a vanagon loaded to the gills with mexican curios, even tied about 2 feet high on the roof too. Tells us he smells gasoline, and asks where can he get it repaired? We sent him 2 blocks south on the opposite side to a gas station with a "mechanic". A few minutes later (it was night) and we saw this huge fireball/mushroom cloud shooting out the engine compartment, catching all the curios on fire. I was even scared for the fireman who had to get close enough to try and put it out. I was hoping another huge fireball wouldn't shoot out. Another friend, a city cop came over to talk to me after they got out the fire and I told him we had told the guy that the place he took it was probably the only place in town that might work on it at night. He went back over and made the proprietor of the station take the guy to a hotel and told him to pay for it too.

Still can’t get a wobble View attachment 538177

Get one of those really long drills like electricians use to cut thru 2x4's in a house and drill baby drill. Then put some fuel on it and torch it, but make sure we aren't under burn ban....There's this retired VFD guy who lives in northern Lee county that will write you up!

Finally bought a tractor, not exactly what I wanted but I’ve got to get some leveling and planting done in the next 3-4 weeks.View attachment 538197

That thing looks like new. Did Drew paint it up for you?

Prayers for Ed's mom, Rip's wifey, Bird's wifey, Randy, and Bef. And any other old coots that need it too.

Statler and waldorf (excellent) - YouTube

 

[buckeyefarmer]

15°
This will be about the low. Up to 32 tomorrow, and staying there tomorrow night. Sunday calling for wintery mix.

Don, nice job getting getting that tree down.
Ed, my wife took prednisone for a bad case of poison ivy, had to step down the dosage. Been a long time ago, don't remember if she had side effects. You've got your hands full.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Well done, Don! I'm glad I didn't make another batch of popcorn:laughing: How come you're not going to buck that thing up and split it for firewood? That would lighten the load and make it easier to get out of the hole. Using the pressure washer is a genius stroke; I'd be all over that, too. The again, the spell checker always chokes on the way I spell genious, so you might wanna take my thoughts with a grain of salt.:laughing:

 

[Eric Salop]

Good morning all. A wet start to the day here and all the experts tell us this will continue until midnight. Another day to kick myself for not fetching more firewood in the dry yesterday. Never mind, it's time I got the hotplates off the kitchen range and gave it a thorough clean out.

RNG, great to hear of some real progress with the Vanagon.

Now what? View attachment 538200

It is already hollowed out. This is looking at the top. View attachment 538237

Tree Cannon project !

Send for more popcorn

 

[buckeyefarmer]

11° got a little colder than projected. Need more sleep....

 

[RoyJackson]

2018-02-03, 0518

-10 right now...high in the low 20's today. No big plans...see how it goes today...actually, I guess I'll clean off the couple inches of snow we got yesterday in preparation for the 3-5 inches predicted for Sunday....in preparation for the 8 to 12 inches predicted for Wednesday....ain't that a *****!

I priced a Fisher plow (straight plow, not a V type) yesterday...about $2500 installed on the Gator. Thinking about it...also about an AF11E plow for the tractor which is about the same price, but no hydraulic angling on the AF11E. Still kicking things around....doubt if I do anything for this winter though. Both the Gator (a 2014 or 2015 855D) and the ZTR are almost paid off. I could pay them both off in a month or so, if I want (considering that too). Things to think about...

 

[Ed of all trades]

Good morning all, 14 this morning going to 37 and sunny. Tired this morning, no plans will see. Hope to get to the shop some today but wife still sick and hard to get out there.

Don, glad things went well on the stump.

Einthewoods, Check out Tirechains.com I got my chains there for less than 1/2 of what I could any where else.

JB, yes tapered, 40, for a week then 30, then 20 then 15 then back to the normal dose.

Prayers sent, Have a great day, Ed

 

[txdon]

Good morning! 47˚ chance of rain. I Plan on trying to reduce the size of the stump for removal out of the hole today. The rain will make the clay hole a sloppy mess. Will send update pics if any progress can be made.

I have already decide what I am going to do with the stump. Plant it.

 

[wngsprd]

9 going to 40. Looks like our snow forecast for tomorrow is now sleet.

Randy, great outhouse story.

Don, you could have the oak cut into boards and make into an outhouse...you already have the hole! or just let Rick drive his tractor over and pick it up...he volunteered.

Ed, hope wife and mom are doing better when they get up.

Costa Rican coffee sounds good.

RNG, once you get that VW-aru running you'll have to make a cross country trip and visit each of us so we can see it. If you come here first, and tow your BMW, I wash and wax it while you travel...don't forget to leave the keys.

E, sounds like a great plan on the carry all. I built a firewood carrying box on mine to bring rounds from the woods to the splitter...flip it off and then use it to lift and carry pallets that I put the split wood on...works great, but since the carry all is angle iron, it makes it tricky to slide into the openings of the pallets like forks would do.

Popcorn and pecan ice cream...how you feeling today, BEF??

 

[Buppies]

14 high of 37 today a snow to sleet to freezing rain to rain mess shows up tonight thru tomorrow hope I do not lose power

Prayers for Eds mom Buckeyefarmer Riptides and his wife Toppop and all other silent requests

Still have the crud I guess it likes me

 

[Buppies]

Toppop funny story enjoy that tractor perfect size

 

[daugen]

good morning all. Mighty cold here, says 16 on the thermometer. Although honestly I think Accurite is an oxymoron. This weather gauge isn't accurate at much of anything. Yeah, I know, I got what I paid for at a hundred bucks.

Attaboy Toppop! Back in the drivers's seat, and what a great tractor. My first tractor was an IH like that, about the next model up at 23hp, and a Mitsubishi diesel too. That engine was the smoothest diesel I ever owned, and is still going doing odd jobs at my church in PA. It was such a good tractor I honestly regretted giving it away. Mitsubishi makes great equipment and IH red is a fine color. Best of luck with it; am sure you will have fun.

I don't have to give Randy any lessons on painting, he's a motorhead too and will have that equipment humming.

Ok, out to turn on the propane heat in the rv and hope there's enough in those tanks to keep it warm until 9am when the buyers arrive.
No, no fresh baked bread, but a great idea. Actually the oven in the rv is new, never used...

Otherwise too cold to do anything today. Will be planting a few trays of zinnias and cornflowers to make my own planters, plus each inside corner of the new garden will be a flower garden plus sunflowers will be planted along the long sides. Flowers and veggies always do well together.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Wife and I are up most of the night, my middle little girl is sick with nausea and a low grade fever. Always seems to happen on weekend with no Dr coverage here in town. I guess I'll have to take her to a clinic in another town.

Need another hour of sleep.

 

[Buppies]

Kyle prayers for your daughter

 

[Buppies]

Drew hope your travel trailer sells today

 

[toppop52]

It was all fun til you realized it was going to wipe out an out house. Did you build the new one over the old smelly pit? P.U.



I have personally witnessed a vanagon fire. My buddy had a part time job at an Exxon station while in college. A man drives up with a vanagon loaded to the gills with mexican curios, even tied about 2 feet high on the roof too. Tells us he smells gasoline, and asks where can he get it repaired? We sent him 2 blocks south on the opposite side to a gas station with a "mechanic". A few minutes later (it was night) and we saw this huge fireball/mushroom cloud shooting out the engine compartment, catching all the curios on fire. I was even scared for the fireman who had to get close enough to try and put it out. I was hoping another huge fireball wouldn't shoot out. Another friend, a city cop came over to talk to me after they got out the fire and I told him we had told the guy that the place he took it was probably the only place in town that might work on it at night. He went back over and made the proprietor of the station take the guy to a hotel and told him to pay for it too.



Get one of those really long drills like electricians use to cut thru 2x4's in a house and drill baby drill. Then put some fuel on it and torch it, but make sure we aren't under burn ban....There's this retired VFD guy who lives in northern Lee county that will write you up!



That thing looks like new. Did Drew paint it up for you?

Prayers for Ed's mom, Rip's wifey, Bird's wifey, Randy, and Bef. And any other old coots that need it too.

Statler and waldorf (excellent) - YouTube

Of course not, we took the backhoe and dug a nice new pit! Used front loader to move the debris and filled the old hole with the dirt. Now that was a sloppy smelly job.

 

[daugen]

Here's some new weather info. Now we need to know all about a MJO...

The latest long-range runs of the GFS and European models and NOAA’s 3 – 4-week temperature forecast agree on a continuation of the cold in the north and warm in the south pattern during February. The latest 3-month forecast for February - April from Columbia University's International Research Institute for Climate and Society and from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) show a similar pattern of cool in the north and warm in the south, but with warmer than average conditions spreading into the Northeast U.S. by March and April. Cold weather tends to shift westward across the northern U.S. as a La Niña winter progresses, so it wouldn’t be too surprising if the rest of the winter trended chillier in the Pacific Northwest and milder in the Northeast.
However, the long-range forecast for late February has more uncertainty than usual. A massive pulse of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is currently over the Western Pacific. It’s the largest such event in 40 years of recordkeeping for the western Pacific, according to NOAA. As this MJO pulse moves east through the Pacific, it may help drive a chain reaction of events, including severe cold over parts of eastern Canada, very mild air sweeping toward the North Pole, an unusually strong surface cyclone across the Arctic, and a split in the stratospheric polar vortex by mid-February. Computer models have been struggling more than usual in their longer-range forecasts for North America during recent days. In short, we can expect some big weather events over the next several weeks, but where and when they’ll unfold remains uncertain. “Perhaps this enormous tropical signal [the MJO] explains the angst-inducing and soul-crushing volatility of recent model runs,” tweeted Todd Crawford (The Weather Company) on Thursday.

soul crushing volatility? Someone likes to read their prose....

 

[toppop52]

Ed, I take prednisone daily at 5mg. When I have to increase the dose to 40 or so and taper off, I feel like Superman for a couple of days, well like I’m not 65 anyhow...