I need to extend my firewood storage this year, it is the fastest and easiest route to take since I came across some free broken farm equipment (that I fixed) and some other stuff that needs a roof over it to keep it out of the elements and since I also need an extended firewood shed, well this will be the solution for this winter.
It was perfect weather today for a trip to the forest and we were three generations helping eachother, my dad, me and my oldest son. We all had a good time, my oldest son also picked a few handfulls of chanterells that he fried up for sandwiches for the family, unfortunately they got eaten swiftly so no pics of those… But at least the half load of long spruce logs made it into the camera.
Cut them at around 25 feet (7,7m) which is the length and width I need for the extension including roof overhang and such. Milling them is saved for another time, we took the evening off.
All in all a great day, everybody happy
This wood will look a lot better after it has been through the sawmill or the wood chunkier. Or maybe just getting it closer to the house and on higher ground .
Wayne that’s a really nice size tree. If that was chunked up you won’t need to chunk for the rest of the year at least. I really appreciate you showing us the forest you have down there. It turns out I was out in the bush filming too.
The trees we have here aren’t nearly as big as Wayne’s but there is a lot of dead trees that can come out. Today I was getting some small diameter trees that will fit into the chunker without a lot of processing. I was hoping to get just oak but ended up getting a few spruce since they were already down and were the right size.
I was trying to get a tree up that had blown down and was still attached to the root ball . A little too much for a farm tractor so I put ole yellow to it .
I didn’t really pay any attention to that boom on the tractor before. Did you load the logs in that first picture with that? I’m surprised it didn’t bend extended that much. Didn’t notice the ladders either. What do you use those for? I like the overhead storage. Nice setup all around.
Tom, I made the boom just last year. I haven’t tried it out much until now. It’s only 2" square tubing, but if you look closely it’s brazed with a couple 1/2" rebar rods.
Yes, those sturdy logs in the first pic are loaded with the boom. The tractor’s hudraulic arm power and also its weight in the front are the limiting factors - not enough to bend the boom. I usually lift the front end of the log up first. If the hudraulic arms struggle, it’s enough to help the log a little by hand. Also, I can easily move the pully further back on the boom if needed.
The rear end of the log, with the overhang, is the heaviest. I kind of parbuckle that end up with the boom, which cuts the weight in half. Wayne’s expression “Poor folks have poor ways” comes to mind
About the ladder. I don’t usually bring one, but one of the cabin owners down by the river (close to our woodlot) wanted me to help him knock down a big birch that was leaning towards the building. I used the ladder to attach a rope high enough to bring it down safely.
The biggest reason for this is because I was chunking mostly dry wood. Everything here fell through the fork. Should I be discarding this stuff or just mix it in with the larger chunks and put it in the gasifier?
Tried chunking some 3.5in dry oak and I heard the motor slightly bog down to keep the flywheel turning. Anything larger will need to be wet wood.
Those who have cattle may know what these things are.
At work we are now making some large mineral tubs for cattle. There is about 15-20 pallets of reject parts that can’t be shipped out to be filled with the mineral stuff. I could get some for cheap if not for free. I’m just wondering if I could somehow utilize them for storing wood?
They would probably be too heavy if I just filled them with wood and too bulky to pour into the hopper lid. But maybe it would work to cut out the bottom and attach them together to make a silo that could be filled with wood chunks?
Just thinking out loud here.
In chunking ,storing and loading my fuel chunks I make no effort keeping the fine material out of the gasifier .
If the fines happen to drop out through the process it is OK or if they make it to the gasifier it is still OK .
I have a lot of those mineral tubs around but haven’t come up with a good use for them .
I’ve never see tubs like that. They look about perfect for container planting. I have been buying some 17 gallon tubs every time I go to town to buy supplies. I will be shifting most of my potato and tomato plants into those next year. Those tubs you show look more durable.
@tcholton717 and @Norman89 Here we go as promised - at load no5 though.
Night shift at work means all day off for playing. Couldn’t resist when the weather was nice. This may be our last days with close to summer temps.
Is it good to drive on uneven terrain with Ferguson without chains?
I don’t think I’ve been off road with mine, it sounded so weird when the front wheels tilted, when I went over a ditch.
