TODAYS SEAT TIME

[bubbacuse77]

burnt all the piles of brush I made this summer and managed to not burn down the woods

[ametcalf]

I put my back out yesterday felling and bucking a pretty big tree. I was doing it because it had the big limbs that I need for my next run of shiitake mushroom logs. My back was so bad that I was sure I would not be able to do anything today, but I was much better after only one night of rest.

I started moving the trunk logs today with my log forks. I took some pics to show my undersized saw. The felled tree ended up hanging off the ground for most of its length so to buck it, I had to do over and under cuts to keep from pinching the saw. It was also on a sidehill, so doing the 'under' buck cuts from the down-slope position would have been a fool's mission. I tweaked my back by trying to reach the too short saw far enough under the log to get the bucks completed from the up-slope side.

I feel good to be back in action and the logs decked up.

The mean diameter of the butt cut was 29 inches. The saw bar is 18.

It doesn't look to me like your saw is undersized. It looks to me like your tree was oversized. I hope your back continues to improve. In the situation you are in I wear a back brace until the healing is complete. Not so much for the support as to keep the body heat in against the muscles so they stay more relaxed.

[Gordon Gould]

Shot a 4 point buck yesterday morning to top off our years supply of venison which is our main stay for red meat except for a few beef burgers off the grill in the summer. Used the tractor in the normal maner to bring it home and hoist it up for finish dressing, cleaning, and draining.

[Haywire]

I took some pics to show my undersized saw.

At least you've got the right brand! It just needs a bigger brother. Pick yourself up a 395XP with a 28" bar. Zoom Zoom Zoom!

Ian

[Short Game]

I knew I was making it hard on myself. I have two big old Stihls that need work that I've been putting off. I also have a neighbor I could have borrowed a bigger saw from, but didn't want the delay. Felling that guy was complicated because it was leaning heavily toward stuff I had to make it miss. I tried to steer it 30 degrees from the main direction of lean and probably got 15 of that. It was just enough to keep me out of trouble. I have to admit I scared myself. I counted the rings and the tree was one year older than I am at 64.

[Haywire]

I figured it was a heavy leaner. That hinge was pretty thick when it broke. Every tree felling you can walk away from is a good one.

[Haywire]

Here's one I dropped march last year. The pic doesn't show the stump, but in order to cut the wedge at the base of the tree, I had to hold the saw up around waist level. It was a little steep. Pucker factor was significant.

[DennisFolsom]

This weekend, I put in two culverts and built a gravel ramp to my newly relocated shed, and another ramp from my driveway to my tractor road. I distributed about 27 cy of screened gravel with the bucket. I also moved about 6 cy of fill dirt that I wasn't ready to distribute, but had to get off the driveway before things freeze solid.

I cleaned and realigned about 50 ft of ditch. While doing that, I got the tractor stuck pretty good. I was in muck with my rear wheels and had one front wheel on relatively solid ground and the other side pretty much hanging in air. The muck was bad enough that the rear diff lock didn't get me going. With one front wheel having no bearing on the ground, the front drive wasn't much help. I played with the bucket and the hoe to help myself out, but finally resorted to an old farmer's trick. I put some pieces of 4 x 4 blocking under the wheels. I think I read in my owner's manual that I shouldn't do that, but it worked for me. I got out and didn't break anything. That's a win, in my book.

I worked until dark both days, so I didn't get any photos. When I get a chance, I'll snap a couple and post them in a thread I have under Projects.

[JD230511]

I had two loads of fire wood, one load on my 16' trailer and one on an old flat "Hay" wagon. (with removable sides) used the tractor to move both. Both loads are in the garage and ready for winter. put about half hour on the clock today.

[catdozer]

This weekend, I put in two culverts and built a gravel ramp to my newly relocated shed, and another ramp from my driveway to my tractor road. I distributed about 27 cy of screened gravel with the bucket. I also moved about 6 cy of fill dirt that I wasn't ready to distribute, but had to get off the driveway before things freeze solid.

I cleaned and realigned about 50 ft of ditch. While doing that, I got the tractor stuck pretty good. I was in muck with my rear wheels and had one front wheel on relatively solid ground and the other side pretty much hanging in air. The muck was bad enough that the rear diff lock didn't get me going. With one front wheel having no bearing on the ground, the front drive wasn't much help. I played with the bucket and the hoe to help myself out, but finally resorted to an old farmer's trick. I put some pieces of 4 x 4 blocking under the wheels. I think I read in my owner's manual that I shouldn't do that, but it worked for me. I got out and didn't break anything. That's a win, in my book.

I worked until dark both days, so I didn't get any photos. When I get a chance, I'll snap a couple and post them in a thread I have under Projects.

Another good way to get unstuck is use the hoe and slowly push down and push the rear to the side but only try with a TLB. And I've lost count on how many times we've had to use crane mats to get our cat 320 excavator out of muck, just sucks you in with no bottom in sight!