Good morning!!!!

[Spike56]

Good morning, already 65 this morning and a little drizzle earlier dry now.

Hit a rock in the rough tree area yesterday mowing that stalled the mower. It runs fine after clearing over the rock with no vibrations but will have to sharpen blades soon. New trees are growing well this year as you can see the oak below.

Did get some of the tree area mowed yesterday setting the deck up at 5 inches and it kept up without stalling out. Will do a couple of sections of lawn today and see if time some more tree planting mowing. While the grass is wet anyway look at some the service work. Need to find the bucket oil pump to use for trans oils.

Buppies, be careful working on the trees and stay on level to keep balance.

View attachment 800270

What are you using around the trees?

 

[txdon]

Truffles in food preparation is expensive so this is probably the next best thing.
Will see how wife is going to use it and get me more spoiled like the kids say

It will be interesting to see how she uses it. #1 ingredient is carob powder.

 

[m7040]

What are you using around the trees?

They are planted in early spring as seedlings. They are kept refrigerated from the MD State nursery until planted. Then staked and plastic shelter added. Mowed 3 or so times a year and sprayed around the shelter for weeds in a small circle. No fertilizer or anything added and only planting trees native to area.
We get around 90 percent survival after planting several thousand trees

 

[jbrumberg]

I never really heard/read about this product and uses before. Thanks for sharing.

 

[m7040]

Tangentially…

I had been assigned a vehicle that had been forfeited to the county, ( 1993 Ford Bronco Eddie Bauer full-size, in green) which the previous owner had fitted with aftermarket rims and Mickey Thomson 16x36x16 knobbies. Which were entirely too wide for the vehicle, and would rub on the frame if you turned the wheel too far, resulting in an approximately 60-ft turning circle—- but I digress…

ANYWHO. . .

One early morning, retrining from a three-day training in South Jersey, on the NJTPKE, between exit 7 and 7A, I had a blowout. 3/4 Of the sidewall blowout. The original full-size tailgate spare (way smaller than the rest of the tires) had full air (I made sure of that!), jacked up the vehicle, put the tire iron on the first lugnut, and



nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Gornischt.
leaned on it.
stood on it.
jumped on it.

it just said eff yooo hahahaha.

Six hours before a gummint contract type could get me. On the NJTPKE, in January, in South Jersey, single digits and 30 mph winds.

OK, I am one of those people who keep cams of nut and cans of sardines and smoked oysters and MRE heaters and a case of water in all my vehicles because I am paranoid about being stranded and IT PAID OFF.

Anywho…

Tow vehicle arrives, driver says “I can’t take passengers.”

I Go full obnoxious Jersey F@#$in‘ City on him.

it was a quiet ride up the Turnpike. . .

ANYWHO:

Vehicle is in the county garage, they are all PO’d that they have to replace all four tires because nobody will approve the purchase of a single MT knobby.

THEN———- They have to get the rims off the vehicle.


LOOOOOOONG STORY longer…

it took three mechanics 5 hours, working in shifts, with an 8lb sledge and several pieces of 6x6 to beat those rims off, because the alloy had electrolysis-welded to the steel brake rotors.

THE MORAL OF THE STORY:

I now apply anti-seize to the mating surfaces of alloy rims and brake rotors/drums, lugnuts, and stud threads on all vehicles.

(because you cannot beat the brake rotors off if you cannot beat the rims off first…)

That is a funny story. I see those truck go down the highway with these god awful tires and rims. There was story recently where the tire came off and barreled down the highway. Forgot if some one got killed. Puts a lot of stress on the axels, hubs bearings etc

 

[m7040]

Paul Nakasone is retiring as head of NSA Cyber Command. He was the best boss our daughter had when working in Afghanistan.

 

[mpham]

Very nice!
There is a wood turning lathe in our wood shop and I need to try to make a bowl. What does the piece of wood look like before you start?

Thank you all for the compliments.
Most of the wood I turn is regular firewood blanks. This Sycamore was a 12x12 wide by 6 inch thick slab I purchased online and cut into 6 inch cubes.

 

[KilroyJC]

That is a funny story. I see those truck go down the highway with these god awful tires and rims. There was story recently where the tire came off and barreled down the highway. Forgot if some one got killed. Puts a lot of stress on the axels, hubs bearings etc

W-W-W-h-h-e-n m-m-a-k-i-n-g-g-g t-u-r-r-n-s-s-s th-e-r-e is-s-s s-o-m-e v-I-b-r-r-r-a-t-io-n-s-s——

 

[KilroyJC]

GM Update:

Did some pressure washing early, washed Mrs‘ Subaru, my pickup, 20 medium hive frames, 20 plastic foundation, 2 medium hive boxes, a pair of Crocs that sat out all winter, the soup pot I made sugar syrup for the bees in last week, and the dog bed we bought yesterday.

we went up the mountain, Bailey enjoyed her walk. Flippy thingy needs longer ears.

popgadget - I was wrong, motion is 5oclock to 3 o’clock, not 4&2.

No over-center for retention.

Flippy-thingy v.1.0:

Just a piece ofroof tin, some strategic cuts andbending. The ears have to be long enough to clear the bracket the rod runs through. Flippy-thingy V2.0 will be green roof metal instead of red, because that scrap piece has more meat on either side of the rib.

I also set some stakes and Mason line for level so I can level out the first path I will try to blaze with the excavator. Mrs plays surveyor assistant, and found out just what a string level is for. Once several sets were in, she began to appreciate what we were doing, especially since it will let her drive TukTuk on level paths instead of being slopey.

the ground in the foreground is pretty much level, you can see from the Mason line how it pitches as you get deeper in (You may have to zoom in). Good practice for scraping grade with the excavator.

It was still too wet to bother with firing the min-ex up, but things got accomplished. Oh - and I also marked the ground off to the side of the weedblock so that, once the stone is delivered Monday, we will know exactly where the shed has to go!

 

[m7040]

Kil, the lever on pto for the old MF has a resistance built in that is has to move over to engage. I think it is a ball with a spring and indents it moves over. If the spring loses the spring action it will not hold position unless you tie it off in position. Yours may be similar