What did you do to or on your Kubota today?

[The Evil Twin]

Had our taste of TX weather a week ago. @Fordtech86 and @Flintknapper can keep that shizzle sizzle down there!

 

[g_man]

This is more of a case of what I plan to do with the tractor, but talking of firewood, yesterday afternoon I went out to a site where I have a small logging project in late September, early October. I have to cut down close to 100 trees, limb them, stack up the limbs into one or two slash piles and haul away the bulk of the wood. It'll produce a lot of cords of firewood for next year and beyond. Fortunately the property is essentially flat with easy access.

I'll be using the M6060 with the EA grapple, a logging winch out back and a couple of trailers. It should be a good project and will take around four days to complete.

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Looks like you will be a very busy man for four days. You've got the right equipment to do it though.

gg

 

[Bmyers]

Is that a locust tree, mine are being destroyed by carpenter ants. You think that there is a stand of good firewood for years to come, but much of it is rendered useless.

No, our locust trees are actually all doing great, big thorns and all, which we have tried to remove all them from around the house and the barns, but still have plenty in the back pasture area. We have a few trees, several of ash (the ash borer has gotten to them and you can see the holes in the tree), oak, an apple, and hickory that all died. Our walnut trees are taking off everywhere. Out of all the trees the walnut seem to be doing the best.

We have four ash trees that we need to take down, just a matter of finding the time to do it.

 

[Siesta Sundance]

Your 'Kids' always look to be enjoying themselves.. Good work Dad! And good for them to be outside as much as they are.

It has been (and will be hot) here. You are only a couple of hours East of me....so I am sure it is much the same.

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yes it’s much the same here! This is in the shade lol

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107 expected today with 114* heat index.

We did hit a record 127* heat index a few weeks back.

Looks like about another 8 days in the 100's then temps look like they will be back in 90's to finish out August. I hope the long term forecast is correct, this heat issue getting old.

 

[PortTackFarm]

I used my big orange wheelbarrow over the weekend to move 18 retaining wall blocks at 48 lbs each and a tandem axel trailer of rock working on our fire pit area and walkway to it.

 

[Flintknapper]

107 expected today with 114* heat index.

We did hit a record 127* heat index a few weeks back.

Looks like about another 8 days in the 100's then temps look like they will be back in 90's to finish out August. I hope the long term forecast is correct, this heat issue getting old.

Same forecast for us as well. Hope they are right.

You, being in 'South' Texas naturally experience higher temps than we do in Deep East Texas each year....but its been pretty rough on y'all this year.

And you've not had some of the rainfall we were able to get earlier in the year.

But I know you and all the land owners in that region will persevere. It isn't the first time.

 

[g_man]

After all that July rain some of the higher places are dry enough to work in. This weekend I started a new stud wood pile.

I set my camera out while I worked on this up-rooted blow down lying across a tractor road. It is not a big tree by any means but it is big enough to make three stud wood saw logs. Took these photos off the video.

I wish I had thought to put a chunk of wood under the butt to keep it up off the ground before I cut it off of the up-rooted stump. Usually a good idea. I had to make a couple more cuts to remove the butt rot with the tree on the ground. Can be hard on the chain. It's been so long since I ran the saw it seemed a little out of tune.

Winched in the two bottom logs like this.

The top log I winched in small end first using the first two logs as an anchor and their sliders as a snatch block. If your not careful this is a good way to put a curlicue kink in your cable. It happens if there is a lot of tension in the cable going around the sharp bend. Just like when a Christmas ribbon is drawn over a scissors blade under your thumb to make a fancy curlicue bow. But with a light log and a movable anchor that will not happen.

My camera timed out (memory full) just as I started to winch in. But the log came in as planned and completed the three log hitch.

Here is the 15 minute video - just doing the job, not exciting

gg

 

[fox 77]

Trouble shooting bucket drop (PITA). Need to rebuild cylinders. One would think this would be warranty, only 900+ hours and 15 years old.

 

[D2Cat]

Trouble shooting bucket drop (PITA). Need to rebuild cylinders. One would think this would be warranty, only 900+ hours and 15 years old.

As I read this and see no smiley face indicating anything but serious thought, this person must still live in his folk's basement!!!!

 

[Flintknapper]

As I read this and see no smiley face indicating anything but serious thought, this person must still live in his folk's basement!!!!

Yeah, when I read it.....I thought that 'actually'.... it is exactly time to rebuild the cylinders (seal kits). 15 yrs. old and 900 hours of who knows what kind of use.

Hopefully the OP wasn't serious?

 

[Siesta Sundance]

Same forecast for us as well. Hope they are right.

You, being in 'South' Texas naturally experience higher temps than we do in Deep East Texas each year....but its been pretty rough on y'all this year.

And you've not had some of the rainfall we were able to get earlier in the year.

But I know you and all the land owners in that region will persevere. It isn't the first time.

Nothing is liking this heat, I also cleaned the coils too. Ordering another set of spare parts.

 

[Flintknapper]

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Nothing is liking this heat, I also cleaned the coils too. Ordering another set of spare parts.

Def....want to have spare contactor and Capacitor on hand in this kind of weather. Don't want to have to wait a week for an AC tech to show up.

Here we have the issue of Fire-ants getting into electrical outlets, boxes, contactors, etc...and shorting them out.

 

[fried1765]

Def....want to have spare contactor and Capacitor on hand in this kind of weather. Don't want to have to wait a week for an AC tech to show up.

Here we have the issue of Fire-ants getting into electrical outlets, boxes, contactors, etc...and shorting them out.

I keep both of those items on hand in Florida.

 

[NCL4701]

Went out to the farm on Saturday. Mowed and cleaned up a down tree from the storm. Had to cut it up into 8 foot chunks for the tractor to haul off. Yet, most of the branches broke off when the tree hit the ground during the storm.

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You can see why the tree was on our list to come down this fall, but the storm did it for us.

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Looks like it was a bit of a blessing it came down on its own. I’ve always hated cutting trees as hollow as that thing.

 

[Bmyers]

Looks like it was a bit of a blessing it came down on its own. I’ve always hated cutting trees as hollow as that thing.

I fully agree. Those hollow trees scare me. I'm a weekend lumber jack, so I know I lack the experience and skill to handle it like the professionals. We have a few trees that will wait till my more experienced tree cutting friends can come take them down or the weather does it for us.

 

[The Evil Twin]

I used my big orange wheelbarrow over the weekend to move 18 retaining wall blocks at 48 lbs each and a tandem axel trailer of rock working on our fire pit area and walkway to it.

I misread your post where you said firepit "area" , and only saw the thumbnails. I thought to myself "that is a ginormous firepit!!"

 

[Flintknapper]

I fully agree. Those hollow trees scare me. I'm a weekend lumber jack, so I know I lack the experience and skill to handle it like the professionals. We have a few trees that will wait till my more experienced tree cutting friends can come take them down or the weather does it for us.

Smart of you. Part of the trouble....is not recognizing from the beginning that the tree is hollow or otherwise compromised inside. As bad as the OP's tree was, you would have discovered that when making your face cut.

But many trees are only partially rotten inside (not completely hollow as in this case) and can start falling (or come apart) unexpectedly. Especially if you have a 'leaner'. Where I live we have several tree types that are notorious for being hollow or partially rotten inside.

Water Oaks and Hackberry trees to name a couple. If I have any suspicion about them at all....I will make a single plunge cut with the bar to see what is what.

Bottom line: If the tree makes you feel spooky, follow your gut feeling and leave it alone.

 

[hoot owl]

Bussey week so far. Our youngest son came over Monday to help me cut down dying trees and trees that the tops came out of in last Sunday night's storm. I finished up the down trees by my self yesterday.

We dropped around 20 trees along our 6/10s of a mile drive. Cut them in to logs for the local saw mill to pickup. I will cut the tops when the weather is colder. I have plenty cut and dry for this winter to heat the shop.

42 logs in the pile. The one on the right was to heavy for my 2501 with 6' bush hog on the back to lift.
Today we received some much needed rain. 2" so far and more coming over night tonight. I am taking my chain saw with me to church just in case the storms tonight bring down anything else.
Going to start swaping an engine for our daughter tomorrow.

 

[Flintknapper]

Going to start swaping an engine for our daughter tomorrow.

Maybe just buy an engine and keep the Daughter?

 

[johnjk]

Fired up the B1700 and got my mow in. Spitting rain but just enough to cool me off.