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Thread: November Journal

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
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    Granville, PA
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    Nate, that gable end is just screaming for a maple leaf shaped sign or cut out. I love the live edge siding. Good luck with the rest of your build.

    Dave, glad that you got everything in place and stayed safe doing it. Turning trees or even putting trees down where I want them has eluded me. Something that I need to work on.
    Last edited by minehart gap; 11-14-2017 at 04:26 AM.
    Matt,
    Minehart Gap Maple

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    Oneida NY
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    Minehart, sign up for a Game Of Logging (GOL) course, levels 1 and 2. It is a great logger's training class, each is 1 day and well worth the cost and time. Before I took the course I had been cutting trees for firewood, both for my home use, my brother's and my parent's use along with selling firewood when my business had a slow spell for about 25 years. I did fairly well, after being taught by my father. Then I attended a 2 hour GOL mini demo at a maple training day. That spurred me to sign up for the course. At the course I learned a whole bunch about felling a tree safely, and techniques to make it safer. Cutting trees is inherently dangerous, but you can stack the odds in your favor by a huge amount by taking the GOL courses 1 &2. There are also levels 3 & 4 but they get into skidder use and log trucks and other big time equipment (so I hear, I never took 3 and 4).
    There is also a great U-tube video to watch by Husqvarna https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Teb2bQsqx44
    This is a great one to watch before you go out to cut any trees.
    However, the worst tree I talked about in my post above was so bad that the GOL training would have said "do not try" and certainly without an excavator (without which I would have had to make a road for a tree crane and then paid about $500-1000 to get it laid on the ground) to help and about 50 years experience that indicated to me that if I studied the situation and figured out the issues, I could do it and not get killed or have anyone else get hurt or worse. One thing I should have done but only thought of it after the fact, is that I should have strapped the tree trunk together, I have 4 HD binder straps that each would of gone around the tree 3 times and bound the trunk from splitting. I never thought of that until after the tree laid on the ground.
    I encourage you and all other members to first watch that video, and then sign up for a GOL training when one is offered in your area. I had to drive 2 hrs to get to mine, very well worth it. I think I paid about $75 for each level but that was back in 2005. As a side note, at the end of level 2 each student (there were maybe 10) is assigned a tree to cut. Most were about 14-16" DBH (diameter breast height). We had to put a stake in the ground where we were going to drop the tree, then we cut the tree. All assigned trees had a little lean away from where we had to drop it. We used wedges to get it to fall the right way. After the tree was down, each was measured to see who was the closest to their stake. The stakes were all out about 40' from the stump. My tree hit the stake and I won a very nice Husky loggers helmet/hard hat for getting the closest. In my class there were a couple of students who had never run a chainsaw, to others who were professional loggers, everyone came fairly close but no others hit their stake. I understand many insurance companies require all loggers to take the full series of GOL (4 levels) before they will insure a logger.
    Last edited by maple flats; 11-14-2017 at 07:24 AM.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
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    [QUOTE=minehart gap;337159] And how do you like the new storage shed? Is it too small yet? Mine always seem to be too small before I even start.

    It's still fairly empty, while I get a few other things done. The shed is in addition to a 12x16 I already had, plus 2 10x10's. I will out grow it in a year or 2. My plans are to get another the same size next year and set it about 12-16' away from this one, then join them and have my tractor storage under the roof between those two.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
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    6,391

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    Quote Originally Posted by maple flats View Post
    Minehart, sign up for a Game Of Logging (GOL) course, levels 1 and 2. It is a great logger's training class, each is 1 day and well worth the cost and time.
    I'll second that suggestion. It is required safety training for anyone who works with a chainsaw at UVM PMRC. Well worth the time and $.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Covington, New York
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    1,680

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    Spent the whole day in the woods today and got everything ready to start drilling holes when the time comes, and hopefully that doesn't come early again this season.
    Noel Good
    1998 to 2009: 15 taps on buckets, scavenged fire pit and pans
    2010: New 2x4 SS flat pan w/preheater
    2015: New to me Lapierre 18x60 raised flue, new shack, new everything!! 59 taps 23.75 gallons
    2016: 85 taps 19 gallons
    2017: Purchased 2.5 acres and tubed half with 3/16. 145 taps total 49.25 gallons
    2018: 200 taps (162 on 3/16ths 38 on buckets) New NextGen RO 63 gallons
    2019: 210 taps 73.5 gallons
    2023: 210 taps 89.75 gallons
    www.wnybass.com

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Elliottsburg, PA
    Posts
    2,222

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    Took advantage of the week off from work lets not forget that the temps were in the mid 50's so I was tank cleaning mode.

    Now all the tanks are cleaned and should only need a quick rinse when the season starts.

    Also gave the evap a little love'in too. Gave it a good rub down, so it is ready to go also.


    about 2 months till go time, if it is anything like last season it might be just over 1 month!
    1st Generation Hobby Maple Producer, you got to start somewhere.
    222 Taps, all on Vacuum! No more buckets.
    Lapierre 2'x5' raised flue w/Hood and Preheater
    Surge SP11, Lapierre Hobby Releaser
    Modified 5" Filter Press made by Daryl with a Gear Pump
    Homemade 2 membrane RO
    Kabota RTV Sap Hauler

    Hardy's Maple Syrup on Facebook

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
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    11,547

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    Quote Originally Posted by minehart gap View Post
    Dave, how did the tree removal go? And how do you like the new storage shed? Is it too small yet? Mine always seem to be too small before I even start.
    Tree removal went OK, but it wasn't pretty. First I had a dying maple which after cutting the stump measured 36" the at the widest. I ended up having to remove 6 other trees to then take that one down. Not knowing how sound the trunk with a line of fungus growing in a "seam" for 13' up, I left the hinge much thicker than a tree that size would usually be. I left 6" rather than 3-3.5" (10%). That hinge turned out to be solid. After I made the cut, I pushed the tree over using my excavator. Then I studied to other tree, a very tall cherry with a large open cavity in the trunk, which was a void up until about 10' off the ground. That tree had a lean in one direction so I decided to use gravity. To remove that one (it measured 32" in the widest direction at the stump) I again left a thick hinge, about 6" again. Then I plunge cut to define the hinge, put a little pressure on the trunk about 10-12' high and then cut out from the hinge out the back. When the saw cut out all except the thick hinge, it still stood there. Not trusting what might happen, I pushed a little more with the excavator, with me standing on the ground for a fast retreat if needed. The tree started to fall, and I moved back, as it had gone about 5 degrees it barber chaired at about 10' up. With the excavator bucket still there, as the trunk raised, hinged on the top of the barber chair, the trunk lifted the excavator bucket, and one end of the excavator so the tracks on that end were about 15-18" off the ground, held up by the butt end of the trunk. Then as I started to lift the bucket to let the tracks touch the ground again, the trunk slowly started to move towards the excavator. I put a little more pressure down with the excavator bucket and the movement stopped. I then raised the blade just enough (the blade was on the side away from the tree, had it not been I'm sure the excavator would have flipped over backwards) to slowly drive the ecxcavator away. The trunk moved with it for about 2-3 ' and then I was able to lift the bucket and get away. I drove the excavator to the safe side of the trunk, perched on the 10' high barber chair. From there I pushed the trunk off and the back of the barber chair broke as the trunk fell harmlessly to the ground. The good part, no one was hurt and nothing got broke. I did have to drop 6 or 7 other trees (hemlocks, a birch and the rest beech) to make room to drop the rotten cherry. In hindsight I should have chained or strapped the trunk together to prevent the barber chair split, but hindsight is 20/20, foresight is nothing close. I'll have lots of firewood for maybe 2 seasons.
    However, I might end up selling it, I'm thinking of switching to oil for the 2019 season, maybe 2020.
    The storage shed, looks great. I have it set so I park my 36 HP tractor inside at one end. I had the end doors made high enough to drive in even with a full cab.
    The shed will get 3 additions next summer, a full length lean-to for farm equipment storage on one side, a walk in cooler on the other and a blacksmith shop out the back end.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
    Posts
    6,391

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    Quote Originally Posted by maple flats View Post
    The good part, no one was hurt and nothing got broke.
    Sounds like success to me.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

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    Yea, but my Game of Logging instructor would not use a video of it in his classes. That being said, I used several things I learned in GOL to get the tree safely on the ground without any damage nor injury.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    2,223

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    I was able to get my woods all cleaned up after the big wind storm a few weeks ago. Everything is ready to go and I plan to tap mid January. We have very little snow on the ground right now due to warmer weather and rain. I hope that when I tap there will be very little snow so I can move faster and get done tapping fast. Muzzleloader season starts Saturday and last until next Sunday. As I hunt I will be looking for down lines that I may have missed.

    Spud

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