Hand Tools and Machinery for Country Living

[jclay]

Husqvarna's helmet looks better than the Stihl in terms of the face shield. I think the weakness on the Stihl face shield is the frame. The Husqvarna appears to have a nicer, better molded frame to the shield. And the helmet looks a bit nicer too.

https://www.husqvarna.com/us/helmets...met-technical/

The shield is definitely key, especially if you wear glasses. And you really need one when you are running the string trimmer through brush.

Wear face & eye protection when using anything that can spit crap at you or if working in forest brush. I didn't have a face shield in the olden days (or a string trimmer) but I think it's insanity to run anything like that, that spits material out without a face shield and safety glasses/goggles underneath. With a string trimmer I also put on my snake proof shin guards; that's just a "hurt preventer", as opposed to a bona fide sight saver, and not really a big deal but it's nice to have the protection and I don't have to watch for snakes as carefully....I think.

[htwoopup]

This safety equipment convo combined with the (something like) just making a few cuts rushing to go vote caused me to grow my late Mom's wagging finger this morning.

Parachutists die on their 10,000th jump not their earlier ones...it is when they rush/ get cocky/ don't double check their safety prep work etc.

Wagging finger mode now off.

[jclay]

Kask actually has a nice model built like a hardshell bike helmet (interior is compressible polystyrene) with a much better visor. For $300. The Stihl was $80. But as you said, it only has to save you once to be worth it. I think if I was cutting down trees, then I would consider something like that.

That's a very nice climbing helmet (meaning helmet/muff/face shield) but it's not at all necessary to spend that kind of dough to get, as a practical matter, all the protection it provides. A quality, functional helmet that meets all the relevant CSA and ANSI standards can be had for under $100. To my mind, and unless actually climbing, the only thing the extra $200+ buys is insurance against getting a crappy helmet. A chin strap and quality, ratcheting adjustable headgear is well worthwhile. But with a teeny bit of internet review research and asking around at your saw dealer you can get all the protection that a helmet can afford for a whole lot less. Then take some of the savings and get something like the 3M goggle gear 300 goggles and wear them underneath. If you need prescription lenses you can get the glasses frame insert, stick the lenses in and you've got outstanding eye protection. At the very least wear good, cord retained, safety specs with side shields.

If you're doing serious felling or woods work then get some education so you can better identify and manage hazards that may not be so obvious, and learn methods of work that will keep you out of trouble. Expensive PPE is no substitute for knowing what you're doing...and knowing when you're over your head and need to back off.

Regardless of what you're doing, from large work to small brushy stuff "so you can get the car out", never, ever be in a hurry. More than that, make it conscious SOP to slow down, meaning intentionally decide to work slowly and deliberately, taking repeated "step backs" to ensure that you've scoped what you're doing before proceeding; and I mean slow down when you start walking to the shed to get your equipment; the entire operational should be framed by intentionally moving slowly the entire time. Cutting that little brushy stuff in a hurry and without your full face protection is an invitation to getting smacked in the face/eye.

[j44ke]

Thanks. You obviously are concerned about safety. I think I can handle it from here.

[jclay]

This is a good resource and the link will take you to a review of the MSA brimless climbing helmet/accessories.

Note that at least one commentator prefers brim style when doing ground work, for a couple of practical reasons. If using the clear face shield in humid environments the extra space between face and shield is a definite bonus. I don't do a lot of cutting but based on the experience with my shop face shield I wouldn't want it any closer (as it would be with a brimless climbing helmet) and when working in the rain (which I do not avoid if something needs doing) having a brim keep the drips away would be a nice thing.

https://www.arboristsite.com/communi...helmet.343196/

If looking for a chainsaw helmet I'd want as much mesh wrap (around to the sides of the face) as possible; some have more some less.

A number of folks on other helmet threads at that site have noted that many of the less expensive helmets are pretty much the same as the more expensive ones from the saw mfgs. Getting replacement parts might be a different issue but if you're not a pro and not a hammerhead with your gear then that would seem a minor issue.

You'll notice a few eye injuries in this thread: https://www.arboristsite.com/communi...helmet.327699/

Thanks. You obviously are concerned about safety. I think I can handle it from here.

Sorry to sound preachy but understand that while I haven't made ALL of the mistakes myself, I've given it a pretty good effort! I know what it's like to think you might lose an eye, but fortunately end up suffering no permanent injury. One doesn't want that.

[j44ke]

I'm looking at splitters. I remember a recommendation for Club Cadet. Doesn't seem like there is a nearby dealer for that model. I can order from various outlets, but only a few are recognized by the brands they sell as legit dealers. And like anything these days, quite a few of the more popular models are sold out and have been for a while.

Based on (again) recommendations, I am looking for a horizontal/vertical model powered by a Honda engine running in the neighborhood of 24 tons of oomph. That feels like overkill, but it also seems to be the sweet spot on cost, size of wood and speed of cycle. Hydraulic fitting quality seems key. And arrangement of things like exhaust, filter, fillers seem key. Don't want loading the splitter to require standing/sitting right in front of the exhaust. We have a local Honda motor dealer, so they said they can repair any Honda motor regardless of splitter brand. And hydraulic hose repairs as that's all they do all day every day on tractors and other machinery. Not sure why they don't sell splitters though...

Here are two I've bookmarked. Just trying to read between the lines on reviews and judge a 2-D image on a laptop screen. All advice welcome.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...783_200628783#

https://www.logsplittersdirect.com/B...RoCR8oQAvD_BwE

[Mabouya]

Jorn,

With a little ingenuity (and some chain lube) I'm pretty sure you can convert this thing into a splitter:

[caleb]

I'm looking at splitters.

Splitter.



I split about four full cords this spring with mine, easy peasy.

Unless you're planning to start a commercial firewood operation, I can't imagine you need any sort of noisy gas-powered contraption to ruin the peace of this very simple task.

[Mabouya]

I split about four full cords this spring with mine, easy peasy.

Over how many sessions?

If I were to have to do that sort of thing I'd have to work my way up to it very gradually, just like any other significant new-to-my-body exercise.

Otherwise, I'm 100% certain that I'd mess something up, and if it was a big enough issue a $2k hydraulic splitter would have been worth every penny.

But, yes, at first I'd try to do it by hand. Little by little. If I just wasn't up to it, then I'd bite the bullet and get the earth-destroying internal combustion motor powered version. (although a pedal-powered model would be cool)

[caleb]

Over how many sessions?

If I were to have to do that sort of thing I'd have to work my way up to it very gradually, just like any other significant new-to-my-body exercise.

Oh no, just go at it for 8-10 hours and see what happens. Personally, I woke up with a fever the first night, but it got better after that. Similar to any multi-day cycling extravaganza really.

[Octave]

Over how many sessions?

I have the same Gränsfors Bruk splitting maul as above and split about 3 cords this year. I did so over many afternoon sessions, usually 1/4-1/3 cord at a time when I found the time (or had some other reason to go smack wood). A 2 hour session would equal about 1/3 cord in my book, depending on how many knotty pieces I was wrestling that day.

[Clyde]

I used a Tractor Supply model for 14 yrs and sold it to the farm buyer and its continued to run. 22 ton version with a Briggs Stratton 6.5 hp changed oil every year and hyd fluid /filter about every 4 yrs. Good machine. I’d buy this if I needed one.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...r-126151799--1

[j44ke]

Well, I guess I'm feeling the twenty years between now and when I turned our putting green lawn into a desert landscape at our house in Phoenix. I split plenty of wood last winter, but it was preceded by a session with my pal the cabinetmaker's family heirloom splitter - a Didier - that is basically an I-beam, a motor and a piston and just keeps running and running. Now - spring & summer - there are always three things to do every day, and I need to make one or two of those things easier. I want to go cycling more often! And not take 45 minutes to stand up straight in the morning. The weeding is the worst! String trimming. Storm damaged trees, either broken or fallen down. Driveway repair. Stone wall repair. Etc.!

I bribed my pal with black cherry wood to get him to bring his Didier over from Woodstock, but now he has plenty so I am not sure that's going to work any longer. I probably just need to find a local version of Tim with a 14 year old splitter that still runs.

[Mabouya]

Now - spring & summer - there are always three things to do every day, and I need to make one or two of those things easier. I want to go cycling more often! And not take 45 minutes to stand up straight in the morning. The weeding is the worst! String trimming. Storm damaged trees, either broken or fallen down. Driveway repair. Stone wall repair. Etc.!

This raises a serious issue that I'm about to confront in the next few years:

1) I'll be turning 60 soon, and will be retiring in the near future.
2) I will almost certainly be moving from St Louis to somewhere with better weather.
3) I currently live in a house on a wooded lot, with some landscaping / garden, and if I'm so inclined, there's enough house and yard work to keep me busy 80 hours a week. Lately I've let the weeds run riot, and it will take A LOT of work to get things back to decent-looking.
4) It would be nice if upon retiring that I had more "free" time instead of less. Otherwise, what's the point?

So, do I really want to buy another house? If I don't, then my lower-effort options (apartment, condo, etc) dramatically limit the possibilities of "awesome rides right out my front door" which was the #1 criterion I used to pick my current home. And living out in the woods with no neighbors right on top of me is pretty nice.

Do I really want to beat up my body with four hours of yard work every day? As I look back over the last 15 years, all of my most serious and painful "injuries" were due to overexerting myself in the garden, doing something that I typically didn't do: hauling too much gravel, digging ditches in clay soil, etc. etc.

Yeah, I could hire people to do the work, but for a number of reasons I just don't like the idea of doing that.

So, we'll see.

[Clyde]

IMG_0412 by Clyde the Pointer, on Flickr

Found an old pic. That think kicked arse. Only need a little bit of throttle not full. Miss stepping out on the porch and banging away at those steel targets the most.

[j44ke]

This raises a serious issue that I'm about to confront in the next few years:

1) I'll be turning 60 soon, and will be retiring in the near future.
2) I will almost certainly be moving from St Louis to somewhere with better weather.
3) I currently live in a house on a wooded lot, with some landscaping / garden, and if I'm so inclined, there's enough house and yard work to keep me busy 80 hours a week. Lately I've let the weeds run riot, and it will take A LOT of work to get things back to decent-looking.
4) It would be nice if upon retiring that I had more "free" time instead of less. Otherwise, what's the point?

So, do I really want to buy another house? If I don't, then my lower-effort options (apartment, condo, etc) dramatically limit the possibilities of "awesome rides right out my front door" which was the #1 criterion I used to pick my current home. And living out in the woods with no neighbors right on top of me is pretty nice.

Do I really want to beat up my body with four hours of yard work every day? As I look back over the last 15 years, all of my most serious and painful "injuries" were due to overexerting myself in the garden, doing something that I typically didn't do: hauling too much gravel, digging ditches in clay soil, etc. etc.

Yeah, I could hire people to do the work, but for a number of reasons I just don't like the idea of doing that.

So, we'll see.

This exactly.

I love working with my hands, even when I bust the heck out of myself doing it. Not sure why, but it has always been the case. Part of why I became a bike mechanic.

But I'm riding less not more, which admittedly doesn't make me unhappy but does feel like the wrong direction. And nagging injuries take longer to recover from, which sort of compounds itself.

I am stronger though! Even off the bike for a while, I can still get back on and go up the hill. I am never not doing something, and I suspect that will pay off in the long run.

We have landscapers, but their work is based on the season to season plan from the landscape architect for the immediate area around the house, which is about 10 acres. But trail maintenance is my job. I am sure there is a seasonal way to do that. Right now, I've been re-clearing the trails before visitors, which is NOT the way to do it. I need a pattern based on seasonal growth so I knock things back at moments when that will make the biggest difference for retarding growth over time. Seems like maybe three times? On big clearing in late spring, mid-end of July and then one in the fall where I build trail structures. Work in progress then.

We have a snow plow guy who is actually very good, but any snow plow redistributes gravel on the drive and with 700 plus feet of drive, that's a task. So I have an excavator guy lined up for next spring to do some maintenance work and reconfigure some of the drainage patterns to offset erosion. That will be work done then to reduce work required later.

In October, I am bringing my nephew up here from NJ. College chewed him up and spit him out, so he is back living at home. He needs to get out of there, and I need someone to help. Maybe I'll let him build a cabin somewhere and learn by doing. I'll buy the lumber, he builds his bedroom. I'll even kick in a wood stove. He's doer not a thinker, and if he stayed here, I wouldn't need a wood splitter. ;-)

And I've already begun crossing off sections of the property from human intervention. I don't need to manage all of the property. Most of it does just fine on its own thank you. So put a path through it so we can enjoy it, but otherwise let it be. Paths I think are a great invention. Visitors like them, the deer like them, even the bear uses them periodically to take a dump. And they make it easier to enjoy the woods without bathing in DEET and burning your clothes afterwards.

Learn the seasons, learn what I can control, and hire people for the heavier lifting. And make my nephew my personal woodland assistant.

But if my nephew doesn't get with the program, I'll need a wood splitter.

[Mabouya]

Maybe I'll let him build a cabin somewhere and learn by doing. I'll buy the lumber, he builds his bedroom.

He can build it near a pond, if you have one:

[caleb]

@j44ke You're a good uncle. Is this the kid that was thinking about a farming apprenticeship? Your area always struck me as a great spot to start a grass fed artisanal sheep and goat farm supplying the city.

[j44ke]

@j44ke You're a good uncle. Is this the kid that was thinking about a farming apprenticeship? Your area always struck me as a great spot to start a grass fed artisanal sheep and goat farm supplying the city.

Hah! Thanks. Yes, among other things. When he graduated from high school, he was about 4 years away from being ready for college. As a result, his freshman year was not a boost to his self-confidence. But he's been working with his dad who has a house repair business (booming evidently - everyone is at home looking at that crack in their ceiling,) and that's put some age on him(!) So I've invited him up in October and we'll see what happens.

I've actually thought about goats.. But so has every other transplant and entirely likely there is now a glut of goat milk.

[caleb]

I used to look out on the upper Susquehanna Valley every day.

Today, it's all wooded.



But after the Second World War, it was nothing but pastures for dairy cows. I don't have any pictures handy, but it was entirely deforested.

Big Dairy came along and put an end to small scale dairies. Now, most of it isn't used for much. It's too steep to till, or even to timber.

Grazing hearty animals on it seems like a great use for it, especially since it's in such close proximity to prime markets.