Hand Tools and Machinery for Country Living

[j44ke]

https://roguehoe.com/

IMHO-Best dirt tools out there

A friend has one he uses on buckthorn excavation. What handle length do you use?

[Philster]

I have a Stihl 220 C-B with a 16" bar. It is much more than a pruning saw. I use it for removing fallen trees, taking down dead wood and bucking logs for firewood. It is great. I've showed it to several people who thought I made a big mistake not getting a gas saw and let them use it. None of them think I made a mistake now. One actually bought one of his own. I got 3 of the largest capacity batteries and the fastest charger. I wear out before the saw runs out of juice, even in cold weather. The batteries also run two string trimmers and a leaf blower - all three are great.

I second the Stihl recommendation. Mind identifying that Peeve-like tool holding up the log? I’ve been looking for a good tool like that.

[j44ke]

I second the Stihl recommendation. Mind identifying that Peeve-like tool holding up the log? I’ve been looking for a good tool like that.

I have a Timberjack, but I prefer this spiked Peavey I got from Sheldon Hill Supply in Kingston NY. I stab it into the ground and jam a log under it and roll the big log's end up for cutting. Heavy and heavy duty.

This one:

https://www.shforestrysupplies.com/6...peavey-42.html

[caleb]

https://roguehoe.com/

IMHO-Best dirt tools out there

Oh my, those look very nice. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Too Tall]

I have a Timberjack, but I prefer this spiked Peavey I got from Sheldon Hill Supply in Kingston NY. I stab it into the ground and jam a log under it and roll the big log's end up for cutting. Heavy and heavy duty.

This one:

https://www.shforestrysupplies.com/6...peavey-42.html

Timely. I've been clearing a 1/4 mile long old old old OLD trail that is blocked by several old growth hardwoods and I'm sorely in need of a decent peavey. Chunking pieces of wood under big logs gets old.

This is my contribution. I've always sharpened chains with files, by hand as the good lrd intended but no more! Just started using the Stihl 2-1 sharpener which makes quick accurate work of it. Getting everything the right height/depth in one shot is magic.

[j44ke]

Yep ^those^ are great - vice holding the saw makes it better. Sharpen points and edges and everything else is right on.

[Philster]

My contribution is a subscription to "Northern Woodlands" magazine. It's a great publication put out by an organization that does much more.

[Todd Amunrud]

A friend has one he uses on buckthorn excavation. What handle length do you use?

60”. I have an older model of this: https://roguehoe.com/product/60h-2/

[Mabouya]

60”. I have an older model of this: https://roguehoe.com/product/60h-2/

What are the differences in application for the ones that are sharpened only at the "base" vs the ones that are also sharpened on the sides? I only know the former.

[Todd Amunrud]

What are the differences in application for the ones that are sharpened only at the "base" vs the ones that are also sharpened on the sides? I only know the former.

I bought this for trail work with our local mtb crew (https://croct.org/) and yard work around the house. My understanding is side-sharpened tools work well on trials cut into the hillside-helping cut the “uphill” side of the trail. I can hack through small tree roots and such when transplanting ferns and hostas in our areas of heavy shade.

I think this is the one used by a few people who run the trail maintenance/building days-https://roguehoe.com/product/55hr/

[j44ke]

I bought this for trail work with our local mtb crew (https://croct.org/) and yard work around the house. My understanding is side-sharpened tools work well on trials cut into the hillside-helping cut the “uphill” side of the trail. I can hack through small tree roots and such when transplanting ferns and hostas in our areas of heavy shade.

I think this is the one used by a few people who run the trail maintenance/building days-https://roguehoe.com/product/55hr/

Yes, the hoe/rake seems to be the trail builders' weapon of choice. https://roguehoe.com/product/55hr/

[j44ke]

New Zealand got a bit of rain lately - at least Marty T's area of it. All those machines come in handy, if there was ever any doubt.



My favorite line is "I just cleaned that up!" Yeah man, I know that feeling. Everything perfect and then wham.

[rwsaunders]

Looks like the roads around here after every rain.

[j44ke]

Looks like the roads around here after every rain.

The rain giveth and the rain taketh away. As the owner of a bobsled-run gravel drive, I look at large rain clouds with a combination of hope and dread.

[j44ke]

Timely. I've been clearing a 1/4 mile long old old old OLD trail that is blocked by several old growth hardwoods and I'm sorely in need of a decent peavey. Chunking pieces of wood under big logs gets old.

This is my contribution. I've always sharpened chains with files, by hand as the good lrd intended but no more! Just started using the Stihl 2-1 sharpener which makes quick accurate work of it. Getting everything the right height/depth in one shot is magic.

I also have a Woodchuck Tools Timberjack. It doesn't replace a peavey but it manages large unwieldy logs that want to walk off into the woods - or roll on you as you cut them - very well. One of those tools I will walk back through the woods and get out of the garage, rather than attempt a risky cut, but I don't carry it unless I need it, because it isn't as multi-purpose as the peavey.

[Mabouya]

The rain giveth and the rain taketh away. As the owner of a bobsled-run gravel drive, I look at large rain clouds with a combination of hope and dread.

Might be time to pave it.

[j44ke]

Might be time to pave it.

I'm considering planting it and letting roots hold it together. We've let grass grow on it this year, and the areas where grass has rooted in is solid. We'll see.

[Mabouya]

I'm considering planting it and letting roots hold it together. We've let grass grow on it this year, and the areas where grass has rooted in is solid. We'll see.

I have a gravel driveway (not quite as long as yours) and after each "resurfacing" with a new layer of crushed limestone it doesn't take long for everything except my two tire tracks to be overgrown with whatever happens to be around. Most of it is on a slope, and eventually, heavy rains take their toll and start to dig out parts here and there. You then have to decide if you can 1) Live with that and keep repairing the gravel, 2) Improve how you handle the water flow on and around the driveway, or 3) pave it. I've done 1 and 2. I won't do 3 because I'm both cheap and I like the rustic look.

[j44ke]

What's happened this year is that the drought has shrunk the dirt (effectively) and loosened its hold on the gravel, so the larger item 4 gravel bits have dislodged and become a much more "mobile" surface (part of why I crashed and broke my scapula, though I've been reading about "green" driveways for a while.) As far as water movement, we have a pretty good drainage pattern working after experimenting with some different, less angle-sided, more U-shaped, swales with run-offs and catchment areas. With the current weather patterns, taller road bed is better, so I think we'll just keep adding to the top for a while longer but possibly in (as you mentioned) crushed limestone and plant thyme across the surface. Thyme does an excellent job knitting surfaces together and it smells nice when you drive on it. Plus it grows in all conditions and trims down to a nice dense mat. We'll see. I am learning most of what is bad about storm water run-off is velocity, so if you can redirect and slow down the flow of water, good things will happen. Or bad things will happen less.

[Too Tall]

Geogrid or Geotile is produced in a zillion forms. Color me enamored with the idea of stabilizing dirt surfaces that might get traffic.

https://www.amazon.com/Geogrid-Drive...09THWXH73?th=1

Also, if you ever want to stabilize a slope that will never get foot traffic look at what goes into so called "warm meadows" plantings. Sawgrass, switchgrass, black eyed susan, coriopsis, milkweed etc. etc. etc. I've planted a huge slope with this mix and it is really doing the trick.