Making Firewood Again

Discussion in 'Back to Basics' started by Thunder5Ranch, Jan 20, 2020.


  1. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    After the last few years it is good to be in good enough health to start rebuilding the stockpiles of firewood. After 4 years of physically only being able to maybe get a half cord cut and split to supplement and stretch out the barn reserve of firewood. It has left the farm pretty much depleted. I have enough left in the Wood barn to finish this winter out in comfort. SO it was getting critical that I get in good enough shape to get my ass back out in the woods and make firewood :)

    Still struggling with gut problems and the newest thing that started last summer.... My legs just stop working and I drop like a sack of crap, like a switch gets flipped and down goes Mikey. Totally random and no telling when it will happen other than it happens 0-12 times per day. Got lucky and it happened at my last neurologist appointment and she was like " Well shit that should not happen!" SO I was in the test room and she wasted no time shocking the nerves in my legs to see what was going on. Which caused them to jerk like they should but when sticking with the needle and hitting the knee there was zero feeling or reflex. 5 minutes later feeling in the legs returned and I was back up on my feet. This has proven to be an added challenge to doing anything and everything on the farm........ BUT it sure keeps things interesting! Next I guess we move up to spine and brain to try and figure out what it causing this and hopefully stop it :) Anyway it gets real interesting out in the woods while holding a 24" saw or picking up a 200 pound log chunk! Alternative is to sit on my ass and do nothing...... which just ain't how I roll dead legs or not.

    So I am a bit impressed with myself getting this much wood made over the last couple of months and having at present 1.5 years worth of fire wood in reserve again. Despite the issues this has really been helping me get back in good physical condition again. I lost a lot of stamina, flexibility and muscle mass during the previous 4 years. Feels good at the end of the day to be sore and tired from the days wood workout.

    I drag the logs out of the pastures and woods up by the splitter and use timber jacks to lift them up and just cut them up right there. My cords are Mike Cords LOL 15' long 20" deep and 6' high. Been using that area between the two hickory trees for the outside wood storage forever and it is exactly 15' feet between the two trees. I put 12 Mike Cords there and then put a good tarp over the top than hangs down a foot on either side. Mostly post oak as I have probably around 1000+ big old posties on the farm but some red oak and native pecan in the mix as well. The pecan for whatever reason always turns dark brown on the ends.

    The crap wood on the end is made up from the knots and stuff that just does not stack good. It gets used for cooking, the smoker, making charcoal, and little fires on cold mornings when ya just don't need more than the chill out of the air.

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    Tully Mars, BenP, damoc and 7 others like this.
  2. Dunerunner

    Dunerunner Brewery Monkey Moderator

    Looking good!! Terrible thing with the legs quitting without warning.. Prayers headed your way...

    Is that white oak?
     
  3. SB21

    SB21 Monkey+++

    Glad to hear you're getting back in the swing of things ,,, best of luck on getting them legs fixed up ,,
     
  4. oldawg

    oldawg Monkey+++

    Good to see you up and at it again.............might want to stay away from the chipper a while though..ohno
     
  5. Out in the woods

    Out in the woods off-grid in-the-forest beekeeper

    Looking good there :)

    I hate getting old, but they say it is better than the alternative.
     
    Gator 45/70 and Thunder5Ranch like this.
  6. Tempstar

    Tempstar Monkey+++

    My dad had that happen to him, no warning would just hit the deck. It affected him in the arms as well. Turns out it was one of his medications. They took him off of it and the "spells" stopped. Sorry I can't remember what the med was though. He was on a lot his last few years with us.
     
  7. techsar

    techsar Monkey+++

    Glad to hear you're back to being able to do things...but dang, that leg thing..."well shit that should not happen" is an understatement!:eek:

    Hope you get that sorted out quickly!
     
  8. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    Post Oak its a member of the white oak family but more dense than White Oak. Once seasoned and dried down good it burns long and hot.

    Already explored the medication angle, the only Meds I am on are a high powered acid blocker and a waxy med that coats the stomach. Neither have the potential to cause the leg problem. Regular Doctors theory is that when I had the Sepsis in 2016 and ran 110-115 fevers for a couple of weeks that the fevers fried more than my hot and cold receptors. Pretty much everything else after the Sepsis has tracked back to the Sepsis as where the malfunction began. LOL they tell me I died a few times in the ICU during those fevers. Can tell you in no uncertain terms that when yer body goes septic shit gets REAL fast. All I really remember from that time is the Doctor and my Wife standing beside my bed and the Doctor telling her I had about 2%-3% chance of surviving it and then getting dumped in a plastic tub of ice water LOL.
     
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  9. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    @Thunder5Ranch GT5R, you think it's a good idea to operate a chainsaw given your legs can give out and drop you like a of sack of spuds. I'm not so sure this is a good idea, might end up cutting them off or falling on the saw... Maybe you should reconsider?
     
    Gator 45/70 likes this.
  10. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    Damn it Fur Face I hate to hear of your troubles I truly do.

    It surely does and if we were closer I'd waddle my crippled 'ol ass over to help-honestly that ain't true. I'd drive my tractor over with the wood splitter attached and drag the Son along to do all the heavy work-we all know them cops just sit in their cars all day and don't git no exercise no how...
    All kidding aside, sorry for your troubles. I am clearing our place of unwanted trees. Many are not the best firewood, but it will burn and by doing so will let the oaks and such thrive.
     
    Gator 45/70 likes this.
  11. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    Probably not but it ain't going to cut itself down and up :) Actually less dangerous than it sounds though. If the chain is spinning it is in a log or tree and I am braced and can just let go of the saw when I drop. Here is where the real danger with firewood is! The gate on the Cabin Porch! (Picture is a recreation) Was stepping off the porch one night about a month back and crashed right as I was unlatching the gate and stepping off the porch. Hand went right through that deco crap on top of the gate, right as I unlatched and mid step. Gate swung out leaving me hanging off the porch for 15-20 minutes until the legs started working again and I could stand up (Quite painful!). So I finally can stand and get back up on the porch but can't pull my hand back out, because it was tight to start with, after the hand swelled it was impossible. Finally managed to get couple foot long stick of wood that would fit through the deco gaps on the left and right of the center, laying on the porch toed over and flipped up enough that I could reach it with my right hand. Used it to pry the screws out and free myself. LOL every time I would push up on the stick, it made that center V push down into my wrist...... also quite painful. The gate top deco thing is in the cast aluminum scrap pile now :) Never would have saw a deco thing on top of a chainlink gate as a potential deadly threat LOL.

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    Hey I am of the belief that if it makes a BTU it is worth hanging on to.
     
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