Bruce's Journal

[B&B Happy goats]

Nice job Bruce

 

[Baymule]

Bruce, I tackle a lot of stuff, but even I wouldn’t do tile. I guess I have some sense to know when something is above my pay grade. You did a great job, it looks beautiful. Very nice.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Nice job, Mr. @Bruce! I can certainly identify with hips and knees whining!

 

[Bruce]

I tackle a lot of stuff, but even I wouldn’t do tile.

You could do it Bay! Maybe your knees couldn't Just for fun watch some YouTube videos on tile installation. Like a lot of things there are some right ways and wrong ways but it isn't particularly complicated.

 

[Bruce]

When I was figuring out how to get the high tile out I checked YouTube (of course). MANY of the videos had an open side on the tiles so they could just hammer a pry bar under. Not useful! Of those that were "in the field" there were 2 camps: "Hit it with a hammer to break it" and "NEVER hit it with a hammer". You know what worked but first I tried to cut into the tile with my angle grinder so I could get under it. It stunk up the house and wasn't even particularly effective.

Where I'm going with this is I stunk DD2 out of the house, she went for a walk around the upper fields. I asked how wet it was and she said other than an area next to the natural wetland, it wasn't wet at all. Hard to believe this time of year but yesterday I walked down to the "always wet" low area. It wasn't wet. So I walked to the "logging trail" it was damp but not soggy, no running water like I had back in March after the "big snow" melted but when it was well below freezing for days.

I took the flail off the tractor so I could more easily get to the draw bar, loaded the tools in the bucket (yes CAREFULLY not dumping them) and went out to the trail, backed in and pulled out the 12' piece of trunk of the tree that I felled across the trail and had cut to get it to drop. I left it at the edge of the field and went back for the rest of it. Got the lighter weight upper trunk out to the field and went back. Blew out an 1,100 pound (supposedly) carabiner holding a pulley to a tree to get the larger upper trunk across the trail so I could turn it down the trail. Had to connect the pulley directly to the chain around the tree. Got that piece out to the field as well.

Unloaded the bucket and went back in frontwards and backdragged the trail some. Given it is all soft "soil" it was probably a wasted effort and it will all squish out when I go up the next time. I need to get a lot of stone. The "widowmaker" is still leaning about 100' into the woods from the trail. I ran out of time yesterday afternoon. But I'm hoping Saturday (rain tomorrow) I can go back out with the come alongs and pull the base of the tree back and have it drop. Then I can figure out the best path to get it out to the trail. Maybe tomorrow I'll go to TSC and get a stronger link to connect the pulley. I have just over 200 hours on the tractor and it is time to change the hydraulic fluid so I'll be there anyway.

 

[Mike CHS]

I make sure I have my knee pads whenever I do flooring or tile. Yours looks great.

 

[CntryBoy777]

One thing ya got lots of is rock.... ....may can relocate it from that pile.....be careful with those trees........the 3 pines laying in the oaks is of concern to me, but not enough room here to work around it without equipment....I did get an estimate on having some done and can get most addressed for 1,000-1200.....they have an $800min just to bring equipment......so, best deal to get it done is to pay a bit more and let them cut and drop and we will take care of disposal....they will use their skidsteer to take logs to whatever area we want them in and drop them....have to have a permit to cut down the oak or pine if they are considered monumental....so, trimming will do for now....

 

[thistlebloom]

Dh sometimes runs into tiles that are different thicknesses. He uses a gauge and sorts them. It slows a job down, but he's a little on the OCD side of flat, square, plumb and level. That's why I'm such a gift to him, I'm a more 'Looks good enough to me!' kind of person. We balance each other.

I sure hope you wore kneepads. I use the tile type for gardening when I have to crawl around and weed, or do anything on the ground.

Glad you were able to get some of your trees pulled out. That's a good day.

 

[farmerjan]

Good on getting the trees pulled out while it was drier. Lets not hope that it is going to be an indicator of a dry season.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Mr. @Bruce,

Glad you got your tile fixed, and am glad you got to work in the woods with your tractor! I'm envious!

I don't know if you have seen this YouTube video or not -- I discovered it just a few days ago. I'm glad I watched it. Maybe it can give you ideas on how to deal with the "widowmaker":

Senile Texas Aggie