Bruce's Journal

Senile_Texas_Aggie

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Mr. @Bruce, sir,

Thank you for the pictures! We (or at least *I*) can better understand what is happening around your place when you provide them. So thank you again!

So will you be storing the wood on racks where the gravel is spread out? If so, do you plan on building a covered shed there, or perhaps cover the wood with a tarp to keep the wood dry? I am asking because I have seen different folks on YouTube do it different way, with some stacking the wood in a shed, while others (Sawing with Sandy in particular) storing the wood in IBC totes and covering the totes with tarps. I hope however you do it you can get done before it turns really cold! I also hope you will provide us with more pictures!

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thistlebloom

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The "pad" for the wood racks. Still needs some leveling, probably need to find a laser level since it is 14' x 20', not something I can screed over especially since there are no wood sides.

Since there will be no permanent structure on your pad dh says it's ok if you don't screed it. ;) 😄
 

Bruce

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Yes the racks will be stored on the gravel. In the past they were where stuff in the foreground is currently. That area slopes both toward the barn and the pad area so getting wood down so the individual racks were on a basically level surface was a PITA. And picking them up in that situation in the winter to move them to the porch landing wasn't so easy. The first time I had the "forks go in" side facing south so getting the forks in when the tractor was on a left leaning slope was no fun. The next year I faced them east so at least the tractor was sort of level but facing downhill. Again not that easy to get the forks level to go into the racks when the tractor end of the forks hit the ground first.

Last year I moved all the racks up onto the front lawn past the porch landing. That worked OK since the ground is kinda sorta a little bit level but put them where I need to push snow and backing the tractor with the rack to get lined up with the porch put the back wheels closer to the flower garden than DW liked.

So this year I decided to get on the "move and look through that pile of wood" project and build the pad. Since I should be able to approach the racks with the front wheels of the tractor on the same level as the racks they should be easier to pick up. I will cover it with a tarp or old metal roofing. Probably the latter since the tarp holds snow and sags down on the wood. The resulting melted and refrozen snow makes it hard to get the tarp off.

For reference the "pad" is where the horizontal stuff is at the top of the picture. The racks had been where the brown stuff is below that and the brown horizontal stuck (stacked wood) is. When I had them on the front lawn the were at the bottom right below that brown patch. The porch landing for the wood is left of the round lilac bush. The entrance to the porch we use is at the NE corner of the house.
Screen Shot 2020-09-05 at 10.26.38 AM.png

Since there will be no permanent structure on your pad dh says it's ok if you don't screed it. ;) 😄
Phew, I was wondering how I could afford a plane ticket for your DH to come screed it. Can I leave it unscreeded if I put up a structure around the pad? In the long run I would like a permanent roof over it but open on the sides so the air can get in to dry the wood.
 

thistlebloom

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Can I leave it unscreeded if I put up a structure around the pad? In the long run I would like a permanent roof over it but open on the sides so the air can get in to dry the wood.

I'll ask and see if that's allowed.

........... Ok, dh says you have his blessing. :highfive: 😄
 

farmerjan

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Bruce, what about one of those "carports" that are so popular? Do they not stand up to snow loads up there? You could get one to cover the wood... put one up on a pony wall a couple of feet if it was not high enough for you, but since you lift the racks of wood from the bottom they would not have to be too terribly high. Maybe they are not allowed up there by building codes? One thing to be thankful for down here.... much more relaxed acceptance except in developments with restricted covenants. The one at the house has sides but no ends, but they don't have to... on alot of them the sides come down like 2 ft or something and then are open all around.
 

Bruce

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I got a small one to put over the backhoe (once the empty wood racks in front of it are put into use and moved since the tarp that has been on it 2 years is ripping where the height points are. We'll see how that handles the wind and snow. I suspect anything with open ends or sides would be blown halfway to Canada.

The racks are 6' tall and roughly 38"x 44". If I had to bother with building a pony wall to get a "carport" high enough I might as well build a "hard top" pole wood shed.

He didn't want to have to fly out there.
I don't blame him, too much "danger" and restriction to do the air travel, then 2 weeks of isolation. Once here , of course, we are the safest state in the country relative to Covid. Then there is New Brunswick, CA where DD1 is at school. There are only 4 active cases in the entire province.
 

Senile_Texas_Aggie

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Mr. Bruce, sir!

Refresh my memory -- do you cut, split, stack, and burn all of your own wood, or do you buy your wood already cut and split? I seem to recall that earlier this year you wanted to go into the wooded area on your property and cut one or more trees and then haul them to your house where you planned to cut it to length, split it, etc. I seem to recall the reason that you didn't was that the ground going into your woods was too wet. Later when it dried out, then you had your lug bolt issues, and so only now can go into the woods. Am I remembering correctly? If and when you do go into the woods to get some wood, I hope you record everything so that we can watch it on the new YouTube channel "Outdoors with Bruce" which you will start! :)

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