New home for Dismal Woodworks

[woodbeard]

My neighbor was having a bunch of bulldozing done, so I had the dozer guy come over and do some for me on a site that, though it was the closest thing I had to flat, was still just too bumpy to set up a permant sawing operation. It is nicely shaded by two large elms ( I will be building the shed very stoutly ) alongside the creek.
I also scored some 8" steel I-beams for free from a small bridge nearby that a gravel truck went through - three 24' and two 20' lengths which will be incorporated into the mill building in some way or another. One will be a header for the log entrance opening.
I currently have my mill set up at a friend's place down the road, which has been great and still is, but it will be so much nicer to have it here at home.

[Tom]

Ah, Yes!  and with a creek that handy, you'll have to stop early enough in the evening to catch supper. ......and noon .....and morning....

[sandmar]

AW Man!..Forget sawing let's play in the creek Nice serene place for a mill woodbeard..be sure to leave a place for the hammock. Nothing like milling all morning,then eat you bologna sandwich and iced tea,before your siesta in a hammock by the babbling brook. Doesn't do much for the daily boardfoot average though

Sandmar

[woodbeard]

Well, I'm afraid it aint much of a creek especially during the dry season. It's nice to sit in when it's running, but I've never seen anything worth catching in it.
The elms are spaced just right for a hammock, though.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Ya coulda fixed that "small" creek problem, while ya still had that dozer handy  

[Captain]

Send us more pictures of the final setup, George.  I am always looking for improvements to the ergonomics of my log yard.  Looks like we have about the same amout of access and a similar sized area.

Captain

[J_T]

Woodbeard you sure lost a lot of building help when you took the water and fish out of that ceek

[woodbeard]

I don't know as the help would do much building with the water and fish there.
Actually, there is a small dam right behind the trees, but the pond has filled up with gravel. I thought about having the dozer dredge it out, but the dam looks a little too fragile. More of a backhoe job, which I should do before I build the shed. Good source of gravel, anyhow.
Captain, the space is about 30' wide and 60' long. I am thinking of making 44' of track inside the shed with one 24' opening and one 14'. The idea being that I can have 2 or 3 log "decks" since I dont have the space for one big one.
Another idea I had is to put the high track opposite the log loading side and have a long, narrow conveyor for sawdust.
In any case, It will be some time before I get any of it done, but I will keep y'all posted.

[Gipper]

Woodbeard

Don't want to sound like the grim reaper here, but I do hope the site is above flood stage!  Speaking from experience, once I master the picture thing, I can show you some pictures of three stacks of lumber floatin away in one of the "so called" 100 year floods.  

A little over a year ago, with unusal amount of rain, our streams, creeks, and rivers rose to unbelievable heights.  I have lived here for 35 years and flood waters had come close only one time to where the lumber was stacked.  It was in the middle of approximately 4 acres.  I was fortunate that my mill was on another location, or water would have been about level with the top of the wheels.  Also fortunate in that six months later, a neighbor found and told me about the best grade stack being in the adjoining property, still stacked and stickered.  With help of another neighbor and his Case 580 Super L 4 x 4 we were able to retrieve it.  The other two stacks were lost.  I am currently building my new mill shed on higher ground.  Experience is a great teacher!  Hope you never have to experience the same thing.

[woodbeard]

No real worries there, Gipper. We are far enough up a fairly narrow hollow, the top of which is a ridge all around. The mill site is a few feet above the road on the other side of the creek. We will see what happens in a few days, though when the remains of Ivan reach us. That will be interesting. Glad I'm not in New Orleans.

[LSUNo1]

Well so far we're still here. Most residents have heeded calls to evacuate. Odd to see this place like a ghost town.

Unfortunately, I have to stay for work. Next 24 hours is going to be interesting! I'll have a birdseye view from the nine floors up.

Enjoyed the pics, look forward to pics of that Peterson in action.  

[Fla._Deadheader]

  I just gotta ask what kinda work you have, starin in the face of that storm

[LSUNo1]

I'm an engineer with the Public Works Dept. who is lucky enough to be on a list of "essential personnel" who are required to stay behind. The huge salary I am paid of course adequately compensates for this duty..

Seriously, I got the wife and kids out of town yesterday, and I'm holed up in a pretty safe place. A storm of the right intensity, direction and speed of movement and point of impact would devastate this area with about 17ft. of water over the entire parish.

Ivan at one time possesed these characteristics, so we were sweatin big time. Looks like Mobile area is in for the worst of it. God bless em.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Man, I fear for ya. The weather channel just posted waves of 50 feet.  Ya better get to the back of the building.  

[LSUNo1]

We won't see anything near that. Hurricane Camille which was about the worst the gulf coast has seen produced a tidal surge of about 20 ft.

Just to be safe, I'm gonna stay up at about 90 ft.

Two bright spots...this is the most time Im able to spend on the forum in a long time (until the power goes out anyway)...and we have some nice cypress trees throughout the parking lot here. I got my chainsaw in the truck in case any come down!  

[woodbeard]

Good thinking, Mitch. That way you can carve yourself a canoe.
Seriously, though, I hope you make it thru alright. And remember, it's not about the paycheck, it's the high esteem in which you are held by those you serve.