# Another load from the river...



## Clay3063 (Jan 28, 2017)

Here ya go Doc.
Yesterday we loaded and hauled the wood we had cut the previous day. As we were walking along the river bank, my partner spotted another tree that had been cut previously and left by someone else because it had fallen down the bank toward the river. Evidently they couldn't get it up the bank. Their bad luck, our great fortune. After we cut into it we discovered that it was not an Ash like we originally thought but a very large Black Walnut... or so we thought. I wasn't going to get my hopes up too much until I researched it further. So after I got it home I went to the internet and discovered there is a bark test that will tell you yea or nay for walnut. Just peel a piece away and if it is reddish brown underneath you've got walnut. Of course we figured it was based on the color of the heartwood. But we wanted to make sure. Now we are sure and we added two huge logs of it to the load. 
Yesterday was a good day. Sycamore, Elm, Ash, Hackberry, and Black Walnut. I am pleased.

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 4


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## DKMD (Jan 28, 2017)

Nice haul! I'm on the lookout for a big, clean sycamore like that around here... we've got several in the neighborhood that tempt me.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## Jim Beam (Jan 28, 2017)

Nice! That tire on your trailer looks a little low.....

Reactions: Agree 5


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## ripjack13 (Jan 28, 2017)

Those look yummy....

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Clay3063 (Jan 28, 2017)

DKMD said:


> Nice haul! I'm on the lookout for a big, clean sycamore like that around here... we've got several in the neighborhood that tempt me.


LOL! Yeh, I am always asking the wife when we drive through town if she thinks I'd get in too much trouble for cutting down certain trees in town. We have at least four more of those sycamores at the river that I know of. We'll be getting them and some others in the next few weeks.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Nature Man (Jan 29, 2017)

What a beautiful thing! Congrats! Chuck


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## Lou Currier (Jan 29, 2017)

When are we going to see you processing some of those logs?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 29, 2017)

Nice haul, the walnut should also yield some nice crotch figure. Be selective on how you cut it to get the best figure.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Clay3063 (Jan 29, 2017)

Lou Currier said:


> When are we going to see you processing some of those logs?


Lou, my friend. As soon as we can make the saw mill purchase. I know it looks like we are putting the horse before the cart, but in our world, sometimes it's best that way. Makes it easier on the wife to get behind the decision to part with that kind of money if there are dozens of large logs cluttering her driveway and yard. And that is something that is fast becoming a reality. So, as soon as she comes on board, you'll see the results of all this harvesting. Believe me, I'm as anxious as you to see what's in these logs.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Clay3063 (Jan 29, 2017)

woodtickgreg said:


> Nice haul, the walnut should also yield some nice crotch figure. Be selective on how you cut it to get the best figure.


Yes sir. Henri and I were just talking about that this morning. I am looking for some advice for the best way to cut gun stocks and such from the crotch area to produce the highest quality and best looking finished products.

Reactions: Like 1


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## David Van Asperen (Jan 29, 2017)

Another fantastic haul
Dave

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 29, 2017)

Clay3063 said:


> Yes sir. Henri and I were just talking about that this morning. I am looking for some advice for the best way to cut gun stocks and such from the crotch area to produce the highest quality and best looking finished products.


@HomeBody is your guy for that advice, he is the gun stock guy around here imo.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## BTJake (Feb 2, 2017)

Clay, good work. Any photos or tips on your loading methods?


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## Clay3063 (Feb 2, 2017)

BTJake said:


> Clay, good work. Any photos or tips on your loading methods?



Thank you sir. Yes. It takes three of us to load them. My partner, Henri and my wife and I built a set of A frame gin poles for the bed of my 05 Dodge Ram Dually. It has a 12K HF winch. My wife drives the the truck with the trailer and I drive the dodge and my buddy Henri uses a logging chain and wraps it around the logs. I lift them with the winch and the wife backs the trailer under the log. The unloading is the reverse. The sight we are logging is about 20 miles from our house. We drive slow. This last load was a little unbalanced on both trailers and thus top speed was about 45 mph. No worries though as I seldom drive faster than that with that much weight on the trailers anyway.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Wildthings (Feb 2, 2017)

Sounds like the wife is pretty much on board already!!


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## Clay3063 (Feb 2, 2017)

Wildthings said:


> Sounds like the wife is pretty much on board already!!


Yes sir. That's an added bonus in my book.

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## BTJake (Feb 2, 2017)

Would love to see the loading operation, Clay. You are a blessed man! How much was the heaviest log, do you reckon, and total load?

I will live vicariously through your exploits and share with my wife of 30 years.... She is now over the chicken-turkey-duck-goose-sheep-pig-goat phase and fending off logs and sawdust ably. But who knows with the monkey see, monkey do effect MSMDE?

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Clay3063 (Feb 2, 2017)

BTJake said:


> Would love to see the loading operation, Clay. You are a blessed man! How much was the heaviest log, do you reckon, and total load?
> 
> I will live vicariously through your exploits and share with my wife of 30 years.... She is now over the chicken-turkey-duck-goose-sheep-pig-goat phase and fending off logs and sawdust ably. But who knows with the monkey see, monkey do effect MSMDE?


I don't know exactly what the largest log was nor the total load. I'll say this, we have loaded four logs now that I had to run jumper cables from the truck battery to the winch battery and still almost didn't get them picked up. (Vision front wheels off the ground). As far as total load, we have probably.... scratch that. We have BEEN over loaded every time we have been to the river. We use two 16 ft low boy trailers. Henri's is store bought. I built mine 15 years ago. I hauled a 17K Case backhoe on it several years ago to our lease in Terrell county from Reagan county. (West Texas). 280 mile round trip. I'll get some pics next time out, of the whole operation.

Reactions: Like 1


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## BTJake (Feb 2, 2017)

Looking forward to whole operation!be safe and have fun!


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## Tony (Feb 2, 2017)

That's a beautiful haul Clay, can't wait to see some boards from it! Tony

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg (Feb 3, 2017)

I have been enjoying watching and reading about your logging adventures. It's going to be so sweet for you when you finally get a mill and start sawing.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Clay3063 (Feb 3, 2017)

Tony said:


> That's a beautiful haul Clay, can't wait to see some boards from it! Tony


You and me both! LOL!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Clay3063 (Feb 3, 2017)

woodtickgreg said:


> I have been enjoying watching and reading about your logging adventures. It's going to be so sweet for you when you finally get a mill and start sawing.



Thanks Greg. It's been an adventure for me as well. We went again yesterday morning. I had intended to spend the morning welding but went to the river instead to fell a few more trees. It was a nighmare of sorts. There is a creek that feeds into the river on this place. We were asked to remove some elm and ash trees that were growing on the banks of this creek. So we did. Most of them fell into the creek (not much water but the banks are steep and high, about 15-20 feet), meaning we'll have to extract them. I've been sawing firewood with a chainsaw since I was a kid of about 10 years old so I know my way around a chainsaw. But yesterday was chock full of surprises. One of which saw me felling an elm that kicked back somewhat and trapped the bar between the stump and log as it fell, subsequently putting about a 45 degree bend in the last 4 inches of the bar. I've never ever ruined a bar in my life. Until yesterday. It is what it is. I'll post some pics later tonight when we get back. First I've got to run check both of my hog traps. We started trapping again earlier this week as the hogs have moved back in on the hay field and it looks like someone ran a D8 with a root plow across the place.

Reactions: Like 1 | Sincere 1


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## Wildthings (Feb 3, 2017)

My brother's FIL lives there in Gonzalez and back in the 90's we hunted his place for hogs. They were running rampart tearing up the hay fields and even killed a calf at birth. The place was over run by them.


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## Clay3063 (Feb 3, 2017)

Wildthings said:


> My brother's FIL lives there in Gonzalez and back in the 90's we hunted his place for hogs. They were running rampart tearing up the hay fields and even killed a calf at birth. The place was over run by them.


Yes sir. We caught 6 this morning and 1 wed morning. Sold all 7. There were about 2 dozen piglets in the trap too. All of them but two were small enough to squeeze through the 4 x 4 hog panels.

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 1


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