How's your day been?

The hot air balloon guy just floated by maybe a half mile east of my deck. He's usually farther out towards Prineville. Haven't seen him in a while, good to see he's still out floating around.
 
Last Monday was a holiday. So I did what we usually do, work to make up for being behind. Lost a local huge ash tree a few years ago to EAB. Tree crew came in and topped it out. Owners were going to sell the trunk, then something happened. New owners this spring hired a carver but all the carvers in the area refused to work it for fear of iron and other reasons.

So it sat. I was asked to buck it up. It was a bittersweet honour. It was 60" across the stump including bark, closer to 54" just wood. Better half standing near the small end of the butt log. I aged it at 132 there. It was around 150 at stump, had stump rot so not as accurate of a count. There was a section full of olive graining, to bad the new owners are splitting it all for firewood.

Usually dark when I get dressed in the morning, so find it funny she picked matching clothes tha day when she got up. Used the 066 with the 36" bar. Wiped one chain, yes, there was some iron. A 1/2" solid steel bar, but luckily the end of it was near my cut so I was able to pop the cut apart. Cutting around it was a bit of a challange. Cut them in 16" sections. Even heavy for me so wonder how they will do splitting it.

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Last Monday was a holiday. So I did what we usually do, work to make up for being behind. Lost a local huge ash tree a few years ago to EAB. Tree crew came in and topped it out. Owners were going to sell the trunk, then something happened. New owners this spring hired a carver but all the carvers in the area refused to work it for fear of iron and other reasons.

So it sat. I was asked to buck it up. It was a bittersweet honour. It was 60" across the stump including bark, closer to 54" just wood. Better half standing near the small end of the butt log. I aged it at 132 there. It was around 150 at stump, had stump rot so not as accurate of a count. There was a section full of olive graining, to bad the new owners are splitting it all for firewood.

Usually dark when I get dressed in the morning, so find it funny she picked matching clothes tha day when she got up. Used the 066 with the 36" bar. Wiped one chain, yes, there was some iron. A 1/2" solid steel bar, but luckily the end of it was near my cut so I was able to pop the cut apart. Cutting around it was a bit of a challange. Cut them in 16" sections. Even heavy for me so wonder how they will do splitting it.

View attachment 289258
I just watched a YouTube video about how a resurgence of 3 different kinds of woodpeckers and a wasp are making a significant impact in reducing EAB populations. Interesting, Mother Nature is doing what chemicals could not. Too late for my ash though.
 
Old nasty brake fluid....
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I flushed it until it ran clear.
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Much firmer lever in the rear now. I don't know if this service was ever done.
 
Tires on the bike are like new but 10 years old. I wont trust my life to old tires. So new ones are going on.
I used a C clamp and a block of wood to break the bead.
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Once you get one section started you just spoon off the rest.
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One side is now off. Soapy water is your friend.
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New michelin city grip tire spooned on. And a new valve stem.
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I flate to 32 psi
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Balanced and back on the bike.
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I just have the rear to do now but thats for another day. Just getting the wheel off is a job in itself.
 
Tires on the bike are like new but 10 years old. I wont trust my life to old tires. So new ones are going on.
I used a C clamp and a block of wood to break the bead.
View attachment 289286
Once you get one section started you just spoon off the rest.
View attachment 289287
One side is now off. Soapy water is your friend.
View attachment 289288
New michelin city grip tire spooned on. And a new valve stem.
View attachment 289289
I flate to 32 psi
View attachment 289290
Balanced and back on the bike.
View attachment 289291
I just have the rear to do now but thats for another day. Just getting the wheel off is a job in itself.
Did you just mount the front tire backwards?
 
Did you just mount the front tire backwards?
No it is not backwards, lol. I thought the same thing when I got the tire. But there are 2 direction arrows on the sidewall, one shows forward rotation for the front tire use and one shows rear rotation for rear tire use. This tire can be used in either location. So I installed it to Michelins recommendation. Even though in my mind it is backwards to me as far as water dispersion goes. But Michelin says it clears water better in a turn. So I went with it.
 
I did the rear tire today.
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Dismounted.
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Used a nylon brush to scrub the crud off the wheel. Impossible to do once its on the bike.
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Balancing. It took 1 ounce to balance it.
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Back on the bike.
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Just waiting on the plastics to come back from paint now.
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Bike has been completely serviced now. Coolant changed, brake fluid changed, new spark plugs, air filter, new tires. Then a new underseat storage bucket with a new led light, a new dash panel, a new seat strut and used seat. All new locks and ignition switch so now it will have one key. Changed the belt and variator rollers. She fires right up and purrs like a kitten. It's a 22 year old bike, you can't get anything in this class anymore so it is very worth it to me to refurbish it. Last year it was sold in the US was 2012. It's a Honda and can go over 100,000 miles if cared for, this one has 14k on the clock. When the parts come back from paint it'll get new headlight bulbs and a new windshield. Then I'll just ride it!

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I scored a tool box today. Harbor freight general 13 drawer. They dont make this one any more. Not a stellar deal at $300 but it was fair. New it sold for between $500 and $600. It has all the liners and top mat. I'm pretty happy with this. Of course I have to move a ton of crap just to get it set in place in my garage. It's a heavy bugger, I'll need to get someone to help me get it out. It took me, a teenage boy and a fat momma to lift it into the truck, lol.
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One just like it sold today for $100 but someone beat me to it.
 
I scored a tool box today. Harbor freight general 13 drawer. They dont make this one any more. Not a stellar deal at $300 but it was fair. New it sold for between $500 and $600. It has all the liners and top mat. I'm pretty happy with this. Of course I have to move a ton of crap just to get it set in place in my garage. It's a heavy bugger, I'll need to get someone to help me get it out. It took me, a teenage boy and a fat momma to lift it into the truck, lol.
View attachment 289409
One just like it sold today for $100 but someone beat me to it.

These are nice boxes. I've had one that I bought new for close to 10 years now. Am rather happy with it, except for the fact that it doesn't automatically expand and give me more space as mine is pretty full, lol.
 
I scored a tool box today. Harbor freight general 13 drawer. They dont make this one any more. Not a stellar deal at $300 but it was fair. New it sold for between $500 and $600. It has all the liners and top mat. I'm pretty happy with this. Of course I have to move a ton of crap just to get it set in place in my garage. It's a heavy bugger, I'll need to get someone to help me get it out. It took me, a teenage boy and a fat momma to lift it into the truck, lol.
View attachment 289409
One just like it sold today for $100 but someone beat me to it.
Congrats! Really helps to keep things organized!
 
Just in case the above Cliff Notes version isn’t enough…..

I enjoyed the video but was a bit surprised by footage. Very few ash trees shown with the birds, none with the wasp. They had White oak, beech (assume American), black birch, a hickory, a pine, a larch, an aspen, paper birch and lots of soft maple. Would have been great if they had more ash trees with the smaller birds and wasp. Still, all in all, great video and information.
 
Dont you have the hydraulic lift table? Those make life a lot easier when unloading a truck. Wedge the wheels if it doesn't have wheel locks! Don't ask me how I know this.
I have a wood planer permanently bolted to the lift table in the basement shop. That's what I bought it for.
 
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