I few years ago I climbed and brought down two 45 year old Spruce trees in very tight quarters. The next day I hauled several trailer loads away. I dug down to to cut both 36 inch plus stumps below grade. It was really hot and I was tired and all I had was my winter chainsaw pants, before I could cut it my wife begged me to put my chainsaw pants on, after several minutes she won. On my knees, full gear in an awkward position I got a quarter way thru and my MS361, 24 inch bar hit something and kicked back. Bar hit me in the thigh and destroyed my pants, carbide chain and bar in an instant. $400 pant's, $120 chain, $100 bar and quite the bruise but still alive. I hit a steel T post the tree grew around from when it was planted. Wear the Gear, don't work over fatigued, and Listen to your Wife.
I was all puckered up when the wood was rolling out of the truck. With my luck, one of the rounds would have knocked a hole in the side of my building. Lol. Thanks for sharing my friend. Happy mother's day to all the moms out there.
Yeah, I should have put up my guards. I have a couple long pallets that I usually use to protect the siding. I used them on the next load actually after watching this!!! I got lazy 😬
I love that you have the kids out helping. My teenage boys have to help with one thing around the house per day. Sometimes it a quick 10 min take the trash out and other times it is an hour of cutting brush and raking.
Yes for sure! Dad suggested they would unload it during the week but I thought the backhoe trick might be a little quicker 😉 Worked pretty slick. Thanks Aaron!
Love it when parents include the children when doing task. That builds muscle memory of what it takes to do a task. Prayers to you and your entire family 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 Amen!!!
Another great video Neil as I sit here n enjoy watching with my two daughters while my wife we let relax for her day lol happy Mother’s Day Kara n Neil’s mom and all the other mom’s out there god bless
My dad found a surprise in a maple tree he was cutting up for firewood. A piece of barbed wire. The saw had no kickback safety and kicked into his face - thankfully it had almost stopped by the time it landed. Still took over 100 stitches to fix. Chainsaws are no joke and are dangerous equipment.
Have to admit that in alot of your videos, there is something in them that make me sentimental and slightly emotional. I think it's the family values and the fact that I'm getting old sentimental. Lol Thanks for sharing and putting out great content!
I agree 100% ! He's teaching his kids values that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives and pass them down to their kids. You can also tell that he got those same values and work ethic from his Dad.
Thanks Brad that means a lot. I think since my family has always worked together like this it makes us all closer to each other somehow. I want my girls to grow up with that same connectivity that I had as a kid.
@@digdrivediy There is little on my bucket list I haven't accomplished but by far my proudest is seeing my children raising very good families. In my mind, that's the ultimate accomplishment. It won't be long before you will enjoy it too.
Beautiful family and hard workers. My Dad and his neighbor were always borrowing my Stihl saw. I learned quickly to keep extra chains and a bar on hand.
I saw the word hickory and decided to watch, I am fascinated watching the complete process although I may never do this I always like to keep open my options. Great video and watching the children work is heartwarming for this old man who's children are older than you.
@@andreabutts8697, i think this tree might be well over 100. Usually Hickory like this is an old growth forest remnant, as people rarely if ever planted them. It certainly is not a nursery grown tree.
Neil - truly enjoy your videos. You're like the guy we'd all like to be with your easy approach to a solid work ethic and family values. SO glad I found your channel, and couldn't wait to share it to my own friends.
It appears that the purchase of the log splitter was absolutely a correct expenditure of funds. That is the most awesome splitter in the right place for splitting and stacking the wood.
Great video as always glad to see the kids always helping my daughter is only 3 1/2 but she helps me all the time she doesn’t realize we aren’t just doing a job but making memories
Neil… when you said ‘maple tree in the park’ visions of a post covered with nails and screws, like a cocklebur,popped in my mind. Think how many posters of 4th of July, family reunion, concert, etc events have been posted on that trunk. That you didn’t find them is really surprising. However, that insulator is a real find. My guess is that was where the power leg for the shed (or it’s predecessor) was hung. I’ll also venture a guess that there are some aged folks still around who remember seeing it peeking out of the bark. It made my heart glad to see another community bonding event…. Hug Kara and Mom tight because mothers make family bonding events possible!
You're so right! I was honestly expecting more metal near the bottom. It wasn't clear in the video but I hit the insulator at about 15' up, so I was confused as to what it could be at the time. But as you mentioned, that hickory tree probably has a lot of stories to tell from what it has witnessed. We absolutely hated to cut it down but they basically told us we had to in order to get the permit for the building. Probably a smart move I guess. Thanks as always! We have a full day of celebrating all the Moms today to look forward to :)
LOVE WATCHING THE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER TO WORK , LEARN, LAUGH AND ACCOMPLISH A GOAL. THANKS FOR SHARING , I REALLY ENJOY THE CONTENT!!!!!! 👍👍👍
good video and job good to see wife and kids helping.. you may want to get a metal detector chains are out of reason now. happy mothers day to your mom and wife. take care, be safe and well.
You're very blessed to have all that equipment to do what you need to do I have a few trees in my yard that need to come down God will make away when there seems to be no way bless the Lord oh my soul
This was the first time I've come across your site. It showed things I have never seen before or had any though of. It was very interesting and enjoyable for me. I will continue watching future videos.
As a city gal I had no idea splitting logs was now done with a log splitter. My last impression of log splitting was an old history photo of Lincoln with an axe. That's a fantastic machine. I wondered if the logs could be used as firewood and dispaired when I saw the dump truck loading them up. It's so good that you could use the wood and not discard it. It was fun learning about all this. Thanks for sharing.
Yup , at 55 I’m still splitting my firewood with an axe , Certainly can’t afford the 2000 + Australian dollars to buy a log splitter . Plus ‘’ ya got to do shit too Stay fit . 👣🦘
Morning Neil! I feel your pain on the hidden metal!! I just did that last weekend. Hit an old deer stand climbing peg that was entirely covered. 😒. Happy Mother’s Day Kara!
I commend you on you community service again. I think your work there will make a lot of people happy and get enjoyment for many years. Citizen of the year!!!!!
All wood mills have a story of hitting metal in timber, when I was an apprentice in the mill we were putting 9 inch by 12 inch through our 26 inch rip saw and there was a loud clang and someone shouted "duck" and a piece of metal flew round the shop pinging and whizzing around, when we all come up from our "safe places" we found a large piece of wartime shrapnell. Many years on and in my own shop I was putting some timber through the Rip and clang, I hit the floor, waited for the all clear so to speak and after a look round found an ancient large flint arrow or spear head!
Again I commend you on your great work and pride in your community. I also think it's great how you include your family in so much that you do. I too feel the pain of the hidden metal in a tree. Mostly it's been barbed wire for me but once it looked like the top finial of an old fence post.
What a joy watching someone use a chain saw the proper way instead of like a hand saw. That drives me crazy. "Let the machine do its job properly." Thank you!
Great vid, tops to see the community and Family pitch in to help. From a warmer part of Aust, so snow is non-existent. At the 13.8 part, if that is a snow shovel, good use as a chip scoop.
As always, Neil, great video! And one time I was helping, my neighbor cut wood, and we found an old gun in a tree growing right in that octagon barrel ruined a couple chains as well. Maybe that’s what you should ask your listeners what kind of unusual things they found cutting wood.
I hit iron skewers about almost 2 yards long, inside an elm tree that was partly hollow. The tree was leaning but something was holding it so I decided to cut a bit more 😒😢.
Happy Mother's Day, Neil and family! Hitting metal is the quickest way to dull a chainsaw, for sure. I found a large chunk of chain link fence in a tree once. It made quite a few sparks. I like the design of your splitter. It seems having the ram vertical with a table under it gives you quite a bit more control that a horizontal splitter, even if it wa swung into a verical position. Looks like it would be easier on your back too. Thanks for the video! -mike
Just got showered after a day of splitting wood and I saw your vid recommended in my feed. Dropping a tree is the most dangerous and stressful part of heating the house with wood. But, far and away, moving it and splitting it is the hardest and most time consuming part. I see UA-camrs with far better equipment than I have and I feel a little jealous. Everything I move I put in my Cub side-by-side with my own sweat and tears. I split it with a maul if it's too heavy to lift whole. Having a front loader would save me literally an entire 8 hour day. You've got a beautiful and well kept estate. With your equipment and family help you got done with a job in one day that takes me literally three entire working days and you didn't even seem to break a sweat.
The benefit of help is the best thing. I'd suggest finding a small compact tractor with loader as that is by far the cheapest and most useful tool I have. I can find a tractor like mine on FB for $5-6K.
Happy Mothers Day to your wonderful Wife and family ! Family, Community service and Fire wood , a great American indeed
Those rounds of hollow log make fabulous planters!! I nearly cried when you cut them up.
Happy Mom’s day!!
Hard work and family time is what life is about. Great video Thank you!
Thank you sir!
Nice presentation, well done, see u next time
Happy Mother’s Day! I see they look just like their mother too .
I few years ago I climbed and brought down two 45 year old Spruce trees in very tight quarters. The next day I hauled several trailer loads away. I dug down to to cut both 36 inch plus stumps below grade. It was really hot and I was tired and all I had was my winter chainsaw pants, before I could cut it my wife begged me to put my chainsaw pants on, after several minutes she won. On my knees, full gear in an awkward position I got a quarter way thru and my MS361, 24 inch bar hit something and kicked back. Bar hit me in the thigh and destroyed my pants, carbide chain and bar in an instant. $400 pant's, $120 chain, $100 bar and quite the bruise but still alive. I hit a steel T post the tree grew around from when it was planted. Wear the Gear, don't work over fatigued, and Listen to your Wife.
I was all puckered up when the wood was rolling out of the truck. With my luck, one of the rounds would have knocked a hole in the side of my building. Lol. Thanks for sharing my friend. Happy mother's day to all the moms out there.
Yeah, I should have put up my guards. I have a couple long pallets that I usually use to protect the siding. I used them on the next load actually after watching this!!! I got lazy 😬
The ladies are beautiful and hard workers, kudos.
I love that you have the kids out helping. My teenage boys have to help with one thing around the house per day. Sometimes it a quick 10 min take the trash out and other times it is an hour of cutting brush and raking.
We try to get them involved at any opportunity. Good to get their hands dirty we feel.
Dont make idiots of yor kids.well done sir kids should learn to work
@@digdrivediy
Pppppppp😅😅😊😊😊😊"
P
Ppp
You’re an inspiration for all DIY projects! Please keep going!
Enjoyed the. Video! You are Blessed having a beautiful helping family! 🤗❤👌
Thanks Robert!
You and your family - included your grandparents, cousins, uncles, aunties, brothers, sisters, in-laws et al - are legends. well done..
Man the backhoe made unloading the brush trailer easy for you guys.I always dreaded unloading brush.
Yes for sure! Dad suggested they would unload it during the week but I thought the backhoe trick might be a little quicker 😉 Worked pretty slick. Thanks Aaron!
Love it when parents include the children when doing task. That builds muscle memory of what it takes to do a task. Prayers to you and your entire family 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 Amen!!!
This may be what I enjoy most about this channel. I wish I were half the father Neil is.
My wife has the same system of time as her! Smart women make men functional!
You are so blessed. Hope you know that and praise the Lord! thanks for the video
Another great video Neil as I sit here n enjoy watching with my two daughters while my wife we let relax for her day lol happy Mother’s Day Kara n Neil’s mom and all the other mom’s out there god bless
Thanks Adam. Glad to have you along.
Thanks from Neil's Mom
Ur most welcome Mary
Lucky man
Great family time.
My dad found a surprise in a maple tree he was cutting up for firewood. A piece of barbed wire. The saw had no kickback safety and kicked into his face - thankfully it had almost stopped by the time it landed. Still took over 100 stitches to fix. Chainsaws are no joke and are dangerous equipment.
That is why I wear all the safety equipment I can while using a chainsaw.
@@acemannw That's a given.Still got a nick in my kneecap from a saw that went into some chaps.Would have been severe without them.🏴☠
100 stitches is a lot. Chainsaw must have a nice scar now!
Cut through a musket ball in a huge oak I felled near Catterick Garrison
Oh no!❤🙏
I love the way children help you Mr Koch-----♥︎♡♥︎Blessed Mothers' Day
Your community is awesome!
Wow !! Just wow…that was awesome watching….. I did it the old way, so blessed life is a tad easier now !!
Have to admit that in alot of your videos, there is something in them that make me sentimental and slightly emotional. I think it's the family values and the fact that I'm getting old sentimental. Lol Thanks for sharing and putting out great content!
I agree 100% ! He's teaching his kids values that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives and pass them down to their kids. You can also tell that he got those same values and work ethic from his Dad.
Thanks Brad that means a lot. I think since my family has always worked together like this it makes us all closer to each other somehow. I want my girls to grow up with that same connectivity that I had as a kid.
@@digdrivediy There is little on my bucket list I haven't accomplished but by far my proudest is seeing my children raising very good families. In my mind, that's the ultimate accomplishment. It won't be long before you will enjoy it too.
You're not the only one who has these feelings, I feel the same way.
Great stuff thanks Neil !
Beautiful family and hard workers.
My Dad and his neighbor were always borrowing my Stihl saw. I learned quickly to keep extra chains and a bar on hand.
That log would make several very nice owl nesting boxes. Great natural look the owls will like and appreciate.
Or a beehive.
Brush removal from the trailer worked slick!
Your daughters are adorable.
Thank you!
Great video!! Oh, and you need to strap down that tractor! 🤣🤣🤣 I couldn’t resist!
great job.happy mothers day
I really enjoyed your video and thank you for sharing it with us😊
I like the video 📹 ☺ ,thanks. Happy mother's day 💓 💗 💖 💛 💕 ♥ love to all mother's. 😊😊😊🎉😂😅❤❤❤
I saw the word hickory and decided to watch, I am fascinated watching the complete process although I may never do this I always like to keep open my options. Great video and watching the children work is heartwarming for this old man who's children are older than you.
Fantastic splitting table you've got there 👍🏼
I think I'm older. 55
@@andreabutts8697, i think this tree might be well over 100. Usually Hickory like this is an old growth forest remnant, as people rarely if ever planted them. It certainly is not a nursery grown tree.
@@jeffjackson8381 Loved the way it just eased its way thru those chunks.
Neil - truly enjoy your videos. You're like the guy we'd all like to be with your easy approach to a solid work ethic and family values. SO glad I found your channel, and couldn't wait to share it to my own friends.
You have some good helpers. They didn't seem to mind doing all that hard work. One of them even found time to practice her dance moves.
Amazing how the tree grew around that insulator.😮🤯.
👍.
God bless.
You have the best helpers ever! Many hands make the work light.
There is nothing like kid/power!!!❤❤
That's right! 👍🏻
It's an insulator, @ 12:30. Very dangerous intrusion in that tree! Glad you are safe!!
WOW! You have some nifty toys!
Good video y’all
Pretty easy when have that kind of equipment and that wonderful help.
It appears that the purchase of the log splitter was absolutely a correct expenditure of funds. That is the most awesome splitter in the right place for splitting and stacking the wood.
Really good video, well done. Thank You.
I liked to see this work, because it brought in my mind teenage time, when I did same work home 15 year old girl.
That was amazingly fast , congratulations!
Great video as always glad to see the kids always helping my daughter is only 3 1/2 but she helps me all the time she doesn’t realize we aren’t just doing a job but making memories
Neil… when you said ‘maple tree in the park’ visions of a post covered with nails and screws, like a cocklebur,popped in my mind. Think how many posters of 4th of July, family reunion, concert, etc events have been posted on that trunk. That you didn’t find them is really surprising.
However, that insulator is a real find. My guess is that was where the power leg for the shed (or it’s predecessor) was hung. I’ll also venture a guess that there are some aged folks still around who remember seeing it peeking out of the bark.
It made my heart glad to see another community bonding event…. Hug Kara and Mom tight because mothers make family bonding events possible!
You're so right! I was honestly expecting more metal near the bottom. It wasn't clear in the video but I hit the insulator at about 15' up, so I was confused as to what it could be at the time.
But as you mentioned, that hickory tree probably has a lot of stories to tell from what it has witnessed. We absolutely hated to cut it down but they basically told us we had to in order to get the permit for the building. Probably a smart move I guess.
Thanks as always! We have a full day of celebrating all the Moms today to look forward to :)
@@digdrivediy oops… you did say hickory! •My bad•
@@sassafrasvalley1939 Actually I don't know if I ever said either to be honest 😋
A work ethic in kids…duly impressed…our 4 kids started chores at 4 years old and know what ‘work’ really is…😊
Great job I knew you hit something, that saw stopped cutting instantly. What a beautiful machine that splitter is 😮
Thank you and your family for all your work at the park. Great video
Very nice !!! pretty good music too 🎶
LOVE WATCHING THE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER TO WORK , LEARN, LAUGH AND ACCOMPLISH A GOAL. THANKS FOR SHARING , I REALLY ENJOY THE CONTENT!!!!!!
👍👍👍
good video and job good to see wife and kids helping.. you may want to get a metal detector chains are out of reason now. happy mothers day to your mom and wife. take care, be safe and well.
Thank you!
You're very blessed to have all that equipment to do what you need to do I have a few trees in my yard that need to come down God will make away when there seems to be no way bless the Lord oh my soul
This was the first time I've come across your site. It showed things I have never seen before or had any though of. It was very interesting and enjoyable for me. I will continue watching future videos.
Brilliant work.
Beautiful family.
As a city gal I had no idea splitting logs was now done with a log splitter. My last impression of log splitting was an old history photo of Lincoln with an axe. That's a fantastic machine. I wondered if the logs could be used as firewood and dispaired when I saw the dump truck loading them up. It's so good that you could use the wood and not discard it. It was fun learning about all this. Thanks for sharing.
It is still done by hand too. The mechanical splitter is for people who are splitting large amounts of wood.
Yup , at 55 I’m still splitting my firewood with an axe , Certainly can’t afford the 2000 + Australian dollars to buy a log splitter . Plus ‘’ ya got to do shit too Stay fit . 👣🦘
@@peachsncream5808 Chopping firewood warms you twice. Once when you split it and twice in the fire.
Great job love your videos thank you
I love that the girls work with you!
I would have loved a crossection of that hollow trunk for my garden. Amazing, so perfectly hollow.
Morning Neil! I feel your pain on the hidden metal!! I just did that last weekend. Hit an old deer stand climbing peg that was entirely covered. 😒. Happy Mother’s Day Kara!
I've found some of those too Troy! Thanks as always!
“Off for a coffee and the Library” good stuff!
Nice work Koch family and friends. You have a great community spirit there in your town. Happy Mother's Day to Kara and Neil's Mom!!
❤ Thank you! Neil's Mom
@@marykoch5168 You're welcome. I hope you were treated to a very special day!
Great to see families work together!! Stay Hydrated and Have a Safe Day
Great job!!
Was nice to hear the time there.
A hand held metal detector is very useful when cutting trees. Around 20 bux at Harbor Freight. Nails are like bullets when hitting them with saws.
Very enjoyable from the uk 🇬🇧 x
I commend you on you community service again. I think your work there will make a lot of people happy and get enjoyment for many years. Citizen of the year!!!!!
Great family project!
I like The teem effort and positivity. Thank you for the video I subscribed.
All wood mills have a story of hitting metal in timber, when I was an apprentice in the mill we were putting 9 inch by 12 inch through our 26 inch rip saw and there was a loud clang and someone shouted "duck" and a piece of metal flew round the shop pinging and whizzing around, when we all come up from our "safe places" we found a large piece of wartime shrapnell. Many years on and in my own shop I was putting some timber through the Rip and clang, I hit the floor, waited for the all clear so to speak and after a look round found an ancient large flint arrow or spear head!
Interesting video, well done.
Excellent video Neil ❤😊
Happy Mother’s Day
Again I commend you on your great work and pride in your community. I also think it's great how you include your family in so much that you do. I too feel the pain of the hidden metal in a tree. Mostly it's been barbed wire for me but once it looked like the top finial of an old fence post.
What a joy watching someone use a chain saw the proper way instead of like a hand saw. That drives me crazy. "Let the machine do its job properly." Thank you!
Got say what a great feel good watch, from the UK 👍
brilliant work!
Really good to see a whole family out working like that. Now that I'm in my 60's I take a bit longer to do the tasks.
As a wood turner i sure wish i lived next door so I could help and salvage some of that tree.
Great vid, tops to see the community and Family pitch in to help. From a warmer part of Aust, so snow is non-existent. At the 13.8 part, if that is a snow shovel, good use as a chip scoop.
As always, Neil, great video! And one time I was helping, my neighbor cut wood, and we found an old gun in a tree growing right in that octagon barrel ruined a couple chains as well. Maybe that’s what you should ask your listeners what kind of unusual things they found cutting wood.
That's an interesting question for sure! Finding a gun is at the top of the list I bet! Thanks as always Mike!
I hit iron skewers about almost 2 yards long, inside an elm tree that was partly hollow. The tree was leaning but something was holding it so I decided to cut a bit more 😒😢.
My century old silver maple near the back of my house has a full size piece of concrete rebar in the trunk near the ground!
Fist time visit and loved it.
Hello from the Netherlands Koch Family .
thanks for the video Neil .
Sincerely Hollandduck
Thank you sir!
@@digdrivediy 👍
Great to see the whole family chipping in to make quick work of that tree!
I am glad the tree is going to be used and wasn’t thrown away.
Happy Mother's Day, Neil and family! Hitting metal is the quickest way to dull a chainsaw, for sure. I found a large chunk of chain link fence in a tree once. It made quite a few sparks. I like the design of your splitter. It seems having the ram vertical with a table under it gives you quite a bit more control that a horizontal splitter, even if it wa swung into a verical position. Looks like it would be easier on your back too. Thanks for the video!
-mike
Wow good job
Quite the operation you have! Impressive.
Just got showered after a day of splitting wood and I saw your vid recommended in my feed. Dropping a tree is the most dangerous and stressful part of heating the house with wood. But, far and away, moving it and splitting it is the hardest and most time consuming part. I see UA-camrs with far better equipment than I have and I feel a little jealous. Everything I move I put in my Cub side-by-side with my own sweat and tears. I split it with a maul if it's too heavy to lift whole. Having a front loader would save me literally an entire 8 hour day. You've got a beautiful and well kept estate. With your equipment and family help you got done with a job in one day that takes me literally three entire working days and you didn't even seem to break a sweat.
My most stressful part is bringing it in the house, after 2 heart attacks and I live alone. Haven't trained my cats or dog to bring it in!
The benefit of help is the best thing. I'd suggest finding a small compact tractor with loader as that is by far the cheapest and most useful tool I have. I can find a tractor like mine on FB for $5-6K.
Sweet family and interesting daily trails and tribulations
Awesome video. It's nice to see a family working together. Keep up the good work!
Nuthin' like a powerhouse of machine when the project presents itself! May all of you be protected from it whenever it is serving you! : )
Good morning Neil
Morning Terrance!
Great job keep up the great work love your videos thank you need more videos
Awesome stuff mate..!!👍😎😎
Awesome video!