Foam cannon and Soap Here amzn.to/3ph5kBb Turbo Rotary Nozzle For Pressure Washer amzn.to/3bYphtE 3M Blue Tooth Head Phones amzn.to/3P4xiKP HATS! SHIRTS! HOODIES Here! www.outdoorswiththemorgans.com/shop
I am a chick with little interest in tracked equipment; but I am captivated by the skillful artistry you use in operating your equipment to log and groom your land. All the while you strive to make the lightest footprint overall in doing so. The granddaughter of a true sustainable forest horse logger, I applaud your example.
Lol hmmm a chick who digs what Mike Morgan is doing and can do... that makes you an attractive female at least to me... I'm not hitting on you I'm just making a general guy comment I mean no disrespect
The biggest reason why Mike doesn't want to bother as much of the ground is simply because he's wanting to build a new house on the property and the less property damage the less work he'll have to do later on in the process too and yes he's really good with the different machines that he uses to make it work
Absolutely correct! Been a Firefighter for 27 years and seen a lot. It still Surprise me how many people will use gas to start a fire. Especially as dry as we are in west Texas Never! EVER! use gasoline to start any Fire period! Thanks for the video
Mike, It's all your fault. :-) I just got back from my local Stihl dealer, and bought the Stihl FS91R, and to add insult to injury, I bought the premix gas at $38 for the gallon, you know super refined 93 octane, and not the least of which I got the CF3 Pro Trimmer Line. I hope to be forever free from the agony of propping up my cheaper trimmers, which meant doing more work on the tool, and getting very letting weed trimming done. Thank you for setting me straight about it. I'm in a residential neighborhood so a less expensive one would probably do, but what they hey, for a little more you have the best. Love your channel. Thank you, Bob
I use a mix similar to that specified by the USFS..."Drip torch fuel is a mixture of diesel fuel and gasoline. Gasoline helps carry the flame from the drip torch to the ground, diesel fuel provides a longer, residual burn time. When mixing fuel in drip torches, use 50% diesel fuel to 50% gasoline, in average (mild) temperatures. When temperatures are hotter, bump up the ratio to 60:40 or in very hot conditions, 70:30. This is done because when temperatures are high, gasoline tends to flare-up or burn too quickly, so increasing the ration of diesel fuel helps to keep the flame lit longer and reduce flareups. When lighting at a fast pace such as from a vehicle, use a higher diesel mixture as well. This will make sure the flame is continuous. When in doubt, use slightly more diesel rich mix."
Mike, thanks for the heartfelt, clear, message regarding using gasoline as a brush fire accelerant. I am hoping my sons hear it and consider what horrors exist in hospital burn center. I survived one uniquely stupid act involving adding lighter fluid to a slow igniting charcoal grill and for several weeks, my eyebrows reminded me how foolish and how fortunate I was.
I love the pines!! I grew up in a 9 acre red pine plot, & have great memories with them. Very relaxing to lay in their shade, & listen to the breeze blow through them.
Enjoying your videos as usual. I bury my stumps right where they were before i push the tree over and cut it up. I let the machine raise the tree a bit before i cut it to length
Hi Mike I have a friend that was at a barbecue and someone decided to use barbecue starter which is like a gel petrol when it started burning the guy got a shock because the gel caught on fire and he continued to squeeze the bottle and covered my friend from head to toe with the gel which he caught on fire with 80% of his body was caught was burnt he was blessed , to survive this horrific injury He now has scars all over your body but praise God he can still walk talk and eat he is a great survivor a wonderful testimony so whenever you using this highly in flammable liquid my advice just be careful I would not be using petrol or you call it gasoline in America start a fire wonderful advice Mike love and appreciate you Your videos Cliff from Logan city Queensland Australia from the big island the third biggest continent in the world
Equipped with only a Farmall A model 2wd tractor an My Dad. To clear for a driveway through a thick stand of white pine. I cut the trees flush with the ground. With no knoch.. Just cut them off all the way through so tree would fall flat on bar.then pull them off with the tractor until they fell on ground. limb everything real flat.Filled over with a good packing sand then top dressed with item 4 road mix. Packed hard as a rock! It's held up for over 25 years. After watching My brother try to start a fire with gas and a mishap. Never do that. Mike you're building another ideal setting.All your time there is great meditation not work!
Every time you come up to West Virginia you should bring dry lumber from home scrap cut off. Just throw it in the back of your truck and start making a small stack there you're going to need that all winter long to do what you need to do there. Plus some two starter logs you have turn them one way spread them out and then that way you can put all your other new Lumber cut offs there so they start are off the ground
Those Forestry guys and gals are usually pretty helpful ... love that you are doing your best to manage the Pine forest .... thinning them will help the healthy ones grow 2-3X faster ... and of course we know you'll eventually get a mill down there ... and we know Mike loves sawing nice wood .... slow and steady usually wins the race ... and you'll get a better feel for the lay of the land the more time you spend down there ... you could probably get a decent trailer or manufactured home on site to start, but perhaps just build a basic small off grid cabin instead ? as for a more permanent, larger structure I'm sure there must be good mill guys around there as well as good crews to help you with the build .... I know you have a lot of plans for PA, but that looks like a perfect place to retire to
Hey Mike, years ago a friend at work decided he'd get his wood stove fired up before leaving for work. It was cold and rainy. He loaded the wood into the stove and being a smart cnc operator he decided it would be quicker to throw a handful of gun powder onto the few coals left in there. Wow, he came to work w no eyebrows, eyelashes or mustache! We couldn't stop laughing! Thanks for reminding the educated fans of yours, we all make mistakes but some mistakes can be very painful. Son Levi is also taking your great advice and not filming his stops at intersections, or coming to a complete stop if camera is on. Ya gotta keep your fans happy and healthy. There's a lot to being a UA-camr huh? Lol!! Thanks Mike for all you do. I think the Foresters information is great. Nice to know that down the road if more room is needed or a little money needed, could sell some trees and make the forest a little healthier too! Wise of you to seek his advice, kudos to you!👍🚜❤🇺🇸🇺🇸
The only "problem" I have with your videos is remembering to "like" them. I get so wrapped up looking for the next one, I skip pressing LIKE. Don't mind watchin some twice or more. This one is very good. NO gasoline on a fire?? WHOA!! Takes a lot of the fun out of a fire that way. On that early clip there, where you had that "stream" of not gasoline going on the fire, it reminded me of a fishin trip I went on. We were on an all nighter. We had a huge crock of uncle Ferdinand's white lightning and had consumed a LOT of it. Uncle had stood up to answer natures call and decided to answer it on the campfire. He had consumed so much white lightning that his waste water was about 150 proof and flammable. That stream lit up and the flames were advancing toward him as he panicked and ran off in the pond to put out the fire. Poor feller nearly drown cause we was laughing to hard to help him as he stumbled in the cat tails and moss. (that's a lie, it never happened LOL) BUT, it is a joy watching you work the machine. As I have said before, it seems to be an extension of your body and working directly from YOUR brain. I also find that in trying to second guess your actions, I make some pretty good guesses. Now, with ten or so years of experience, I might just get the muscle memory to make the dohicky rotate the thingamabob just right to close the claw and flex the arm to drop the whatchamacallit right on the fire while backing the machine between the trees and not hitting any thing. Maybe. Really, it is a beautifully orchestrated dance when you run the excavator Mike. Makes me want to try it. (with no on watching, of course) The way you do it makes it look like fun. You get the most out of the machine. WITHOUT stressing the machine, I might add/ Thanks for showing me all of this and for adding the commentary and advice too.
I have used a mixture of gas, used motor oil, and jet A, (kerosene) to spray the center of the pile and let it soak in before lighting it from a distance. I found the gas helps the mixture soak into the limbs. After it is lit I will throw a mixture of just the used motor oil and jet A if needed. But usually it is not needed as the centers of the piles are usually pretty dry. Most of the pile was dead before cutting it down. I only burned one or two piles a year, but they were usually around 40 feet in diameter and around 15 feet high. We were loosing about one or two large sycamore trees a year that was transplanted in the mid 50s to mid 60s.
love the fire and the blazing new trails. For brush fires, I will sometimes use old motor oil to get a fire started. Burning and old tire in the middle will definitely do it too but then you have to sometimes clean up the wire belting left behind I burned a couch one time and that was a no-no. The cushions burned so hot that I nearly melted the siding on the house. its no wonder house fires get out of hand in a hurry.
Hello! 🙂 Good point about not using gasoline on any fire period. Put some diesel in a pump up sprayer and spray on a lit fire near the bottom. You can use a leaf blower to get a roaring hot fire. Once the fire is hot enough, it will support it's own combustion. Stack up the wood as high as possible to develop draft.
No Gas, No gas, No Gas. Best guidance you have ever provided. Almost lost a good friend who ran out of diesel and used Coleman Fuel (premium gas) instead. He was wearing sandals and shorts and got caught in the vapor pool, when it lit off. He got really lucky and didn't get burned too badly.
You're right about the use of gas to start a fire as a huge no-no. We always used either diesel or kerosene. Another thing to note is that if any of the brush has poison ivy vines in it, do not get in the smoke as it's burning. You can get a serious case of poison ivy both on your skin as well as into your respiratory system.
Absolutely correct Mike, never use gasoline to start a fire. What some people don't know is that liquid gasoline is not flammable. Gasoline needs to be in vapor form to burn, at which point it's explosive!
@@threepointservices-tractor4832 They are always there. The point i was trying, and clearly failing, to make is that liquid gasoline doesn't burn, it's the vapor/fumes that ignite.
I mix old drain oil and a little gas together. Not much gas but the oil by itself doesn't light. Add a little (A Little) gas and works wonders. Don't blow yourself up with more gas than oil.
Mike, when I was about 11 my job was to light this huge pile of leaves. I knew about the danger of fire. The leaves were a little too damp to ignite with matches so I decided to pour gasoline on the leaves and give it time to soak in (vaporize). I poured a fuse trail and threw the match on the trail. I avoided injury but not the scolding that “you knew better!” There was a giant whoosh as the vapor ignited. The driveway is looking great!
Agreed, never use gas. I burned a huge pile this weekend. Lots of stumps and other very green stuff, even after it had sat in the pile for 6+ months. Used about a gallon of used motor oil and a little diesel. And the key when you don’t have a machine to move stuff around and need it to spread is a leaf blower.
Great job at the new property Mike, it's got to be nice to have such a great laid out piece of land to work on and have the equipment to do the work with . Congratulations on what you folks have worked for from the beginning. You all have worked hard to achieve what you have and you're truly blessed to have made it this far. May your dream keep coming true for you folks. Most of all thanks for carrying us along from the start. Hello to the rest of the crew also. Stay safe , Fred.
Your advice about gasoline and brush fires is one to “live by,” Mike. Won’t bother anyone with the details as I think most of us have similar stories to the one about your Army story. My friend ended up the same way. Never has to be. The new place is really shaping up. Happy Labor Day!
I've used gas when I was younger because it was how dad showed me. After a few close calls I now use a weed burner or a propane touch. Much safer and no beard scorching.
The best way I found to lite a pile of brush on fire is to pour a gallon or 2 of diesel on a wheat straw bale let it soak in for about 30 minutes the set of fire. Wheat bale acts as wick and let's the pile burn until hot coals are there. Have a great day be safe.
I'm still amazed you can light fires in what appears to be a forest.....? Do you need to get permits for these fires, or not ? In CA you're not allowed to have a fire in your own back yard unless you have the required approvals/permits !!
I was thinking.... When yir knocking a tree down, etc., with the excavator, you could leave it leaning over at a convenient height for processing... Then ya just whip out the Stihl and go to town. But, that may be totally inapplicable to yir method, process, plan or Zen. In which case you can say, "Let's not, and just say that we did!" Digging the music. It's has been gorgeous in Colorado Springs! We even have had consistent rains (two to three showers a week). Pumpkins, zucchini, squashes, basil....and the weeds are happy. Look for Rockford watermelons and cantaloupes in the grocery store THEY ARE THE WORLD'S BEST!
When I was young, my neighbor got burned really badly putting gas on a fire. I agree with you Mike, gas is very dangerous to put on a fire. It comes back at you too quick to get out of its way, no matter how quick you think you are.
Great video, Mike! I love those little branch stubs...the first 4" off the trunk for fatwood. I cut them off and throw them in a bucket or whatever and use one for each campfire. Hit them with the propane torch and away we go! My favorite firestarter for a pile of green brush and stumps is an old tire or two.
Good morning Mike, yeah that Forster guy is correct, when you go to those logging shows you see those small trailers that have booms on them, they make some to pull behind tractors and some behind four wheelers. They go into these big pine plantations and thin the trees it helps them to grow and keep down degeneration of the trees and so forth, hey Mike have you thought about getting a grafful for the BX tractor it might be small enough to get around in the trees to help with all the brush. And knowing what it takes to get a trailer in and out I know what you mean about taking out some of those trees but you are right some may be thinking you taking to many but what you take out will help the other trees to grow more. As always enjoy your videos keep it up see you in the next video.
Hi Mike, I would love to call but I'm in the Philippines and don't know what the time difference is, I enjoy watching your videos, I started back sometime 2019 or 2018, while I was back in the states but since went back to the Philippines to my family there, I will kept watching for your videos, thanks
My thoughts would be instead of burning most of the tree tops I'd pile it parallel to the road 50 feet into the woods, it deters deer from entering the road, creates privacy, and blocks hunters from accessing from the road! As a bonus it might create habitat for bunnies and foxes!
That’s a gorgeous stand of pine. This made me look the species up. There’s so many different trees to learn. I have one mature red pine but the property was timbered about 12 years ago. So I’m managing what I want to keep and cutting down a lot of poplar that just crowds everything out so fast. I’m excited now to go out and see what the other pine is that I cleared around last year that was different from the scrub pines and the one red pine.
Nice work down there mike, looking good. I have been clearing my land of dead ash trees. I bought a blow torch that hooks to a 20# propane cylinder from Harbor freight. Works great for starting a fire. Keep up the good work!
Nice progress Mike. I agree with you on leaving many of the trees because you like the way it looks. A lot of my property could be harvested but I just like the way it looks and the trees are doing fine. Nothing is more destructive than a group of loggers on a schedule. The resulting carnage leaves a very ugly sight.
MIKE, I give you lotta credit burning that pine! Specially those green tops. Too hot ya got needle embers FLYIN thru the trees. Not hot enough, ya got smoke till it catches. Glad it rained for you.
Mike, I think your new routing for the drive is a great choice. It looks like the forest impact will be very minimal. BTW, thanks so much for the "safety moment" concerning the use of gasoline for starting burn piles. Less volatile fuels are the way to go. But I am wondering were you using diesel or maybe kerosene? Thanks again.
You are so right, too many people use gas instead of using diesel fuel or using a bunch of newspapers. Or for that matter scrap wood and kindling. And then suffer for a bad decision. I knew a fellow who used gas to start a brush pile and he got burned badly also.
Never use straight petrol. However a mix of 70% diesel and 30% petrol (gas) is perfect. Won’t woof on you like petrol but will start a fire. We use it in our drip torches on the fire trucks.
I used diesel and never have any surprises! Charcoal starter works too but it's expensive. Thanks for the video, I enjoy watching you work since I no longer can but forget about that watching you work.
Yup....... Gas + Brush fire = bad day. When I was younger, I started a brush fire with the 50:1 mix from my chainsaw gas can. Poured some on the pile and started it with a BBQ lighter. It of course lit, and burned for about 20-30 seconds. Then because of how wet everything was, the fuel burned up and the fire was out. So....... I did it again but this time once the fire was burning I "sloshed" gas from the gas can into the fire. It worked the first 3 or 4 sloshes. Then........... All I remember is seeing flames coming up and towards the gas can. It surprised me so much, I let the can go, it landed right next to the brush like and as I stepped back it literally exploded. How I avoided injury I have no idea............ Now, I start brush fires with a propane torch. Just set the torch tip anywhere and let it sit for 10-20 seconds.
This one time I used gas to start a fire on some brush. I lit the first match and threw it on the brush pile and nothing happened. Lit the second match and by the time I could throw the match kaboom. And within seconds my ear drums popped with the explosion of the fire. I was not burned by the flames but let me tell you I felt every little bit of that Kaboom. It was like a wave that came over me. I did learn my lesson.
Hey Mike it’s shaping up nicely and looking good. A guy could selective log that property and it would even make it look even better and would really help out the forest and encourage new growth in your existing trees. It’s beautiful now, but when a person does that it causes those leaders (tops of the evergreen trees) to shoot up about 1 1/2 ft. It also encourages reprod (new growth). Anyway cool video 👍❤️
Diesel works very well on a wet brush pile. Gas is too volatile. I usually pour about a cup (or two if wet ) onto the pile prior to lighting. I dip a rag in some diesel and tie it to an 8 foot branch or pole and light it with a propane torch and then push it under the pile. Has always worked well for me.
The power of fuel vapors is under appreciated. Back in the 80s a 55 gallon drum of benzene or similar was dumped in the storm drain in Louisville KY. It got ignited and blew a 12 ft deep twenty foot wide mile long trench down one of the main down town roads. Enormous devastation. A quart of gasoline is equivalent to 3 sticks of dynamite.
I thought you were going to use that little tree you pulled out at 7:30 to sweep up those pine tree branches. Nice place for a mini cabin or tree stand alone the outer edge of the driveway looking toward that long open alley at 14:20. Have another productive day.
My dad showed me when I was around 9 what gas does on a burn pile at 40 yard's. I never questioned his wisdom. There's many options. I've taught my son the same.
I totally agree with you on the gasoline to start a fire 🔥. There are just too many other alternatives which others have noted in their comments. Love the West Virginia property. My family is from West Virginia but I live in Georgia. I'm retired now and would gladly move back but the cost of living and the weather in the winter just not for me. Great people though!
Giday Mike Bruce here from Ottawa. Watch your channel religiously. My buddy that owns our hunt camp bought a 10ton feller buncher for his 3.5ton Ghel mini ex and it will shear off a 8"maple slick as snot. I'm sure you can rent one down there for a bit. Have a grand weekend chum.
You ought to think about using some of those smaller pine logs to make a natural log pole barn garage and a gazebo. Use cedar shake shingles. If the woods burn the wood shingle will not add much to it. It would fit in so perfectly, like something normally seen lakeside..Mount the vertical logs on cement buried columns so the pine won't rot.
The property is amazing Mike. I agree with you, it's just nice to look at the trees and take in the beautiful landscape. You can hear the enthusiasm in your voice when you talk about the property. What do you use to start the fire, kerosene? Stay safe.
I know that it would be extra work but what it you saved some of those small logs to have a cooking fire at the WV property. I know that cutting them into 16 inch rounds and stacking them would be extra but come this winter a foil tailgate dinner would be nice. Just setting a few aside would be great. You could also line the driveway with logs and with a load or two of gravel you could see it in the snow.
I have a story about diesel and brush fires. Many (MANY) years ago, my father cleared some land as he prepared to build a cabin on a lake. The fellow running the D8 Cat created a number of brush piles like you did. I was maybe 13 years old, and my dad gave me the task of lighting up one of the piles. No problem right? Wrong. My best friend and I set off with 5 gallons of diesel fuel (in a plastic can) and a pack of matches. I do not remember if the can was full or not. Now remember my friend and I were very young to be doing this. But back in the late 60s / early 70s, in north central BC, this was normal. I had done this before without incident. BUT, (Oh there is always a but.....) I would now classify my buddy and I as "brain dead teenage boys" (are there any other kinds??). We tried starting the fire with matches only, but nothing was happening. There was a little smoke, but no flame to speak of. My buddy decided that he would blow on the fire to give it more oxygen (I think we saw that in a movie). I picked up the can of diesel fuel, opened the spout and air vent, and proceeded to splash diesel on the brush pile. (Can you see where this is going?) Nothing happened. Perplexed, but not defeated (remember, my buddy is still bent over the brush pile blowing with all his might, on the small flame that was there), I splashed some more diesel fuel on the pile. Suddenly that pile of brush went up with WHOOSH and small explosion. I'm standing, almost in the brush, with a can of diesel fuel in my hands. My buddy looked at me with eyes wide and no eyebrows, and yelled, "The can is on fire!" Sure enough, there was flame shooting from the spout of the diesel can. So what does a brain dead teenage boy do? I tried to "shake" the flames out of the can, over the blazing fire that had been created and only ended up pouring more diesel on the flames. I finally through the diesel can on the brush and scrambled backwards. My buddy was already there, checking to see if he lost anything other than his eyebrows in the rush of flames. Fortunately the diesel did not explode. As the plastic melted "the flames they went higher" (to quote Johnny Cash). That had to be the biggest fire I have ever been responsible for. I was fortunate it did not start the rest of the forest on fire. Yeah there are times I wonder how I made it to be 63 now! I am enjoying your channel Mike and to all those who hate on you for what ever reason, just go away. I do not agree with everything Mike says, our politics are different, but I appreciate and enjoy watching his skills, talents and ideas in these videos. Treat this as entertainment, that you have a choice to watch or not. If you don't like something go away. You don't have to do as I did to that brush pile, and burn it down as you leave. Cheers from Ontario, Canada.
If you look at how straight the rows are it looks like the area was forested out years ago then replanted. The pile of brush will probably take several days to completely burn. It’s a good thing the area and ground was wet from frequent storms.
agree ... dry is best, gas or diesel is ok to start a fire ... once you try to start it the cans should be capped and far away ... it takes DAYS for the embers to go out. Repile it will start in an hour
Hey I know you have it figured out with starting the brush piles up and all but they make those long touches you put on propane tanks they are really awesome for starting up those piles they burn really hot so it don’t take long to start them
Mike - Haven't left a comment in a while, but have been watching a bit here and there. I agree with you not to use gasoline on a brush fire. So I'm curious what you use. My Dad used to recommend diesel fuel to clean your hands from the greasy work on a car, and I think he recommended it for burning brush also. Wish I lived closer so I could come meet you at one of the wood shows. Blessings to you and your family. Hi to Melissa, Hunter, Eva, Levi, and the pooches. Sorry to hear about your loss of Rue.
Ill never forget, I was about 14 and dad told me to burn the leaf piles we had, took the gas can and dumped some gas on em, lit the match and next thing i know i was laying on the ground!! thank god I never caught on fire!!!
Hey Mike just thinking out loud instead of taking every other row of trees, take every other tree in every other row. Now you still have a pretty thick forest yet the rows don't look so planted & more of a natural look to the forest.
I don’t usually criticize your decisions. However, on this issue I will weigh in. You hired (or at least consulted) an expert on the health of timberland. Then you say “Because I like the way it looks” you aren’t going to thin the land he told you was best for the forest. What’s up with that? You have enough timber to have it thinned, sell/trade the logs to a processor for log home builders, and and end up with a log home kit (in trade or purchase with the proceeds of the sale) that would be a perfect fit on the property. And you would be helping the health of your forest land at the same time. Seems like a win-win to me.
Make your turns for long trailers as you swing around to load up and off you go. Likewise loaded and head down the hill - off load, lock down trailer and off to town. Great idea on circle drive.
Mike: Have you thought about chipping the wood for a wood chip walkway. I have one here at home and it is really nice to walk on. Take care and stay safe.
Hey Mike. Great videos. For a time I worked for a couple demolition companies running excavators with grapples. They taught me to use an i-beam to clean up my work are. Always kept one handy. Your grapple works good but a light weight beam would work wonders! Dusty
Yeah or maybe a log to do the same thing you did with the beam. I doubt he has any beams laying around i see where your going though I've watched it done on job sites with sheers too cutting up scrap 30 year operating engineer local 150 retiring next spring.
A similar story happened to an older farmer close to where I grew up. He ran out of diesel fuel and decided to use gasoline instead. The fumes settled to the bottom and when he lit it exploded and covered him in fire. When he didn’t come home for lunch his wife went looking and found him burnt to a crisp.
We used to have school bus sized brush piles. We’d mix waste oil and diesel in the loader bucket and carefully sprinkle it on the pile, let it soak in for a half hour and light it. Worked great.
Foam cannon and Soap Here amzn.to/3ph5kBb
Turbo Rotary Nozzle For Pressure Washer amzn.to/3bYphtE
3M Blue Tooth Head Phones amzn.to/3P4xiKP
HATS! SHIRTS! HOODIES Here! www.outdoorswiththemorgans.com/shop
Really enjoy watching your videos! I see where that equipment rental is I am not far from there! Really cool!!!!
Not sure how to send a direct message,new at the you tube thing. Love the channel!
I am a chick with little interest in tracked equipment; but I am captivated by the skillful artistry you use in operating your equipment to log and groom your land. All the while you strive to make the lightest footprint overall in doing so. The granddaughter of a true sustainable forest horse logger, I applaud your example.
Lol hmmm a chick who digs what Mike Morgan is doing and can do... that makes you an attractive female at least to me... I'm not hitting on you I'm just making a general guy comment I mean no disrespect
Tracked equipment is fun!
The biggest reason why Mike doesn't want to bother as much of the ground is simply because he's wanting to build a new house on the property and the less property damage the less work he'll have to do later on in the process too and yes he's really good with the different machines that he uses to make it work
Atta boy, Mike !! I've always thought you were doing it right !! Good example to ALL the others trying to do the same !!
Absolutely correct! Been a Firefighter for 27 years and seen a lot. It still Surprise me how many people will use gas to start a fire. Especially as dry as we are in west Texas Never! EVER! use gasoline to start any Fire period! Thanks for the video
Really enjoy the project, enjoy watching you operate that machine. Drive is looking good 👍. Thanks for sharing!!!!!
We are always thankful for hearing more advice and reminders. It's totally worth it to say that save a novice woodsman from a bad accident.
Mike, It's all your fault. :-) I just got back from my local Stihl dealer, and bought the Stihl FS91R, and to add insult to injury, I bought the premix gas at $38 for the gallon, you know super refined 93 octane, and not the least of which I got the CF3 Pro Trimmer Line. I hope to be forever free from the agony of propping up my cheaper trimmers, which meant doing more work on the tool, and getting very letting weed trimming done. Thank you for setting me straight about it. I'm in a residential neighborhood so a less expensive one would probably do, but what they hey, for a little more you have the best. Love your channel. Thank you, Bob
I'm enjoying your visits to West Virginia. You do great work and it's always interesting. I could watch you for hours...oh, wait...i do already!
I use a mix similar to that specified by the USFS..."Drip torch fuel is a mixture of diesel fuel and gasoline. Gasoline helps carry the flame from the drip torch to the ground, diesel fuel provides a longer, residual burn time. When mixing fuel in drip torches, use 50% diesel fuel to 50% gasoline, in average (mild) temperatures. When temperatures are hotter, bump up the ratio to 60:40 or in very hot conditions, 70:30. This is done because when temperatures are high, gasoline tends to flare-up or burn too quickly, so increasing the ration of diesel fuel helps to keep the flame lit longer and reduce flareups. When lighting at a fast pace such as from a vehicle, use a higher diesel mixture as well. This will make sure the flame is continuous. When in doubt, use slightly more diesel rich mix."
Mike, thanks for the heartfelt, clear, message regarding using gasoline as a brush fire accelerant. I am hoping my sons hear it and consider what horrors exist in hospital burn center. I survived one uniquely stupid act involving adding lighter fluid to a slow igniting charcoal grill and for several weeks, my eyebrows reminded me how foolish and how fortunate I was.
I love the pines!! I grew up in a 9 acre red pine plot, & have great memories with them.
Very relaxing to lay in their shade, & listen to the breeze blow through them.
Enjoying your videos as usual. I bury my stumps right where they were before i push the tree over and cut it up. I let the machine raise the tree a bit before i cut it to length
Hi Mike I have a friend that was at a barbecue and someone decided to use barbecue starter which is like a gel petrol when it started burning the guy got a shock because the gel caught on fire and he continued to squeeze the bottle and covered my friend from head to toe with the gel which he caught on fire with 80% of his body was caught was burnt he was blessed , to survive this horrific injury He now has scars all over your body but praise God he can still walk talk and eat he is a great survivor a wonderful testimony so whenever you using this highly in flammable liquid my advice just be careful I would not be using petrol or you call it gasoline in America start a fire wonderful advice Mike love and appreciate you Your videos Cliff from Logan city Queensland Australia from the big island the third biggest continent in the world
Equipped with only a Farmall A model 2wd tractor an My Dad. To clear for a driveway through a thick stand of white pine. I cut the trees flush with the ground. With no knoch.. Just cut them off all the way through so tree would fall flat on bar.then pull them off with the tractor until they fell on ground. limb everything real flat.Filled over with a good packing sand then top dressed with item 4 road mix. Packed hard as a rock! It's held up for over 25 years. After watching My brother try to start a fire with gas and a mishap. Never do that. Mike you're building another ideal setting.All your time there is great meditation not work!
Every time you come up to West Virginia you should bring dry lumber from home scrap cut off. Just throw it in the back of your truck and start making a small stack there you're going to need that all winter long to do what you need to do there. Plus some two starter logs you have turn them one way spread them out and then that way you can put all your other new Lumber cut offs there so they start are off the ground
Those Forestry guys and gals are usually pretty helpful ... love that you are doing your best to manage the Pine forest .... thinning them will help the healthy ones grow 2-3X faster ... and of course we know you'll eventually get a mill down there ... and we know Mike loves sawing nice wood .... slow and steady usually wins the race ... and you'll get a better feel for the lay of the land the more time you spend down there ... you could probably get a decent trailer or manufactured home on site to start, but perhaps just build a basic small off grid cabin instead ? as for a more permanent, larger structure I'm sure there must be good mill guys around there as well as good crews to help you with the build .... I know you have a lot of plans for PA, but that looks like a perfect place to retire to
Hey Mike, years ago a friend at work decided he'd get his wood stove fired up before leaving for work. It was cold and rainy. He loaded the wood into the stove and being a smart cnc operator he decided it would be quicker to throw a handful of gun powder onto the few coals left in there. Wow, he came to work w no eyebrows, eyelashes or mustache! We couldn't stop laughing! Thanks for reminding the educated fans of yours, we all make mistakes but some mistakes can be very painful. Son Levi is also taking your great advice and not filming his stops at intersections, or coming to a complete stop if camera is on. Ya gotta keep your fans happy and healthy. There's a lot to being a UA-camr huh? Lol!! Thanks Mike for all you do. I think the Foresters information is great. Nice to know that down the road if more room is needed or a little money needed, could sell some trees and make the forest a little healthier too! Wise of you to seek his advice, kudos to you!👍🚜❤🇺🇸🇺🇸
The only "problem" I have with your videos is remembering to "like" them. I get so wrapped up looking for the next one, I skip pressing LIKE. Don't mind watchin some twice or more. This one is very good. NO gasoline on a fire?? WHOA!! Takes a lot of the fun out of a fire that way. On that early clip there, where you had that "stream" of not gasoline going on the fire, it reminded me of a fishin trip I went on. We were on an all nighter. We had a huge crock of uncle Ferdinand's white lightning and had consumed a LOT of it. Uncle had stood up to answer natures call and decided to answer it on the campfire. He had consumed so much white lightning that his waste water was about 150 proof and flammable. That stream lit up and the flames were advancing toward him as he panicked and ran off in the pond to put out the fire. Poor feller nearly drown cause we was laughing to hard to help him as he stumbled in the cat tails and moss. (that's a lie, it never happened LOL)
BUT, it is a joy watching you work the machine. As I have said before, it seems to be an extension of your body and working directly from YOUR brain. I also find that in trying to second guess your actions, I make some pretty good guesses. Now, with ten or so years of experience, I might just get the muscle memory to make the dohicky rotate the thingamabob just right to close the claw and flex the arm to drop the whatchamacallit right on the fire while backing the machine between the trees and not hitting any thing. Maybe. Really, it is a beautifully orchestrated dance when you run the excavator Mike. Makes me want to try it. (with no on watching, of course) The way you do it makes it look like fun. You get the most out of the machine. WITHOUT stressing the machine, I might add/ Thanks for showing me all of this and for adding the commentary and advice too.
I have used a mixture of gas, used motor oil, and jet A, (kerosene) to spray the center of the pile and let it soak in before lighting it from a distance. I found the gas helps the mixture soak into the limbs. After it is lit I will throw a mixture of just the used motor oil and jet A if needed. But usually it is not needed as the centers of the piles are usually pretty dry. Most of the pile was dead before cutting it down. I only burned one or two piles a year, but they were usually around 40 feet in diameter and around 15 feet high. We were loosing about one or two large sycamore trees a year that was transplanted in the mid 50s to mid 60s.
love the fire and the blazing new trails. For brush fires, I will sometimes use old motor oil to get a fire started. Burning and old tire in the middle will definitely do it too but then you have to sometimes clean up the wire belting left behind I burned a couch one time and that was a no-no. The cushions burned so hot that I nearly melted the siding on the house. its no wonder house fires get out of hand in a hurry.
When a burn furniture I always cut it down in chunks so the fire stays down to a certain height and very controllable.
Hello! 🙂
Good point about not using gasoline on any fire period. Put some diesel in a pump up sprayer and spray on a lit fire near the bottom. You can use a leaf blower to get a roaring hot fire. Once the fire is hot enough, it will support it's own combustion. Stack up the wood as high as possible to develop draft.
Good afternoon David 👋👋😸😺
Another satisfying video, I love being in the woods! Be careful out there by yourself! ✌🏼❤️🙏🏼
No Gas, No gas, No Gas. Best guidance you have ever provided. Almost lost a good friend who ran out of diesel and used Coleman Fuel (premium gas) instead. He was wearing sandals and shorts and got caught in the vapor pool, when it lit off. He got really lucky and didn't get burned too badly.
You're right about the use of gas to start a fire as a huge no-no. We always used either diesel or kerosene. Another thing to note is that if any of the brush has poison ivy vines in it, do not get in the smoke as it's burning. You can get a serious case of poison ivy both on your skin as well as into your respiratory system.
Very dangerous if those vines are present in a brush fire. Can actually be deadly.
Excellent point Dave! That can send you to the hospital for days if allergic.
Good morning, God bless you all & thank you for sharing
Absolutely correct Mike, never use gasoline to start a fire. What some people don't know is that liquid gasoline is not flammable. Gasoline needs to be in vapor form to burn, at which point it's explosive!
And when the wind is calm that vapor flows out all around the pile and around you. When lit you WILL be in the fireball!
For those of us that don’t know, when are vapors not present with gasoline?
@@threepointservices-tractor4832 They are always there. The point i was trying, and clearly failing, to make is that liquid gasoline doesn't burn, it's the vapor/fumes that ignite.
I mix old drain oil and a little gas together. Not much gas but the oil by itself doesn't light. Add a little (A Little) gas and works wonders. Don't blow yourself up with more gas than oil.
A man after my heart. Cut them close and get the most bang for your buck. I just love it....
Mike, when I was about 11 my job was to light this huge pile of leaves. I knew about the danger of fire. The leaves were a little too damp to ignite with matches so I decided to pour gasoline on the leaves and give it time to soak in (vaporize). I poured a fuse trail and threw the match on the trail. I avoided injury but not the scolding that “you knew better!” There was a giant whoosh as the vapor ignited. The driveway is looking great!
I use a leaf blower to start and control fires. Really works well for both.
Agreed, never use gas. I burned a huge pile this weekend. Lots of stumps and other very green stuff, even after it had sat in the pile for 6+ months. Used about a gallon of used motor oil and a little diesel. And the key when you don’t have a machine to move stuff around and need it to spread is a leaf blower.
Great job at the new property Mike, it's got to be nice to have such a great laid out piece of land to work on and have the equipment to do the work with . Congratulations on what you folks have worked for from the beginning. You all have worked hard to achieve what you have and you're truly blessed to have made it this far. May your dream keep coming true for you folks. Most of all thanks for carrying us along from the start. Hello to the rest of the crew also. Stay safe , Fred.
Your advice about gasoline and brush fires is one to “live by,” Mike. Won’t bother anyone with the details as I think most of us have similar stories to the one about your Army story. My friend ended up the same way. Never has to be. The new place is really shaping up. Happy Labor Day!
We use old motor oil to burn brush piles. It’s free and I don’t have to pay $5.00 per gallon for diesel fuel.
I've used gas when I was younger because it was how dad showed me. After a few close calls I now use a weed burner or a propane touch. Much safer and no beard scorching.
The best way I found to lite a pile of brush on fire is to pour a gallon or 2 of diesel on a wheat straw bale let it soak in for about 30 minutes the set of fire. Wheat bale acts as wick and let's the pile burn until hot coals are there. Have a great day be safe.
That's a good idea. Probably saves diesel fuel too.
Would be interesting to hear a lil more about what the forestry guy had to say about your new property. Progress is looking great.
I'm still amazed you can light fires in what appears to be a forest.....? Do you need to get permits for these fires, or not ?
In CA you're not allowed to have a fire in your own back yard unless you have the required approvals/permits !!
@@johnking8679 Keyword in California! Sorry I’m not trying to be mean.
I was thinking.... When yir knocking a tree down, etc., with the excavator, you could leave it leaning over at a convenient height for processing... Then ya just whip out the Stihl and go to town. But, that may be totally inapplicable to yir method, process, plan or Zen. In which case you can say, "Let's not, and just say that we did!" Digging the music. It's has been gorgeous in Colorado Springs! We even have had consistent rains (two to three showers a week). Pumpkins, zucchini, squashes, basil....and the weeds are happy. Look for Rockford watermelons and cantaloupes in the grocery store THEY ARE THE WORLD'S BEST!
Starting to see the circle, knocking that dirt off the stumps is oddly satisfying.
When I was young, my neighbor got burned really badly putting gas on a fire. I agree with you Mike, gas is very dangerous to put on a fire. It comes back at you too quick to get out of its way, no matter how quick you think you are.
yeah , that flash back then big burst of flames while the can is still in your hands is impossible to get away from
I enjoy watching the smoke hang in the excavator bucket when you tend the fire
Great video, Mike! I love those little branch stubs...the first 4" off the trunk for fatwood. I cut them off and throw them in a bucket or whatever and use one for each campfire. Hit them with the propane torch and away we go! My favorite firestarter for a pile of green brush and stumps is an old tire or two.
Plus, by doing that you clean up specific areas from all of those little stabber/stub branches. Good idea.
Good morning Mike, yeah that Forster guy is correct, when you go to those logging shows you see those small trailers that have booms on them, they make some to pull behind tractors and some behind four wheelers. They go into these big pine plantations and thin the trees it helps them to grow and keep down degeneration of the trees and so forth, hey Mike have you thought about getting a grafful for the BX tractor it might be small enough to get around in the trees to help with all the brush. And knowing what it takes to get a trailer in and out I know what you mean about taking out some of those trees but you are right some may be thinking you taking to many but what you take out will help the other trees to grow more. As always enjoy your videos keep it up see you in the next video.
Hi Mike, I would love to call but I'm in the Philippines and don't know what the time difference is, I enjoy watching your videos, I started back sometime 2019 or 2018, while I was back in the states but since went back to the Philippines to my family there, I will kept watching for your videos, thanks
Who knew firewood would become such a hot commodity for Europe? Apparently, Mike Morgan.
Try a leaf blower, just set on the ground and let it blow at the fire
My thoughts would be instead of burning most of the tree tops I'd pile it parallel to the road 50 feet into the woods, it deters deer from entering the road, creates privacy, and blocks hunters from accessing from the road! As a bonus it might create habitat for bunnies and foxes!
That’s a gorgeous stand of pine. This made me look the species up. There’s so many different trees to learn. I have one mature red pine but the property was timbered about 12 years ago. So I’m managing what I want to keep and cutting down a lot of poplar that just crowds everything out so fast. I’m excited now to go out and see what the other pine is that I cleared around last year that was different from the scrub pines and the one red pine.
Nice work down there mike, looking good. I have been clearing my land of dead ash trees. I bought a blow torch that hooks to a 20# propane cylinder from Harbor freight. Works great for starting a fire. Keep up the good work!
Nice progress Mike. I agree with you on leaving many of the trees because you like the way it looks. A lot of my property could be harvested but I just like the way it looks and the trees are doing fine. Nothing is more destructive than a group of loggers on a schedule. The resulting carnage leaves a very ugly sight.
Great work indeed! Those pines are beautiful!
MIKE, I give you lotta credit burning that pine! Specially those green tops. Too hot ya got needle embers FLYIN thru the trees. Not hot enough, ya got smoke till it catches.
Glad it rained for you.
Mike, I think your new routing for the drive is a great choice. It looks like the forest impact will be very minimal. BTW, thanks so much for the "safety moment" concerning the use of gasoline for starting burn piles. Less volatile fuels are the way to go. But I am wondering were you using diesel or maybe kerosene? Thanks again.
Nice Work Mike!!
Beginning to Shape Up!!
Keep Smiling On!!
😀👍👊
You are so right, too many people use gas instead of using diesel fuel or using a bunch of newspapers. Or for that matter scrap wood and kindling. And then suffer for a bad decision. I knew a fellow who used gas to start a brush pile and he got burned badly also.
My experience with burning is start with a small fire and add to it. I use a tracked loader with a brush rake.
Never use straight petrol. However a mix of 70% diesel and 30% petrol (gas) is perfect. Won’t woof on you like petrol but will start a fire. We use it in our drip torches on the fire trucks.
Used motor oil and gas works well. 70- 30 mix.
Or just use Kerosene. I think that is probably what Mike is using
I used diesel and never have any surprises! Charcoal starter works too but it's expensive. Thanks for the video, I enjoy watching you work since I no longer can but forget about that watching you work.
Yup....... Gas + Brush fire = bad day.
When I was younger, I started a brush fire with the 50:1 mix from my chainsaw gas can. Poured some on the pile and started it with a BBQ lighter. It of course lit, and burned for about 20-30 seconds. Then because of how wet everything was, the fuel burned up and the fire was out.
So....... I did it again but this time once the fire was burning I "sloshed" gas from the gas can into the fire. It worked the first 3 or 4 sloshes. Then........... All I remember is seeing flames coming up and towards the gas can. It surprised me so much, I let the can go, it landed right next to the brush like and as I stepped back it literally exploded.
How I avoided injury I have no idea............
Now, I start brush fires with a propane torch. Just set the torch tip anywhere and let it sit for 10-20 seconds.
This one time I used gas to start a fire on some brush. I lit the first match and threw it on the brush pile and nothing happened. Lit the second match and by the time I could throw the match kaboom. And within seconds my ear drums popped with the explosion of the fire. I was not burned by the flames but let me tell you I felt every little bit of that Kaboom. It was like a wave that came over me. I did learn my lesson.
Hey Mike it’s shaping up nicely and looking good. A guy could selective log that property and it would even make it look even better and would really help out the forest and encourage new growth in your existing trees. It’s beautiful now, but when a person does that it causes those leaders (tops of the evergreen trees) to shoot up about 1 1/2 ft. It also encourages reprod (new growth). Anyway cool video 👍❤️
My go to for fire starter is diesel. I liked your idea for using a sprayer!
You got a lot done i was supprised how fast that brush burnt down
I use a battery blower to get my brush piles burning harder, works a treat!
Diesel works very well on a wet brush pile. Gas is too volatile. I usually pour about a cup (or two if wet ) onto the pile prior to lighting. I dip a rag in some diesel and tie it to an 8 foot branch or pole and light it with a propane torch and then push it under the pile. Has always worked well for me.
The power of fuel vapors is under appreciated. Back in the 80s a 55 gallon drum of benzene or similar was dumped in the storm drain in Louisville KY. It got ignited and blew a 12 ft deep twenty foot wide mile long trench down one of the main down town roads. Enormous devastation. A quart of gasoline is equivalent to 3 sticks of dynamite.
Your skills with heavy duty equipment are so very *artistic*!!!! 💕☀️
I thought you were going to use that little tree you pulled out at 7:30 to sweep up those pine tree branches. Nice place for a mini cabin or tree stand alone the outer edge of the driveway looking toward that long open alley at 14:20. Have another productive day.
My dad showed me when I was around 9 what gas does on a burn pile at 40 yard's. I never questioned his wisdom. There's many options. I've taught my son the same.
You might say, he's going in circles. That's what he wants to do eventually! Looking great Mike. Hopefully you can do your own thinning process.
Very nice work and excellent consult with the forester, and the plan continues to develop with your vision👍👍👍👍👌
I totally agree with you on the gasoline to start a fire 🔥. There are just too many other alternatives which others have noted in their comments.
Love the West Virginia property. My family is from West Virginia but I live in Georgia. I'm retired now and would gladly move back but the cost of living and the weather in the winter just not for me. Great people though!
Sounds like a nice teardrop turnaround. 👍
Giday Mike Bruce here from Ottawa. Watch your channel religiously. My buddy that owns our hunt camp bought a 10ton feller buncher for his 3.5ton Ghel mini ex and it will shear off a 8"maple slick as snot. I'm sure you can rent one down there for a bit. Have a grand weekend chum.
You ought to think about using some of those smaller pine logs to make a natural log pole barn garage and a gazebo. Use cedar shake shingles. If the woods burn the wood shingle will not add much to it. It would fit in so perfectly, like something normally seen lakeside..Mount the vertical logs on cement buried columns so the pine won't rot.
The property is amazing Mike. I agree with you, it's just nice to look at the trees and take in the beautiful landscape. You can hear the enthusiasm in your voice when you talk about the property. What do you use to start the fire, kerosene? Stay safe.
I find the best to use is a mix of Diesel and Kerosene, it takes a road flare to light it off but once it lights it burns hot
You make it look so easy. Love the property
I know that it would be extra work but what it you saved some of those small logs to have a cooking fire at the WV property. I know that cutting them into 16 inch rounds and stacking them would be extra but come this winter a foil tailgate dinner would be nice. Just setting a few aside would be great. You could also line the driveway with logs and with a load or two of gravel you could see it in the snow.
Mike you are so lucky that is a beautiful property you have I just love it have fun with it old boy.
Good afternoon Hunter 👋👋😸😺and family and friends 😸😺
I have a story about diesel and brush fires. Many (MANY) years ago, my father cleared some land as he prepared to build a cabin on a lake. The fellow running the D8 Cat created a number of brush piles like you did. I was maybe 13 years old, and my dad gave me the task of lighting up one of the piles. No problem right? Wrong. My best friend and I set off with 5 gallons of diesel fuel (in a plastic can) and a pack of matches. I do not remember if the can was full or not.
Now remember my friend and I were very young to be doing this. But back in the late 60s / early 70s, in north central BC, this was normal. I had done this before without incident. BUT, (Oh there is always a but.....) I would now classify my buddy and I as "brain dead teenage boys" (are there any other kinds??). We tried starting the fire with matches only, but nothing was happening. There was a little smoke, but no flame to speak of. My buddy decided that he would blow on the fire to give it more oxygen (I think we saw that in a movie). I picked up the can of diesel fuel, opened the spout and air vent, and proceeded to splash diesel on the brush pile. (Can you see where this is going?)
Nothing happened. Perplexed, but not defeated (remember, my buddy is still bent over the brush pile blowing with all his might, on the small flame that was there), I splashed some more diesel fuel on the pile. Suddenly that pile of brush went up with WHOOSH and small explosion. I'm standing, almost in the brush, with a can of diesel fuel in my hands. My buddy looked at me with eyes wide and no eyebrows, and yelled, "The can is on fire!" Sure enough, there was flame shooting from the spout of the diesel can.
So what does a brain dead teenage boy do? I tried to "shake" the flames out of the can, over the blazing fire that had been created and only ended up pouring more diesel on the flames. I finally through the diesel can on the brush and scrambled backwards. My buddy was already there, checking to see if he lost anything other than his eyebrows in the rush of flames.
Fortunately the diesel did not explode. As the plastic melted "the flames they went higher" (to quote Johnny Cash). That had to be the biggest fire I have ever been responsible for. I was fortunate it did not start the rest of the forest on fire. Yeah there are times I wonder how I made it to be 63 now!
I am enjoying your channel Mike and to all those who hate on you for what ever reason, just go away. I do not agree with everything Mike says, our politics are different, but I appreciate and enjoy watching his skills, talents and ideas in these videos. Treat this as entertainment, that you have a choice to watch or not. If you don't like something go away. You don't have to do as I did to that brush pile, and burn it down as you leave. Cheers from Ontario, Canada.
Love to see the progress. Keep up the good work
Freebee idea for the next shirts and hats.... "I like Mike".
If you look at how straight the rows are it looks like the area was forested out years ago then replanted. The pile of brush will probably take several days to completely burn. It’s a good thing the area and ground was wet from frequent storms.
Demo is a blast too!
agree ... dry is best, gas or diesel is ok to start a fire ... once you try to start it the cans should be capped and far away ... it takes DAYS for the embers to go out. Repile it will start in an hour
Hey I know you have it figured out with starting the brush piles up and all but they make those long touches you put on propane tanks they are really awesome for starting up those piles they burn really hot so it don’t take long to start them
You are always so smooth with that backhoe. Love it!! It’s funny your in two states and I’m in the middle. Our family enjoys watching your videos!
Leaf blower helps tremendously
Hey Mike& Melissa... we always used old Motor oil and old tires to get a brush pile burned up! 👍🔥🇺🇸
Mike - Haven't left a comment in a while, but have been watching a bit here and there. I agree with you not to use gasoline on a brush fire. So I'm curious what you use. My Dad used to recommend diesel fuel to clean your hands from the greasy work on a car, and I think he recommended it for burning brush also. Wish I lived closer so I could come meet you at one of the wood shows. Blessings to you and your family. Hi to Melissa, Hunter, Eva, Levi, and the pooches. Sorry to hear about your loss of Rue.
Diesel
Ill never forget, I was about 14 and dad told me to burn the leaf piles we had, took the gas can and dumped some gas on em, lit the match and next thing i know i was laying on the ground!! thank god I never caught on fire!!!
Hey Mike just thinking out loud instead of taking every other row of trees, take every other tree in every other row. Now you still have a pretty thick forest yet the rows don't look so planted & more of a natural look to the forest.
I don’t usually criticize your decisions. However, on this issue I will weigh in. You hired (or at least consulted) an expert on the health of timberland. Then you say “Because I like the way it looks” you aren’t going to thin the land he told you was best for the forest. What’s up with that? You have enough timber to have it thinned, sell/trade the logs to a processor for log home builders, and and end up with a log home kit (in trade or purchase with the proceeds of the sale) that would be a perfect fit on the property. And you would be helping the health of your forest land at the same time. Seems like a win-win to me.
Make your turns for long trailers as you swing around to load up and off you go. Likewise loaded and head down the hill - off load, lock down trailer and off to town. Great idea on circle drive.
Mike: Have you thought about chipping the wood for a wood chip walkway. I have one here at home and it is really nice to walk on. Take care and stay safe.
Nice cutting, big man! Thanks for the upload, once again!
Hey Mike. Great videos. For a time I worked for a couple demolition companies running excavators with grapples. They taught me to use an i-beam to clean up my work are. Always kept one handy. Your grapple works good but a light weight beam would work wonders! Dusty
Yeah or maybe a log to do the same thing you did with the beam. I doubt he has any beams laying around i see where your going though I've watched it done on job sites with sheers too cutting up scrap 30 year operating engineer local 150 retiring next spring.
@@larryriffett918 - Or you could just use the blade on the excavator like it was designed to perform light grading.
The driveway progress is looking really nice Mike! Nice fire going to!
A similar story happened to an older farmer close to where I grew up. He ran out of diesel fuel and decided to use gasoline instead. The fumes settled to the bottom and when he lit it exploded and covered him in fire. When he didn’t come home for lunch his wife went looking and found him burnt to a crisp.
Camping with Steve has many unique ways to start a fire. RIP Jess.
We used to have school bus sized brush piles. We’d mix waste oil and diesel in the loader bucket and carefully sprinkle it on the pile, let it soak in for a half hour and light it. Worked great.