four things make a post

[unicornduke]

I am two years overdue on moving my pictures from my Camera Uploads folder on my dropbox to my external harddrive/online only dropbox folder. So far I've done about 50GB, around 6 months and have just moved up to the end of March 2025. Since the Camera Uploads folder is mirrored on my computer harddrive, it takes up a ton of space if I haven't moved things out of it in a while. In an ideal world, I'd do the transfer every two months. I ought to go looking through and print some photos out, which is something I enjoy doing every couple of years. 

I have hung two pieces of art in my crafting room using command strips. I have decided that's how I'm going to hang most things since the plaster and lathe walls don't exactly hold things well. I have a whole crate of used frames for art prints and posters which my aunt gave to me. Some need new cardboard backing but I'm excited to hang art! I think I will make some collages of photos and art as well. Main struggle is getting things to stay in place . Also had an absolute galaxy brain moment the other day when I started winding the warp to go on my loom: the warping board can be clamped to the front beam of my loom and it is the perfect height to wind a warp. The best ergonomics for winding ever. Previous places I have put it: on the floor leaning against a table, on my crafting chair arms, on the couch. All of those require leaning over or sitting on the floor. This is such a good change.

We spread another two loads of straw this morning to empty the trailer before it got windy and I reassembled the chainsaw. It's usable if cranky, which describes most equipment on this farm. It was having issues cutting, would more or less just stop once it got partway into the log and it seems like the bar was the problem. We ran through all the other things, sharpened chain, tightened it, cut maple instead of the pin oak, etc. I switched to an alternate bar and it actually started cutting. Spent some time this afternoon cutting up a maple tree that will be burner wood probably and also my dad got a call that the guy brought a load of oak logs. I wanted to replace the rim sprocket on the chainsaw because it's getting worn but the piston stop I bought is plastic, it was taking too much force to remove the clutch drum and I was worried about the plastic breaking and getting into the piston which would be a big pain to get out. The small chainsaw is still out of order, so we might take that to someone to fix, it runs for 15 seconds and then shuts off no matter what, so mystery. I wonder about finding a small engine repair course of some sort, we have chainsaws, weedwackers, pumps, generators, snowblowers all here on the farm. They break a lot. Could be our maintenance. We are running for more straw tomorrow afternoon. 

My farm business stuff is progressing. I haven't really talked about it much, but it is happening. My parents attorney did all the paperwork for me, so now I have the EIN and operating agreement, which I'll need to set up banking accounts and go to other businesses for things. My parents are currently footing the expenses until that's all set up, but we are considering it an operating loan for now. I need to do research on the banks/credit unions and figure out who will be good to work with. We are getting back to weekly farm transition meetings so much discussion of things is happening. I am taking a six week webinar on farm insurance. thrilling stuff

Comments

[ranunculus]

On my Sthil saws, running and dying like that is often due to a blocked or malfunctioning air vent. These days I pay a lot of attention to cleaning the saw at fairly frequent intervals; it helps a lot. I find that if I don't clean the chain sprocket regularly I get a lot of wear on the bar because chain oil doesn't reach the bar, it just gums things up and the bar gets hot and sticky. I do my best to do a very quick clean of the sprocket area and chain oil holes on the bar every tank of gas. To this end I now have a brush that is made for cleaning gungy auto parts in solvent. It is round (1"), with very stiff bristles which easily deal with whatever has built up. Using the air compressor to blow out the body of the saw occasionally has helped keep the air vents from plugging.

[unicornduke]

I'll poke at it a bit and see. I wonder if the bar issues we've been having with the big saw is due to gunk buildup, it got pretty hot when I was using it earlier today. Back when I took the logging course, I grabbed the big saw and cleaned out all the air vents and things, it was so gross and nasty. I'll look at the little saw too.

[ranunculus]

My repair guy says the best way to destroy a saw is to let it get hot. Dull chains do that really well, but dirt does too.

[reedrover]

Insurance is thrilling! I loved having insurance for the cabin remodel. Just knowing it was there, waiting, just in case, made me disproportionally happy.

[unicornduke]

It's definitely good to have and so far the presenters have been pretty good at making a relatively dull subject interesting.

[which_chick]

Chainsaw maintenance is beyond my ken. I am considering getting a battery chainsaw (they have good ones now that are compatible with my rechargeable tool batteries) because they are quieter than the two-cycle ones. We've gotten battery-powered string trimmer, leaf blower, etc. because they're a lot better and more usable than they used to be. Still have a fuel-powered hedge clipper, though. My reasoning here is that real chainsaws are, from a sensory perspective, A LOT for me to handle. I really do not like them. Battery chainsaws are more bearable and substantially quieter as well as... just effing starting as long as the battery is good. I'm still thinking about it, but I might actually pull the trigger on that this summer.

I'm excited for art in the craft room, please share pics when you are ready. (Watching people remodel/decorate, in the sort of "stop-motion" updates provided by pictures, is very soothing in these trying times.)

[unicornduke]

I'll admit, I was pretty afraid of chainsaws for a while but I took a two day Game of Logging course that was really really good. Not just chainsaw safety, but timbering/woods safety and chainsaw maintenance. There was 12 or so people in the group, but we got 1 on 1 with a guy who actively worked in logging while we cut. It made me a lot more careful and slow but confident since now I know how to be most careful.

The maintenance on them should be straight forward but we aren't starting with a new machine, it's older and cranky. And my dad's philosophy on chainsaws (different than usual) is that you run them hard until they break, they really shouldn't need maintenance other than sharpening chains. He keeps telling me that they've used chainsaws for 30 years and never needed to replace the sprocket to which I say, uh huh, and that might be why it doesn't work very well.

We've thought about getting a battery powered one as well, probably for limbing and other small trimming jobs. One of our employees had one and it was pretty useful for smaller cutting jobs. And we tried carving pumpkins with it which was fun

[ranunculus]

I think the battery chainsaws are really lovely for small stuff. I'd love one for limbing up trees, but don't really need one, so the money is going elsewhere. I do wear good ear protection with the saw. I can't stand loud music or loud, crowded spaces, but the chainsaw doesn't bother me.