Eagle’s Nest Directions

Petey is working hard to transform the woods up near The Stump Ranch to a place that is his own—The Eagle’s Nest!    Last weekend, we followed, precisely, the directions to the Eagle’s Nest, which Petey compiled on the previous trip to our property.  In case, you have an interest in a visit, I thought I might share how—specifically—one might find the the nest.

First, locate The Stump Ranch, arrive on site and critique any item that you care to do so.   In particular examine the replacement windows and provide any insight that happens to be on y0ur mind.  And, the hobbit door, well, just bang your head repeatedly, that is the ticket.

Now, you are ready to set out for the nest.  Armed with a photo of a clearing and a tree and the topo map of the Stump Ranch property, simply follow the ridge lines that run around the perimeter.   Walk the outside of the 40 acre property, looking for a specific tree and a clearing that is so aptly pictured in the photograph—three trees marks the spot.

Walk, stumble, push through brush, examine, fall, walk, stumble, examine every section with three trees that are adjacent.  Walk, stumble, trip on the downed wood.

Arrive back at the Stump Ranch….hmmm…a mystery. Set out again.

Walk, cuss,tumble, cuss, push through brush, cuss, examine , cuss, fall,  cuss, walk, cuss, stumble, cuss, examine every section with three trees that are adjacent, cuss.  Walk, cuss, stumble, cuss,  trip on the downed wood, cuss.

Arrive back at the Stump Ranch; the mystery lives on!  Obtain assistance for older brother; set out again.

Walk, cuss, cuss, tumble, cuss,  cuss, push through brush, cuss, cuss, examine , cuss, cuss, fall,  cuss,  cuss, walk, cuss, cuss, stumble, cuss, cuss, examine every section with three trees that are adjacent, cuss, cuss,  Walk, cuss, cuss,stumble, cuss , cuss,,  trip on the downed wood, cuss , cuss,

Arrive back at the Stump Ranch.  Now that is quite strange.   Set out again, traverse the property; walk east.  100 yards later….arrive at The Eagle’s Nest.

Gathering Sticks

For the most part, we had pretty good weather for our trip up north last weekend. I had a hard time finding the first lot I had opted for. 

A word to the wise. Never use a tree as a reference for any type of marker. 

Anyway, the site I selected provides convenience to the mill and other tools needed to continue along my madness.

I took some video of what I was able to accomplish and with Jon's help doing most of the cutting, I think I am well on my way.

Trying to find the time to get north again is a perplexing dilemma but next trip will be June 1 for at least a day.

I will continue to work on The Eagle Lift. Jon calls it a derrick something or other, but he will come around. He will undoubtedly want to use it some time and as cavalier as I can, I will ask "use what….?". Yep, he will get his terminology right.

I have the base plate cut for stake holes, the sleeve is welded to the plate and the 3" pin is welded to the mast base cap. All that is left on the mast base cap are lag bolt holes cut in and the pivoting feature for the boom.

I am in need of a 4'' inside diameter bearing to both ease rotation 360 degrees and not wear away the weld on the pin where it meets the sleeve. The 6" sleeve will be below grade.

To raise the boom and the vertical lift operations will be performed with 1500# hand winches.

I am working on the top guy wire plate and final assembly of the components and am shooting for a trial date sometime in July.

Enjoy the video 

It has been some months since I have contributed to the Peeling Logs Blog and I believe an update is in order. If you do not know who I am, my name is Pete. I am next in line to the throne should Jon ever have an injury, where duct tape wont suffice until he is airlifted out of the woods. My literary psueduem is Otis Cambel (the drunk from the Andy Griffith Show) and am proudly self titled "The Eagle". I have not a reference for this nom de guerre, falls somewhere between Sam the Eagle from the 70's Muppet's Show and The Eagle War Bird that is called upon when all other Angry Birds have failed. It is only fitting I dub my endeavor at the ranch, "The Eagles Nest".

 More on specifics in a moment.

This weekend Jon and I are going to the ranch with the intent of clearing a trail to the location I have selected to construct my aerie. If the weather holds, there is promise that we will be able to accomplish this in a day. Jon says half a day, but his sense of time is as distorted as a path he may select to fell a tree. Don't get me wrong, he is accomplished wielding a chainsaw and a pure joy to watch. But when he starts to run, a quick assessment of where you are standing might be in order.

My Truck, hence forth referred to as "Big Blue" left me high and dry this week and is in the shop. My plans to drive north were countered with Jon's offer to drive as long as I bring the food. I had an overnight last year at the ranch and there were two things I remember well. #1 was the moisture content of rain soaked workwear, and #2 being Jon's use of tin foil as a spice. Its true, Burning Barrel Brat's are akin to Blacked Steak. Rather than a delicious seasoned char encrusted piece of cow, your brat is embedded with bits of tin foil. If you chew carefully, avoiding any fillings in your teeth, you can in fact survive on this as a "food" source. I currently have two chicken breast soaking in a teriyaki sauce that will be garnished with onions , garlic and of course jalapenos. That will be coolered in, fried in my well oiled skillet and enjoyed with a side of wild rice. I am somewhat relieved that I will be in charge of the menu this trip. Look, I am not anti-tin foil. Like duct tape and JB Weld, it has it's uses. I can fashion a smoking utensil from a 6 x 6 inch foil square and enjoy various tobacco products, or substitute an antenna using tin foil on an FM radio. I just don't accept it as a palatable spice.

So on to logging and cabin building. I am ambitious. 

 I have two locations selected and will opt for the one straightest from the saw mill. Both sites are on the second topographical reference line from a pond and the map legend leads me to believe I will hit water within 20 Feet. I will explore using the Sand Point Well system and have access for non-potable water from a pump located within the structure I wish to build. 

Here is a rough sketch of what is is I am trying to build. Dimensionally I thought 20 x 20 feet. I really want the roof line to extend over the deck area and Jon informs me that using a mortise and tenon bent construction 16 x 24 would be more realistic. I am not so readily willing to compromise. The two factors that may hinder progress are A) a 20 x 20 structure would have to utilize larger post and beams, (8x10) and would be bears to manage and B) the saw mill would need to have an extension added to accommodate 20+' milling.

So thinking bigger is better, I took to task. Jon referred me to the Army Rigging Manual to which I paid hardly a glance and I came up with a plan. After some feed back I revised such plan. I decided to use end caps instead of collars. I set out "acquiring" the components to fabricate what I will be calling "The Eagle Lift". The concept seems sound and we will never know until I ( including Jon and Oliver) are trying to stand a 30' long, 8" diameter log on end with the hope that some how a pivoting pin falls into an accompanying base plate hole.

 Here are a few of the components that are being assembled.

Jib (boom) Base Cap 6" diameter 3/16 steel pipe
Hinged to mate with the mast

Mast Base Cap 8" diameter 1/2" steel pipe
Will be capped and Hinged
Pin will be welded to bottom of cap

Jib Top Cap with eye's for Clevis hooks and rigging

 4" Steel pin and sleeve

24" x 24" 5/16 steel plate
3" x 3" Stake down holes will be cut in each corner
4" hole will be cut in the center and the sleeve will be welded on this plate

 There may be an easier softer way, but I come from a long line of stalwarts that know "their way is best", until proven wrong. (Even then it is not considered a wash, as long as you have ten fingers and toes, four limbs and a set of eyes to survey the damage). The guy wire plate which attaches to the top of the mast and allows the whole structure to rotate 360 degrees will be cut on a laser next week. After final assembly, paint, purchase of clevis hooks and about 1 mile of cable, I'll wish to present a working Jib Crane that will be able to handle some hefty size logs.

 Following that, the continual trips north will be addressing foundation issues to include a future fireplace. On our trip this weekend, outside of cutting a path to the mill, I will revise a frame for the futon on which guest's sleep and make it a bit more secure. I was tired and wet when I attached the existing frame to the wall. "Rickety' is a pretty concise term for this injury waiting to happen, when the 1/4 inch of nail securing the whole mount to the wall decides to let lose. The other goal I have is to get measurements to fabricate an extension for the sawmill. I also wish to rework the dog system for holding logs square in the bed on the mill. I am thinking some type of aggravated claw that would secure a log to the fence with some type of actuator arm.

Here hoping the weather is nice and the ticks stay friendly.

The Eagle AKA Petey

Tractor Rehab…

Early Saturday morning Petey and I drove up to the Ranch with tool kit in hand ready to address the issues with the Oliver 880.   Last weekend. I spent a full day beating my head against the wall trying to get the tractor up and running.  She would fire up and run, then, the next try…no go.  No logic; no reason.  

I couldn’t quite figure it out.  I’ve pulled the distributor cover many times and noticed a rotor and thought…no points.  Which of course makes no sense for a tractor that is 50 or 60 years old.  There was no such thing as electronic ignition in the 1960s.    Finally, this week I figured out there is a plastic cover under the rotor and under this cover there are points and a condenser.

So, we were off, we pulled the distributor cover, pulled the rotor, pulled the plastic piece under the rotor which revealed points and a condenser.   A little sand paper, a shot of WD-40, and Oliver was up and running. 

Since this project went so smoothly, Petey started taking things apart and pulled the water pump which has been leaking for while.  This week, I will find a new gasket and pick up some fluids.  That way, next time out, we will have Oliver finely tuned and running like she is brand new.

 

The reason Oliver has been so stubborn lately.

 

Working on a few small projects.  Here we are trimming out the window.

 

What?

 

Petey’s favorite coffee cup!

 

The Oliver with radiator, fan, belts, and water pump removed.