Wind shear pig nut hickory

[sawman]

Did you get it down Al? If not, how important is it to leave the spar standing? You've gotta be only an hour or so away from me. I could come out on a Sunday to give you a hand with it

This is why I love the house!!!

That's for the explanation Al.

 

[squisher]

It was a kind offer. But my gut tells me Al is loving to hate this mess.

 

[Al Smith]

With a passion,and it is muckin fess .At the moment I'm just cutting my way in through the bottom and dragging out a semi full of brush .I'll go hit it for an hour or so then finish mowing my yard when it cools down a bit .

 

[Al Smith]

OMG the continuing saga of the freakin wind blow. I've carved on that thing until I have standing nearly straight up ,fence post style with a tractor holding it off .I might get it when I put a three part line on it .First I have to fix one of my snatch blocks .Once I get the top on the ground it's going to take me a month of Sundays just to clear out the damned brush .

 

[MasterBlaster]

 

[pantheraba]

Saga on, Al...enjoying the play by play!

 

[Al Smith]

Okay sports fans,ring side with Al Smith vs hickory tree . It rained again but I did get the 100 year old snatch block fixed .It had a hook that must have came off a 20 ton crane and hand forged shackles .Off came the hook just left the shackle.Now I can lift that heavy rascal . .It's double shackle deal I can use for the head block .With a three part line I might get it this time .Monday probably as my lady friend is coming for the week end and that damned tree is just going to have to wait .

 

[woodworkingboy]

I've a feeling that there's a beer can in the picture when all is said and done.

 

[pantheraba]

Cool...a WWI era vintage snatch block needs to be seen. Pictures of the deed!

After you finish that beer....

 

[Al Smith]

I won,tops on the ground .First pics of the I think nearly 100 year old snatch blocks .I might first add the head pulley ,the one on the load has the whole load because all three lines are on it .The tall pulley has half the load ,two lines .The power has 1/3 the load .Each line has 1/3 the load .The nylon straps are rated for 9800 lbs used as in basket form and the Crosby shackles are rated at 5 tons .

 

[Al Smith]

Now the rest .I had to pull and twist and cuss to get this damned thing broke loose .I must have changed directions half a dozen times .Not something I'm real proud of but considering what I had to work with it's the best I could come up with

 

[MasterBlaster]

Now it's a natural habitat!!!

 

[treebilly]

glad it's down Al. have fun with the brush

 

[Burnham]

 

[SkwerI]

Perseverance. I had no doubt that you would win this battle. I've seen you tackle much more difficult stuff over the years and I haven't seen a tree beat you yet.

 

[Burnham]

Only thing tougher than hickory wood...Uncle Al.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Agreed. Al is like the cowboy in Steinbeck's "Red Pony". Tough, but keeps one of his hands coated in vaseline in a leather glove so to be kind to his lady friends.

 

[Al Smith]

No but I do make certain my nails are short without going any further in detail .

 

[pantheraba]

Good pictures...like seeing those blocks in action.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Some old school power. We'll done Al.

 

[squisher]

No but I do make certain my nails are short without going any further in detail .

Nice work Al.

 

[Altissimus]

Nice old rigging , ... rigger

 

[Al Smith]

In theory you could move a battle ship with a garden tractor if you had enough rope and blocks .Of course it would take a mile of pull to move it an inch . Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world. Archimedes
They figured that stuff out in days BA--before Al

 

[woodworkingboy]

"The days before Al".... I kind of like that! Good name for a rock group.

 

[Burnham]

In theory you could move a battle ship with a garden tractor if you had enough rope and blocks .Of course it would take a mile of pull to move it an inch . Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world. Archimedes
They figured that stuff out in days BA--before Al

A lesson I learned early in my fieldman career, long before I joined the USFS, where I honed those skills to a razor's edge.