[TheForge] fingers OT:

[Jerry Frost]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer" <artgawk at thegrid.net>
To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2013 4:00 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] fingers OT:


>
> On Jan 18, 2013, at 3:46 PM, Jerry Frost wrote:
>
> I've blown it many times, just got caught the once.


>
> The only thing I can think of for my killer tree falling almost 180* from 
> the way it was leaning is the haul line I had on it combined with the 
> forked top. I think as it started to fall the tension on the haul back 
> went way higher than I wanted so the log jumped off the stump and when the 
> forked top hit the ground the trunk was loaded enough with tension it just 
> spun like a big ol' bat.
>
> Oh crap..how can you plan for that?
>

Yeah, that's why I wish I had a video, I don't know how it could've happened 
let alone how it did. I don't know how the line I was using could've 
produced enough pull to spin a birch that large. It was about 70' +/- tall 
and 16" on the butt, must've weighed several tons and the line was a lousy 
1/4" poly line who's only job was to nudge the tree a couple feet north, NOT 
spin it like a compas needle in the Bermuda Triangle.

Not being able to forsee such things is the main reason I'm going with Plan 
B, rent a 315 Cat excavator with a thumb, push em over, drag em out and 
stack em. No muss, no fuss and no danger, excavators are really REALLY 
heavily armored. Hooking a boulder with the bucket can pop it right at the 
cab so they're designed to shrug off a couple ton boulder with the 
windshield.

>
> My latest brand is still healing, I caught a small potato chip size piece 
> of scale on my hammer hand pointer finger last sunday. It stuck like a 
> steak in an ungreased cast iron frying pan. Choice language followed for a 
> bit. Sean, a local friend gave me an odd look when he turned around to see 
> what I was cussing and saw me spitting on my hand and blowing. I moved the 
> water bucket after that so neigher of us would have to run an obstacle 
> course to get to it.
>
> It's so convenient to pile stuff in front of the quench tank!
>

Ayup, blocking access to good stuff or putting bad stuff right in the way 
seems to be a family tradition gong Waaaaay back. My maternal Grandfather 
had a purple heart from a wound he suffered in WWI. Seems the alarm was 
sounded in the camp, german soldiers were spotted so Pappy dashed out of the 
tent and tripped over a stake driven right in front of the door. Aren't 
family traditions such a joy?

Jer