Hopefully by this time the following weekend I will have the last of my first batch of trees that I had cut down down finally peeled, that will be 12 peeled. Some of them I know wont work for wall logs already as they are either on the small side of small and too crooked but this was some what of an experiment as to what size log circumference wise measured while standing with the bark on would yield at the tip after being peeled at the 30ft mark. If some of you read the earlier post, I had marked several trees before going to the class and doing enough reading and after all that realized some of the trees I had marked would not yield a large enough diameter at the tip for my walls. So what I wanted to do with this 1st batch of cut trees was to see about how small of a diameter at the base I could get down to that would yield about 10" of diameter at the tip after being peeled. Initially I had thought that anything less than about 48" circumference would be too small, but after cutting and peeling them I was pleasantly surprised to find that on average I can now use ones at 40" and above to get my desired 10" at the tip. In the end, that will make it so that I can get the vast majority of the trees off my property and should only have to buy a few. I was originally really worried that I was going to have to buy the largest majority of them, but now I wont have to.
I have also found out that what ever those little bugs are that eat the bark after being cut are a really big help in peeling. Some of the trees that I peeled after only being cut for a week or so were really tough, but as time has gone and those bugs are not eating away at loosening the bark any of them they have a good hold on the bark just comes off in chunks. Natures way of giving me a little help I suppose, although it is a little disconcerting actually hearing these little buggers eating away at what will be my house. Yes, if you listen closely and its quiet out, you can hear them crunching away. So far it doesnt look like they harm the actual wood itself any, just like the bark. wonderful little creatures if you ask me.
I did get some good news this week as I received my building permit and there is no expiration date for it due to NC deciding with the state of the economy they would put a moratorium on the expiration of any building permits. With the building permit in hand, I was also able at the same time to apply for my new address, which I did. So now I have a brand new address and I can stick a mailbox up there and even start receiving mail if I chose. It makes it seem that much more like home even though there isnt anything there right now but a stack of logs.
I also learned a very good piece of info from Blane the other day about windows. He told me that in the state of NC they require the R value of your windows to still have the sticker stuck on the glass when its inspected. So for those of you building here, beware of buying used ones that might not have the sticker on them and therefore make them unusable
 |
| Graham moving a log with the peevy |
 |
| It was 96 today. HOT HOT HOT!!! |
