Pertinacious Tom
Importunate Member
I don't really know my oak flavors at all. It's really heavy compared to other oak logs. Burned a few scraps the other night. They burned really slow.
Hurricane Season 2022
- Thread starter Jules
- Start date
Rasputin22
Rasputin22
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I have used dead and dried small limbs from the little live scrub oaks here in Orange Beach to make smoker foil packets to use on my gas grill. Its a bit tangy compared to the oak pellets I get now for my almost still new Bullseye smoker.
Pertinacious Tom
Importunate Member
Florida Man stands oak tree back up. Still a couple more like this to go, both of which are also visible in this pic.
Pertinacious Tom
Importunate Member
The cleanup goes on and on. I still have trees on the ground, but we're lucky. My friend from Fort Myers was up this week. He hasn't been in a building that had less than 3 feet of Gulf of Mexico inside in a long time, including his house. Some had 12 feet.
After various plans failed, I came up with a winning one to get my oak tree back up. I went to the dirt mine across the street and asked for their biggest loader. They sent their smallest one. It picked up my oak like it was a twig.
and a few minutes later:
You can see the "chia oak" effect where it was already starting to grow back. Lots of big roots leading to the left broke. There are no roots leading to the right because that's a ditch. So the main force holding it up is habit and a strong E or W wind is pretty likely to knock it down again, probably killing it. But maybe it will make it. At least it is out of the way. I want a new bridge down there.
After various plans failed, I came up with a winning one to get my oak tree back up. I went to the dirt mine across the street and asked for their biggest loader. They sent their smallest one. It picked up my oak like it was a twig.
and a few minutes later:
You can see the "chia oak" effect where it was already starting to grow back. Lots of big roots leading to the left broke. There are no roots leading to the right because that's a ditch. So the main force holding it up is habit and a strong E or W wind is pretty likely to knock it down again, probably killing it. But maybe it will make it. At least it is out of the way. I want a new bridge down there.
Snaggletooth
SA's Morrelle Compasse
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Cane you braice it up with boardes or cabelles?
Pertinacious Tom
Importunate Member
I'm most afraid that it will fall the way it's leaning. There's a palm over there still leaning at a dangerous angle because I'm not sure how to finish standing it. There's also a good sized oak lying on the ground. That one I can stand up when I have a spare day or two. So putting props on that side is impossible for now. I do have a long piece of heavy braided rope that I might be able to attach to the top of the tree and the base of the biggest one to the left of the loader in the pic.
So, maybe...
Pertinacious Tom
Importunate Member
Video of the tree standing. If you have sound on you can see and hear the branches that were propping the tree up snapping at the end of the first clip. One falls into the bucket during the second clip. The way the tree wobbled when it stood up made me laugh. It didn't do that when it was stood up after Charlie. It looks like a major root that bent the first time it was knocked over broke this time. It's bad news but looked funny. I told the guy I had paid more for less entertainment as I handed him a hundred.
Pertinacious Tom
Importunate Member
The big one is still standing. We had gusts in the 30's a few days ago but from the S and it's still got roots sticking out that way.
I finally got around to the one I've been dreading. A pretty good sized oak fell into a big one, resulting in an oak tangle of heavily loaded branches mostly 30 feet up in the air. I cut away about half of the problem before taking this picture:
That branch and a couple like it were resting on branches that are out of frame up top. The other big part of the tree is still tangled up there.
I extended the lift out over the cut branches and used the pole saw to cut the scariest piece free. Hard to tell, but it's standing in the background of the above pic.
Dragged it free to cut it up.
Nobody told the B26 that it's just a baby tractor so it doesn't know.
This part of the operation was tough on the oak branch and the grapple paint.
But at the end of the day it was standing. There are still lots of broken oak branches hanging up high but no really big ones.
I left that one long branch uncut partly because it was the scariest one to cut and I was about done cutting scary branches for the day, but also because it's leaning out over the torn up roots, helping hold the tree down. It's also a really big lever for the next N wind, coming a week from tomorrow. I'll try to put a few scoops of dirt on those logs to help hold it down before then.
I finally got around to the one I've been dreading. A pretty good sized oak fell into a big one, resulting in an oak tangle of heavily loaded branches mostly 30 feet up in the air. I cut away about half of the problem before taking this picture:
That branch and a couple like it were resting on branches that are out of frame up top. The other big part of the tree is still tangled up there.
I extended the lift out over the cut branches and used the pole saw to cut the scariest piece free. Hard to tell, but it's standing in the background of the above pic.
Dragged it free to cut it up.
Nobody told the B26 that it's just a baby tractor so it doesn't know.
This part of the operation was tough on the oak branch and the grapple paint.
But at the end of the day it was standing. There are still lots of broken oak branches hanging up high but no really big ones.
I left that one long branch uncut partly because it was the scariest one to cut and I was about done cutting scary branches for the day, but also because it's leaning out over the torn up roots, helping hold the tree down. It's also a really big lever for the next N wind, coming a week from tomorrow. I'll try to put a few scoops of dirt on those logs to help hold it down before then.
tybee
Super Anarchist
wonder if that propped up tree will survive that uprooting/trim/replant
Pertinacious Tom
Importunate Member
Did another one yesterday.
That mess on the left is one of my prized Emperor lychee trees. Bottom right is a conduit that was torn from the ground. That contains a wire. It's the antenna for my Invisible Fence that keeps Starr in the yard. She has about 3 acres contained. Amazingly, the wire inside didn't break at this point and didn't break where I tore the conduit up standing the first of these trees.
Cutting away parts. I found that almost the entire weight of the tree was resting on that little piece that is plunged into the ground next to the black fabric. The fabric used to be a privacy curtain for an outdoor shower.
The first lift got that piece out of the ground and I cut it off after taking the above pic.
Put in a short prop.
Then had to stop and cut a longer prop.
And up it went! The end was pretty funny. I closed the grapple and was using the top of it to pick up the tree. I ran out of vertical extension and could tell that the tree was on the verge of just falling into place. Problem was, on the bad side of the verge. If I let it, it would come back down and I'd have to re-prop and try again. I opened the grapple claw and it kind of flicked the tree up just enough to make it stand.
Yes, they generally survive unless they are splintered at the ground. So far, I lost one that I tried to stand back up. I've stood 5 counting these last two. It's too soon to know about these two but I think they will live. The other 3 are growing back happily. The big one that the guy with the loader stood up seems OK so far. It survived the same treatment after Charlie.
Jules
Super Anarchist
- Thread starter
- #1,032
There's a row of live oaks the City stood back up that look to be doing fine. (For PGers, it's at Marion, Henry and Short streets)
For the Wildlife Center here, I'm working with their landscape architect to select trees that will provide shade while still survive the next blow. Many of the trees will be squeezed between visitor paths and animal cages. So whatever we put there has to also do as little damage to the cages as possible. That's a tall order. Right now Sabal palms top the list.
For the Wildlife Center here, I'm working with their landscape architect to select trees that will provide shade while still survive the next blow. Many of the trees will be squeezed between visitor paths and animal cages. So whatever we put there has to also do as little damage to the cages as possible. That's a tall order. Right now Sabal palms top the list.
Pertinacious Tom
Importunate Member
They're not damaged by hurricanes most of the time. I had one get its heart twisted out, that's it. A couple are leaning because bigger trees pushed them when falling.
Another possibility that's often overlooked: mangroves. They'll grow almost anywhere and are not harmed by hurricanes. They can't compete with most tropical plants, so their superpower is growing in salt water, where the others are not. But with human intervention, they compete just fine.
If you wonder where to get mangroves, I have lots of them and some have a bleak future. If you wonder whether removing them from my property and transplanting them breaks some law, so do I. Don't really care, but I do wonder.
Pertinacious Tom
Importunate Member
Loader guy from across the street says their dirt resembles that remark. But you're probably buying from the next dirt mine down the road. Same dirt.
If you want tourists to keep their grubby paws off the plants, bougainvillea is pretty and tough. Trimming it is also pretty tough. Won't make much shade though.
Pertinacious Tom
Importunate Member
My parents did that and trimming them became my job.
I suggest lining up a string of volunteers. No one will do it twice.
Just looking around my yard at what needs to go away, lots of sabal palms, some mangroves, some cedars and some cypress. Cypress trees don't need a swamp, they just tolerate it like mangroves tolerate salt. They also bend a lot before they break in strong winds.
Pertinacious Tom
Importunate Member
One of my irreplaceable old fashioned gas cans (the kind with a real vent) has a cracked cap. Back when I saw the writing on the wall for these kinds of cans, I hoarded a few parts, so I think I have a spare. One spare. Then that's it. I would be reduced to using those idiotic modern gas cans that "vent" through the really shitty pouring spout.
I already have two of those modern cans. I don't even bother with the shitty spout. I just put a funnel and pour the ventless can straight into it. Or I did...
Then I bought a little portable gas station...
These are NOT portable fuel containers. You can tell because those little fittings are real "screw it shut airtight" vents. Also because the mouth of the non-container is big enough for a truck station diesel nozzle.
The little hand pump empties the non-container into my tractor quickly. The tractor was hard to fuel before but the track lift was damn near impossible. The fuel cap is way up high and well-protected by surrounding stuff.
Even harder to fuel: my new boat. Even with my old gas cans AND a long funnel, it's just about impossible to pour from a can into that boat. So, I bought another of these with red non-containers.
The little steel cart is sturdy. The tires are solid rubber. The plastic of the non-containers is thick. The pump works well so far. I'm not sure what you're allowed to call it, but the manual was pretty clear that these are not portable fuel containers. They're just the kind of thing that I might put in my car and then drive to the gas station and fill.
The company is Flo Fast and they're not paying me but they could darn well afford to. I have four new plastic five gallon non-containers and they came with a four figure price tag. Before someone figures out that they're actually selling vented fuel cans (I didn't just say that) I'm thinking of buying more.
I already have two of those modern cans. I don't even bother with the shitty spout. I just put a funnel and pour the ventless can straight into it. Or I did...
Then I bought a little portable gas station...
These are NOT portable fuel containers. You can tell because those little fittings are real "screw it shut airtight" vents. Also because the mouth of the non-container is big enough for a truck station diesel nozzle.
The little hand pump empties the non-container into my tractor quickly. The tractor was hard to fuel before but the track lift was damn near impossible. The fuel cap is way up high and well-protected by surrounding stuff.
Even harder to fuel: my new boat. Even with my old gas cans AND a long funnel, it's just about impossible to pour from a can into that boat. So, I bought another of these with red non-containers.
The little steel cart is sturdy. The tires are solid rubber. The plastic of the non-containers is thick. The pump works well so far. I'm not sure what you're allowed to call it, but the manual was pretty clear that these are not portable fuel containers. They're just the kind of thing that I might put in my car and then drive to the gas station and fill.
The company is Flo Fast and they're not paying me but they could darn well afford to. I have four new plastic five gallon non-containers and they came with a four figure price tag. Before someone figures out that they're actually selling vented fuel cans (I didn't just say that) I'm thinking of buying more.
Jules
Super Anarchist
- Thread starter
- #1,039
March 2023 ENSO update: no more La Niña!
March 2023 ENSO update: no more La Niña!
La Niña is in the rearview mirror! Our blogger recaps current conditions, looks ahead to later this year, and looks back at the past winter's global climate patterns.
billy backstay
Backstay, never bought a suit, never went to Vegas
One of my irreplaceable old fashioned gas cans (the kind with a real vent) has a cracked cap. Back when I saw the writing on the wall for these kinds of cans, I hoarded a few parts, so I think I have a spare. One spare. Then that's it. I would be reduced to using those idiotic modern gas cans that "vent" through the really shitty pouring spout.
I already have two of those modern cans. I don't even bother with the shitty spout. I just put a funnel and pour the ventless can straight into it. Or I did...
Then I bought a little portable gas station...
These are NOT portable fuel containers. You can tell because those little fittings are real "screw it shut airtight" vents. Also because the mouth of the non-container is big enough for a truck station diesel nozzle.
The little hand pump empties the non-container into my tractor quickly. The tractor was hard to fuel before but the track lift was damn near impossible. The fuel cap is way up high and well-protected by surrounding stuff.
Even harder to fuel: my new boat. Even with my old gas cans AND a long funnel, it's just about impossible to pour from a can into that boat. So, I bought another of these with red non-containers.
The little steel cart is sturdy. The tires are solid rubber. The plastic of the non-containers is thick. The pump works well so far. I'm not sure what you're allowed to call it, but the manual was pretty clear that these are not portable fuel containers. They're just the kind of thing that I might put in my car and then drive to the gas station and fill.
The company is Flo Fast and they're not paying me but they could darn well afford to. I have four new plastic five gallon non-containers and they came with a four figure price tag. Before someone figures out that they're actually selling vented fuel cans (I didn't just say that) I'm thinking of buying more.
Nice find but they sure charge premium prices!!!!!
