Heading East! Ya Mule Ya!

[RobinHood]

Take care with the drive(s) back and forth, Brent. Those roads can be treacherous this time of the year.

I second the snowblower for you tractor idea as put forth by @Susquatch. You will never regret it. No comparison to a blade/front end loader only set-up.

 

[mikoyan31]

Rule number 1 of snowblowers: The wind is ALWAYS wrong
Rule number 2 of snowblowers: There is ALWAYS something hidden under the snow that will break shear pins or bind it up solid

Rule number 1 of snow plows: You never have the banks pushed back far enough
Rule number 2 of snow plows: Figure on having no lawn
Rule number 3 of snow plows: See rule 1

 

[whydontu]

Vancouver is shut down today. The snow is higher than my dog. I think I’m the only owner in my 45-unit strata that owns a snow shovel.

 

[Susquatch]

Rule number 1 of snowblowers: The wind is ALWAYS wrong
Rule number 2 of snowblowers: There is ALWAYS something hidden under the snow that will break shear pins or bind it up solid

Rule number 1 of snow plows: You never have the banks pushed back far enough
Rule number 2 of snow plows: Figure on having no lawn
Rule number 3 of snow plows: See rule 1

I get the very distinct idea you moved a lot of snow in your time.

I second all those points but one. I do not care which way the wind blows with my blower. No matter which way it blows, a 100ft blower will get rid of it. In the worst case, shoot straight up and let the wind have all the snow it wants!

Had to laugh at your blade rule #1. I actually got the blower after a winter of pushing snow with an 8ft blade. Ran out of places to push the snow to even with a half km driveway. Too much snow all the way down on both sides. Decided to punch a hole through to push snow out into the plowed field.

Bellied my tractor and all my fun was OVER! Ever dig out a bellied tractor? Holy Fudge. Yup your rules about never pushing far enough are spot on!

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I just picked up a 24" blower last night. Needed something small to do some walk ways to the propane tanks etc. But I do the main stuff with a jeep. I've had everything from a walk behind blower, back blade on the tractor, front blade on the tractor, atv plow, but the jeep has been the best so far. When it runs that is...... It always needs a bit of tickling to get going it seems. I used my old neighbors back blower on his Big david brown a few times, but the lack of a cab, and turning around was a no go for me. It sure moved snow though.

I was almost finished frankensteining a front blower for my Kubota f2400 mower, but didn't get there in time before the snow. Plus the one mower out of two I have that has working 4wd cracked a head, so it then became a compounding project..... That can wait until next year. Hence why I bought a walk behind blower to get me through this year. Once I get the blower finished for it, I'll build a cab, and back blade for it, and it should be the best of all worlds.

 

[Brent H]

The night and day difference!! Only a couple hundred clicks and I am back home from this last adventure!!

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I've done the drive home from Fredericton once non stop, just gas and food. I don't envy the driving you're doing, but It'll sure be worth it when it's all done.

Are you keeping track of miles traveled yet? Or is it one of those thing you'd rather not keep track of.

 

[6.5 Fan]

Only thing i hate more than snow is extreme cold. That's what we have right now, poor dogs spent more time in the tractor cab this morning than running around. Not traveling anywhere if i don't have to when it's -35 with a -40 something wind chill.

 

[TorontoBuilder]

Vancouver is shut down today. The snow is higher than my dog. I think I’m the only owner in my 45-unit strata that owns a snow shovel.

View attachment 29110

deep snow is the bane of small dogs.

 

[kevin.decelles]

Brent, I’m loving the turnaround stories! Brings it all back! It’s Groundhog Day!

 

[TorontoBuilder]

Well, that last drive was crazy shite! No plows for 200 km and it added 2 hours of white nuckling trying to stay on a whited out highway!! Arrived to about 1.5 feet of heavy snow and unpacking the tractor was necessary!!

View attachment 29042View attachment 29043

Got another dump last night. So the tractor was in use most of today!

Departing for the other house early tomorrow morning. Will be a quick turn around as I will load another trailer full and head back Christmas Eve. That should be the last big trailer load until spring and the full out home transition.

I hate white knuckle driving with a load. My brother hates driving with equipment getting wet. This is our joint nightmare. Stay safe on your travels.

Why doesn't my brother hate white knuckle driving with a load you ask? Because he sleeps while I drive

 

[Brent H]

Trip was a good success. Once arrived Sunday we plowed the drive for about 5 hours and then same Monday after second dump. Dinner with the parents, sleep and on the road at 0330 Ontario time. Walked in the door at 1825.

Just 2 fuel stops as not towing a trailer home gives me a good 850km in a tank. Towing adds another stop. Gas in Ontario is around $1.35 (ish). Quebec is as much as $1.59. If I can avoid Quebec stops it is good. Gas in NB was $1.40.

Last trip for a while is this Saturday. Then laying low in the O for about 3 months of renovations- things go up for sale….

@kevin.decelles - yes, takes 4 full days, Drive Day 1 , Day 2/3 recover, Drive Day 4. Drive distance is 1458 Km one way.

Towing it is 360 litres one way, not towing it is 240 (ish)

After the Christmas trip I should have enough out of the house so we can paint etc and not be running into “crap”.

 

[mikoyan31]

I get the very distinct idea you moved a lot of snow in your time.

I second all those points but one. I do not care which way the wind blows with my blower. No matter which way it blows, a 100ft blower will get rid of it. In the worst case, shoot straight up and let the wind have all the snow it wants!

Had to laugh at your blade rule #1. I actually got the blower after a winter of pushing snow with an 8ft blade. Ran out of places to push the snow to even with a half km driveway. Too much snow all the way down on both sides. Decided to punch a hole through to push snow out into the plowed field.

Bellied my tractor and all my fun was OVER! Ever dig out a bellied tractor? Holy Fudge. Yup your rules about never pushing far enough are spot on!

Best way I've found of dealing with snow is to have someone else do it. That said, being of Scottish ancestry means that I am genetically predisposed to, er, frugality.

I like the idea of an 8 foot blower behind a 100 HP tractor, and some of the farmers around here have some REAL big and powerful units. Blow the snow into the next county. That said, it's overkill in my small gravel yard and I don't really fancy a shotgun blast of pebbles into the side of the chicken coop.

Best way to dig out a bellied tractor - a friend with a bigger tractor and a chain. Ask me and the mud hole how I know.

Anyway back to Brent's Trans Canada Highway adventures! On that note, @Brent H if you're heading back this way Christmas Eve, depending on when you're coming through a lot of the stores with fuel stops shut down early. Hate to see you stranded at Perth Andover for lack of guzzaline. My wife is a 20+ year Ontario transplant and still occasionally gets caught out by some of the more unique quaint aspects of New Brunswick life.

 

[Susquatch]

That said, it's overkill in my small gravel yard and I don't really fancy a shotgun blast of pebbles into the side of the chicken coop.

Best way to dig out a bellied tractor - a friend with a bigger tractor and a chain. Ask me and the mud hole how I know.

Just run the shoes high enough so the gravel doesn't get picked up.

Driveway was already too narrow to get another tractor in there. If I could have, I would have. I even have the bigger tractor myself. No choice but to dig it out by hand.

But in general I agree. I remember when the tiling dozer got stuck in my clay bowl laying tile in the rain. We had a half dozen tractors from the neighbourhood all chained up to it and barely got it out.

 

[Brent H]

@mikoyan31 : plan is to leave early am - first fill around 9 am ish - second fill 2 ish and third at the big truck stop in Edmunston about 5 ish for the final push. Arrive about 8:30 pm local. This run I will take an extra 50 litres just in case.

It is a good reminder of it being Christmas Eve and all. My previous life didn’t have me caring about holidays or even thinking about them as I was typically working - gotta get with the program - LOL

@Susquatch - i have another JD 332 diesel with the blower - it works great but keeping it at the old house for service here. Logistical nightmares- LOL

 

[YotaBota]

Mein gott! What is all that white stuff???

And now you know! LOL
This was my place, over 13" of the stuff.

 

[DavidR8]

And now you know! LOL
This was my place, over 13" of the stuff.

View attachment 29153View attachment 29154View attachment 29155

I hear you. It was over my knees between the shop and the house.

 

[YotaBota]

I got to use my diesel powered snow shovel, lol

 

[Brent H]

Quick update:

Well things are starting to get together at the “house for sale”. Working on finishing all the trim and re-painting things to make it all “nice”. Lots of wood working going down with all the new trim going in. So far - 14 to 20 x 45 gallon drums of planer chips and dust. Making all custom molding (yes, lived here and built the house myself, and this was supposed to be “retirement fun”) - no judging!

Lots of milling from rough to finished trim.


That was first wood through and a second pile plus through so far. Running my stock out so I don’t have to move it. Sadly oak,ash, poplar and clear pine will be used up
Adding the trim to the kitchen cabinets finally:

Also trimming out the curved stairs :


Pain in the butt - should of done this when I built the stairs but alas kids etc and a very funny story about bending the railing I am not allowed to discuss (embarrassing for a family member (hahaha) ) ….

Slamming the paint to the place:


And working the stairs:


Still lots to do but cooking along. Hopefully downstairs looks brand new by this weekend. In the last pic there is a stack of paperwork and clip boards- all plans for the now shop and house - LOL!!!

“Should be” welding up some things this weekend to get the metal back in the game. !!

Couple more trips east next month and might be moving the mill and some of the wood shop. Will post pics as things go!

 

[DavidR8]

Quick update:

Well things are starting to get together at the “house for sale”. Working on finishing all the trim and re-painting things to make it all “nice”. Lots of wood working going down with all the new trim going in. So far - 14 to 20 x 45 gallon drums of planer chips and dust. Making all custom molding (yes, lived here and built the house myself, and this was supposed to be “retirement fun”) - no judging!

Lots of milling from rough to finished trim.
View attachment 30485
View attachment 30484
That was first wood through and a second pile plus through so far. Running my stock out so I don’t have to move it. Sadly oak,ash, poplar and clear pine will be used up
Adding the trim to the kitchen cabinets finally:
View attachment 30487
Also trimming out the curved stairs :
View attachment 30486

Pain in the butt - should of done this when I built the stairs but alas kids etc and a very funny story about bending the railing I am not allowed to discuss (embarrassing for a family member (hahaha) ) ….

Slamming the paint to the place:
View attachment 30488

And working the stairs:
View attachment 30489

Still lots to do but cooking along. Hopefully downstairs looks brand new by this weekend. In the last pic there is a stack of paperwork and clip boards- all plans for the now shop and house - LOL!!!

“Should be” welding up some things this weekend to get the metal back in the game. !!

Couple more trips east next month and might be moving the mill and some of the wood shop. Will post pics as things go!

Dang mate, you are in another woodworking league!