I have waited as long as possible to get started on this wood cutting project. The wood is for making syrup next spring. I typically cut 4 or 5 cord. 1 cord should make about 40 gallons of syrup. Last year we made 187 gallons of syrup during the season. The wood shed was taken over by small implements due to the fact that the evaporator room is in disarray. So moved out the David Bradley and the Ford LGT-100, and the Cub implements on their carts.

Hooked up the buzz rig to the Ford and sharpened the blade:

First load of slabs moved with the wide front WD.

Only 15 more loads to go! We will be ready come Feb 1 2020.

Regards,

 Chris

I sure can relate to the toy thing. I put models together as a kid as fast as I got them. Played in the sandbox on my knees with tractors and wagons and farm sets. Guess I have not grown up yet. Dang I hope the wife lets me get that new WD toy too! As bad as the great grandkids wanting happy meals at McDonalds!

Since I dont have a very big plot of land, I have to try to get some use out of all of them the best I can. Most are part of my hobby business. Trying to line up a job for the WD45 which feels a little left out. Might haul a load or two with it too.

Regards,

 Chris

 I used slabs from neighbors property till they went bad. There was 120 estimated cord in that pile. I figured we used 50 cord for syrup and heating homes. 

Here are some syrup pictures from last spring. Getting wood is good work. They say it heats you several times during the process!

Shamless, 

Better get that back fixed if possible!

Here is where the slab wood is headed for:

Cheryl and grandaughter Addi helping load the wood wagon:

Yea its a hot fire to boil 130 gallons of water per hour:

Hard to see but the syrup is about 1.5 inches deep in the pans:

Last spring as the wood shed was depleted:

syrup coming off the evaporator:

The 3 foot x 10 foot antique King arch and stainless pans, hoods and steamaway:

The arch (base) is gutted right now and will get repairs and upgrades.

We use two hot tub blowers to supply air for the steamaway bubler, and the Air over fire forced draft system:

Collecting sap, using 5/16 tubing between the trees, into 40 gallon container, pumped to back of truck then up into 325 gallon poly tank. 30 of these stops to make on my route.

A full container of sap. Avg run might be 200 to 600 gallons of sap in one run. We may get 20 runs per season.

This was a very good run and the 30 taps were producing sap at a good stream that day.

unloading the sap (2% sugar water):

Back to current:

 Just some shots of the set up for cutting wood:

Got to get a Allis picture in there too:

Regards,

 Chris

 I had a helper today with the wood. Cooper our great grandson visited today. He likes the Allis tractors! He helped unload the trailer load from last night we had misty fog/ drizzel. 

He is setting on his great great great uncles WD. Guess that officially makes me old!

Toy tractor in his left hand:

And Maggie watching him.

Second load in the afternoon it was 75 and nice!

Looks like I will have just the right amount to fill the wood shed. Now to order another tri-axle load of slabs for spring of 2021.

Regards,

 Chris

Pat, 

That is the ideal set up to run tubing systems down hill to the sugarhouse. Of course I don't have any wood lot and no hill so we have to rent big hard maples along the roads. About a 35 mile trip and 30 stops to pick up sap.

Regards,

 Chris

Hubert,

The David Bradley has the original N engine. It set under a roof but was exposed to the west for 30 years. I walked by it many times while cleaning up. This was my wife's great grandfathers machine for his garden in Erie. She said I should bring it home. I continued to walk by it! I had one of these when I was about 12 and we traded it for my first pony. Next time I walked by I reached down and spun the output pulley. It was not froze up! It had me! I put about $30 into the carb, changed the oil, put on a new gas line and a throttle cable, plus one wheel cog, It runs really good!

Regards,

 Chris

mdm1,

 The hauling might be prohibitive! There is a lot of good syrup made in Wisconsin too!

Regards,

 Chris

Shameless,

 Will have two more trailer loads of wood for the syrup production. Unloaded and cut a big load today with help from a fellow syrup maker.

Next project will be to refurbish the evaporator!

Regards,

 Chris

Hubert...I have a DB like Chris's, and I couldn't use the original N engine either. Somehow the key way got wallowed out in the crank shaft, and I couldn't get the flywheel to stay held in the right spot. I still have the N, but I put a stripped down 3hp Harbor Freight engine in it. Runs off the stock gas tank. Did strip it down quite a bit, and it currently doesn't have much for an air breather, but the hood does close down on it. I removed the recoil start and put the rope cup on it, so it looks factory at first glance. 

Plenty of them still around here. I see some listed way high but they never sell. Lots of $30-$100 non-runners at auctions but I'm picky about the engine and transmission I want if I do buy one, and the Gravelys do way more so I'm in no rush.

I wonder if they weren't as popular in the southeast?

 These DB's are a cute post war machine. I think the design is aircraft like (hood)! They are very reasonable to collect. Prices rage here as mentioned $30 to about $300 max. Even restored ones don't bring a lot of money. This original N type engine just has a very sweet sound! I would like to get a sulky for it and cruise around at tractor shows.

 Finished up the rest of the wood pile cutting. Didnt quite get the 4 rows of slabs  in the sugarhoiuse wood shed, but it will be a good amount to make syrup next spring. The new WD was pressed into service to finish up the work.

Just another way form me to justify the new toys!:)

Regards,

 Chris