Our Tiny (10 x 12) Cabin

[rick91351]

I may make some wood ricks tomorrow
neaten the place up

That sort of like me as a scarecrow or a life size carving?

[Gary O]

maybe just a little doll...with nail holes

[Gary O]

If the wood is not fully seasoned, it splits easier when frozen. Back home in Canada I cut trees in November, December, hauled it home and then in January when things were solidly below zero got out the maul. That was the next years firewood.

I may just do this
zip off some rounds
revisit 'em at the new year

[rick91351]

maybe just a little doll...with nail holes

  VOODOO FREAKY MAN!!!  I am so out of here till next time.... BYE

[Gary O]

Hey, hey...whoa

The wood rick I'm talkin' about is for face cords, wood piles.

Thing is, I don't know where I got that term 'wood rick'
Either it's a tad archaic, or I'm pulling words out of the nutty side of my head...

anyway
google showed me this (what I think is pretty freaking ingenious) set up, whatever it's called;

[rick91351]

Hey, hey...whoa

The wood rick I'm talkin' about is for face cords, wood piles.

Well I did know what a rick of wood is ......    Sort of like when I first heard it, as a kid and believe it or not we did not have internet.  But I had to find out what I was named after....  Had to look it up in the encyclopedia.  Way back then boy and girls if you had to write a paper or anything like that you had to spend time looking stuff up in books.....  I know freaky.....  and actual rick is 4X8 foot by 20 inches....  or half cord....  Then some time ago it changed to a third of a cord they sort of figure because cord wood went down to 16" rather than 20"  but still 4 x 8 feet.... 

That is one cool idea getting you cord wood up off the ground I and going to have to do that next year.

[Gary O]

Had to spend some money this weekend.
Genny crapped out noon Saturday.
Eu2000i on sale for $899
Got it (duh)

Thousand dollars later;
Got the genny.
Got the pump house squared away for winter to my satisfaction.

yup, Christmas came early



Should be done re-stacking wood this week.




just this left


Then on to making Christmas toys for the children of the trees.
I ain't no Santy, and I got no elves, but scrap wood can become some enjoyable things if one puts their mind to it.

This winter I plan to do some reading, some writing, and some photogging.
Prolly will do some snow shoveling too.

Overall, we plan to sock some land buyin' money away this winter.
Five acres has a better sound to it than 2.5 acres....

Takes a bit of discipline to save money.
Gotta be creative in your sacrifices.

Anyway, if any of you guys get a book from me for Christmas, just know it'll be due back at the library by the time you get it.

Merry Christmas everbody

[OlJarhead]

So that Ryobi Genny didn't work out?  No warranty for it?

[Gary O]

I've gotta dig out the warranty

I imagine it's just a stuck float or something

I don't have a work bench to tinker with it here, so, taking it in (....after I find the warranty)

thanks for reminding me

[Gary O]

So that Ryobi Genny didn't work out?  No warranty for it?

So, here we go.
I dug out my receipt and warranty.
3 yrs worth of warranty.
Bought it last April.
Called Home Dopey to see what all I needed to bring in.
Went thru the automated pick a number between 1 and 187 option tree.
Lost track of department options.
Stabbed a digit.

'Oh, you have the wrong department, you want service'
Imagine that
'Would you mind connecting me?'
'this is Lori'
'Hi Lori, this is Gary. I have a Ryobi 2200 generator that needs some warranty service.'
'well, just bring it in'
'Do you inspect/repair locally?'
'No, we send it to Phoenix AZ'
'Ah, I'll get back to you'

Thing is, I believe it's either in the carb, float, or possibly just a loose hose, can't tell.
I turns fine.
Goes a few revs, coughs, spits, quits, then emits a little sigh.
The case is so screwed down, I'd need surgery tools to open it up, let alone put it back together.
Oh, I did open the hatch to the plug.

Oddly, it's in a position that requires the hands of a three year old to get to.
Finally got the plug off, cleaned it, put it back on.
Same results.
Heh, in screwing the plug hatch back on, one of the sheet metal nuts folded over the plastic case decided to make an exit to the bottom of the housing.
Happily, there are two of them.

Guess I need to git it over to HD, since I can't find a local mechanic that'll touch it.

[kenhill]

Is there easy access to the carb?  Mine had a screw and drain hose from the carb bowl.  I seem to accumulate a lot of water with the heat cold cycles pulling in air to the tank.

[Gary O]

thas prolly it

don't have the heart to break into the case

anyone ever hear of Seafoam?

[azgreg]

anyone ever hear of Seafoam?

I've used it. It's a pretty good maintenance product, but it won't fix anything.

[Gary O]

I've used it. It's a pretty good maintenance product, but it won't fix anything.

yeah, stabbing at things before I take it in

I may see if I can get a finger on the carb bowl tomorrow

[MountainDon]

Seafoam and Sta-bil are similar products. Both are supposed to prevent gasoline in storage from going "bad".  I do use a dose of Sta-bil in the gas I store at the cabin over winter.  I can't be sure it is why I have no issues or if it's because I start with alcohol free gasoline and drain the carburetors before long term non use.    You can find many discussions / arguments on the 'net on whether or not Seafoam is better than Sta-bil.  Much the same as the arguments regarding Ford vs Dodge, and so on.

I agree neither product will fix a engine fuel related problem after the problem has surfaced.


If the generator (or other small engine device) is in daily or weekly use there really is no need for Seafoam or Sta-bil. Not unless the fuel being used is being stored for months before being replenished with fresh fuel from the gas station.   

When / if you get solar and don't use the Honda every day you should then drain the carb bowl after use. There's a handy dandy drain screw and hose you see after removing the side cover.

[Gary O]

When / if you get solar and don't use the Honda every day you should then drain the carb bowl after use. There's a handy dandy drain screw and hose you see after removing the side cover.

I shall tuck this into the file of forgetfullness

[OlJarhead]

Interesting idea...what's the reasoning?  I've got an el cheapo Champion that I've had since about 07 and I've never drained anything in it (except the oil to change) and it runs like, well, a Champion to this day.

[Gary O]

My only bad experience with fuel was with an old mcculloch chain saw.
one spring I pulled on the cord til I purt near hurled my breakfast
that was kinda normal for a mcculloch
but, finally took it in to the saw shop
brittle diaphragm
gas sat in it all winter
that was in the '60s

[Gary O]

In other news;



Y'know, since we've been living at the cabin, we've been getting some teasing and downright concerned inquiries from our town friends about using an outhouse fulltime.

I don't pay no never mind, 'cause, hehh, these concerned inquiries are coming from the same folks that crap in their house.

[MountainDon]

Interesting idea...what's the reasoning? 

You either run it enough to not have the gas in the bowl slowly evaporate and turn gummy or somehow you are plain lucky.  Some people will shut off the gas and run the engine until it quits believing that will empty the carb bowl. I used to do that with my Yamaha... it had separate gas and ignition on/off controls, the Honda EU's have both functions in one, so they can not be run dry.  One day after running the Yamaha till it quit I removed the bowl. There was still a tiny bit of fuel in there. There was also a tiny bit of varnish from the many previous years of running dry.  Honda engineers are cautious folks and so they provide a drain. It is very simple to use. I do wish the side panel removal was tool-less though.   The Yamaha EF2000i generator also has a bowl drain as does the Yamaha ATV we have.

[rick91351]

Interesting idea...what's the reasoning?  I've got an el cheapo Champion that I've had since about 07 and I've never drained anything in it (except the oil to change) and it runs like, well, a Champion to this day.

I just had a long talk with the guy that owns the saw shop I go to - small engine repair and lawn and garden equipment  We are both about the same age and we sort'a started together....  Wink!!  Customer for about 40 years now....... Then there is the kid that lives up here and is a small engine repair - fourwheeler expert.  So I listen to them both and they are very close in what they say.

What they both say has evolved greatly over the years. Over wintering chainsaws less problems anymore if you use a good two cycle oil that states fuel conditioner.  Top them off less chance of condensation.  Clean well and store......... but in places such as this they never over winter very long. My concern  two chain saws - and a baby saw with a 12" bar. Plus a high end weed eater......

Then you get into the other stuff - we have two Troybuilt rototillers - Pony and a Bronco, a log splitter, two Honda EU2000i generators, a snow blower, a Briggs gear reduction motor on a weed sprayer.  (though I try mostly organics - once in a while there is the you just can not kill it thing...) All that and with the ethanol fuels and the problems there in encountered.  By far agreed you are better off spending the extra and buying the raw non ethanol fuel and still adding Sta-bil or Seafoam - (one friend he is crazy about Seafoam Marine.....).  Unless you are going to run it right out - i.e. the log splitter and a two or three day marathon splitting logs....

My saw shop friend he says you would be surprised that the amount of people who what to store stuff double - triple dosed and then expect it it run well come spring...... often ends up in the shop and a good cleaning or a new carb.... Saw shop guy he anymore seems to not like to seeing them put away dry... Unless you are going to drain the bowls and let them air dry. My EU2000i's I always store them with fuel and Sta-bil or Seafoam and ready to run for the next emergency or outage. But try and start them every couple months and let them run for a while.  The sprayer it gets stored dry and I over haul the carb and scream at it every time I go to use it.  The two rototillers seem to like being stored with fuel.... but the .......... seem just more to think about...

So where do you buy raw or pure fuel --- http://pure-gas.org/

   

[kenhill]

I have converted to leaving equipment wet when stored for the season.  I mix Seafoam, Heat, Staybol, and Marvel Mystery oil in gas and make sure it makes it to the engine.  Some of the products may be redundant.  Lawn mowers start on second pull after 7 months of inactivity.  My snowblower has steel needles and an aluminum carb.  Before I strated doing this, the needles would rust over the summer and I would have to pull the carb for de-rusting.  I suspect the Marvel Mystery Oil prevents the rust.  I believe the rubber diaphrams in 2-cycle engine fuel pumps dry out annd crack by running the engine out of fuel.  I like to leave them wet.  This is particularly true for oil injected engines.  I have snow machines that are 14-36 years old that have never had the fuel pump diaphram replaced using this technique.

[OlJarhead]

How's the winter treating you?

[Gary O]

How's the winter treating you?

been busy

Feb

Only three ricks of wood used so far

Cabin is handling the ice and snow

Got a warming trend 30s to 40s, and 50°F coming

The patch of terra firma I saw yesterday caused a sensation of euphoria to overtake me

Maybe it was the coffee



Just checking in

Oh,

One more thing

I'm no churchy, but, hey, c'mon
The sunrises at our little patch of pumice are rather moving

Causes me to wax poetic...er something;

from the bedroom



down the path

[Gary O]

been busy with the Nikon;

birds and snow (4 1/2 ft of it)


there's a cabin under there...pretty sure






chickadees, nuthatches, nutcrackers and Jays








and a peanut butter lovin' tree rat



how y'all been?