We have no idea what we're doing...
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ธ.ค. 2024
- We learn how to drive the excavator and fell our first tree as we start clearing our property for a shop!
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A little advice, slash piles are good, but don’t light them as a large pile, create a clear area, start a small fire and build it to a size that is manageable, add brush and stumps to it as needed.
If you just light a large pile it can become a much larger fire than expected faster than you can do anything about it.
I only mean this constructively don’t know your experience level. Courtney already said it herself. Please always keep in mind how dangerous operating equipment and tree felling/bucking is. I have been cutting trees for 25 years and running heavy equipment for longer than that. I have lost friends, loved ones and colleagues to both. When things go bad, they go bad quick. Always go slow, plan you moves and stop when you are mentally or physically fatigued. If you ever have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am across the country, but always happy to help.
Thank you so much Edward! Especially as something that is new to us we are doing our best to go slowly, ask lots of questions and always stop when we are tired!
Edward is absolutely right. I would only add one thing. When felling trees have a clear escape route for yourself and make sure with dead trees watch out center rot can change things very quickly
All great advice, Edward. To it I'll add: Plan your escape.
Like you said, when things go bad, they go bad fast. That's not the time to think about how to get to safety.
Oh, and rule #1 when the SHTF? First thing, drop the saw! It may be in need of cleaning and/or repair, but better it than you!
And, Riley, as I've previously mentioned, creating a close team for advice and counsel...ahead of bold moves...would be wise. As Edward's comment demonstrates, there are a diehard followers who've "been there, done that" and are ready, willing and able to give y'all the benefit of their experience.
My advice, have a Sunday evening conference/Zoom call to discuss long-term plans, as well as the work for the week ahead.
Growth happens when we:
a) Learn enough that we want to;
b) Receive enough that we're able to, or;
c) Hurt enough that we have to.
'C', also known as the school of hard knocks, is not where anyone wants to be.
Seeking wise counsel is how one leverages principles 'A' and 'B' to go further faster.
Though we're scattered all over the country (and around the world), we live in a time when technology can bring such a team together for your benefit.
@@AmbitionStrikes I taught gymnastics part-time for over 7 years when my youngest daughter was in the sport. What I heard just before every injury I witnesses was, "Just one more." Hearing that became my queue to end the evening for my student...before she sustained an injury.
So...like Edward says, when you say to yourself, "Just one more {fill in the blank}.", it's time to step away from the work; even if just to take a break to recharge.
Buy this man a drink.
Have you ever seen the style of house where the entire downstairs is shop and the upstairs is house / living space? They're pretty darn cool. And flexible.
Yes!! That is exactly what we are planning to do!! 😃
@@AmbitionStrikes A "barndominium"? That would pull viewers in from all over!
Andrew Camarata Is the person they need
But he's on the other side of the country
Successes !!!
And be very careful with security!
Greetings from Argentina
We have watched a few of his videos, so awesome!
We would say you BOTH are quick learners on the Excavator. Every time I use my thumb on my mini, I feel I'm playing one of those arcade "claw machine" games with the stuffed animals you have to pick up. 🙃
As you have discovered cutting firewood becomes a lot of fun. The other crafty trick I see you have learned is the blade and bucket trick. When you had the stump you moved which may have been too heavy to lift.
Now that you have the his and hers chain saws, when will the skid steer show up?
I myself to this day still can't grade using the blade as I can with my skid steer. Maybe one day. Total game changer for digging or clearing, as you've shown.
We are having fun watching you guys crush it!
~Mark & Teresa
Totally agree, except it is somehow much easer to pick up a giant slippery rock than a stuffed animal! 😂
We have been talking about how a skid steer would compliment the excavator very well, unfortunately it just isn't in the budget at the moment! Maybe for my birthday next year? 😉
@@AmbitionStrikes 😊
TIM from Canada suggestions for when you were doing this in the bush and the mosquitoes are bad step one dig a hole a fair size one in pretty deep then get some branches that is around you couple pieces of wood start a fire make sure it is smoky The smoke here the better if you can find Cedar or pine‘s will work to keep the bugs away The fire does not have to be that big just as long as it it is smoky The smoke you’re the better if the hole is pretty deep and you can find some good size tree branches you can make a really good smoky fire to keep the bugs away
A lot of those trees can be handled by digging the roots on one side, then digging the roots on the other side, and then pushing it over. Pick it up and carry it to your pile of trees. It's fairly quick and easy, and cuts out a lot of danger... just be careful how the trees fall. Best of luck to you.
Edit in: To find your place to build - I would find the view I want, then figure out the best way to achieve that, if at all possible. That for the home. From that, where would be the best place for the shop relative to the home - convenience, protection, drainage/water/power/etc. Have a blast. What an exciting and amazing life! peace
The excavator is such a game changer for doing this kind of work!
I wish this was a show on tv!
Clear out the trees for fire and wind damage they grow back fast. The more open the area is the more breezes and fewer bugs. Fill in any standing water or drain to get rid of mosquito breeding areas. head nets work for noseeums. The stumps make great sculptures once the dirt is out of them. They also will burn for a long campfire when friends are around. You can split them with the bucket. The open area will help with the solar gain. clear now when the access is best. Pace yourselves and try to thinks ahead. Brainstorm the layout since you will make many changes before it is built out. Gravity is you,r friend!
Your Adventures are just begining.
The air flow in the clearing has already increased drastically and the bugs have gotten much better!
That tractor purchase was a very smart move. Saved yourselves A LOT of man power needs. This should absolutely speed things up for you.
Time is money around here so we are hoping it becomes a sound investment!
FYI those stumps come out a lot easier if you leave the tree attached. More leverage. Then pick up the tree and cut the root ball off! Makes it a lot easier.
Those stumps are left over from a previous logging operation several years ago!
Man I started watching some of your latest videos and had to do some back peddling. We are currently looking to get some raw land and get started. And watching you all with no experience is a big motivation.
That's a very handy piece of machinery. And the fact it's air conditioned will be handy on hot days, when heat exhaustion or heat stroke becomes a danger.
Definitely lots of good advice already, but feel free to reach out when it comes to your heavy truck. That's my area of knowledge, and happy to be of any assistance.
Keep up the good work.
And a heated cab in the winter!! Someone made a good point to us, which was that if you work an extra hour every day because you are comfortable in the cab, you will pay for the cab upgrade in no time.
@@AmbitionStrikes Very true.
You two are CRAZY!!! I say that as a complement. The impossible has ALWAYS been done by the crazy. I look forward to every video.
I love the "it's not that big of a tree......we're looking at the wrong tree..."
I've been watching all your videos for three days, congratulations on that baby, now I've gone back to the beginning when you bought the land, I keep liking and sharing
Nice clearing. Thanks for sharing
I am loving watching you all having so much fun working hard. That excavator is a beast.
A big mistake if you let Casey get a large fuel storage tank on site. He will never get out of that excavator!
Courtney hopped in and locked the door behind her the other day! I was forced to pick up sticks in her patch of destruction!
@@AmbitionStrikes she is going to hide the keys next.
from the Netherlands thanks for the video .
the faster and better you get with the excavator, the more and better you can help him with heavy things like the trees. I actually think that you should therefore always operate the excavator to get to know and familiarize yourself with the machine even faster the more hours you work with it, the better you get with it
So true! We've been putting in about 4 hours/day each on the excavator and are getting so much better with it!
I am jealous of the amount of work you can do with that excavator. The last time we took down a tree it was a 65' spruce. We bucked up the wood and used it to burn the stump out over 5 days of hard work. Your way is much better!
The mini ex is a serious game changer and will hopefully allow us to have our shop up before winter!! 🤞
Good steady progress. Nice to hear you guys place an emphasis on safety. Instapot accident = funny. Chainsaw accident = deadly. It’s funny how so many of the comments are safety related. Your viewers are definitely looking out for you.
We really appreciate everyone looking out for us! Like you said, small mistakes are fun to laugh about... big ones need to be avoided!
Learned the value of those chainsaw pants years ago. I was working on clearing small trees and brush on a hillside in the summer in central Texas. Got a bit careless in the heat after doing a low cut on some brush set the chainsaw on my thigh...chain first. The fibers stopped the chain almost immediately (did not get through to my jeans) and definitely saved me a serious injury and ER visit. I use them no matter what I am cutting now. Well worth cost.
That is a scary story, I'm glad to hear they did their job and you are okay!
Hi Courtney and Casey, so glad you took my advice on chain saw safety. All the best building your future together.
😊
Those big old stumps if you epoxy them right you make something nice furniture.
So awesome to watch, I have done similar in mts before , and I want to do it again ...one more time
Y'all have alot of hard work in front you..looking forward to seeing how everything turns out..👍
Yes we do! Can’t wait to see where it goes.
I'm smiling just watching you guys work (play?) with your excavator!
With starlink and solar you guys can have a great homestead life without missing any technology, what a time!
We already have high speed Internet up here in the camper! As long as we have enough power to run our welders life is good!
So very happy for you both . Thank you for sharing tour journey
Keep up the good work. It looks like you got enough comments about safety. We all have to start somewhere and you seem to understand the risks.
I teach people how to run mini excavators for a gov. agency and I am impressed by the skills you showed in the short time behind the controls. Good job both of you.
Thanks Scott! We really appreciate how many people are looking out for our well being.
LOL you make the mini Ex. look like its pulling weeds in your garden !!!
Awesome video !!!!
I think up here mini trees are weeds... 😂
I enjoy watching everything you guys are doing. You know that the excavator will tilt over to the side if you extend a heavily loaded bucket to max distance. It may have some high tech warning buzzer. If you are quick then you can usually lower the boom and catch yourself before tilting vey far. But there are some instances where you cannot save yourself.
We are going to be very careful to not tip it over!!
I just found your videos and its my dream good luck in your project
Thanks for wearing chaps. Makes it a lot less stressful :) The colour blue attracts mosquitos FYI :) B12 keeps them from biting.
I've never heard that, time to get rid of all of Riley's blue shirts!
@@AmbitionStrikes It's actually any contrasting colour but with my extensive Canadian bush testing, blue seems to be the worst. Blending into the background is the best :)
I can't wait to see you again. Please publish every day.
It would be great to be able to do that but it's already a full time job for Courtney to get 2 videos out a week!
@@AmbitionStrikes Understand, although regret.
Good content and loved the music..good to see you guys learning to wear different hats while doing this project.
It has been awhile since we learned a new skill and I forgot how rewarding it can be!
Start from workshop, to have some roof surface to be able collect rain water .
That is a great idea!
Good on you guys.
As I learned in diving. "plan the dive...dive the plan. And have a back up for the back up"
I subscribed.
Looking forward to the progress.
Cheers.
That is excellent advice!! Thanks for subscribing and supporting the channel!
There's another channel that's clearing and building in Northern Idaho. You might not know of them since they're primarily a sailing channel. SV Adventurer bought 40 acres last fall and spent the winter working on it.
Oh we'll have to check it out, thanks for the tip!!
going to be an interesting journey to follow liked the expedition vehicle especially the tire and wheel upgrade with rear sway bar in my 55 years on the road seen a lot of heart ache of those who did not follow GVWR on pick ups love army trucks
Thanks Garth! We are excited to share this next chapter with you all!
Great work Guys! Be safe and take your time! Really going to enjoy watching you guys develop this piece of land!
Thanks for following along Dave!
You guys are going to be busy developing the land but it's a lot of fun to make it happen with our own two hands, looking forward to new updates.
Busy is good!!
Can't wait to see you guys again.
☺️
Kudos to you guys! Love your energy and passion - Keep rocking!
Thank you! 😃
Sawmill?
Much better than a video game👍🇺🇸💯
Yes!!
Excavator work good and you are also all rounder
Thank you!
@@AmbitionStrikes welcome
Loving the content. One of the most unique series on TH-cam ❤️
Thanks Davis!! ☺️
My best advice I can offer is take care of your equipment "it you take care of it.. it will take care of you" that said consider using your grease gun and keep your Kabota grease fittings maintained.
That Kubota really is a beast! Maybe what you guys could do is make the house on the hill, so the backyard is facing the valley and the entrance is facing the mountain? That way, you guys could get a great view.
That sounds like an amazing plan!
Time for some private property signs and maybe a trail cam! :)
😉
Молодцы, здорово получается! Удачи в делах! 🥳🥳🥳
Thank you!!
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast." I love my own tools!
Keep up the good work!
Thanks for making us part of your journey
Thanks for following along!
Might I make a suggestion. If your going to be parking on dirt might take some of those dead trees and put them on the ground where the camper is going to be sitting for it doesn't sink. And instead of hauling off all the stumps could use them for fill to fill in anywhere ledge wise or anywhere with a dip or a hill that is going down. They do make some good fill.
Thanks for the suggestion! Right now sinking isn't an issue but I could see that becoming a problem come winter.
We have been warned about using the stumps for fill, they will eventually rot and leave a hollow spot behind.
I'm glad to see you guys take safety so seriously, i would hate it to see you guys get hurt. greetings from the netherlands
Thanks Jolt!
Nice little toy you’re playing with, you might also consider purchasing a transit. Very useful device when cutting in a level pad.
It just arrived this week! It seems like it is going to be incredibly helpful.
Wow very impressive project.
It has been so much fun!
Oh boy! What a great episode. So impressive what the excavator can do in place of hand power. When cutting dead trees, the other person should be there and watching. They can snap backwards and come straight down. Deadwood is dangerous. Other than that, super excited and impressed with the clearing project!
We have radios and I am always in communication with Riley as his second set of eyes! Especially when one of us is operating the mini ex.
You guys are amazing and passionate couple.
😊
amazing team spirit guys, be safe and happy
Thank you!
Outstanding TEAM work
Looking forward to your next video of progress. I have been working on doing the same thing. You two are amazing.
We are drilling for footings today! 😆
First look for a year around natural water source , if available located at least 80 ft high than to home site in a safe location.
Looking good you guys! Looks like you’re getting the hang of the excavator! Glad to see you bought the chaps.
The excavator has been such a game changer!
Courtney make sure you wear the chaps when limbing trees seen way to may accidents after the trees are down and they are being limbed. If you haven't yet pick up some plastic wedges and an axe to use when dropping trees they can come in real handy.
Excellent tip! A neighbor came over and gave us some lessons with plastic wedges and and axe. We are feeling confident enough to try falling our first large tree!
@@AmbitionStrikes good luck, take your time and be safe. You guys rock
LOL.... shop is the prime spot is not a half bad idea when you consider the time spent there!
So true!
Safety Tip : Always apply the chain break before walking whilst the saw is running.
Thanks for the tip!!
nice to follow you, good luck with the construction of your farm
Thank you! ☺️
Again.. another GREAT video!!! Love you guys and your energy.
Thanks for following along! To say we are having fun would be an understatement... 😉
If you haven’t done it yet, you should find all the corners of your property and ribbon off the property lines
Amazing job .... 😱👏❤😍👍
Thanks!!
Put some road-base on that camp site… one bad storm and it looks like it could muddy quick.
We are eager to the army dump truck up here and start improving the roads!
Looks like a fun time clearing your land.
It has been so much fun!!
This is going to be not only a great build series, but also a fantastic property!
Thanks Brian! We are excited to share the build with you all!
You need a hockey mask to go along with the chain saw! :)
You guys are having too much fun! Are you going to drive the truck up there? Are you going to bring your tractor up there too?
Good to see you employing safety PPE too. Being so remote, an injury can be compounded by the distance to the ED. I'm an EMT so when I come up there, in addition to construction help I can give you some med training.
The army truck will be coming up here! The tractor belongs to my Dad so it will be staying down in CA. We would love some med training!
Looks like so much fun!! I'm so jealous.
It's hard work, buy oh my goodness it is fun!!
With the head phones on Cortney looks like Princess Leia. :) 4:50
😂
Well now, forget what I said about the necessity of a timber jack! Courtney using the "mini-ex" to hold up the trees will prevent kickback from jams, as well as keep the chain out of the dirt.
Courtney, I encourage you to flat master the Kubota. It's a total game-changer/force multiplier. With you in the cab and Riley on the ground for all the heavy stuff, the progress y'all will be able to make will be incredible!
Make it a great day!
The thumb on the excavator has quickly become the star of the show! It is also saving Riley's back to not have to bend over nearly as much with the heavy saw.
I'm working hard to master that thing and it is starting to feel more natural every day!
Finally catching up on these & I’m loving the new toy! That looks so badass!
Thanks for coming along on this adventure with us!
So stoked I found your channel. Super fun content. Thank you!!!
I like the chaps great idea remember if you get hurt and can’t work you can’t pay the bills!
Exactly! The freedom of being self employed comes with a lot of responsibility, especially when doing dangerous things!
Hello Idaho!
☺️
@@AmbitionStrikes name for your property!
Really looking forward to you guys getting your place done..it's going to be a lot of highs and so many lows..but we are here for the lows..even though im a millions miles away in the UK..
We couldn't ask for a better crew of people cheering us on!!
What a fun project. Would love that. All the best with that.
It is incredibly fun having such a blank slate with so many possibilities!
Great skills learned fast with the excavator. Very good progress so far.
The more hours we put on it, the more natural it has started to feel!
How exciting!
That new Kabuta is sweet sure makes life easier.
Keep up the good work.
It makes jobs so much easier AND is fun to drive. I'd say that's a win win... 😃
I would play on the Kubota all day long to. Be safe up there.
So much fun!
Great job, great beginnings 🙏
☺️
Now the fun begins!
Oh yeah!!!
How do you plan to do the concrete for the shop?
We actually met a concrete contractor yesterday and he seemed confident that with some work to the road we can get the trucks in no problem!
Nice job.
Thank you!
Awesome video! Are you guys worried about figuring out water run off and washing out or is that easy to figure out?
I doubt it's easy to figure out, but we're also not too worried about it... 😂 We will need to ask around and find someone locally who can provide us with some insight on swale locations, etc.
@@AmbitionStrikes I envy that quality. 🤣
Love the progress so far!
Thanks Aaron! We're stoked to finally be making progress!
mini excavator good tool for opening vigin land been there done that
It is amazing how much quicker it makes things go!
Running the welder and plasma table is going to need a serious electrical system. For the first few years a 2 phase generator for the welder might be the way to go.
A generator will certainly be easiest, and make a great back up power solution for the house
I was just in Idaho for work and got to experience North 40 for the first time. What an AMAZING place! I could drop way too much cash there so just as well we don’t have them where I live!
We heard people talk about it but had no idea how magical it was!! Everything you could ever need...
Everyone is probably telling you what to do so why should I be any different. Your "little" chain saw is still too big, that thing will get heavy. You could dig around the larger trees and push them over with the excavator, it's safer and gets the stump out at the same time. You could also use the bucket to help push the tree over after you made your cuts to fell it. Lastly a thermacell is great for keeping mosquito away. It's not practical for to use all the time but might give you some quiet time outdoors while relaxing. Thanks for sharing your adventure.
There really aren’t many large trees in our clearing area, the stumps you saw were left over from a previous logging operation on the property! Thanks for the tip on the Thermacell, we’ll have to check it out!
Awesome work guys!
Any chance we’ll see you milling those excess larger trees-given the current cost and availability of lumber?
We would love to mill lumber! Pending budget and timeframe we are definitely going to consider acquiring a sawmill!
DMWI
For limited use, I’ve hired a guy to come to my property with his portable mill 3 times. 75 logs total. Most 12-18” at the butt. Not huge but I got lots of 2-4,6,8” x 20’ and a few nice 3” slabs for tables. White & Red pine and a few Oak and Cherry for cabinets. All due to drought.
Three days total milling over a few years time. With me doing the stacking/stickering to dry.
I did all the felling, brushing and moving with some neat wheeled cradles behind my lawn tractor. An atv works great too.
I learned a lot by watching him that I’ll use in the future if I buy my own mill.
Check out the mill web-sites for local sawyers in your area.
It cost me less than $450 per day but he was really reasonable your cost may vary. That covers his fully hydraulic mill, his labor, fuel and blades. Well worth it for 3400+ board feet of lumber and education.
What great work you two do. Insane. 👍Lake in the back is also yours or not. Cheers 🍺 & 🍷
Thanks Al! The lake is not ours.
@@AmbitionStrikes Any way it your land looks owsome. Wish I can buy something like that im my coubtry. But the whole country is big as yours peace of land. 😃