Author Topic: Cars for woodworkers (Read 32563 times)

ChuckS · « **Reply #60 on:** November 16, 2021, 09:56 PM »

Another option....

Bob D. · « **Reply #61 on:** November 17, 2021, 05:55 AM »

Quote from: ChuckS on November 16, 2021, 09:56 PM

Another option....

Have you seen the back side of that scene? There is a Cat D8 pushing on that stack of logs.

notenoughcash · « **Reply #62 on:** November 17, 2021, 06:03 AM »

OSHA or HSE may have something to say about that. no fall restraint for the least

Cheese · « **Reply #63 on:** November 17, 2021, 11:52 AM »

Quote from: Bob D. on November 17, 2021, 05:55 AM

Quote from: ChuckS on November 16, 2021, 09:56 PM
Another option....

Have you seen the back side of that scene? There is a Cat D8 pushing on that stack of logs.

Here's another variation of the same theme...38,000 Bd ft of lumber in 1890, about 7-8 tons.

I'm actually very interested in logging railroads and all the weird stuff that supported that effort. Those large logging sleds operated on what was called a rut road.

After the first snowfall, when the ground was firm but not yet frozen, they used a plow like apparatus that would dig 2 ruts spaced for the width of the sled runners. They'd follow that up with several waterings of the ruts, trying not to spill much water between the ruts because that was were the horses traveled.

Peter_C · « **Reply #64 on:** November 17, 2021, 06:35 PM »

Quote from: Cheese on November 17, 2021, 11:52 AM

I'm actually very interested in logging railroads and all the weird stuff that supported that effort. Those large logging sleds operated on what was called a rut road.

As I am always interested in logging practices too, since they relate to so many industries, like gold in California. I had always wanted to stop at the Hinkley Fire Museum to learn more about how logging was the direct cause for so many human lives lost. Unfortunately whenever kayaking on the Kettle or such we never had time, nor made time. The devastation of past logging methods was criminal, but so was gold mining, one of the main causes of deforestation in order to power the stampers etc., with environmental damage on a scale incomparable to anything else from the mountains to the SF Bay.

Out in the woods we often find old "Donkey's" the steam engines used for skidding logs or pulling mining equipment. I get excited! Then again I enjoy modern logging equipment too, like a big kid

Cheese · « **Reply #65 on:** November 18, 2021, 10:18 AM »

Quote from: Peter_C on November 17, 2021, 06:35 PM

The devastation of past logging methods was criminal, but so was gold mining, one of the main causes of deforestation in order to power the stampers etc., with environmental damage on a scale incomparable to anything else from the mountains to the SF Bay.

Out in the woods we often find old "Donkey's" the steam engines used for skidding logs or pulling mining equipment. I get excited! Then again I enjoy modern logging equipment too, like a big kid

Well now that you mention it, the industry really didn't last that long considering the incredible amount of resources available. In Minnesota alone there were over 32 million acres of harvestable trees, mostly white & red pine. Within 30 years only 1% of that number remained. The consensus in 1890 was that the supply of Minnesota forests was so vast that they'd never run out of lumber.

I'm really curious how that became such a common thought as the lumber barrons had already cut down most of the forests from Maine to Wisconsin and Minnesota was just the next stopping-off point along a path that would eventually extend all the way to the West coast.

Interestingly enough, 2 years ago I came across a slab of white oak that was estimated to be 150-200 years old. The tree had fallen down in a storm outside of Stillwater. I turned the slab into a kitchen countertop....the oldest item in the house.

DynaGlide · « **Reply #66 on:** November 18, 2021, 02:03 PM »

You were right @Packard I just got some 12' trim into the Pacifica. It was MDF so that helped.

Packard · « **Reply #67 on:** November 18, 2021, 03:09 PM »

Quote from: DynaGlide on November 18, 2021, 02:03 PM

You were right @Packard I just got some 12' trim into the Pacifica. It was MDF so that helped.

I’m glad that helped.

A couple of months back my auto start/stop feature stopped working. I was not upset. I generally toggle to the off position anyway.

What I did not know was that it is an early indicator that the battery is dying. There are two batteries in the 2019 Pacifica. One for the headlights and ignition, and the second for all the accessories.

When the first one died, it drained the second. I had to replace both. $615.00 (includes $140.00 diagnostics charge).

The diagnostics charge is BS. If I came to the dealer with a tire that needed air, it would not surprise me if they hit me up with a diagnostics charge.

The batteries are the only issue I’ve had in 89,000 miles. So not too bad. But $615.00 for batteries? Really?

Mike Goetzke · « **Reply #68 on:** November 18, 2021, 03:49 PM »

About 4 years ago my wife wanted to get rid of her 2005 Suburban for something smaller since the kids didn't need to be hauled around. She got a Rogue and loves it and I got the Suburban. It was getting expensive to fill the Suburban for my daily commute and it was a bit large for my drive with everyone and there brother cutting you off so I bought an Altima thinking I could rent a trailer or truck for my sheet goods. Six months later I wanted something to haul my sheet goods and could carry the whole family to the ball games. OMG - should have kept the Suburban it only had 50,000 miles on it.

I ended up getting a Chevy Traverse. It was the only SUV I could find that could haul 48" wide cargo (please let me know if there are others). The bed is maybe 7' long so a 4x8 really doesn't stick out too far. I really like this Traverse. Good gas mileage, can haul 7 passengers, have lots of storage behind the rear seat, and can fit 48" wide goods.

Mike

Packard · « **Reply #69 on:** November 18, 2021, 03:58 PM »

I live 90 miles north of Manhattan. Not the snow belt, but we get more snow than Westchester as we average 7 degrees colder.

I learned years ago that a good set of winter tires and front wheel drive will get me up the steepest hills in town (and I live on the steepest hill in town). Depending upon where you live, 4 wheel drive has been oversold. It adds expense and repairs are more expensive. Fuel economy is worse than the FWD counterparts.

I would not want to drive a rear wheel drive up the hill to my house, but FWD is all anyone in our area needs. And yet 4-WD outsells front wheel drive in our area.

It used to be that BMWs, Camaros, Mustangs and Corvettes were the cars that got stuck in the snow around here. Nowadays most of the BMWs are 4-WD and it is just the Camaros and Mustangs that seem to be getting stuck.

Just for the record, all season tires are not nearly as effective as winter tires or the new generation of all weather tires (all weather tires are winter tire rated, speed rated and mileage rated and can be used where ordinance requires winter tires).

live4ever · « **Reply #70 on:** November 18, 2021, 04:52 PM »

Surprised nobody has mentioned:

mcooley · « **Reply #71 on:** November 18, 2021, 05:10 PM »

The never be able to reach over into the bed design! Brilliant.

Bob D. · « **Reply #72 on:** November 18, 2021, 10:03 PM »

Quote from: Mike Goetzke on November 18, 2021, 03:49 PM

About 4 years ago my wife wanted to get rid of her 2005 Suburban for something smaller since the kids didn't need to be hauled around. She got a Rogue and loves it and I got the Suburban. It was getting expensive to fill the Suburban for my daily commute and it was a bit large for my drive with everyone and there brother cutting you off so I bought an Altima thinking I could rent a trailer or truck for my sheet goods. Six months later I wanted something to haul my sheet goods and could carry the whole family to the ball games. OMG - should have kept the Suburban it only had 50,000 miles on it.

I ended up getting a Chevy Traverse. It was the only SUV I could find that could haul 48" wide cargo (please let me know if there are others). The bed is maybe 7' long so a 4x8 really doesn't stick out too far. I really like this Traverse. Good gas mileage, can haul 7 passengers, have lots of storage behind the rear seat, and can fit 48" wide goods.

Mike

There may be others but I found this list online.

- Chevy Suburban
- Ford Explorer
- Ford Escape
- Ford Expedition
- Toyota Sequoia
- Honda Pilot

Bob D. · « **Reply #73 on:** November 18, 2021, 10:05 PM »

Quote from: live4ever on November 18, 2021, 04:52 PM

Surprised nobody has mentioned:

Vaporware.

People don't like to talk about figments of their imagination. :-)

squall_line · « **Reply #74 on:** November 18, 2021, 10:18 PM »

Quote from: Bob D. on November 18, 2021, 10:03 PM

There may be others but I found this list online.

- Chevy Suburban
- Ford Explorer
- Ford Escape
- Ford Expedition
- Toyota Sequoia
- Honda Pilot

I'm very suspicious of the inclusion of the Ford Escape on that list. It's a compact SUV/Crossover and smaller than the Edge, which is smaller than the Explorer.

I miss my parents' Aerostar, which had a partial box frame and the extended version of which could swallow all manner of things once you hauled the 100+ pound seats out of it. Plus a 5k towing capacity!

Bob D. · « **Reply #75 on:** November 18, 2021, 11:09 PM »

Yes, I think you're right, the Escape is the smallest of the Ford SUV Line which all start with a E for some reason.

Excursion (do they still make this beast built on the F-250 frame?)
Expedition
Explorer
Edge
Escape

RJNeal · « **Reply #76 on:** November 18, 2021, 11:16 PM »

I’m currently driving a Kia Soul for running around and for work. I’m an employed carpenter.
I can haul a few boards 8’ long in side. I’ve folded down the back seat and it pretty filled up with tools. I’ve thought about get a rack for a few long things.
If I need to move lots of stuff or large stuff then I bring out my pick up.
Rick

Tinker · « **Reply #77 on:** November 19, 2021, 04:51 PM »

When I started in the mason trade, my boss had big Cadilac with the capacity in the trunk of pickup truck. That was the year before the rear fenders had the light houses. He used to have a gravel bank that i would shovel about yard of the course gravel in the morning. On top the gravel, he would stop off at a supply yard and load enough bags of cement to last for the day. I think he had truck tires on the car. He never blew a tire with that load.

He used that Caddy for everything, including when he went visiting, he packed his wife and four kids into the seats and packed all of the food, supplies and firewood for grilling into the cavernous trunk.

Tinker

Packard · « **Reply #78 on:** November 19, 2021, 04:59 PM »

Rumor had it that the Mafia was upset when the Lincoln Town Car went out of production. Where were they going to get a car with a large enough trunk to transport a few bodies?

My dad had a 1961 or 1960 Chrysler Imperial convertible. It weighed over 6,000 pounds and it also had a trunk that I used to climb into in order to get at the stuff at the far end of the trunk.

(Is the “far end of the trunk” called the “rear of the trunk” or the “front of the trunk”?)

Bob D. · « **Reply #79 on:** November 19, 2021, 08:28 PM »

Yeah, those old boats were something. One of my first cars was a 66 Olds 98 LS which was built on the same frame as the Caddy. When I bought it was 8 years old.

Mine looked like this but was a light blue with black and dark blue interior. It had a huge truck and the rear legroom was crazy. I think it got around 10 MPG. I bought it for next to nothing because the guy thought the brakes were shot and the AC needed work. One new hose and a recharge fixed the AC, the brakes were fine. Whoever did the last brake job put the self-adjusters on the wrong side so they weren't compensating for wear on the shoes. Hence the low brake pedal and assumption that the brakes were shot. Could easily seat 6 or 7 people with room to spare.

Packard · « **Reply #80 on:** November 19, 2021, 10:47 PM »

Dad had a 1958 Buick Station wagon with a big V-8 and a Dynaflow (continuously variable) transmission. It got 6 mpg. I think gas was $0.23/gallon back then. That would be $2.20/gallon in current dollars.

rst · « **Reply #81 on:** November 20, 2021, 09:07 AM »

Came back from Britain in 62-63 with parents after three years of Air Force. Sailed into New York on USS United States. Dad picked up new Mercury Monterey, true boat of a car. Had the slant back rear slide down window. Could lay across hood or trunk and head and feet not dropping. 3 barrel 390 beast. Took that car to back from Germany tour, really got looks from locals blasting down the Autobahn. Became my first car in 1970.

Bob D. · « **Reply #82 on:** November 20, 2021, 09:33 AM »

"Had the slant back rear slide down window."

I worked with guy years ago (70s) who had one.

I thought that rear window was way cool. He loved to surf
fish and would hang his poles out the rear window.

No, not THAT pole.

rst · « **Reply #83 on:** November 20, 2021, 10:45 AM »

the plural form of pole had us wondering

Tinker · « **Reply #84 on:** November 21, 2021, 07:54 AM »

My first car was a 32 Plymouth 4-door "Box". Nothing spectacular.
Myirst car out of the Army was a two-door Ford Sedan that I took the back seat out of so I could carry more tools. I was an apprentice mason, but I was working for builder run by 3 brothers. I never knew what trade I would be working in come morning. I was interested in all building trades in those days. I bougght tools covering all of the trades so I needed a car with a lot of capacity in the trunk.

Every Friday,(pay day) i went to Norwalk where I cashed my check and put a little in the bank. If I was lucky, I parked in front of the bank (head in parking) right in front of the bankfront door. One day, I was lucky and ran in to the bank and right backout ,I jumped into the Ford that was immediately in front of the door, backed out onto the street and headed for home. As got about 50 feet down the street, I realized it was not my car. The seats were clean! I looked in the back seat area and there were no tools. AND the seat was not missing!

I took the next right turn, continued making another right and ended up at the same parking spot I had just left. There was man looking very puzzled and scratching his head. I parked and jumped out asking the man, "Is this what your are looking for?"

We both had the same color and model and year Ford. My key fit both cars. His key, we discovered, fit only his car. AND,the rear seat was NOT missing in his car. AND there were no tools filling the missing seat in his car. Luckily, he had sense of humor, we both got a good laugh out of the escapade.
Tinker

cider · « **Reply #85 on:** November 23, 2021, 11:00 AM »

Honda Ridgeline is my solution:

All-wheel drive for bad weather
Handles like an SUV rather than a body-on-frame pickup (I don't tow or off-road)
4x8 sheets lay flat when the tailgate is down
Reasonable tailgate height
Locking trunk
Fits in the garage

Downsides? Handles like an SUV and not a car, it's not very cool, and the gas mileage isn't great.

Packard · « **Reply #86 on:** November 23, 2021, 11:10 AM »

My recommendation is this:

Before buying any car, go online to that model's owner's forum.

If I had done that, I would have known about the Honda CRV's engine problems and I would never have bought that car. As it was I kept the car for 8,000 miles and about 5 months before I gave up on it. The problem (failure to reach operating temperature in cold weather) was never reported in the press, but was widely discussed in the forums.

They came up with a solution but would not retrofit to any already sold vehicles. So I could spend $1,200.00 on the retrofit (which Honda did on the unsold cars on the dealers' lots) or I could trade it in. I traded it in.

I think an hour's labor reading forum gossip on the vehicle you are interested in, is worth the effort.

jimbo51 · « **Reply #87 on:** November 23, 2021, 11:51 AM »

I am getting up in years and not as sharp as I once was.

So I bought a Ford Focus.

It didn't help.

Cheese · « **Reply #88 on:** July 19, 2023, 01:22 PM »

Quote from: live4ever on November 18, 2021, 04:52 PM

Surprised nobody has mentioned:

Well it's back...sighted in Palo Alto on 7/14/23 just 1 day before a production sample rolled off the assembly line.

Tesla Cybertruck Production 7-15-23 .jpg (136.13 kB - downloaded 29 times.)

rst · « **Reply #89 on:** July 19, 2023, 01:47 PM »

Jimbo, I've been eating Smartfood popcorn...not helping according to my wife