I Could Get Used To Firewood Like This!

Taking the 331G out for the first time to get firewood and it was a great experience!

[@Matt-mq1ep]

To quote Kleeman, "I'm not a welder, just a guy that owns one" 😂. Looks good!

[@katelights]

"I do a lot of welding, I own a welder, I just never learned how to do it" - SuperFastMatt

[@stromxtc2033]

Proud mud dauber class welder 🙋‍♂️. While they're judging your weld, you're getting the job done.

[@noyopacific]

Neil is an exceptionally good welder. . . as agronomists go. He is certainly as good of a welder as your average equipment operator.

[@rdyardie]

Welding the grapple was a good project in itself. Returning it in better condition than it was, was the "neighborly" thing to do. The paint was a nice touch. The tree being cut down was a great lesson. Your KZbin videos are top notch. Thank you for sharing.

[@allaboutperspective650]

I totally agree with you, every Sunday another great video.

[@SKOHINMI]

Mitchell is a distant cousin of mine, I grew up in the town just north of him. Someone is always someone’s cousin in your videos, ha! I found you from your pond videos and it’s always interesting watching you drive through your part of the state and when you cross into mine.

[@jbob5pt0]

Temporary permanent repair. Who's never done one of those? Love it Neil!

[@supertrooper7403]

It would be a great project video of you rebuilding the grapple. Thanks for always being there for us Neil. Matt

[@ian3580]

Why would he rebuild it? It's not his, he just borrowed it and fixed it so he could use it to see if it's what he wants, then returned it to it's owner

[@sassafrasvalley1939]

Neil… you are correct on the grapple. A grapple like the one you used is great for brush clearing, root raking and rock sifting… but not for logging. One made with a different geometry on the bottom would work a lot better. Here’s a piece of advice from a long time grapple operator… when you find one, make sure it has a similar set up on the top. You definitely want to have two independent top claws like that one did. A single center or, full width solid, upper is ineffective at grasping logs safely. It’s always a joy to see Cousin Tony display his expertise. He and she are consummate professionals. I have a video coming up where Brandon (Elite Earthworks) loads logs on our flatbed trailers with his excavator… it ain’t as simple as dropping them into the dump bed. But… I enjoyed watching a pro at work all the same. You are definitely headed for an appointment with a different tailgate!!! Have a great weekend bud.

[@digdrivediy]

Great advice on the grapple choice! I do think there are some better options out there for sure. It was great to learn a bit with this one though. I will definitely check out that video with Brandon. He knows what he's doing when it comes to operating! This week we are in Tennessee and will hopefully gonna get a little boat time. Have a great week!

[@sassafrasvalley1939]

@@digdrivediy don’t get any ideas about putting a speed boat in your swimming pond! 🤓 Enjoy

[@shanesherwood343]

Great video I have to say I love when your brother in law is on I love how precise he is cutting down trees todays video taught me a few things I do wrong and will change

[@calebmiller1875]

Thanks for the kind words! I recommended a series of books you may be interested in the comments!

[@robertmccall8666]

Wow he's a good tree guy ... Great to see the safety and skill he has in tree work. He's concerned about it not being perfect but he's super skilled and for me his safety and the safety he takes is key... Seen so many guys claim they are pros.... He is a professional

[@bigchuckyinkentucky6267]

I would sooner hire someone that looks at their work and said "I could have done this better because..." than someone who says that they did a great job whether they did or not.

[@digdrivediy]

I'm thankful that you guys recognize him as a pro. He truly is very knowledgeable and skilled at tree work. Been at it over 20 years and safety is his #1 priority.

[@calebmiller1875]

Thanks for the positive comments, I appreciate it !

[@drewrobinson6779]

Neil Koch, the bravest man of them all for showing his welds on the internet - Love the Channell - all the best Neil from SW Victoria Australia

[@Ede74]

Thanks for showing Neil. You have a great Family. Greetings from Germany

[@calebmiller1875]

I thought Neil did a great job on the video showing what was right and wrong about the face notch and hinge. I was the cutter in this video. If you have intrest in learing about these things I would highly recommend a series of books by Jeff Jepson, please look into his books on this subject!

[@garciafamilyfarms]

Hey Neil, a grapple is a man's best friend when it comes to cleanup and firewood. I have a frostbite log grapple and I absolutely love it. I use it on my compact 40hp tractor and my 74hp bobcat skidsteer. However there isn't one tool that's perfect for every job. It does decent for cleanup but leaves the small stuff. Unlike a grapple with more bottom teeth. But I've got a few teenage boys that do well with the smaller stuff! Great video! C-ya next week

[@aaronburford5701]

Gm Neil! This was fascinating to watch something you are not a master at doing and learn at the same time. I always enjoy your journeys each week and watch you complete projects.... I wish you had time to do more. Thanks for sharing!

[@digdrivediy]

Thanks so much Aaron. I wish I had more time as well my friend!

[@calebmiller1875]

Neil that little 110 welder has done so many jobs over the years, i have a couple items in my garage you have welded that i'm still using to this day!

[@digdrivediy]

It really has been a great little machine. One of the few things I bought brand new way back when I got started.

[@thomastoler1087]

I love that you showed your welds, that's the awesome thing about DIY is everything is as good as we can.

[@TigericFTW]

Traveling abroad and love to have this regularity in my schedule! Much love from Lebanon

[@joebacarella2829]

Wow, what a beautiful shop, it`s massive, be well Neil.

[@joshuaschneider3591]

Great video, as always! Just a tip I've picked up in similarly frustrating welding situations - slow down your wire feed and weld at a snail's pace in order to get the little unit to produce enough heat. The heat sink capacity of the entire grapple is what's working against you, but high heat and slower wire will stretch its boundaries better. With your creativity and ability to source a good deal, definitely put the word out that you're in the market for a decent 220 machine; especially with the bigger equipment. Have a great week!

[@terryrogers1025]

Nice load of wood, nice job of loading it. Nice little quickly repair job on the grapple, your welds didn’t look all that bad on cam, and they held, liked the idea of returning something borrowed in better shape than when you got it, I try to do the same. Thanks for the video, enjoyed watching.

[@Summitoutdoorproductions]

Cool stuff. Best thing is you get to use equipment !! Loui is a sweet rig. Old dump trucks sure are interesting. Nice you have all that family around you and you’re a great neighbor. Dave.

[@ArmoredXJ]

I need to learn some welding. Definitely need welding on the farm. Great work! That truck loading was the work of experience!

[@scottmeredith8409]

Live generously.......God bless this family!

[@thedelcodave]

Welding duty cycles typically are based on a 10 minute window. So a 20 percent duty cycle will let you weld 2 minutes out of every 10 minutes. I have welded a bunch with one of those little lincoln welders with flux core wire are pretty decent little welders.

[@inekelassooij840]

Geweldig om te zien hoe jullie het allemaal gedaan hebben top job. Met ook nog een mooie video. Bedankt daarvoor Groetjes van uit Holland 👋🏼🇳🇱

[@digdrivediy]

Thanks Holland!

[@user-dn6ij6lm2g]

Thanks Neil like the video ,Love that big Garage Wow .

[@jurredijkstra2774]

Big equipment and firewood together in one video: that's a golden combo in my book. Thx voor the video and Hi from The Netherlands.

[@jeffjackson2871]

Grinding and Paint make us all the welders we ain't! Great video as always.

[@DawgGoneOutside]

Great work! I need to look into a mini skid to move things around my property...

[@Mr_Timi1]

My cousin has all of his certifications but I've never touched a welder in my life... good video, Happy Sunday.

[@Bill-fx7zm]

If your going to use a small mig machine for a job like that add some preheat to your weld joint first. Could be just a little propane torch but if you can raise the temp a couple hundred degrees it helps the penetration and weld flow. I have the same little lincoln mig and love the machine bit that job would have been a stick job.

[@Deutschehordenelite]

Duty cycle on the welder is usually for 10 minutes. So 20% = 2m welding, 8m cooling

[@jeffpicken5057]

Love the Thrivent Live Generously t-shirt Craig is sporting! I think I’ve seen one or two of those previously on your channel. I used to work for Thrivent and worked on the project that facilitated the Action Teams programs where these t-shirts are given away.

[@watershedoverlook]

They looked like good beads to me, Neil!

[@wallyzworld7108]

I would recommend you check out Express Steel attachments. They are local to you. I've had one of their grapples for my tractor for years and it works great. Use it with all the downed trees on the property around here.

[@goptools]

Hi Neil. If your weld held up, then it's a good weld. Not everyone can make beautiful, stacked dimes every time. I rarely do. Love that shop. That is what I need! I have to find a suitable property first.

[@tommywebster3818]

Waiting anxiously for the “60x80” series videos!!! 🤣👍

[@digdrivediy]

Might be a little bit of a wait. I'm in the "just thinking about it" phase...

[@derekfannin5939]

If you looking for a stick welder look at longevity welders,it runs on 110v or 220v. I’ve had mine for like 4 years and love it

[@argee55]

That skid-steer is really coming in handy!

[@DougMartin-y4z]

You’re living the life most of us would love to have.

[@glennheath6150]

I was just thinking how brave you are for showing your welding when you brought that up. Braver man than I am!

[@TripleTAcres]

Great video Neil!

[@drumphil21]

I would love to see your skid loader painted (eventually) in the same scheme as the rest of your trucks (whenever that happens).....same base color, same stripes, your DDD logo for Dig Drive DIY and a QR code so no matter where you go with the equipment people can find your KZbin channel.

[@ianmckay1780]

Good work on that grapple. That was some thick tree, and the chainsaw was impressive. The skill shown is testament to the guys in the TEAM, that makes all the difference. Team-work solves many problems before they arise. Nice ending too, could be foreshadowing the girls at a later date. From UK.

[@ITBlanka]

You are surrounded by good people. I'm not surprised, though. Have a blessed week.

[@fricknjeep]

hi there nice show and building , best to all john

[@collindiggs]

I’ve got a friend that has a boiler like you use except the top of it opens instead of using the front door on, he loads it with a skid steer with a grapple and loads entire logs into it he can place like 4ft logs into it and doesn’t have to deal with busting up firewood.

[@bramverkleij8844]

Great watch, thank you.

[@TowMater603]

your welds are better than mine.. so with that said... you done good Neil. atta boy ! haha

[@ALZ2526]

Neil, welds did the job got done what you needed that makes them perfect! Enjoying my DDD hat but that T-shirt looks mighty comfortable.

[@digdrivediy]

Those Tees are actually really comfy I must say! That for rocking a DDD hat!

[@EquipmentRevivalYT]

Great Video as always Neil! If you are looking to buy a grapple bucket of your own, i would highly recommend one from Joe’s Attachment’s made in Iowa. I have been extremely happy with their attachments on my CTL!

[@DanO530.8]

Nice learning to know how to use pulleys for falling and tree cuts definitely a system for sure

[@edsecorr7812]

Great job keep up the great work love your videos thank you

[@alainacallahan5030]

My part of Texas is called The Livable Forest. We just endured a hurricane that took a toll on our trees. You could get enough firewood for a decade. Sadly, it will probably end up in a chipper. Beautiful, hundred year old trees deserve a more dignified ending.

[@jkane121]

You need to get one of those skid steer mounted firewood processors!!

[@rogerr1296]

On your welder, I'm an Amateur (with a capital A...lol) welder but, I have a Lincoln 215 mpi and really like it. It's a multi process welder (MIG, TIG and stick) that does both 110v and 220v. You might prefer something that's dedicated to one process to avoid the Jack of all trades, master of none thing but, it does a great job for the DIY type welder for sure. Thanks for another enjoyable video. Take care.

[@richardwhite3711]

@ <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="34">00:34</a> I would call that a full on Kleeman ! LMAO

[@EmmanuelDespres-bz7rq]

Bonjour Neil. Super vidéo. Il faut effectivement veiller au bon entretien du matériel qui travaille à l’effort. Sympathique couple de bûcherons et bonne information concernant la technique d’abattage. Passez un bon dimanche.

[@digdrivediy]

Merci

[@AlexeiTetenov]

Thanks for sharing!

[@EdBrumley]

Great job!

[@richryan8904]

Just about to watch. This looks like a GREAT one!!

[@jordanbarlow2097]

Duty cycle on welders go off 10 minute increments. So a 20% duty cycle means it can run continuously for 2 minutes and needs to cool down for 8 minutes until it can be used again!

[@Lifeisgoodpeople-cj8pl]

The compact track loader is called a skid steer great vid

[@digdrivediy]

I call it both CTL and skid loader. When I hear "skid steer" I think of something on wheels.

[@johnnylindsey5808]

Good job guys

[@RangieNZ]

The 20% duty cycle on the welder, will be at max current setting. At lower current settings, the duty cycle will be higher. The sticker on the back will include the duty cycle at probably 3 different current settings.

[@dadzilla13]

Great job Sir.

[@sloeryd]

I’m not a welder either but someone once told me that if you need to weld thick metal with a small welder, you can preheat the metal with a torch or map gas. I have never tried it so I can not claim that it works. Sorry if this comment was already made be someone else. Have a blessed day my friend.

[@thomasfruge]

Good Job 👍👍😀

[@frankbeale5921]

Check out grapples made by W.R. Long. I have one on my Kubota tractor and have more than abused it over the last five years and never had even a crack. It is designed more like what you were describing.

[@michaelmartin3475]

Hey man you need to weld it with some 7018 rods and beef it up it would be good

[@MikeCastle-cw2im]

Good Morning from Kentucky!

[@digdrivediy]

Morning!

[@bubbakemp5817]

Good morning from Texas!

[@SOSPainting]

That white oak is gold 😍

[@all_the_moga]

Whoa! That unload got sketchy for a sec there :P :D

[@Tdale85]

Good morning Neil!

[@bradleonard1865]

You should do a post frame build collaboration with Kyle at RR Builders.

[@Oklahoman-in6ph]

Great video! See ya on the next one neighbor!

[@peterreed2685]

Definitely need an upgraded welder for that size material. I would highly recommend a miller 211 for MIG. If you are looking to expand into TIG their multi process welders like the 250 are really good too. But pricey.

[@dennishill3463]

Thanks 👍

[@terrancesnyder9323]

Good morning & God bless you all

[@bobme2787]

My sister was taking night classes to get her bachelor's degree in nursing. She had to spend the weekend on a mercy flight helicopter crew. Anyways a guy was on a tractor trying to push a tree over. The tree ended up coming towards him and he got hurt very badly. She said that it was ugly

[@digdrivediy]

That's the risk of pushing for sure!

[@stephenjones6446]

If you want a grapple go to Jenkins Iron and Steel. Good price, unreal HD grapple.

[@milt7348]

Stay safe and we'll see you next time.

[@tgmod]

Check out a lincoln buzzbox arc welder if you want a 220 welder that's inexpensive and won't be a big deal if it's not used as much. You can usually find them used pretty cheap.

[@johnpyle8027]

When you're not the best welder you just have to be a good grinder! That has been my experience. I have The 180 amp 110/220 version of that welder and I am a heck of a grinder! 🙄

[@RussW.]

"Welds held...you know what that means".....psh, psh, psh 😂😂😂😂

[@stromxtc2033]

As the late Dr Ruth might say, "You may have a little case of shop envy" 😢

[@jr487]

I struggled with a 110 welder for years. Had a structural welder tell me he won't use anything less than a 220 welder. Moved to the Lincoln 220 machine and will never go back

[@keithfrazier2558]

Grinder and paint makes me the welder I ain't.

[@jamesharrod8733]

i have a little 110 welder myself since i do not have 220 vac avail, but it does ok , and i am out of practice also

[@waynem4844]

Another good video...

[@alanbierhoff6831]

To quote Matt from Diesel Creek: A grinder and paint make me the welder I ain’t

[@ian3580]

That quote has been around longer than Matt has been alive

[@frankrobinson8133]

remember, a grinder and paint make you the welder you aint!

[@halliwilljon]

Hauled 2 loads home yesterday similar to that myself.

[@davidepperson2376]

Fun video! And hey - next time you have an extra GoPro laying around, why don’t you keep it in your tractors if you manage it on a magnet far end of a stoop or a grapple or whatever you can take a look at your phone figure out what that far in minutes of the attachment is doing.

[@digdrivediy]

Good idea

[@paulatkinson2849]

Welds don't have to look pretty as long as they hold 👍

[@NathanaelVolgren]

Check out paladin attachments log grapple. Extremely heavy duty.

[@HaanFarmsLLC1948Ford8N]

You need to get a John Deere grapple they are really good we have two 331g and they work great

[@juansolis968]

Buen vídeo gracias 🙏

[@chris3m98]

I would not have cut the main part of the tree down. I would have made a family welcoming totem pole out of it. I think it would still be there for another family to enjoy? The Pacific Northwest people have them. They could have been the FIRST in the Midwest. Did anyone say how old was the tree?

[@tjw4947]

"A grinder and paint makes me the welder I aint!" John @ Farmcraft 101

[@ian3580]

That's not his quote - that quote has been around a LOOOONG time

[@tjw4947]

@@ian3580 Indeed.