How to get big rounds on truck?

ja1724 · Oct 26, 2011

Ok, maybe this is a dumb question but I do alot of cutting in the woods by myself and many times I'll come across some big diameter trees. Like right now I'm working a 28" diameter red oak and a 30" diameter white oak. The problem is, after bucking them into 16-18" rounds they still weigh somewhere in the 250lb range. I can lift a few into my truck but then my back and legs say "no more".

Now I know the obvious answers here like - bring a helper or cut smaller wood but does anybody out there have any creative solutions for getting big rounds on your truck when you're alone?

Thanks much.

Shindaiwa 488 Pro 18" bar
Husky 576XP 24" bar

audible fart · Oct 26, 2011

Put your maul and wedge assortments in a strong metal whelbarrow. Half or quarter the big unmanagable ones. Problem solved. That's how Paincow rolls.

shelbythedog · Oct 26, 2011

Put that 576 on a diet of noodles.

blades · Oct 26, 2011

I have a 500 lbs lift from harbor freight that slips in the receiver hitch. 12 volt winch is what provides the motion. Also have another small portable 12v winch to drag stuff out or over to Truck. ( faster than the come-a-longs, but they have their place also)

Mill_wannabe · Oct 26, 2011

blades, can you post a link to that lift? It sounds interesting, but I couldn't find it searching around.

A pic would be great, too!

dingeryote · Oct 26, 2011

Easiest way is to noodle them into quarters.

That way it's easier to unload them and wrangle them onto the splitter later.

Ramps and rolling them works too, but then you're still stuck unloading them.

Noodles. They're not just for lunch anymore.LOL!!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

Aaron441 · Oct 26, 2011

Buy a trailer with ramps. I use an old skid steer trailer to haul wood. It had folding ramps. I can roll some very big pieces up onto the trailer that way. Depending on how tall your truck is, you might be able to roll stuff up a ramp into it.
There was also a guy on here the other day with pictures of a truck with a Tommy Gate on the back. That would work great if you could get one of those cheap.

peterc38 · Oct 26, 2011

Either noodle them or use a ramp. I prefer to use a ramp (2 x 12) because I can just roll 'em off when I get home and split the big rounds down to size in vertical mode. Also, may seem obvious, but when using a ramp to roll 'em up, try to park truck downhill, makes it a little easier.

ccarpen4753 · Oct 26, 2011

Search through the threads for lifts or cranes and you will find several different designs and methods.

kyle1! · Oct 26, 2011

winch

This was on a chevy box trailer but a simple hand crank winch and ramp works well. Loaded some large pieces, 36in dia by 4ft long, hackberry with this simple setup.

Brian

ja1724 · Oct 26, 2011

audible fart said:
Put your maul and wedge assortments in a strong metal whelbarrow. Half or quarter the big unmanagable ones. Problem solved. That's how Paincow rolls.

Thanks, I shoulda thought of this. Sometimes the big greenies are a bear to split though.

shelbythedog said:
Put that 576 on a diet of noodles.

Those ripcut/noodle chains make me a bit nervous. All the ones I've looked at say "not for handheld use".

blades said:
I have a 500 lbs lift from harbor freight that slips in the receiver hitch. 12 volt winch is what provides the motion. Also have another small portable 12v winch to drag stuff out or over to Truck. ( faster than the come-a-longs, but they have their place also)

Thanks blades. I've come up with what I think will be a fairly cheap hitch mount manual winch hoist. Looks like it's time to bust out the welder...

fast*st · Oct 26, 2011

I've been using a set of long motorcycle ramps from Tractor Supply, they're longer than the HF ones and have a bit of an arch. I roll the ones I can roll, the rest I'll take a rope to a pulley on the headache rack, over the log from the top and back to the rack to give some mechanical advantage and roll them up.

cnice_37 · Oct 26, 2011

Noodles. No added equipment necessary. Just cut, let the muffler breathe, and give the saw a break if the rounds are too big during the cut.

ja1724 · Oct 26, 2011

ccarpen4753 said:
Search through the threads for lifts or cranes and you will find several different designs and methods.

I have a design in mind but I will do a search and look. Maybe there are some that will be easier than what I'm thinking. Thanks.

Dalmatian90 · Oct 26, 2011

Those ripcut/noodle chains make me a bit nervous.

Different things.

Noodling is done with a regular chain.

Pics to follow shortly...

...OK, the nice things about a home office:

Here's a conventional cross cut:

This is a rip cut, cockeyed rip cut but good enough to illustrate the principle:

This is a noodle cut:

I guess it's sort of like how pilots have roll, pitch, and yaw...we have cross, rip, and noodle as the three primary directions of a chainsaw

Guido Salvage · Oct 26, 2011

Why not use the tractor with the bucket? :hmm3grin2orange:

If that is not an option, I would use a ramp or just split them in half or quarters to get to a manageable size. A Monster Maul works well for this. My personal preference is to move as large a piece as possible from the cutting site as it means I am handling fewer pieces.

ja1724 · Oct 26, 2011

shelbythedog said:
Put that 576 on a diet of noodles.

dingeryote said:
Easiest way is to noodle them into quarters.

That way it's easier to unload them and wrangle them onto the splitter later.

Ramps and rolling them works too, but then you're still stuck unloading them.

Noodles. They're not just for lunch anymore.LOL!!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

Just watched some videos on noodling. I've done this before just didn't know that was what it was called. Probably the easiest way to go. This doesn't dull the chain out any faster does it?

dingeryote · Oct 26, 2011

ja1724 said:
Just watched some videos on noodling. I've done this before just didn't know that was what it was called. Probably the easiest way to go. This doesn't dull the chain out any faster does it?

Nope! Dosn't dull it more than any other cutting will. Have at it with no worries.

If you kinda offset the cut a little from dead nuts paralell with the grain, the noodles will be shorter and not clog up the clutch cover as bad, if that becomes and issue.

Keeping the powerhead 2-3" from the round helps too. Gives the noodles room to fall instead of going into the clutch cover.
Big Dawgs are nice for this.

If you're noodling giant stuff, give the saw a cool down break every 5Min. or so. Just let it idle and cool a bit.

Good luck to ya!!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

sunfish · Oct 26, 2011

I split and quarter in the woods, if I can't lift.

I noodle if I can't split with a maul.

OhioGregg · Oct 26, 2011

ja1724 said:
Ok, maybe this is a dumb question but I do alot of cutting in the woods by myself and many times I'll come across some big diameter trees. Like right now I'm working a 28" diameter red oak and a 30" diameter white oak. The problem is, after bucking them into 16-18" rounds they still weigh somewhere in the 250lb range. I can lift a few into my truck but then my back and legs say "no more".

Now I know the obvious answers here like - bring a helper or cut smaller wood but does anybody out there have any creative solutions for getting big rounds on your truck when you're alone?

Thanks much.

Shindaiwa 488 Pro 18" bar
Husky 576XP 24" bar

May be old fashion, but its the way I do it.

I will on occasion, noodle cut them, if they are particularly gnarly. Good old sledge & wedge!

Gregg,

How to get big rounds on truck?

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