Best way for ME to move logs?

[fields_mj]

I'm looking for some ideas. The woods that I deer hunt and cut firewood on is getting logged right now. It's just a select cut, so they are only taking the stuff that's in their size range, and they aren't doing any clean up. Lots of tops left. Enough to last me 10 years if it didn't rot. Most of this farm/woods is a couple of very deep, steep ravines. Now that the loader has made some new logging roads, I'm going to have an easier time accessing them than I otherwise would have, but I'm still going to have a hard time getting a truck in to most of it. I have a 2003 yamaha big bear 400 that I normally use to retrieve deer, and drag smaller logs out, but on some of the big stuff (they are only taking the trunks) that they are leaving, I'd spend all day trying to drag a few limbs out. I have a small 4 wheel trailer that I use around the house to haul firewood up from the stacks out back. It's one of those cheap ones that you can buy at TSC with the 10" pneumatic tires. I've found the hard way that it won't actually haul anything close to the 1000 lbs that it's rated at. Anyway, I'm looking for suggestions and ideas for getting the wood out. That would be better ways to drag it (currently its the ATV and a log chain) or better ways to haul it out once it's been cut to length. Hauling it out once it's cut sounds better to me so that I'm not destroying my saw chains on dirty wood. I don't mind having to build something, but I'd like to keep the cost under $150.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[Bucko]

look into log arches

 

[TreePointer]

:agree2:

Log arches can be expensive, but if you fab your own, you can save some money.

I'll also throw in skidding cone systems to get the log up from ravines/hills. I have this one but haven't been able to use it yet:

Portable Winch Skidding Cone Kit
Portable Winch 20" Skidding Cone

http://www.novajack.com/en/0101_04.htm

 

[jrr344]

THis should get your logs out and very inexpensive compared to a new one http://cgi.ebay.com/Caterpillar-CAT...ultDomain_0&hash=item3a623d2e62#ht_500wt_1156

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Perhaps you can modify the trailer you have. The junk yards sell space saver spares for cheap and the spindles as well. The spindles come off the rear axle of front wheel drive cars and have four bolt holes. The local junk yard uses two of them on their wheel barrows in the u-wrench-it lot. If you can weld you could cut down two rear axles and build a tandem axle trailer for your quad, similar to the commercial atv trailers. I use a Thule 1600 and pull it with a 330 Magnum 4x4, mostly on pretty flat ground. I also use a log arch but for tops a trailer is probably better. Good luck, cut and stack til you come up with something.

 

[Junkfxr]

Try this or better yet, make your own.
http://www.montanajacks.com/montanajacksquadskidderwchainkit.aspx

or

http://www.logsled.com/

 

[wdchuck]

Hey guys, I went searching for the home-made yarder setup thread from last year but the new AS doesn't allow forum specific searching.

The yarder would work great for this member since he's in a sloped environment even though the setup would take a bit of time in the beginning.

Can anyone help locate the thread, the pictures in it would make the idea more clear.

Thanks guys.

 

[darkbyrd]

I think this was already posted, but I have to second it, http://www.portablewinch.com/en/ , with the cone. Get a good rope to go with it, and it's awesome. As for the dirty logs, I have a "crummy" chain I use for the job. It's a lot easier for me to skid a few logs with the tractor and buck them at the splitter than make 20 trips with 16" pieces in the grapple. Sure, the chain cuts OK when sharp and goes to crap quick, but I can usually get my morning's load cut to size on one sharpening.

The winch also makes a whole lot more wood easy. Ravines, blow downs, "persuading" leaning trees to go the "right" way. Worth it's weight in gold.

p.s. get some pulleys and straps, and you can rig up a block-and-tackle in the field to move bigger ones, or trees that are stuck in the dirt.

Did I mention I love the portable winch?

 

[TMFARM 2009]

find an old 250 gallon pull type sprayer on craigslist etc. most farmers dont use that small a sprayer any more.... remove the tank and booms and use the cart as a log arch.heres the one i use with my small tractors.

View attachment 172072
View attachment 172073

most of these will sell for about a $100.00

 

[no tree to big]

Hey guys, I went searching for the home-made yarder setup thread from last year but the new AS doesn't allow forum specific searching.

The yarder would work great for this member since he's in a sloped environment even though the setup would take a bit of time in the beginning.

Can anyone help locate the thread, the pictures in it would make the idea more clear.

Thanks guys.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=131298&highlight=yarder+setup

Is this the one?
anyway on the searching deal if you click on advanced search it will pop a screen that has two tabs "search single content type" and "search multiple content types" it defaults to multiple if you toggle over to single it allows that forum specific search your talking about

 

[wdchuck]

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=131298&highlight=yarder+setup

Is this the one?
anyway on the searching deal if you click on advanced search it will pop a screen that has two tabs "search single content type" and "search multiple content types" it defaults to multiple if you toggle over to single it allows that forum specific search your talking about

Close, but not the one.

Poor mans yarder or zip line is getting warmer though.

The originator of the thread had some good photos of his setup in the first post and the thread was in the latter half of 2010 in the firewood forum.

 

[fields_mj]

THis should get your logs out and very inexpensive compared to a new one http://cgi.ebay.com/Caterpillar-CAT...ultDomain_0&hash=item3a623d2e62#ht_500wt_1156

Heck yeah, at that price, I'll buy two if they've got them..... :jester:

I must be missing something with those cones. $400 for a piece of plastic and some chain???

I like those skidding plates. I may have to try making one of those.

Maybe this would be a good time for me to get a winch for the truck. I have one on the ATV, but looking at the yarding stuff it seems like I would spend half the day trying to set something up to drag out one top. I have a 2" receiver on both bumpers, as well as some pretty solid mounting points for shackles on the truck. The only down side is that it's an extended cab long bed, so it doesn't turn on a dime. If we get another good hard freeze (without the ice and snow this time) maybe I can get back to some of it. Otherwise, I'll have to wait until things dry out this summer.

Mark

 

[STLfirewood]

I would do it a little different. I would go and skin a bunch of tops. By skinning them I mean cut them where they get to small on the ends and cut the main forks. By cutting the main forks they are not so spread out. This will leave you with a bunch of crooked poles. When you think you have skinned enough go skin double that amount. Then I would go to the rental yard and get a track skid steer and a grapple. If you have everything skinned and a path to all your tops you can get everything out you need pretty quick. It might cost around $300 for the machine and grapple but the time and energy saved will be well worth it. The best thing is the wood is clean because of the grapple. Move the wood to an area you can get you truck. Another idea is to hire someone with a skid steer and a grapple. There are a lot of guys that will work their machines cheap right now. There was a guy on craigslist that would run his machine for $30 an hour. That is him and the machine. That is really cheap. That is the way I would do it.

 

[fields_mj]

That would be alright if I were going to sell any of the wood, but this is just for my own heat. $300 just isn't in the budget. If it were that or haul it out 6 pcs at a time on the back of the quad, then I'd be putting a lot of hours on the quad....

Next time I talk to the land owner, I may ask him if he's thought about selling any fire wood. If so, I'll offer to help him in exchange for the use of his little 40 hp 4x4 tractor with a front loader. It would be much more agile and able to get to the wood and drag/haul it out in a number of ways. Otherwise, any money I spend will have to be put towards something that I'll be able to get a lot of use out of in the years to come. I figure that I'll be able to cut and use this wood for the next 2 or 3 years, and then it will be too rotten. After that, this woods will pretty much dry up for firewood as most of the sizable hardwood is going to be gone. So, I'm going to try to make the most of my time while I can.

 

[TreePointer]

I must be missing something with those cones. $400 for a piece of plastic and some chain???

The cone itself is a rugged piece (much better than I expected). The $400 kit is much more than the cone and chain.

See link: http://www.novajack.com/en/0101_04.htm

The Baileys kit is similar, but not exactly the same.

I'm not saying you should get the cone or entire kit. Just giving you ideas on what some use with their ATV's.

 

[TreePointer]

I really like the tractor idea. This is the 43 hp model I use for harvesting treetops:

If you've never run a tractor before, be very careful near slopes and hills. One wheel off the ground can mean a roll-over with their higher center of gravity.

 

[dingeryote]

Just a wild hair suggestion.

Get things gathered up into piles with the Quad.

Then go buy yourself a used loader tractor and haul the stuff up where you are going to process it, and then sell the Tractor....if you can bring yourself to do it.

Be carefull with heavy trailer loads behind the quad on those hills.
A 4 wheel trailer loaded with a ton or more of wood will pull easy enough, but stopping on a downhill is another matter. On ice and snow it can be a hoot.

Good luck, and if ya come up with a Killer cart, post pics!!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[wampum]

I mainly use my tractor. But if I am going a little distance I use my Car trailer. It is pretty simple. I made an "A" frame that is about 6 foot tall and bolt the two ends in the back stake pockets. These are not tightened and allowed to swivel. I then attach my winch to the front of the trailer and the hook to the top of the "A" frame.Next I lower the "A" frame down over the end of the trailer above the log to be picked up.(do not lower the "A" frame to low,because you will be past center)

The next step is to wrap a chain around the log about two feet from the end nearest the trailer. This chain is hooked to a come-a-long or chain hoist that is attached to the "A: frame. I then pick the log up with the come-a-long.once it is about two feet off the ground,I pull the "A: frame towards the truck with the winch,this allows the log to come onto the trailer. Once I pull the "A" frame as far as I can I re-hook the winch to the chain on the log and pull it the rest of the way on the trailer. I have pulled as many as 6 to 8 logs on,on one load. Some being 16 foot long and some of the 8 footers as big as 30 inches round.

To unload I use the tractor,for the ones it will handle. For the larger ones I chain them to the tractor and pull them off the trailer

 

[GeeVee]

You have most everything you need. Just needs modified.

The winch is invaluable, the cart is the weak point. The log arch isn't great but would be nice.

I envision a dolly set of wheels, and the winch sucking the log up tight to the rack and the dolly position balancing the rest of the log.

Short lenghts of chain between eight and twenty feet can help you rig winching up logs to a safe landing without too much mud, and just keep gathering.

Someone mentioned the junkyard wheels and axles, and I suggest thats a good cheap idea even if you don't weld. You can cut and fabricate, and just present the ready to weld project to the welder.

I see used trailers on craigslist all the time that can be used as a donor to get it to a useable size for your quad.

 

[ericjeeper]

That would be alright if I were going to sell any of the wood, but this is just for my own heat. $300 just isn't in the budget. If it were that or haul it out 6 pcs at a time on the back of the quad, then I'd be putting a lot of hours on the quad....

Next time I talk to the land owner, I may ask him if he's thought about selling any fire wood. If so, I'll offer to help him in exchange for the use of his little 40 hp 4x4 tractor with a front loader. It would be much more agile and able to get to the wood and drag/haul it out in a number of ways. Otherwise, any money I spend will have to be put towards something that I'll be able to get a lot of use out of in the years to come. I figure that I'll be able to cut and use this wood for the next 2 or 3 years, and then it will be too rotten. After that, this woods will pretty much dry up for firewood as most of the sizable hardwood is going to be gone. So, I'm going to try to make the most of my time while I can.

If you do not have any money DO NOT borrow his tractor. If you poke a staub through a tire and ruin it.. You would be the one expected to replace it.if you break something you would be expected to replace it.
I suggest just making many trips with your four wheeler and wagon.