Hauling wood manually

[Dr. Bootlegger]

I've got my chainsaw (Dolmar 5100), my splitting axe (Fiskars) and 16 acres of mature deciduous forest to feed my wood stove heater. My only problem now is how to get the wood from the land to the wood shed. The land is all on a steep ridge. I've cut some footpaths into it but nothing I can get a motorized vehicle on. I have tons of deadfall but need to figure out how to haul it to the house after I cut it into rounds for splitting. I'm thinking either a dually wheelbarrow or a wagon. Anyone have advice on whether its easier to push or pull your wood out of the woods with your own muscle? Any suggestions on a cart or wagon that will roll most easily over rough, uneven terrain?

 

[Billy_Bob]

Horse logging?....
http://www.ruralheritage.com/logging_camp/index.htm

Cable yarding...
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/visser/cable_logging/howitworks.htm

 

[habanero]

Horse logging?....
http://www.ruralheritage.com/logging_camp/index.htm

That's what I was going to say, but somehow I doubt that's going to be a workable solution.

Bootlegger-you say your timber is on a ridge. Is it above or below where your house is. If it's above, there are a lot more options than if it's below.

 

[olyman]

billy bob--cable yarding---maybe we could get him a steam donkey up there?????????:greenchainsaw: :greenchainsaw: :greenchainsaw:

 

[PA Plumber]

Here ya go...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Black-Canvas-Fi...ryZ79649QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And if you want to double your capacity, you could get two!!!



I know this really doesn't help.:greenchainsaw:

 

[ents]

Here ya go...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Black-Canvas-Fi...ryZ79649QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And if you want to double your capacity, you could get two!!!



I know this really doesn't help.:greenchainsaw:

But I got a chuckle out of it.

 

[Dr. Bootlegger]

My house is midway up the ridge. I'm building a good trail that runs level with my house the length of the property, so wood up high I can roll down to the main trail and wood below I'll haul up the trail. But then I want a wheeled contraption to haul it from the trail back to the house (that damned wheel was a great invention, no canvas bags for this caveman).

I see ads for all kinds of carts, wheelbarrows and wagons and I'm sure some work better than others. My two biggest unknowns are:
1) Is it, in your experience, easier to push or pull a load over a trail.
2) Are bigger wheels preferable to smaller ones.
Then there is the obvious question about which manufacturers/brands are more durable. I suspect the $50 wagon at Walmart isn't as good as the $120 wagon at Farm Supply Co.

I've arleady invested money in good cutting equipment and I want to do the same with my hauling apparatus.

And yeah, I wish I had a mule to haul it with.

 

[Stihlboy088]

Winch it

Capstan or lewis winch might work iv'e used capstans before, as long as you have an unlimited rope supply and good anchors you can move alot of wood. "A little bit slow but sure is a back saver". A skidding cone with chain or cable chokers would also be a good investment. Hauling wood out by hand ain't all that fun and your going to need all the energy you can spare to swing that axe. check out www.novajack.com

Dave,
_______________________
Stihl 360 Pro, Stihl 260 Pro, Husky 372XP, Jonsered 2165 turbo

 

[wdchuck]

Stihlboy088, that's a nifty setup, wonder how well it all works on a decent grade.

 

[Dr. Bootlegger]

Capstan or lewis winch might work iv'e used capstans before, as long as you have an unlimited rope supply and good anchors you can move alot of wood. "A little bit slow but sure is a back saver". A skidding cone with chain or cable chokers would also be a good investment. Hauling wood out by hand ain't all that fun and your going to need all the energy you can spare to swing that axe. check out www.novajack.com

The trail is too narrow for a 4-wheeler. I'd need a half mile of rope to reach the end of my property.

 

[Stihlboy088]

well

just cut the logs long, buy a reel of rope and set different anhcor points. if you just use that set up there is no need for the trailer until you get on stable ground.
Dave

 

[Stihlboy088]

my advice is to look at hydraulic log splitters too, i get real sick of my axes and maul after only a couple of days.

 

[Dr. Bootlegger]

Right now I"m in a "I'm doing this for the excercise" mode. Both my neighbors offered to loan me there splitters so I may take them up on it as time goes by.

I'll look into the cost of a power wench, but if I spend too much more money the whole idea of "free" heating begins to go begging.

 

[Stihlboy088]

Excerise?

"Exercise - Well make a leather harness, attach rope to the back of it, tie the other end to the log and start running then you'd have yourself a mule." (Tee Hee) I don't know but have you thought about caulks pretty much a must if your working on hills with a good slope on em' and does your Good Cutting equipment, (dolmars are good saws) include the use of proper PPE Chaps? Helmet? It's probably easier to manually pull instead of push, think rickshaw style with two big wheels go with steel for the frame and sides with two long handles for a yoke, just don't overload yourself. "i still think swingin' that axe is going to be more than enough exercie" i think jonsered makes someting called an iron mule dont know how big it is or how much it costs but it's basically a powered, and tracked cart. check otu the thread, What i use delivering firewood, maybe a modified hand truck or dolly could work too.

 

[upandcommer]

I have used on of the metal 1000 lb. wagons from tsc and they work great i forget what i paid for it but i think it wasn't more than 100 bucks i used mine till the handle broke currently looking for a new one you can heap the wood on them and the wagon just asks for more.

 

[Dr. Bootlegger]

"Exercise - Well make a leather harness, attach rope to the back of it, tie the other end to the log and start running then you'd have yourself a mule." (Tee Hee) I don't know but have you thought about caulks pretty much a must if your working on hills with a good slope on em' and does your Good Cutting equipment, (dolmars are good saws) include the use of proper PPE Chaps? Helmet? It's probably easier to manually pull instead of push, think rickshaw style with two big wheels go with steel for the frame and sides with two long handles for a yoke, just don't overload yourself. "i still think swingin' that axe is going to be more than enough exercie" i think jonsered makes someting called an iron mule dont know how big it is or how much it costs but it's basically a powered, and tracked cart. check otu the thread, What i use delivering firewood, maybe a modified hand truck or dolly could work too.

Indeed it does, bought some Husky chaps and I already had the other safety gear.

There are some carts that look like they can both pushed and pulled and I'm thinking of pairing one with a wagon.

Thanks for the input.

 

[logbutcher]

You've got 16 a. of valuable hardwoods to cultivate and manage down there. The saw and PPE are a good start for firewood harvesting, but the hardwoods will have more value mapped out for harvesting both for firewood ( useless for anything BUT firewood) and other valuable trees for veneer, sawlogs, pulp, or other markets. There are many books on Forestry, managing a small woodlot, and marketing timber.
Get a Consulting Forester maybe at your university, to look over your woodlot, and give you a more scientific approach to harvesting. Get or make a contour topographic to plan trails for an ATV. While an ATV won't go "anywhere" , they pretty much cover ground that skidders and tractors cannot. We harvest our very rough 60 a. with an ATV and small trailer, getting 6-7 cords of firewood plus many cords of softwoods for pulp sale each year. We fell, buck, and trailer the butts out of the lot. Trail making is hard and fun, leaving the woodlot passable for running, walking, cutting, skiing, hunting. I save an old chain for cutting stumps to ground level; dangerous BTW. They need barely 4' wide path.
Working ATV's are used all over the world for fence management, herding, downhill ski grooming and cleanup. We have a Honda Foreman that's been hard used and trouble-free in all weather for 7 years...and it doesn't need to be fed, sheltered at night, or see a vet. Used ones are not hard to get.
Good luck.
Oh yes, I forgot: even seasoned hardwood firewood is heavy. Pulling it out manually with the best wide wheeled cart wood ( ) not be much fun. Save your body for felling, bucking, humping onto a trailer, spliting, stacking, burning.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Dr. Bootlegger]

You've got 16 a. of valuable hardwoods to cultivate and manage down there. The saw and PPE are a good start for firewood harvesting, but the hardwoods will have more value mapped out for harvesting both for firewood ( useless for anything BUT firewood) and other valuable trees for veneer, sawlogs, pulp, or other markets. There are many books on Forestry, managing a small woodlot, and marketing timber.
Get a Consulting Forester maybe at your university, to look over your woodlot, and give you a more scientific approach to harvesting. Get or make a contour topographic to plan trails for an ATV. While an ATV won't go "anywhere" , they pretty much cover ground that skidders and tractors cannot. We harvest our very rough 60 a. with an ATV and small trailer, getting 6-7 cords of firewood plus many cords of softwoods for pulp sale each year. We fell, buck, and trailer the butts out of the lot. Trail making is hard and fun, leaving the woodlot passable for running, walking, cutting, skiing, hunting. I save an old chain for cutting stumps to ground level; dangerous BTW. They need barely 4' wide path.
Working ATV's are used all over the world for fence management, herding, downhill ski grooming and cleanup. We have a Honda Foreman that's been hard used and trouble-free in all weather for 7 years...and it doesn't need to be fed, sheltered at night, or see a vet. Used ones are not hard to get.
Good luck.
Oh yes, I forgot: even seasoned hardwood firewood is heavy. Pulling it out manually with the best wide wheeled cart wood ( ) not be much fun. Save your body for felling, bucking, humping onto a trailer, spliting, stacking, burning.:hmm3grin2orange:

Thanks for the vote of support. I'm looking forward to managing the land. I already have top maps and surveyors plat of the lot. I think ridge is too steep for a 4' wide path. I like the idea of those power carts. I've been told about DR and Jonesred, any other power cart suggestions.
I am planning to take some of the big oaks that are too near the house and use the wood for an addition on the house, but that is the 10-year plan.

 

[Basso]

I've got the solution

Hey Dr. Bootlegger,

I've got the solution to your problem. Now you're going to have to put out a few bucks, but with all the money that you will save over the years on heating costs, it's a no-brainer !!!! Get yourself a DR Powerwagon...it's a motorized wheelbarrow that has a 6hp motor to drive it. Go to the DR website and check it out. If you put on a little higher sides, it should haul a good bit of wood in one trip...a heck of a lot easier than pushing a wheelbarrow by hand !!!! The website says that it was originally designed for hauling firewood...right up your alley !!!!

Basso

 

[Fuzly]

1) Is it, in your experience, easier to push or pull a load over a trail.
2) Are bigger wheels preferable to smaller ones.

1)I'm thinking pull, but you'll have more control over the load if you're pushing it.

2)Bigger wheels roll easier.

I can't remember where I saw the infomercial, but if that DR cart works half as good as in their video, it may be the perfect tool for you.

However, if you're "in it for the exercise" pushing a wheelbarrow full of wood up a hill a few times a day will have you "harder than an ole pine knot" in no time, and you'll be able to whup any spandex clad healthclub weenie.