I went out to the future forestry test facility(the owners tree farm) this week and these log arches are awesome. I can't believe every tree service doesn't have one or more. The little jr. arch is only $400 and looks like it will pay for itself fast. 1 guy can pack a 16' log up to 14" diameter through a backyard gate. If your cutting/hauling firewood you can cut the wood on the pavement next to your truck, because the arch will hold the log off the ground. I hope to get a jr. this month and add the bigger ones as I can.
Log haulers
- Thread starter Greg
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Created an 8' by 45" black walnut log last week. Too heavy for a bobcat to load, so I called Mark at future forestry to see if he would demonstrate the Hugo. I'll bet the log weighed over 6000# and was in the middle of a muddy construction site. The hugo lifted the log using its 2 winches and carried it around the block behind Mark's Volvo. Not bad for a tool light enough for 3 guys to pick up and move. We set the butt of the log on a rented trailer. After positioning the Hugo in front of the trailer we used the 2 winches to pull the log the rest of the way on. When the walnut buyer saw the log he was grinning ear to ear, after he wrote me a check for $960 I was pretty happy too. I'll never look at removals in the same way.
Dan F
ArboristSite Operative
I haven't had time to read all the posts yet (just through the first page), but I haven't seen anyone mention a tracked bobcat...
An 864 with 18" dedicated rubber tracks (not tracks over tires) will have significantly less ground pressure than a man walking. Plus they will easily pick up over 4000 pounds. As long as you have a decent operator and a fairly straight shot in and out, it will work fine. If you tear up the grass, the ground won't be compacted at all, and re-seeding won't be a problem.
Talk to your local dealer about one and get some stats on it to take to the homeowner.
I did see an article in Landscape and Irrigation magazine on how ASV has developed smooth rubber tracks for this type of use. The company that helped to develop them was using them to run over golf course greens. If you can find something like that, that would probably be the best option.
Around here, the tracked skidsteer rents for ~$200/day, probably different where you are.
Dan
An 864 with 18" dedicated rubber tracks (not tracks over tires) will have significantly less ground pressure than a man walking. Plus they will easily pick up over 4000 pounds. As long as you have a decent operator and a fairly straight shot in and out, it will work fine. If you tear up the grass, the ground won't be compacted at all, and re-seeding won't be a problem.
Talk to your local dealer about one and get some stats on it to take to the homeowner.
I did see an article in Landscape and Irrigation magazine on how ASV has developed smooth rubber tracks for this type of use. The company that helped to develop them was using them to run over golf course greens. If you can find something like that, that would probably be the best option.
Around here, the tracked skidsteer rents for ~$200/day, probably different where you are.
Dan
murphy4trees
Addicted to ArboristSite
Log dolly does it again....
3o" willow log from the backyard out a 5'5" gate... 0 acces with equipment... The big log is 10' long... Also brought out a pine.. Here's the wood all lined up and ready for pick-up... 0 damage to lawn, which was plenty soft.
PLan B was to bring the log truck up the neighbors drive... squeeze it between a rock and a hard place and reach over the fence for the wood, with plenty of chaining....
The log hauler wasn't impressed... and said I was "just too cheap" to buy a skid steer.... "How often do you run into a job like that?" he asked.... Doesn't matter ro me... the thing is easy to store and move and paid for itself on its first job... 0 maintenance fits my busy schedule perfectly.... and just keeping him from rutting up the lawns with long drags saves plenty of time...
3o" willow log from the backyard out a 5'5" gate... 0 acces with equipment... The big log is 10' long... Also brought out a pine.. Here's the wood all lined up and ready for pick-up... 0 damage to lawn, which was plenty soft.
PLan B was to bring the log truck up the neighbors drive... squeeze it between a rock and a hard place and reach over the fence for the wood, with plenty of chaining....
The log hauler wasn't impressed... and said I was "just too cheap" to buy a skid steer.... "How often do you run into a job like that?" he asked.... Doesn't matter ro me... the thing is easy to store and move and paid for itself on its first job... 0 maintenance fits my busy schedule perfectly.... and just keeping him from rutting up the lawns with long drags saves plenty of time...
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Good Job, Daniel! These arches ARE amazing. The very last thing I generally do is drop the trunk. I get everything all cleaned up and chipped and leave the dropping of the trunk for the very last.... because as soon as the arch is hooked up I let my client know he can cut me a check as we'll be leaving soon.
It used to be HOURS of cutting up a log into 16" rounds, rolling them out, loading up, cleaning up a ton of sawdust, cleaning up the mess trail. Now, it's like WHUMP! and within 10 minutes I'm outta there. Sometimes I just tow it to my next job, park it on the street and proceed into my next tree job. Stands out as pretty good advertising. Here's an image I dug up. -TM-
It used to be HOURS of cutting up a log into 16" rounds, rolling them out, loading up, cleaning up a ton of sawdust, cleaning up the mess trail. Now, it's like WHUMP! and within 10 minutes I'm outta there. Sometimes I just tow it to my next job, park it on the street and proceed into my next tree job. Stands out as pretty good advertising. Here's an image I dug up. -TM-
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Versatility and efficiency
Did you know it can haul a pile of sawn, stacked and stickered planks as easy as a log? Check this out. -TM-
Did you know it can haul a pile of sawn, stacked and stickered planks as easy as a log? Check this out. -TM-
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Getting through gates
Getting back to Arborguy's earlier question about getting through gates. I would normally opt for Tom Dunlap's temporary removal of the chain link, or fence panels, but in this little story and image, there was ivy all over the chain link, and was rooted right at the base of the post. Three feet or so was all we had as far as clearance.
As the image shows, my helper and I got the big arch into the back yard by tipping it up sideways and rolling it in on one tire. This was easy.
We hooked the cable around the beautiful, perfect saw log exact middle, so it balanced. Winched it up, and together we pushed the arch and log as far as we could to the fence opening. We placed 4 or 5 of the roundest pieces of smaller diameter limb wood under the log, and lowered the awesome log down onto them. Then we unhooked the cable and turned the arch around facing the opposite direction and hooked the cable back onto the log about 3/4 of the way back. We winched it back up, just up off the back roller pieces. The front of the log was still heavy, but on 'rollers', and we were able to push the log (with the assistance of the backwards-facing arch) to where about a quarter of the log was through the fence opening. We replaced the 'rollers' back under the log, lowered it down and un-cabled it.
Then we tipped the arch sideways and got it out of the back yard, OVER TOP of the log, learning that the big arch is not really all that heavy. With 1/4 of the fore log sticking out of the fence opening, we positioned the log arch butted up to the fence, applied the cable, winched er up, and with the tail of the log on the roller pieces, we were able to pull the log out to where 3/4 of it was now outside the fence opening.
Lower down, reposition the arch back to exact midway on the log, hoist er back up and joy, joy, joy! I wish I had the 'during' and 'after' pictures, but the sun was going down when I took the image shown. It was Winter and the sun sinks fast. It may sound like a bunch of rigamarole, but the whole process took about a half hour, I went home with a check and the satisfaction we all love of being DONE. -TM-
Getting back to Arborguy's earlier question about getting through gates. I would normally opt for Tom Dunlap's temporary removal of the chain link, or fence panels, but in this little story and image, there was ivy all over the chain link, and was rooted right at the base of the post. Three feet or so was all we had as far as clearance.
As the image shows, my helper and I got the big arch into the back yard by tipping it up sideways and rolling it in on one tire. This was easy.
We hooked the cable around the beautiful, perfect saw log exact middle, so it balanced. Winched it up, and together we pushed the arch and log as far as we could to the fence opening. We placed 4 or 5 of the roundest pieces of smaller diameter limb wood under the log, and lowered the awesome log down onto them. Then we unhooked the cable and turned the arch around facing the opposite direction and hooked the cable back onto the log about 3/4 of the way back. We winched it back up, just up off the back roller pieces. The front of the log was still heavy, but on 'rollers', and we were able to push the log (with the assistance of the backwards-facing arch) to where about a quarter of the log was through the fence opening. We replaced the 'rollers' back under the log, lowered it down and un-cabled it.
Then we tipped the arch sideways and got it out of the back yard, OVER TOP of the log, learning that the big arch is not really all that heavy. With 1/4 of the fore log sticking out of the fence opening, we positioned the log arch butted up to the fence, applied the cable, winched er up, and with the tail of the log on the roller pieces, we were able to pull the log out to where 3/4 of it was now outside the fence opening.
Lower down, reposition the arch back to exact midway on the log, hoist er back up and joy, joy, joy! I wish I had the 'during' and 'after' pictures, but the sun was going down when I took the image shown. It was Winter and the sun sinks fast. It may sound like a bunch of rigamarole, but the whole process took about a half hour, I went home with a check and the satisfaction we all love of being DONE. -TM-
murphy4trees
Addicted to ArboristSite
TM,
you're a walking poster for the arch.... i did something similar with three pines going through a small gate by a pool... The pic shows two pines standing in backround and a couple logs on the way out... As I recall, the dolly stayed inside the pool area... once we had the log on rollers on the blacktop, they were small enough to push through by hand and then roll to the side.
I wish my dolly had a hitch for trailering and a winch... won't be hard to fabricate... just haven't gotten around to it...
If anybidy wants one, I can get one shipped for $1000 + shipping or you could pick it up here in the Philly area... Just one left
you're a walking poster for the arch.... i did something similar with three pines going through a small gate by a pool... The pic shows two pines standing in backround and a couple logs on the way out... As I recall, the dolly stayed inside the pool area... once we had the log on rollers on the blacktop, they were small enough to push through by hand and then roll to the side.
I wish my dolly had a hitch for trailering and a winch... won't be hard to fabricate... just haven't gotten around to it...
If anybidy wants one, I can get one shipped for $1000 + shipping or you could pick it up here in the Philly area... Just one left
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Y'mean like a climbing poster child? Heh, heh. I'm like you, Daniel (compliment to me...
in that if you've got a tool that is truly remarkable, ya wanna tell all your peers about it.
In this next takedown image, I took out the top, cleaned it up, set my tires and plywood and thick rubber matting ( a favorite little trick of mine for impact zone protection) and started pushing off 16" rounds.
When the trunk was standing at 17 feet, I came down (rope still secured up top), pulled out the plywood, tires and rubber matting (actually, conveyor belt material) and positioned them 17 feet, or so, away from the trunk base. I repositioned a couple of rounds in line with the fell. Then I called someone on my free firewood list and told him to come get some big-diameter, primo hard maple.
I dropped that sucker WHUMP! My finesse experiment that day, since my helper called whining that it was raining and he didn't want to work (it drizzled) was to do exactly as the image shows- drop it so the butt end was elevated, and the top end at ground level.
It went perfectly, I backed the arch over top of the log and took this shot. I attached the winch cable and ony had to crank it up a couple inches!
I went ahead and hauled the beauty to my log stow site where I Woodmizer a couple of times a year. When I got back, firewood guy was there loading up. I helped finish him load and stood in my own amazement that only three hours had transpired since I started.
Morale to the story, every one of us should feel the exhilaration of making $280 an hour. This a WAY not normal for me, but I liked it. The lawyer got home and praised me on and on for not slaughtering his lawn, and happily cut me a check. -TM-
in that if you've got a tool that is truly remarkable, ya wanna tell all your peers about it.In this next takedown image, I took out the top, cleaned it up, set my tires and plywood and thick rubber matting ( a favorite little trick of mine for impact zone protection) and started pushing off 16" rounds.
When the trunk was standing at 17 feet, I came down (rope still secured up top), pulled out the plywood, tires and rubber matting (actually, conveyor belt material) and positioned them 17 feet, or so, away from the trunk base. I repositioned a couple of rounds in line with the fell. Then I called someone on my free firewood list and told him to come get some big-diameter, primo hard maple.
I dropped that sucker WHUMP! My finesse experiment that day, since my helper called whining that it was raining and he didn't want to work (it drizzled) was to do exactly as the image shows- drop it so the butt end was elevated, and the top end at ground level.
It went perfectly, I backed the arch over top of the log and took this shot. I attached the winch cable and ony had to crank it up a couple inches!
I went ahead and hauled the beauty to my log stow site where I Woodmizer a couple of times a year. When I got back, firewood guy was there loading up. I helped finish him load and stood in my own amazement that only three hours had transpired since I started.
Morale to the story, every one of us should feel the exhilaration of making $280 an hour. This a WAY not normal for me, but I liked it. The lawyer got home and praised me on and on for not slaughtering his lawn, and happily cut me a check. -TM-
murphy4trees
Addicted to ArboristSite
Bet you get some attention driving down the road trailering that rig. 280/hr sounds sweet too.... I usually only make that when plowing snow...
Here's the after shot on the pines removal.... all lined up and ready for the log loader...
Here's the after shot on the pines removal.... all lined up and ready for the log loader...
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Togetherness
There's no question you get looked at driving down the road with a mondo log on your tail. I was rollin by a fast-food joint once, saw all the trucks from another Tree Service there, and just couldn't resist the opportunity pull through the drive-through and get a small order of fries. Talk about looks!
Your last image inspired me, Murph, as one of the many benefits of having an arch is that you can move the logs to a place where they can be dealt with more to your benefit and efficiency, rather than chunk em up and haul em out in multiple firewood pieces.
Since I break the first rule of climbing by working alone (Oh... Hi Rocky) ahem.. good thing that's a rule and not a law.
Anyway, efficiency is the name of the game in my business. The arches BECOME employees, though without all the payroll and workman's comp issues (which ARE law).
In the two images I've lumped together, employee #1 and his log is actually pulling me down a hill to a waiting employee #2. In the second image. Employee #2 has a whole buttload of logs bundled up, ready for transport. -TM-
There's no question you get looked at driving down the road with a mondo log on your tail. I was rollin by a fast-food joint once, saw all the trucks from another Tree Service there, and just couldn't resist the opportunity pull through the drive-through and get a small order of fries. Talk about looks!
Your last image inspired me, Murph, as one of the many benefits of having an arch is that you can move the logs to a place where they can be dealt with more to your benefit and efficiency, rather than chunk em up and haul em out in multiple firewood pieces.
Since I break the first rule of climbing by working alone (Oh... Hi Rocky) ahem.. good thing that's a rule and not a law.
Anyway, efficiency is the name of the game in my business. The arches BECOME employees, though without all the payroll and workman's comp issues (which ARE law).
In the two images I've lumped together, employee #1 and his log is actually pulling me down a hill to a waiting employee #2. In the second image. Employee #2 has a whole buttload of logs bundled up, ready for transport. -TM-
SilverBlue
Addicted to ArboristSite
Nice equipment, love those haulers, got to crank up the welder and make a few.
murphy4trees
Addicted to ArboristSite
I believe it was marketted as "the ultimate log dolly" and is no longer in production... Uses tongs and leverage of the long handle to do the lifting...
We easily moved a 1500-2000 lb oak log on the first job... and I think it could handle much more than that using a winch... the only apparent limit to size is diameter... the small tongs can bite up to about 30"... after that we tried big tongs but they are too long to get mcuh clearance... maybe need to get a middle sized pair.... a winch would cure that too.
The machine probably weighs about 150-200 lb. I used to break it down to move it ( into 5 sections), but now I easily load it whole into the pick-up by myself... wheels fisrt, leaving the handle out the back with a marker...
And best of all it goes over a million hours between oil changes
We easily moved a 1500-2000 lb oak log on the first job... and I think it could handle much more than that using a winch... the only apparent limit to size is diameter... the small tongs can bite up to about 30"... after that we tried big tongs but they are too long to get mcuh clearance... maybe need to get a middle sized pair.... a winch would cure that too.
The machine probably weighs about 150-200 lb. I used to break it down to move it ( into 5 sections), but now I easily load it whole into the pick-up by myself... wheels fisrt, leaving the handle out the back with a marker...
And best of all it goes over a million hours between oil changes
DadF
ArboristSite Operative
I can see some applications that were well thought out and beautifically executed. Just a ? though-if you're towing this over the road don't you need lights, plates,etc.
I'd have to do some checking but something tells me that I wouldn't be able to use a "naked" one here over the road.
I'd have to do some checking but something tells me that I wouldn't be able to use a "naked" one here over the road.
murphy4trees
Addicted to ArboristSite
In Pennsylvania I believe this would be considerred an implement of hubandry and would be exempt from tag and lights requirements as long as the unit did not originally come with lights.... I have no plan to put it on the road anytime soon... When I get a hitch I'll use it for moving heavy loads that can't be moved by hand.... and let the log loader get rid of the wood...
I do like the idea of trailering a load of smaller pieces.... maybe find someone to buy a load or two of hardwoods for firewood.
I do like the idea of trailering a load of smaller pieces.... maybe find someone to buy a load or two of hardwoods for firewood.
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
Image for my Minnesota friends
A cop here told me as long as the towed device doesn't obscure the vehicles tail lights, there are no need for tail lights on the towed device.
I usually put a red flag on the log if I'm going on any main street, and in 3 years never been pulled over. -TM-
A cop here told me as long as the towed device doesn't obscure the vehicles tail lights, there are no need for tail lights on the towed device.
I usually put a red flag on the log if I'm going on any main street, and in 3 years never been pulled over. -TM-
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
forgot the image
Whoops, here's the image for my northern friends. -TM-
Whoops, here's the image for my northern friends. -TM-
Tree Machine
Addicted to ArboristSite
adding a winch to Murph's log arch.
Hey, Murph
If you're considering adding a winch to your dolly, this one, a dual-speed, hand winch is very awesome. -TM-
Hey, Murph
If you're considering adding a winch to your dolly, this one, a dual-speed, hand winch is very awesome. -TM-
Lumberjack
Banned
The only thing I see as a draw back is like a job I just did. I had 14 18ft sticks of pine. They ranged from 1'6" (2) to over 3'. It would take a long time to be able to move all the bigger logs one at a time across town.
Carl
Carl
Similar threads
