moving oak rounds

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If the wood is on the same property where it will be burned and if you can get the splitter to where the logs sit, I would strongly consider processing the wood completely into firewood where the log sits. Noodle and hand split until you can get it on the splitter. Split into the trailer, drive to where it will be seasoned and stack.
 
Splitting them in place, if possible, is probably the best option.
Otherwise, rolling 36" rounds for a short distances works, even onto a trailer just like VW Splitter said. A bit smaller than that and the flipping method mentioned by Cowboy254 works well to get them onto a trailer.
I use both of these methods to make sure I don't have to lift too much weight.
 
i took down a 24” oak today and cut it into 18” rounds. the bigger logs were tough to lift into the trailer. i’ve got (2) 36”+ red oaks coming down next weekend.

i am looking forward to having the firewood, but am dreading handling the 36” stem. if i cut them at 18”, they’ll weight 477 lb assuming 45 lb/sf. i don’t have a tractor or backhoe, just a regular lawn tractor.

how do you guys move around logs that size? i am planning to quarter them with a splitting axe, them splitting the quarters with the splitter in the vertical position.

any other suggestions or ideas on how to move heavy rounds around and split them?


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I don't have a tractor either. A log-mule is my tractor; 24-28" rounds are no problem, the 36" rounds should be at least halved. I just tried to find their website and they are out of business. Sorry.

LMB-100_11362_600.jpg
 
i took down a 24” oak today and cut it into 18” rounds. the bigger logs were tough to lift into the trailer. i’ve got (2) 36”+ red oaks coming down next weekend.

i am looking forward to having the firewood, but am dreading handling the 36” stem. if i cut them at 18”, they’ll weight 477 lb assuming 45 lb/sf. i don’t have a tractor or backhoe, just a regular lawn tractor.

how do you guys move around logs that size? i am planning to quarter them with a splitting axe, them splitting the quarters with the splitter in the vertical position.

any other suggestions or ideas on how to move heavy rounds around and split them?


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If this is more then an occasional thing for you then check out LogRite's website for hand tools and log arches.
The arches can move 12'-14' logs without dragging, and little tongue weight. My quad is a Polaris 330 with solid axle, so small and light duty axle, but not an issue with this arch and liftable tongue weight, say 50-60 pounds. Depending on your lawn tractor, it may be an option. I have a two man handle for mine but found in the woods, with soft ground, it did not work well at all. On a lawn or harder surface the larger wheels might do better.
The hand tools are top of the line. 0807121541.jpg
 
Last week I saw a YouTube video of a vertical splitter with the thick foot.
The guy made a wood platform with a notch to go around the metal foot, which leveled the splitting footprint. Pretty simple and pretty slick. Looked like he used all-thread to hold it together.
I think the title was You've never seen this trick on YouTube, or something like that.
 
Last week I saw a YouTube video of a vertical splitter with the thick foot.
The guy made a wood platform with a notch to go around the metal foot, which leveled the splitting footprint. Pretty simple and pretty slick. Looked like he used all-thread to hold it together.
I think the title was You've never seen this trick on YouTube, or something like that.

I'm getting ready to buy a second splitter and I'm going to have the foot enlarged because most of the foot plates on most spliters are to small for vertical splitting. It tends to make the round move away from the splitter.
I'm thinking on having one made with a notch in it kind of like the notches in a jigsaw puzzle so the plate can be removed for horizontal use and the notch will hold the plat in place when in the vertical.
I generally use a scrap 2x6 to level the foot plate with the ground. I also found that if you dig a little hole so the foot plate sits just below and level with the ground it helps as well.
I found that if I leave the dolly under the round and set the dolly and round on the foot plate you can use the dolly to hold the round from drifting away from the splitter.
 
i took down a 24” oak today and cut it into 18” rounds. the bigger logs were tough to lift into the trailer. i’ve got (2) 36”+ red oaks coming down next weekend.

i am looking forward to having the firewood, but am dreading handling the 36” stem. if i cut them at 18”, they’ll weight 477 lb assuming 45 lb/sf. i don’t have a tractor or backhoe, just a regular lawn tractor.

how do you guys move around logs that size? i am planning to quarter them with a splitting axe, them splitting the quarters with the splitter in the vertical position.

any other suggestions or ideas on how to move heavy rounds around and split them?


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I roll them to where I split/load them, a peavy/cant hook is handy.

In the woods I take two mauls, 8-lb sledge, and 3-4 steel wedges. The mauls get used as wedges too. Those will split down most anything, sometimes I break out the 20-lb sledge.

Break them down to what my back can handle loading
 
I roll them to where I split/load them, a peavy/cant hook is handy.

In the woods I take two mauls, 8-lb sledge, and 3-4 steel wedges. The mauls get used as wedges too. Those will split down most anything, sometimes I break out the 20-lb sledge.

Break them down to what my back can handle loading


A simple winch mounted on the front of the trailer, one could simply winch and drag the rounds on the trailer. You would need some kind of ramp though. But a simple A frame and winch like a gin pole truck would work as well.
If they are nice and round, it's sometimes easy to just roll them.
 
A simple winch mounted on the front of the trailer, one could simply winch and drag the rounds on the trailer. You would need some kind of ramp though. But a simple A frame and winch like a gin pole truck would work as well.
If they are nice and round, it's sometimes easy to just roll them.
This is my setup works great 20171130_105150.jpg 20151203_153119.jpg
 
Well, this is how I do it larger stuff.

MVC-003S_3.JPG


MVC-002S_4.JPG


MVC-019S_54.JPG


We deal with a lot of larger stuff so we cut the tree up and just back down the log length. Pick up and swing in. I can and have, done it by myself. I've been in your shoes and used 3 point style splitters on the ground and verticles and they are all very work intensive. Just rolling around 36" stuff takes 2 people and you will be dead tired. I've used backhoes and 3point lifts but there are a lot of risk factors there as well and easy to get hurt with that much weight. If this is a rare thing for you then noodling may be your best option if you can't split them easily. If this will be a regular thing. Seriously think about getting or building something like this.
 
Well, this is how I do it larger stuff.

MVC-003S_3.JPG


MVC-002S_4.JPG


MVC-019S_54.JPG


We deal with a lot of larger stuff so we cut the tree up and just back down the log length. Pick up and swing in. I can and have, done it by myself. I've been in your shoes and used 3 point style splitters on the ground and verticles and they are all very work intensive. Just rolling around 36" stuff takes 2 people and you will be dead tired. I've used backhoes and 3point lifts but there are a lot of risk factors there as well and easy to get hurt with that much weight. If this is a rare thing for you then noodling may be your best option if you can't split them easily. If this will be a regular thing. Seriously think about getting or building something like this.


I remember when you built this, It's one bad ass log splitter you got there.
 
If the wood is on the same property where it will be burned and if you can get the splitter to where the logs sit, I would strongly consider processing the wood completely into firewood where the log sits. Noodle and hand split until you can get it on the splitter. Split into the trailer, drive to where it will be seasoned and stack.


I’ve done that before. Lots of labor saved that way.
Heck, I even once sold the split wood immediately from the customers location. Of course, I told the buyer it was green and not ready for burning, but he had 6 months before winter.
 

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