Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[Jeffkrib]

I'm looking for ideas on contraptions to help me load the big chunks of hardwood firewood into my trailer. My trailer is only a 5' x 8' single axle trailer with a 2" (?) angle iron frame and 1" angle iron side frame. I can lift probable 80# myself but when the rounds get up to 24", I have to noodle them. That's fine, and I've done that before, when it's cool out, but now in this heat, I just want to load my trailer and go home. Once home I just roll them onto my rock driveway, noodle and split them there at my convenience. A half hour or so at a time.

I'm looking for something simple and bolt together. I have plenty of unistrut that I thought I could use. Since I'm only loading rounds I don't need a log arch. Only looking to lift up to 120# (guess). Something I could bolt to my trailer once at the log yard. And I don't want to only support it by the top frame of the side rails and eventually destroy them. Also it would be human powered; something that works quickly. My basic idea is a long beam that straps to the round and then is lifted and then swung into the trailer. There would be a fulcrum (pivot) point on the beam. I'm guessing it would have to be mounted to one side. and that's as far as I get with ideas. Hope I've been clear.

any thoughts?

Edit: Something like his.
View attachment 844784

I usually just cut a short round and lay it down against the tail gate. Ideally approximately half the height of the bed of the trailer. Then just roll the round to the back of the trailer and roll/walk it up end over end. That way you only lift something like half of the weight to the round. It may also be worth trying a ramp before putting in all this effort to build a lifting device.

 

[djg james]

I've done that too. That's usually what I do with the big ones. But it still is a strain on my back.

 

[JustJeff]

Two wheel dolly

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[Philbert]

This is my favorite one. It is more than what you are asking for, but might give you an idea for mounting a winch or pulley, along with a ramp.



There are other YouTube videos on loading firewood rounds too.

Philbert

 

[djg james]

Two wheel dolly

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I'm guessing you mean two wheel dolly and a ramp. Never thought of that. Might be an option. Could use my ramps I use to load my log splitter with.

I am afraid I could slip pulling up backwards on the ramps.

 

[djg james]

This is my favorite one. It is more than what you are asking for, but might give you an idea for mounting a winch or pulley, along with a ramp.



There are other YouTube videos on loading firewood rounds too.

Philbert

I do things in there that I like. The roller at the bottom would help me load logs the few times I do it. I was going to chain a pipe within a pipe to my frame to act as a roller.

 

[Jeffkrib]

This is my favorite one. It is more than what you are asking for, but might give you an idea for mounting a winch or pulley, along with a ramp.



There are other YouTube videos on loading firewood rounds too.

Philbert

Alternatively you get logger Nates son in on the action...... he can carry a log like that in each hand

 

[djg james]

I used to be able to load rounds this size, but that was many years ago.

 

[MustangMike]

When I drop the gate of my trailer it becomes a ramp, and I can roll some very large rounds in there.

Not sure how old you are, but I'm willing to share the back exercises that keep me going! (I do them every morning).

I loaded and unloaded these White Oak rounds in my trailer all by myself last fall. They helped keep my daughter warm this past winter.

 

[KiwiBro]

If not winching logs onto the trailer, how about multiple long cradles that sit on the ground that hold rounds, winching the cradles into the trailer. If distance of the pulls ain't an issue then drag the cradles to where the rounds are and winch the cradles loaded with rounds to the trailer (like a skidding cone except each cradle holds ten rounds, for example). Or, a platform you can place on the ground, hook a battery drill up to raise it up to trailer deck height, then roll the rounds off, rinse and repeat, kinda like a tailgate lift on a truck. I think they have such lifts for working on motorbikes, etc.

 

[svk]

Couple of bugs I came across today

The tick ended his travels. The spider is still scrounging.

 

[MustangMike]

Luckily I believe that is a dog tick, which does not spread Lyme. It is the little ones that are dangerous!

 

[JustJeff]

I'm guessing you mean two wheel dolly and a ramp. Never thought of that. Might be an option. Could use my ramps I use to load my log splitter with.

I am afraid I could slip pulling up backwards on the ramps.

I moved a whole pine tree out of a backyard we couldn't get the truck into. Wet live pine is heavy, we used a dolly to stack rounds and wheel around. To load a heavy round on a trailer, just drag the dolly up the back of it. If it's like my trailer, it's only about 16" high. I can lift twice as much pulling a dolly handle as I can having to bend over and grip a round. Your back is already straight and basically you just pull with your arms. My father in law has a dolly with angle welded to the back so it slides right up, my son has a fridge cart with a strap and the little belts on the back. That thing will slide up any surface.

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[Philbert]

Two-wheeled dollies, and inclined ramps: add a pulley and you have three of the ‘simple machines’ working for you!

Forestry supply vendors also sell special tree dollies, designed for larger pieces and heavier weight.

My neighbor has a trailer that hydraulically lowers the bed flat to the ground. Pretty pricy, but it lets him roll things like refrigerators right on.

https://airtow.com/flatbed-model-specs/
Philbert

 

[svk]

Celebration time after finishing up with mowing

Neighbor offered me 7 large aspen that were cut from his yard. I told him heck yeah but not till it’s cooler.

 

[svk]

Ripped it up with the 345/6 for the first time in months to cut a blowdown maple off my walking trail. Gotta love the neutral balance of these saws.

 

[KiwiBro]

Have been keeping an eye on Gumtree and am seeing quite a few deals like this. Don't need one but wanna give one a try. It seems like there are heaps of them in Aus. Would be good to take it to a shootout against my dad's 211 . But that said, a well sharpened hand saw could spank his 211 if he was the one that sharpened the chain.

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/corlette/power-tools/makita-petrol-chainsaw-model-ea320is/1253434677

 

[Logger nate]

I've got a cheap HF winch, but it's slow. Even manual winch would be. I'm thinking thinking something quick; strap the log, lift and swing into trailer.

That’s pretty quick

 

[U&A]

Ripped it up with the 345/6 for the first time in months to cut a blowdown maple off my walking trail. Gotta love the neutral balance of these saws.

View attachment 844928

My little mutt that kevin made quickly became my go-to saw. See if i can get this right

Ported with a 346P&C, 357 carb, 2152 case. 18”

I became a 50cc guy with that saw.


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

 

[Logger nate]

Well no more cutting from the close by easy cream patch for nowHave plenty of splitting to do though
And still have the rest of this one to go get