stove loader

[Sawmill]

Does anyone have one of the stove loaders for their OWB? I am thinking of building one but would like to know how good they work. This is a web site of one kind. www.stoveloader.com

 

[blakey]

I have not used one but I used to try to roll the biggest rounds possible into my owb, even using another as a step to roll it up and in. I found it far better to cut or split them into managable pieces, the large rounds would not burn reliably because I could only fit 2 or 3 in and I would come back to see the fire had gone out because the wood was not close enough to each other to burn.

 

[iCreek]

I have to admit sawmill, that is one cool device. Watching the video, that sure is one big stove, and it works great.

 

[modn]

A little pricey.....split the huge pieces IMHO. Great thinking though.

 

[ericjeeper]

Looks to me like

That big ole log is going to lay in there and smolder.. Giving the greens more reasons to hate owbs

 

[LEES WOODC]

My dad has a beam and trolley type crane system in his garage with a chain fall and skidding tongs.His OWB is set up with the door end of stove inside his garage. I bring logs in with a loader and cut them 40". Hes 61 and can't lift like he used to. This system works great. I have seen him put a 16" diameter piece x 40" long in the stove by himself with absolutely no effort.I bring whole bundles of slabs in from the mill and cut them 3-4' and he uses the slabs to stuff in around the round. He says he has had rounds last 3 days with an occaisional "slab stuffing" during those 3 days.

 

[forcedintoit]

I have the log loader and love it, I have a heatmor and the firebox door is recessed so with big pieces of wood I have to lean in more than most of the other stoves. So his saying is "save your back use the Jack" That is exactly what it does and if you put large rounds in they will burn for 24 to 72 hours all you have to do is load around the round. I had my daughter come out and take some pics for you, but in my opinion it is worth it if you like you back. (alot less splitting means less handleling of the wood!

 

[November Wolf]

What doe's this thing cost?

 

[modn]

What doe's this thing cost?

the site says....

Only $797.00 manufacturer's suggested retail (call your local dealer for actual price)

 

[modn]

If I have a really big piece I just take a small piece and load it 1/2 in 1/2 out, then set the big piece with the one end on and shove it in, then roll it. the biggest I attemp are 16" diameter and 24" long, so not really, really heavy,but you can't just throw them in either.

 

[November Wolf]

the site says....

I guess I over looked that. Thanks.

 

[Sawmill]

The reason I was asking about this is I will be 60 this year and some of the large pieces are begining to take there toll on my back. This year I cut the larger pieces 12 to 14 inches long abd some of them are 12 to 15 inches in dia. When I saw this loader the wheels in my head started turning. I have a crane that was bolted in the back corner of a pickup truck which raises and lowers with a hyd jack. The boom on this extends out to about 6 tor 8 foot and the whole thing will pivot 360 degrees.. There is a winch on top of it but it will not be needed. All I have to do is make cradle for the logs and then I will cut the wood to 24 inches and use this to put them in the stove. The wat I load them now is I put 2 or 3 pieces in the center and fill the rest with smaller stuff and I can get 24 + hours of burn time on the larger pieces. I wanted to see if anyone had any coments or had one they were using and how well they liked it before I made one and found out it did not work very well .Thanks for the input Ivan

 

[modn]

The reason I was asking about this is I will be 60 this year and some of the large pieces are begining to take there toll on my back. This year I cut the larger pieces 12 to 14 inches long abd some of them are 12 to 15 inches in dia. When I saw this loader the wheels in my head started turning. I have a crane that was bolted in the back corner of a pickup truck which raises and lowers with a hyd jack. The boom on this extends out to about 6 tor 8 foot and the whole thing will pivot 360 degrees.. There is a winch on top of it but it will not be needed. All I have to do is make cradle for the logs and then I will cut the wood to 24 inches and use this to put them in the stove. The wat I load them now is I put 2 or 3 pieces in the center and fill the rest with smaller stuff and I can get 24 + hours of burn time on the larger pieces. I wanted to see if anyone had any coments or had one they were using and how well they liked it before I made one and found out it did not work very well .Thanks for the input Ivan

Don't get me wrong as it might be pricey, but then again the guy did his homework and it looks top rate. I was in no means implying that no one should buy one as in your case it might be the best investment you could make. I have a roller feeder or catcher on my table saw. My vision would be to use that and catilever it enough to wheel it right up to the stove and slightly into it and push the piece in. Then again you have to get it up on the rollers but would take a lot less effort to "throw it in". If you can make one that would be the nutz. It doesn't look too complicated.

 

[Sawmill]

Modn I am with you on the price but the guy needed to figure everything out and the I am sure he has to carry some insurance on it to protect himself from law suits if someone gets hurt. I was a machinest for 25 years and I have welders and a small mill so I am sure I can retofit the crane. Then maybe I can get my wood processer finished that I started last spring. Thanks for your input