Two loads of firewood

[Wood Doctor]

Nice load, you deliver? I'm about 2 hours northwest of ya.

WoodDoc, I'll be the one to ask. When and what did you teach at EIU? I'm an alum, so is my dad and grandpa.

I knew someone would dig it out of me. I taught at Eastern in 1969-70 as an Assistant Professor of Marketing within the School of Business. My office and classrooms were in Blair Hall. It was a great experience, my first year as a full-time faculty member at a University. I was working on my Doctorate at the Univeristy of Illinois, trying to make ends meet as both a graduate student and a professor.

I will never forget that wonderful year in Charleston. I loved the campus, and all of the faculty I knew were marvelous, dedicated people. At Eastern, I taught Marketing Principles, Retailing, Traffic Management, and Management Decision Making.

Shucks, I had no idea at that time that there were that many mature oak trees in Mattoon, IL, right down the road, where OP cut all of these.

 

[Rleonard]

Thanks for all the great comments guys. I haul the TLB (tractor-loader-backhoe) as below;

It weighs about 8 tons. Each load of wood was much heavier than the tractor. I am glad there were no scales around (or IDOT - Illinois Department of Transportation). I may have been a wee bit overweight. 12 tons would not suprise me. Each piece weighed about a ton and I had about a dozen on. I moved 28 pieces total. I was semi balanced, as the pieces were long but there was plenty of toungue weight. The but ends are loaded to the front. I am sure glad that I have excellent brakes on the trailer. Dexter electric/hydraulic and hydraulic discs on each wheel. Acceleration was slow and I did not go over 45. The F350 diesel was earning her keep.

The suggestion about jacknifing the truck when parking is an excellent idea. I placed the longest log in the center of the load and used it as a push stick with the tractor to get moving. I used a lot of power to get out of the field when loaded. This time of year the weather gets uncertain and if wet, there is no way of getting out loaded without cutting up the field and having an unhappy farmer. I do not want to risk that.

Here I am just about to get a little push to get moving.

I have gone back in in January when all is frozen and pulled out wood without getting stuck.

These logs are just undersized for most sawmills. They usually want 24" diameter. Still, there is some great wood there. I might save a piece or two and have it sawn.

Nick is a great companion. My sawing buddy. He has enough smarts to keeps his distance when the saw and tractor is running. I would get a checkup by him every half hour then he would head back out to the truck, guarding it and getting in a snooze.

How is this for an idea? Charge for cuts using the 880 or Disston saw. That way someone had bragging rights....HAHA

Seriously, if someone wants to come play on a Saturday or Sunday and buck some good sized clean wood we could have some fun. Hot pot of chili or home made vegetable soup, or a stack of burgers and a beer or two(AFTER cutting is done though).

I am in Mattoon Illinois.

Bob

 

[wdchuck]

Nice setup, pics, and friends, doesn't get much better, oh, the tools are nice too.
All of my toys are little brothers, but it sure makes for an easier day than the hard way.

 

[dsm382]

 

[Wet1]

Seriously, if someone wants to come play on a Saturday or Sunday and buck some good sized clean wood we could have some fun. Hot pot of chili or home made vegetable soup, or a stack of burgers and a beer or two(AFTER cutting is done though).

I am in Mattoon Illinois.

Bob

Wish I lived closer and had more time, that sounds like a damn nice day... well, after you take all of the "or" statements out of the above...

 

[jcappe]

Wow! Nice setup, I won't show mine Should be some fun cutting there, if I lived closer I'd take you up on the offer.

 

[bluequill56]

Wish I could come and cut. I'm only a an hour or so north. Too much going on 'round here to skate out, ... Man, that looks like fun, though!

Shane.

 

[dustytools]

How far is Mattoon from Urbana Bob?

 

[Wood Doctor]

How far is Mattoon from Urbana Bob?

Dusty, it's not much more that an hour, especially since I-57 allows a straight shot south to Mattoon from Urbana. It might take a bit longer if you're driving an F-350 pulling a trailer loaded with 12 tons of oak.

Sorry to hijack Bob's answer, but I'm considering a drive from Omaha, just to meet Bob, his German Shepherd, and whatever big logs he has left. I think I could get there in 10 hours in my Ranger.

 

[cat320]

Nice load of wood. So your truck puls that machine fine don't see many 1 tones pulling something that big here. now you have a class a i would think to have to pull it even with a pickup?

 

[E&R_firewood]

:drool: :drool: :drool: wow! that is awesome kinda makes my half-ton chevy loads look non-productive

 

[MATTYB11]

I also wish I live closer but Rhode Island is a little too far away. I havn't run any saws since early May ish and I am starting to feel the itch. Wow since May huh, on second thought a plane ticket to IL. can't be to expensive. Do they let you take a chainsaw as a Carry on or do you have to check them as luggage?

 

[Rleonard]

How far is Mattoon from Urbana Bob?

It is a easy 55 minute drive, 60 miles. I used to work in Urbana, near the Farm and Fleet store. I commuted to there for ten years.

Cat3220, three things in my favor for moving this load with my truck are;
The distance is about 8 miles
There are no major elevation changes or hills to overcome
I only do this once per year.

I see backhoes being pulled with similar rigs frequently here. Again, in our favor is that it is relatively flat. In other parts of the country it would not work.

Bob

 

[dustytools]

It is a easy 55 minute drive, 60 miles. I used to work in Urbana, near the Farm and Fleet store. I commuted to there for ten years.

Cat3220, three things in my favor for moving this load with my truck are;
The distance is about 8 miles
There are no major elevation changes or hills to overcome
I only do this once per year.

I see backhoes being pulled with similar rigs frequently here. Again, in our favor is that it is relatively flat. In other parts of the country it would not work.

Bob

I spent every summer there at my grandfathers place when I was a kid. My mother lives there now. Im hoping to make it to Urbana before the snow flies to pay her a visit. I remember hearing my grandfather talk about some construction work that he did in Mattoon. My mother lives about 5 minutes from Farm and Fleet and I will always remember shopping at a dept. store called Huey's.

 

[abohac]

Firewood?

Wouldn't you rather sell that for lumber and cut the tops? You're not going to throw those board in your furnace are ya?

 

[cabinman]

Look at the trailer

Ford builds tough trucks OR that trailer carries a load that is balanced to perfection.

Which one is it?

Regardless, the truck still has to pull the dead weight draw bar.

The axles are near the center,, Joe

 

[Wood Doctor]

The axles are near the center, Joe

And, that's where they should be to carry a load this size and allow the F 350 diesel to do its job. Joe, it's a remarkable feat to see a pickup do this. That engine is so strong that it could probably tear its transmission, differential, and the truck frame itself to pieces.