We're rolling into the 2021firewood season with new-to-us equipment

[woodchuckcanuck]

We bought this 2008 Sterling in the spring of 2020, it came with a 14ft tilt deck. We then spent the summer choosing a grapple setup and designing a mesh cage. The grapple loader is a Palms 3.64 with 21ft reach. The two part cage is removable (left side with door, and right side with door) to allow the use of the flat deck for other purposes. With the cost of equipment nowadays, the equipment has to be as multi purpose as possible.

Now all we need is a 30x50 shop like the welder fabricator has and we're set

 

[U&A]

Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

 

[U&A]

And nice job on the cage. I spent a lot of time making stuff like that.


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

 

[ktmtigger]

Thats nice and will be very usefull

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[dave_dj1]

Very nice!

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

How is the grapple operated? Usually there's a seat and controls.

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

Its an option ChoppyChoppy, for budget reasons I had the two joysticks mounted between the cab and box, drivers side.

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

 

[rancher2]

Nice looking set up. I know I would be lost without my 30X60X16 shop. The Sterling trucks have about completely left my area. Cab parts have become a real issue. A guy I used to do some work for had two low miles Sterling truck tractors that he pulled hoppers and cattle pots with for his farm he almost gave them away to move them. They were great trucks but when you needed cab parts like door handles or a window reg you had issues.

 

[nathan4104]

Awesome set up!!!!
Just to note, that expanded steel has the aerodynamics of the side of a big ship. A guy I know burnt as much fuel loaded as empty, fwiw.
Man, I’m jealous I need that here but the MTO fees and licensing/insurance here would require a full time gig just to make it cost recover.
Enjoy the new truck!!!!

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

Nice looking set up. I know I would be lost without my 30X60X16 shop. The Sterling trucks have about completely left my area. Cab parts have become a real issue. A guy I used to do some work for had two low miles Sterling truck tractors that he pulled hoppers and cattle pots with for his farm he almost gave them away to move them. They were great trucks but when you needed cab parts like door handles or a window reg you had issues.

Got lucky on this one, 2008 and its had 13,000km (8,000 miles) on it. So its in great shape.

Awesome set up!!!!
Just to note, that expanded steel has the aerodynamics of the side of a big ship. A guy I know burnt as much fuel loaded as empty, fwiw.
Man, I’m jealous I need that here but the MTO fees and licensing/insurance here would require a full time gig just to make it cost recover.
Enjoy the new truck!!!!

I noticed coming back from the fab shop the fuel gauge was dropping a bit quicker. I thought it was from the added weight but the dynamics of the mesh catching wind makes sense too. I have stakes for it too for hauling logs, so the mesh box is removable. Not that hauling logs is all that aerodynamic either. Its licensed as a farm truck, so about $50 a year, insurance is $450 a year. It will mostly be in the yard moving logs to the firewood processor. Maybe the occasional trip on the road.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

I just had my 2000 GMC 5500 in the shop for brake work.
The shop said parts for it were very hard to find. Even using the vehicle vin. number, he got three sets of front rotors and none fit. Used the old ones.
The guy that bought the truck was trying to find some and do the work himself.
I ordered a dump trailer Sept. 9 and took delivery today.
First time I've driven more than three miles to get recreational fuel for the small engines and a couple donuts.
Now I'm set for spring/summer deliveries.
I was paying $590. for24k truck plates, and $850. for insurance.
Trailer plates here are a one time fee. Not sure about insurance yet.
wccu: Nice looking rig.

 

[NSMaple1]

Got lucky on this one, 2008 and its had 13,000km (8,000 miles) on it. So its in great shape.


I noticed coming back from the fab shop the fuel gauge was dropping a bit quicker. I thought it was from the added weight but the dynamics of the mesh catching wind makes sense too. I have stakes for it too for hauling logs, so the mesh box is removable. Not that hauling logs is all that aerodynamic either. Its licensed as a farm truck, so about $50 a year, insurance is $450 a year. It will mostly be in the yard moving logs to the firewood processor. Maybe the occasional trip on the road.

I was in your area yesterday, picking a kid up from X. (Have close family there also -'the inlaws'). You guys got some snow - that was a surprise.

We had a Sterling here for a farm truck, up until the year before last. Mostly for blueberries, then some woods work. Then things changed, and it kind of just got set aside, mostly by a F550 4x4. Can't remember now exactly what year it was, but looked just like yours. Except for your nice box & boom - sweet looking setup.

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

I was in your area yesterday, picking a kid up from X. (Have close family there also -'the inlaws'). You guys got some snow - that was a surprise.

We had a Sterling here for a farm truck, up until the year before last. Mostly for blueberries, then some woods work. Then things changed, and it kind of just got set aside, mostly by a F550 4x4. Can't remember now exactly what year it was, but looked just like yours. Except for your nice box & boom - sweet looking setup.

No snow here. We don't get the same weather as the Town of Antigonish does. 4x4 sure is handy.

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

Sterling did his first run today. Ol' Red, the Silverado 4x4, wouldn't start this morning. Batteries are good, so it has to be the starter, won't turn over at all. Just a single click sound. The boss come out the stretch Sterling and then load-n-go. And then on to a delivery of a cord of kiln dried hardwood.

 

[cantoo]

Jim is there a way to dump your crates onto a conveyor to load the truck? Or maybe a dirt ramp style to get the height you need to dump. I have a hill on my property and sometimes use it to get some more height. You are working that good woman too hard.

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

Jim is there a way to dump your crates onto a conveyor to load the truck? Or maybe a dirt ramp style to get the height you need to dump. I have a hill on my property and sometimes use it to get some more height. You are working that good woman too hard.

We'll do something like that come spring time. We're about out of firewood for this winter's sales anyway.

Me? Working her? LOL. She don't do anything she doesn't want to do. She loves working outdoors and she enjoys doing firewood. A man can't ask for much more than that.

When we load our 3500 Silverado with dump box or the dump trailer, we just strap the crate to the skid steer then tip it into the dump box. Works like a charm. We'll do similar with the Sterling comes spring time. Drive into the bed and dump.

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

Would be ideal if we could just offload the crates as is, stacked in like that. But those crates cost money and I've yet to have a customer who's willing to pay the extra for them to land alongside their driveway. Another firewood seller tried bags a couple years back. Failed miserably with it, no one's interested in paying any more than necessary in this rural part of the province.