What Next?

[svk]

Now that I have enough general purpose saws to last a couple lifetimes plus a good hydro splitter and plenty of splitting axes it's time to look at what I'm adding next to the wood cutting arsenal.

A few things I'm considering:

-Log arch
-True off road trailer for ATV (Sears wagon will die eventually)
-dedicated felling saw with wrap handle
-heated handle saw
-second ATV (I'd probably sell a few saws to help fund the purchase) then I wouldn't need to constantly haul my current atv between three places.

Thoughts? Any other goodies I might need?

 

[CaseyForrest]

Processor.

 

[blades]

someone else to do the manual labor

 

[Dirtboy]

Off road trailer and log arch get my vote.

 

[Wowzer]

utv or SXS before a 2nd atv in my opinion. What about a dump trailer or older dump truck.

 

[Dieseldash]

Tractor.

 

[farmer steve]

Tractor.

with a loader and log winch.

 

[Dieseldash]

with a loader and log winch.

Exactly!

 

[Tenderfoot]

A wrap handle saw can be fixed with a parts order. Out of those you will likely get the most out of a trailer or a log arch. Anything with an engine needs PMCS and that means time and money.

 

[cantoo]

I only have the bare minimum needed to do my firewooding. There are lots of things I need and could use but I prefer to keep it simple.


Says everyone on this site.
I suggest you build one of the trailers like I use behind my Steiner and my log arch. They would both work perfect behind a 4 wheeler. Trailer would need drop in racks if you plan to haul rounds on it or other small items. Car tires mean flats seldom happen.

 

[sundance]

I only have the bare minimum needed to do my firewooding. There are lots of things I need and could use but I prefer to keep it simple.


Says everyone on this site.
I suggest you build one of the trailers like I use behind my Steiner and my log arch. They would both work perfect behind a 4 wheeler. Trailer would need drop in racks if you plan to haul rounds on it or other small items. Car tires mean flats seldom happen.

Pictures or details on each?

 

[cantoo]

Sundance, bit of a long thread but there are pics on some of my Steiner stuff here. Also another thread of mine has my bigger stuff for my Kubota, it's titled "My firewood tools" . Some pictures got lost but still lots there. I really should update it some day soon.
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/steiner-logging.256905/

 

[svk]

Great comments!

I've mulled a tractor but really wouldn't use it enough to justify. Same with a dump truck or dump trailer.

I keep thinking a wrap or heated handle saw will present itself to me at some point.

 

[Del_]

IMO the next step is charging for tree removal.

Make money and take home the firewood.

 

[svk]

That would take the fun out of it!

 

[Del_]

That would take the fun out of it!

Over 35 years at it and it is as fun as ever.

Got about a cord of sugar maple the other day and hope to sell it as smoking wood but have never had a call for it.

 

[Jere39]

I have a log arch I built from things around the farm. It works great, and I hardly ever use it. I have a very sturdy JD 15s cart that is rated up to 1400 lbs, and is an easy pull behind GT or ATV, but, I wish it were an off-road or ATV rated cart for rolling over logs, roots, rocks, . . . better than what I have. So, faced with all your decisions and options, I go good sturdy off-road cart first. Of course circumstances will dictate. Here on this hill top, where I rarely leave my own property, I just don't often need to drag logs. I don't have a mill, I don't take logs to a mill, 90% of the time I process where the tree lands.

Now, if I owned two parcels of land far enough away to make hauling an ATV between them a pain, I'd go second ATV first, but would immediately need another cart/trailer there too. Tough decisions.

 

[Marshy]

Tractor.

with a loader and log winch.

These!

I got a 30hp diesel 4x4 compact tractor last summer and just did two half days of cutting on my property and got about 1/2 of my wood for a season out. Probably 10 hours of work. My next purchase will be an arch for it.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

I agree with Jere39. An ATV cart is a great all round tool.
An arch is pretty limited, unless you have years of use for it. You can't beat a log arch for what they do, which is moving two thousand pound logs almost effortlessly.
Still need a cart for the smaller stuff, and you can get big stuff in a cart too by splitting or noodling.
I used to cut big rounds on end, the depth of the bar, and pop them using a steel wedge, with one or two wacks at most.
The ATV carts are just so handy for many things.
I'd go for a compact tractor and FEL, but cost is always a factor, and therefor no comparison.
An ATV trailer... is a lot of bang for the buck. If I'm not hauling stuff in it, it is parked in the garage full of firewood. Sometimes it has a sheet of OSB on it, for a temporary bench.
Another option might be a four wheel wagon.
I bought a Kory 3000 last fall. Very well built, not a lot of money at about $1,400. w/metal frame for deck. I sheet of treated ply fits snug in the frame and flush with it. It is however, more of a flatland style farm running gear wagon, with a 4' x 8' deck. 3,000 is the payload.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

A few pictures...
If you buy or make an arch consider this modification for controlling the front end of the log with a 3' piece of chain. Nuzzy, from Allegan, MI made the part on a CNC and made an extra for me.Have not seen him post on here in a long time.