Brmorgan
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I'm planning on putting an upper level for storage in the back of the truck shop out back this year. Last year a nice dead Douglas Fir fell in a windstorm out in the bush behind the house, and it's a perfect candidate for the 24' long beam I'll need to cut to support the front of the upper floor. I don't want to have to post it in the middle but it wouldn't be the end of the world if I did.
I was getting ready to go out and mill the log where it sat, when my neighbor came over and asked if I'd rather try to drag the log home and then work on it. I figured I was up for some fun, so why not? Especially if there are two quads to help pull. I knew one wasn't even remotely going to cut it.
Here's the log after I cut some center rot off the butt end, getting ready to get the trailer under one end:
The log's about 20" diameter, and I'm taking a 26' section to give me a couple feet extra to work with. The 371 & 24" bar is there for a bit of scale and perspective. It's poker-straight and hardly loses any size over its length (maybe 2"), so there won't be much grain runout at all. I haven't cut it to length here yet though - we needed to jack it up to get it on the trailer, which is easier with all the top and branches attached as it won't want to roll.
I jacked the log up onto the two firewood lengths I had cut off the butt earlier, and we backed the trailer underneath. It's secured with a number of chain load binders and ratchet straps. We linked the quads together and winched/pulled the log out of its bed. It actually went easier than I thought it would.
Progress! This just might work!
Up on the flat now and almost out of the tight turns; it's moved about twice its length here. Still quite a ways home though!
I was getting ready to go out and mill the log where it sat, when my neighbor came over and asked if I'd rather try to drag the log home and then work on it. I figured I was up for some fun, so why not? Especially if there are two quads to help pull. I knew one wasn't even remotely going to cut it.
Here's the log after I cut some center rot off the butt end, getting ready to get the trailer under one end:
The log's about 20" diameter, and I'm taking a 26' section to give me a couple feet extra to work with. The 371 & 24" bar is there for a bit of scale and perspective. It's poker-straight and hardly loses any size over its length (maybe 2"), so there won't be much grain runout at all. I haven't cut it to length here yet though - we needed to jack it up to get it on the trailer, which is easier with all the top and branches attached as it won't want to roll.
I jacked the log up onto the two firewood lengths I had cut off the butt earlier, and we backed the trailer underneath. It's secured with a number of chain load binders and ratchet straps. We linked the quads together and winched/pulled the log out of its bed. It actually went easier than I thought it would.
Progress! This just might work!
Up on the flat now and almost out of the tight turns; it's moved about twice its length here. Still quite a ways home though!