What are you using to move your slabs

[SDB777]

Only reason I ask is today I milled a piece of Sweetgum that was 20" wide and 10 foot long, being that I'll be needing 2" stock for benches and chair frames I thought I'd 'toss it on the stack'. Well, that's right....I the dang thing is still pegging out my moisture meter and must weight at least 200lbs. Gravity took over and it ended up on the ground next to the mill. Took me 10 minutes to get the thing on a dolly and moved, but they has to be a better way.....

I don't have room to move a forklift or skidsteer in my tiny yard. What are some of the other options that my mind isn't thinking of now?

BTW, who says Sweetgum/Redgum isn't worth milling? Looks plenty pretty to me.....shameless photo to give ya'll something to come back and look at while giving me ideas for slab moving.


Scott (tired today) B

 

[Timberframed]

My three sons. 1" pipe for rollers and a BF crowbar helps but it comes down to brute force strength which builds not only muscle but character too.

 

[john taliaferro]

Plastic wedges are verry slipery ,for sliping a slab a bit . 9 n ford with beam on back will move 2000 lb or so , your space is small maybe a small jib crane with a chain hoist is what i use in shop to lift logs up on lathe . They can be rigged with cables . some of the army booklets are good to read to . ADVIL is your friend when you forget to use your head.

 

[mikeb1079]

What are you using to move your slabs

my aching back. i agree there's got to be a better way, i just can't think of any right now!

btw, is there really as much figure to that sweetgum as the photos make it seem? looks amazing....

 

[TraditionalTool]

I use one of these bad boys...Caterpillar R-80 Rough Terrain Forklift....here he is lifting an 8" slab!

 

[SDB777]

Awesome lift! Not enough room in my yard to do a Uturn with it though.

Need 3 sons I guess?

Now the jib crane idea has some possibilities, as soon as I've constructed a roof over my head. Any thoughts on where to get a good deal?





Scott (overworked today) B

 

[fdoberman]

THIMPK outside of the box!

Pair of bicycle (Preferably garden cart) wheels and some thinwall conduit will make you a cart very similar to the wheeled stretchers the military uses that allow 1 man to accomplish the same task as 4 stretcher bearers.

Ease slab onto stretcher by employing sliders (kid rollup poly sleds) then a ratchet strap or 2 secures slab to stretcher. Seatbelts save slabs from falling off and you have an easy push to the pile. Big wheels roll easily aross ground.

 

[john taliaferro]

I get chain hoist and stuff at my friends used industrial equipment shop , yeller pages take cash . If you don't see it in the yeller pages ask at a machine shop

 

[TraditionalTool]

Awesome lift! Not enough room in my yard to do a Uturn with it though.

Need 3 sons I guess?

Not for those logs you won't. They weigh about 2500#-3000#, so that would mean you'll need to each lift over 500# each.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

This is what i use for all of my heavy lifting,

It will lift over 3,000 pounds...

Rob

 

[TraditionalTool]

For the average joe, a tractor with forks is about the best solution. They are limited on the height they can lift, which don't make them practical for building homes, but for moving stacks and shorter logs they do work just fine. I like the 'ol Massey Ferguson tractors. Like anything else, good solid tractors are to be given away...

That's a nice tractor Rob, how high will it lift ?

 

[qweesdraw]

For single heavy boards i use a part made to move small boats that mounts to the transom.
It has 2 wheels made from pipe tubing works well i think it was about $30 from Cabellas.
Works well when it's only me to move the heavy stuff.
Mark

 

[rarefish383]

A harbour freight engine crane. I just googled HF and they have an over head crane that looks like it slides on a piece of pipe for under 200 bucks and lifts 1300 lbs.

 

[porta mill]

View attachment 202739 my slab wood mover

 

[SDB777]

View attachment 202739 my slab wood mover

Ok, what kind of weight can that skidsteer actually lift, I know you have to had tried to max it out?





Scott (crazy U-turns) B

 

[porta mill]

it is rated at about 1,500 Lbs but I know with a little counterweight ( a few fat asses ) it will lift more. I would be lost with out that little piece of equipment . I have a backhoe and a set fork lift forks on a custom fabricated backing plate . I know the weigth forks lower the lift capasity but I know I will not break or bend the forks .

 

[TraditionalTool]

it is rated at about 1,500 Lbs but I know with a little counterweight ( a few fat asses ) it will lift more. I would be lost with out that little piece of equipment . I have a backhoe and a set fork lift forks on a custom fabricated backing plate . I know the weigth forks lower the lift capasity but I know I will not break or bend the forks .

Aside from the low capacity, bobcats are really useful. Not very suitable for lifting longer logs as the weight adds up quickly...you can always cut them into sections though.

For logs, the best is an extend-able boom lift, the type that will extend about 40 feet, but one needs to be very careful about the weight as you mention. I have tipped a Caterpillar RC-60 lift (6000# lift to 21 feet) with a 25 foot pine that was about 24" in diameter. I did have a pic, let's see if I can embarrass myself and dig it up...this is not one of my brighter moments, but it did teach me to be a lot more careful when extending the weight forward with the tilt. And when these lifts go over, they don't hesitate to flip quickly...launched me out of the cab! This is a slightly smaller lift than I have now, my current lift is an R-80, it will lift 8000# to 30 feet. The entire lift is noticeably heavier for the added 2000# capacity.

 

[BobL]

In the milling yard;

At Sandi and Hud's farm
Logs and big slabs

And my favorite gizmo

When I have nothing else I use the blue sack trolley.

 

[StevenBiars]

BobL, that dingo looks crazy fun to operate. I'd bet a homebuilt version could be crafted by a reasonably astute garage engineer.

 

[porta mill]

for the most part I know it;s limitations. I only use counter weight for short distance low lifts. Traditional Tool, I hope you did not get hurt when you tipped forward . I know how you feel I backed up and over a stump and I flipped the bobcat over on it's side . after that I had to shovel out my underware I was working up on hte top of a mountain doing a job with no real help with in an hour or so it was a interesting trying to up right it by myself .
you guys are the only ones I have told that to .