What's the next step

[Circle B MN]

So assuming one has a decent 1/2 ton truck, the saw of their liking, and a single wedge splitter, what is the next item to add to increase firewood production..? Bigger truck? Dump trailer? Skid steer? Hired hand?

Should make got interesting conversation....

 

[svk]

What are you doing? Cutting wood for your consumption on land behind your house? Do you need to sell and make deliveries? Cut elsewhere and haul home?

First thing I would say would be a trailer that can safely hold a cord plus of wood if you need to move it any distance. Tractor (preferably with winch) to skid logs would also be helpful to me.

 

[CaseyForrest]

I would be after a decent trailer.

Unless you're doing firewood to make money, I would pass on the dump trailer. And here's my reasoning. You end up handling the wood more than you need to. The dump feature is an added expense unless you can justify the trailer another way. I just sent mine down the road this morning because I was tired of dumping things on the ground only to have to pick them up and place them where they need to be. I'm going to replace it with either en equipment trailer or a deck over trailer. Haven't decided yet.

After that I would reiterate svk's suggestion of a tractor. Preferably with a FEL. That's saved my back in so many ways.


Sent from a field

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Love to help, but not enough info,

How much wood a year?
Selling or personal / family use?
Where / how is the wood being harvested?
Do you work alone?
Brief description of your current processes.

Armed with answers to these questions, it will be much easier to determine and recommend the necessities, nice to haves, and no help at all items.

Take Care

 

[chucker]

! just the three "A's" .... attitude, aptitude and availability of wood! the rest gets figured out in the process of "C/S/S". and the story begins.

 

[Circle B MN]

! just the three "A's" .... attitude, aptitude and availability of wood! the rest gets figured out in the process of "C/S/S". and the story begins.

Good answer Chucker.

 

[thor97]

First I would say a decent tractor to suit whatever method you are using. Whether its dragging trees, or hauling rounds in the fel, I would be lost without mine. I just have a small kubota, but whatever I need it to do, mostly lifting and hauling rounds that are otherwise nut busters. I move trailers, push brush, haul splits in the trailer, pick up big rounds, plow snow and mow lawn. Then when that's paid for, a supersplit!

 

[VW Splitter]

A trailer to haul the wood in. With a ramp you can roll some huge rounds onto a low trailer. I roll them off the trailer and onto the splitter then toss into the wood shed.
Trailer first then maybe a skidsteer with a grapple bucket.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Pulp hook, if you don't already have one.
Really do need more info.
You could buy a semi truckload of 8' logs.
SuperSplit if applicable.

 

[muddstopper]

Like everyone said, it depends on the what you are trying to do, Where you get your wood and how much wood you intend to produce. I disagree with not having a dump trailer. Facts are facts, if you load wood on a trailer, you have to unload it. Now you can either unload the wood by hand, or you can raise the dump and let it fall on the ground. Either way, you will still have to stage the wood for splitting. I wouldnt trade my 6x10 dump for a regular trailer, no way no how. Heck, I can throw the wood out of the dump just like a regular trailer if I feel the need to do the extra work. With that said, I would like a little upgrade to my dump. Mostly in the form of a winch mounted on a boom. I would much rather load whole logs than short rounds to load out a trailer. A boom mounted on the tongue of the trailer would allow me to pull small logs out of the woods and load without doing the back breaking work of toteing one round at a time. I usually load log lengths on the trailer and dump them off at home near my wood pile. Buck and split as I just pull my splitter alongside the wood pile.

Few people have there own patch of woods that they can cut wood off of year after year. this means you will at some point have to drive somewhere to cut or scrounge. I dont know about everyone else, but I find hauling trailer loads of equipment on site to be time consuming and expensive. This is where a trailer with a boom and or a winch can make getting that one tree that isnt worth the effort to make two trips to haul equipment and wood back and forth from your wood lot. You can log a lot of wood with a small tractor and a chain, done it for years, but you still have to load the wood on a truck or trailer. Dang, that boom and winch on a dump trailer is starting to look even better. I am just thinking out loud and passing along my thoughts, doesnt mean I am right, but I can see my dump trailer getting a upgrade pretty soon. I have the boom and just traded up a 8000lb hyd winch. So ask me next year how it works out.

I also meant to say, get you a 4way wedge to go on that splitter. Preferably a adjustable 4way. that alone will about double production

 

[LAH]

A trailer so you can keep your 1/2 truck & as said before a ramp of some type to roll heavy rounds. Also if you can roll off the trailer onto your spliter that is a big plus.

A 4 way wedge is a real help.

When I was selling wood the greatest thing for me was a conveyor.

 

[Polish hammer]

A 4 way wedge will be your cheapest add on and save you tons of time and extra bending

 

[Ryan'smilling]

It does depend on where you're cutting wood, but my tractor with a front end loader and skidding winch is about the best firewood tool in my arsenal. It doesn't even have to be a big tractor. Something you can pull behind your truck would be handy. Take the tractor to the wood lot on the trailer, unload and use the tractor to pull the trailer into the woods. Heck, bring the splitter out there too, and load right onto the trailer. Then pull the trailer out to the truck and come back for the tractor after the wood is unloaded. A tractor will help if you buy logs too. It makes safely unstacking a pile of logs a lot easier.

 

[NSMaple1]

Completely depends on your operation - which you didn't say anything about. Do you scrounge? Have bulk wood dumped in your yard? etc. etc. .....

EDIT: Also in the 'pro dump trailer' camp here.

 

[rarefish383]

I have a 1/2 ton Ram 4X4. I love my little 8' dump. It's heavy duty, diamond plate fenders, diamond plate steps in front and behind the fenders, lots of tie downs. It has a 5' drive on ramp. A kubota B series with a 54" deck and FEL will drive on. The ramp will hinge from top or bottom.If you let it hinge at the top it has adjustable chains to set how far the bottom will swing out for spreading gravel. Number one on the list of options on a trailer, BRAKES. My trailer with a load of dry Oak is at least 5,000 pounds and will push the truck easily. I've seen the trailers at Tractor Supply, my cousin bought one, for 8-900 bucks. Mine was $3500 11 years ago. Both trailers with 8'X5' decks, theirs have 4-5 lug wheels, mine 6 lugs, theirs rated 3500 pounds, mine 5000 pounds, theirs 6 ply tires, mine 10 ply. With a half ton you are really limited on your trailers. I was actually comparing a little dump TSC had when I bought mine. I don't know what the little flat trailers are rated at. I do know I'd feel really shaky putting a full cord of hardwood on one. Remember that wood is heavy and hard on stuff. With the other thread going about bearings on trailers hubs, I pulled mine over the weekend. 11 years old and they looked like new. A smaller trailer with smaller hubs and bearings might not hold up to abuse like that always pick heavier over cheaper, Joe.

 

[lknchoppers]

I like my dump trailer and never would not have one. I like my skid steer as well, I would not get rid of that either and I can transport the skid steer with the dump trailer. You can also build sides for your truck to increase the capacity if it will handle the weight. I do sell firewood and it's nice to be able to haul two cords of firewood at a time to minimize trips.

 

[Iska3]

Guns... Check your mail box..

 

[sam-tip]

1. Who has just one saw. CAD. Another saw
2. Chain grinder
3. 10 to 12 ft trailer with brakes on both axles.
4. Wheel barrow wagon or cart.


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[Iska3]

If I was just starting out and on my own property, I start out with A good trailer, maybe two trailers. One that that I can get in to the woods. I don't like loading a pick up.. I'm reaching and lifting higher and jumping in and out of the box and a trailer I'm on the ground and not lifting as high as the box on a pick up. If I was just starting out as guns stated, I'd get a few extra chains and good flat file and a good chain file along with a gauge so I get a good idea where my raker is set and several plastic wedges. If I was doing stumpage on a larger plot it would be a different story.