Help improving collecting efficiency

[nugotus datasoma]

I am looking for some tips or ideas for improving efficiency of moving the tree closer to my truck. I'm on a tight budget so I can't afford new equipment. Right now I cut the tree up into rounds and then toss each piece closer and closer to my truck until I can finally load. This takes up a lot of my time especially when the tree is a distance from my truck deep in the woods. Ideal, I'd like to get the tree closer to my truck in one piece (or at least larger pieces) and then section it and load it. I've thought about looking for a winch, but that would mean I may also need snatch blocks, straps/cables, hooks, and a generator. I've thought about dragging out larger pieces with an ATV, but then I'd need to get a trailer also. Both of these options would be expensive and well outside my budget. Rarely I may be able to yank it out with my truck, but often times working in the mountains, the road doesn't have the right angles to drag a tree to it. Does anyone here have ideas for a single worker with a limit budget?

 

[Ryan'smilling]

A gas powered capstan winch perhaps. You're right about needing blocks and other rigging though, and it's not particularly cheap.

 

[cantoo]

Unfortunately it means you have to fight with everyone for the easy wood along the road. A small log arch with big wheels would help you get 8' logs to the truck easier.

 

[Trapper_Pete]

what does the terrain look like ?

snow?

private land to cut on where you could stack in the woods and haul out when you could get help or had snow ?

I moved a lot of wood my first many 6-7 years of cutting with a sled and wheel barrow .

the sled was the most efficient I could get three 18-20 inch rounds out in each trip when there was snow , the 2nd day hauling was even better with the packed down trail like walking on pavement.

if I could cut just slightly up hill from the road even better

another trick is 18 gallon rubber made totes , they hold 16 inc wood well you can kneel and pick up a pile of pieces from the top and either move them in the wheel barrow or sled then only one lift to get all that in the truck

noodle the rounds to sizes you can lift them and handle them better


I went back and read mountains I don't know how to do it in the mountains closes thing we have here is big hills I knew some guys who cut rounds then rolled them down the hill the ditch caught them then they only had a short distance to the truck.

but I will leave the rest above for people not in the mountains who might be asking the same question

 

[Jere39]

Have a son, wait 16 years - let him carry to your truck while you saw

 

[lknchoppers]

Cut the trees closer to your truck and use a wheel barrow maybe?

 

[KiwiBro]

Why buy a winch when you can drag the trees with a rope and your truck? Spend the $ on a snatch block, self releasing preferably, or you'll be looking for a new rear window in short order.
*editing to add*, if a manual, go easy on the clutch. Took less than a Summer to burn out the clutch in my ute on my first tree harvesting job. Mind you, it was about 700 trees on steep terrain, and I don't think the engineers at Mazda had that in their design brief.

 

[oaky]

they make a chainsaw powered winch, those look very handy.
i see people hook they up to theyre trucks.

 

[merc_man]

Have a son, wait 16 years - let him carry to your truck while you saw

16 years...
I had my son on the end of a chainsaw at 10.( not alone of course. Under close supervision)
Carrying blocks out at about 7 or 8 years old.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

 

[ericm979]

besides pulling logs with the truck you can get an inexpensive winch for it. It'll be slow and you'll need to stop to let it cool down, but it's less effort than hauling rounds.

 

[muddstopper]

I use a cable and a snatch block. I hook the snatch block to a tree next to the road and run the cable thru it to the tree. Hook other end of cable to truck and just drive. Pull the tree or log up to or down to the road and then buck it up. I have a 100ft 3/8steel cable so i can reach a pretty good ways off the road.

 

[300zx_tt]

Pulleys are your friend, buy some rigging stuff, do some research. Check craigslist for stuff as well. I got a 250’ spool of 1/4 stainless braided cable for 25 bucks.

What kind of truck do you have?