So far In my few short years of heating with wood I've learned this is the easiest way for me to get wood out of my few acres of bush to my truck. I work alone 99% of the time and am short,skinny and not very strong but at 25 still have lots of energy to push myself....but I'm always looking for an easier way. Without going and spending money on a quad or snowmobile( I have a lawn tractor but trails are pretty rough so it's very slow going and bush floods every spring and is wet into the summer) what are some inexpensive ways to make things easier? Whether it's for pulling logs to the trail or lifting heavier logs myself any ideas are appreciated.
woodin' the hard way
- Thread starter bartman23
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Get your self about a hundred feet of 1/4" aircraft cable, put a hook on one end and some tongs, get a pulley on a tree at the trail and use truck or mower to pull the logs to the trail. You may need more than a hundred feet but you get the idea. Or build a capstan winch there are some good ones to make on the net. The more I think about it the capstan winch may be just the ticket.
Whatever you do take lots of pics
Whatever you do take lots of pics
I dont carry wood more than a few feet from the truck. I keep 100ft of 3/8 cable, two snatch blocks, got a half a dozn 20ft chains if I think I will need them, and a heavy duty hitch on the back of the truck. I pull the whole tree to the road and then cut it up. If I cant reach it with my cable, it can stay in the woods.
You could build a log flume....
You can move a lot of wood with a few hours with a plastic sled. Smaller stuff falls off when the trail tips a bit is to side, but you can move a couple big, heavy rounds pretty easily if it is fairly flat and you get a trail established. The strap on grippy things for boots work well. Much better using a sled than a hand cart or wheel barrow in the summer. Then again, unclemoustache might be on to something, short of a used quad like we did. Have had it eight or nine years now.
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
I cut a few trees in the woods behind my house this past spring (had fallen over). I forgot how much work it is doing all that by hand haha.
I'll stick to using equipment!
I'll stick to using equipment!
sirbuildalot
Addicted to ArboristSite
Buy yourself a couple of these. They work well to drag out small logs or to carry two decent sized rounds at a time. After getting used to them, you'll be able to throw and release at just the right time to use them a number of ways.
http://www.baileysonline.com/Forest...riers/Husqvarna-12-Timber-Tongs-574387601.axd
Don't cut your strength potential short. Join a gym and stick to big, heavy barbell compound movements (overhead press, squats, deadlift, bench, dips, chinups, etc) 3x a week doing full body workouts, eat in a calorie surplus, and get normal sleep and watch your strength increases skyrocket. Most average genetic ability people can gain 12-15 lbs of lean muscle in a year of lifting.
http://www.baileysonline.com/Forest...riers/Husqvarna-12-Timber-Tongs-574387601.axd
Don't cut your strength potential short. Join a gym and stick to big, heavy barbell compound movements (overhead press, squats, deadlift, bench, dips, chinups, etc) 3x a week doing full body workouts, eat in a calorie surplus, and get normal sleep and watch your strength increases skyrocket. Most average genetic ability people can gain 12-15 lbs of lean muscle in a year of lifting.
I've done many a cord of wood where I drop a tree or find deadfall along one of my trails and carry rounds out to the road. Like the other guys said, if you can get equipment to skid the logs it will make your life much easier.
NSMaple1
Addicted to ArboristSite
I would likely look for a used ATV. They are quite capable, and could likely find one at a decent price with some time watching. I use one for my scrounging. Have a 2x2x8 walking beam trailer behind it, with a ball on the back. Which I hook my splitter to when heading out. I drive right to beside the fallen tree, process it all right where it lays.
I usually strap my logs to a few mosquitoes and fly them out.
TimberWolf530
ArboristSite Guru
First, have at least two more kids. Second wait around for about 13 or 14 years, and you'll have your own built in labor force. Then, you cut and give orders, and let the slaves....er your kids do the rest. Not that I have any experience with this type of thing. I will admit, the log flume thing seems like a pretty good idea too.
KiwiBro
Mill 'em, nails be damned.
You joke but this one time, at banned camp, I had to chute firewood 90' down plastic culverts (cut in half to keep costs down) into trucks/trailer perched on the goat track masquerading as a skid trail masquerading as vehicle access. Roadkill mudflap helped slow the buggers down and quell, albeit only temporarily, the incessant noise of truck drivers squealing like stuck pigs whenever a firewood projectile threatened to pierce the aluminium sides of their bulk trucks.You could build a log flume....
KiwiBro
Mill 'em, nails be damned.
Mossi-logging. I like it. If you run out some cotton as a zip line, they'll not waste time and will fly straight to the landing.
if it wasn't cost prohibitive I would send you a 80' piece of cable. Enjoy the new family member!
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
Could about do that here. They get bad enough at times out in the woods that you can just wave a stick and kill several hundred.
I've pulled my fair share .
I usually cut trees into 10 or 12 foot pieces and throw them on my shouder and carry them out. These are trees that are 8 inches in diameter or less. I mainly use the atv for dragging wood out but sometimes its to hard to weve trees between other trees. Throw some chains on that lawn tractor it will help with traction.
I'm 28 and enjoy the exercise from wood processing. I also work in the construction field so I'm used to physical work.
I'm 28 and enjoy the exercise from wood processing. I also work in the construction field so I'm used to physical work.
