Hand truck for hauling rounds out of the woods.

[genesis5521]

I'm the OP, and I sure am glad I started this thread. It's given me (and I think a lot of others) some good food for thought.

Hand truck (tree dolly), wagon, wheelbarrow, or winch.

For me at least, I'm thinking a wheelbarrow would be the hardest to negotiate in the woods over uneven terrain. But maybe some of you are better with a wheelbarrow then I am. 3 50lb rounds in a wheelbarrow would be a lot to manage for 50 yards.

My first thought was a hand truck (tree dolly). This would be good for moving 1 or 2 rounds at a time. Keeping it balanced with just 1 or 2 rounds on it shouldn't be a problem as it's center of gravity would still be fairly low. Putting 3 rounds on it could change things a bit.

But now I'm leaning toward some kind of wagon where I could load probably 4 to 6 rounds at a time. With a wagon, there's no balancing involved as there would be with a tree dolly or wheelbarrow. There are some decent wagons in the $60 to $100 price range.

I really would like an electric winch that would slide in to my receiver hitch, but I don't know anything about winches. Harbor Freight just had a sale on a 2000 pound winch for $49. If I were gonna use a winch, I'd want a skidding cone like this one.

Portable Winch Skidding Cone, Model# PCA-1290 | Winch Kits, Straps + Hooks | Northern Tool + Equipment

If you watch the movie on the skidding cone, that 2000 pound portable capstan winch the guy is using is pretty slick. But it's $1400. Will 100 yards of 1/4" cable fit on a winch? How many pulls can you make with a winch before it wears the battery down? 1 good size tall 16" tree will fill my truck bed. But that would entail making 6 to 10 pulls of 8' logs (assuming I cut the tree up) for 50 yards. That could amount to 500 yards of pulling. Can a truck battery handle this?

For now, I'm thinking keep it simple with a wagon. After I do some research on winches, that may be the next step. But sometimes, I'm still gonna have ta bite the bullet and just carry the rounds out, 1 by 1. Like I do now.

Don <><

 

[branchbuzzer]

I'm the OP, and I sure am glad I started this thread. It's given me (and I think a lot of others) some good food for thought.

Hand truck (tree dolly), wagon, wheelbarrow, or winch.


For now, I'm thinking keep it simple with a wagon. After I do some research on winches, that may be the next step.

Don <><

I think the key, no matter what you use, is not to overload it past what both you and the vehicle can handle. A simple load for someone of greater strength can become a major task for someone else. In a wheelbarrow for example, one is constantly making small adjustments of balance and if it tips too far, what for one person is a small adjustment becomes a huge effort or a spill for someone else. That's going to be true on whatever you use, just in different ways - the wagon wheels can stick easier. Usually more trips with moderate loads is easier than a few heavy ones.

 

[genesis5521]

I have wondered about something like a two wheeled off road tires rickshaw looking thing. Get a good balance over the axle with your weight, and you get to pull rather than push with a wheelbarrow. I am not aware of anything like that for sale though, but I bet it exists.

It sure does Zogger, and here it is. I'd rig something across the front so it could be pulled in stead of pushing it.

Leonard Flatbed 2-Wheel Nursery Cart, 2ft x 4ft Low Deck, 850 lb Capacity | A.M. Leonard, Inc.

Don

 

[genesis5521]

Usually more trips with moderate loads is easier than a few heavy ones.

Point well taken Branchbuzzer. 3 rounds, 50 to 80 lb each, in a wagon should be a piece of cake. 6 rounds could be a challenge. But for the smaller stuff (5 to 10 lbs) where I can only get 3 in my arms, I could load a whole heap in the wagon. This is really starting to sound pretty good.

Wait a minute. I'd have to bring my trailer along to hold the wagon. Oh well, then I can collect more wood.

Don <><

 

[Guido Salvage]

It sure does Zogger, and here it is. I'd rig something across the front so it could be pulled in stead of pushing it.

Leonard Flatbed 2-Wheel Nursery Cart, 2ft x 4ft Low Deck, 850 lb Capacity | A.M. Leonard, Inc.

Don

My concern is that the buggy is low to the ground and the handles are too far back to effectively control the load.

A couple of other random thoughts...

* Winching out logs will embed dirt and rocks in the bark, thus reducing the life of your chains
* You could split your rounds in half before loading, thus reducing any shifting in a wagon.
* I have one wheelbarrow where I removed the tray and built a platform with a "headboard" over the tire for moving wood. This would probably be better for split wood, but also reduces the height you need to lift the wood as you don't have to clear the side of a tray. You could probably find a used wheelbarrow cheap on CL.
* Get one of these wheelbarrows with dual tires. Much more stable and easier to push (and a bit pricey).

 

[STLfirewood]

I found my DR Powerwagon on craigslist for $250. It needed some carb work. These things are great. I am planning on using my on wood deliveries in the future. I can carry 1/3 of a 4'x8' stack on mine. It pulls hills great. They make a trailer hitch that fits on the front of trucks. I'm going to get the hitch and make a carrier for the powerwagon. If I was the OP I would get a winch and winch the log to the truck then cut it up. Get a winch that will slide in the reciever.

Scott

 

[sb47]

I use a hand truck (dolly) here at the yard to move my rounds around. My yard is flat so it works pretty good but if one wheel hits something it can tip over and the rounds can fall off. So I don’t think it would work so well in the woods.
The ones with the bigger wheels we call tree dollies, I have used them to move container trees around the nursery. They work better then the small dollies do.
I also have the little wagon like the one posted earlier; it works great around here at the yard but when it’s full of wood it is very heavy and hard to pull very far without getting tired. I pull the wagon with my little tractor.

It would depend on how level the ground is and how many stumps you have to roll over or around. I use my little dolly for moving lots of stuff here around the house and yard.
Why carry something when you can roll it?

None of the methods will cost very much and ether can be used for other things so try one out and let us know how it works for ya.

 

[zogger]

got it!

Cheap, lightweight, easy to use, designed for off road use, will hold some weight, correct design, the cargo bed, handles, where the weight is balanced, all of it! I had forgotten all about these things. Slap "deer carrier" into google and go shopping.

 

[SPDRMNKY]

I really would like an electric winch that would slide in to my receiver hitch, but I don't know anything about winches. Harbor Freight just had a sale on a 2000 pound winch for $49. If I were gonna use a winch, I'd want a skidding cone like this one.

Portable Winch Skidding Cone, Model# PCA-1290 | Winch Kits, Straps + Hooks | Northern Tool + Equipment

If you watch the movie on the skidding cone, that 2000 pound portable capstan winch the guy is using is pretty slick. But it's $1400. Will 100 yards of 1/4" cable fit on a winch? How many pulls can you make with a winch before it wears the battery down? 1 good size tall 16" tree will fill my truck bed. But that would entail making 6 to 10 pulls of 8' logs (assuming I cut the tree up) for 50 yards. That could amount to 500 yards of pulling. Can a truck battery handle this?

a 2000lb winch oughta skid 8' logs of the dia you list...especially with a cone...probably won't hold 300' of cable though. a capstan winch would be useful for making long pulls, but not recommended for double duty as vehicle recovery. 6 to 8,000lb winches can be had reasonably, will probably get your truck out of most scrapes, and will hold more cable (generally)...they're also pretty user-friendly

leave the truck idling when winching...and watch the voltmeter. a small winch won't be too much of a drain, but inattention can get you in trouble. A deep cycle marine battery is a good idea for regular winch use, but not necessary right away.

I know...now you're wasting fuel with the truck idling, using a system that has new dangers, and creating a few hassles to get rid of some others. I guess you call it Murphy's Law of Energy...work is work, whether you do it fueled on bacon and beans or money!

 

[SPDRMNKY]

Cheap, lightweight, easy to use, designed for off road use, will hold some weight, correct design, the cargo bed, handles, where the weight is balanced, all of it! I had forgotten all about these things. Slap "deer carrier" into google and go shopping.

that's it zogger...nicely done...rep if I could

 

[gtsawyer]

Nice thread and got me thinkin'

I've only tried a wheelbarrow and a Harbor Freight hand truck (the one with the biggest pneumatic tires), neither of which I'm entirely satisfied with. The wheelbarrow takes more lifting, and is a pain to throw on top of a load of wood (to take it home), and the hand truck doesn't easily contain enough wood (especially of different shapes), although it handles larger rounds nicely and I can fit it in the back seat of my pickup cab. The hand truck's left wheel busted the weld, so it needs to be fixed (yet another lesson in getting what you pay for).

There are some great ideas here.

 

[genesis5521]

I am I am torn between these two units;

Northern Industrial Tree Truck — 1500-Lb. Capacity, Model# 143722 | Specialty Hand Trucks | Northern Tool + Equipment

Leonard Nursery Truck Extended Lift 1000 lbs, Pneumatic Tires | A.M. Leonard, Inc.

Rudedog, I'd try the NT model for $199 first. It's capacity is 1500 lbs, so it should easily handle a couple hundred lbs from a few rounds. I'm curious as to why you prefer this over a wagon.

Don <><

 

[Bushmans]

I know it sounds weird but have you tried a sled with no snow? I have a Jet sled designed for ice fishing. It is about 10 inches deep and mad of very tough plastic. I reinforced the pull cord with large washers so it won't pull through the holes. Leaves are pretty slippery and anyone walking the side of a hill in the late fall can attest to this. Use them as your snow.
I can load up about 7 or 8 ten inch rounds on the sled and pull them quite easily through the woods without snow. Bonus feature is it flattens all the briars and brambles and before you know it you have a nice clean path. We have snow now so it is even easier and I can load more but I'm telling you it works well. The sled was given to me so I don't know what it cost but I would guess iin the $50 range.
I am also in the process of building a set of wood tongs. I finished the prototype at work today and will be trying it tomorrow. I'll post pics when I do. (If it works) with the tongs you can carry one in each hand. Some places require different methods of course. I like to be prepared.
Just found it cheaper than I thought.
http://www.####ssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11929391&010=SKU-10940318&cid=CSE:&cid=CSE:GooglePLAs&003=4239056

 

[gtsawyer]

I know it sounds weird but have you tried a sled with no snow? I have a Jet sled designed for ice fishing. It is about 10 inches deep and mad of very tough plastic. I reinforced the pull cord with large washers so it won't pull through the holes. Leaves are pretty slippery and anyone walking the side of a hill in the late fall can attest to this. Use them as your snow.
I can load up about 7 or 8 ten inch rounds on the sled and pull them quite easily through the woods without snow. Bonus feature is it flattens all the briars and brambles and before you know it you have a nice clean path. We have snow now so it is even easier and I can load more but I'm telling you it works well. The sled was given to me so I don't know what it cost but I would guess iin the $50 range.
I am also in the process of building a set of wood tongs. I finished the prototype at work today and will be trying it tomorrow. I'll post pics when I do. (If it works) with the tongs you can carry one in each hand. Some places require different methods of course. I like to be prepared.
Just found it cheaper than I thought.
http://www.####ssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11929391&010=SKU-10940318&cid=CSE:&cid=CSE:GooglePLAs&003=4239056

http://www.d<null>ickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11929391

Why you visiting web sites with nasty words in their name?

 

[Bushmans]

http://www.d<null>ickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11929391

Why you visiting web sites with nasty words in their name?

Didn't even think about that and I just finished reading the reminder post. LOL
Oh well! :eek2:

 

[Guido Salvage]

I am also in the process of building a set of wood tongs. I finished the prototype at work today and will be trying it tomorrow. I'll post pics when I do. (If it works) with the tongs you can carry one in each hand. Some places require different methods of course. I like to be prepared.

You speaking of tongs made me think of a brick carrier. I suspect one could be adapted for logs, but you would need to be pretty stout to carry a round in each hand.

This brick carrying wheelbarrow is similar to what I constructed for logs, but is made out of metal.

 

[slowp]

The most interesting firewood mover I ever saw, was a Shetland Pony. He pulled about 4 foot lengths to the road. They had people hooking up the wood, slapping him on the butt, and he would pull to the road, get unhooked, and he'd go back. His people said he earned his keep yarding firewood.

About using something motorized off road in the National Forest?? I'd sure check before buying anything.

Some of the BUOLs (Busted Up Old Loggers) around here use some of their smaller blocks, and haywire. Haywire is small diameter wire rope. It can get complicated, but those guys know how to rig it.

 

[dts99]

I got this one from tractor supply.

Hand Truck, 1000 lb. Capacity - 3893949 | Tractor Supply Company

I use it all the time and it has never let me down. Has a wide stance and when the tires are inflated to near rock solid it rolls over rough terrain easily. If you get anywhere near its rated weight capacity, its a feat to tip it back onto the wheels but it can and will hold that much...only question is can you move 1000lbs?

i also have this hand truck, best $100 i spent that week, you can move anything, 3 16inch rounds would balance it out perfectly all you have to do is pull

 

[genesis5521]

I know it sounds weird but have you tried a sled with no snow? I have a Jet sled designed for ice fishing. It is about 10 inches deep and mad of very tough plastic. I reinforced the pull cord with large washers so it won't pull through the holes. Leaves are pretty slippery and anyone walking the side of a hill in the late fall can attest to this. Use them as your snow.
I can load up about 7 or 8 ten inch rounds on the sled and pull them quite easily through the woods without snow. Bonus feature is it flattens all the briars and brambles and before you know it you have a nice clean path. We have snow now so it is even easier and I can load more but I'm telling you it works well. The sled was given to me so I don't know what it cost but I would guess iin the $50 range.
I am also in the process of building a set of wood tongs. I finished the prototype at work today and will be trying it tomorrow. I'll post pics when I do. (If it works) with the tongs you can carry one in each hand. Some places require different methods of course. I like to be prepared.
Just found it cheaper than I thought.
http://www.####ssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11929391&010=SKU-10940318&cid=CSE:&cid=CSE:GooglePLAs&003=4239056

Hi Bushman:

I made a post about using a sled in another thread. I was gonna buy a cheapie from Walmart for 8 bucks. But the one from D-i-c-k-'s Sporting Goods for $35 seems like just the ticket.

Concerning tongs, Bailey's sells something called a "log claw". It come in 3 different sized. The guys that have them, just luv them.

Husqvarna Chainsaws, Outdoor Power Equipment and Tree Care Supplies from Bailey's

Here's a video on it.

[video=youtube;gUZbMD7R97E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUZbMD7R97E[/video]

Don <><

 

[genesis5521]

About using something motorized off road in the National Forest?? I'd sure check before buying anything.

Can't take a motorized vehicle (ATV, motorcycle, bulldozer, grapple, etc) in the forest. Winches, wagons, sleds, and such are allowed.

Don <><