How big a tractor or what implement?

[RyeThomas]

Ok Gents I have been very fortunate and I have sold a lot of firewood already this year. At 41 I am getting tired of hand loading into my dump trailer. My John Deere 3032e 4x4 even with a ballast box just doesn’t have the weight or the bucket size to plow into my pile of firewood and scoop a big bucket and load. It’s faster to back down to the pile and throw it in by hand.

So my 3032 is paid for and while I like it I’m wondering what I can do to load by the machine. Skid steer is out since I have my wood pile in my side yard and have to drive across it. I have also considered a rock bucket. Yes I’d have to hand load it, but I could dump it in the trailer it can hold about 12 cubic feet.
My bucket only holds about 1.5 cubic feet even if I hand load it so it’s a waste of time.

Or I can look for an old 5 series with a 6’ bucket and 45 or so horsepower with a lot more weight and probably plow into the pile and get full buckets. That means possibly no hand loading. That would be amazing!

The only machine I’ve seen load firewood by full buckets quick was a JD 110 tlb and that’s a lot of machine!!
I don’t need that, or do I. Ugh I can’t afford it.

Anyway, tia. Rye.

 

[dave_dj1]

I don't know how big a 3032 is but I'm guessing not too big. If you have a SSQ you could maybe get a root grapple or something similar? I would at least get a deeper flat bucket. Get a bigger tractor or my dream machine, a skid steer on tracks. How do you split and pile? If you split and just toss in a big pile then I think either one of the ways I mentioned would work fine. I stack on pallets so I can move it with forks but then again I don't sell it. My gut tells me bigger tractor.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Case 580, around me they are for sale everywhere and not too expensive. Not impossible to work on yourself either.

 

[CaseyForrest]

I think you're cheapest option would be a grapple.

 

[Andy-H]

Second the grapple. What about a mulch bucket with a grapple?

 

[KiwiBro]

Ok Gents I have been very fortunate and I have sold a lot of firewood already this year. At 41 I am getting tired of hand loading into my dump trailer. My John Deere 3032e 4x4 even with a ballast box just doesn’t have the weight or the bucket size to plow into my pile of firewood and scoop a big bucket and load. It’s faster to back down to the pile and throw it in by hand.

So my 3032 is paid for and while I like it I’m wondering what I can do to load by the machine. Skid steer is out since I have my wood pile in my side yard and have to drive across it. I have also considered a rock bucket. Yes I’d have to hand load it, but I could dump it in the trailer it can hold about 12 cubic feet.
My bucket only holds about 1.5 cubic feet even if I hand load it so it’s a waste of time.

Or I can look for an old 5 series with a 6’ bucket and 45 or so horsepower with a lot more weight and probably plow into the pile and get full buckets. That means possibly no hand loading. That would be amazing!

The only machine I’ve seen load firewood by full buckets quick was a JD 110 tlb and that’s a lot of machine!!
I don’t need that, or do I. Ugh I can’t afford it.

Anyway, tia. Rye.

At any stage, do you need to stack the firewood? If not, why not off the splitter/conveyor direct into mesh bags like these dino bags:

Then lift with a set of pallet forks or bucket forks or a hook on the bucket, etc, and into the trailer. Tip it over to dump the wood out. With a bit of practise and a loop of rope attached to the bottom corners you could get quite accurate with the dumping. Minimises handling this way. I'm in final stages of designing a bag similar but with a quick release feature to the bottom to dump the whole lot with the pull of a string. Trouble is they are shaping up to cost about $15 each and the minimum order quantities are 1000.

*edit* your tractor may not have enough lifting capacity for a full bag and may need more counterweight.

 

[MechanicMatt]

He still needs a bigger tractor to drive into the pile. Those little homeowner loaders are a toy. Big loader with a grapple, just get out your northern tool catalog out and day dream a little, big tractor big hydraulics and get it done.

I hear you on the NO to the skid steer, I had one and was constantly getting yelled at by the wife for tearing the yard apart...

 

[RyeThomas]

3032e is an economy JD tractor 32 hp 3000 series (lol economy, $$$). So with the ballast it’s only about 3000lbs maybe a bit more and has no remote hydraulics. To add a remote kit is rear only, a pain, all or nothing and expensive. So to add a grapple is a big chunk of change vs just moving up in tractor size.
The caveat is this one is cherry and paid for and being a 2008 it has absolutely NO EMISSIONS so it’s a very desirable tractor.

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Personally I'd probably look at a grapple and a diverter. You can add an electric diverter with a switch on the joystick for a few hundred bucks. Pushing into the pile sounds like dirty wood to me.

If you do want to push into the pile though, what about something like this?

Those are BXpanded brush forks, but you could build something or find some that fit your tractor. I'd guess you could slide them under the pile, then quickly tilt the bucket back and fill the bucket making more room on the tines for a second bite. Just a guess though.

 

[cantoo]

RyeThomas, I have at least 20 different buckets, grapples, forks etc and I hand load. No bucket works worth a crap loading off the ground. You push wood around in the dirt or it takes you forever to get a bucketful. I hand load onto my conveyor (hay elevator) which dumps into my dump trailer. This allows me to keep dirt and crap out of my loads. And splits that have rot short or whatever on them can be thrown aside and ensure only good wood goes in the trailer. It doesn't take that long and to me is well worth it. And the conveyor is great for stacking splits.

 

[RyeThomas]

Thanks fellas.

Well after some research it seems most still handload or use a conveyor. Guess I need to buck up, ha. The only other thing I have thought about is getting a set of pallet forks and building a lightweight box to load the wood into. Then I can move it from my pile in the side yard out to the street to load without making 30 trips with just the little fel bucket. My truck is fat and so is my trailer, my yard is wet and I have 3 loads that need to go out. Ughhhhh.
I figure a 3’x4’ box could hold about 3x as much wood as my 60” bucket. My rough math makes 7/8 trips with a pallet fork box vs about 25 with just the fel bucket.

My machine can handle that.

I think pushing into the pile is going to take a 65+ hp 6000lb+ machine. That means no fitting thru my gate, no yard work, more tearing up my yard, etc.
My little 3032 is a great tractor for yard work, fits thru my gates, it’s easy on grass, sips diesel, probably should keep her and figure out the best way to maximize its firewood capability.

 

[stevetheboatguy]

I have a cub/yanmar 2400 a little smaller than your jd. I'm always looking for ways to maximize it's use. I'm in process of making up a 60" wide log carrier and pallet forks to replace the bucket. But my main firewood rig is a case IH 585 with a 7ft bucket.

The cub is lucky to scoop a wheelbarrow full at a time. While three or four scoops with the case and the truck is at the top of the bedrails. Wasted space, but faster than stacking.

I have worn down 10 ply truck tires on the front and waffle pattern turf tires on the rear. It doesn't tear up the lawn unless it's super soft, or I have the tire chains on.



Steven

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Thanks fellas.

Well after some research it seems most still handload or use a conveyor. Guess I need to buck up, ha. The only other thing I have thought about is getting a set of pallet forks and building a lightweight box to load the wood into. Then I can move it from my pile in the side yard out to the street to load without making 30 trips with just the little fel bucket. My truck is fat and so is my trailer, my yard is wet and I have 3 loads that need to go out. Ughhhhh.
I figure a 3’x4’ box could hold about 3x as much wood as my 60” bucket. My rough math makes 7/8 trips with a pallet fork box vs about 25 with just the fel bucket.

My machine can handle that.

I think pushing into the pile is going to take a 65+ hp 6000lb+ machine. That means no fitting thru my gate, no yard work, more tearing up my yard, etc.
My little 3032 is a great tractor for yard work, fits thru my gates, it’s easy on grass, sips diesel, probably should keep her and figure out the best way to maximize its firewood capability.

If you don't already have pallet forks, this sounds like a great reason to get a set. They're super handy for all sorts of stuff. I pretty much drive my tractor around 90% of the time with forks on, and only use the bucket occasionally.

 

[CaseyForrest]

If you don't already have pallet forks, this sounds like a great reason to get a set. They're super handy for all sorts of stuff. I pretty much drive my tractor around 90% of the time with forks on, and only use the bucket occasionally.

Same here. Just about everything I have that needs moved sits on a pallet.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[blades]

Option- fork lift assembly for the 3 point (if you have that), hard to find, might have to have it fabbed up, still need a diverter valve for the forks up/down

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

View attachment 611067 RyeThomas, I have at least 20 different buckets, grapples, forks etc and I hand load. No bucket works worth a crap loading off the ground. You push wood around in the dirt or it takes you forever to get a bucketful. I hand load onto my conveyor (hay elevator) which dumps into my dump trailer. This allows me to keep dirt and crap out of my loads. And splits that have rot short or whatever on them can be thrown aside and ensure only good wood goes in the trailer. It doesn't take that long and to me is well worth it. And the conveyor is great for stacking splits.
View attachment 611066

Same, and same. We have 2 skid steers, 2 grapples, 2 buckets, backhoe, 2 dozers, excavator, forklift, etc, etc... still hand load if wood is on the ground.

Have considered pouring a slab to dump wood on, just haven't been that committed. Mostly load in trucks and delver, no sitting.


The John Deere 110 isn't a big machine, only about 7000lbs. We have a 310 which is about double the weight. I much prefer using one of the skid steers for bucket work. Better pushing power, as well as better digging power. Plus WAY more maneuverable.

 

[mesupra]

Given your tractor is paid for and your bought it in 2008 I would recommend looking into trading up. I think you will be surprised how little if any of a loss you will have with your tractor. I'm not a deere fan but damn they hold their value well! You can also check out the trade value towards something like a kioti, ls, mahindra. Much heavier tractors with low initial investment compared to a deere or kubota.

Also having something with rear remotes that you can run to the front to run a grapple is going to be your cheapest option.

I recently purchased a 60" clam grapple bucket for $1200 shipped. It's awesome at picking up most anything.

 

[Jere39]

Well, the job will always include some manual labor. But a conveyor will eat a lot of lifting and tossing work,

 

[Marshy]

@RyeThomas, what do you have for tires? Would a set of off AG tires work better to drive the bucket into the pile?

Why does a skid steer work so well anyways, is it weight or traction, both?

I feel like if you can drive the bucket into the pile then maybe just a larger bucket would get you where you want to be..?

 

[blades]

ya need some teeth on the edge of the bucket , makes all the difference in the word over a straight edge in stuff like the wood or gravel pile. I know they are avalable for ss buckets (had a set for mine) so likely for the tractor as well , just a bolt on deal.