My new mechanized firewood system...(Pics!)

[brenndatomu]

I've been mulling over a way to handle my firewood less. My system has evolved over time to this. I cut to length (usually) right where I drop the tree, load on the truck, then split right of the truck and stack immediately from the splitter onto my stacks at the back of the property. In the past I built 8' long racks that allow me to load up 1/2 cord at a time right out of my main stacks, then I would carry them to the woodshed (using my dads A/C forklift). This work great, but, then I gotta hump wood in the house every day all winter long. I thought about carrying a rack at a time into the attached garage, but that means borrowing the forklift each time I wanna move a rack, and the racks would take up too much room in the garage anyways.

So I started looking for a small 4x4 loader tractor...too expensive, went looking for a small forklift...all the affordable stuff was junk. Wait a minute! I know the perfect machine! Dad has a Prime Mover L-812 mini forklift that he had plans for many moons ago (never happened though). A lot of you guys would recognize this machine as a "stander" with a concrete dumper on the front, this is the less popular (rare) forklift model and has been modified to be a "Sitter". The ole girl has just been sitting in the back of the machinery shed sinking into the ground for going on 25-30 years now. Dad said I was welcome to have it if I could use it. I went and dug it out, the Honda motor that was on it had long been scrounged for a log splitter project but I had a replacement layin around, so no biggie. I got 'er running in short order and after some quick measurements I realized this was gonna be perfect! I built a dozen new racks that hold roughly a 1/3 of a cord (4' wide x 5.5' tall x 22" deep) and a heavy duty wheeled cart to set the racks on so that I can wheel a rack full of wood right into my furnace room!

I will still load the racks out of the stacks then store them in the woodshed nice and dry for the winter, but now I only have to fetch wood every couple weeks using my new toy!
Now for the pics... The new racks The new cart I had to fab up some dual wheel adapters to keep from sinking into oblivion when running across the yard loaded. A rack full of Oak is about all the ole girl wants!
In the garage (almost home) Rolling into the basement Home... ...right next to the Mighty Mighty Yukon!
I'll probably give the lil forklift a good polish and paint next summer once I'm sure any bugs are worked out

Now I just need to figure out how to build a firewood processor on the cheap

 

[zogger]

That's slicker than greased owl snot!

 

[dave_dj1]

That's pretty cool!
What kind of forklift is that?
I do something similar with my homemade forklift only on a smaller scale.

 

[dancan]

Awesome !
It's great to see an old piece of iron saved from the scrap pile

 

[brenndatomu]

That's slicker than greased owl snot!

I take it that's pretty slick?! Thanks Zogger!

What kind of forklift is that?

Prime Mover L-812, as best I can tell, the ID tag is gone...

It's great to see an old piece of iron saved from the scrap pile

I agree, this thing is a heavy duty lil beast, and probably older than me! The only issue would be getting parts for it if I ever needed any of the proprietary stuff.

 

[Whitespider]

That's slicker than greased owl snot!

HEY‼
C'mon zogger, no fair stealin' a man's post before he even posts it.

That lift is pretty slick though brenndatomu, I love to have it... can think of several uses.
*

 

[XSKIER]

Very nice. You have definitely arrived at wood heating perfection with that system right there.

 

[brenndatomu]

That lift is pretty slick though brenndatomu, I love to have it... can think of several uses.

Yep, I have used it for several "extracurricular" things already. The nice thing is it only takes up about as much room as a lawn mower to store.
I figured you'd like it spidey...I mounted 4 bias ply drive tires on 'er!

Very nice. You have definitely arrived at wood heating perfection with that system right there.

Gettin closer anyways. Now, if I could only figure out how to get stihlydan to sell me his Kuuma furnace for a song ...heck, one of these racks full of wood would last me half the winter then!

 

[unclemoustache]

Slicker than whale poop on an ice floe.

 

[zogger]

HEY‼
C'mon zogger, no fair stealin' a man's post before he even posts it.

That lift is pretty slick though brenndatomu, I love to have it... can think of several uses.
*

I just borrowed it. Have yet to do any clinical studies on it though. Maybe they make a slick-0-meter gadget....

 

[mainewoods]

That heavy duty wheeled dolly is pretty sweet too.

 

[firebrick43]

Spidey would pay an extra 1000$ for that forklift just because of the bias ply tires!!

 

[NSMaple1]

Nice - and not far off what I do too. My pallets are a mix of regular sized ones (48x42) with sides, and some made of 4x4 that are 7.5' long. I pile double wide (cut to around 18"), and get them to the slab outside the basement door with the FEL, then either use a dolly like you've got for the long ones or a pallet jack for the small ones, and roll it all in right beside my boiler. Some I'll re-stack up on top of pallets I already rolled in - some nice not having to touch the wood between when you split & when you put it in the fire!

 

[mainewoods]

Just how slick is walrus snot on an iceberg, anyway?

 

[greenskeeper]

your wood is less efficient since it won't heat you 4 ways anymore

 

[stihly dan]

Yep, I have used it for several "extracurricular" things already. The nice thing is it only takes up about as much room as a lawn mower to store.
I figured you'd like it spidey...I mounted 4 bias ply drive tires on 'er!
Gettin closer anyways. Now, if I could only figure out how to get stihlydan to sell me his Kuuma furnace for a song ...heck, one of these racks full of wood would last me half the winter then!

Absolutely, As soon as the finish there auto loading design for me.

 

[brenndatomu]

I do something similar with my homemade forklift only on a smaller scale.

Nice - and not far off what I do too.

You guys have any pics of your setup posted here anywhere? If not feel free to put 'em up here!

 

[brenndatomu]

Absolutely, As soon as the finish there auto loading design for me.

Auto load, hmm...if that can be perfected and I can cobble together a firewood processor, heating with wood will be almost effortless! Shoot, I'd prolly hafta get a gym membership to keep from gettin too fat then opcorn:

 

[Iska3]

Nice set up for sure. That would be a handy thing to have around the farm.. Beats jumping in and out of the skid steer all the time.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

My son with your lifts big brother, 3/4 cord. Running blind unless your going backwards.