Pulling wood out of the bush, lots of quesions.

[abohac]

Hauling

I use a variety of things to get wood out of the woods. The two tools most helpful to me are my backhoe/loader and my Farmi winch. Both of these items are pretty darned expensive. The backhoe is a product of our farm and therefore a by-product for the wood. The Farmi is a dedicated wood hauling machine that is probably the best money I have ever spent for cutting wood. I'll post a couple of pics if I can remember how to do it.

 

[wampum]

I have a four wheel drive tractor,I usually put it in the bucket or pull it behind on an old manure spreader......... Some folks around here use an old car hood or bed liner pulled behind the tractor or quad. The hood and bed liner work real well in snow,act similar to a sled,

 

[grandpatractor]

Ya might just want to get one of these. The wheels are 14"X5" and its 1000lbs capacity. I have one for moving stuff outside and it rolls along pretty good.

 

[sawinredneck]

Ya might just want to get one of these. The wheels are 14"X5" and its 1000lbs capacity. I have one for moving stuff outside and it rolls along pretty good.

Looked at that. didn't care much for the $400plus price tag!! You'd think for that kind of money a LOT less manual labor would be involved:jawdrop:


Speaking of money, I told mama I needed $3k for a mini and she needed to take a week off to go get it with me.

I am afraid to go to sleep now!!

 

[Kazpian]

I gave that VERY serious consideration a couple of years ago.
A couple of problems arose. First and foremost was the cost of fuel. That is several trips out cutting and not bringing anything back, you need a fuel effecient vehicle to make that work so no equipment can be brought along.

True - unless you can keep equipment in the trailer itself. (I don't claim to have any knowledge how well one can stop a trailer from being attached and drove off with - yet another thing I have to look into.)

You also run the risk of coming back and everything is gone the next trip.

Agreed.

Geting a semi and trailer in and out of this place would be a logistics nightmare! The weather would have to cooperate like Mother nature ever has!! Easy two weeks of dry, or three days of hard freeze, and even then you are not garunteed you wont sink the rig in the sand.

(Something I don't have as a problem ).

But beyond that, the sheer manpower, or equipment needed to load it in a timely manner negates ANY and ALL profit you stood to make. Even if you could get a truck running empty getting paid for fuel and mileage and my stop isn't that far out of his way. He isn't going to sit there for long waiting to get loaded.

I was thinking of purchasing the trailer outright having it sit at the site until I can fill it and then hire a semi to come pick it up and drive it to a more convenient site.

Add in the fuel cost and...................

That is the part I have to find out. How much would it cost to have a semi driver haul a trailer 100 miles including hooking up and dropping. If it is cost effective it might even make sense to have 2 of them so the driver can complete both the load and unload in 1 trip. Would depend greatly on the cost for this.

I really thought that was the ticket until I did some leg work on it. I found out fast I was wrong!!

Somebody just off the highway that has equipment handy, that would be the ticket, but each trip out there, such as today, is money lost.

One thing that I am sure someone will mention is that loading and unloading a trailer full of wood cuts into your handling costs - which I can see and agree with. This is why I am inquiring about those firewood bags that had been posted about in here in a seperate thread. Seems like they could make unloading a trailer very rapid Maybe I am being an idealist but I seem to think there is a possibility for this. Now my newest problem is my potential site seems to only contain willow and pine

Guess I have to start looking around again.

 

[grandpatractor]

Looked at that. didn't care much for the $400plus price tag!! You'd think for that kind of money a LOT less manual labor would be involved:jawdrop:


Speaking of money, I told mama I needed $3k for a mini and she needed to take a week off to go get it with me.

I am afraid to go to sleep now!!

Farm&Fleet has em listed for 129.99:monkey:

 

[sawinredneck]

Farm&Fleet has em listed for 129.99:monkey:

Do they ship?
None around here!

 

[sawinredneck]

True - unless you can keep equipment in the trailer itself. (I don't claim to have any knowledge how well one can stop a trailer from being attached and drove off with - yet another thing I have to look into.)

Agreed.

(Something I don't have as a problem ).

I was thinking of purchasing the trailer outright having it sit at the site until I can fill it and then hire a semi to come pick it up and drive it to a more convenient site.


That is the part I have to find out. How much would it cost to have a semi driver haul a trailer 100 miles including hooking up and dropping. If it is cost effective it might even make sense to have 2 of them so the driver can complete both the load and unload in 1 trip. Would depend greatly on the cost for this.



One thing that I am sure someone will mention is that loading and unloading a trailer full of wood cuts into your handling costs - which I can see and agree with. This is why I am inquiring about those firewood bags that had been posted about in here in a seperate thread. Seems like they could make unloading a trailer very rapid Maybe I am being an idealist but I seem to think there is a possibility for this. Now my newest problem is my potential site seems to only contain willow and pine

Guess I have to start looking around again.

You have some good ideas. I like it for you!! I do think I have a better/more feasable option though. It doesn't sound like you need to move it all that far, and you are in no real hurry. Why not just buy a large goosenck trailer? Every farmer and his son and brothers cousin has a 1 ton that will pull it, and will for cheap.
Locks are reasonable and fairly secure for those trailers.
Not as much money, not as much work to load, and a lot cheaper to move. Which with the wood you are talking about, you might want to keep costs low. (sorry, that was a low blow.)

 

[KsWoodsMan]

How about one of these ?




1200 pounds empty, 4WD, heated cab, 900 pound carrying capacity, 600+cc gas engine, 5 speed or automatic, 50 MPG, 60 MPH, Hi/Lo range transfer case and right hand (British) steering.

Add a gooseneck hitch and trailer with electric brakes and you are hauling logs.

 

[sawinredneck]

How about one of these ?




1200 pounds empty, 4WD, heated cab, 900 pound carrying capacity, 600+cc gas engine, 5 speed or automatic, 50 MPG, 60 MPH, Hi/Lo range transfer case and right hand (British) steering.

Add a gooseneck hitch and trailer with electric brakes and you are hauling logs.

All it needs is a set of Gumbo's right?:monkey:

 

[Kazpian]

You have some good ideas. I like it for you!! I do think I have a better/more feasable option though. It doesn't sound like you need to move it all that far, and you are in no real hurry. Why not just buy a large goosenck trailer? Every farmer and his son and brothers cousin has a 1 ton that will pull it, and will for cheap.
Locks are reasonable and fairly secure for those trailers.
Not as much money, not as much work to load, and a lot cheaper to move. Which with the wood you are talking about, you might want to keep costs low. (sorry, that was a low blow.)

I could potentially buy a large gooseneck trailer but here are my thoughts :
1) a Semi trailer could be used to store in corded sections (Ie build in fencing after every cord so that I could sell it right off the truck.
2) I could be wrong but I haven't seen any gooseneck trailers for sale that are enclosed (buying a new customized one would be a much larger cost than simply purchasing a used semi trailer. I won't try to load a gooseneck in a manner I don't think is safe).
3) I could be wrong but I suspect those farmer/son/brothers cousin will most likely also have a semi that could haul as well.

Not a low blow at all. I'm hoping to find a better site than the one I first looked at. The best thing about all of this is that I have time on my side. I can take as long as I want to decide to do this. If it should pass me by such is life.

( Sorry for hijacking this thread with my own questions but as always I am very appreciative of any suggestions/thoughts and comments anyone has.
As far as low blow it's not at all. I just need to find an acerage with oak or birch. Could be difficult to do out here but I will keep looking. I appreciate anyone pointing out any potential flaws I may have with my plan.)

 

[mattmc2003]

How about one of these ?




1200 pounds empty, 4WD, heated cab, 900 pound carrying capacity, 600+cc gas engine, 5 speed or automatic, 50 MPG, 60 MPH, Hi/Lo range transfer case and right hand (British) steering.

Add a gooseneck hitch and trailer with electric brakes and you are hauling logs.

Best idea yet. Get an old portable storage building, and keep it on site.

 

[coog]

How about one of these ?




1200 pounds empty, 4WD, heated cab, 900 pound carrying capacity, 600+cc gas engine, 5 speed or automatic, 50 MPG, 60 MPH, Hi/Lo range transfer case and right hand (British) steering.

Add a gooseneck hitch and trailer with electric brakes and you are hauling logs.

Ks, what have you been seeing for prices on these? I always talk myself out of stopping when I drive through Winfield...trouble avoidance.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

They are still too high IMO. They are in the $4,700 and up range in Winfield.

The link I provided is the cheapest I have seen yet at $2700

I considered one for deliveries. If things keep going like they are here it will be a while yet. The load capacity is a bit light for what I want it to do. I have an old mustang2 8" rear axle that could be narrowed and improve that. The gooseneck trailer would have to be shop built or ordered special.

Right now it is wishful thinking. I will just keep stacking a cord at a tiime on the Ford, like I have been for years.

 

[sawinredneck]

I just stepped out in the garage and had a talk with my Powerwagon. I mentioned that some redneck on the internet had called him a 'theory'. He was stunned and just sat there on his three wheels, silent.

After a few minutes he broke his silence and asked: Have you told him about all of the wood you and I have hauled great distances? Up hill? Over soft ground? Through gates? Did you tell him I can haul up to eight hundred pounds? That I have a four speed transmission? That my high gear is faster than a fast walk? Did you?

I think I hurt his feelings.

As I was leaving I could hear his big brother, Bobcat, consoling him saying: Cheer up little brother. After that redneck wears himself out, he'll come around.

On my way to the house I thought I heard laughter and a voice saying: Don't stay on that internet all night, boss. We've got work in the morning!

OK, OK!! But how do you think it woud work on that soil? That is my fear, I can hit a soft spot and sink a wheelbarow in a heartbeat. Then it's back to hand carrying!

I could potentially buy a large gooseneck trailer but here are my thoughts :
1) a Semi trailer could be used to store in corded sections (Ie build in fencing after every cord so that I could sell it right off the truck.
2) I could be wrong but I haven't seen any gooseneck trailers for sale that are enclosed (buying a new customized one would be a much larger cost than simply purchasing a used semi trailer. I won't try to load a gooseneck in a manner I don't think is safe).
3) I could be wrong but I suspect those farmer/son/brothers cousin will most likely also have a semi that could haul as well.

Not a low blow at all. I'm hoping to find a better site than the one I first looked at. The best thing about all of this is that I have time on my side. I can take as long as I want to decide to do this. If it should pass me by such is life.

( Sorry for hijacking this thread with my own questions but as always I am very appreciative of any suggestions/thoughts and comments anyone has.
As far as low blow it's not at all. I just need to find an acerage with oak or birch. Could be difficult to do out here but I will keep looking. I appreciate anyone pointing out any potential flaws I may have with my plan.)

You can find deals on horse/stock trailers that are mostly enclosed and set up for a gooseneck.
Around here it's pretty rare to find a farmer with a semi. They guys that do custom cutting of wheat have them, but they come in from oher states with the equipment.
A few in the very rural areas have them for pulling grain trailers, but those are pretty big operations.
Most around here road the equipment from field to field.

 

[Kazpian]

You can find deals on horse/stock trailers that are mostly enclosed and set up for a gooseneck.
Around here it's pretty rare to find a farmer with a semi. They guys that do custom cutting of wheat have them, but they come in from oher states with the equipment.
A few in the very rural areas have them for pulling grain trailers, but those are pretty big operations.
Most around here road the equipment from field to field.

Well I would most likely be talking to people in the city. More than enough friends with heavy equipment/friends who work for companies who do hauling. Think it would be pretty simple to find someone to do it.

 

[sesmith]

I just stepped out in the garage and had a talk with my Powerwagon. I mentioned that some redneck on the internet had called him a 'theory'. He was stunned and just sat there on his three wheels, silent.

After a few minutes he broke his silence and asked: Have you told him about all of the wood you and I have hauled great distances? Up hill? Over soft ground? Through gates? Did you tell him I can haul up to eight hundred pounds? That I have a four speed transmission? That my high gear is faster than a fast walk? Did you?

I think I hurt his feelings.

As I was leaving I could hear his big brother, Bobcat, consoling him saying: Cheer up little brother. After that redneck wears himself out, he'll come around.

On my way to the house I thought I heard laughter and a voice saying: Don't stay on that internet all night, boss. We've got work in the morning!

+1 I think your's was talking to mine.

 

[dana60]

Just an idea to deal with the soft ground but i used to work with a well drilling company and we would have to move the rig in and out of some really muddy spots. Just a little bigger than a pickup at 66,000 lbs. Anyway we had these matts to lay down that were some heavy type of plastic with big knobbies on them. You could get anything out with them usually and they were really strong running the rig over them. We also use rough sawn oak planks about 3" thick by about 10' but you really need 2 men for that. Maybe a few of them would work for ya and you could make a quick path to were your cuttin for the day then pick em up.

 

[Philbert]

There was (is?) a track type machine specfically for the forest industry. About 5 hp, has two tracks, with a log arch type hoist point to pick up log end. The operator drives with a T bar type of handle, sort of like a warehouse pallet jack handle. Going down hill is the limiting factor. Also tiny, maybe 500 lbs or less, but able to drag maybe 1000 lbs. I have seen it in Diesel Progress trade magazine several times. Might have been Bombardier, but I thought it was from Norway/FInland maybe. SawTroll ever seen this thing? This would be my first choice.

Kevin and I must have seen the same thing at the Minnesota State Fair:

http://www.tiltonequipment.com/html/transporters.htm
http://www.tiltonequipment.com/html/transporters_40.htm

As I recall, they were not cheap, but look like they would really do the job. I was interested if anyone on this list had any experience using one.

Philbert

 

[sawinredneck]

Problem solver!! Will be here Wensday!!

Log grapple also: