Skidsteer Cordmaster

[Nailsbeats]

Here is my little invention that I use to meter out wood and haul it out of the woods.

I built it out of used aluminum ramps that I got from our trailer shop. It hauls exactly one face cord when stacked two rows deep flush with the top. I put my pallet forks on and they slip into two tubes welded under the cordmaster, then I chain it to the rack on my forks so I can dump. The aluminum is key for lifting capacity. It can also be used as a safer alternative to a bucket for a man lift when using the skidsteer.

I also threw in a pic of my firewood/log set up. I sell wood and also burn it as my primary heat in my Vermont Castings woodstove. I will be building a woodshed this spring so I can get rid of the pallets and tarps. That last pic of the 30' gooseneck has 10 cord on it ready to deliver. Hope you enjoy the pics.

 

[Hedge]

That is awesome, exactly what I was looking at making when I posted the other day.. Well I should say not exactly as I was thinking of just one made of steel but the Aluminum is Sweeeeet, definite +1. Any idea how much you would have in it if you had to buy all the Aluminum to do it?

 

[aandabooks]

Sweet setup. Nice pics.

 

[iCreek]

Wow

Nailsbeats - That is way cool, nice setup... deliver 10 cord !! Thats a years worth of wood for most of us !!! Thanks for taking the time to get the pictures, resize and post them... Pics worth a thousand words, and your saying alot !!! Great Job...

 

[Mikecutstrees]

What kinda truck do you pull that trailer with. Looks like a ton of wood, maybe 15..... impressive!

 

[cabinman]

Nails

Attaboy, you,ve done your home work,. Hard to argue with a system like that,.. Iam doing the same thing with cheaper racks, that I leave the wood in while it cures, that way I dont handle it ,more than 1 time,...T,C, E,J,

 

[Nailsbeats]

Any idea how much you would have in it if you had to buy all the Aluminum to do it?

I am not sure, most of the material is a special ramp decking extrusion that is hard to get unless you have a connection to a fab/manufacturer. Without this decking I don't think I would build it out of aluminum because it would be hard to get the strength needed if all you had was tube, angle and flats.

I think the solution for most people that want to build something would be to use a lighter gauge steel tubing and use an expanded metal (mesh) to hold in the wood. This should give you a decent strength to weight because you could get by with many less cross members.

Thanks for all the interest guy's, this is a solution that has served me well.

 

[super3]

How?

10 cords on a 30' trailer, full cords?

 

[Nailsbeats]

What kinda truck do you pull that trailer with. Looks like a ton of wood, maybe 15..... impressive!

The truck is a Dodge 1 ton with a cummins diesel engine. Works well when overloaded!

 

[hornett22]

i believe he said face cord.

no way that is a full cord.

 

[Nailsbeats]

10 cords on a 30' trailer, full cords?

Those are face cords, 4'x8'x20" deep.

 

[Mikecutstrees]

yeah I thought full cords might be a weee bit heavy. makes more sence now. I see alot of those cummins diesels still out pulling alot of weight. Alot of them are used around here for pulling big horse trailers. How do you unload the trailer?

 

[Nailsbeats]

yeah I thought full cords might be a weee bit heavy. makes more sence now. I see alot of those cummins diesels still out pulling alot of weight. Alot of them are used around here for pulling big horse trailers. How do you unload the trailer?

The old fashioned way, by hand. I just pull one side off, jump in the trailer and start throwin. I had two guys waiting to help me when I got to the delivery site with this load so that was nice.

On smaller loads I use my skidsteer trailer to haul about 4 cords or my utility trailer to haul 2 or less, and I unload the same way. I can use my dad's 1 ton dump truck to haul about 3 cords and just dump at the customers, that is nice. With the skidsteer trailer, utility trailer and dump truck you have to stack the wood to get the capacity, so its a horse a piece. I don't mind though, I like the exercise.

 

[Deadman]

1 piece at a time!

 

[redprospector]

10 cords on a 30' trailer, full cords?

That's what I was thinking as I was scrolling down the thread.
But since we're talking face cord's 20" deep, I put 7.20 (face) cord's on my 16' dump.
Now that we're on the same page. That is one heck of a nice set up.

Andy

 

[super3]

Those are face cords, 4'x8'x20" deep.

Just curious what you get for a face cord in your area?

 

[Nailsbeats]

It runs about $50 to $60 for hardwood. I was selling for $40 if you pick it up; that is dirt cheap. I just do it as a hobby after work and on the weekends, trying to make use of all the wood we get off of tree jobs.

 

[super3]

It runs about $50 to $60 for hardwood. I was selling for $40 if you pick it up; that is dirt cheap. I just do it as a hobby after work and on the weekends, trying to make use of all the wood we get off of tree jobs.

Thanks, I sell wood here too.diff prices all over the country. That's why I asked about full cord. I only sell full cords delivered. Too much in fuel for anything less. Have to compete with guys advertising full cord but they deliver in a 1/2 ton pickup. Guess most of their customers don't have a clue!

 

[wdchuck]

With measured loads, there's never a doubt, pictures like that would put any customer at ease. Great pics, love the setup, nice and simple, clean, and you're right, once you have a hard cover for the wood, it'll be even better. Look forward to pics when that gets underway.


Looks like some nice candidates for milling in that pile too.

 

[Nailsbeats]

With measured loads, there's never a doubt, pictures like that would put any customer at ease. Great pics, love the setup, nice and simple, clean, and you're right, once you have a hard cover for the wood, it'll be even better. Look forward to pics when that gets underway.


Looks like some nice candidates for milling in that pile too.

Yeah the Cordmaster makes it kind of hard to argue.

As far as the logs go, I have a Timberking 21' portable bandmill. I bought it a couple years ago to make use of the logs we get off of tree jobs. We got a job where we removed 11 80'-100' pines/spruce and had to get a semi to bring all the logs home, well after trying to find someone to mill these I decided to buy my own. Right now I am building a coolant tank for it so the logs are kind of piling up. I plan to have it running again this spring.

My dad has a 44' and a 64' woodshed that he designed and built years ago. Together they hold 200 facecord of wood. I will get some pictures of them next time I am there. I am sure everyone will like that. He doesn't burn a stick of wood under 3 years old, and some up to 5. It's nice, he never has to clean his chimney.