The very best tractor attachment for loading firewood into trucks with a tractor is?

[cantoo]

cedar, not sure how you use your load but I find it works better if I lift the loader up high and drop down on the pile and grab a load of firewood. Kind of like opening your hand and reaching down into a candyjar and grabbing a handful. I usually handload anything that is on contact with the ground. My wood falls off my conveyor onto old skids.

 

[KiwiBro]

This is similar to what I use. If you are picking up too much dirt, hand bomb it into any type of loader bucket. Hand loading is more work, but the wood is cleaner. I like the stone fork for loading on frozen ground, from concrete, or when I intend to reload it again anyway (let's say from where I cut or split it onto a trailer to be dumped into a pile for drying -- and I intend to reload it later, this time hand loading to avoid dirt).

Thanks for your post. Sorry I didn't acknowledge it earlier. I'm leaning the way of a rock bucket like that with double grapples. They do seem considerably dearer than normal root rakes though, so I may not be able to afford it. Hopefully sometime soon something used that I can mod' turns up for sale locally, but I am running out of time.

 

[KiwiBro]

What do you think of this westerndorf brush crusher with the optional tines?

Looking at one of these now. Pricey but have a good name. Not sure what sort of volume of split firewood it would be able to pick up and carry and they are having trouble giving me some guidance on that. I like that they are saying they are unsure rather than just pulling numbers out of thin air. i just wish I could find someone who uses one for firewood.

[video=youtube;iwI3xsPKAgw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwI3xsPKAgw[/video]

 

[Rudolf73]

Looking at one of these now. Pricey but have a good name. Not sure what sort of volume of split firewood it would be able to pick up and carry and they are having trouble giving me some guidance on that. I like that they are saying they are unsure rather than just pulling numbers out of thin air. i just wish I could find someone who uses one for firewood.

I would say that this attachment is more suited for brush, branches and logs. Seeing as it is a more 'vertical' design I don't think it would be very effective at picking up split firewood. You need more of a scoop design to pick up small pieces of wood.

 

[Manatarms]

I use a standard root grapple with double arms and extra tines welded into the bottom. I like this style because it can also be used to move sticks around the yard. Some wood does get stuck in the bottom tines, but its not enough to interfer with loading a truck or trailer. Most of the debris falls out of the bottom. The amount of debris you pick up somewhat depends on what surface the wood is sitting on.

 

[KiwiBro]

I would say that this attachment is more suited for brush, branches and logs. Seeing as it is a more 'vertical' design I don't think it would be very effective at picking up split firewood. You need more of a scoop design to pick up small pieces of wood.

Thanks. I was wondering if there was a mod that could be made to lock the grapples together and provide some linking tines so there could be a part scoop but also the top claws coming down on the wood if need be. With just the grapple arms there's lost purchase against the middle top wood, if you get my drift.

 

[KiwiBro]

I use a standard root grapple with double arms and extra tines welded into the bottom. I like this style because it can also be used to move sticks around the yard. Some wood does get stuck in the bottom tines, but its not enough to interfer with loading a truck or trailer. Most of the debris falls out of the bottom. The amount of debris you pick up somewhat depends on what surface the wood is sitting on.

Thanks. What volume of wood could you pick up when driving into a pile to collect, on average? I may not be realistic but my FEL could lift 35 cubic feet of split wood OK so that's about what I'm aiming for, provided the attachment doesn't get excessively heavy by itself.

 

[Manatarms]

Thanks. What volume of wood could you pick up when driving into a pile to collect, on average? I may not be realistic but my FEL could lift 35 cubic feet of split wood OK so that's about what I'm aiming for, provided the attachment doesn't get excessively heavy by itself.

I couldn't say. I don't think you could reliably get the same quantity each time. It varies by the "bite". You get the most when you can engage the claws and pinch the wood...it doesn't really scoop like a bucket very well as the wood will fall out over the sides. I would think an even more effective design would be a rock bucket skeleton bottom with two top claws...it would have sides and be a bucket of a sort, but still maintain the ability to pinch the wood and get a heaped load.

 

[firewood guy]

Late as usual to post

We use a 84" wide rock bucket w/ 4" spacing on the tines. It is a bobcat-style quick attach that is on a Kubota L48TLB. We just under cut the pile a bit to get a full bucket, pull to the end of the trailer or stakebed with the bucket end just at the very edge of the bed and shake it with the loader control while dumping to let most all of the dirt and debris to sift through the bucket landing on the outside of the bed. The only time we have to be more carefull is when the load is delivered on someones concrete driveway . Then we might be able to process from seasoned logs (If we have them) and load into a 2 yard loader bucket and then transfer to the haul vehicle. Seems to work OK for us, short turn around times on deliveries in the peak season.

 

[owbguy]

I use a standard root grapple with double arms and extra tines welded into the bottom. I like this style because it can also be used to move sticks around the yard. Some wood does get stuck in the bottom tines, but its not enough to interfer with loading a truck or trailer. Most of the debris falls out of the bottom. The amount of debris you pick up somewhat depends on what surface the wood is sitting on.

Nice tractor. It looks so new....for now. I have the 32 horse L-Series compact utility with loader. It works for me. I wish I had a grapple bucket, although then I'd wish I had a bigger tractor and.....

 

[Manatarms]

Nice tractor. It looks so new....for now. I have the 32 horse L-Series compact utility with loader. It works for me. I wish I had a grapple bucket, although then I'd wish I had a bigger tractor and.....

LOL. That pic was from 3 years ago. She now has 650 hours on the clock and guess what...still looks pretty new! I know how you feel about wanting more power, sometimes I wish I did..but the M59 is quite powerful for it's size and I can get most things done. Now a mini-excavator is my new dream toy!

It's funny though, I often would like to have a smaller tractor, maybe a B or an L for smaller chores and 3-pt work.

 

[owbguy]

It's funny though, I often would like to have a smaller tractor, maybe a B or an L for smaller chores and 3-pt work.

That is why I went with the L-Series. I needed something with decent power but on the smaller side for access and maneuverability. I can squeeze into tight spaces and not tear up the ground. Its power is decent but probably a little too low. I put on clamp-on bucket forks and can move decent sized but not huge logs that way. I have an old, heavy-duty boom pole on the 3-pt for dragging big logs and pulling out snares. The boom pole is an amazingly simple, yet incredibly effective tool. If I add some ballast to the bucket I can pick up and skid some pretty big logs.

Anyway, that's a nice set up you have.

 

[owbguy]

It's funny though, I often would like to have a smaller tractor, maybe a B or an L for smaller chores and 3-pt work.

Here ya go, I'll trade ya....

 

[KiwiBro]

Hmmmm, I wonder...

stone / skeleton buckets at auction