Loader rides piggy back on portable bandmill bed to every job site

[woodbowl]

I've been searching past threads to try and find a portable mill that hauls a loader around on it's own bed to no avail. Perhaps someone remembers a thread of this nature or knows of someone with this arrangment. My custom sawing buisness has always been at the mercy of the awaiting site situation. It all boils down to two basic statements. They are: Maybe I can make a little money on this job or, I ain't gona' make no money on this job. There are so many nic-picky things that the customer can think up that can change a good day into a bad day. The total system needs to change. Free help doesn't necessarily translate into more money for me. Most of the time it presents a whole new set of problems.  .........Having a loader and getting there in one trip would allow me to manipulate troublesome logs as well as provide a table to drag back onto, and then take to a later destination. One attractive arrangment would be a flat bed trailer with a rigid swingblade frame that had room to haul a loader in the center. Any memory of past threads, experience and ideas of your own or constructive criticism is welcome.

[Ron Wenrich]

Are you looking to manipulate logs or lumber?  For logs, I wonder if a small knuckleboom isn't feasible.  Pull up to a pile of logs and load the mill.  Of load to the side and maybe use it to stack lumber.

[woodbowl]

Pull up to a pile of logs and load the mill. Off load to the side and maybe use it to stack lumber.

  Yes, ........at the very least, to this degree.

Are you looking to manipulate logs or lumber?

  I would like to manipulate both, sort of. There is no need to grade lumber for this type of custom work. Dumping it on a trailer would be the extent of that. By manipulate I mean, anything that excludes customer help and provides a standard that I can control rather than the customer. So......it's just like sawing on the yard with access to a loader, one man sawing alone with a hydraulic bandmill, (or a swinger) loading the logs on 16' of portable ramps on jackstands like I've done for years, off loading using drag back to the awaiting forks. The flich is a seperate matter.

[Furby]

I'm thinking Ron has a good idea, but maybe upgrade a bit and see if you could match up one with those drywall forks.
Could do both lumber and logs, just be careful!



Actually the more I think about this, a knuckleboom on a flatbed would be perfect!
Set up a set of rails right on the truck, most of your logs could be cut on that and you could have another set of rails for the BIG logs. Just get the truck nice and close when ever possible to use the knuckleboom to help.
Hey I kinda like spending your $$$!
Anyone else want me to spend theirs

[woodbowl]

I'm thinking Ron has a good idea, but maybe upgrade a bit and see if you could match up one with those drywall forks.
Could do both lumber and logs, just be careful!

  That would work on a yard with a consistant log location. Trouble is, when I get to a site, the logs may be strewn all over like pick up sticks. I need to be able to go get the logs quick and put them on my ramps. The customer has always loaded my ramps, there has always been some problem to rob my pay. Lift won't pick up high enough, lift won't load bigger logs at all, Grandpa's too slow about loading or afraid it will hurt his tractor ect. 10 years of this and I've had enough. I need to get in and get out without envolving the customers help. A few years ago, a customer climbed under my Morgan portable edger to rake the sawdust away. What he didn't know was there are two 12" blades spinning, hidded in the sawdust. Before I could say, HEY, GET...........I heard the wicked sound.........BLAPP !!! Seeing a mans finger cut off did something to me. My equiptment, my responsibility. I've not been the same since. He's lucky it was only his finger. I sold my edger because I couldn't stand to look at it and went back to a slower pace of edging on the mill. I need to try and gear up again somehow. This time, I need to be in control and the customer needs to sit down over yonder.

[Furby]

Well then............get a trailer with a small knuckleboom and only cut at home.
Go pick up the logs for a small fee or figure it into your main fee.
Lumber can be picked up at your place or you will deliver for a fee.
After 30 days you WILL deliver and there WILL be a fee.
Yes, there are lots of drawbacks, but.............


Or just get a bigger tow vehical, long 5th wheel trailer, tractor, and haul it all onsite.
I forget, what kind of mill do you have?
If it's a bandmill, could you pull it onto the trailer with the tractor?

[Brad_S.]

This is exactly why I charge by the hour. I do a lot of jobs for Harry Homeowner who thinks I have some magic levitation device to move logs around. I have a good stout truck and a set of skidding tongs and that's how I get their logs to my mill, then wrestle them on with peavy's. The clock is running the whole time. Granted, if I have a client with heavy equipment and can l move material around, I may make less with the hourly rate than a bdft rate, but I feel that's his reward for having his act together.

If I say I will be there at 8, I am there by 8 and that's when the clock starts. If the customer wants to chat before we start and get my opinion on how to get the logs to the mill or where to stack lumber or how the Buffalo Bills did last weekend, I'll tell him, but the clock is running. If I have to round up all the logs or carry slab waste 29 and a half feet away from the mill site 'cause they want it stacked next to the firewood pile, fine, but the clock is running.

Whether you're talking a Prentice style loader or a front end loader, you're talking serious money to fix a problem the customer caused. I say let the customer cover the extra work he has caused you, either by charging by the hour for the whole job or just an hourly rate for log moving and your bdft rate for sawing.

[DanG]

I'm still thinkin' an old one ton tow truck with a wheel lift would be the ideal tow vehicle.  The wheel lift could be modified to pick up logs, and you'd have the boom and winch to boot.  They can be had pretty reasonable, too.

[Dan_Shade]

what's a wheel lift?  like a wrecker or tow truck?

[DanG]

Yeah, dat's da gizmo on the back that lifts a car by its wheels, for towing.  They'll pick up quite a bit.

[woodbowl]

I'm still chewing on that idea DanG. If it could knuckle boom a log and drive backwards to the ramps for loading, it just might work. Time and mobility are the factors. Furby spent all my money so I may need to rig up. I really don't mind rigging if it works well and is dependable. Some of the ugliest homemade equiptment I've ever seen works like a charm.

[karl]

Some where- maybe in some of the arborist catalogs or Sawmill and woodlot - I have seen a mini grapple/skidsteer type of machine that will fit in a pickup bed for site moving of logs/rock/whatever.
You stand on the bsack to operate.

[Todd]

I've been doing alot of thinking about log handling also.  To boost production I'd like to be set up in a semi-permanant location and bring the logs to the mill. But....need to be mobile also.  Would like to have a tracked skid steer to handle any remote log skidding, but also have a 26' straight truck with a loader to quickly load logs that have already been staged or to take boards and cants back to the shop.  I know that you can't have everything...so what are people running into and how are they handling the comprimise of wanting to get the logs but also stay mobile?

[red]

hello all   i have not been on in a while  but  i have a few thoughts here


recently  i had an idea about using removable log lift arms on a trailer

but  maybe to much work  and back to keep it simple  so just a strong arm


log arches  really look like the hot ticket  for short moves  but i have not used one

and just to throw this in here  safety....  logs are heavy.....

any how good luck  building   
have a great day

[Dan_Shade]

A log arch would definately be useful.  I've moved every log I have sawn with a log arch.  they work better for short lengths.

[woodbowl]

Log arch?.... What's that?

[Dan_Shade]

you can lift up a log with the leverage of the arm.  it's a two person job the way I have it hooked up in the picture, but if you are creative you can move a log yourself with one, it's also a good way to create a hernia

[woodbowl]

Oh.........   I've got one of those. I welded it up 20 years ago out of scrap. I've always called it a "one log get-er".  So.........now that you've got it pulled up to the trailer, do you pull the whole thing on the trailer or unhook and slide the rest of the log on somehow?

[Tom]

What you are looking for is called a forwarder.

http://www.valbysales.com/newpage100.htm

Deadheader and DanG have a model of log loader that Deadheader designed.  It's on past threads.

[Dan_Shade]

i use a winch, back in the days of taht picture it was hand cranking, I wasn't smart enough to figure out parbuckling on my own 

since then I've upgraded to a hydraulic winch. 

[woodbowl]

Couldn't find the little forwarder/getter on valbysales site. Just bigger timber trailers w/ grapple. ...DH told me his helper bar works so good and DanG copied him. DanG said his works better. 

[low_48]

I've always wondered about those forklifts that ride piggyback on the back of Menards and Lowes trucks. Those things can turn on a dime. I have no idea what they cost or if they can be purchased on the used market.