Urban Log transportation ... small or large scale ... show us your method!!

[jim blodgett]

Have to respect people who are willing to work that hard.  Seems like an old story here in the U.S.

[Daren]

The Urban Log Retrieval System in action, I posted a picture of it earlier in the thread empty. I have a Case skidsteer and trailer for medium sized loads, and access to semi trailers and endloaders for bigger loads. But this thread was I thought about urban logs, like pull into a yard a get a log. "Low impact urban logging", is that a new phrase ?...One trashed yard and word spreads fast  . I pulled into a yard today and picked 2 cedar logs 18"X8' and 16"X9'. Not a jag by any means, but 15 minutes I was there and gone. 30 minutes total from hooking up the trailer to unhooking it. I can't afford $1000's of equipment and hours of labor fetching yard logs, especially cedar. A nice fat walnut looks good riding on the ULRS though. I have already said 95% of my urban logs are delivered, but the ones and 2 I fetch with this little buggy. That is were many of my "free" ones come from, homeowners ones and 2s.

I can carry much bigger/longer logs but have to keep the weight centered over the axle. The long ones can really hang out the back a ways  . I have about $75 invested in the Urban Log Retrieval System. The trailer was an old propane tank hauler that I found in the weeds tires and all still pretty good. I knocked on the door of the farmhouse and asked the feller what he was going to do with it, he said if I had the right sized hitch ball he had planned on giving it to me since I asked  (just so happened I did). I bought a cheap 12v winch on fleabay for $60 (?) which amazingly has held up so far, some iron I had laying around and a handfull of welding rod.

I guess I could post a picture of a semi load, but we have all seen those. I will post a picture of a big log on the ULRS when I  pluck one from a yard soon.

[Daren]

I do have to add, empty this thing at high speed is a bouncy contraption. Very long tongue to the axle and light. It makes it easy to push even by hand with the leverage, but not so hot pulling empty. I would not pull it down the highway without a load on. In town it is fine and a slow cruise through the country. Loaded it behaves very well on the road and I like the fact that it is long and easy to back up. Short trip, small load $75 log hauler...works for me.

[Ironwood]

Here are some pictures of some walnut I bought from a local resident. I ended up being the bad guy because according to his wife "I was ripping him off", So, lets do the math, I take an hour to get the crane back on the trailer, drive 35 minutes each way plus loading time (total 4 hours), I show up and there is a MASSIVE lightening strike down the side of the bigger tree, and my tree trimmer buddy hits nails in the base (more in there no doubt, due to nail stains) never really got info on that lightening strike ahead of time, nails are par for the course, but told they were "big" by the tree trimmer. I paid more then another freind just paid for walnuts from the forest (although they had nails to). So, the WALNUT urban legend of $$ valuble walnuts continues and the evil guy buys trees on the cheap, never mind the $$ dollars invested in log moving equipment. Fortunately the husband was reasonable about it. Is it worth it? I suppose but I just hate people thinking I am taking advantage, the guy even agreed with me on the undesirable nature of the trees as he had tried several years ago to sell them to local mills and everything I communicated was exactly his experience, so I gained some credibility.

 Ironwood

 

[ScottAR]

Nice haul!   How's that 550 doing?  I haven't found one yet, but I will...

[amberwood]

here we go..some new gear. I was saving it up for a dedicated posting but this thread came back up again.

We had an increased demand for logs to be collected, sawed and returned as boards. Onsite milling work was not always possible. Plus now we can grab the extra free logs that we always too hard!

1996 Isuzu FRR500 with Nokka 4155 Loader. It is a 3 point linkage version, so we replicated the 3 points in the truck chassis. This means the whole crane can be removed when not required. Max lift is 2000kg, max reach 5.5m. The truck has 5000kg of capacity left even after the crane is fitted.

 

[Ironwood]

Amberwood, NICE!!

Scott, I love that truck. MAKE SURE YOU get the 7.3 diesel, the 6.0 is BAD, VERY BAD. There will be alot of 6.0's out there cheap, but don't be tempted. TONS of motor issues.

 Ironwood

[Captain]

Great stuff guys, love the Isuzu Amberwood!!  I've got a Freightliner in my near future....couple of weeks off.  More to come!!!

[arojay]

Amberwood, I love it.  Ive been thinking about something like that, just a tad bigger with power for pulling the trailer.  Does that loader swing 360 or 270?

[amberwood]

Arojay..400deg of rotation..Truck has plenty. 7.3L..rated at 16t gross.

DTR

[ScottAR]

Will do on the 7.3... I have a F350 with one...  I let one get away
awhile back with all my specs but there's always another along shortly.