Log Hauler

Randy · January 27, 2005, 06:27:32 PM

Ok, I need more advice!! I need to come up with a way to load and haul logs. In the last 2 months--since I bought my sawmill--I have had several people to give me fresh-cut logs just to get them out their yard because they don't want them sawed in their yard, but I have no way to move them so I miss out. I am not sure I want to buy a log truck at this time :D until I know Sawing is what I want to continue doing. I have a neighbor that has a 16ft trailer I can use, but I am afraid I will mess it up. You poor people like me ;D without log trucks and bobcat loaders give me some idea's how to move these logs---you know should I but a 16ft trailer , a winch or--or--or What. I looked at a heavy duty trailer today at the auction that had some gold somewhere--It was a 8ft by 16ft dual axle---it went for $2500. I guess the price was ok, but more than I wanted to put in one. Give me some Idea's. Thanks Randy

Brad_S. · January 27, 2005, 06:39:31 PM

Go to the General Board and click on Urbanloggers thread "updated web site", then follow the link to Scotts revamped web site. He has photo's of his winch and how he gets monster logs on a trailer.

WH_Conley · January 27, 2005, 07:10:37 PM

When they havin another auction? We'll gather up a whole fleet of em.

Dan_Shade · January 27, 2005, 07:34:53 PM

here's my method: http://www.pueawjapygrta.com/log/

I've since then "upgraded" to a milemarker winch. I have to load my logs from the end, rolling them up the side would be much easier, but I can't do that because of my trailers fenders.

another problem with my trailer is the weight limit, I have to be careful to not overload the tires.

Furby · January 27, 2005, 08:36:04 PM

Easy and cheap!

If the trailer has rails, you can cut the poles to fit in between, or not use the poles at all. In that case you just put a chain on the end of the log and hook the other end of the chain to some thing solid. Then pull the trailer out from under the log.

I like the poles because I can just roll the logs off at home.
Might have trouble with the really big stuff, but mid size and smaller works good.

1953greg · January 27, 2005, 09:20:38 PM

i use a f-250 pu and 16' utility trailer w/ front mounted 4 ton winch. i fabricated a quad pod that attaches to rear of trailer that supports a pully bout 5' above trailer floor. i back trailer to big end of log, run cable through pully and attach to log bout 1' from near end then detach truck and begin winching. trailer will rear up til tail hits ground then log and trailer will come together then log wil raise couple inches onto trailer. then remove quad pod and reattach cable to log couple times to bring log farther onto trailer. as log is winched/loaded trailer will come down slowly. better have trailer chucked! works really easy, kinda like a rollback wrecker. i can haul up to a single 36" 17' log. thats about 5000lbs and thats all i need. not much for production but for a hobbist/weekend warrior its great. 1953greg

Daren · January 28, 2005, 04:43:21 AM

Randy
I'm in the same boat, most of my logs are brought to the mill, but I have missed out on a few if I couldn't borrow my buddies trailer. I am thinking about 2 options that came up this week, 1 is a guy has a heavy car trailer for sale for $500. It is a nice trailer and well worth the money, the guy is just on hard times. By the time I decide (or catch up with him) at that price it will be gone. I don't really need a trailer except for hauling logs, I have an enclosed trailer for my home improvement business that I use for everything else. I think I am going to make a trailer for just logs. An ag. fertilizer company down the road is selling running gear for hauling liquid fert. tanks. They got newer ones and are selling the old style for $250.They are just a frame with wheels and a hitch, but I have a welding shop and can build a deck probably out of pipe so I can winch them on from the end. I know they are heavy duty because 1000 gallons of liquid fert. has to weigh 4 ton, plus the weight of the steel tank. They have big soft tires too (for pulling into a field) so they wouldn't tear up a yard as bad. I don't know if you are in a farming area, but you may think about something like that.
Daren

Hokiemill · January 28, 2005, 05:38:21 AM

Dan Shade, tell me more about your logging arch. I'm thinking about some sort of rig using 2 basic arches to get the log completely off the ground and would allow me to pull it with my winch, but, as always, cost is a big factor.

Dan_Shade · January 28, 2005, 06:44:03 AM

i made it from a mobile home trailer axle, chopped it up at 45* angles, took the hubs off so they didn't get hosed up, and welded them back to make 90* angles.

my first iteration had a peice of 5" channel for the arm, and some dummy (me) bent the crap out of it by trying to move a large oak. one of the tires got chocked by a branch stub that I cut off and the pulling on the log made the whole thing collapse... now it's got a piece of 4" channel, but that's sorta flimsy, i need to brace that up a little bit.

http://www.pueawjapygrta.com/images/log%20arch0001.JPG
http://www.pueawjapygrta.com/images/log%20arch0002.JPG

and the bent one!

http://www.pueawjapygrta.com/images/bent_arch0002.JPG

I've got a piece of pipe and two people can roll around a pretty big log, the heaviest I've moved to date was a red oak 22" or so in diameter 8 1/2 feet long.

You could fashion up two of them to use, but the front one would have to be able to "swivel" so that it moves like a wagon.

to lift the lots, I use chains, i lay down two chains under the log, and roll the lot over them and I have two chain links welded onto the back of my arch, then when the front comes down, I just wrap the chain around the top of it. my method is a 2 man job, I haven't figured out how to do it by myself, but then again, it's a good idea to have a helping hand when you move these things anyway.

T_in_SC · January 28, 2005, 07:07:40 AM

Dan_Shade, How'd ya get those nice big pictures on here?

Dan_Shade · January 28, 2005, 09:02:10 AM

the pictures are hosted on a remote server, I used the img tags to display them

Tom · January 28, 2005, 06:56:07 PM

Yep! Pictures are nice and big. So big that they blew the margins of the Forum page right of into the woods.

Jeff · January 28, 2005, 08:54:37 PM

We have a rule of pictures no wider then 400 pixles wide. I removed the links so you can put them back with smaller photos.

rebocardo · January 29, 2005, 09:50:28 PM

Buy a used dual axle car trailer from a Want AD type of book for $500-$800. Weld some stake pockets on the side. Load logs unto the trailer by rolling them on from the side using a come-a-long or small 6k electric winch. Stake pockets should hold a 4x4 so it can keep logs from rolling off the sides or smashing through the front in a panic stop.

New steel is $1 a pound now, it is much better to buy a used steel trailer that weighes 1500+ pounds for $500.

Dakota · January 30, 2005, 05:08:36 PM

Here's a few ideas.

Egon · January 31, 2005, 07:31:27 AM

Have you considered a basic Farm Type wagon? I do not think they are that expensive. Hard to back up but otherwise may be more adaptable than a trailer.

Egon

J T · January 31, 2005, 10:55:14 AM

Egon I had me one of them :-[ Burned half tank gas trying to back that DanG thing up >:( Went found me an experenced farmer to do it for me unloaded it and traded it off :D :D If I had a vidio of that it would of been worth more than the wagon ;D to many turning points .

RacinRex · January 31, 2005, 12:27:53 PM

Farm wagons also are notorious for not tracking well. They are limited to around 30 MPH with the best of running gear otherwise they get to swervin and swaying and in extreme cases flippin over. Much better to go with a tandem axle trailer.

Minnesota_boy · January 31, 2005, 05:31:01 PM

The next time you need to move one of those farm wagons empty, unhitch and push it by hand. They move pretty well even on fairly rough ground.

Randy · February 02, 2005, 03:27:09 PM

OK I bought myself a new tandem axle trailer 16ft long, got tired of running here and there looking at used trailers(that were falling apart). Now I got to get a winch and get it set-up to haul some logs and boards--------Thanks to all of you for your advice. Randy

1953greg · February 05, 2005, 04:42:59 AM

randy.

you can greatly reduce the torque to the winch mounting bolts if you turn the base of winch to the direction of pull. that way the forces are 0* to bolt direction and not 90* as it would be if winch is mounted in upright position (base down) and pull is horizonal. mount the winch as low as possible where cable will barely clear top of front rail. this wil reduce torque on mounts to near zero. the forces will be like the winch is sitting upright on its base and cable is verticle. i mounted vertically (2) .5" x 2" x24" flat steel (2" heavy channel would work) to the outside of front rail and they extend about 8" above rail. this 8" area is where the winch sits with its base facing rearward. is that clear as mud? 1953greg

Furby · February 05, 2005, 09:12:25 PM

Nope that's an equipment trailer I picked up. ;)
Don't really know if it was a mobile home chassis at one time or not, but I dout it.
Yeah, it works real good. After busting the 4x6 ramps by trying to UNLOAD with them, I bought a couple gal. steel guard rail posts, and no longer use them for unloading. ;)
With the cross members on there, the weight is carried to the frame more then the decking. A big plus in my book. Anyone that has rails can use this setup as well, with a few mods.

Once setup, loading is fast, and unloading even faster.

DanG · February 05, 2005, 11:30:22 PM

Just a word of caution to those that have trailers with rails. :P Most likely, those rails are an integral part of the frame. If you cut them off, a 12 inch log will fold your trailer up like a hospital bed!

Furby · February 06, 2005, 12:52:41 AM

Or use my setup between the side rails. ;)

Frank_Pender · February 06, 2005, 11:54:26 AM

What i would like to see are some plans for a mini log loader like some of you folks have been able to acquire in Eastern Canada and the United States, for handling you pulp wood or small logs.

I have been toying with the idea of useing a discarded backhoe unit and placing it on a duel axel system for loading into my F450. For around the farm I would pull a trailer behing it with the tractor and load a log trailer I have.

Has anyone built such an item? The ten or twelve thousand is more than I wish to put out for a factory loader.