Slab pallet

[DMcCoy]

Slab pallet.  Slabs are and have been a pita.  I divide mine into stuff to burn as scrap and firewood.  I wanted something that was simple, cheap, quick to build, durable, and repairable.  I also wanted a pallet that I could unload with forks ->a pallet I could carry with forks, set down, and then unload with forks in the case of the scrap to burn.

So here is what I came up.  I used;
1- 8' PT 4x4 post, cut into 3- 32" pcs.(skids and center support under slabs)
3- 5' 2x4( 2-5' pcs (edges)+ 1- 56" pc.(middle)
4- 4' 2x4 ( vertical stakes)
2- 32" 2x4 (edge support between vertical stakes under slabs)
2- 36" x 1/2" all thread with flat washers and nuts.

It measures 35" deep x 60" wide x 48" tall with vertical usable space of 39 1/2".  I don't know if the 2x4 on edge like that for the vertical stakes will be strong enough, I guess I will find out.

Pictures;
 

 



 



 

[WV Sawmiller]

   Pretty neat. I may try building a scaled down version since my forks attach to my bucket and are only about 20" long and my FEL is on a little JD750. May make it about 2' wide and 3' tall or such.

[Stuart Caruk]

Long ago I learned to make my slab pallets no thicker than I can cut in a single pass with my chainsaw. It makes it a lot easier to get them to firewood length when needed. Either way it's nice to be able to neatly get the slabs out of the way.

[Peter Drouin]

 

  

  

  

 

Made mine out of steel, Works well for me, Will hold ½ a cord if the slabs are 8' long, If longer then that would be more wood.

[4x4American]

I have made a bunch of these.  We have broken many of them.  I will try and remember to get some pics of myn.  I might have another pic on my phone that has one of my slab racks in it.  Myn will make a cord one of them will make a very plump cord.  The biggest thing we have found with making the uprights last the longest is they need to be hardwood and they need to be recessed into the wood that holds them.  So like we hse 2x6's fir the uprights and so we cut a 2x6 groove into the 6x6 it is screwed into.  They are easy to replace when they snap, just unscrew the 6 screws and pry out the broken stuff and slide a new one in and screw fast.  I put a little outward angle on the uprights so that the pack comes out easier.

[Peter Drouin]

With steel you build it once 4x4,  ;D ;)

[4x4American]

Well see heres the thing now Pete, I've about got a phd with what I need for building slabracks.  I know just what size works and what don't.  So, yah pretty soon here I'm gonna be fabricobbling a slab rack and a tie stacking rack too.  It's been so hectic lately getting everything ready for winter i aint had much time for much.  Friends always wanna do stuff I'm like yah if I have any free time I'm sharpening blades have fun tho lol

[WV Sawmiller]

Peter,

   Absolutely right but some of us don't weld and we have an endless supply of wood. ;) Also my little JD would hardly be able to lift the pallet empty let alone full. I know I am under equipped with MHE but that is what I could afford at the time and will upgrade when I win the lottery or otherwise have excess funds available.

   One other addition I could see and will try would/will be to add ropes over the top of the uprights to reinforce and help keep them from spreading at the top during transport. I could see in my case making several narrow racks that my equipment can move and staging them side by side next to the mill and filling several at a time before moving them.

[Peter Drouin]

I made it with junk steel I had around,
I know 4x4 about the blade thing, I have boxes and boxes out in the barn to do. : :D

[4x4American]

I forgot to mention that I have a phd on them because of building them out of wood they've broken so much that we learn alot about what they need to survive the harsh life of a slabrack...I will build a couple skookum steel ones when i can

[PA_Walnut]

Peter, I think you are becoming a new hero to me!  :D

I need one like that! We have built several versions with scraps and even sawed some black oak specific for it, but they just don't hold up.

Been looking for a good reason to get a new MIG, and I assume the bugs don't like the metal so much,  so this might be it!  8)

[69bronco]

 

   Here's another one, made from old pipe. On pipe skids so it's easy to move. Made 3' wide so my big saw will slice through in one pass.

  Ended up cutting the pipes off on one side and put sleeves in them so they are removable. Now it's a breeze to load and unload, started using it fo a firewood rack too.

[DMcCoy]

Ok, I have slab rack envy. 
Looks like I need a bander now- feeling like a tool-aholic.   :

[Resonator]

I built a firewood rack very similar to what 69bronco made. With the only addition being straps/bungees from side to side across the top of the pile, to secure all the pieces down when the saw bites in. I also spaced the stakes 16" apart as a guide for cutting 16" face cord wood.

[redprospector]

I forgot to mention that I have a phd on them because of building them out of wood they've broken so much that we learn alot about what they need to survive the harsh life of a slabrack...I will build a couple skookum steel ones when i can

A PhD?
Post hole digger?

[Resonator]

No, his slabwood is Piled High Deeper[./u]     

[peterpaul]

On the far left of the photo you is a corner of my slab rack. 

https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=40548&pid=237809#top_display_media

It's very simple, (2) 4x6 x 4'lg.  I stood the 4x6 up and drilled a 2" hole in each end with 3' space between holes. I just put a 4' pipe in each hole.  I'm loading it now for the first time.  I'll strap the slabs before I remove them from between the pipes 

[jmouton]

i think i made it easier ,  i got a steel frame heavy duty hay wagon frame trailer and i load it with slab wood 16 ft long and 8 ft wide and about 5 to 6 ft high , i just roll it around the yard if it gets in my way, when it s full i take it about a mile down the road and  let the firewood guy buy it cheap and he brings it back when empty ,,, i still have to load the huge piles of slab wood that i have  before i got trailer ,    so we will see how this works ,  if it dont a match will do it for me,   slab wood  is a pain,,,


                                                                                                jim

[Darrel]

Me thinks I'll make one like 69bronco's. I kinda like how easy it is to cut it to firewood length.

[Crusarius]

I have been thinking about this for when I start sawing. Since I also have wood stove in the house the slab wood will be great for that. May never have to buy firewood again

[red]

Slab wood burns up to Fast.  You still want to use regular old  firewood.

[scsmith42]

I was just visiting with one of my employees yesterday about the need for a slab rack, and today up crops this post!  Very timely.

All great ideas, but 69Bronco's model is similar to what I envisioned.  In my instance, I want something that we can put at the end of the off bearing conveyor to capture the slabs, and where the off-bearer can chainsaw them into firewood lengths while the miller is loading a new log, cutting off the sapwood, and quarter/halving it. 

Then I want to be able to pick the entire thing up with a forklift and carry it to the firewood stack and tilt it over to dump it out.

The goals is quick, easy, and with minimal human handling.

[Kbeitz]

I cut up all my slabs. No waste.



 



 



 

[DMcCoy]

I cut up all my slabs. No waste.

How does your swing saw work in practice?  How does it fit in your work flow?  Do you cut directly into your pallet/box?  Do you cut slabs while your saw is auto-feeding?

[Kbeitz]

I cut up all my slabs. No waste.

How does your swing saw work in practice?  How does it fit in your work flow?  Do you cut directly into your pallet/box?  Do you cut slabs while your saw is auto-feeding?

It's so much faster than a chain saw... I cut while the mill is auto feeding.
The cut offs fall into a 4 wheel wagon that I unload when full again when the
mill is auto feeding. Also great for cutting sticker to size. If you build one
look for a neg. rake saw blade.