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Having a devil of a time finding anyone to haul logs for me

Started by Brad_bb, October 23, 2017, 03:26:49 PM

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Brad_bb

I'm in northern/central Il.  I have about a tandem log semi worth of logs I need to move, maybe a little more, but can't find anyone to do it.  In this part of the state there aren't a lot of semi log haulers.  I tried a large tree service that I know has the equipment and when I first met him he said they were pretty busy, but It's been a week and I can't get a return call. 
I tried a logger/sawmill guy I know has equipment and he just flat out told me he's too busy and I can't get him to budge.
I got a lead on another guy a little further away and he told me the same thing, he's too busy.  Too busy to schedule something even in a few weeks??  I told all of them It can be done anytime on weekend or whenever.
I then called another small sawmill/logger and he acted like he didn't want to do it and said his equipment is sort of down.  I don't believe it though from how he sounded.  It's an easy load and haul.  I just don't get it.

Is there a better way to find a log truck?  Is there some type of registry to see if there is someone else near the loading or drop off point?  I've just tried searching logging, log hauling, timber hauling etc on google.
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

Crusarius

needahauler .com

I think it is just a shipping website like craigslist. Never used it but get info from that at farm show every year.

47sawdust

Try a CL search of firewood for sale,might find someone there.I just did a search of Rockford CL...Dave Kelly,Crystal Lake.I have no idea where you are.A lot of loggers in this area run dump trucks or excavating equipment until the snow flies.
Good luck
Mick
1997 WM Lt30 1999 WM twin blade edger Kubota L3750 Tajfun winchGood Health Work is my hobby.

killamplanes

There seems to be a shortage of log trucks in are state. But after years of owning them I now know why. They will eat you alive the cops seek you out and they eat you alive. I've got a grapple truck with a pup and a semi setup for long hauling. The grapple truck makes a D9 dozer look effecient. My highest cost of logging is transportation of logs period.  But the grapple truck makes hauling easy. I can pack out a landing with it to a nearby road and when it rains I haul logs until it dries up or freezes then back into the timber. Anyway I don't haul commercial for other outfits. And don't now of any around that do. Log trucks here are owned by mill that transport there logs and small loggers that don't have trucks but only for there mill. I have trucks because it's part of the business, believe you me it's not by choice but neccessity.  Sorry no help but a good forklift and trailer would make a mill and  log hauling easier for both. I got 3 forklift 1 4x4, kinda wheel loader gone forklift. Love it..  fyi back in the day when I would do some hauling for others grapple truck 120hour, semi 100. Never went by milage. And wouldn't.
jd440 skidder, western star w/grapple,tk B-20 hyd, electric, stihl660,and 2X661. and other support Equipment, pallet manufacturing line

larry1

Yes trucks are hard to hire because they all work for the big companies and can't be bothered for the little guy. Some of the guy around here will load a few logs on there own trailers and truck them to the nearby yards with 1 ton trucks . It's slow but does work . --Good luck

coxy

Quote from: killamplanes on October 23, 2017, 10:00:36 PM
There seems to be a shortage of log trucks in are state. But after years of owning them I now know why. They will eat you alive the cops seek you out and they eat you alive. I've got a grapple truck with a pup and a semi setup for long hauling. The grapple truck makes a D9 dozer look effecient. My highest cost of logging is transportation of logs period.  But the grapple truck makes hauling easy. I can pack out a landing with it to a nearby road and when it rains I haul logs until it dries up or freezes then back into the timber. Anyway I don't haul commercial for other outfits. And don't now of any around that do. Log trucks here are owned by mill that transport there logs and small loggers that don't have trucks but only for there mill. I have trucks because it's part of the business, believe you me it's not by choice but neccessity.  Sorry no help but a good forklift and trailer would make a mill and  log hauling easier for both. I got 3 forklift 1 4x4, kinda wheel loader gone forklift. Love it..  fyi back in the day when I would do some hauling for others grapple truck 120hour, semi 100. Never went by milage. And wouldn't.
a truck and loader is well worth what your getting   I have a truck for short hauls  but hire out long hauls        how do you figure your rate when you leave your house or loaded to the mill  we had a guy that did by the hour here about 8 years ago charged 65 an hour I had him  just one time took him 5hours to load and go to the mill the mill was 25 miles away :o ::)  I my self like a set rate   

NWP

A lot of guys with grapple trucks are in Florida and Texas doing storm work. This caused a shortage around Kansas City and has kept the trucks that are still here really busy. For the last month there hasn't been enough hours in the day to keep up with the work. A lot of tree services go do storm work too. This causes the ones left in town to be that much busier. My walnut buyer called me a couple of weeks ago because he had some people desperate to get some logs hauled to the pallet mill. I told him I didn't want to mess with it. I'm sure these guys aren't lying to you they are really busy. It's much more profitable for me to haul brush off tree jobs with my grapple truck than to go out of my way to haul one load of logs.
1999 Blockbuster 2222, 1997 Duratech HD10, 2021 Kubota SVL97-2, 2011 Case SV250, 2000 Case 1845C, 2004 Case 621D, John Deere 540A, 2011 Freightliner with Prentice 120C, 2012 Chevrolet, 1997 GMC bucket truck, several trailers, and Stihl saws.

Brad_bb

I'm milling all the timbers to build my home.  This load and a half would keep me busy milling all winter.  I just need to get it home.  Landowner wants it gone too.  I just got a call from the tree service and it sounds like they will send a quote over soon.  From what he said I think I'm definitely going to pay much more than I budgeted for. It's probably a load and a half, but it sound like they can do it this week.:) 


 
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

Jeff

Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Brad_bb

Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

Jeff

Yea, that's kinda far economically to tackle with a pickup and trailer.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Brad_bb

Almost seems like investing in a log trailer and renting it out might be profitable....
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

alanh

Hopefully you find some one, one thought that might be an option, my son started up a scrap business, has a tri axle dumpster hauler with a grapple, not only does he move my logs, (puts them in a 40 yard can) he gets alot of work from a few tree guys to move  the big stuff out. Scrap is way down, maybe there`s a scrapper in the area not as busy as the log haulers

Grizzly

I've seen many 48ft decks with logs on them in Wisconsin and Illinois and all they were was decks with pipe stakes. The internet truckstop or a third party freight broker that uses DAT should have no trouble finding a truck. A 98 mile haul is likely to cost you $500 minimum. I used to broker freight but don't have access anymore or I could do this for you. I'm not familiar with needahauler but I see there link all the time when I'm on marketplace or truckpaper. uship is another one that seems to work not too bad.
2011 - Logmaster LM-2 / Chinese wheel loader
Jonsered saws - 2149 - 111S - 90?
2000 Miners 3-31 Board Edger

NWP

I'm kind of curious to know what they'll charge for hauling it.
1999 Blockbuster 2222, 1997 Duratech HD10, 2021 Kubota SVL97-2, 2011 Case SV250, 2000 Case 1845C, 2004 Case 621D, John Deere 540A, 2011 Freightliner with Prentice 120C, 2012 Chevrolet, 1997 GMC bucket truck, several trailers, and Stihl saws.

mike_belben

I haul logs on my gooseneck flat bed utility trailer.  Used 4x4 lumber and some 2bys to make baby bunks that drop into stake pockets and hold the bottom coarse of logs in.  Then just pyramid stack them and strap down.  Maybe a hay hauler or dumptruck guy with a tag can do it.  Can you load and unload at each end?

Praise The Lord

killamplanes

I don't go over the road with my grapple chasing storms. Though I here it makes good money. I have tackled some large projects though. I packed out half a million bdft of a 20ac landing. Only went 1-2 miles took 3.5 days. Forgot now but burnt alot of fuel, and remember only 1 blown hose. A grapple truck driver is like a mechanic some are good and some are riding the time clock. I work for myself and employees so riding the time clock doesn't help me. Hourly helps because sometimes the logs are still trees and I have log trucks not tree trucks. So I get 125 hour to run a saw. And log truck sits there idling. I figure anything within 30-40 mile grapple truck fine. Beyond that economics kick in weight of loader hanging on the back etc. That's were a semi setup comes in. And I run milage plates on grapple truck, it can't leave the state. My semi has apportioned plates fuel tags etc to go anywhere
jd440 skidder, western star w/grapple,tk B-20 hyd, electric, stihl660,and 2X661. and other support Equipment, pallet manufacturing line

Bruno of NH

My tree guy I buy logs from has a big gooseneck dump trailer and can take a good size load.
Can you find someone like that ?
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

maple flats

The last I looked in our "for Sale" section there was a log trailer/grapple. Maybe you can work out a rental, or even buy it and then do some hauling for hire while you list it for sale.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

coxy

Quote from: killamplanes on October 24, 2017, 10:07:58 PM
I don't go over the road with my grapple chasing storms. Though I here it makes good money. I have tackled some large projects though. I packed out half a million bdft of a 20ac landing. Only went 1-2 miles took 3.5 days. Forgot now but burnt alot of fuel, and remember only 1 blown hose. A grapple truck driver is like a mechanic some are good and some are riding the time clock. I work for myself and employees so riding the time clock doesn't help me. Hourly helps because sometimes the logs are still trees and I have log trucks not tree trucks. So I get 125 hour to run a saw. And log truck sits there idling. I figure anything within 30-40 mile grapple truck fine. Beyond that economics kick in weight of loader hanging on the back etc. That's were a semi setup comes in. And I run milage plates on grapple truck, it can't leave the state. My semi has apportioned plates fuel tags etc to go anywhere
my dad always hated when he pulled in to a landing and they was still tree length  99% of the time he drove away and left them he even did that to me a few times ???  >:( ;D 

Pclem

We've always had the same problem here too. Especially little guys like me that don't log full time. Just went to an amish mill yesterday to see if he'd buy dump trailer loads. I think I can maybe haul 2 cords at a time. He's about 20 miles away. Not sure how I'm gonna make out yet, but it will generate a little cash flow and not have to wait a month for a trucker
Dyna SC16. powersplit. supersplitter. firewood kilns.bobcat T190. ford 4000 with forwarding trailer. a bunch of saws, and a question on my sanity for walking away from a steady paycheck

Brad_bb

I got a proposal on Wednesday, accepted it, and the logs were picked up and moved this morning.  I paid too much, but I feel better that it's done!  It's the most Walnut I've purchased at once so far( or any logs for that matter). The truck box is 3/4 full too.  They don't fill the box totally because the weight of the newly retrofitted box itself takes a weights a lot.


  

 
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

nativewolf

Walnut..wow, that's a load.  That's some $ for sure.  Glad you were able to purchase it and find a hauler. 

Liking Walnut

Brad_bb

Well, not for sale.  That's going to make up part of my dream home I'm going to build....Timbers for timberframe. There will be some forked posts, live edge braces, forked braces...   
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

Peter Drouin

A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

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