First attempt at posting pic

Kevin_H. · November 03, 2002, 07:33:16 PM

Ok, This will be my first attempt at uploading an image...took me about 45 min to do the whole crop and opt thing...some of the pick ( if it even shows up ) is blurry but I got tired of messing with it.
this is the pile of logs that we got from the empty lot...See dropping a whack of logs.
if you look close you can see the log tongs stuck in one on the top waiting for the winch to be hooked up.
well here it goes...

Tom · November 03, 2002, 07:50:37 PM

How 'bout that, Kevin. You did good. 8)

smwwoody · November 03, 2002, 07:55:16 PM

do you use a ramp to start them on the trailer when they are lower than the deck? if so does it work OK

WV_hillbilly · November 03, 2002, 07:55:35 PM

Kevin
Once you get a row of logs on the trailer do you add another layer or just haul that one row that would be on the trailer deck ? I don't have a mill and was wondering how I could get them to one. This looks like the way I will have to go with a trailer as I don' t own a tractor or anything to load the logs with.

Hillbilly

Kevin_H. · November 03, 2002, 08:11:11 PM

Thanks Tom,
If I'm picking the logs up off the ground I run a chain in the form of a "v" off the back of the trailer. I roll the log onto the chain and run the winch over the top. engaging the winch will roll the log up the chain and on to the back of the trailer.
I then use the winch to spin the log and pull it up between the fenders. Most of the time I am picking up two or three at a time so a double layer is typically not a problem, but if you leave the first layer of logs close to the end of the trailer you can use the same set up to roll the second row up on the first.
as I got down to the last logs on the above pic i loaded the bobcat up and took it to the site. kind of a pain to go back and get it though.

Kevin_H. · November 03, 2002, 08:37:04 PM

second pic seemed alot easier, same shot from the other side. and that is not my house in the background, sawmill's not doing quite that good yet.

;D

Noble_Ma · November 04, 2002, 05:00:58 AM

Great pictures Kevin. I don't have any support equipment yet and use my truck for moving logs to the mill. I think it will take it's toll on that little 1/2 ton pickup eventually. What is your trailer rated for weight wise? Does it have electric brakes and what do you pull it with? I was thinking that I could load logs on a trailer by winching them up on ramps from the side. This is how I get logs onto my mill right now. Money is a little tight right now with the economy and job market so I'm waiting to make the next purchase whether it be a trailer or a bigger truck.

Kevin_H. · November 04, 2002, 06:58:51 AM

Noble_Ma,
my trailer is rated for 7000lb and I pull it with a 1/2 ton pickup.I use a weight dist hitch like you see on a lot of the big campers. spreads the weight between the front and rear axel.
The trailer has elec. brakes, I consider this a must. Before I bought my bobcat I would skid my logs around the lot and mill with my truck. I went out and found a old beat up bobcat that could be had for cheap, makes loading bundles of wood a lot eaiser too.

Kevin · November 04, 2002, 07:02:16 AM

KH;
I would be hestant to trust those tongs under much tension, you might consider throwing a blanket or tarp over the cable in case it decides to come back and visit with you.
A choker set up might be a little safer.

Brian_Bailey · November 04, 2002, 09:52:24 AM

This is what I use. The trailer is rated for 14k lbs., the Auto Crane will lift 6k lbs. If I can't lift it, I don't want it. So far I haven't come across a log that I can't lift. I can also move the crane over to my truck if I only have a few logs to get.

Noble_Ma · November 04, 2002, 10:48:14 AM

Brian,

Did you set that up yourself or buy it that way? That looks like a great setup. Can you give me a price range for the setup as is? Thanks.

Noble_Ma · November 04, 2002, 10:49:24 AM

Thanks for the info Kevin. Think Santa can fit one in my stocking this year? ;D

Kevin_H. · November 04, 2002, 11:10:14 AM

Hey Kevin,
Great name by the way. I have a remote on my winch so I am about 12 ft away most of the time, I have used a choker at times but they seemed to get chewed up after being drug across the trailer bed a couple of times. If I have something big I will use one. I use a double line pull almost all of the time as it seems to save the battery, on this small stuff the winch wont break a sweat.

I think brian just put us all to shame...Got to have one of those. Is that elec. over hyd? Will it spin around enough to load your truck also?

Ever feel over worked and under capitalized?

WV_hillbilly · November 04, 2002, 05:07:37 PM

Kevin thats a slick way to get the ones below the trailer deck on top of it. I will have to remember these tricks to load logs.

Brian that is on slick trailer and hoist set up you have there.

Hillbilly

Brian_Bailey · November 04, 2002, 05:30:46 PM

I use to roll logs onto the truck like Woodmizer does on their manual mills. I used an electric winch instead of a manual one. It was a lot of work, but it got the job done.

That was back when I was in my thirties & forties. Now that I've hit the fifty mark, I've decided to let mechanical advantage work for me instead of youth & brawn. The only trouble is the trade off is expensive.

The trailer is a Corn Pro drop tail beaver, it has ramps that go on the back. $4500. The Auto Crane installed on my truck was $15k. I had a weld shop fab. up the mount on the trailer. The crane is electric over hyd. and can swing 370 degrees. So loading the truck from the trailer is no problem. Moving the crane is easy as there are only 4 bolts and 2 electric cables to unhook.

I wasn't too happy spending that kind of money on the crane,but trying to find a used crane in good shape was DanG near impossible. I looked at a lot of junk before I decided to spring for a new one.

Here are a couple of shots of the crane on my truck. Those 2 logs are sugar maple and it was a yard tree.

Noble_Ma · November 04, 2002, 06:11:23 PM

My brother-in-law has one on the back of his utillity truck. I've used it a couple of times to load logs into my truck. Same setup as you except older. Works slow but sure and much better than my hand winch and ramps.

Tom · November 04, 2002, 06:14:51 PM

I've considered a crane like that but can't bite the expense bullet. I thought of a log loader too, like a prentice. Used are used up. My thoughts were to put the crane ovoer the cab of the truck so I could use the entire truck bed. Have you considered that? I like the idea of having it on the trailer too. that makes a lot of sense.

Nice rig.

DanG · November 04, 2002, 07:21:24 PM

Saturday, I ordered a 10,500 lb "Milemarker" hydraulic winch to mount in the bed of my pickup. I'll be on vacation next week, and plan to modify my trailer to work like the one Fla_Deadheader uses. I hope the winch arrives in time to get it mounted, too.

Kevin_H. · November 04, 2002, 07:29:37 PM

Brian that sure is a nice set up,
Kinda pricey for me, and too big to hide from the wife. I have not seen too many used ones around.

DanG,
What are you going to use to run your hyd winch? 12V motor and hyd pump?

DanG · November 04, 2002, 08:03:00 PM

The Milemarker winch runs off of the power steering pump on the truck. It comes with the adaptor kit to hook it up to the front of the truck, but I'll have to extend the hoses to reach to the bed, behind the cab. I'm still skeptical about running it this way, so, if it doesn't work out, I'll install a pto with a pump on the transmission.

smwwoody · November 04, 2002, 08:17:03 PM

DanG
I know a guy that mounted a mile marker to a reciever hitch mount and put quick couplers on the hyd lines so he could use it front or rear of his Jeep. it worked real well running off of the power stearing pump. He added a cooler to the system just in case.
Woody

DanG · November 04, 2002, 08:27:10 PM

I had thought of doing that, but I think I'll just bolt it to the frame, through the bed, for now. I considered rigging it to the gooseneck hitch, but I want it further forward, to use with a stationary boom in the truck bed. Re-rigging won't be a problem, once I get things sorted out. I may end up with a "wet-line kit" on the truck, and mount the winch on the trailer, so I can use it with the tractor, too.

Brian_Bailey · November 04, 2002, 08:37:36 PM

Thanks for all the compliments.

Kevin H, I've got a good wife. After 30 some years of marriage she tends to overlook my indulgences as long as I make her something nice out of the wood I saw & dry.

Tom, I wanted the crane centered behind the cab too. The only problem was the bed dumps and I didn't want to lose that feature. So I had the dealer put the crane on the back corner. Now I can tilt the bed with the crane still on it.

The truck is kind of small, some day I'll go to a slightly larger truck and then I'll put the crane on an A frame like a real log loader.
Right now I can put about 500 bf of hardwood logs on the truck and not worry about being overweight. I'd like to be able to haul 1 - 1 1/2 mbf. Using the truck and trailer together I have to be real careful of the total weight. Go over 26k and I could get dinged for driving out of class. Don't need that!!!

Noble_Ma, I saw your pic from an earlier post and your right, the crane won't set the world on fire for speed.

Noble_Ma · November 05, 2002, 05:00:22 AM

Ya, but it sure beats the way I'm doing it now. I'd tell you but the rest of these guys would die laughing :D :D :D

Tom · November 05, 2002, 06:10:54 AM

Brian,

Here is something to look at when using your trailer. I was detained in Kentucky and Miss. both as the local DOT's whiplashed me for not knowing the rules.

It seems that the GVWR of the truck plus the GVWR of the trailer is what determines the class that your license must be.

The GVWR of my truck is 21500 and my sawmill is 7500. That means that my "rig" is 29000 lbs and causes me to be illegal.

My truck empty, with me and fuel, weighs 10000 and I thought I was weighing 17500 but the "weight" isn't what counts. What the actual weight is means nothing.

I got no ticket but they sure got their ego's pumped.

I don't seem to have the problem at home, perhaps because I'm known or perhaps because there is some common sense being used, but I don''t want to get out of Fl, Ga. and Ala. again with it.