Propane Tank Hauler Tackles Big Maple

[Left Coast Chris]

Here are the pics.............. still learning about getting good quality...so please bear with me....

Maple butt log is over 4 feet diameter at the base:



Propane tank hauler has 12v hydraulic cylinders with a spreader bar..  no problem lifting very heavy loads:


Large Maple on Mill:


Slab of Maple on Mill:




This propane tank hauler has been really great for hauling hoby logs around.  These tank hauling trailers are now out dated since they switched to carrying tanks on flat bed trucks with booms.   There are a few around if you look.  I got this one for $450 and had to add new hoses and tires for another $400.  Still.......... a pretty good deal.

[mike_van]

That is one butt ugly looking butt log -  :D  A lot of work for you i'll bet. Still, probably easier to saw it up then split it.  The crotches on the sugar maples here are some of the toughest wood i've ever split.

[Mike_Barcaskey]

from what I see, that looks like a silver maple.
farmer77, do you know which? and if silver what are you using it for?

otherwise isn't it great to open up a big honker like that   8)

[Daren]

That is a pretty cool set up for fetching one at a time. I made a little log hauler out of a tilt trailer that was used to move propane tanks a couple years ago. Mine is ALOT more work than the slick little rig you have. I was familiar with the tank movers because my uncle used to be a propane distributor. I looked around for a month and never found what I was looking for, an overhead rig like yours that is what my uncle used to move his tanks years ago.
I ended up settling on this rig, it has a 12v winch on the tongue that with the help of the arch picks the end of the log onto a roller at the back of the trailer. Then I straight hook it and pull it on. I thought it would be perfect for "urban logging" it does tend to tear up a yard a little if it is muddy dragging a bigger one. The picture is a little deceiving the trailer is 14' long I have hauled (very carefully) some 20' logs with it.

I like your rig much better  ;)

[woodbowl]

What a wonderful use for the old style propane hauler. Finding one around here is the problem. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled.

[Left Coast Chris]

Mike V......... Yea! it was alot of work!  It was a little over 5' in diameter at its largest point so I had to saw it in half to get the trailer over it.   Then...... I had to quarter it to get it on the mill...........whew.....it took a week or so in my off hours to get it done.  :

Mike B...... It is a sliver maple.   I will be using it for making some furnature and I was able to get quite a bit of crotch wood for bowls.   Its quite soft so it should be great to work.  So far it is drying quite well with very little end splits or checking.

Darin.......  The trailer can take a log up to about 4'-6" wide and about 18' long.  Plenty for my hobby operation.  I have lifted a 4' diameter oak 9' in length sopping wet.  Im guessing it weighed in at between 6000 and 8000 lbs.   I went accross town with it but would not want to get out on a highway with that kind of weight behind the pickup.  I am going to be carrying three or four firs coming up.........as long as I can get a chain around it the trailer will lift it.

Woodbowl.............  Yea...... it took me about 6 months to find the trailer.  My neighbor is a propane distributor and he called around......... finally found this one in a yard of a start up propane distributor company that had been sitting for four years.  They upgraded to the flatbed trucks with booms and did not have a need for it any more............... there are a few out there....... just have to be patinet 8) 8)

[Mike_Barcaskey]

I take down a lot of silver maple. Most all of it goes to firewood. Not much call in PA for it as a saw log.

[Burlkraft]

Hey 77,

That's one DanG nice hauler ya got there...good score

[Left Coast Chris]

Thanks......... I just love this thing........... just back over the log, lower the spreader bar, wrap two chains aroung the log(s), lift with the 12v hydraulics, place the cross bars in place and chain it down with binder then go down the road. :D

Here is another pic with the trailer snatching a large oak:


It has opened up endless opportunities 8)

[isawlogs]

 That trailer is truly asome for log hauling .. what is it rated for ?

[Left Coast Chris]

Not sure what it is rated for......... It does have a manufacturers tag......I would have to research that.  I have lifted around 8000lbs with it with no trouble.

I do know the tires are rated for 3000 apiece so 6000 lbs would be my max for going down the highway.

[getoverit]

Thats an awesome rig ya got there !

Nice looking saw logs too ;) Would be good feed for a swinger

[Left Coast Chris]

On the two largest oaks (one was 48" at the butt) I did bring in my brothers lucas that also had a slabber.   We got some table size slabs and he left three of them for me...........not sure what I am going to do with them....

[jpgreen]

Awesome hauler Cris.

Where'd ya find that?

[solodan]

How big of a log can you get in there, and how long? 8)

[Left Coast Chris]

Pat......... I got the hauler from the propane company located just east of the factory outlets here in Anderson.  I believe it is Shasta Gas.  My neighbor is a propane truck driver and knows everybody.  He called around and gave me the tip.  Its a great thing.  Its all working except for the brakes.  It has a serge brake on the tung.   I have never had a surge brake before.  I have the wheel cylinders rebuilt.  This winter I will rebuild the master cylinder then I can take it on the highway.  Right now I just use it for going accross town with a slow moving vehicle triangle on it.

As for capacity it will easily take a 18' long log and could probaly take a 22".  The width of the arch is about 5'.   The limiting factor is the weight capacity.  I would not want to go much over 6000# on the highway.  It is really great for one or two logs though because it picks them up so easily.

[sawguy21]

I think I would want to convert the brakes to an electric disc setup. Surge brakes tend to hammer the towing vehicle and have to be locked out when backing up. This might not be fun if you have to back downhill. What a neat idea for a log hauler though. 8)

[jpgreen]

My wife works for the propane company, but they don't have one..  ;D

I don't like surge brakes neither. They want to stay on going down constant inclines also.

I built a parbuckle rig last week.  Works great.

[Dan_Shade]

my understanding with surge brakes is you can adjust them so that they aren't on too strong when going down a grade, that you can fine tune the adjustment..

[jpgreen]

You autta see the grade I go down to get my boat to the coast from the mountain top to Shelter Cove, Ca. It is low range 4x4 10 mph straight down hill about 5 miles the whole way... 

Cris probably knows bout' that place..  ;D

[Left Coast Chris]

Yea Pat........I did the structural engineering for a house in Shelter Cove (unbelievable view) and visited a couple of times and both the grade down the ocean side of the ridge and the grade to the boat ramp are real dosies.......the rest of the road getting in there is no picnic either. 

I will play around with the surge  brakes.... if I cannot adjust them I will convert to electric.   The drums and spindles are huge........I hope the adjusting will work because it might run a couple of hundred to convert.

[brdmkr]

That is slick.  I gave up looking for one a couple months ago.  After seeing your rig, I suppose I ought to start looking again!

[rbarshaw]

farmer77;

I'm planning on building a mill like yours, out of what I have on hand and such. Do you have any pic's of your mill as it was being built. How did you do the mount of the head rig to the monorail, how does it go up and down? If you don't mind my asking. :P

[Left Coast Chris]

I used the two vertical steel tubes for the head frame identical to the LT30.  To move up and down I used a double roller chain with a large cast iron water valve wheel on a couple of reduction sprockets.  I offset the weight of the head with two garage door springs on pullys mounted inside the vert. tubes.   Its not too hard to raise the head.  I think my springs are 125# each.  I want to swap to 175# when I get a chance to make it just right.   I will snap some close up photos tomorrow and post in the next couple of days.

The head is mounted to the monorail with heavy duty steel rollers on the vert. tubes again pretty much identical to the LT30.  I did some modifications such as increased height of the tubes.  Suggest finding an old manual LT 30 to look at then modify to meet your needs.

[jpgreen]

So you built that beauty ey Cris?

Hat's off to you guys that build your own mills.  Quite a project for sure..  8)