pallet system for timber storage

[newoodguy78]

Does anyone have experience with 3-point hitch pallet forks? Are they useful? Cumbersome? Certainly not as good as a forklift, but maybe better than a FEL for lifting heavier loads?

We've got rear forks here, they're actually an old forklift mast that someone adapted to 3ph. I much prefer the forks on the fel, one for the reach two for the fact you're looking forward and not back. 
With that said they are insanely handy in certain applications and would not want to part with them. 
Like btulloh said you won't regret having them. 

[beenthere]

Does anyone have experience with 3-point hitch pallet forks? Are they useful? Cumbersome? Certainly not as good as a forklift, but maybe better than a FEL for lifting heavier loads?

Wouldn't be without them.. when the plow is on in place of the FEL, then the forks move firewood on pallets all winter long. 
But only real good with the hyd. top arm, as btulloh  said. 


 

[teakwood]

I came up with this, 3x3, and the first stickers are screwed on

[teakwood]

this is the pallet with boards on it, the 3x3 on the ground will later be removed when i buy a forklift, i also plan on pouring a concrete floor. 
I decided to still use just 3 stickers for the 8' board, i never had any problems this way

[WDH]

You are lucky that you can use only 3 stickers on 8 foot lumber.  I use 7  .

[moodnacreek]

This is a good reference for air drying;
https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr117.pdf
Chapter 5 fig 39 shows a simple sticker guide.

If you move the end stickers out to almost the very ends of the boards it will reduce end splits, and yes I would have 2 more stickers in that stick for anything but low grade. We'll do something like that if in a hurry to get some air between the boards but that would be restickered very soon. I've got some wood coming off the mill at 18' right now that is only getting 5 sticks and piled loosely, half those sticks will probably end up in the driveway as I take the trailer down the mountain. I'll sort it all out in the next day or two when I set up the drying piles.

[moodnacreek]

This is a good reference for air drying;
https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr117.pdf
Chapter 5 fig 39 shows a simple sticker guide.

If you move the end stickers out to almost the very ends of the boards it will reduce end splits, and yes I would have 2 more stickers in that stick for anything but low grade. We'll do something like that if in a hurry to get some air between the boards but that would be restickered very soon. I've got some wood coming off the mill at 18' right now that is only getting 5 sticks and piled loosely, half those sticks will probably end up in the driveway as I take the trailer down the mountain. I'll sort it all out in the next day or two when I set up the drying piles.

Moving the end sticks out is what I do. Don must of copied me :D. It makes a big difference with cupping and end splits.

[teakwood]

It makes a big difference with cupping and end splits

i don't have cup because my widest boards are 6", i don't have endcracks unless the heart is in a board

[farmfromkansas]

Teak, that is some amazing straight lumber.

[longtime lurker]

It makes a big difference with cupping and end splits

i don't have cup because my widest boards are 6", i don't have endcracks unless the heart is in a board

Yup, the teak I've sawn has been full of silica and some logs have high tension, but once you've got it in a pack it behaves itself due to low shrinkage rates.
 Problem around here is nearly all the older plantation teak was planted for tax offsets and never had any silvicultural management... no stem length in them. Some guys I know just pushed out 1200 acres of 20-25 year old teak. It had been managed quite well but needed another 10 years to girth out to be viable. What a waste.

[Don P]

Sounds like a job for a chip-n-saw.