Show us your timber/ beam cart!

[Brad_bb]

Have a look at what Logrite has just done...they've come out with multi uses for their Arch Jr.  It can pick up heavy beams off the ground or cribbing with a sling so it doesn't mark up a good timber.  You can't normally load a beam that is in the 4-500lb range with a normal timber cart, but no problem with this one.  And what's better is that they've got attachment parts that allow you to use the Arch to move other stuff using a chain, or tow a trailer by hand with a ball hitch attchement.  Much more than a one use tool...  check it out!  They also make an extension for the handle.


And here's a post with more info
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,63040.0.html

[Rooster]

Here's my timber arch:

It's made from a choppped up rear beam off of a VW Rabbit, with VW donut spare tires, a peice of I-beam that was holding up a lean-to shed roof, some scrap angle-iron, and a nylon strap....oh, I forgot to mention the recovery hook!!!!



  

  



This is the process of moving two hewn floor joists.

 

  

  

  

  

  

  



Here I am moving a single 8x8x16ft treated beam.




  

  

  

  

It's nowhere near as pretty or as light as the Logrite Junior, but my son helped me make it...

Rooster

[Ljohnsaw]

Rooster,
Just paint it blue and no one will know the difference... :D

[danreed76]

This is the carpet dolly I mentioned a while back.  It's relatively stable, and easy to take with.

[canopy]

I see two basic styles emerging in all the photos. A type where you load a timber on top of the cart and a second type that the cart straddles over the timber. Having never used either, the latter just appears far superior. Instead of lifting and maneuvering a heavy timber onto a tippy cart, you instead just position the cart over the timber. Good to see all the pictures, will definitely help with my design.

[Rob Bocik]

There seems to be a problem with all timber carts though, you have to hunch over to push them.  The lower they are, the worse it is for the back.  But it's better to have the timber closer to the ground for stability.  I know you're taller than me Rooster, but that cart looks low.  I guess anything that allows you to move timbers by yourself is good.  I just think we need to invent one of those loaders from the Aliens movie:
http://youtu.be/FSrcMaid0mg

"they" have. It was in TED. currently undergoing military testing.

[Ljohnsaw]

I answered a posting for some free redwood logs in a back yard.  Already down and cut to about 9'.  So that motivated me to make this "Log arch".  Worked well enough and I think I'll keep it around for moving timbers.  The biggest log was 17" inside the bark at the butt end and cleared the ground with about an inch to spare.  Held together with just 4 bolts.  I spent most of the time taking all the extra parts off the frames.  Not bad for a morning's work.



 



 

I slung the logs from the 1-1/4" pipe and that allowed me to steer it when pulling.  So my son (almost 9) see the two remaining wheels and say I should make a trailer for the log!

[beenthere]

How about one or two showing a log slung in it? 

[swampfox]

just need a bike horn.

[33oneill]

I got this on sale at Cabela's for $35. It's now ~$80. It worked well but the timbers would slide off the side if I pushed it over any ground rougher than my driveway so I tacked on some 1/8 rod on each end to keep them from slipping and it works much better.

I see some pretty big timbers on some other peoples carts but this works well for the 6x6 and 8x8 softwood I'm working with. A green 18' hemlock 8x8 is really pushing the limits of the cart.. The pics show a 12' EWP 6x6 on the cart.



  

 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hunting/After-the-Shot/Game-Carts-Carriers%7C/pc/104791680/c/104689980/sc/104353380/Primal-Vantage-Steel-Deer-Cart/847365.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FN%3D1100183%26WTz_l%3DSBC%253BBRprd847365&WTz_l=SBC%3BBRprd847365%3Bcat104353380

[beenthere]

33
Before it folds up on itself from the weight, maybe put some straps across the top bars that you tacked the rod to, to hold the ends supports in tension. Looks like the side bars that the two braces are bolted to are the real weak points.
A game animal just doesn't weigh what your timbers weigh, but looks like a handy cart for the job.

[33oneill]

Yea it's a toy - but it's a little sturdier than it looks and is at a convenient height to pivot beams off my pile. As I said  it works for what I use it for, but with some straps I'd feel better with the long hemlock. Thanks for that, beenther, That's a great idea. Don't know why I didn't think of that..

[tgalbraith]

 I was reading a post the other day about a cart on man had made to move heavy cants.  I took some pictures of mine and now can't find the original posting.
Actually, I use mine mostly to get the back end of the log off the ground, while hauling them with my arch. I decided to field test it before I painted it, but worked real good getting a 116 year old pine out of my swamp.
I lift the small end of the log with my home-make timber jack placed about 3' from the end. Then I slide the cart under and
secure it with a ratchet strap.  Then the front end is lifted with the winch on the log arch.
The old pine that blew over produced 1 8' butt log (32" on the stump) and 4  10' logs before I got to the limbs.
The log you see on the arch is the top one, 11.5" on the small end.







 



 



 

[Macgyver]

Tgalbraith,
I think you were looking in the Timber Framing/ Log construction forum.  There's a recent topic to the effect of "Show us your timber/beam cart".

[Ga Mtn Man]

Here it is:

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,65498.0.html

[Jeff]

Here it is:

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,65498.0.html

Nope, that is not it.  It is here:
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,62871.0.html

I'll just merge the two.

[rmawhinney]

Hey guys I just got some new tools from Jim and they came in last week. These were my first non homedepot chisels. So my first project was a cart. There wasn't a lot of design thought just used some scraps I had around. This is my first project with a chisel man was it fun.

Anyone looking for tools talk to Jim the tools I got are amazing at a great price and he and Tom are excellent to deal with I will be going through them again I am sure. I HIGHLY recommend looking through his list of tools for sale. Thanks Jim!

Ross




 

[Jim_Rogers]

Thanks for your kind words, and good luck with your projects.

Jim Rogers

[Leonardsean]

I was wondering if you had any more details on the construction of this beam caddy. I would like to build one, the picture doesn't quite show the size of the members underneath.

I will be building a timber retaining wall (to replace a dry-stacked stone one that failed) this Spring. I designed it and purchased the lumber (6x6's, pressure treated), and think the caddy will be a godsend to move these beams from my garage to the work area.

Any info would be appreciated.

--Sean

[Jim_Rogers]

I emailed my customer and so far, he has only sent me the top view drawing.



 

He has promised me more photos but that's all I've got so far.
Jim Rogers

[Jim_Rogers]

My customer just sent me four more pictures of his timber cart:



 

 

 

 

The look like 2x8s for the side pieces that the wheelbarrow tire axle goes to. And then some 2x6 on top of the center ones. The end pieces must be 2x12s or larger. I remember delivering a timber to him on my trailer. And he walked this out to where I was parked, and we slide the timber onto it. He had a handle that slipped into it somewhere to make it so you could move it without bending over to hold it level.
I don't see the bracket for the handle in the pictures, but it is there somewhere.

Jim Rogers

[Leonardsean]

Thank you for the quick response and the time it took to take additional pictures, you guys are the best. --Sean

[CJ]

I constructed this with steel racking I had from when I worked at Bell. It was left over from a job and it was just going to scrap, so I kept as much as I could take and store away. When it came time for me to build my timber frame, I fabricated this out of my own design. It's 15" wide by 26" long and the bearing wheels are 16"H X 5"W which will handle a total weight of 1000 lbs. This thing is ideal and rolls smoothly, regardless of the terrain. I moved beams 24' in length without any effort. A really quality unit.

     

     

[everythingwood]

Here is mine. Don't laugh. It's the first thing I've welded since high school! It has 12"'tires.  With the cart and crane I can handle all the big timber's by myself. 


 


 

[rusticretreater]

Nobody will laugh at that.  Good job!