Cost feasibility of building versus buying a trailer

[fabsroman]

I do not see how you guys say store bought splitter is over priced? I can get a 30 ton Troy Built or Speedco for $1200

To build one you need hoses, $50. Pump, $100. Motor, $250. Steel, $300. Wheels, $100. Hubs and bearings, $100. Cylinder, $150. Valve, $100. Filter setup, $40. Ball coupler, $25. Ect, ect, ect....

Don't get me wrong, I built my own in 2006. It cost me $100 more than a store bought unit but I built it the way I wanted it. None of the store units were what I was looking for.

Yeah, I am not talking about a Troy-Bilt, Speeco, or whatever those cheepo splitters are available at Home Depot, Lowes, and Tractor Supply. Take a look at Oak & Iron, Timberwolf, and other log splitters that have a log lift and adjustable 4 way or 6 way wedge. The one I want, a Timberwolf TW-4hd is $6,000. My dad has a 25 ton Home Depot special (i.e., Yard Machines by MTD), and while it has split 100 cords or more over its 15+ years, it was tough splitting the 36" oak we just did a couple years ago. I want to be able to roll bucked logs onto the log lift and split them at waist height versus all this kneeling down stuff, and I do not want to lift 300+ pound rounds anywhere. It was easy rolling those 36" rounds, but if we missed the splitter plate when we dropped them over, life got tough. I also want to build something with a fast cycle time so that when I have 3 or 4 guys working together, we aren't waiting on the splitter. However, my wife will kill me if I spend $6,000 on a splitter. Don't intend on selling firewood anytime soon for a living to justify it. Plus, I need projects to keep my mind challenged and me busy.

 

[fabsroman]

I would build over buy for several reasons. First I would make just one trailer. I see no reason why you can't make a 18' car trailer that could be easily converted to a dump trailer. It wouldn't be hard to make a dump box that lifted off and a flat panel that extends further behind the wheels inserted for the car trailer. Secondly I would rather have the hydraulics powered by a small gas engine vs electric (personal taste). Thirdly I would rather put 12k axles under the trailer even if I was going to register it for under 10k. Some places I would use it I'll never see any signs of law enforcement. Finally I would love the challenge of designing and building it. With two trailers you have twice the registration costs and you now have 8 tires,vs 4, that will need replacing in 5 or so years.

I could think of several nice options I might add to the trailer. For example if you have a hydraulic pump it wouldn't be hard to make a mount to add a cherry picker for loading things that otherwise would be hard. On my trailers I like to take 3/8" chain and weld single links in lots of places so I always have a place to hook a strap to.

Now, you really have my mind going. I am pretty cheap, so saving $248 every two years would be nice. That would help pay for the trailer over time. Problem is trying to design a car hauler that can also act as a dump trailer and being able to put the weight on the dump portion in the right spot on the trailer. Would like the trailer to be long enough to haul a crew cab F350 if need be. Going to have to do some googling now to see if there are any car hauler/dump combos out there that I can look at. Would also like a single trailer from a storage perspective and I really like the option of putting a hydraulic arm on the thing for loading it.

Now smoke is coming out of my head from all the thinking.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Yeah, I am not talking about a Troy-Bilt, Speeco, or whatever those cheepo splitters are available at Home Depot, Lowes, and Tractor Supply. Take a look at Oak & Iron, Timberwolf, and other log splitters that have a log lift and adjustable 4 way or 6 way wedge. The one I want, a Timberwolf TW-4hd is $6,000. My dad has a 25 ton Home Depot special (i.e., Yard Machines by MTD), and while it has split 100 cords or more over its 15+ years, it was tough splitting the 36" oak we just did a couple years ago. I want to be able to roll bucked logs onto the log lift and split them at waist height versus all this kneeling down stuff, and I do not want to lift 300+ pound rounds anywhere. It was easy rolling those 36" rounds, but if we missed the splitter plate when we dropped them over, life got tough. I also want to build something with a fast cycle time so that when I have 3 or 4 guys working together, we aren't waiting on the splitter. However, my wife will kill me if I spend $6,000 on a splitter. Don't intend on selling firewood anytime soon for a living to justify it. Plus, I need projects to keep my mind challenged and me busy.

Got ya. I only split maybe 4 Cords per year. If I wanted something more advanced I would get one for a Bobcat and never get my hands dirty again. my buddy has one and can do in 4 hours what would take 3 men 2 days to do.

Chris

 

[Case485Guy]

Here is a pic for and idea to build off of. Could make the "box" part removable or do a removable side rail set up. We use to that on old grain trucks.

 

[kenmac]

I built my trailer several yrs ago cheaper than buying (can't remember how much. I like building things. I just up grader my axles from 2 3500 lb axles to 2 5200lb axles. I paid $750.00 with brakes on both axlex Dexter brand. 16'' 7 lug wheels were $48.00 ea. Good used 235x 80x 16 tires were $50.00 ea. call around to some locally owned steel supply places. That's where I got my best steel prices

 

[bcp]

Some interesting dumping flatbeds, for a change:

Big Lug Trailers

Flat Bed Hydraulic Dump Trailers; Trailers For Less

2007 flatbed 8 X16 gooseneck or 5TH wheel dump trailer

 

[fabsroman]

Got ya. I only split maybe 4 Cords per year. If I wanted something more advanced I would get one for a Bobcat and never get my hands dirty again. my buddy has one and can do in 4 hours what would take 3 men 2 days to do.

Chris

Yep, have seen the firewood processors for bobcats and they are really, really nice. Thing is, it would take me two, maybe three, lifetimes to justify the cost at the savings I am currently experiencing. Can hardly justify spending $6,000 on the splitter I want as far as time saved and cost saved via wood burning. This is my first year using a wood burning furnace to heat the entire house (i.e., 4,400 sf) and with it being a mild winter I have gone through about 3 cords of wood so far with the cold weather to come at the end of this month it seems. My dad also heats his entire basement with an insert since last year and now my parents are thiking about getting an insert for the middle floor too. Guessing I'll be doing 6+ cords a year to meet my needs and my parents' needs. Once I have the 1,200 sf standalone garage and 1,600 sf addition built, the wood consumption will probably go up some more. Don't really want to pay for heat any more than I have to.

My dad is 70 years old and cannot work like he used to. My son is 3 years old and not much help right now. The main thing I want on the splitter is a log lift to save my back and my dad's back. Using his horizontal/vertical splitter in either position is painful when we have some big, heavy rounds.

 

[crazyal]

Dump trailers don't usually don't extend much behind the rear tires, even the flatbed dumping trailers really don't allow you to position equipment or cars as needed. I'm thinking it wouldn't be too hard to make a removable rear extension for use as a car trailer.

 

[fabsroman]

Think I have figured out what I am going to do. I am either going to buy or build a car hauler that can be tilted and then fashion some walls for it so that I can also use it as a dump trailer to a degree. I'll just have to make sure the load is in the right place on the trailer. Figure I will make the side walls such that they go right into the stake pockets on the trailer and then fashion the front and back walls so they attach to the side walls.

Essentially, looking at something like this HYDRAULIC TILT CAR HAULER TRAILER PLANS 82" X 19'

Mainly going to be using the trailer to haul firewood, gravel, tons of building supplies for the garage/addition/remodel, waterfowl blinds, our cars when they break down, and probably my tractor when I get it.

 

[Pops15]

I'm all for you building your own trailer but I don't think you'll have much luck dumping anything other than rolling stock (cars, tractors, etc) off a tilt trailer. Look at the dump angles on dump trailers. As steep as they dump sometimes they could stand a few more degrees. A rig like in the last link BCP posted with removable sides would make a much better dump trailer. Problem is you'd need very long ramps to use it as a car hauler.