Cheap, quick, Firewood Storage and Transport

[bhostasa]

So based on some stuff I've seen on here I rigged up a firewood storage and transport system. I'm really pleased with it, and its pretty much free.

Its based on pallets, which they give away for free around here, and are ecstatic to see them go. Basically, I build 5 pallets into a cube with my framing gun, leaving the "door" to go on with timberloks for ease of removal. I then take poly that I have laying around and staple it to the top, back, and sides. In around 5 minutes I have an easily portable wood shed - some even think the clear poly will have a greenhouse effect and dry things faster.

Moving the cubes around with the m59 is easy. I'm incredibly pleased with the system. I just move cubes up to the house as I need them.

This is almost exactly the same way I handle firewood now. I think the only difference is I use 4 pallets (bottom and 3 sides) and a 2 x 2 across the top to help the cube keep it's shape.

It sure seems to cut down the handling quite a bit.

 

[shaqer74]

why not just use donor logs(cheap wood, not the good burning stuff) as a base to put the pallets on? Oh and btw I love this idea, I will be building myself some very soon.

 

[2manyrocks]

Clever and functional. We used to go camping at a place that sold firewood that was nothing except cut up pallets.

MotorSeven's idea --I wonder what other applications there would be for these tank frames?

 

[MNBobcat]

I use pallets too, just the metal ones that contain a plastic fluid tank. I remove the tank & just toss firewood into the metal cage. I get something less than half a cord that way. I move them into the shop with the tractor forks....it's a beautifull thing.

RD

I've never seen those and am having trouble envisioning what they look like. Do you have a photo? Where do you find that type of pallet?

 

[SpringHollow]

I assume they are talking about these:

275 gal water storage tank fuel oil biodiesel diesel - eBay (item 220520033671 end time Dec-08-09 16:54:18 PST)

Ken

 

[koopster]

Here is my take on the wood carriers. I made 15 of these skid mounted firewood carriers. I bought some scrap lengths of 3/4 tubing and welded them into 44"X44"X44" cubes. Most are lined with some old chicken wire to keep small pieces from falling out, although the wire is not needed. Old construction snow fence works great, too! After felling and limbing the trees I use my CT550U with quick detatch root grapple or 3pt. Farmi winch to bring the 10-12' log lengths to the clearing, depending on the diameter and species of the wood. With the quick detach forks I bring the wood carriers to site, then fire up and arrive on site with the old reliable Farmall 504 with the 3pt. mounted splitter and go to town on reducing the logs to stove length.

The wood is split into 22" lengths and packed into the crates. As I pack the split pieces I also am packing the small pieces from the limbs. To expidite this I made a fixure (no photo) to lay many 8' limbs in, allowing comfortable holding and cutting of the limbs into stove length. Then,with the forks on the CT, I pick the carriers up and put them in the implement shed. The floor has crushed gravel to keep away any termites, insects, or moisture. If I have a long way to go I put a couple of carriers on one of my hay trailers and trailer them to the barn.

The framed carriers, if filled tightly to the top, will support a second carrier on top, thus saving floor space. I don't look at these until next winter!

During the winter, I use the forks to retrieve the carriers, one at a time, and put them right into my garage for easy grabbing for the wood furnace.
In one of the pictures you will see my other way to hold some wood. I use the big rolls of pallet wrap and go a couple of times around the free standing (no cage) pallets of firewood. Plenty of air gets in but the wood will not move around. This may help those of you who do not have welders, etc. to make frames.
I go through 12-14 of these carriers a year. I have to touch the wood a minimum amount of times this way, the wood is secure and under cover to dry, and I don't have to trudge to the woodpile in the snow! I hope this gives you some ideas.

 

[Ken45101]

Those are quite nice Of course it helps to have scrap metal and welding experience, LOL.

I've done a similar approach using 2x4s. The first one I used old field fence to hold the wood in. After that, I decided to just do 2x2 slats on two sides, which allows me to stack from both ends of the crate.

Ken

 

[Diamondpilot]

When I flew charter we had these wire bins that were 50"x50"x51" tall. They were made of what looked like Hog Panel Fence and were stout. We called them 51-50's and hauled many of auto parts from GM and Dodge.

They were galvanized and had a solid bottom and a pallet design so it could be lifted with a fork truck. I would love to have about 24 of them now.

Chris

 

[koopster]

LOL Whatever you have around works! Too many people get hung up with pretty paint or brand name attachments. Often there is a piece of scrap behind the barn just waiting to be discovered for that "just right" fit!!!!!LOL
I forgot to mention I leave one side open on the carriers (short arms!)

 

[markct]

looks like a great solution for especialy the small odd limb wood that doesnt stack so well. i usualy cut anything less that 3 inch into like 4 to 6 ft pieces and pile it up then when i have the time i take and grab a bunch with the backhoe and thumb then cut off 18 to 20 inch pieces with the long bar on the chainsaw, alot faster than handling them all on the sawbuck and when im done i just scoop it all up with the loader and take it to where its going. the larger wood i just split right in the woodshed and stack it as it comes off the splitter,this works great cause i am under the roof and can split wood in the rain snow etc, and i stack it around the outer edges of the shed first so i still have working room in the middle. then from there its into the wheelbarrow and into the sugarhouse as its used. for the logs too big to lift, like the 18 inch to 36 inch logs i roll the firewood length pieces into the loader bucket then to the logsplitter and roll them right onto it so no lifting by hand. as you can tell in the pics the woodshed is the stashing place for other stuff too when its not full! the logsplitter is backed into the center of the building right now and i split a bit in the evenings when i have time