hauling tree trunks

marks · Mar 15, 2005

In order to avoid unnecessary lessons from the school of hard knocks, I've been reviewing the many close-call experiences shared in the safety forum. Here's my situation: I'm a new guy with a JD 870 and a 420 FEL, there's several 6' lengths of a 3' diameter tree trunk (approx 500# ea.) that must be moved several hundred yards. In order to avoid damage to the asphalt driveway and the dirt utility road, I'm hoping to obtain ideas as to the next best method of transporting these logs?? One thought is to load them into my pickup and then pull them out of the bed with the FEL and a chain.

DUMBDOG · Mar 15, 2005

I have good luck by wrapping a chain around the log and chaining it to the bucket, making sure the chain is as tight as posssible so that it is real snug against the bucket without any play in the chain.

frank_f15 · Mar 15, 2005

( One thought is to load them into my pickup )

HOW are you going to load them into th truck? 6' long by 3' dia. is not going to fit in your bucket, and rigging them with chains and lifting is not going to be easy to balance. i usually use a nylon strap and cinch it around the log( it gets tighter as u pull) if u are concerned about digging in use some kind of a skid plate.

stevenf · Mar 15, 2005

marks unless that is an old nasty pickup without a tailgate don't do it you'll end up tearing up the truck and if you have a tailgate it won't be for long. Use your FEL as suggested by the previous poster just chain them in the bucket one at a time tightly and transport them low and slow.
Steve

Henro · Mar 15, 2005

there's several 6' lengths of a 3' diameter tree trunk (approx 500# ea.) 

Mark,

Are you sure about that weight?

If they are truly 3' diameter and six feet long, my quick mental calculation says that would be about 36 cubic feet.

Now I don't remember density of wood, but somehow I think it is more than 20 lbs per cubic foot, especially when green and/or wet. At 20 lbs per cu. ft. that would be over 720 lbs. You could be looking at more than that if it is a dense wood.

I've attached a pic of how I carry large pieces sometimes...but this piece was not six feet long...and was willow, which is on the light side... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I would probably do it like this (toothbar helps) if the loader was able to lift those log pieces.

tinytractors · Mar 15, 2005

Use the 3 pt hitch with a caryall... or a piece of metal roofing under the chained log and pull, a slight bend on the metal prevents it from digging in. You can pull it on the grass/lawn and hardly leave a mark.

beenthere · Mar 15, 2005

I'm thinking along the lines of Henro, but I calculate about 42 cu.ft of wood (1.5 x 1.5 x 3.14159 x 6) and wood is about 50 #/cu.ft or about 2000 lbs. of wood in each piece. Some woods are lighter and some woods are heavier, and all depends on the amount of moisture in the wood. A tree trunk is probably pretty high in moisture.

I'd cut these pieces into three or four pieces and reduce them to a size that one would slide into your FEL bucket.

Egon · Mar 16, 2005

What will happen to logs when they arrive at their destination?

Have you considered just rolling them along with the bucket as the distance isn't that far?

Egon

MarkV · Mar 16, 2005

An old trick for moving large rocks and such is to use a car hood as a skid platform. Cut some holes in the front of the hood to hook a chain through and drag it away. Guess I should say that a hood from the junk yard is recommended. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

MarkV

rswyan · Mar 16, 2005

( I've attached a pic of how I carry large pieces sometimes )

Hey Bill - is that some kinda new, top secret PHD counterbalance that's under development over there at Henro Labs ? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif