Looking for ideas on device to lift lumber onto racks

[ljplum12]

I've got a small shed that's wide enough for lumber racks on one side, and a path that I can drive through on the other. I'm looking for a way that I can easily load and unload fairly heavy wood slabs onto the top shelf of the rack. The rack will be cantilevered, and the top will be about 5 foot high, the roof is 8-9 ft. tall. I've got a 25hp tractor with FEL.

I'm thinking some kind of a lift on the 3 point. Ideally it would lift from the bottom so that I can just slide the lumber from the device to the rack (as opposed to lifting from the top).

Anyone done anything similar to this?

 

[bcp]

My first thought is something like this design, but make it larger to lift higher, add wheels and a tongue. Hydraulic cylinder or winch powered.



Bruce

 

[bcp]

And my second thought is side-mounted bucket forks. Assuming you don't have a little tractor that can be tipped over by a heavy slab.



What tractor?

Bruce

 

[ljplum12]

I have thought about the scissor lift style. I think I'd need another trailer to do that. I hadn't thought about side-mounted bucket forks...that's a good idea.

The tractor is a Jinma 254 with Koyker 140 loader. I don't think the slabs are heavy enough to tilt it.

 

[texasranger556]

If you don't already have forks I'd recommend getting or building a set. Then you can create a pallet that offsets to the side for carrying long boards similar to what bcp showed. You may find that you can do it with forks alone depending how much room you have to work with.

I have a bucket and forks for my tractor, I find I use the forks about 3:1 to the bucket, so they're a good investment in their own right.

 

[mikester]

If you have concrete floors buy a used industrial forklift. You can get an older 3,500-5,000lb lift for dirt cheap. Turn on a dime, vertical lift. Try to find one with side shift.