Moving Cordwood

[deezler]

I use clamp on bucket forks. Works pretty well. If you get skillful enough, you might be able to poke the forks into your pile and snag a few logs without ever leaving your tractor seat. Getting on and off to chain up and un-chain logs sounds miserable, and rather dangerous.

However, I can't wait to get a new tractor with SSQA and have a proper pallet fork attachment. Decided not to spend $1000 just to convert my current tractor to SSQA and lose 100-150 lbs of lift capacity.

 

[Cameron Smith]

Sharpen your saw chain and buck them up where they are since you will have to do it anyway. Split them later or as needed. The short pieces are much easier and SAFER to handle and the money you don't spend can go towards an implement that you really DO need!

 

[gtunney]

THANK YOU to all the good folks for the great suggestions. I will look for a grapple attachment, or some sort of brush forks or tongs to fit my bucket. Much cheaper than trading my tractor buddy.

Add some hooks to your bucket - good source is Ken's Bolt-on Hooks and if you are looking for inexpensive forks, hit up Pallet Forks.com (Titan Attachments). I bought two sets of their 30 inch working length forks, one for me and another for my Dad. Easier to work with than some of the longer, heavier ones available. Here is what my set up looks like. Or as someone else suggested, a good set of teeth. Heavy Hitch has some teeth sets that don't require drilling, but you will need to call about the fit for your Kubota as bucket thickness. Here is what mine look like - note the bolt-on hooks on top of the bucket.

 

[Grapple guy]

I have a Kubota B2710 which I love, but here's my problem. My logger dropped a grapple load of wood in front of my garage (the only place he could) so it's difficult to get the cars in/out, and it will be impossible to plow next year. It's at least 3 years worth of wood, so I need to move at least 2/3 of the pile before Fall. So far, I've been doing this by cutting each log in half and I chain each "half-log" to the bucket, and move it to the back yard where it's out of the way. This often involves climbing onto the wood pile to unhook the chains. As you can imagine, this is only marginally safer than Alaskan crab fishing.
My dealer quoted me on a L2501HST tractor with an LA525 loader with "quick release" attachment function, and a Land Pride grapple. With the grapple, I can keep the tractor between me and the wood. Much safer.
It's more than I want to spend, but I also don't want to be maimed or killed because I was too cheap to buy the right equipment.
Does anyone have any experience with this kind of work, or the L2501 (or Lx2501) tractor? I like the "quick-release" attachment idea, but I'm afraid of trading "down" from my B2710. Not sure if the engineering is better, or whether they just made it lighter-duty to cut costs.
Any thoughts/ideas/suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Dave.
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One of the other members had a cheap option so here is what you would need. I had 5 minutes to spare, lunch is over.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I would just cut the logs into 4' bolts, roll each bolt into the bucket, and store them that way.

 

[Martin Roper]

Have you thought about just adding hydraulics and a grapple to your bucket... Can you weld?

Having a grapple on the bucket or forks will at least double the capability of the tractor ( in my opinion )

 

[jetdriver]

Forks. I cut 40 face cord a year and pick up 2 to 3 logs at a time with my B2650. Quick attach and pallet forks

 

[arrow]

These "forks" were made for 50 bucks. 3/4" stock. They bolt to the bucket with 1/2" bolts.
If I had to do them over, I'd make em out of 1" stock.
The curl in the stock is important. It makes it uber easy to mount the log onto the tines.

 

[sfabern]

I have a Kubota B2710 which I love, but here's my problem. My logger dropped a grapple load of wood in front of my garage (the only place he could) so it's difficult to get the cars in/out, and it will be impossible to plow next year. It's at least 3 years worth of wood, so I need to move at least 2/3 of the pile before Fall. So far, I've been doing this by cutting each log in half and I chain each "half-log" to the bucket, and move it to the back yard where it's out of the way. This often involves climbing onto the wood pile to unhook the chains. As you can imagine, this is only marginally safer than Alaskan crab fishing.
My dealer quoted me on a L2501HST tractor with an LA525 loader with "quick release" attachment function, and a Land Pride grapple. With the grapple, I can keep the tractor between me and the wood. Much safer.
It's more than I want to spend, but I also don't want to be maimed or killed because I was too cheap to buy the right equipment.
Does anyone have any experience with this kind of work, or the L2501 (or Lx2501) tractor? I like the "quick-release" attachment idea, but I'm afraid of trading "down" from my B2710. Not sure if the engineering is better, or whether they just made it lighter-duty to cut costs.
Any thoughts/ideas/suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Dave.
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Pallet forks are the easy and inexpensive way to go. Make sure you check their strength rating. Also I recommend welding hooks on to your FEL; they come in handy for all sorts of jobs and are less expensive than hydraulic grappling hooks. And I'd cut those timbers in half for safety and ease of manouevering

 

[sfabern]

Adding pallet forks are the easy and cheap way to go. But make sure you check the weight rating is adequate for the work you want to do. I also suggest that you weld hooks on to the FEL. You'll find they come in handy for lots of different jobs. I'd also cut those timbers in half for safety and for ease of manuevering.