Need help with Corduroy road

[radioman]

Since the wood is gonna get dirty/muddy, don't bother with trailering it. skidding them to where you need it. If your rubbermaid trailer broke but axles and tow bar is still good, take the body off. Use choking chain or ratchet straps to strap to axles of broken trailer. as long one end is on ground, the weight of wood most of bouncing will be absorbed on ground.

 

[josephny]

Before trailering the wood I thought about skidding (dragging?) wrapped bundles.

The tow bar bent on the trailer.

Think I should just strap bundles together and use a town strap from the quad to one end of the bundle and let the other end drag?

The path goes up hill and down, through mud and dry path and over little hills a ravines.

 

[avatar]

So I finally got everything coordinated and gave it a shot.

I had about 350 pieces of slab wood delivered (pieces average about 9' long and 9" wide by thicknesses varying from 1/2" to 3").

I hired 5 guys to help me cut them down to 5 and 6' lengths (the varying width of the path), and shuttled load after load with my ATV and little rubbermaid trailer about 4000' back into the woods (through mud, hills, rocks, etc.). Got about 3/4 of the path done before the little rubbermaid broke.

As the path was made, I drove over it with the quad and the trailer to bring the wood to the end of the path. It was a hard and bouncy ride, and occasionally the wood pieces slipped out of place, but we did NOT sink.

So now I've got to figure out how to get the rest of the wood (probably about 120-140 pieces, or about 4,000 lbs) back to the path.

Most of the wood is sitting right on top, while some pieces just sank right in, requiring several layers (those were a very small percentage of the total number).

Here's a picture. I was way too dirty, cold, achey and tired to stop and take a bunch of pictures.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh173/joseph-nyc/corduroy4-14-11.jpg

Thanks to everyone so much for the guidance and help with this. I'll post again when there's more progress.

I know iam jumping in on this alittle late, but I have had the same problem and solved it using used rail road ties that I brought for $2.00 each. I had them trucked to my place and used a tractor with a fel to lay them in place and then put a good layer of sand on top of them. being treated with creosote they have lasted for years.

 

[josephny]

I know iam jumping in on this alittle late, but I have had the same problem and solved it using used rail road ties that I brought for $2.00 each. I had them trucked to my place and used a tractor with a fel to lay them in place and then put a good layer of sand on top of them. being treated with creosote they have lasted for years.

That's a great solution!

For my situation, however, I don't know if it would work. I don't believe I could find used RR ties around here for $2/each delivered, and even if I could, a 6" tie would be over 800 pieces to lay 400' of trail.

And I don't have a tractor. And the path is 4,000' back into the woods.

 

[boggen]

i am also jumping in late.

if you are going to bring in logs that run parrallel to the trail. and pull them into place with ATV. instead of running over wet muck and getting stuck. walk out to a tree with a pully. and run cable from a log to pulley back to atv. so you can pull log right out into the mud. while atv stays on good ground moving away from the muck. (hope that made sense)

that or winch on atv. so atv stays on good ground.

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on another note. was going to suggest possibly using hardboard styrofoam/insulation. ((2" thick normally pink)) and doubling it up. and basically making a floating dock for a lake. but instead. it would be more of a floating path on mud for ATV.

or getting some 55 gallon drums. instead of hardboard insulation.

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since trailer broke. perhaps making a rock sled. goto local junk yard and find a ""metal"" hood from an old vehicle. flip it upside down. take a chain place bolt in middle and hook it to back of atv. and put hooks of chain in each corner front corner. the slight curve of hood can help keep the sled from digging into the ground and allow it to slide more easily. do not know how bad it would be going over the lumber you how have down now. but *shrugs*

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double check on "craigslist.org" normally you can find small trailers for pull behind smaller size riding lawn mowers, to ATVs. there not the best thing in the world as far as tires. but for little bit of cash. *shrugs*

if it was say a 4" to 10" diameter tree 8 feet plus long. and just strapping a chain on back of ATV and around the log. ok. but a bundle. over ground you are talking about. and amount! i think would be a pain in rear.

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you can rent a mini excavator. fairly cheap, longer you rent it, (as in days) more discount you normally get. they are fairly easy to figure out and use. takes a couple hours of use to get use to them.

you can also get mini tractors with FEL (front end loader with general duty bucket) and perhaps a backhoe on back. at most "machinery rental places" folks rent them for small jobs say in city. were they need to fit through small width gates.

it might sound like a pain, but most folks even city folks can fairly easy figure things out. and if you make time at rental place for them to show you how to work machine. (what control does what, while machine is on, and you are in it)

the "rock sled" i noted earlier in post, excavator w/ thumb, would be awesome. if large rocks you have on property, can be just be picked up and put onto the sled. then after loading just dragged behind to trail. and just do 180 degrees directly on the excavator to pickup and another 180 dregee twist drop in place, repeat. *could do same thing for the lumber you now have* what ever gives you more seat time. vs manual labor is PLUS in my book.

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ask for "seconds" at local hardware stores and lumber yards. seconds are ties (like rail road ties) but are 4x4's, 4x6's, 6x6's that no one wanted when picking through the lumber, for example bark on them, twisted, way to rough cut, etc... most places will give a descent discount on them. local Menard here, gave me a descent price discount a couple years ago. and if you are dealing with local hardware store or lumber yard. most likely you can pay for a delivery fee.

i don't know if they would or not. but if they bring a forklift out to unload. they might be willing to huff things back further. ((might suggest calling local shipping companies, contact local hardware stores , lumber yards)) to see if they have anyone that has a better off road forklift and be willing to do this for perhaps extra fee. my experience is most places contract delievery things out to multi companies. and do not have a dedicated delivery truck type of thing they own directly at least around here. so you might have better chance.

also check "craigslist.org" many times farmers might of had a old wood fence being replaced some times had Rail road ties being used and no longer need them. other times folks are clearing up there land of trees. and have "posts" for sale. granted some times you have to pickup, but perhaps you might find someone willing to deliver. if within a few miles of the given property of yours.

speaking of craigslist.org put a WANTED ad in "farm / garden" and also place sign out by road. and see about some local farmer or person with tractor would be willing to help out for a fee. to tote things back to trail. perhaps not moving stuff clear back to finish trail out. but perhaps to edge of the wet area. granted it would not be a complete solution. but what ever helps and breaking it up into multi goals / steps for completion.

 

[foggy1111]

Google "corduroy roads" and check the pictures. I have a road like that across my swamp and it's made with the geotextile fabric and tamarack logs.....from 6" diameter to 10". Should last a loooong time.

 

[flingwing1969]

Take a look at this video. There is some guidance in there but mostly it is visual but useful.