Thinking About Log Length Firewood

[GregbkH]

I can carry more wood on my pallet forks than you can carry in your grapples. Nanny Nanny Boo Boo! :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Seriously, I can carry a bunch more wood than shown in the photo of the grapples. This depends on the tractor and FEL but I can carry at least twice as much as what is in the photo.

Yeah, that photo shows a small load. I was hinge cutting and accidentally cut one all the way down so I carried just that tree out. However, I can get 5-6 10" logs in there. I cut them at 9' and carry them out of the woods through hilly terrain. I usually never get off the tractor, just grab and go. No lashing the load. I'm thinking the grapple gets them out easier and faster.

 

[dstig1]

Ummm, having used both forks and a grapple to move logs, I can assure you that the grapple is far faster. With forks, you have to be balanced very close to the Cg of the log to make it work. Much less so with the grapple, though that does also make you more careful in transport as you can get tippy if you are too far off. I never was able to just lift a log with forks and drive away (for the most part). Always required adjustments to keep it balanced. Never an issue with the grapple, and I can just grab a log or two and go without getting off at all. Dismounting to futz with stuff is the biggest time killer I have run into.

Dan, maybe you are God of the Forks, but I sure wasn't...the grapple fixed all that.

 

[PapaPerk]

Ummm, having used both forks and a grapple to move logs, I can assure you that the grapple is far faster. With forks, you have to be balanced very close to the Cg of the log to make it work. Much less so with the grapple, though that does also make you more careful in transport as you can get tippy if you are too far off. I never was able to just lift a log with forks and drive away (for the most part). Always required adjustments to keep it balanced. Never an issue with the grapple, and I can just grab a log or two and go without getting off at all. Dismounting to futz with stuff is the biggest time killer I have run into.

Dan, maybe you are God of the Forks, but I sure wasn't...the grapple fixed all that.

You should have log CG aligned with tractor CG anyway. I like my forks... They are real forks not bucket forks. You put them down... Drive them up under the log and pick up. Doesn't get easier than that! If log is odd shaped and won't balance back up and drive forward towards one end of log.

Also forks adjust to around 48" spacing so they tolerate some CG misalignment. Forks are my most used implement... Moving pallets, logs, brush, machinery, furniture, etc etc! Handy as a pocket in a shirt. And with the QA bracket they pop right off in seconds so I can install my loader bucket or tree spade.

 

[TnAndy]

I'm pretty good with my forks as well. Rarely have to I have to re-position on an off centered log.....after a while, you can just about look at one and tell pretty close where the center of balance is. Spread the forks 4' wide, and you can be off quite a bit and still go with it.

But I can see where a grapple would be quite handy for brush and gathering bunches of small logs....that IS a PITA with forks.

One question for grapple owners.....where do you get the extra hydraulic connection for the grapple ? ( I assume the top part is hydraulically operated) And how do you operate it ?

 

[gwdixon]

Or just build one of these (smallest of 3 tongs shown):

View attachment 365189

Then haul the logs one at a time to the splitting area and cut them up at waist height. Great for a bad back.

 

[GregbkH]

One question for grapple owners.....where do you get the extra hydraulic connection for the grapple ? ( I assume the top part is hydraulically operated) And how do you operate it ?

I use one of my 3 hyd. remotes with lines that I have run up front.

 

[CalG]

Or just build one of these (smallest of 3 tongs shown):

View attachment 365189

Then haul the logs one at a time to the splitting area and cut them up at waist height. Great for a bad back.

The front end of the tractor can sure take a beating that way!.

I use the tongs on the loader to lift big rounds up on to the splitter. That's banging around enough!

 

[CalG]

On the splitting side of the house, we burn 33 centimeter logs. We cut our logs at one meter, split the wood and then cut the splits into thirds. saves a lot of splitting.

How do you safely and efficiently cut a 1 meter stick into 3 pieces? Cutting shorts has always posed a problem for me.

(With that, the downstairs stove takes 28" (71cm) so the X3 size is very manageable to cut. But the parlor stove could do well on 33cm pieces. And you are right, splitting the shorts is wasteful of time and effort.

Tell me your method! ;-)

 

[i579rbd]

We use a pto driven saw. You have a large tray that can hold several logs at once. Throw your 1 meter splits on and lift the tray. The cut is made, drop the tray and slide the splits over for the final cut on that group. I am actually collecting some pics of friends and I cutting wood for a thread on how they do that here. (I live and work most of the year in Bavaria or southern Germany). A large majority of my German friends heat with just wood or a combo of solar HW and wood.

 

[brokenknee]

I purchase most of my wood from the local loggers in 8 foot lengths. Just had 12 cord delivered last week. I do have 40 acres but mostly poplar and pine. I pay $70 for a full cord of oak and ash mix delivered. I am sure the driver will know, but make sure they lay the first logs down the way the pile will run, that way you only have about eight logs on the ground. If done this way you do not need to worry about the logs rotting on the ground.

I do not have the luxury of a grapple, but did purchase a set of pallet forks last year (not bucket forks) as others have stated one of the best purchases I have made for my tractor. It is not difficult to grab a load of logs off the stack and have them balanced to move. I plan on building a rack once the frost goes out of the ground were I can grab a load of logs with my forks, set them on the rack so I can cut them without bending over. The way the weather has been it will most likely be about a month or so before I can start my project.

I have the logs delivered right next to were I process and store my wood. Buying wood in log length does take a lot of work out of the process, but is still a lot of work. I have been burning around 10 to 12 full cords a year. This year I put in a new epa stove, which should cut down on the amount of wood I burn. I also put in a pellet stove for when I am out of town for work so it is easier for the wife to handle. The pellet stove heats the house fine, however they are noisy and not as nice to look at as a "real" fire. There is also work involved with them.

Wood is are main source of heat with electric baseboard backup.