Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[Helogabals]

But the down side is the wood still needs to be stacked. So I am looking at using bulk bags than hold 1/3 of a cord and can be loaded directly off the conveyor of my wood processor:
View attachment 831145


The bags cost $16 each delivered and should last 4-6 years. I put them on pallets I get for free from the local industries. This is the second year I am testing bags. Using bags, and the processor, I can cut logs, split and pack a cord in about three hours working alone. Using IBC totes, I need a person stacking.

Almost any tractor can lift 1/3 of a cord on the 3 PH. I have forks on the 3 PH and a grapple on the FEL.

Last week did 2 cords of oak firewood bagged in less than 7 hours. Not a "walk in the park, but not back breaking either. The processor works best with logs 6-12" in diameter and without a lot of twist or "knobs". left by branches I have learned to cut off the "knobs" to ease feeding instead of manhandling 12"x8 ft logs.

No perfect system for everyone, but sharing ideas gives food for thought.

I typically work alone and hope to have a small side business, so the investment was worth it for me.

Hey

we are using those bulk bags (we call them bigbags )
Couple years back I got 30 pcs, paid 8.5 €/pcs
They are holding together rather good. I mean, the worst enemy of them could be UV - direct sunlight. So we are storing them in a shed. Only roof, no walls around.
Ventilation is key factor for drying
I dont know how it's by you, but here are available special "bigbags" for firewood. Two walls are made from net, not that dense "textile" as regular bigbags are made
So no a problem even if very wet wood is being processed and stored directly into bigbag

And another advice. Those bigbags are rather tall, My FEL cant hold them by those top loops. But frame of FEL and forks are symmetrical. You can flip forks from "L" to "Г", thus gain 1/2 metre. Just what's needed to handle bigbags
I just hope you can understand what I meant. Can't find a pic of this

 

[Helogabals]

My beast

Just wondering.
I have rather "vintage" winch, with respective old steel cable. Not entirely happy with that

Thinking, maybe to replace it with Dyneema ?
Or that is stupid idea to use synthetic rope in forest ?

 

[Gordon Gould]

My beast

Just wondering.
I have rather "vintage" winch, with respective old steel cable. Not entirely happy with that

Thinking, maybe to replace it with Dyneema ?
Or that is stupid idea to use synthetic rope in forest ?


View attachment 832514
View attachment 832513

The synthetic rope is lighter and easy to handle. Also strong but the abrasion resistance is not good. As you know from experience steel cable lasts a long time.

I like your nice old winch - nothing wrong with that !

gg

 

[Sawyer Rob]

The sun degrades synthetic rope too, but the lack of abrasion resistance keeps me from wanting one on my skidding winch.

SR

 

[Helogabals]

The sun degrades synthetic tope too, but the lack of abrasion resistance keeps me from wanting one on my skidding winch.

SR

I am not so much concerned about UV caused degradation
We can always work at moonlight, doesn't ?




I am looking to give lighter winching jobs to kids. They could collect smallest logs. That's a lot of climbing around, job like just made for teenagers
Lighter rope will mean a lot for them

And Dyneema not THAT expensive here.
D5 mm / 2,4 T rated / 35 m (115 ft) = 78 € + shipping. For 10 € they will drop on top HMPE protection
I mean, will give it a try

 

[ning]

I knew there was something different on the newer trucks to remedy the problem.
Of course, going 100k miles ( or longer) between plug changes still beats "the good old days."

I remember as a kid our cars seemingly constantly needing tune-ups, carb adjustment, carb cleaning, new points, new plugs... not to mention fan belts didn't seem to last very long, and crappy tires...
Granted these days even in places with "terrible infrastructure" our roads are ten times better overall than they were in the seventies and it's rare you encounter gravel roads anywhere near towns.

 

[Jstpssng]

I remember as a kid our cars seemingly constantly needing tune-ups, carb adjustment, carb cleaning, new points, new plugs... not to mention fan belts didn't seem to last very long, and crappy tires...
Granted these days even in places with "terrible infrastructure" our roads are ten times better overall than they were in the seventies and it's rare you encounter gravel roads anywhere near towns.

Also starters, alternators, and likely a few other things I've forgotten about.

 

[Helogabals]

I remember as a kid our cars seemingly constantly needing tune-ups, carb adjustment, carb cleaning, new points, new plugs... not to mention fan belts didn't seem to last very long, and crappy tires...
Granted these days even in places with "terrible infrastructure" our roads are ten times better overall than they were in the seventies and it's rare you encounter gravel roads anywhere near towns.

Know your blessings
If you are complaining about US made cars then you should have seen that crap made in SU

 

[Gordon Gould]

I am not so much concerned about UV caused degradation
We can always work at moonlight, doesn't ?




I am looking to give lighter winching jobs to kids. They could collect smallest logs. That's a lot of climbing around, job like just made for teenagers
Lighter rope will mean a lot for them

And Dyneema not THAT expensive here.
D5 mm / 2,4 T rated / 35 m (115 ft) = 78 € + shipping. For 10 € they will drop on top HMPE protection
I mean, will give it a try

Let us know how you like it and if it works out for your use. It is amazing you can get 2.4 T with a 5 mm (3/16) rope.

gg

 

[Helogabals]

Let us know how you like it and if it works out for your use. It is amazing you can get 2.4 T with a 5 mm (3/16) rope.

gg

I am buying ropes from this (Polish) webshop

Winch Rope Set 5MM 2,4T YSM-AERO

YSM-AERO HMPE Winch Rope 5MM 2.4T Set - Ready to install.

syntheticropes.eu

For this rope they dont indicate, but looking in Dyneema web it seems that 30 m / 100 ft long rope will be 1,5 kg / 3 lbs


It almost seems near scam, too good to be true, but that's decent shop. Have got from them few soft shackles Soft Shackles - Shop Synthetic Ropes
and kinetic ropes Recovery Kinetic Ropes - WebShop

Love either things. OK, have to be extra careful with kinetic. But if used properly that's great tool. Have few good stories

 

[blitzen]

I posted this in another thread and then I found this thread and thought I would post it here. Should have seen the look on the guys face that was driving down the road when I was coming up it. Turned out it was my neighbor and we both had a chuckle.

 

[fruitcakesa]

I hauled a few 16 foot hemlock logs from my landing to my house maybe 1/3 mile on the narrow gravel town road and when I met a car I pulled over as far as possible and then lifted the logs till the car could pass beneath them.

 

[Helogabals]

Still struggling with my windfall
As you can see, woods are all messed up, limbs are tangled
Today made a lot of winching and pulling with crane
Still managed to load 2 vagons

 

[Helogabals]

Enough with show-off Time to ask advice

About that vintage winch I have (pic is 1 page back). It works like all winches of that type, so I guess, construction is the same. To engage it we pull the rope. More we pull more power we have on cable
It is a kinda heavy, kids (10 y/o) almost cant operate it. For me too it seems kinda hard - to make full pull I have to put all my weight into action

Is it possible to adjust coupling ? Or should I replace friction pads ? Or just longer lever will do the job ?

 

[ning]

Enough with show-off Time to ask advice

About that vintage winch I have (pic is 1 page back). It works like all winches of that type, so I guess, construction is the same. To engage it we pull the rope. More we pull more power we have on cable
It is a kinda heavy, kids (10 y/o) almost cant operate it. For me too it seems kinda hard - to make full pull I have to put all my weight into action

Is it possible to adjust coupling ? Or should I replace friction pads ? Or just longer lever will do the job ?

Is it a drum winch (accumulates the rope by winding it up on a drum) or a capstan winch? If it's a capstan winch and you're having to put more muscle into it, perhaps loop the rope around the capstan one more time so it has more grip.

 

[Helogabals]

Is it a drum winch (accumulates the rope by winding it up on a drum) or a capstan winch? If it's a capstan winch and you're having to put more muscle into it, perhaps loop the rope around the capstan one more time so it has more grip.

It's drum

By "pulling rope" I meant pulling rope which is connected to lever which engages clutch

 

[Rockbadchild]

Enough with show-off Time to ask advice

About that vintage winch I have (pic is 1 page back). It works like all winches of that type, so I guess, construction is the same. To engage it we pull the rope. More we pull more power we have on cable
It is a kinda heavy, kids (10 y/o) almost cant operate it. For me too it seems kinda hard - to make full pull I have to put all my weight into action

Is it possible to adjust coupling ? Or should I replace friction pads ? Or just longer lever will do the job ?

its hard to see on the picture but I am sure there be a way to change the lever configuration to create a mechanical advantage.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Enough with show-off Time to ask advice

About that vintage winch I have (pic is 1 page back). It works like all winches of that type, so I guess, construction is the same. To engage it we pull the rope. More we pull more power we have on cable
It is a kinda heavy, kids (10 y/o) almost cant operate it. For me too it seems kinda hard - to make full pull I have to put all my weight into action

Is it possible to adjust coupling ? Or should I replace friction pads ? Or just longer lever will do the job ?

I have a Farmi winch. I do have to pull hard on the rope for a very hard winch pull. I would check the clutch adjustment first. Pull the rope and watch the lever. If the lever moves up more than an inch or so before the winch starts to pull on a smallish log the clutch could use some adjustment. You want the lever to be at 90 degrees to the rope when you are pulling very hard for maximum leverage but you have to make sure that you have about an 1" (25 mm) of free travel before the clutch engages.

Also there could be oil on the friction plates from oiling the chain and or cable. Use may help but the friction pads will probably need replacing.

You get more pull with an empty drum. So if you don't need a long cable run with a shorter one and the same pull on the rope will give you more pull on the cable.


Making the rope lever longer or adding an other rope pulley would work too.

Personally I think that the users strength is a safety factor. The users strength or size limits the size log. A winch is not a toy for kids.

gg

 

[Helogabals]

You get more pull with an empty drum. So if you don't need a long cable run with a shorter one and the same pull on the rope will give you more pull on the cable.




Personally I think that the users strength is a safety factor. The users strength or size limits the size log. A winch is not a toy for kids.

gg

Thanks for your inputs.
If I has to put all my 220 lbs to pull 15 m (50 ft) @ 50 cm (20 in) clean log, that's not normal. Kids can work only with pulp wood - 3 m (10 ft), rather small D

Have found manual. Couldnt imagine there is so big difference

Pulling capacity on first layer :
5510 lbs ( 2500 kp)
Pulling capacity on last layer :
2700 lbs (1225 kp)

Partly agree for kids.
As I am saying to my wife - laying on coach in from of TV is much more dangerous than working in forests
+ they are working ONLY under my or wife's guidance
~~~~~~~~
But other that that - winches are made for small people to move big things

 

[Loaderman22]

I've been to a Buc-ees in at least three states. They have one about an hour from me now in South Carolina!

I tried to go to the one in Daytona Beach, FL and it took 20 minutes just to get into the parking lot!! We turned around and left, went to the one outside Florence, SC. on our return trip North. Best gas station I've ever been to, and the pulled pork sammich was amazing!