Moving Cordwood

[oosik]

Seven years ago I bought a Land Pride grapple and WR Long third function valve. Dealer installed. The Kubota M6040 has the quick attach system on the FEL. I've never removed the grapple. Large logs, large rocks and large bites of soil - all handled well and efficiently.

 

[newts53]

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.
View attachment 696855View attachment 696856View attachment 696857

Get a set of " Forks" . You won't regret it. I use my forks almost as often as my bucket.
Forks will also allow you to hold the log up while cutting.

 

[CoyPatton]

I have to say, I would trade down from a tractor I like for what you describe. Sounds as though you already have a means of securing a chain to your bucket, so cheapest route to me would be a set of good ‘clamp-on’ pallet forks. I would want a set I could support with added chains to transfer some of the weight off the bucket cutting edge. Then use chains to secure the logs as needed for transport (use a chain binder to be able to release pressure on the chain). No you will not have the capacity of a set of pallet forks, but handle that with your load size.
Personally, I would be ticked at anyone that dropped a load blocking my access in and out of my garage and would let him know about. If you gave him the okay, then rephrase where its in you not him.

 

[MagicMM]

I am well pleased with my 48" Thumb from Greens-Machine.com:

 

[DaveK OR]

Just a quick comment about tractor-safety when using your bucket and tongs to move logs... If you need to move that bucket "high" in order to stack the log (or even to just move it), you end up with the pull point being rather high with respect to the tractor center of gravity. If that log is hanging from a chain, and it swings a bit from side to side, the effect is worse. A sudden turn or change in slope can find you putting that tractor on its side in a heartbeat.

Even with a grapple or pallet forks, you do need to be aware of these issues, but suspending the load on a chain that can swing multiplies the dangers. Do be careful.

 

[shooterdon]

Just a quick comment about tractor-safety when using your bucket and tongs to move logs... If you need to move that bucket "high" in order to stack the log (or even to just move it), you end up with the pull point being rather high with respect to the tractor center of gravity. If that log is hanging from a chain, and it swings a bit from side to side, the effect is worse. A sudden turn or change in slope can find you putting that tractor on its side in a heartbeat.

Even with a grapple or pallet forks, you do need to be aware of these issues, but suspending the load on a chain that can swing multiplies the dangers. Do be careful.

Before I had a grapple, I had to use tongs. I always lowered the load to as close to the ground as possible when moving. But I was not stacking logs very high. If I had to stack logs with a tong ,I would set up ratchet straps from the tong to each side of the bucket to minimize swaying left to right.

 

[CalG]

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.
View attachment 696855View attachment 696856View attachment 696857

Bucket Tusks!

There are lots of pics on the net. I made mine from 2X2 heavy wall square tube. Two bolts through the bucket sides. Stick out about 20 inches from the bucket lip

Had to move the pile just last year. Would carry two smaller diameter logs. But mostly it was one at a time (Front axle load , tire squish, FEL lift capacity etc. )
Work well for picking out logs from the pile and serving as a chunking lift. No scrambling over the pile with a running chainsaw ;-)

Pallet forks are way too long... But I have em; for pallets ;-)

 

[sixdogs]

Easy job with pallet forks and can use them for many other jobs to,

Plus, you will use forks for a zillion other uses. Buy an adapter to go from JD pin hookup to SSQA and you can buy a SSQA set of forks that will sell in a heartbeat when/if you decide to sell. Forks are very handy.

 

[bill9068]

I have forks and a grapple. I prefer the grapple for firewood. Don’t forget about back ballast when lifting big loads. My tires are filled and I put my 900 pound flail mower on when lifting logs or boulders.

 

[CobyRupert]

Don’t think you need a new tractor.
Use anything... besides the way you’re doing it now. Tonga, clamp or chain on (to bucket) pallet forks, pallet forks with their own quick connect frame, pallet forks with hydraulic thumb added on, full blown grapple.

The way your doing it now is asking for trouble when logs start to roll and you’re on the pile. It’s hard to lift 3 logs off your leg when it’s twisted backwards.

Lifting with just the bucket there is a danger of lifting FEL too high and log rolls over top of bucket and down loader arms onto operator’s lap. This happens a lot.