Need ideas to build a "stone boat"

[rfc143]

Having an excavator guy come this fall to build several terrace walls of big stones I have about 150' away from where they'll be used. He could probably ferry them from yonder but want to stockpile them close to where they'll be used. Most, I can't lift with the FEL (grapple claw), but can roll with the open claw dragging backwards.

I understand that in the old days, farmers built "stone boats" to sled them out of their fields. Does anyone have any modern ideas to build such a sled. Material of choice would be steel, but never seen one in use currently (well, in spite of my age, I've never seen one in use ever, lol!) Ideas?

 

[4570Man]

Need ideas to build a "stone boat"

An old car hood maybe? Or a small tilt deck trailer with a piece of plywood screwed on it to protect the deck?

 

[Captain Dirty]

I understand that in the old days, farmers built "stone boats" to sled them out of their fields. Does anyone have any modern ideas to build such a sled. Material of choice would be steel, but never seen one in use currently (well, in spite of my age, I've never seen one in use ever, lol!) Ideas?

Before tractor, when I used chains and a 2000 lb. come-along, I made a "toboggan" from a 275 gal. oil tank. I cut the tank to have the flat side with about 1/3 of the curved top or bottom and welded a piece of pipe somewhat longer than the sled was wide to the upturned edge, looped a chain around the pipe, behind the boulder, around the pipe and joined the ends with a shackle to which I attached the come-along. Other end of the come-along was hooked to another chain/rope/cable and led around a tree. Frozen ground and a dusting of snow was helpful.

After tractor, at first I rolled boulders too big to get into the FEL. When I got forks I found I could lift more as the boulder was closer to the pins, and even when I couldn't lift the boulder I often could use the forks as skids to slide it.

 

[Buxus]

I use an old pickup bed liner as a sled for hauling logs brush out of the woods where I am afraid to bring my tractor tires for fear of punctures. I also use it to pull brush up steep slopes that i can't put the tractor on. It slides like its on ice. Cheap and easy, two of my favorite words.

 

[LouNY]

Our stone boats had a steel front nose with planks bolted to the sled nose.
There was a small gap(3/8" or so) between the planks for dirt and dust to fall back down thru
This link has a picture of the older cast nose our last one was shaped steel.
Remembering the Stone Boat - Equipment - Farm Collector Magazine

 

[/pine]

"stone boat" is another name for an "OLD" car hood just about anywhere in the south...If you can find an old Studebaker hood it doesn't get any better...(they will dent your tractor )

 

[rfc143]

A car hood! Of course. Unfortunately, they're all made out of tin foil now days. I'll start looking. Would a sheet of 10 ga steel work? Perhaps reinforce the hole in the end with thicker steel?

 

[bcp]

I may make one someday. It will be a two-piece design, like this old one. No loading needed. Place it around the rock, then pull. It closes under the rock.



Bruce

 

[bcp]

Another simple design, using a small piece of thicker steel than a car hood.



Bruce

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I moved some stones that I estimated were about double my lifting capacity using a sheet of 1/2" plywood. I just drilled two holes in it and tied a heavy strap. I rolled them on with the FEL. It worked great when there was about 2" of snow on the ground, although heavy grass would probably be good too. I don't know how long it would last but it lasted for the stones I had to move.

Read more here: https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/268353-lovely-weather-sleigh-ride.html

 

[3Ts]

Put "Stone boat" in Google search and you'll get lots of images, from ones used long ago to more modern approaches.

 

[Big Barn]

I may make one someday. It will be a two-piece design, like this old one. No loading needed. Place it around the rock, then pull. It closes under the rock.

View attachment 612248 View attachment 612249

Bruce

I certainly like that design.

 

[Johnv656]

Attaches to 3-point hitch

 

[searcyfarms]

how big are the stones? how about some forks on the back of the tractor/three point, you have more lift capacity, safer, less stress on tractor, less psi on rear wheels

 

[rfc143]

how big are the stones? how about some forks on the back of the tractor/three point, you have more lift capacity, safer, less stress on tractor, less psi on rear wheels

The largest I estimate at 32 cu ft, or around 5000 lbs. Others are variously smaller. The solutions using the three point are less attractive because you need a way to load and unload, and it'd be too time consuming to detach the sled, load it, re-attach it and go. If I had to do that, I'd just pay my excavator guy to ferry them himself. The split boat idea is cool in that you can pull it apart when the stone is where it needs to be. Plus, the ground they're going over is just field turf, so there's no issue with ground damage by sledding them. Some very cool ideas here though.

 

[searcyfarms]

with forks the center of the rock/belly will protrude lower and easy to slide out the forks - you likely wouldnt even had to stop just lower and the stone will drag and you are still moving while the forks slide out unless these are rectangular stones of course ;-) if that is the case, drive astraddle of dirt using it as the high point and drop the forks and keep going or heck if you have a loader make one

 

[jmc]

I like the idea of forks on the 3ph. Forklift (solid) forks, not tubular. Back the forks under it. You'll find other uses for them too. 5k# one- you might have to chain it on, per post #16.

Great thread.

 

[searcyfarms]

i have a set of 60" class II on my SS I have a 3 point set made out of round large truck axles sharpened to points for stabbing bales. Thinks slide off those axles VERY easy as there is very little surface contact on the round axles. I had a local welding shop make them with a SSQA and 3 point adapter brackets so i can use on both.

I loaded a Lincoln LS on a trailer with the 60" forks sunday after church - drunk crashed in the neighbors front yard sat nite ;-) it was an easy dump onto the flatbed LOL it was totaled/rolled it

 

[Big Barn]

Normally I’m not big on suggesting so much “travel” time for an excavator but in this case it might warrant it.

Move and stockpile all the material you are able to by whatever means yourself and have the excavator walk the remaining big ones the 150 feet.

 

[bcp]

Normally I’m not big on suggesting so much “travel” time for an excavator but in this case it might warrant it.

Move and stockpile all the material you are able to by whatever means yourself and have the excavator walk the remaining big ones the 150 feet.

An excavator can limit traveling by moving a pile of rocks to full reach ahead, then traveling past them and doing it again. Repeat. Many buckets-full can get moved a distance with only one round trip travel.

Bruce