Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[Sawyer Rob]

BTW, that trailer really was not very expensive. I think it was only $3600'ish back in 2016 or 2018. I did spend several hundred more on the winch, big batteries, and other accoutrement, maybe under $4500 total investment. Lots less than a tractor!

TRUE, but who buys a tractor "just to load logs"?

SR

 

[WinterDeere]

TRUE, but who buys a tractor "just to load logs"?

I'm probably a rare bird, in that regard. I use my tractor for many other things, literally every weekend, since I have it. But if not for my firewood usage, I might still just have my old 1963 Cub Cadet 123 garden tractor. It did literally everything else I ever needed... except moving logs.



I had a dump wagon for that tractor, which is much less handy than an FEL for moving dirt or mulch, but I'm not sure I'd ever have even bothered to explore the FEL option, if not for moving heavy firewood rounds... and then later full logs.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I had planned to build a pivoting log arch on mind, essentially a pair of hinge points on top of the railings, with a U-shaped hoop that would pivot fore/aft, and a snatch block in the middle of the hoop to lift logs off the ground and onto the trailer. But I never got around to it, and with a 7500 winch, brute force has a way of making things work. The only flaw in my system is the expanded metal tailgate takes a beating.

I try to keep a sheet of old plywood handy to throw between the tailgate and oncoming log, but getting the log up onto the plywood can be a bit of a thing, and keeping it from sliding out is a little bit of a hassle.

BTW, that trailer really was not very expensive. I think it was only $3600'ish back in 2016 or 2018. I did spend several hundred more on the winch, big batteries, and other accoutrement, maybe under $4500 total investment. Lots less than a tractor!

If that trailer was $3600 in 2016, it is probably $4500 now. WAY more than I want to spend on a trailer. Don't get me wrong it is awesome, I just don't have that kind of money right now.

Your system works for most logs, but a log arch would work for all logs. I still have a good number of mill logs in my yard but I am trying to stay ahead of it. Not sure I have the resources to get a log arch trailer put together right now. But if I keep on milling I feel like it is something I will have to make eventually to keep this mill fed. I have been lucky to get some good logs delivered from tree services but it is very hit or miss. I think with a log arch trailer you could get unlimited logs, you just have to just put in the work.

 

[Portuguese Farmer]

What type of stove do you have that likes those nicely chunked up pieces of wood ? And how do you process that wood ? Very efficient usage - you don't leave much that will burn.

gg

Dry the wood through summer, anything larger than what you see gets split, the burner is french made don't know if it's available in the states

What type of stove do you have that likes those nicely chunked up pieces of wood ? And how do you process that wood ? Very efficient usage - you don't leave much that will burn.

gg

 

[John_Mc]

I call that a perfect winter day… how’s the traction in the snow ? i guess the lack of friction from the logs compensate for the lack of traction from the tires and things equals out ?

With those big loaded rears and chains on all four the snow has to be pretty deep and mealy for traction to be a problem.

gg

Even in my NH TC33D (relatively undersized for logging) traction has not been a problem unless I have heavy, dense snow piled up enough to bottom out with the belly pan. If it gets away from me, I can just push through the light stuff. The big, heavy snow piled deep can slow me down too much to be worth working, unless I keep it packed down. If I know I'll be doing some logging, I try to stay ahead of things by running enough on the trails to keep them packed down.

Tractor has "Euro-style" studded rear chains (similar to Gordon's) and filled rear tires. No chains on the front, and the R4 tires are well worn, so I do occasionally need to add some brake steering.

As long as I have the trails packed down, I find it easier to skid in the winter (and less damaging to the trails).

 

[WinterDeere]

If that trailer was $3600 in 2016, it is probably $4500 now. WAY more than I want to spend on a trailer. Don't get me wrong it is awesome, I just don't have that kind of money right now.

Your system works for most logs, but a log arch would work for all logs. I still have a good number of mill logs in my yard but I am trying to stay ahead of it. Not sure I have the resources to get a log arch trailer put together right now. But if I keep on milling I feel like it is something I will have to make eventually to keep this mill fed. I have been lucky to get some good logs delivered from tree services but it is very hit or miss. I think with a log arch trailer you could get unlimited logs, you just have to just put in the work.

I’ve pulled single logs into this trailer that exceed the GTWR, so no need for a log arch for any particular log, I don’t leave anything useful behind. What log can you image I’d pick with an arch, that I cannot without? I think I’d be apt to avoid using the arch on the largest and heaviest logs, not the other way around.

Keep in mind, I move more logs per year than most full-time burners do in a decade. The only place I’ve found where an arch would be a huge benefit is in stacking many smaller logs, since that’s a bit tedious without the arch to lift them up over what’s already in the trailer. But since most of what I haul is large and heavy enough to preclude stacking, I’ve just never had enough justification for building the arch.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I’ve pulled single logs into this trailer that exceed the GTWR, so no need for a log arch for any particular log, I don’t leave anything useful behind. What log can you image I’d pick with an arch, that I cannot without? I think I’d be apt to avoid using the arch on the largest and heaviest logs, not the other way around.

Keep in mind, I move more logs per year than most full-time burners do in a decade. The only place I’ve found where an arch would be a huge benefit is in stacking many smaller logs, since that’s a bit tedious without the arch to lift them up over what’s already in the trailer. But since most of what I haul is large and heavy enough to preclude stacking, I’ve just never had enough justification for building the arch.

Hmm, ok good to know. 20-28" logs are kind of my wheelhouse, any bigger and it gets to be a pain on my mill. Maybe a combo of a good winch and a non-expanded metal ramp will be the ticket. I was not looking forward to fabbing up an arch anyways. Ain't nobody got time for that. What would you recommend for a ramp system that would work better than what you have?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I brought these home today,

They even loaded them for me,

SR

 

[Rockbadchild]

I brought these home today,

They even loaded them for me,

SR

wow look at the size of that thing, what is the diameter 30 inch or so ?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

wow look at the size of that thing, what is the diameter 30 inch or so ?

33" on the big end, it's gonna be fun on the mill!

SR