turkey day log roll and question

[roermo]

Happy Thanks giving all>
I got to get out in the woods today and push round a 20-22 inch wide & 14 ft long sycamore logs that blow down in high winds. I have a 4110 jd with a rear back blade rb 190 ?? with 4 40 pounds suitcase weights hanging off the back. I also have a bucket. I have attached a picture of the log. Not sure what it would weigh but it would have to be 900 pounds + a 3 ft section of this log I could not pick up by hand.

My questions I am hoping some one could answer is could I use a grapple to pick this up and load in my trail instead of cutting on site. Plus once in the trailer long ways would a grapple pick it out or would I be better off cutting them and the width of the trailer and placing them so I can drive up to them instead of reaching over the side.

I want to step up to the 3520 jd would this be more what I need instead of the 4110.

Any one that would chip in it would helpful. I was able to roll the logs out of the woods to a better spot that I will cut them up at, but would rather bring them on in to town at my house and work on them, cut to size and split..

Have a good turkey day.

Roger

Haninbal MO.

 

[roermo]

2nd photo of log and tractor, and I did put up the rops before working. Safty 1st.
thanks
roger

 

[roermo]

sorry one more comment picture of the log see on the left a 16 inch concrete block for scale.


roll on in and let me know what the 4110 can do or if I should step up to the 3520, This is just one of many reasons I want more tractor.

thanks

 

[22261]

your going to need more tractor

 

[ruglad03835]

I would bet a 50hp would be too light to pick those up. I'd cut it up and split it in place and haul it out that way. You could also drag it out of the woods..

 

[RobS]

Are you cutting for firewood or lumber. If firewood, go ahead and cut rounds to length on site. Your tractor should handle those OK. If you are milling lumber you will need a different solution. Either a bigger tractor or a grapple on a boom truck/trailer to handle something that heavy.

Just curious, is sycamore a desired wood for woodworking? What's it like? I've never worked with it but we do have quite a bit in our area. I have never heard of furniture made of sycamore /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[roermo]

thanks folks for the feed back,
RobS Sycamore is what I would call a soft wood, not used around here for any thing I know of, some of the truck is pure white, large leaf, kind of pretty tree, this one blew down in a storm, This tree grows in low lying area likes lots of water. I also get pecan that fall or sometime white oak or walnut. I am the only one nuts enough to fool with it for fire wood. it burns ok but fast and has a lot of ash.
I figured my 4110 would not pick up the whole log in the picturer but I rooled it to this spot about 200 ft. off a sand levee.

So now I know for sure that my 4110 or even a 50 horse will not pick it up. But I had a devel of a time pushing this log.
What about 6 ft would my 4110 or 3520 work.

Also would a cheaper way to go to pick up 6 ft log section be a palit fork.?

thanks again

 

[beenthere]

I use the pallet fork to move logs. There is a limit (always is) no matter what the tractor size is. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif It is never big enough.

That log, at 22" diam and 14' long is about 2000 pounds.

 

[roermo]

beenthere:
thanks, thought that might be up in that range, it would not fit on my bathroom scale so was not sure.

I guess I need to cut it down to size that I can manage: I am trying to figure out a way to load into a trailer and handle them as little as possible. Cannot split and cut all on the site for a few reason: wife wants me home
if it rains ground is wet for days
if I do not remove them others help them
selves

have not price folks but that would have to be cheaper than a grapple set up.
and pro and cons to either.

thanks

roger. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[johan3400]

Last fall on the day after thanksgiving we loaded a 14 foot long,four foot diameter log with my L3400 Bota. We used steel rails to create a ramp to the side of the trailer and pushed the logs on with the loader. Never did pick it up, but did load it safely. Sycamore is a very desirable wood for wood working. We sold it for a nice sum of money.

 

[beenthere]

You likely can be creative with your tractor and FEL, to get this log onto your trailer (of which I assume will handle the 2000 #.
You could do as mentioned, with the rails on the side (be careful when all the log weight is on one trailer wheel/axle or put a block under that side).

Or you could raise one end of the log (if the FEL will lift one end) and put blocks under it so you can back the trailer under the one end. Then get behind the end of the log, and lift while pushing it onto the trailer (attached to your truck).
I loaded logs like this size onto a trailer without FEL, but it took more rigging of blocking, ramping, and some side rolling to finally get them raised enough on one end to slide onto the trailer, pushing with my snow plow.
Or get a block and tackle, hoist the log up under that tree, and back the trailer under.
Lots of ways to skin a cat. Just need to work out what will work for you. If getting a 3520 works, go for it. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[roermo]

johan: what size tractor is the bota, and weight. I was able to push that log and roll it with the bucket, but I know I could not even come close to picking it up.

I did not know that it was used to make things but it is a pretty wood the grain is nice this was a limb the trunk was close to the size you were talking about. This spot I was cutting the log is on the Mississippi River, and I was thinking this monster of a tree must of seen steam boat going up and down river. Had to be 150 years old plus or I would think when you have limbs 22 inches. This poor old guy could not hold back during the last high winds the large leaves must of acted like a sail.

Thanks for the input.

Roger

 

[johan3400]

The Tractor I used was 35 hp with about 3200 pounds weight. Wesdor has video of us doing the job. It worked quite well and impressed all of us. Just be careful, safety first and as has been said, be careful when all the weight is on one side.
We pulled the trailer into the grader ditch which put the log about level with the top of the trailer. Hope that helps

 

[beenthere]

roermo
The wood, if quarter sawn (rather than flat sawn) has some remarkable figure.
Here is just one example of many that came up when searching on 'Sycamore figure quartersawn'
http://www.harvestwoodworks.com/newstuff/sycamore1.html

 

[Rayder]

I have a 4320 (48HP) with an anbo grapple rake and I would have no problem at all hauling that log around (I'm not bucking them onto a truck or anything, just moving them from point A to B). I have my tires filled and usually keep only my box blade on the 3 point when hauling logs.

I'm usually moving maple logs around my property, which I'm guessing weigh more than what you are working with.

I find it much more convenient to take my logs to one spot, then cut them in rounds and split. The only trick is if you are working in tight spots, then you are limited by how long of a log you can haul out. However, to get around this, I will often pick up on end of the log with my grapple, drag it out into the clear then pick it up.

If I ever get around to some pictures I'll post because it really is amazing what these machines can do.