Question on transporting logs from backyard to your truck,

[Jack Gaskins]

I responded to an add on CL for free wood. When I got there they were still cutting down the trees and logs were everywhere. However, the logs were large and beyond being able to carry them to my truck. I dont like using a wheel barrow cause it is hard to control for larger logs. Has anyone made a log cart for transporting logs to your truck. And when you get them to your truck have you found a way to get the heavy logs up into the bed of the truck? I dont have a trailer so I have to lift the logs up about 42 inches into the bed.

Thanks,
Jack

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Jack,
Go to your local tool rental yard and rent a Genie construction lift. They are crank operated and capable of lifting heavy loads. Roll logs onto forks, back truck to the log and roll off onto truck. Easy Peasy and a cheap rent. especially compared to a hurt back.

[Matt Day]

To get them to your truck, how about a hand truck with a strap to tighten it to the hand truck. Then a couple of two by eights or two by tens as ramps to roll up (with or without the hand truck).

[Greg Just]

as mentioned, a hand truck is an option. How about cutting the logs into more manageable sizes before you try to move them?

[Steve Harder]

And I will third the hand truck - and if the handles on the hand truck allow - you can lean the hand truck against the back of the bed of the truck - and then use the hand truck as a ramp for the log that is already on the hand truck.

Also, if you find one used cheap, the low small utility trailers are really nice. Less distance between ground and bed of trailer.

[Ted Calver]

And I will third the hand truck - and if the handles on the hand truck allow - you can lean the hand truck against the back of the bed of the truck - and then use the hand truck as a ramp for the log that is already on the hand truck....

Plus 1. I use a nursery Ball Cart...they have big wheels for rough terrain and mine is rated for 1000lbs, not that I could ever lift something that big. I added a couple of wood slats to the center of the handle portion to use as a ramp for sliding logs into the truck. I have moved some amazingly large logs that way (24"x 4').

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use a hand truck and strap logs on. I just roll it up the ramp on my trailer. If I just have the pickup I will cut them down to a size I can handle.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Jack - I like the hand truck idea but don't own one yet. I have used a wheel barrel and it is a struggle but gets the job done. In order to get the logs into the back of my pickup... I stacked the logs just in front of the tailgate... in a small pyramid and then walked the larger logs up to the bed. Not pretty but when by yourself and a heck of a lot more than you can lift... it does work! Once the larger logs are in the bed... then I can take the smaller logs off the pyramid and place in truck.

[phil harold]

Jack I stacked the logs just in front of the tailgate... in a small pyramid and then walked the larger logs up to the bed. Not pretty but when by yourself and a heck of a lot more than you can lift... it does work! Once the larger logs are in the bed... then I can take the smaller logs off the pyramid and place in truck.
Thats the ticket!
Work smarter not harder

[Jack Gaskins]

Plus 1. I use a nursery Ball Cart...they have big wheels for rough terrain and mine is rated for 1000lbs, not that I could ever lift something that big. I added a couple of wood slats to the center of the handle portion to use as a ramp for sliding logs into the truck. I have moved some amazingly large logs that way (24"x 4').

Ted, you got a pic of your ball cart?

[Jack Gaskins]

Yeah I guess I could try and use my two wheel dolly. It does have large wheels on it. Guess in reality I really need to find me a small trailer. I was thinking of buying one of those scooter wenches people put at the corner of the bed of their trucks to lift their mobile scooters into the truck.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I seem to remember a few folks having one of these things: http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-ton-capacity-pickup-truck-crane-with-cable-winch-37555.html

[Bob Wolfe]

Wait right there Jack, I'm on my way to give you a hand and I'll take less than half for my troubles. Or you could get your big strong boys to give the old man an assist. All kidding aside, a guy in my club has a small crane mounted on his truck on a pivot to load logs into his truck slick as a whistle. Whatever you decide remember to lift with the legs.

[Mike Peace]

Andrew Hilton has a slick solution on his website http://www.hiltonhandcraft.com/Articles/LogLift.asp

[Bernie Weishapl]

Jack I am looking at putting one of those small cranes that swivel on my small trailer. It is a 4 X 8. I am going to take off the hand crank and put on one of those 12 V winches that will pull 2000 lbs. I am getting to old to be hossing those big logs around.

[Jack Gaskins]

Wait right there Jack, I'm on my way to give you a hand and I'll take less than half for my troubles. Or you could get your big strong boys to give the old man an assist. All kidding aside, a guy in my club has a small crane mounted on his truck on a pivot to load logs into his truck slick as a whistle. Whatever you decide remember to lift with the legs.


Hi MSgt Wolfe! Looks like you need to be busy boarding up your house instead of sitting around on the computer. That Hurricane will be on you in no time.

[Harry Robinette]

Jack the log lift that Mike Peace showed works like a champ. I've used one to load my buddys truck and man that was sweet for only a couple 2x4s. The crane lift from Harbor Freight for your truck work good from the one I seen, Everyone held their breath as a guy unloaded a Stubby 750 out of his pick-up with it at the Cincinnati symposium 3 or 4 symposiums back. Also large sigh when the Stubby was on the ground. But it worked.

[William Bachtel]

I seem to remember a few folks having one of these things: http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-ton-capacity-pickup-truck-crane-with-cable-winch-37555.html

Steve one of those things works great. My friend and I have one and use it to lift heavy burl and Osage Orange. Remember big is always big until it is a finished piece.

[rick pixley01]

You might search AAW mags for helpful hints..A few years ago a friend of mine, Carl Snyder, did a hint on a home made log lift ramp that he devised..Works like a charm and anyone can build one cheaply...

[Greg Bender]

A landscape trailer with a reinforced tailgate ramp is the ticket. Combine that with a power winch or a come-a-long and your back will love you.
As far as the side mount crane goes , make sure the structure it is attached to is also capable of lifting 1000 or 2000 lbs. I watched a guy cave in the rear corner of his pickup when he got tthe log in the air and decided to swing that baby too fast. It was not pretty. Something else that might work is a articulated 55 gallon drum handtruck, packs some serious leverage.
Greg

[John Spitters]

Actually if you need to remove logs from backyard etc this is the ideal way to move them in urban settings.
Watch the video http://www.futureforestry.com/log_arches.php

http://www.logrite.com/mainarch.html

John

[Ted Calver]

Ted, you got a pic of your ball cart?

Jack, Sorry I missed your request. Here's my rig. Those are 22" Sweetgum log sections for scale. No problem moving them and sliding them up into the truck.

[curtis rosche]

roll them, use a digging iron if needed. Then i have a ramp from the tailgate to the ground, and use a come-a-long hooked to a tiedown in the bed to winch it up

[Josh Bowman]

Actually if you need to remove logs from backyard etc this is the ideal way to move them in urban settings.
John
John, I use to use these in my previous job 33 years ago. I worked weights and measures and we use something like this to pull 1000# weights from the truck to the scales. I weighed 160# back then and I could move those weights on level ground with no problems Thanks for posting that, I had forgot about it. Now to get the BIL to weld me one up.:rolleyes:
http://www.logrite.com/images/250_1284.jpg

[Jack Gaskins]

Actually if you need to remove logs from backyard etc this is the ideal way to move them in urban settings.
Watch the video http://www.futureforestry.com/log_arches.php

http://www.logrite.com/mainarch.html

John

Well that is just freaking cool.

[Jack Gaskins]

Jack, Sorry I missed your request. Here's my rig. Those are 22" Sweetgum log sections for scale. No problem moving them and sliding them up into the truck.


Thanks for posting your dolly Ted. Did you remove the flat bottom and weld the bars on yourself? Do you just lean the dolly up to your tail gate and push the logs up into the bed?

Thanks, Jack

[Ted Calver]

Jack..that's how it came from the dealer. It's designed to pick up balled and burlapped nursery stock, so that's why the bottom bars are like that...actually, a flat plate bottom would work better. The handles are the perfect height to rest on my tail gate, with the cart at about a 45 degree angle and I just push the logs up the ramp onto the truck. For really big pieces I use a come-along to pull them up.

[rick pixley01]

This is a variation of the one I saw in an aaw mag article a fews yrs ago..A friend, Carl Snyder came up with it..Works great...