New firewood fetching tool/back saver

[Crane]

I sometimes wish I had two or three Thule's Just plain handy. These rounds were from a load of larger than normal diameter 8' logs that I get. I used the hydraulic splitter w/log lift, and then the trailered the splits a month later to the conveyor once the PackFix arrived and was set up. It was unusual to get logs this size, but made for great splits.

 

[Crane]

How is that trailer working out for you? pictures...

 

[skidooguy]

The bottom of the bed may seem narrow but it has plenty of space for my commonly used items around the farm. I'll have lots of pictures of it in action as soon as we are done digging sugar beets. We go elk hunting after beets are all pulled. We will see how many elk we can stack in there.

 

[skidooguy]

Also the saw scabbard needs a drain hole drilled in it. We had about 3" of rain the other day and it filled up with water and my saw wasn't very happy about it

 

[skidooguy]

I also have cut out a piece of 3/4" rubber mat to lay in the bed to keep tools from sliding around. And helps keep the noise of the trailer down as well

 

[Locust Cutter]

That might be darn handy around a farm or ranch! It might work VERY well on a friend's ranch for fetching wood out of crappy hilly areas that truck and trailers don't do well in.

 

[Crane]

The wood I'm splitting has been cut in rounds since Spring and is shedding bark in sheets. Trying to keep as much bark as practical from going up the conveyor. Once again, the trailer is so handy. To the left of the trailer is a row-pak, a pallet size plastic folding crate for punky stuff and splitter trash. I've read as much as 10% of a cord of stacked wood can be bark. I don't know about 10%, but there is a lot. A trailer load per cord, or every three racks.
Edit: Yeah the racks are great, until they break. In this case rot got the feet, and dry rot got the best of the rails.

 

[skidooguy]

You have a slick setup going on there sir. Very nice. Hopefully I can get some time to show how the log poles on my outfit work out this fall. But it's work 7 days a week for now.

 

[Crane]

Skidooguy: Did you use your trailer for hunting?


Farm wagon style for flat land. Have not really put it to use yet, but very well made. The dog, Ellionna, loves it. I'm still learning to back it up. Some days no problem, other days you would think it was my first try. The Thule (pronounced To-Lee) is great, but no so great for staging splitting rounds with the sides to lift over. The Kory 3000 (3,000 lb. rating) will be used as a mobile staging wagon on the opposite side of the SS, same as the one in the background. That one loaded is top heavy so I leave it in one place. Easy to move out of the way when empty, and holds almost one half cord when heaped up.
The Kory beam pockets on the optional deck frame seem light duty. May need to figure some stiff upright supports for rounds. Making more winter projects for myself.

 

[RI Chevy]

Really cool!

 

[skidooguy]

I didn't get a chance to go elk hunting so haven't tried mine out in that department yet. Been using it to fetch wood from the creek bottom on the weekends though. It's holding up like a trooper so far.

 

[Crane]

Looks like your bringing back half as much creek bottom as firewood.
Mine is pulling double duty. Park it in the garage with firewood to feed the stove, and the cat thinks the wood chips in the bottom makes a good litter box when it is half full(even though she has one already). I just have to keep it too clean for her to use.

 

[RI Chevy]

Really cool

 

[Crane]

These two trailers are very different. The Thule (too-lee) has torsion axles, which means generally very little weight is on the tongue. It can be unhooked using the jack to lift it off the ball, but then the jack can be removed to be more easily moved around loaded on the four tires. To turn it loaded, I push down and sideways on the tongue with my foot. It pivots on the front axle and skids the rear tires sideways. The disadvantage torson axles is little travel, and if coming off a bank, say down onto a road, the quad drops first putting all the load on the front axle of the trailer. (This also unloads the rear axle of the quad if there is a full load in the trailer teeter tottering on the trailers forward axle.) The Versatrailer with the walk-beam axle is probably a better set up for hilly terrain, or heavy loads as long as the quad rear axle can carry the tongue load. The Versatrailer also looks to have a longer tongue, a huge advantage in reverse. And there are options, of which there are none with the Thule. I do like the flat deck for many of the things I use it for however.

 

[skidooguy]

The walking beams and self leveling hitch are awesome in rough terrain. My previous picture does that outfit no justice at all. Fresh snow on unfrozen ground and standing water in draws it was a rodeo getting in and out of there. Your flatbed outfit serves well for use around the yard I'm sure. Wouldn't mind having one like it at all. Also the tongue on the versa trailer is adjustable. True about torsion axle compared to walking beam, they both have pros and cons.

 

[skidooguy]

Your axles are centered very nicely on that Thule also. I'll bet it pulls like a dream

 

[dieselfitter]

View attachment 34144

Cool shed. It has character.

 

[RI Chevy]

Those little trailers look like a mine cart. Lol
Really nice

 

[skidooguy]

The can am 1000 doesn't even know it's there until traction runs short on a steep hill. Lol

 

[skidooguy]

The saw scabbard isn't very useful in those conditions.