Lifting Big Rounds into the Truck

Yesterday I got this scrounge load:



I got all those rounds (wet and heavy) into the bed by myself, but came close to straining my back.

One trick I use is to put one round on the ground, then tip another round onto it and then lever it up onto the tailgate. This only works when the round is big enough to reach from the one level to the next.

I've considered using a big plank to roll the rounds up.

I'm sure some of you guys have come up with clever ways to get the heavy wood into the truck. What are they?

I too came across 28 loads of oak and maple rounds about that size (and put into a Tacoma also) a month or so ago. This morning I'm recovering from a triple hernia surgery. It's not only the back we need to worry about apparently : ) Get another set of hands to help with the big ones.

I bought some of these for loading a tractor years ago and using one on a 2x8
for rolling large rounds into my truck has saved my back.

http://www.amazon.com/Insta-RampT-S...3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1204303552&sr=1-3

Hand truck and a ramp. Makes moving the rounds easy and you don't have to lift them. You do have to strap the ramp and hand truck down when you finish loading the wood. Nice haul of wood you got.

You can split it as well.

Although that means you would need to have a maul and some wedges with you .

I usually split the big ones.

J.P.

I roll them up the landscape ramp on my trailer. Anything you can do to only have to roll them is great. As for lifting, just make sure to squat all the way down and kind of roll them up onto your legs/thighs and then start to go upright.

If they are too big - SPLIT them - no shame in it.

I always bring my maul with me when picking up firewood, you never know how big they're gonna be and I've never come across anything I couldn't lift once split in half....of course if you can do the ramp, rolling is a good way to go too.

Warmguy - I've been as smart as you about loading - but after reading jlinke I may get smarter.

I had some wood like that back when I was younger (and stupid). I think it may have been responsible for the first of my three back surgeries and years of pain. DON'T DO IT! Herniated disks do not heal!

A maul wouldn't have helped me, it was sycamore and I used it as chopping block for a couple of years.

I'd say the trailer with a ramp is a good idea if you can get in close to the tree, or get a tow behind hydraulic splitter. You're going to have to split it sooner or later, might as well do it early and simplify the work.

Ken

That's what I do; split on site, when its safe. On the roadside is not one of my favorite places to split wood.

I agree, a tow behind splitter is the way to go. I try to stay on the good side of the local police and use some scrap wire to attach one of the orange triangle SMV markers to the back of my splitter. I would like to put a set of brake and marker lights on it for safety but I'm afraid of shredding the wiring with a wayward block.

I use ramps I made out of 2x10s and the following hardware from Cabelas:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...s&Ntx=mode matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=ramps&noImage=0

Then I just roll the rounds up one (or both, depending on size) of the ramps.

wow what a picture. You guys are in better physical shape than me. When I see all the work involved in cutting wood, I will continue to Love my pellet stove. Good luck

I scrounged four truck loads of freshly dropped oak from our local fire company. I cut the 20" dia. rounds 24" long. I had to get my father to help load them b/c they were insanely heavy. I used a hand truck for third and forth load as well as my father's truck. My Ram 2500 has 9" of lift with 38.5" tires...

LOL! Good one, Creeky!

One does NOT HAVE to tackle the big stuff. Sometimes our desires outdo good sense (as I said, I messed up my back when I was young and dumb). Nowadays, I stick with smaller stuff that is more friendly to my old body ;-)

OTOH, sensible exercise is good for our bodies! Remember, firewood warms you three times: when you cut it, when you split it, and when you burn it!

Ken

I think my dad and I are going to weld up a lift for his dump truck this summer. At the moment, we're going to have some sort of boom arm and a winch to help lift things up and swing them into the dump bed. The trick is going to be making it removable so that it isn't in the way when he goes to get dirt or gravel.

-SF

I have the same ramps as wayneg.

I've also split large ones on site .
I've gone back for big ones because I didn't have the ramps with me only to find them gone.
A wedge and maul doesn't take up a lot of room.

I've also left some behind before.

Life's too short to spend it on the couch in pain.

I've thought of that approach (or the grandkids in their teens and 20s) but you know those kids don't have good sense about lifting and what happens when they hurt their back?

Ken

*** Log Lifter ***

I know this is a old thread. But I have the same problem lifting woods up to my SUV. I've found this on the Arboristsite.com so I thought I'd share it with you. I may need to build one to safe my back!!

http://www.arboristsite.com/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/74339-4.htm


Cheers.........Som

I pretty much use my landscape trailer whenever I can. I really dislike using the bed of my truck which is so high up and the 6.5 foot bed is small compared to my trailer. Having a cap on my truck does not make it better to haul wood, but it does make it better to haul the saws.

I'm planning on modifying my trailer so that the side of the trailer can come off andbe used as a ramp and then latrched back on when I'm ready to go. It will save space.

Then I was thinking about getting a winch and a garden cart with big wheels. The garden cart is needed because I have been to many places where the owner isn't so keen on you driving on their backyard. I am going to tie the winch on the cart and slowly winch in up the ramp and into the bed. Then upload and repeat..


http://www.amazon.com/Superwinch-12..._6?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1333143210&sr=1-6

http://www.amazon.com/Tricam-FR110-...NHEY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333143667&sr=8-1

Used to bring them home on a trailer with mesh gate ramps and a very large dolly. Since I got the tractor and grapple I no longer have to lift heavy things. Plus I never buck to stove length away from home. I only bring home logs now. I can get a whole lot more home in a lot less time.

You can love your pellet stove all you want......I love getting PAID to heat my house.......I'll stick with the woodstove, thanks.....