moving wood

What kind of cart/wagon is the best to move wood from stack to stove? I want to stock pile enough wood to burn for a week. I'm thinking a manual type georgia buggy might work best. I've used a deer cart for the past few years but it is wearing out, mostly from cutting across a pretty steep hill.

I don't know what's best, but I just use a large wheel barrow to move it from the wood storage area to the garage where we then move the wood into old wood boxes near the stoves for burning. I do it every day as part of my morning exercise routine. I like the idea of a wheel barrow because I think it might be easier to push through some snow than a cart with 2 wheels.

George

I use my plastic/glass/aluminum recycling bucket tied to a handtruck for all my wood moving. I learned that from an old timer on a construcion site. I AM CHEEEEEP., but it works for me.


My neighbor felt sorry for me and offered me his wheelbarrow. I found that amusing. Think outside the box.

Here's what I use:

http://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/1023/

I use a 6 cubic foot wheel barrow. I have to get through a service door in the back end of the garage to get to the back yard where I stack the wood. I like the single wheel for quick turns to avoid hitting all the crap in my garage. Plus that same single wheel seems to go through the snow easier than two.

I use one of those yellow 4 wheeled cart (2 by 4 ft) from Lowes. Works well. The wheels will snap of the ax when you load it too full and use it on bumpy land, but a welder will take 10 minutes to weld them back and you are good forever. The wire mesh will fall out of the sides but you can still use it for wood. Actually, it is safer without the mesh because it can cut your hands.

Carpniels

I too use the yellow 4-wheeled cart from Lowes. I've loaded mine as high as I could stack it and it hasn't broken yet. My day is probably coming but I have a MIG welder so not concerned. I often pull it behind the riding lawnmower because my property is hilly, but it is still maneuverable on flat land by hand. I put a piece of sheetmetal in the bottom since the mesh looked a little too flimsy.

I bought a large 2 wheel barrow from Sams club. I think it was around $50. I bring in 3 loads through my walkout basement to the stove, and it will last 4-5 days burning 24/7.

A 12x6 single axle trailer pulled by a simplicity soveriegn. 3 loads gives me a little over 3 cords and I pick at the softwood pile early and late so I should be set

I use a log hauler that I purchased from Harbor Freight. It's a lighter version of Eric's two wheel buggy It has two 20" bicycle wheels that go over rough terrain pretty well, and holds about 150 lbs of oak splits. It doesn't like big diameter logs, but splits are fine, as long as they are shorter than the ~22" distance between the wheels.

I go from my woodshed, up a bunch of steps in the garage, turn 90* to go into the house, then up a couple more steps to get to the living room. The big wheels are pretty easy to bump up the steps, and I find the capacity is just about perfect - If it held much more I'd have trouble getting up the stairs, but it holds enough for about a day and a half to two days steady burning.

The construction is on the light side, but It's held up for about a dozen cords so far...

Gooserider

I have another thread on my search for a better way, but here's what I can tell you. For manual transport, we have in New England something called a 'GardenWay Cart'. I think GardenWay is long gone, but there is a local company that makes the identical item. I think there are cheesy knockoffs out there too - the real thing is worth it. The picture is too big to attach to this post, but here is a link. Sorry for the photo quality - the sun messed me up.

In the photo, you can see it standing on its tailgate. Essentially, it's a plywood pickup bed with a slide-out tailgate and rugged 26" bicycle wheels (with REALLY heavy spokes).

Advantages: Really rugged, will hold as much as you would want to drag up any kind of grade. Really stable, easy to load and unload. Big enough so two people can pull on it if necessary.

Disadvantages: Wide. Won't fit through a normal doorway. Hard to find storage space for it. Ends up being left outside, which rots out the plywood in only 20 years.

Caution: Don't put a really heavy log in the back until you've loaded some counterweight in the front ;-)

I can post more pics and see if I can find manufacturer / dealer info if you would like.

This looks like that.
I already have a wheelbarrow - I just don't know if I want to get any more stuff
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91840

I use this thing, which you can see, has been around the block. It does a good job.

I used to have one of those plastic things.
I got hit in the shins once too often.

I have one of those too, and I use it a lot for other stuff, but I don't think it works that good for firewood. It holds maybe about half what my HF firewood cart does, if that, and doesn't roll as easily. I also found it likes to tip if not loaded just right, or if you pick the handle up to high.

As a side note, the HF internet site seems to be showing a $10 off on the cart that I pointed to, making it only $40 - at that price it is well worth it. However they also carry a firewood cart from our friends at Vogelzang for almost twice the price, offering less than half the capacity, and to my eyes, a much less effective design, so watch out for which one you get...

Gooserider

How about this thing? It folds.
http://www.cabelas.com/spodw-1/0033920.shtml

I had one of those plastic yard carts also- didn't work for me, because when moving rounds, it would tip over, etc. Then the wheels fell off, so out to the trash it went.

For bringing wood from the pile to the house, I have a folding cart that works perfectly.

Neat looking, and I like the sling, but is it worth $60 more than the HF unit? I guess it depends on what you're after.

Gooserider

The folding feature might be worth something.

Here's a cheaper method, although likely messy:

I'm new to this forum but if your really looking for a cheap way to move firewood, I like to use a little tikes plastic wagon. I know it sounds funny but it has a one piece bottom and can be cleaned out with a rag. They can bought new for about $12 or for less at a yard sale.

I know this is an old thread, but I am going to order the Vogelzang cart.
The was I would use this would be to move the wood from a stack in the attached garage to the hearth.
The cart is decorative enough so that restacking would be unnecessary-just leave the cart by the stove.
I really hate restacking.
Plus, my current method involves carrying the wood from the garage in nylon slings/bags.
This way, no lifting involved, except to get it over two separate steps.
The 10" wheels should help with this.
It's cheaper now, btw, 70 bucks.
Anyway, that's the way I look at it.
Here's a pic: http://vogelzang.com/MiscAcc/images/LC-37logcartLG.gif

I agree it is much more decorative than the HF unit, and probably will take up a bit less space in the room. At the same time I'm not sure about those 10" wheels - that size won't be a lot of help on rough ground or going up stairs compared to a 20" wheel like on the HF cart. In addition, while it's hard to tell from the picture, the wheels look like some sort of one-peice cast plastic, with a non-pneumatic tire - this is a design that I've found to not hold up well on things that I've owned - however they can (probably) be replaced when necessary for not unreasonable amounts of money.

However if you think it would meet your needs, then go for it - then keep us posted on how it works out.

Gooserider

I'm already getting crap from the wife about aesthetics.
Hey, I'm the guy moving all those lbs of wood.