palletized stacking?

[flyingcow]

Anyone stack their wood in pallets and move around with a front end loader?



I'm thinking of trying to build(either with wooden pallets or metal racks) storage for wood. But it will have to be rugged. The idea is this--cut/split then stack wood in a 4x4x4 rack. Leave outside to dry for a year( to cover or not to cover? we've beat that one to death). Then in the fall, move to garage, oops i meant wood storage building. Put about 10 or 12 inside, which will get me thru most of the winter. If i do this I will eventually build 25 to 30 of theses rigs. By measurement each one would hold about a 1/2 cord, probably a little less. Any thoughts?

 

[jj3500]

Sounds like a great idea. I believe that the front loader portion is a luxury for the most of us.

 

[Stephen in SoKY]

I've thought about the wire cages you see here behind my splitter.

I can get them for around $80 each. If I had even three or four I could fill them from the ricks when the weather was nice or it suited me, then set them in the barn til needed. I have to calculate if they'll hold enough for a week as that would really be ideal. I don't normally keep the FEL on, but in the winter it wouldn't be a problem. The "Front" drops down 1/2 at a time, so a sheet of plywood on the top to keep rain off & I could set one right by the back door.

 

[wellbuilt home]

What i want to do is make a ply wood forum 4x4 x 32" high . drop a 4x4 pallet in the box and split on to the palette and stack it tight .
When it is filled to the top 32" , lay plastic on top and lift pallet out of box .
rap the wood in orange construction fence and staple it down around the pallet and over the top to cover the plastic to keep the wood dry .
I move the pallets with a skid steer on forks . I can move 1/2 a cord of wood but it sinks in the ground .
Its better to move and stack smaller pallets of wood plus i can stack 4 pallets high .
I had a huge pile of wood in the yard this year 50 cord + next year it will be stacked (I hope)
I can split into a 4x4 box and just pile it in the yard but i need to load it when its sold .
I can scoop the wood with the loader but people don't like dirt dumped on there drive way and mud on the wood is a downer .
At my house the kids just bring the wood in the house . I have 5 kids . John

 

[branchburner]

My father-in-law has a loader and I suggested we neatly stack a few pallets with wood, let season and the move to the barn. Right before moving it, we'd wrap and strap, just like boxes on a pallet. And drive slow. If the bumps lose the load, go to plan B: lose the forks and go to the bucket. I'll get back to you in a year or so to let you know how it goes!

 

[pybyr]

I've seen one person's arrangement where he took standard 4x4 hardwood pallets, attached wood braces up the sides, and then cross-pieces over the top, to keep the sides from being pushed apart by the wood. These wood racks then are placed, spaced apart, so that air can get to all four sides, and they can be moved with forks on a front end bucket loader. Apparently this works well. I also always thought it might be interesting to try to do the same thing with "gabion baskets" such as you sometimes see used to hold rocks to stabilize earthen banks along highways, riverbanks, etc.- see (especially page 4 of ):

http://www.maccaferri-northamerica.com/doc_download.aspx?document_id=418

I don't know how readily these can be obtained in small to medium quantities, or what they cost, but it seems like it could be a handy solution if one could load them right where wood is split, and then move them to season, and again to where the wood needs to be used.

 

[flyingcow]

All good ideas, mind you I'm still looking for a loader for the old farm tractor. But it may happen soon. this idea is for the wood I'll be getting late next winter.
-
I've got about 10 cord of hardwood to put under cover soon. That'll be done the old fashioned way...............3 kids, wife, neighbors+beer and barbeque. :coolsmile:

 

[pybyr]

Regarding loaders-- and I am not sure what make/ model tractor you have-- just a mention from experience gained the hard way- some of the earlier tractors that did have hydraulics didn't have the flow or pressure that's taken for granted with newer machines and modern loaders (which translates to reduced lifting ability). Also, old loaders can eat money rapidly when one gets into having to replace hoses, cylinder seals, etc. (I did find a great place called Baum Hydraulics that can supply many things for far less than most sources- and they're knowledgeable and helpful). If your main goal is moving pallets, the cheapest and simplest option may be one of those pallet forks that goes on a 3 pt hitch.

 

[Bubbavh]

I've thought about the wire cages you see here behind my splitter.

I can get them for around $80 each. If I had even three or four I could fill them from the ricks when the weather was nice or it suited me, then set them in the barn til needed. I have to calculate if they'll hold enough for a week as that would really be ideal. I don't normally keep the FEL on, but in the winter it wouldn't be a problem. The "Front" drops down 1/2 at a time, so a sheet of plywood on the top to keep rain off & I could set one right by the back door.

They sell wooden versions of this too 3' sides. My friend who has a winery uses these produce pallets (for harvesting melons and such). He also has a wood stove and he tosses the wood in them after splitting (no stacking) and leaves them in the barn until they are ready to burn then moves the whole pallet into the garage. I plan on doing something similar if I ever get my driveway paved. My plan is to buy a manual pallet jack a wheel them in the garage as needed and back out when the seasons done!

 

[Vande]

Check out this system. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2WzrsFKuGk Seems like the answer. If I had a FEL this would be the way to go.

 

[SWNH]

I use palletized bins for my cut up pallet wood. I've got 16 bins full already and at least 50 more pallets to break down (don't remember how many fit into a bin cut up). I use the pallet wood for my shop which I only heat during the day (and can tend to the frequent loading). If I had a forklift or loader, I've use them for cordwood also. Those plus 7+ cords of splits puts me in the 2+ year category.

 

[flyingcow]

Vande- that does look pretty slick. Thanks
-
Peter- the one you have in the picture, did you build that?

 

[SWNH]

Vande- that does look pretty slick. Thanks
-
Peter- the one you have in the picture, did you build that?

Yup. I'm up to 20 bins now. Been busy trying to break down that last of my pallet hoard.

 

[jzr1]

http://apacheforest.com/app/inventoryapp/firewood_bags/inventory_view/13-0-10-1.html.php#view_image

firewood bag site

 

[NHFarmer]

I had an old roll of woven wire cattle fence. I wrapped a couple of pallets on three sides and stacked wood on the pallet. They work pretty well but I really like the bag idea on u-tube. I wonder how much they cost?

 

[firefighterjake]

All good ideas, mind you I'm still looking for a loader for the old farm tractor. But it may happen soon. this idea is for the wood I'll be getting late next winter.
-
I've got about 10 cord of hardwood to put under cover soon. That'll be done the old fashioned way...............3 kids, wife, neighbors+beer and barbeque. :coolsmile:

Maybe you can convince the local snowmobile club that they need to buy one of those tractor groomers . . . and get a loader for the tractor.

 

[Highbeam]

I've thought about the wire cages you see here behind my splitter.

I can get them for around $80 each. If I had even three or four I could fill them from the ricks when the weather was nice or it suited me, then set them in the barn til needed. I have to calculate if they'll hold enough for a week as that would really be ideal. I don't normally keep the FEL on, but in the winter it wouldn't be a problem. The "Front" drops down 1/2 at a time, so a sheet of plywood on the top to keep rain off & I could set one right by the back door.

What a freaking cool splitter! Must be homemade?

 

[Stephen in SoKY]

No, it's factory built. Factory built at least 15 years ago! It suits me great, cycle time of 3 seconds or less, one less motor to keep running & it lifts high enough I can hook a wagon tongue under it & make one trip to the woods.