Loading firewood

[Page]

So I found a guy who can split bulk firewood pretty cheaply so I decided to sell wood this winter. I?ve been reading what other guys do for loading it and a surprising amount of people load by hand. Even people with equipment. This has also been my experience with other companies that I?ve worked for in the past. This can?t be cost effective. Especially for the guys still using small splitters. My firewood will not be on a concrete pad. It will be on dirt or chip. I?m the thinking of getting a rock grapple. It might dig into the wood pile better than a bucket but also Allow debris to fall through. Is there anyone out there already doing this? Is there a better way?

 

[treebilly]

I’ve tried it with a root rake grapple and have had mixed results. You’re better off kinda raking and then grappling rather than just scooping. Still seem to end up with some unwanted debri, but better than a regular bucket

 

[MasterBlaster]

Question...

How do you "measure" your load? I mean, how do you know when you have a "rick?" A half-rick? A cord?

 

[Page]

The way I’ve done it in the past is by figuring out ahead of time what a loose cord looks like in the trailer or truck and mark it. Error on the side of giving the customer slightly more. You will make up for it in time ‘not’ stacking.

 

[Altissimus]

Slow it is by hand but I don't know of a better way to load firewood , the conveyer belt rig works well if it's right off the splitter. Old school works for me , nothing unwanted goes in the load

 

[Nutball]

If you are really good at getting consistent length and split thickness, then make one perfect measured stack, and count the prices in it. Then maybe add on an extra 20. I found roughly 180-220 prices if I remember correctly will make an 8x4 stack, but it can still vary between 120 and 300 peices depending on size. Just chuck n count, might as well do that right after the split as each price leaves the splitter.

 

[Altissimus]

We are pretty good at eyeing the load , generally stack the back row just onto the truck gate a little ... As far as loading options there's an old timer here that as the wood comes off the splitter he stacks into the bucket of his tractor parked about waist high to dump into his one ton which saves chucking and the odd rear windshield or light replacement.

 

[flushcut]

Just shy of a face cord. I fill the basket as I split eliminates a lot of second and third handling. The baskets are expensive but if you look around you can get them reasonable $30-40 range. They usually come with a plastic bladder that can also be used but I like the look of the steel better.

 

[Altissimus]

One of my neighbors uses skid steer in same fashion , stack the wood tight onto a pallet ... Then they blow the whole operation into stupid as they wrap several layers of F'n PLASTIC around the load. I know it holds it all together for rehandle and deliver but seriously annoys me.

 

[flushcut]

That's why I like the baskets if stacked right only the top "needs" to be covered for delivery. Most of the time I just cover it with a tarp and run the tie downs over it and it's reusable.

 

[MasterBlaster]

30 to 40 bucks for that steel cage? Really???

 

[SeanKroll]

How do you unload the baskets?

 

[SeanKroll]

I like the idea of palletizing it, once I get pallet forks. My neighbor has an endless supply of pallets, which he burns if not used by someone. I wonder what it would make it stay stacked best. The plastic wrap seems easiest and cheapest IF dry.

 

[squisher]

If you're in orchard country, apple bins are a decent option too.

 

[Page]

I was stacking pallets last year. It did make it easy to bring a load into the shop whenever I needed it. That was when I was splitting. This year a guy is coming with a processor that does 4 cords an hour. I won?t have time to stack. Plus that?s just more handling. I want to split into one long pile and then scoop with the machine. Maybe I?ll put the split wood on the paved area where the chip truck normally goes. This wood is from just the last week and a half. And this is just the skinny stuff. I got another huge pile of pain in the ass big wood to deal with.

 

[treebilly]

What processor does he have?

 

[Page]

Some big wood mizer. Has a hot saw that cuts it and then pushes the whole log through the grate. My buddy had this guy come out and said he couldn’t bring the logs fast enough. I can’t find a picture of it but it’s similar to this

 

[kevin bingham]

I was envisioning face cord sized boxes you could pick up with a forklift. no stacking in the box. fill the boxes as you split. no stacking. the boxes would stack though the boxes would have hinges and you dump them into a dump bed and deliver. it would be some overhead and investment to construct the boxes but you would only touch wood with a forklift.

 

[kevin bingham]

That's why I like the baskets if stacked right only the top "needs" to be covered for delivery. Most of the time I just cover it with a tarp and run the tie downs over it and it's reusable.

how do you unload it?

 

[MasterBlaster]

how do you unload it?

How do you unload the baskets?

???

 

[flushcut]

30 to 40 bucks for that steel cage? Really???

Yes that is the bargin price they usually go for $75-$100 at least around here you can get a price break from industrial recyclers but at a 1000 baskets I just can't swing that.

How do you unload the baskets?

I drive it to where it is getting stacked at the custies place and tip the basket while still on the forks and I can reach all the way to the bottom. Or I take a deposit and park the crate in there garage or on the side of the house.

I was envisioning face cord sized boxes you could pick up with a forklift. no stacking in the box. fill the boxes as you split. no stacking. the boxes would stack though the boxes would have hinges and you dump them into a dump bed and deliver. it would be some overhead and investment to construct the boxes but you would only touch wood with a forklift.

Monsta Bag comes to mind.

how do you unload it?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Well now we know!

 

[flushcut]

Unloading
How much one basket load measures 48"X72" so just shy of a face cord, stacked tightly in the basket.