Earlier I had posted a photo of a pile of logs with lengths ranging from 8' to 12" around 7-8' height & 75 ' long over all. I have since added to the pile & have a partial load sitting on my 20' trailer. Initially I had planed to build a log processor & even have most of the parts on hand for it. However considering the shorter lengths & bends in the logs I decided on building a "LOG BUCKING TRAILER". If it works like I hope, it would also be handy at some of the charity cuts we do. Goals: - To be able to load several logs at a time. - Once the log went on the stand the wood would NOT hit the ground again which would mean cleaner wood & easier on the back. - Better flow of processing. - Be able to keep 5-6 people productively processing. 8-9 people of 2 splitters are in use. If it works like I hope, it would also be handy at some of the charity cuts we do. (Remember it is a work in progress.) Let the Photos Begin! (The 2x4s on the yellow arms are to simulate a log.) I will be adding 2 more log supports between the 2 in place & will tie them to each other for strength & stability. They are on 20" centers to keep them over the trailer's frame. The trailer is 14'5" long using 3" channel iron on 20" centers resting on 8"x4" I-beams with a 7,000# mobile home braking axle & 14 ply tires. On the other side as you look through the expanded metal is the walk way the saw operators will be standing on. The near side will have an "L" shaped fold down side which will make it a 30" deep landing area with a 5-1/2" high lip where the cut rounds will hopefully end up. This will help to keep the rounds clean & off the ground. (Much easier on the back & faster, to not have to lift the rounds off the ground!) The center section between the deck boards, the "bucking stand", is removable & could be used on a longer trailer if needed. I also have a 24' long aluminum walk board I could clamp to the walk way if I run into longer logs. For now I will be using drop down legs in the corner stake pockets to stabilize the trailer & help the axle to support the extra weight of the logs. I will lower the tongue, set the back pair of legs, next raise the tongue & set the front pair, and finally remove the tongue to get it out of the way. The wiring on the tongue will have plugs on both ends to simplify removal. The hole in the channel iron is for a 7blade trailer receptacle. I haven't made the receiver for the trailer yet. Again pretending the 2x4's are a log, this shows the 17" gap between log being cut & the catch ramp. This should allow for a log up to 32" to be cut easily. I have the 2x6 on the walkway side for 3 reasons: 1 - It will hopefully keep the round from hitting toes. 2 - Makes a measuring guide for cutting. The green line is 15" centers & the red lines is 20" centers. 3 - It just might save a chain or leg having the wood there as a safety catch. I am using heavy gauge expanded metal for the ramp. Hopefully it will allow the saw chips/dust to fall through to the ground. I was also concerned if it is windy & I used deck boards, the wind would use the ramp to throw the saw chips/dust into the saw operator's face. The "Walk Way": I will be sliding the bucking stand to the left a couple of inches to make a gap between it & the decking for rain & wood chips to fall through. The railing will be around 42" high & will have a couple of boxes on the outside to set chain saws, hook-a-roon, log-cant in. It will be hinged at the bottom so I can lean it towards the log buck during transport. I will bolt supports to the frame between the stake pockets so when the railing is folded into position, it will be sturdy. You can't see it but there is a receiver hitch welded under the frame on the back. This is why the reflective tape has burn spots in it. Total weight of trailer & bucking stand will be approximately 2,400lbs. I plan to hook it behind my splitter for transport then behind it a single axle 12' mower trailer which can carry an ATV & be used on site for moving wood. The 12' trailer is made from 3" channel iron & has a 7,000lb mobile home axle with brakes. I can haul a cord of wood easily.
That's a great idea, great ingenuity and should be really useful for charity cuts. Now to convince you to haul it up here for the G2G in Ohio!
Never know, I am hoping to take it up to an Inter Faith cut in Wisconsin in a month or two. Hedgerow is hoping to get a group together as soon as the snow melts. I enjoy helping with charity cuts.
This is really a cool concept! You are doing an awesome job man, can't wait to see the end result and how you like it!
This was my idea. That is not to say there isn't someone else with a similar setup. I was looking at the pile of logs that keeps growing. Knowing I will be doing the majority of the processing on my own, said to myself there has to be a way to do this without having to bend over all the time. I have pallet forks on the loader with the grapple & considered just holding the logs over a trailer & cutting that way. The more I thought about it, the idea for an elevated bucking stand where the saw chips/dust could fall through the floor & the round would naturally roll to the opposite side for easy access to the splitter evolved. When Workshop said we would be processing a pile of logs for a charity cut, the elevated bucking stand then became a mobile one which could be used for charity cuts. About half of the "log bucking trailer" was made with used material.
Well finally had a chance to give the log bucking trailer a shake down run this afternoon. I started with a pile of logs on the stand about like this. Then when cut it gave me a pile of round like shown below. If you notice, there is a gap on the stop board of the round catcher fold down shelf, to roll large round directly onto the log lift. This is just a temporary stop. The permanent stop will be from metal. These boards are to help me decide a height. Don't want it any higher than it haves to be to make it easier to grab the rounds. There are enough rounds on each side of the log lift to fill it a couple of times from both sides. Load the log lift, start splitter then stand on the other side of the splitter & go to town. This is what a pile of log on the bucking stand looks like split. I separated the cherry & the hedge from the rest which is mostly oak with some locust & elm. Use the Jonsered CS-2139T - 12" bar & Husqvarna 338XPT - 14" bar. I could have use the Stihl 08-s with a 17" bar on a few of the logs but was too lazy to go get it. I wanted to stick to the shorter bars for maneuverability & decrease the risk of kick back. Loaded from this side. Had a board across the side to keep from stepping off. I wanted to see if the walkway needed to be higher before building the railing. Under the trailer on the right side you can barely see the removable tongue laying out of the way. ************************************************************************************************************ Things I haven't had time to finish: - The fences for both ends to keep the rounds on the trailer. It will need to be around 24" high to keep the rounds from bouncing over it. - The metal stop which will go where the single height boards are on both sides of the log lift. - The round catcher has the outer 3 boards hinged so it can be folded up for transport. When I bolt the metal stop on, it will have legs to give the shelf support. - Bolt down points between the trailer frame & the bucking stand. Right now it is just sitting on there. I had strapped it in place & took it down the highway to check how it handles & was pleased. No sway at 65 mph. Thing to add/change: - I thought the walkway was too low but I wanted to try it at bed height first. Yep, I will be building a couple of storage boxed to go on the walkway around 12 - 14" high to stand on. They will be handy for storing firewood tool on the road. - I load from the walkway side so I will be adding uprights on the backside of the bucking stand so I will not have to worry about logs falling off. - Will be cutting off the middle 2 supports of the bucking stand and will add a bridge 4-6" below the angle iron to support them so it will be easier to retrieve the cut rounds. Overall I am happy with the design. This afternoon working on my own, loaded, cut, split, & stacked on pallets 3 piles of log which gave me close to 2 cords of wood. I could have done more but I spent too much time splitting the cherry down to 1.5 - 2" diameter pieces to be used in smokers. It was so much easier on my back not having to pick all those round off the ground.
I've built a lot of steel framed stuff over the years. You've done a great job here. Many good ideas. Very impressive. And, thanks for the pics and your thoughts on all of it. "It was so much easier on my back not having to pick all those round off the ground. " … this the ultimate goal for me too… always.
That is really cool, I was very curious as to what saw you were going to used for that but you answered that. Really cuts down on the work. For a charity cut that is great. Will really help keep people cutting and splitting efficiently. And the big bonus is you get to use it at home whenever you want!
Use at home was the excuse I gave my wife. I have 3 piles of logs totaling around 75' long x 7' high in lengths averaging around 10' to process. But yes, I plan to have it available for charity cuts.
Thanks! I have a conveyor but since I plan to palletize from here on out unless I start getting the firewood bags, it probably won't see much use. Workshop, I will be counting on you to let me know when the bucking trailer will be useful & when to just leave it at home for the charity cuts.
I don't know how to run a chainsaw but I always thought that the shorter the bar, the higher the risk of a kickback. Awesome pictures. Definitely can process a lot of wood in a short period of time without the back strain.
The shorter bars are also not as tall. This allows me to reach between & cut one log without having to touch the surround logs in most cases. This increased maneuverability is why I feel they are safer for this application.
I thought the same thing - conveyer sending rounds to splitter located at end. Would allow loading logs from opposite side as sawmen so no need for them to dismount during loading.
I will be building 2 storage boxes to raise the walkway up. One will have saws & accessories the other will have log cant, pick-a-roons, ropes, ... Need some help. Right now my tallest saws are the Stihl 08's. In the future I plan to get a 70 cc saw like a Husqvarna 372 or Jonsered 2172. Could someone measure how high I would have to have the top of the storage box to be able to have one fit? Thanks!
