Kewanee Elevator firewood conversion

I give firewood away for free. I have given away 10 cord this year to the less fortunate and homeless. This makes the Mrs. very happy.

Her Facebook page is Firewood Helper - Waukee Iowa

Check it out.

 

I remember my military paper work having my SSN and ten other peoples name and SSN.

I started to fill out the paper work this spring but then the screen said if sole proprietor your SSN will be public info and not recommended.

 

GMC6500 25,900 is what it's licensed for..
No DOT# required...
My pickup has 15,000lb plates on it..
No DOT#
Farm trucks...
Not for hire...

 

I'm surprised the 6500 is only good to 25,900lbs.

My 70 aka what they call a 7000 now is 39,900 lbs. I once had 42,000lb it on the old girl. I couldn't use top gear other than on the downhills.

 

From link:

You are required to obtain a USDOT number if you have a vehicle that:

• Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, of 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds) or more, whichever is greater; or
• Is designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation; or
• Is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation; or
• Is used in transporting material found by the Secretary of Transportation to be hazardous and transported in a quantity requiring placarding.

AND is involved in Interstate commerce:
Trade, traffic, or transportation in the United States—

 

Well.....
Farm tags vs what it will do are 2 different things...
I grossed 32,000 heading out of the quarry with a load of limestone last week...
Had I been stopped, I would have been a lot poorer right now...
I do try to stay close though..

 

Who needs a U.S. DOT number and how to get one
Motor carriers operating commercial vehicles across state lines will find helpful information and assistance at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Online Registration and Compliance Assistant website.
Motor carriers who are domiciled in Iowa and operate in for-hire intrastate commerce within Iowa also need to obtain a USDOT-IA number. Intrastate for-hire carriers need to contact the Iowa DOT's Office of Motor Carrier Services at 515-237-3224 for an application and assistance in obtaining intrastate operating authority and a USDOT-IA number.
A motor carrier who already has a USDOT number for interstate commerce will not be issued a second USDOT number, but must still obtain intrastate operating authority for loads transported within Iowa.

 

Yeah I know, this was dicussed a few posts up about the truck not being for a firewood business.

I think it was safe for most to assume it was before it was mentioned it wasn't. Heck of a setup for "just because" haha!


Basically my point was the 450-550 trucks are often a DOT's wet dream come true because they are still a pickup but big enough to normally be in CDL/DOT area. Pretty common to get the "derrrrr, I didn't know" folks running them and occifer hardass will end up filling out a whole ticket book. Some states even a duallie truck will attract attention.

SOoooo, when someone said it being legal to haul 11ty million ton, that is why I mentioned it may not be.

 

A few miles west from my house on Interstate 80 there is a weigh station. I tend take the slower roads if going home from that direction.

 

Found this bumper sticker in my desk.

 

Can't remember how many cops(mostly staties) I've passed with Ole Blue loaded to the gills (granted it's a 1/2T) - and not a one has given me a second look.

If they need to be ticketing anyone around here it's the guys scrapping metal - flats running on rims and chit flapping around in the back.

 

Back to the subject. The elevator ran 4.4 hours this weekend and then the chains gave out. But we processed maybe 20 cord with 5 logs splitters. I think it would still be running but someone tossed a log and hit the crank handle and the elevator dropped into the split pile and fed some splits into the bottom. Some of the paddles got bent and that lead to more problems. For first go round it did great. We had to run the motor faster rather than slower. With faster the splits would be thrown from the elevator and not sucked in under.

 

Another video to share. Split Second Splitter engineers brought two splitters for us to use and also helped split wood.

 

Looks like a productive crew
Good on you folks for the charity cut

 

Yes, Doug is right, it was I who threw that piece that brought the elevator down. Im sorry man.

 

I wanted to mention for you to setup with a clutch that would decouple if that happened. I've done it MANY times on my conveyor. It's hydraulic so it just hits the pressure relief and stops.

Slower would be better on parts as well as for safety. Like I mentioned before, mine is easily 1/2 that speed and it is still plenty fast for my processor.

How high in the air can it go? Mine I think goes 13ft and I wouldn't mind a bit taller.

 

I would guess almost 25 to 30 ft high if I pushed it. Total length is 45 plus ft. A 45 degree angle would be at 31 ft. Might get tippy then. Dad always put a ladder under the end to keep the end from tipping with ear corn.