As I get farther into my 60's and my back gets worse I am always looking for ways to make cutting wood easier. The locust I cut is heavy enough when the trees are on the small size but when they get into the 20 inch plus diameter and up it is all I can do to get the rounds in the truck. Between a portable winch and plenty of rigging I have no problem getting the logs to the truck and bucked up, it's just loading the heavy stuff. Been toying with the thought of getting a swivel lift or building something similar. Any one have any experiance with one of these? TIA.
Like Backwoods said, that thing definitely needs a small electic winch instead of hand crank. I can't remember the exact name, but I think there was some kind of a lift system that could pull towards truck and lift up I to the truck (or trailer)... I want to say gorilla lift or something like that. IIRC someone on here has one, if I get a chance I'll try to search..
I've seen those. Thought about building one this winter. Problem for me is the room it takes to haul. That and the price. I think the gorilla back is almost 500 bucks from the seller.
The one featured in the video looks like it wouldn't take long before something is bent, twisted or just flat out broke. I like the idea but think that it has it's limits. Butcher if'n you made one, it would be stronger I'm sure!
Yeah. It looks to me like it could use a trailer jack attached to the horizontal piece. As the weight on the truck got heavier I could crank the jack up some to keep the lift stable.
Can you noodle and/or split rounds to make them smaller? Locust sections up rather easily IME with a maul. Just a thought. The lift seems like a nice simple rig. I like simple.
Here's the link. GorillaBac Store - Gorillabac I have used one for the past few years, and they do work. Sometimes a little slow, but it's all electric(using a lawn tractor battery), and it is easy on the back... It IS expensive though. I bought it because my neighbor was taking down a bunch of mulberry trees, and he said I could have the wood. And green mulberry is awfully heavy! I got a couple of years worth of wood, so I felt it was worth the investment...
Thanks for you guys input. I guess I should've clarified whyI want to make my life easier. Been dealing with stage 3 cancer for the last6 years. Takes the wind outta yer sails. Done the noodleing splitting maul stuff. That would be a step backwards for me. Trying to move forward.My first chainsawwork was with a David Bradly gear drive that my dad had to start for me and he would walk away and I would have to go get him to restart it when it ran outta gas. I work 10 hours a day 52 weeks a year in the mineing industry so I dont have much free time as I would like. When I get farwood I go into the woods and drop trees. I dont find my wood just laying alongside the road. Am just trying to keep on keeping on if you know what I mean. I am just trying to find a way that will make 2 hours of getting a truck load of wood not turn into 3 days of pain.
Gorillabac may be "expensive", but what's your back not going out worth? Something that keeps you from really ruining your back is about priceless...
