Anybody use a semi?

F

Fivepoints

Carpal tunnel level member
Location
East of Huntsville, AL
We're doing a large crane job right now with around 10 log picks in the 8k range. Moving the material is a bottleneck for us. Its about an hour drive one way. I've thought about using a semi with a flatbed to transport the larger log picks. We're cutting willow oaks in the 4 ft range. No mills around here will take logs that large nor do they want yard trees. We regularly do large crane jobs as I own my own crane. We also want to start slabbing these out. Seems like older semis are fairly inexpensive. I'm figuring a 48 ft trailer or maybe even shorter. Something with a day cab, maybe even a cab over. It would be nice to chip into a huge box at times. We've had days where we filled up 6 regular chip boxes. Any thoughts? Is anyone using one?
 
I own a 35 ton grove crane so that's not an issue. I also already have my class a cdl. I also have space to store a truck and trailer. Seems like it would cost a bit more to license and insure but would make up for it in repeated trips to the job.
 
Evo has a point though, assuming the crane needs to stay on the job site while the semi goes to get emptied so it can be loaded again, what to do... I haven't used a semi, but I have used a tri axle sized tandem. I don't recall the size of the box and I don't think anyone at that company even knew what it's weight capacity was, but it would hold a lot. Definitely in the 20,000 lb range and it could just be dumped.
 
If you are doing that kind of volume you are going to need a piece of equipment at your log yard to unload and sort material. I picked up an old good sized case track loader for $12k. It will pick up a 6k log spin 360 and place it in piles up to 20' high.
I've been thinking about getting an old Mack tractor with a cummins in it. Saw a 30' aluminum dump trailer on eBay for $5500
I have so much shit already to keep running.

What grove 35t do you have? I have an At635 and love it
 
Look into a used, older roll off rig from the South.

Mechanical so you or a small shop can service/ work on it.

You could probably pick up one with a couple 30 yard roll offs for around the same price as a tractor & a couple trailers.

https://www.commercialtrucktrader.com/listing/2004-Mack-RD688S-5003578135


https://www.commercialtrucktrader.com/listing/2005-Other-OTHER-5004612614

Older
https://www.commercialtrucktrader.com/listing/1988-Peterbilt-357-5004659211

Needs an engine
https://www.commercialtrucktrader.com/listing/1997-MACK-DM688-5001515452

https://www.commercialtrucktrader.com/listing/2005-STERLING-LT9500-118109046

The cool thing about these is you can drop the container at the site & load with a mini, a regular loader, you can chip into it, load it with a crane, etc.

When it gets full, hook back to it, & go dump it like a dump truck: no need for an unload machine.


This has been my future plan for a while, the house has just pushed things back a bit.

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Last edited:
Fivepoints said:
We're doing a large crane job right now with around 10 log picks in the 8k range. Moving the material is a bottleneck for us. Its about an hour drive one way. I've thought about using a semi with a flatbed to transport the larger log picks. We're cutting willow oaks in the 4 ft range. No mills around here will take logs that large nor do they want yard trees. We regularly do large crane jobs as I own my own crane. We also want to start slabbing these out. Seems like older semis are fairly inexpensive. I'm figuring a 48 ft trailer or maybe even shorter. Something with a day cab, maybe even a cab over. It would be nice to chip into a huge box at times. We've had days where we filled up 6 regular chip boxes. Any thoughts? Is anyone using one?
Click to expand...

Both log trucks I hire to move wood have the capacity to lift 7500 +/- and have 23’ decks to pile logs on. A good operator can pile (8) four foot diameter 12’ long logs on his truck and roll and still be within the weight limits of the truck. They couldn’t pick up a 4x12 willow oak though, but it’s just a matter of cutting it down to liftable size. The self loading is the key to get your crane moving on. If you have to load with the crane it will be tied up on both ends.
The last white oak we did was 6’ at the base. The but log was 12.5k. We used a saw and the atom splitter to break it into liftable pieces. It was also full of hardware (blue stain all around), but we didn’t but one nail.
 
I have a TMS300. It's a bit older crane but it's in good shape and paid for. We ran it all day today.

Everytime I've looked at a hooklift truck, it's been either very expensive or beat to shit. Unloading for me isn't a huge issue. I can use our grapple truck that will lift 6K if the logs are small enough. I'm just over running the weight I can legally carry in our grapple truck. I don't really want a larger grapple truck because I like to take this one down driveways and into yards quite frequently.
 
Fivepoints said:
I have a TMS300. It's a bit older crane but it's in good shape and paid for. We ran it all day today.

Everytime I've looked at a hooklift truck, it's been either very expensive or beat to shit. Unloading for me isn't a huge issue. I can use our grapple truck that will lift 6K if the logs are small enough. I'm just over running the weight I can legally carry in our grapple truck. I don't really want a larger grapple truck because I like to take this one down driveways and into yards quite frequently.
Click to expand...

Cool


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