Today....

southsoundtree said:
Sweet.

Do you have a portable winch of any type? Consider building a winch bracket on the front wall of the trailer.

Pulling wood up a wood ramp looks dicey over time. Chicken wire seems too lightweight to me.

Hardware cloth (galvanized metal mesh)?




A little 12v winch on a davit can be sweet.
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Just go all out and look for a smallish FARMA boom with outriggers and a grapple. These things come as small as ATV trailer sized on up from there and are super useful as well as reasonably affordable for their overall value.
 
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You all are really trying to overcomplicate my dump trailer! Like I said, I don't really WANT to haul wood, so don't want to invest much money into it. Been in business like 8 years, have 99% avoided doing it myself so far. I just wanted the ability to do it occasionally without having to lift wood into a tall dump truck (have 3 of those), or coordinating with another contractor.

I do have a gas portable winch, I do have a hydro winch on my chipper, I do have an electric winch on my service truck and I even have two more new-in-box additional electric winches in my basement! (one for the chip truck, one for my van, haven't gotten them installed yet). I uh, like pulling on things. As I see it, the only reason to winch things into the trailer is for logs, and well, I don't want to move logs, and no one wants logs. Plus, if I'm climbing a tree out, I generally don't have space to drop 10-12' logs. So it's better to just cut smaller easier pieces. Maybe it was a little bit of a joke, but I did look at self loading trailers, and they were crazy expensive for something with VERY limited utility in my area. Modding an existing trailer would be expensive and tedious. Only useful if you can get a truck and trailer right next to the pile, unless the boom has a winch on it, and now you are looking at an even bigger, more expensive piece of equipment I'd almost never use...

The most versatile thing would be about a 6000 pound mini excavator which I could move in the dump trailer itself, but even that would be seldom used for the work I get called to do, since I specialize in climbing. And is like $50k+ new or $30k used. I feel like a bit of a fool for even saying it, but part of me kind of just wants to roll the dice with a $15k Chinese mini, but the real answer is to just not buy anything else right now....

r15-4-eco-mini-excavator-front-transparent.webp
 
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27RMT0N said:
You all are really trying to overcomplicate my dump trailer! Like I said, I don't really WANT to haul wood, so don't want to invest much money into it. Been in business like 8 years, have 99% avoided doing it myself so far. I just wanted the ability to do it occasionally without having to lift wood into a tall dump truck (have 3 of those), or coordinating with another contractor.

I do have a gas portable winch, I do have a hydro winch on my chipper, I do have an electric winch on my service truck and I even have two more new-in-box additional electric winches in my basement! (one for the chip truck, one for my van, haven't gotten them installed yet). I uh, like pulling on things. As I see it, the only reason to winch things into the trailer is for logs, and well, I don't want to move logs, and no one wants logs. Plus, if I'm climbing a tree out, I generally don't have space to drop 10-12' logs. So it's better to just cut smaller easier pieces. Maybe it was a little bit of a joke, but I did look at self loading trailers, and they were crazy expensive for something with VERY limited utility in my area. Modding an existing trailer would be expensive and tedious. Only useful if you can get a truck and trailer right next to the pile, unless the boom has a winch on it, and now you are looking at an even bigger, more expensive piece of equipment I'd almost never use...

The most versatile thing would be about a 6000 pound mini excavator which I could move in the dump trailer itself, but even that would be seldom used for the work I get called to do, since I specialize in climbing. And is like $50k+ new or $30k used. I feel like a bit of a fool for even saying it, but part of me kind of just wants to roll the dice with a $15k Chinese mini, but the real answer is to just not buy anything else right now....

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You're in good company bud. I think this forum is mostly folks who really like pulling on things.
 
27RMT0N said:
The most versatile thing would be about a 6000 pound mini excavator which I could move in the dump trailer itself, but even that would be seldom used for the work I get called to do, since I specialize in climbing. And is like $50k+ new or $30k used. I feel like a bit of a fool for even saying it, but part of me kind of just wants to roll the dice with a $15k Chinese mini, but the real answer is to just not buy anything else right now....
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I regard to your log trailer, I was just spitballing into the ether, not really trying to convince you of anything. It’s more of my brain releasing the pressure of ideas.

In regard to a mini excavator, I will say that in my market and for the varied type of work I encounter, there is no better complement than one of these machine. Hands down. Period.

I started with a good, used Bobcat E26 (2.5 ton), then found a good used Bobcat 435 (5 ton). Had some issues with the 435 that are now resolved, but sprung for a new Bobcat E55 to meet contracts while the 435 was getting repaired. Still no regrets with these things. You can easily spend $10,000 in attachments, but just a good bucket and thumb go a very long way. I’m currently thinking about a 7 or 8 ton complement.
 
I hear what you mean about spitballing ideas.


Sometimes, the best ideas surface for another member from different poster's experience, mods, etc.

I'm looking at that same Lamar dumper.


Also, looking into winches that could move between trucks (my chip truck has a permanently mounted front winch), dump trailer, flatbed trailer, and chipper if I have a tower built on my chipper drum housing a la Reg Coates on his Bandit (maybe a 12v capstan for the chipper or portable winch...I already have a Simpson chainsaw powerhead-powered capstan).

IME, having a good winching point can help in foreseen and unforeseen circumstances (stumper fuel pump failure).


Falls are a very dangerous part of our work, especially in the PNWet, which is why I mention stronger traction on the ramp.
My worst (minor, acute) injuries over 18 years have been from falls, thankfully. With a fall, it is easy to wrench one's back, to tear a rotator cuff or chip an elbow, or worse facial injuries.

Fall safety can't be Anodized or sold by suppliers. Doesn't get much discussion.

I almost fell yesterday from some mud from a customer's tire rut.
 
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