# Loader Bucket Extender to Haul Firewood.



## IPLUMB (Dec 24, 2009)

Guys that haul Firewood with your loader bucket. How or what do you use to extend it to haul more wood? just getting new ideas. Pictures please. Thanks


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## savageactor7 (Dec 24, 2009)

Mostly I just haul what you see picted in the avatar. We'll drag logs to staging/work areas when we want to make real production. In the winter the bucket loads I haul are mostly for a productive outdoor activity since I'm hand splitting...sure it all adds up but it's mostly a woodlot housekeeping thing. Shortly I'll be working on a dead poplar. Did you ever thing about dragging trees out? It's real sweet working on an open flat area free of trip hazards.


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## djblech (Dec 24, 2009)

A couple years ago I had a local fab shop add a 13" section to my bucket. He cut it and welded in 1/4" steel. It made the bucket much more useful with wood and dirt. If I heap the bucket with dirt now it is just about max for the tractor. I can get 2 rows of wood stacked in the the bucket. 
Doug


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## Monkey Wrench (Dec 25, 2009)

IPLUMB said:
			
		

> Guys that haul Firewood with your loader bucket. How or what do you use to extend it to haul more wood? just getting new ideas. Pictures please. Thanks




I have this in 60'' Its called a light duty grapple. Excellent for bringing 6-8 ft loggs to the buck split area. Cost $1048. dlv to Md. I had the xtra tines installed. Cuts  the spacing in half.

http://www.markhamwelding.com/content/view/33/56/


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## PJF1313 (Dec 25, 2009)

Do you have eyelets on the bucket now? 

 How about adding forks to it, and putting the splits on pallets to move around?
Start stacking your splits for '12-13 on pallets, so you can bring the pallet to your
splitting area, stack it, move it back/around until seasoned, to the wood shed,
then to the porch/week storage area.
  When the pallet gets too beat up, great kindling!


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## Ducati996 (Jan 1, 2010)

IPLUMB said:
			
		

> Guys that haul Firewood with your loader bucket. How or what do you use to extend it to haul more wood? just getting new ideas. Pictures please. Thanks



This might be a little overkill but if you are looking to move lots of wood, having a large tractor, dump truck and a few other goodies come in handy -


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## Ducati996 (Jan 1, 2010)

Monkey Wrench said:
			
		

> IPLUMB said:
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Markham is a wonderful company to deal with - with a great reputation....its no accident
they are listed as a sponsor on the following site as well as the below forum is on their site.

www.machineunderground.com


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## Manatarms (Jan 5, 2010)

IPLUMB said:
			
		

> Guys that haul Firewood with your loader bucket. How or what do you use to extend it to haul more wood? just getting new ideas. Pictures please. Thanks



I'm not using anything other than the loader bucket, but my bucket is 84" and I just heap it in.  

Ducati996...just curious about your grapple...can you grab a load of split wood with that grapple, or will it fall out/get stuck in between the tines?  I'm thinking of getting one for my M59 to move log length wood, bucked logs and split wood.

-mark


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## Danno77 (Jan 5, 2010)

i don't get to use such cool equipment for my wood ventures, but my dad has those fork lifts for his loader. you just drive right into them and crank down with some handles. I would think you could buy a sheet of plywood and cut to the size of your bucket and throw that right in there.


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## Ducati996 (Jan 5, 2010)

Manatarms said:
			
		

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Great question and something I rectified after owning it and using it on splits. I had someone close up some of the gaps and add reverse angle teeth on ends for better grip on logs. When you order a grapple -regardless from whom, its very easy to have it specified to your specific needs. 

You have a M59?  that is a real, real nice powerful machine....way to go!  Sorry just read your profile - congrats!

You shouldnt go as large as your bucket regarding grapple size....you have a 7 ft FEL bucket, so going 6 ft or less would work well for you.
The smaller grapple works better (better concentrated bite) In my opinion, then one that is large....something to keep in mind


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## gzecc (Jan 5, 2010)

Iplumb, Did you consider using your 3point (if you have one) with forks, to lift pallets full of splits?  Or is this for just rounds?


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## billb3 (Jan 5, 2010)

For rounds, I've toyed with the idea of bolt on pallet forks.

Right now I'm dumping into a trailer towed by a truck, but my next project that truck won't access.



I have a backhoe on my tractor which also comes in handy to pick up a log to  get another round under to cut, also as ballast, which would come in handy when adding pallet forks to counter balance.


A trailer might end up easier.


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## Ducati996 (Jan 5, 2010)

gzecc said:
			
		

> Iplumb, Did you consider using your 3point (if you have one) with forks, to lift pallets full of splits?  Or is this for just rounds?



I think it would be economically easier for him to get standard pallet forks, and have so more flexiblity using his SSQA attachment on his loader. His machine will lift a full pallet of wood with ease using the front


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## Manatarms (Jan 5, 2010)

Ducati996 said:
			
		

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Thanks for the info.  I really like the idea of "biting" into the pile rather than trying to scoop up the wood with the loader, which doesn't work well most of the time.  

I agree on the size issue, and was thinking of going for a ~72 inch unit.  Now the big problem is the model and type.  I like the bottom tine design of your Markham unit.  The longer bottom tines with the upswept tips seem to be the best design for grabbing wood and holding the largest quantity of wood possible, regardless of whether or not it's in log or split form.  

Here's a pic of one from Unlimited Fabrication that is similar to what I'm describing:





I'm leaning away from the "clamshell" designs...they seem to be too shallow mouthed for grabbing wood (although maybe has a more powerful bite due to geometry and better designed for breaking concrete, etc.)

Here's a list of the manufactures I could find that seem to make ones that fit the bill:
Unlimited Fabrication
Loflin Fabrication
Markham Welding 
Construction Attachements (still in business?)

I guess putting aside tine spacing, thickness and opening size, what other features make the price difference between these unit?  Steel quality?  Piston quality?

-Mark


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## Ducati996 (Jan 6, 2010)

[/quote]

Thanks for the info.  I really like the idea of "biting" into the pile rather than trying to scoop up the wood with the loader, which doesn't work well most of the time.  

I agree on the size issue, and was thinking of going for a ~72 inch unit.  Now the big problem is the model and type.  I like the bottom tine design of your Markham unit.  The longer bottom tines with the upswept tips seem to be the best design for grabbing wood and holding the largest quantity of wood possible, regardless of whether or not it's in log or split form.  

Here's a pic of one from Unlimited Fabrication that is similar to what I'm describing:


I'm leaning away from the "clamshell" designs...they seem to be too shallow mouthed for grabbing wood (although maybe has a more powerful bite due to geometry and better designed for breaking concrete, etc.)

Here's a list of the manufactures I could find that seem to make ones that fit the bill:
Unlimited Fabrication
Loflin Fabrication
Markham Welding 
Construction Attachements (still in business?)

I guess putting aside tine spacing, thickness and opening size, what other features make the price difference between these unit?  Steel quality?  Piston quality?

-Mark[/quote]

Below would be two others to look at -  Horst welding and WR Long

http://www.wrlonginc.com/rbg.htm 

Me personally Im not a big fan of the two grapple design - gets too awkward in grabbing & lifting and holding on to things.
Your M59 has the lift ability, but smaller machines have to keep the weight of the grapple in mind, so it dosent take away from the FEL lifting ability. Skid Steer grapples weight over 1k pound and more....

Your application may vary so maybe discuss with manufacturer about your specific needs - like wood splits and how the gaps need to be closed up somewhat then standard offerings....or with logs, some reverse teeth really help hold the log in place for transport...

Good luck


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## Manatarms (Jan 6, 2010)

Duc,

What kind of grapple are you running?  What do you mean by "reverse teeth"?

-Mark


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## MNBobcat (Jan 6, 2010)

Grapples do not work well for split wood.  It seems one chunk of wood always gets wedged in the grapple preventing it from closing and allowing most of the wood to fall out of the grapple.


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## Ducati996 (Jan 6, 2010)

Manatarms said:
			
		

> Duc,
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> What kind of grapple are you running?  What do you mean by "reverse teeth"?
> 
> -Mark



WR Long grapple.....by reverse teeth I mean jagged teeth that prevent logs or other from slipping down


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## Ducati996 (Jan 7, 2010)

MNBobcat said:
			
		

> Grapples do not work well for split wood.  It seems one chunk of wood always gets wedged in the grapple preventing it from closing and allowing most of the wood to fall out of the grapple.



That can happen for sure, trial and error and you get a good bunch.....if the wood is on concrete and your have blocks lined up (like a mason yard/gravel yard) then a big FEL bucket does great


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## wellbuilt home (Jan 7, 2010)

I made a ply wood box out of 3/4 ply . 
 We bolt the bottom of the box  thru the teeth mounting holes  in the bucket . 
The sides are 3/4 ply with 2x4 around the top . The box is 5' x4' deep 3' high .
 I only carry 1/3 of a cord at a time   ,and hand load the box as we split. 

  I like pallet forks . I also use pallets and stack 1/3 of a cord on each pallet i can stack them 3 high and save space .  John


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## Danno77 (Jan 7, 2010)

wellbuilt home said:
			
		

> I made a ply wood box out of 3/4 ply .
> We bolt the bottom of the box  thru the teeth mounting holes  in the bucket .
> The sides are 3/4 ply with 2x4 around the top . The box is 5' x4' deep 3' high .
> I only carry 1/3 of a cord at a time   ,and hand load the box as we split.
> ...


lol, if there aren't pictures, it never happened!


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## wetwood (Jan 7, 2010)

Bucket or forks to load trunks and rounds on the trailer. If just topping off the stack by the house I will use the bucket but if it is more than a couple trips then use the pickup.


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Jan 7, 2010)

Hey wetwood . . . that one on the right . . . how'd that split?? ;-)


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## Manatarms (Jan 7, 2010)

Here's a bucket load of wood from brought up from my stockpile to be staged on the deck for burning in the King.  I find that if you take the time to stack it up in the bucket, you can load quite a bit more.  However, I really think the pallet cube/box method will be the next one I try.  Move 1/3 a cord up at a time and then reload when empty.
















-Mark


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## wetwood (Jan 8, 2010)

ISeeDeadBTUs said:
			
		

> Hey wetwood . . . that one on the right . . . how'd that split?? ;-)




Those splits aren't pretty but they will burn just fine.


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## Ducati996 (Jan 10, 2010)

Manatarms said:
			
		

> Here's a bucket load of wood from brought up from my stockpile to be staged on the deck for burning in the King.  I find that if you take the time to stack it up in the bucket, you can load quite a bit more.  However, I really think the pallet cube/box method will be the next one I try.  Move 1/3 a cord up at a time and then reload when empty.
> 
> -Mark



I would say you should be able to hold enough wood in the monsterious 84" bucket - compared to my pale and wimpy 72"....did I tell you Im jealous?  LOL   .....love that machine...how do you trailer it - me thinks NJ & NY trailering rules are similar....because of that I wasnt able to entertain the M59......kicking myself each day 

P.S  I would add more light in the front - an extra set of lights does wonders, since these days Im in the dark loading trucks or the bucket....never enough light, and the stock 2 lights in the front, just arent enough...they plug right in, 5 minute upgrade....


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## Manatarms (Jan 10, 2010)

Ducati996 said:
			
		

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I think most of the country is basically the same as far as license/weight requirements go...however I note there appears to be a difference in the enforcement of the laws.  I've heard from that you need a CDL to pull a trailer that exceeds 10k in some states, however in NJ, some local cops told me that only applies if your combined weight exceeds 26,001....so if you had a 12k GVWR truck, pulling a 14k GVWR trailer, you wouldn't need a CDL in NJ.  That being said, I don't have a truck right now, so I don't move her around.  I guess I would get a CDL if I anticipated problems. 

Don't you have a 550 mason dump?  Whats the GVWR on that... 15K?... so you can have an 10k trailer ..give 2k to the trailer and you can pull 8k tractor?  

I definately need more lights...how much are they?

-Mark


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