Save Your Back

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Battenkiller

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Nov 26, 2009
3,741
Just Outside the Blue Line
The recent thread on hernias got me thinking maybe this trick might help some folks load that truck out in the field:

(broken link removed)
 
One reason I process my own firewood is for the exercise. Lifting a round that is already at tailgate height is not the problem. Lifting one up from the ground is harder. I like to use a P-handle dolly to move rounds that are on the ground.
 
Battenkiller said:
The recent thread on hernias got me thinking maybe this trick might help some folks load that truck out in the field:

(broken link removed)

When I first saw the pictures, I was thinking that you would drive the truck forward with the far end of the lift roped or chained to the truck so that you wouldn't even have to lift. I guess the long length makes a long enough lever to lift the weight.
I used to struggle lifting big stuff onto the truck, then I started bringing an 8' long 2x12 to roll them up, now I just brig my Fiskars and half or quarter the big ones to make them light enough to lift.
 
Very good idea. Simple to make.
An old man's back will have one next time I go for wood.
I think that's how I hurt my back, on the last load 4 weeks ago, I had some 20" rounds & wrestled them on the truck.
Now I'm walking around like a cripple. Should have left them there but one round was almost a day's worth of heat.
Thanks for sharing,
 
I can see why someone wishing to turn a round on a lathe or do wood work from a big round would need to keep the round as 1 piece. Rather then make this leverage and then lift it - I just sledge and wedge my big rounds into liftable sizes. It's a quick fix.

Interesting tool however and one that could work for other heavy items, when working solo.
 
basswidow said:
Interesting tool however and one that could work for other heavy items, when working solo.


Yup. I'll have to keep this one some place in the brain where I can find it again. :lol:
 
I can certainly see where this thing would work and save a lot of backs. Thanks for posting it. (I wonder if it would help my wife? Maybe I could talk her into a few more jobs.)
 
They look pretty useful to me. I bookmarked two pages from that site. Might use these ideas later. Thanks!
 
That's a nice lever, but you still have to get one end from your ankles to your knees.
Ever since I fell and hurt my back years ago I've been careful with the ankles to the knees part of lifting.
Really careful and tend to nag those around me about it, too. Sorry.

Ironic that the last time I strained my back it was bending over to pick up a piece of paper.
 
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