Transport from wood ?

[DN22 Gardening]

Hi all, me AGAIN !!!!!!

 

Just been given a 4 Acre wood to manage, not huge, but a fair bit of wood to come out as its not been touched (hardly) in the last 20 years.

 

A local guy started it 2 years ago, but gave up as he got snowed under with wood. He's actually left about 30 ton cut to length on the wood floor.

 

The main problem with the wood is extraction. There will be access available in Autumn through a farmers field. Other than that, there is limited access (4' width) through the clients garden.

 

Thought about buying a quad for skidding and getting the wood already felled out, but round here the ASBO's pinch them for fun. They recently dismantled the complete rear wall of a brick built garage to get one.

 

Could get hold of a compact tractor, but feel it'd destroy the guys manicured lawns.

 

Then i thought of using one of the old ride on's. Take the deck off and it'd have halfway decent ground clearance. The only problem would be its ability to tow a small trailer. If i could get it to pull 3/400kg's it'd be a go'er

 

Anyone have experience of a similar situation ?

[hiluxstihl]

i moved 6 tons of cut firewood with a rideon and a little rubbermaid trailer! i wouldnt publicise it really but it worked.... the castlegarden left way less tracks than the quad, slower, less powerful but in a low gear they will do the job the finest!

[Goaty]

We use a compact in the woods then lead it to woodside in long lengths so its not nickable, then at harvest we grab it and take it home to process in september, Logs are ready for december.

 

Stack them off the floor in heaps in the wood and its suprising how they dry out in time.

[treedave]

How bigs the compact tractor you can get hold of? A way to get round the lawn damage is boards - ply or HDPE depending on how you feel on the costs v's investment. Then if you can get a bigger sheep trailer behind the tractor you should be onto a winner.

Eg's

Ground Protection Mats - Temporary Road Panels - Portable Road Surfaces

TF604B Double Axle ATV Trailer

[DN22 Gardening]

How bigs the compact tractor you can get hold of? A way to get round the lawn damage is boards - ply or HDPE depending on how you feel on the costs v's investment.

 

The wood is approx 700mts accross his lawns, thought about the ply route but would need about 200 of em !!!!!

 

We've got a little 4 x 3 trailer that will just fit through the gap (on a stairway)

we've used it behind a quad for transporting aggregates up a garden before.

 

It'd be an ideal excuse for the firm to buy a quad ( been wanting one for a while), but i'm a very light sleeper atm due to our local travelling community 'wandering' through my back garden on a monthly basis (last visit, last thursday evening 03:30am). if i had a quad in the container, or garage, i'd never sleep

[headgroundsman]

700 mts acrooss his lawns??? Forget the woods and quote for lawn mowing

[woody paul]

700m across lawn that's not a lawn It's a field. someone on here uses rubber conveyer belting on lawns before but your best bet sounds like farmers field after harvest best to keep it simple and cheap.

[hiluxstihl]

if you buy a quad buy a beretta! instant peace of mind! ah no. the quads are great but love to wheelspin

[DN22 Gardening]

Got a cabinet full of the 12 bore noise making thingies...and i would use one if needed

 

But i'd also end up in prison while the scroat i'd winged sued me for every penny (and get it)

[turbull]

We have a small woodland for the thinning we are going to hire in a small tracked dumper 2 ton at £200 per week .