redneck engineering

[dkff49]

I know we have all had to "rig" up something from bits and pieces around the house. I am especially proud of this one though. It is not the safest thing out there, but it is getting the job done very well and seems to be holding up ok.

With a couple of landscaping ties and a couple of 2x4's and and old boat trailer winch (that i retired because it was starting to slip ) and a come-a-long that has been barely used since I bought it 8 years ago. I managed to create a lift that I can take into a field or in the woods to retrieve the really big pieces of firewood. Using this I have loaded pieces of wood weighing a couple of hundred pounds by myself and it only took 3 hours to build.












me standing proudly beside my creation



this last one was my buddies idea so he could photoshop it too look like we picked up the piece up by ourselves




feel free to comment or show your own piece of redneck engineering

[caldera]

A couple hundred pounds? Isn't that balsa wood? 

That is some serious redneck handiwork. Btw is that Lawntard in the pic with you?

[dkff49]

thanks cal and no that is not lawndart.

[mechanic]

Looks usefull. We usualy chop the really big logs into quarters or eighths and throw them on from a distance:D


How is you back axel and suspension holding out?

[dkff49]

Looks usefull. We usualy chop the really big logs into quarters or eighths and throw them on from a distance:D


How is you back axel and suspension holding out?

very well actually. i have a tendancy to max out the capacity of my truck anyway. this load is nothing out of the ordinary, Toyota is one tough truck

I opted out of the quartering idea since these pieces have knots in them that are as big as average size trees, which means I would either work my backside off (note pic of me that shows that I have little to give up) or cut them with saw which still means tons of work and still not have them home yet. I can load these pieces up in about 5-10 minutes by myself even faster with a friend.

I will be saving this lift for other heavy lifting that my need to be done in future.

[mechanic]

Yeah, it is far more practical to take two or three big logs than humping 50 small ones 

Toyota makes a fine truck you're right, our Hilux moved on, now using a mistubishi and i hate it (no work anymore anyhow). Good truck too, but just seems like i dont want to scratch it, the toyota was a rugged beast from the start.

I have never had to move logs that size, i admit.

[Masherbrum]

very well actually. i have a tendancy to max out the capacity of my truck anyway. this load is nothing out of the ordinary, Toyota is one tough truck

I opted out of the quartering idea since these pieces have knots in them that are as big as average size trees, which means I would either work my backside off (note pic of me that shows that I have little to give up) or cut them with saw which still means tons of work and still not have them home yet. I can load these pieces up in about 5-10 minutes by myself even faster with a friend.

I will be saving this lift for other heavy lifting that my need to be done in future.

You might want to try and substitute the chain for some cable.   It's tensile strength is higher and is less likely to sever, just make sure the path has nothing to fray the cable.    Chains just don't have the safety that some think it does.   I've witnessed extractions from mud that a chain has sheered, narrowly missing an observer/or driver (One in the former Paragon Off Road Park near you).   Sadly, here in Michigan at least one person dies instantly from this a year and it is avoidable.   

I'm just trying to pass along some safety tips dkff.   

[dkff49]

You might want to try and substitute the chain for some cable.   It's tensile strength is higher and is less likely to sever, just make sure the path has nothing to fray the cable.    Chains just don't have the safety that some think it does.   I've witnessed extractions from mud that a chain has sheered, narrowly missing an observer/or driver (One in the former Paragon Off Road Park near you).   Sadly, here in Michigan at least one person dies instantly from this a year and it is avoidable.   

I'm just trying to pass along some safety tips dkff.   

Much appreciated mashbrum and very good advice. I am out of cable at this time since the last piece I had left is being used on the log to provide a lift point. If I use this little device later on though I may purchase a length of cable for that.

Really though my biggest  concern is the fact that the A-frame is not fastened to the bed at all. The only thing holding it down to the bed while lifting is the weight of the log itself. This is the reason why the rule was placed into effect that only 1 person at a time is anywhere near it while it is holding weight and we are to stay out of the line of fire of the cables and chain as much as possible.  Due to the fact that there would be no fastening points between the A-frame and the truck bed I put the lift point at the top of the A-frame behind the point that the chain is fastened at the top. This put the weight of the log onto the bed more so than the chain, which has worked very well to this point.

Thanks for your concern Mashbrum

[skullman]

whatever works I have done alot worse

[druski85]

Small chains/cables + high weight make me nervous    A buddy of mine used to work in the ER, and saw some messed up stuff from that going wrong. 

That being said, I like any redneck engineering.  I had an old 92 S-10 that was half wooden, half Rustoleum    My brother bought it really cheap since the bed was completely rotted out.  We chopped her off, sanded her down, and rebuilt it with pressure treated lumber    Throw a couple sand-bags on there for weight over the drive tires during a western New York winter, and you're in business.  I'll see if I can find a picture of the old beast somewhere. 

[oakranger]

i didnt know there are rednecks in PA. 

[dkff49]

well the term i usually use is a little too politically incorrect and would mostly likely be skuzzified.

[Twister2]

i didnt know there are rednecks in PA. 

Not only rednecks but Amish rednecks. Kind of a scary thought.

[druski85]

PA is chocked full of em.  As is the southern tier of New York, and parts of central/upstate.  They/we migrate frequently. 

[dkff49]

Not only rednecks but Amish rednecks. Kind of a scary thought.

you have that wrong twister

i am redneck converted from amish.