#458

In this video Chris and I try to perfect the 4 totes at a time method for splitting firewood fast with the ‪@EastonmadeWoodSplitters‬ 22-28 with attached conveyor.
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Featured Equipment at the Dude Ranch:
Kubota L3901
Eastonmade 22-28 w/ Attached 16' Conveyor
Erskine Industrial Grapple
Big Tool Rack Tractor Carry All
Everything Attachments 55” Wicked Root Rake Grapple
WoodMaxx MX-8800 Chipper
Land Pride RCR-1260 Rotary Cutter
RuggedMade RS-737 Log Splitter with Auto Cycle and Hydraulic Wedge Lift
Stihl MS 192 T
Stihl MS 200 T
Stihl MS 201 T
Stihl MS 290 Farm Boss
Stihl MS 362
Stihl MS 500i
Husqvarna 455 Rancher
Husqvarna 580 BFS Backpack Blower
Milwaukee Hatchet Handheld Chainsaw
Mingo Marker Firewood Measuring Tool
Accu-Mark Magnetic Firewood Marking Stick
Polaris Sportsman 500 H.O.
International 4700LP Hook Lift Truck
Sure-Trac 7'x14' Low Profile HD Dump Trailer w/ Custom Built Log Arch & Winch

[@HometownAcres]

Those new cylinders are pretty damn impressive

[@DudeRanchDIY]

I was surprised by how much more control I had doing that full tote lift

[@1squirreldog]

As for changing from forks to grapple as you work I found a solution that works for me . I keep the grapple on the loader & have a set of 3pt forks on the back . That keeps me from changing implement’s & if I need more weight to move logs I just put a tote of wood on the 3pt forks . Works great for me . Also the 3pt forks can pick up more than the loader & are not terribly expensive .

[@DudeRanchDIY]

I’ve seen those over on Old Guy Firewoods channel, they work well for him!

[@davidedwards3734]

I like the way you two are always trying to improve your working process!! Stay Hydrated and Have a Safe Day

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Always trying to make the workflow better!

[@workingmanrondoyle3287]

Hey guy's, once you figure out the 4 tote position. Make some ground marking pins. Take 4 qty. 1/2"x 16" long rebar and weld a large ½"dock washer to one end and paint florescent orange. You should be able to see them from the tractor's seat - the snow lol... good luck in perfecting this filling method 👍👍

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Haha wait till you see what we did Ron, great minds think alike!

[@glennharbonic8132]

That's why I like watching your channel! You and Chris always try to become more efficient and are always receptive to suggestions. Keep going cause I'm gonna keep watching!!

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Awesome! Thanks for watching!

[@lifeontherez]

Firewood is all about being more efficient. Cant wait to have a set up like y'all have. Great work fellas!

[@DudeRanchDIY]

You got that right! Thanks for watching

[@Fishnboy75]

I'm here in CT. always trying to find a few IBC totes to store my firewood and now I see why I can't find any.......... they are all in your firewood lot!!!! 😄😃

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Haha yeah I got a few good suppliers in the area

[@cliffjenkins6419]

Love these winter vids! Great scenery and I've cut a load or two firewood in my 73 yrs, but never cut logs with couple of inchs of snow on them. Great stuff guys. Cheers from HB NZ

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Glad you enjoy them! Haha the snow dulls the chain real quick believe it or not

[@lyleharkness-rv5vf]

Good video 👍 I like how you guys are alway analyzing what works and what doesn't and tweak how you do things. Loved the one handed drink holding, round loading technique you used early in the video 🤣 Maybe after you get your 4 totes lined up perfectly, you could put 3 railroad ties down with the front side open so you have a reference for placing the next 4?

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Haha I barely spilled a drop of coffee!

[@thomasgreene5750]

Give'em a long weekend, and we have to re-train the help.😊

[@DudeRanchDIY]

lol we keep evolving and needing to relearn our own process!

[@billobermeyer660]

As usual love the drone footage and you will nail the firewood foursome in short order!

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Thanks! I hope so, foursomes don’t really work without a little nailing 🤣

[@thehogslogs8631]

Hey Jake and Chris, four tote system is working well for me too. Still tweaking the tote positioning. I'm able to adjust the elevator height to make adjustments on the fly as the totes start to get full. Love the drone footage. Mike 🔥🪵🇺🇸

[@DudeRanchDIY]

I saw! Looked like it worked great for you, almost like you had been arranging the wood a bit by hand as well? Unfortunately the shelter kind of gets in the way of raising the conveyor to aim the wood.

[@jamesgaul1022]

I agree with a comment below regarding the installation of a small extension to the end of the conveyor. After filling the 2 closest large totes, drop the extension into place and continue splitting. With it, you could probably use 2 large totes behind the 2 that you had filled and eliminate the need for the smaller totes. The extension could be vertically supported from the top rail of one of the 2 filled totes for additional support. Hope this all makes sense. Also, you might consider marking and covering all of your totes at one time rather than each time you move them. Consolidating activities may lead to a time savings?

[@DudeRanchDIY]

I think that’s a good idea, we are going to try to standardize the placement of the totes under the conveyor first to see if we can find that sweet spot without having to build or modify anything

[@oldguyfirewood]

Jake, your drone flying skills are really getting good! I too struggled with the on/off issue with the front pallet forks and grapple. I ended up getting a set of 3 pt pallet forks and it’s working great. I can move the pallets around and keep the grapple on the front. I did a video several months ago on the 3 pt forks. They’re built like a tank and were only $300 from Agri Supply here in NC.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Yeah I’ve seen your rear pallet forks! They work well! I of course have a much more complicated and expensive solution for the problem that will be here soon 😂

[@oldguyfirewood]

@@DudeRanchDIY love it! Can’t wait to see. I’m thinking dedicated forks like mini skid or skid?

[@DaveDunehew-e1f]

Would a small extension work to reach out to back totes. Hang it off your grizzly bars just to reach the back totes then once they are 3/4 full you could remove the extension & let everything fill up. Quite simple to make, width of your bars & long enough to rest on edge of tall totes & wood would go flying into the smaller totes out front. The best piece of metal would be stainless steel. It would never rust & is solid steel. You could also spray it with a silicone type substance to make it even more slippery. Love your videos. Keep practicing & you will get it figured out. Dave from Maine.😊😊

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Yep that’s a good idea! We are going to try to standardize the placement of the totes first before building anything and see if can get good results consistently

[@OneEyeCustoms]

Please tell Chris he always looks like he is ready to pull a gun on someone.😂😂 3:20

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Someone?? ME, he wants me to shut up! 🤣🤣

[@RP09691]

Maybe throw some railroad ties as a border for quick reference pinned in with rebar. This way you can just bump the totes right up to them. Doing good work!

[@DudeRanchDIY]

I like that idea!

[@LogCabinFirewood]

I'm impressed with the new mods to the hydraulics, looks like a lot more stable lifting. Stay safe up there guys, nice cutting/ splitting sesh 💪

[@DudeRanchDIY]

I’ve been pretty impressed with them as well, very smooth while under load!

[@TwinCityFirewood]

Great video. Very much enjoyed it!! 👊🏻

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching!

[@georgesalamon8128]

Jake, the last time that it worked I don't know about the same size totes but you had all four totes centered with the grizzley bars so they all will fill up evenly.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Yep keeping the placement consistent is the key

[@joshsilvers3937]

I agree, have the 2 largest totes closest to the convayor then it will naturally spill over into the short totes in the front. Another idea is maybe look into grapple forks save switching over attachments.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

We got something coming that will solve the attachment swapping!

[@gilesy7169]

How about a small concrete pad to the size of the four totes to align them quickly and consistently? 🤔 keep up the great work guys 🍻🍻

[@DudeRanchDIY]

That would probably be the best way to keep things consistent for now, but we got some stuff coming that will change all that…

[@ronniespikes9089]

It looks like rocket science to me!

[@DudeRanchDIY]

It is rocket science! 🚀

[@andrewsamanthamadison3320]

That hat is SICK! Y’all need to practice aiming your wood more! Keep missin the target! 😂

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Haha I love the hat, yeah aim was never my strong suit 😂

[@thomasgreene5750]

Drive four guide stakes into the ground to properly locate the far side totes. One in front of the front-far-side tote, one on the far side of each of the far-side totes, and one behind the back far-side tote. That way you always get them in the right place the first time.

[@thomasgreene5750]

Alternatively, drive one guide stake at the center position shared by all four totes. That reduces the number of stakes and allows you to more easily mix and match tote sizes

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Yep both of these ideas I really like, quick, simple, and effective

[@FestusHaggen-e5u]

Enjoyed the intro music!

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Thanks!

[@markphillips5724]

Try using metal roofing panels as an extension to the chute. This should reduce the amount of times swapping out the grapple and forks.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

That’s a good idea

[@robertschmidt6383]

You should install side panels, one on each end side of the conveyor so the wood only drops into the bin at the end of the exit cycle.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

That could work, maybe even a diverter to aim the wood a bit

[@bwillan]

Time to mark the outline of a perfectly aligned set of totes on the ground. It should help with repositioning future totes. That is if you keep doing the 4 tote fill method.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Yep that’s the plan!

[@johanlarsson456]

Hi, this is interesting. the drain grid makes them pivotable and with an extension track on it or something like that. have them on my drainer.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

I’ve seen pivoting systems, that would be neat to make

[@jramsdenbb]

Good video Gents. Keep trying, something is bound to click. Maybe a rebar “cone” welded up and placed on top in the middle of the 4 totes? Should be easy to pull out when the totes are full… Just thinking out loud for a cheap possible solution.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

For now I think a way to consistently denote the placement of the totes will be the simplest and easiest method for accurate filling

[@adamzito5181]

Set that tool rack off to the side and buy yourself a 3ph to QA adaptor for the rear. Put the pallet forks on the back. Now you can move totes and logs with out switching attachments.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

I got something coming that will solve the problem

[@TheRustyGarageandHomestead]

Great video guys. New Sub here. Glad to see you always trying to improve the ways you do tasks. What drone have you been using it takes great videos As far as putting the totes in the same spot every time to speed things up but it would be a good idea to put down a few rail road ties or something solid. So you just butt the tote up against the tie so you know its im the same spot everytime.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Welcome to the channel! Always trying to make the process better, I’m using the DJI Mini Pro 4. Yes I think we will be putting down some markers or “frame” once we dial it in

[@TheRustyGarageandHomestead]

@@DudeRanchDIY that mini pro 4 takes awsome footage. Keep it up

[@robertframe7310]

Hey Jake and Chris how are you doing I'm good just wanted to say hi and great job and great video

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Thanks Robert!

[@williedunn4549]

Hey Jake, I would love to hear Chris finish answering your questions. Are you aware of how often you interrupt him on your videos? I'm not critical, just being friendly.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Yes that’s something I need to work on… I hear it while editing and always feel bad! Because we don’t script anything (or even plan what the video is about) you’re seeing us thinking, analyzing, and discussing as it’s happening and he usually says something that makes me think of something and I’ll just blurt it out! I don’t do it intentionally, I guess just so I don’t forget!

[@craigkay7891]

I used to do firewood like U guys . I found a guy with a Cord King processor . Spilts 17 Bush cord an hour ! I call him in every Spring ! Around $500 ! Those Easton made box wedges produce to much Chaffe !

[@DudeRanchDIY]

That’s a hell of a deal!

[@joshjastromb5964]

Why not try a set of 3pt pallet forks for the tractor? It would eliminate the need to switch back and forth to the grapple.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

That certainly would work! I have something coming that should help with this issue

[@tlaughlin1969]

Maybe hanging a string Bob from the center of the grizzly bars will make it easier to align your totes under the grizzly bars. My uneducated 2 cents.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

I thought of that but nothing is really centered under the grizzlies since the wood kind of shoots off the end. We have been trying to center the totes on the middle bar of the grizzlies

[@WoodysRTBFirewood]

Hello Jake and Chris Qqq- are you finding it more advantageous to buy a truckload of logs versus getting free tree service wood ? Cost versus production time and speed. Cheers Woody !!!

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Hey woody, I haven’t bought any loads of logs, what you see was all dropped for free or I was paid to haul it off my own jobs.

[@BentIronBins]

You live in a beautiful part of the country. Do you buy wood or get it from other tree companies aswell as your own.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Thank you, I consider myself very fortunate! I don’t buy or pay for any wood, quite the opposite actually. I get it from my own tree jobs as well as another company

[@BentIronBins]

@@DudeRanchDIY it would be nice if you could film some more tree felling if it’s possible if not all good 😉

[@DudeRanchDIY]

@BentIronBins as the spring approaches I will start doing more tree work again 👍🏼

[@cboutdoorfun9955]

On a typical firewood day how much time do you have available to work? I think that’s what you need to look at for improving efficiency. I wonder how it would be if you had a firewood bucket to try filling 4 totes. You could just split into a pile and then scoop out of it into the totes

[@DudeRanchDIY]

On a typical day after work when filming we have about 2 hours. Saturdays usually 2-5 hours, keep in mind we just kind of work when we want to and mess around and drink beer when we don’t! I actually made a video not long ago loading 4 totes with my tractor bucket experimenting, worked well!

[@barney1941]

will that there KU-BOATER lift a 330 gallon tote stacked?

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Sure will, if you want to come stack a 330 I’ll show ya! 😂

[@chrisgramstorff996]

Nice job , how do you like the flat face couplings ?

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Love them, much easier than standard ag

[@nmancini]

What’s in the mug? Typical new England’s ice coffee from dunks?

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Yup 👍🏼

[@EverythingElliott]

if only you had a second machine...once for forks, one for the grapple...

[@EverythingElliott]

MACHINE

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Wow that’s a great idea and one I’ve never even given any little bit of thought to at all in my entire life.

[@josevelasco3245]

Measure twice cut once lol

[@DudeRanchDIY]

Yup 😂

[@mark-ew8hk]

I just use the forks to more the logs and the totes too easy to use

[@DudeRanchDIY]

It’s definitely doable but the forks make it hard to place the logs on our “cutting logs”

[@bobwilkinson4377]

get a swinging elevater

[@DudeRanchDIY]

That would be a nice improvement to the current machine

[@jamesoncross7494]

Awwww what a nice hard working gay couple.

[@DudeRanchDIY]

☺️ stopppp

[@yannst-pierre719]

next step. improving the bucking station,, bring those two log 8 inch higher,, maybe 8" ties underneat

[@DudeRanchDIY]

We got something coming that I’m hoping will help with bucking!