Building A Log Hauling Trailer

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[@mtness1721]

Perplexed: Not sure who is more beautiful...April, or her confidence in speaking and material handling and building!!! Much respect to you!!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thanks! :)

[@rayjones3212]

April, you have the ability to handle "Where there's a will, there's a way!" Love seeing the things you build and how you approach everything you do. That is what makes this channel so interesting. Thanks for sharing with all of us!

[@wadegadberry4211]

Just built an Alaskan style chain saw mill for my buddy. We were discussing how to load logs onto our trailers. We didn't want anything permanent, Then along comes April with an Answer. Keep up the good work.

[@joelegrand5903]

When I retire, I want to harvest a large oak to make tables & benches from my own wood. I got everything worked out, but the moving of the logs to the mill was still a big problem. Now it is just a project away, thanks April!!

[@MrLightPanda]

That’s awesome. When you control every aspect of a project like getting your wood straight from nature, I think it makes you that much more creative

[@sandrarichardson2713]

I have seen propane companies use something along this line for moving tanks. It must work very well and especially for those dealers who cannot afford the big truck with a little crane on it to load or move tanks. This is really awesome watching you put this all together. Thank you so much. Jesus bless.

[@andders2477]

nice project and well done. I would add two inclined struts to keep the arch up so you can pull and lift at the same time. It can also be used for unloading.

[@mesquitemike4450]

Nice work! I found that chocking the trailer and truck tires also helps when first lifting the really heavy logs off the ground. It sometimes wants pull the trailer back and rolls over the stabilizing jacks. Matt makes it look so easy!

[@papasteve215]

Ma’am. Great build as always. I have been assembling pretty much the same type set up as you for the past few years since I have retired. I have built a chainsaw mill and as soon as I can get back to work I’m building a kiln and completing a shop. I’ve been fighting a second round of cancer ( thank you Agent Orange) so I’m having to take a couple of months off. And I think this arch will be a project I’ll build soon. I’m so thankful to see you wearing proper clothing for welding now. If I may, when drilling larger holes in metal a good rule of thumb is to drill your pilot hole approximately the same size as the bit twist , or the size of the point of the bit, and then drill with the final size of the hole needed rather than stepping up the size of the bit little by little. Great job, y’all do such a good job videoing your work. Thanks.

[@kennethpierce7304]

Awesome! I love the outtake at the end of the video. I’ve been there and done that as they say as I work by myself. Looking forward to seeing more videos. Thanks.

[@kreglamirand2637]

Very nice build. I'm a professional climber/arborist on the south coast of BC. Moving logs is a constant issue here and although this doesn't solve the "getting logs out of tight back yard" problem, it solves many of the other ones.

[@hispeed69]

Another Great project April. You should look into trailer skid rollers to protect your angle you welded on the rear of the trailer. Great addition to any long trailer carrying a load. Additionally, please balance a heavy load just barely forward your two axles center point to safely haul that weight and prevent swaying. The longer distances at highway speed will show it’s importance. You can add a bar across the top of your rail that you place in front of your logs to act as the forward stop to prevent sliding when braking. Hard to explain but simple to do with your building/welding skills. I’ve gotta add this lift to mine now! Thanks!

[@mcremona]

Great work April! I'm super pumped to build another mill with you!!!

[@DaddyBear3000]

Matthew Cremona love you guys working together👍🏼

[@HandToolRescue]

9ft wide!

[@JohnMGibby]

Just finished your gigantic band saw video series. Awesome project!

[@mcremona]

Thanks John!

[@mcremona]

hahah 9' wide so she can cut 9 of those size logs at once!

[@MrRaynemaker]

Greetings Ms Wilkerson. I have loaded a lot of commercial equipment onto a trailer such as this one. A couple of 6 ft. 2X12's is all you need to winch anything onto this trailer. The inclined plane was in use thousands of years before anyone ever heard of a flatbed utility trailer. I enjoy your videos and have great respect for your skills and ability. You tackle and finish some amazing projects.

[@juniorrackley2569]

April if those brackets on the floor where built taller you could drill holes and place a pin to hold that bar once it goes over center. May not be needed but you know how us old guys and their ideas are.

[@michaelbaumgardner9493]

Synthetic winch line works as well. Doesn't store energy as much as wire. Awesome. Doesn't like dirt. Not so awesome. Check links on chain G70 is what I use as a Trucker. Jack stands work as well for trlr supports. The grade of chain is stamped into the link/s.

[@9a7psj]

Any honor, a favor to the beauty of the floor, is rarely seen; that a woman works with iron, slices, peels, varies .. constructs herself !! beautifully, great greeting from Zagreb - Croatia

[@northerniltree]

I use a electro-hydraulic drop down trailer for my logs. It lowers all the way to level flat with the ground. I built heavy duty tube steel side and end walls, bolted on the original trailer to increase it's height about 24". Then I mounted a 10 ton Warn winch to the font wall to pull logs in. The side walls also help to greatly support the pull stress. No need to "get over the hump" as you say. And no need to have that arch smack you on the back of the noggin. Maybe weld some pillows to that side of it?

[@michaelstgeorge3646]

April, I've watched a lot of your videos but when you moved I got out of the routine of checking in to see what you've been up too. Once again found you from us working on similar projects. Glad to see you're still around making good content. The bloopers at the end were funny, that's just how it goes working solo.

[@karlgriggs8887]

April, weld the nuts to the angle iron on the bottom, then removing those plate will work with one wrench. A chain on both side will stop the arch from going to far down in both directions. And a snatch block with a cable lock and release would allow you to use the winch to do all with very little moves. Looks well built!

[@bjwillis43]

Awesome job! If you weld a D-rind to either side of the trailer you will have an anchor point to attach a pulley so you may pull those logs that are not directly behind the trailer... Love your videos, keep them coming!

[@chrisflavelle1200]

It looks like one of the next few projects will be a bench or moveable table for the metal chop saw. Love the head band also and the nod to Rosie The Riveter. Keep up the great work. Always look forward to your videos.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Yep, a table and cutting station is on the list but who knows when I'll be getting to them. My list is very long. : ) Glad you enjoy the videos!

[@TokenViking]

I highly recommend a nylon loop strap for lifting rather than a chain. The chain works well enough for logs, but if you are also going to be moving large stones, the loop strap will save you a ton of headaches.

[@larrybe2900]

April got bit with the 'don't hold me back bug'. Holy heck, just think if it becomes contagious. Exhilarating and not debilitating is what I am talking about. Good build!

[@bernardinodasilva8571]

Excellent job . I like to see the way you are evolving, and your main weapon is the courage, sympathy and above all simplicity. You admit mistakes and the help you have. GREAT . In this work I verified that the lifting bar does not load the objects efficiently inwards, the simple solution is to lock the log chain not directly in the bar but in the pulling chain itself , some 30 or 40 cm or even 50 far from the point where it is now .Add a hook so like that is easy to remove the pulling chain from the bar. If you do this you can continue to pull the log to the interior of the car without great maneuvers. I think you should try.

[@richhiway]

Weld a couple of hooks on the arch. This way you can choke the log, pull the chain through your d ring and then pull the slack and hook the chain at the correct length. Very nice build.

[@dukee3871]

I purchased a SuperJaw as per watching one of your vid's. I love it. I haven't found anything it wouldn't hold. This is a great idea for the log loader also. Thanks fro the great info you treat us to.

[@MikeTheMaker1]

Are there any cons to the SJ?

[@josephsheehan6450]

One of the most consistently great channels on KZbin!

[@869Dansky]

Great idea and amazing workmanship. You seem to be very detailed oriented. One observation is that if you pick up a long log, the log might bind at the back of your trailer restricting movement of the arch once a log is in the trailer and leaning on the arch arm preventing from loading another log if you so desire. I would beef up the sides at the back and mount it of top. Great job though.

[@bretlambky]

Finish the arch first then dry fit it on the trailer to locate the brackets. If there is error in the arch or brackets this will help eliminate any issues. Murphy works in my shop, I bet he visits yours as well.

[@stevesmith8107]

I'd do rollers for sure always helps with big wood or odd shape stuff. I'd recommend some rollers on ramp an also some spaced apart on the flat side of deck too.

[@tblbaby]

That is AWESOME! I love logs and slabs and considered a crane mod to a truck bed/frame to do this. A trailer is much more practical. Maybe a come along on the cable to bring a log up closer? Then Swing it on up. A steel plate up the middle of the trailer for a slide zone would probably save hassle and a lot of wear too. Love where you're going with this. Way too much beautiful wood is just burned up when it could be slabbed up and used for amazing furniture.

[@floydgath1149]

I think it's very cool that you're in the fabrication what we did we have a small trailer and we put an arch on it and we also use it to move round bales what we did is left one side longer than the other when we mounted it go to hydraulic cylinder to the arch so we use the winch to pull the logs Inn and then we take them up with the hydraulic Arch put on the trailer works pretty good

[@unsafe_at_any_speed]

You could make the arch telescopic for pulling the logs all the way to the front in one motion. I use this for liting my snowmobile into my pickup. Just hook it up and push the button on the winch. Gotta love machinery!! Great videos btw

[@jamesmanley6721]

You are awesome. Free tip to use if you choose. A double cut rotary burr will allow a very small tool to make a huge hole at very low stress on the equipment.

[@morgansword]

Found one and thought gotta watch and it was ok as they really mirror things I have built. It's the last fifteen seconds that had me falling out of my wheelchair. I have pulled till my gut hurt or ran end to end trying to get the first one then it gets easy just to see the glad I caught that moment. I have only edited a comment so can't relate to the hours making a video, envy not having this when we did our thing but just for your info box, your finally reaching a dream never ever conceived when living in washington. You can do the happy dance now

[@DJtheDad]

If you have a decently-heavy duty equipment trailer with hinged ramps, make a heavy pinned link between both ramps....and THERE'S YOUR ARCH. My 12k trailer has solid 1.25" steel bars for hinge pins and then 1/4" angle iron ramps -- plenty heavy. Just remember to reference some log weight charts to make sure you don't load over your trailer or truck capacities.

[@russargabright]

Glad I'm not the only one who talks to my projects as I work on them. Great idea April me have to do something similar to my truck, to make it easier to load game into the box.

[@paulsalb1686]

Check out spring loaded Jacks like is used on goose neck trailers also make a stop for your arch that can lock if it travels to far back. Great job!!!

[@walterrider9600]

thank you April . i spent the summer on my 17" bandsaw cutting logs to lumber i have pear , plum , birch and oak with next summer slabbing with chainsaw mill on oak and birch . watch Izzy Swans vids on his chainsaw mill . allways find something better after you spend money good luck

[@jeremyspecce]

Man, that trailer looks like it could pick up Matt's trailer! She's a beaut! I like that it's removable, it would be cool if you could have a pick point in the metal shop to winch the arch to for storage and installation.

[@craigmonteforte1478]

You are a ridiculously awesome Woman who is willing to take on whatever challenge comes your way ! Modifying a trailer to haul logs to mill how freaking cool is that ! I am looking foward to the next phase of you milling your own lumber i do like your design and build a cheap way to add stabilizers in the trailer is picking up scissor jacks at a scrap yard AKA junk yard and welding them onto the trailer frame if you add a inverter to your winch battery bank you can use a variable speed drill to raise and lower the jack instead of worrying about batteries for a cordless its also nice to have 110 outlets for other tasks when out in the woods I always liked Being set up like that as i wired my trailers and used a Honda suitcase generator to power lots of things from music to lighting the Honda had a 12 volt power outlet That i use to power marine flood lights used to light up decks for night fishing or any external lighting works now we have so many inexpensive options online with led lamps etc sorry I'm a lot older than you and ive been pulling trailers of some variety since i was a teenager in South Florida and nothing is more frustrating than trying to do a roadside repair in the dark without good lighting so i learned how to prevent that from ever being a issue on every trailer since along with some spare parts and a few basic tools on open trailers i always mount a lock box with batteries, solar chargers and the inverter so its always with that rig all that gear has saved me lots of aggravation and money by getting me out of some jams along with proper maintenance To the wheel bearings and suspension systems

[@Zerostar369]

Thats awesome April! I have an old dual axle boat trailer I plan on hacking up and turning into a flat bed log hauler with an arch. Ill definitely reference back to this video for inspiration/guidance when that project comes up! Thanks.

[@kimshirley7014]

Rolling tail board could come in handy sometime loading other items on the trailer other than logs. Used them a lot working in the oil patch on our winch trucks and trailers.. Just an idea and 2 cents worth.

[@woodworkingwithdjleblanc6380]

Get yourself a dry cut chop saw if you going to do a lot of metalwork , nice clean cuts , the metal is not hot and your not spaying grinding dust in the air. well worth the money

[@jamiehord1009]

This is an awesome video. I'm a painter by trade although our current builder is getting out of house painting and into land development and I'm getting into welding and milling as I have always done woodworking. So now is the best time for me to build log trailer where I can take the logs off my boss's hands when he drops them in his land development business.

[@Crewdiddy]

Hi April, I would move the pivot brackets up by the wheels to minimize the load on the back end of the trailer and your hitch. You would also have to extend the height of the arch to reach the back of the trailer, but this would also help with getting the logs in further without having to reposition and winch multiple times. Thanks again for your videos.

[@brucemartin5510]

You are just having a blast! Rock on!

[@JamesAllen300]

Love the idea with the trailer!! One idea you might think about is chequered plate to go on top of the wooden floor. It would stop the wood getting all scratched up and ruined and the plate can just be brushed / washed down afterwards.

[@RXRSawdustStation]

For the arch anti-flop support you could try 'swing-out' legs. As the arch reaches the point where it could flop down you'd have two swing-out legs waiting to catch it and when the arch is raised again the legs would lay flush with the arch. Great work on the trailer, April...well done!

[@kevinnobody3052]

Thanks for this one April. I bought a saw mill a while back and life got in the way so I haven't done anything with it until recently and your video tackles a problem I was having with loading logs on my trailer. Thanks

[@erictroutman1571]

April. Always enjoy your vids. Love your energy and willingness to tackle most anything.

[@tundralane256]

First The Positive: I Really Appreciate the craftsmanship, and fab work Now The Negative-Clean The Mill-scale off where the welds are laid. You Need that deeper penetration for added strength, durability, and reiability. Integrity of welds is everything, Especially since you're MIG'ging it instead of STICK Welding it. It May Be running a lil Cold as Well But I'm no Instructor, by any means! Great Video!

[@meaddult5273]

april if you run a heavy wire from engine compartment to hitch you prevent stolen battery and you could also use it as an emergency jumper plus don’t have to worry about life of infrequently used battery. great videos really enjoy watching them.

[@TheBeardedWoodworker]

The ending...the struggle is real. Been there way too many times myself. Thanks for adding that!!

[@KenJ-61]

She is a April of all trades. Smart and thinks things out to make things work.

[@terrystephens1102]

Looking fantastic 👍👍

[@VitorMadeira]

Dear April, I've been following your channel and binge watching your videos for some while now, and let me tell you that this one turned into on of my top 10 favourite ones from you. Thank you so very much and greetings from Portugal.

[@hphillips7425]

Nice job. I am glad you showed the bloopers at the end

[@RobinGingerich]

Nice lift April.... you said you might add a ramp with rollers... you might just add one roller at the edge of the trailer to allow that single pivot point to roll with either the cable or the log... if permanently attached, it could also be your top roller of a ramp..

[@carnagie85]

She is amazing! Does some amazing work. Excellent work.

[@2AKNOT]

What a dream project. Can't wait to see Mat on your channel or you on his.Good luck finding a decent size log around here but I'm up for a road trip if you want to go to Mat's neighborhood to bring some of those beauties back. :D

[@69virgin1966]

I've said it before,there is nothing you can't do once you put your mind to it.Great job. Thanks for sharing and God Bless

[@bobbycresap4440]

Awesome video. You definitely need a huge collab with Matt when you make that amazing Wilkerized Band Saw mill!! This video definitely felt like a homecoming video to the good old April videos. Thank you.

[@Jacksonransom]

If you put a pulleyor a snatch block on the arch instead of a d-ring, and feed the winch line thru that, it will prevent from re-rigging and will lift the log higher eliminating the need for ramps.

[@THISisglmicle]

Well done!

[@kovuk9]

I absolutely LOVE your videos. You have got to be one, if not the most talented individual I have ever seen.

[@waynep343]

drill holes in the side of the top rail on the trailer.. weld bushings thru the hole.. you can now move a pin along to stop the arch from falling over center at various angles by moving the pin along. and still allow it to lay flat on the deck. if you have a multi layer rubber hose section to go over the inside of the pin so the arch gets some cushion. you could even use a urethane roller skate or skate board wheel with the center drilled out to fit on your pin..

[@eccentrickiwicreative2962]

Hi April. Cool build. At one point in the video you mentioned drilling one inch holes for the pin and it looked like this was with a hole saw. You can get an adapter that goes from standard morse taper (2?) that attaches to a rotabroach. It drills super nice clean holes fast. I used one on a log splitter build and drilled one inch holes in 3/4 inch plate easily.

[@willwipf7030]

Great job april ,that last part was a gosh golly darn ,

[@jsimpson8018]

One thing Matt does that you have not mentioned and that is a winch line damper. Not sure exactly what it is called, but all winch lines, especially steel ones will store energy and should they snap that energy can cut a person in half. Mat uses a blanket to some sort of large carpet remnant on his winch line to guard against that. I HIGHLY recommend you do this too. Even if you are out of the way, it could save the back window of your truck.

[@bill154cub]

Thanks I built a 10 k twin axle trailer and you just gave me ideas how I can move logs and heavy steel. Thanks.

[@karljacobson7811]

Awesome work!

[@1towmater1]

Instead of bolting on the deck I used stack pockets on mine. I have an open deck so I can go on the outside. I learned long ago, NEVER buy a trailer with permanent sides unless it's a dump trailer. Spend a little more cause the sides can get in the way alot!

[@theshadow1559]

I would suggest that you construct a single wide roller made of 3" steel pipe mounted to steel plate brackets at either end of the pipe, the roller should fully extend across the rear of your trailer. Mount the roller's brackets to the outside of the trailer's rear end frame rails, this should assist the large logs being loaded onto the trailer's bed.

[@CR-tm5ug]

Brilliant work

[@Abom79]

Great project and build April!

[@MegaMuhammadsaleem]

Good engineering brave lady

[@willmorden6103]

With a bit of modification the arch could be used as a frame for the ramp to drive up onto the trailer when being used in a more traditional way... great design and great build. Really enjoy your videos.

[@dananelson3534]

I was just watching Matt slab a white oak with a chainsaw mill, got a kick out of your build. Looking forward to the chainsaw. Talking to it helps, that was a workout. Thanks for sharing, two thumbs up.

[@VeselinStefanovVS]

Always is pleasure to watch you going trough different projects, keep up with a great job and I’m very pleased to see you using long sleeves while you welding, as a welder myself I can’t tell you how harmful it is if you are not protected.

[@a0flj0]

I'd drill a few maybe half inch holes into the plate onto which the winch motor and cable spool is attached, just so water drops or rain or sand or whatever lands on that plate can run off. Take greater care with the chainsaw. You don't want to cut so that the blade gets pinched. Cut in a place or from a direction where the cut will open up under the weight of the two resulting pieces, as they get separated. For instance, put a supporting block under one of the pieces near the cut - the other piece being lifted, will fall off and open up the cut as it gets separated.

[@makingtechsense126]

Yeah, I agree about the chainsaw. I cringed with fear when I saw her cutting those stumps.

[@ryanssawmill8224]

Good job on that 👍 I built a engine lift that turns an lifts 2500 pounds works great for loading logs on my sawmill plus a zip line with electric chain hoists to move my logs off the pile to the mill . All works good for me. Happy to see more women doing outside stuff thumbs up to Yu.

[@talladegadude4852]

Great video and loved the out-takes at the end! Very creative thinking!

[@chasemixon6327]

That little trailer would have been so handy this past weekend! I had to move a 250 gallon propane tank! All I had was a cherry picker and trailer... :)

[@dessertman1181]

Nice work April

[@johnr1350]

Two words for you to make it easier to handle things like that angle iron at the end. Bungee cords. Just wrap one around the left end and hook it over the rail or somewhere else easy. It doesn’t have to be super tight to where you will clamp or weld, it just needs to hold it close. Then clamp the right end. The left end will be close enough to get a good solid clamp up. Then go back to the left bungee end, remove the bungee and clamp it tight. Good vid.

[@MrBobisadog]

Great job!! For ease of removing arch, you could back to a high spot under a tall shop eave, and pull the arch up with a cable and have it hang out of wx when not in use. Kind of like folks that store their truck campers on barrels or drums. Just a thought.

[@jean-philippemorin6518]

I’m new to the channel but your explanations put some more well known DIY channels to shame. Keep up the good work

[@michaelstarks4664]

Great video Nice job on the trailer.

[@jeffreyrathbone268]

Great job like always

[@radish6691]

Aww I was excited to see you build a trailer, not mod or convert an existing trailer. Oh well I’ll still watch despite my confusion over the title.

[@jamescason1674]

I had a trailer one time. built to move buildings with it had 3ft wide rollers on the tail end 2 of them. Worked great maybe long travel spring on your arch going both ways on top of the side rails great job

[@richardbritt2281]

Hi April, I ran into your video today and wanted to share what I did with my trailer. I studied Matts Arch and fashioned after his design. I like the hinge you put on your trailer, looks like it will allow for a little more stability when lifting. I welded a half inch plate on the side of my trailer at the very back with 1" hole. With 1" holes in arch, I can hinge my arch on 3/4" harden steel bolts. On the same plate I welded the part support jacks swing on. This allows me to pull a pin and swing the jack down for added support when lifting logs. I do suggest you go with a stronger jack than I did, as 2000 lb does seem wimpy at times. Also, wheel chocks to hold trailer in place is a good idea. I have stop cleats welded to the side keep it from slaming to the floor but I plan on modifying the design to lock the arch in upright position and using a snatch block. Once I do mods, I"ll video the adjustments and upload. Haven't done it before because I don't weld very well and my work looks like a valcano puked up on its. :( But it works. Nice video lady. Going to be watching for more.

[@chrissmyers2884]

Instead of welding hard stops onto the trailer railing, I would drill hitch pin holes into the upper railing sides of the trailer and then the horizontal supports of the log arch. The just use hitch pins to stabilize the log arch at prepostioned angles. Welding stuff onto the interior of the rails will hit someone in the shin or calf, prolly at the most in opportune time. Also if you have the option of a fixed 45 degree arch, putting a pulley at the center of the arch would allow you to use the winch cable to pick the log, saving time by not having to re-rig the chain on the load as much.

[@wm005]

When I worked in the propane gas business we used a trailer that had an overhead rail with a power chain hoist system. That idea would be excellent for your needs.

[@bengesell]

Thanks for the .dxf files. Really helpful.👍

[@dananelson8447]

Watched it again. Always learn more the second time. Appreciate your excitement. Thanks for sharing.

[@timothykeller1290]

Great video! Will be building mine soon.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Awesome! Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@mdvener]

Great job. Looks good , and the out takes, nice touch. Now you can watch a nice informational video but real behind the scene what really happens. Great job