[Jacey]

Anybody out there have the best answer to loading rocks onto trailer. I can get within a few feet of the one's I want but sometimes need help with lifting them. Have considered a swing type, strap contraption of some kind..or a winch, motorized or no? Any ideas of what these things cost respectively? Hey, thanx out there. I know somebody's been here done it!

[agla]

I'm guessing access (or stealth) is the reason for not using a loader.

I used to use an old concrete form to hand load 100-200 pound boulders into the back of a pick up. I'm not sure if you are limited to doing this as hand work, but I was twenty five years ago. The form was basically an inch thick piece of plywood 8'x2' with 2x4 framing and a 2x4 @ 2'o.c.. I'd ramp it up onto the tailgate, roll the rock part way up, and then lift the lower end and slide the whole thing into the truck and roll off the rock.

Of course between doing those rock gardens back then, concrete form work in the winters, and Keystone block later on, I'm walking like an 80 year old from time to time. This is one of those times.

I thing using a ramp with the same type power winch you might see on a four wheeler would do the trick. Sliding up a ramp (like an oily form board) is better than trying to lift them straight up. Less power and less disasters if something lets go.

[PSUscaper]

A machine works well.

[Jacey]

Problem is my tractor requires a trailer to go the site and also a trailer to unload..which is an hour away from here. I agree that a loader would be the way..but can't leave my tractor there and can't bring it back with a trailer load of rock either. I have seen a motorized winch used by an artist friend of mine who uses these for bases of sculptures..he has to line it up with his ramps and then it pretty much does the job for him, but he is only getting one or two at a time.

[PSUscaper]

Rent a tractor for the place where you are loading.

If you consider the amount of time you are going waste messing around with the rock and the cost of buying/putting together some sort of 'contraption' to load them with, then it would probably be easier just to rent another machine.

This is why I always get asked by clients why rocks are so expensive. Its a pain to deal with them. Even 'free' rocks become expensive rocks by the time you deal with them. If you are doing this as part of a job, then next time I would factor all the trouble and costs it is to get rocks, factor it into the job, and rent a machine to load them with rather than coming up with a 'cheap' way to load them....there is no 'cheap' way.

I like the effort, but been there before. Its not worth the trouble.

[Dale Wiley]

Call up a quarry and have a truck deliver them to the job site.

[dan deutekom]

There is no such thing as a free or easy rock

[Jacey]

Thing is..these are hand picked, for character and other such stuff. It is a piece of art at the end. And I guess there's always the off chance some buff dude or dudette wants to stay that way and make a few bux. Site is far away from rental place. I heard burro's can haul 250 lbs a piece, and that's really the size the bulk of it is.

[Stonehenge]

Originally posted by dan deutekom
There is no such thing as a free or easy rock

Amen to that.

@Jacey - what has been the quoted price to get rental equipment out to that site? Weigh it against the costs of the rigamarole you'd have to go through otherwise.

[dan deutekom]

A 250 lb rock really isn't that big. For this size rock I would take a good contractors grade wheelbarrow and lay it down beside the rock. Roll the rock into the wheelbarrow bucket....give a good grunt and stand up the wheelbarrow. Then grunt one more time to roll the wheelbarrow and rock up into the truck using a long ramp.

If your a smaller person get someone to help

If the rock is bigger then get a good 2 wheel dolly or better still a tree cart. Manhandle the rock onto the cart and then use a cheap boat winch from the truck to pull the whole cart and rock up a ramp into the truck

[Jacey]

Now we're talkin..I was lookin into the tree dolly idea..cheap boat winch..yup..sounds right. Can that winch be adapted to a 16 ft trailer and work out? I'm not little, but wiry...hehehe.

[dan deutekom]

Just get the local welder to weld it to the front of the trailer or drill a few holes and bolt it on

[PSUscaper]

If this is a once in a year thing, I can see some of this working. But, if you plan on selling jobs like this often, I think you are going to eventually lose your shirt, and your back.

I think the bottom line here is that if your are a homeowner trying to get a few rocks for your yard and not trying to make money, this idea will work.

My other question is why don't you have another person helping you? If you can almost lift them yourself, you can't lift them with another person, with 2 other people?

And if your saying you can't factor the cost of another person going to pick up the rocks, then you priced this job way to low.

[dan deutekom]

I best way is to rent a machine but some people just have to do it the hard way.

[Jacey]

I am in a seriously rural area where the pickins for helpers is nil..it is also a thing I do in between other stuff, so spur of the moment. I think the tree dolly idea, combined with the winch up a ramp sounds feasable. I can then unload on the other end with the dolly or my tractor, which is the best hired help I've ever had. No drunk days, no I'll be there, but doesn't show..no my wife is having a baby..seeya!

Bidding these things is another subject all together..as you
never know til you have it finished how good it really is. But by then you can show people your work and price it upwords. My next one will be double at least..

I am also joining a yoga class to strengthen and reverse whatever I'm messin up now..but seriously..this is the hardest thing I've ever loved and been good at.