Thread: Transporting Portable Mills

Just wondering if you could fit one of those Jarrett cranes to your trailer.They are pretty handy and you could knock one up yourself if need be.There isn't much to them.I was going to do something similar to lift slabs until I bought my truck.

Like this

I realize this does not suit a swing mill type setup but I like to be able to lock as much of my gear up as possible so that the chances of tampering and nicking stuff are reduced. That's why I got myself a HiAce van. The one thing I usually carry on the roofrack are my unistrut milling rails although I could break them down and fit them inside the van if I need to. The van can also carry 1.4 tons so I can fit in a few big (up to 3 x 1.2m) slabs or lots of smaller ones if i need to although I prefer to carry the timber on a trailer.

Originally Posted by BobL

I realize this does not suit a swing mill type setup but I like to be able to lock as much of my gear up as possible so that the chances of tampering and nicking stuff are reduced. That's why I got myself a HiAce van. The one thing I usually carry on the roofrack are my unistrut milling rails although I could break them down and fit them inside the van if I need to. The van can also carry 1.4 tons so I can fit in a few big (up to 3 x 1.2m) slabs or lots of smaller ones if i need to although I prefer to carry the timber on a trailer.

Important point Bob and that is why the saws and tools live in the lockable ute canopy.
I also have a big lockable tool box that will be mounted on the trailer once I get my final mill transport racks sorted. Rails are going to live on the ute rack permanently, will be getting contact details made up and stuck onto the side of them as advertising.

Hi Mike,

I originaly started with a truck setup but when I down graded I had a 4.5m deck car trailer I used for my portable milling and the side rails sat in the middle of the A frame to the rear and only poked out the back about 300mm (with the extensions off).

I started by just rolling the mill on and off but after a few jobs I worked out the last thing I felt like was trying to roll the mill onto the trailer after a full day milling so I used a manual crane as above bolted to the trailer.

I had my chainsaws and milling gear in a toolbox bolted to the trailer.

Thanks....Mark

At my wifes work place they have a tri-axle flat top trailer for sale.6metres long,checker plate tray,no sides so you could set it up the way you would like it.Hardly been used too.Only had PVC pipe on it.Price negotiable.If you feel like a holiday in SA...sing out.Or I know a lot of truck firms that do Perth.

i can get my 8/25 and 2 chaisaws bolsters, sharpener box, spare tyre, cant hook, crow bar, electric winch, ranmps in teh back of the 4wd rodeo. rails on the racks ofcorse.

the cradle is to heavy to push up teh ramps by yourself so i have got a coupla pulleys that go on my log winch so i can winch it up the ramps.

when i get my tandem trailer i will be abl;e to transport it withpout dismanteling the end frames witch will slash setup time.

the saw blade live behind the seat in there wooden box.

i will take a pic next time i have it loaded up.

Originally Posted by weisyboy

when i get my tandem trailer i will be abl;e to transport it withpout dismanteling the end frames witch will slash setup time.

Pretty hard to move the end frames around by yourself as a unit unless you have real long arms and can reach both uprights - have you tried it? Would definitely save time if you could manage it. Interested in seeing you ideas for transporting them as a unit.

To get the 8-30 on the trailer, I wheel it up and rotate it around 180 degrees so the small castors are on the trailer before winding the engine along the carriage as far as I can get it, at that point I can lift the other end (with the large pneumatic tyres) up onto the tailgate, no ramps. Don't think you could do it with a ute though, trailer is about the maximum height.

Originally Posted by weisyboy

when i get my tandem trailer i will be abl;e to transport it withpout dismanteling the end frames witch will slash setup time.

Originally Posted by Burnsy

Pretty hard to move the end frames around by yourself as a unit unless you have real long arms and can reach both uprights - have you tried it?

Tend to agree with Burnsy here, the end frames are a mongrel to move as one piece, I should know not to mention that they take up a fair bit of space as well, mine originally had to have the height drive chains taken off before you could pull them apart until I modified it to be the same as the current set-up.

Originally Posted by Burnsy

Pretty hard to move the end frames around by yourself as a unit unless you have real long arms and can reach both uprights - have you tried it? Would definitely save time if you could manage it. Interested in seeing you ideas for transporting them as a unit.

To get the 8-30 on the trailer, I wheel it up and rotate it around 180 degrees so the small castors are on the trailer before winding the engine along the carriage as far as I can get it, at that point I can lift the other end (with the large pneumatic tyres) up onto the tailgate, no ramps. Don't think you could do it with a ute though, trailer is about the maximum height.

I load my carriage the same way, but as I have a single axle trailer (7' x 5') I tilt the trailer to assist loading, I take my end frames apart (short arms) and store under the carriage on the trailer. The rails are on the Pajero roof, a long way up, but I'm thinking of some of those boat rollers to help roof loading the rails. All the other gear fits inside the long wheel base Pajero, fuel is carried in trailer.

At the moment tho' the mill now named (Beattie) will be onsite for about 6 months so the only thing I transport at the moment are trailer loads of the timber back to my place to go in the drying shed..

I have had NO experience in continual unpacking and packing of the mill on a daily basis. there is also a posibilty I may be able to set it permanently up close to home on a friends vacant block and transport logs there. power water phone etc all there.

Shayne

i have loaded teh end frames myself before on to the old tandem trailer worked fine it was a bit hard but i can live with that. i normaly have my ofsider with me anyhow that makes it verry easy.

i also transport the rails with extentions on. saves even more time.

Looking for a quick fix I fitted the frame from the front of my second trailer to the milling trailer today and it works well. Thinking that when I do a complete rebuild on the trailer to turn it into a flat bed I will have removable racks along the side that the end frame parts hang off.

Originally Posted by DJ's Timber

Tend to agree with Burnsy here, the end frames are a mongrel to move as one piece, I should know not to mention that they take up a fair bit of space as well, mine originally had to have the height drive chains taken off before you could pull them apart until I modified it to be the same as the current set-up.

I have an old Lucas just after they changed from cables to chain. What is the current setup??????????

I used to transport mine in trucks now I have a duel cab hilux about 5' tray my rails are 6m steel. Does any one have a good method of fixing a rack onto the bullbar? Removable and not too ugly.

Originally Posted by glenn k

Does any one have a good method of fixing a rack onto the bullbar? Removable and not too ugly.

Mine is fitted using a bolt welded into the upright (rack) that acts as a locator on the flat bumper section of the bullbar. The upright is then attached to the round bar of the bullbar using exhaust clamps. I will get a photo and post it when I get a chance. Mine stays on the car but can easily be removed just by removing the exhaust clamps and lifting it out of the locating hole.