Possibly the biggest reason I’ve said no in years

[FarmerD89]

I’ve a customer: who runs a log processing plant, they run pretty much all year round, they have a high throughput of logs which are processed and want a quicker way for staff To re bag logs rather than manually pulling logs to place in bags. I did initially suggest that they invest in a second hand potato grader with hopper so they could feed the logs into the packing line at a steadier rate with a variable speed hopper belt. They have a telehandler which does not have a hitch or rear tipping circuit If I boxed in the hopper they could just bucket into the hopper like people do for box tipplers.

But from this two weeks later I’d been told that they have bought a 8ton tipping trailer that they want to tip without a power unit or anything hitched onto it with axle stands / fixed stands under the rear of it. Am I the only one who thinks this is opening doors for not very clued staff being killed?

Or know if anyone of any systems that do work? I know they will be getting a Hitch on the telehandler so it will be used, but no third service to the rear. I did suggest piping the trailer to the third service on the boom to operate the tip function, but they want it stand alone so they can use the loader. And just fabricate something so it can tip onto an old elevator.

 

[GeorgeK]

I remember a few years ago a farmer was killed by a similar set up, tipping trailer used for feed, front was held down with railway sleepers and they got old and snapped. I think he suffocated

 

[Andrew]

I’ve a customer: who runs a log processing plant, they run pretty much all year round, they have a high throughput of logs which are processed and want a quicker way for staff To re bag logs rather than manually pulling logs to place in bags. I did initially suggest that they invest in a second hand potato grader with hopper so they could feed the logs into the packing line at a steadier rate with a variable speed hopper belt. They have a telehandler which does not have a hitch or rear tipping circuit If I boxed in the hopper they could just bucket into the hopper like people do for box tipplers.

But from this two weeks later I’d been told that they have bought a 8ton tipping trailer that they want to tip without a power unit or anything hitched onto it with axle stands / fixed stands under the rear of it. Am I the only one who thinks this is opening doors for not very clued staff being killed?

Or know if anyone of any systems that do work? I know they will be getting a Hitch on the telehandler so it will be used, but no third service to the rear. I did suggest piping the trailer to the third service on the boom to operate the tip function, but they want it stand alone so they can use the loader.

Safest way is probably to add fold down jacks to the front and rear of the trailer, like you get on the back of low loaders.
Tip it up with the 3rd service on the front of the loadall, but have a folding strut like you get on car bonnets, pivoting on the chassis, body, and in the middle so as you lift it goes over centre and becomes safe. Then lower the hydraulics slightly and disconnect.
Have a rope so they don’t have to go under the body to release.

If they want to gradually raise the trailer you will have to come up with a ratchet system. A small electric pump and a manual valve would take care of the tipping (use a 200ltr oil drum as a reservoir) but I would be wary of supporting it by oil alone.

I’m assuming they are working in close proximity to it all the time. If they are working at the other end of the conveyor, maybe a few barriers around the trailer to keep non staff away would be sufficient with no need for a body prop.

 

[tinman]

Personally I don't understand fully,
How dose the trailer get filled to begin with?
And what's the advantage of it tipping its load while sitting in situ?, is it tipping into something or just in a heap on the ground.
Is the trailer raised off the ground far?

 

[FarmerD89]

I think they want to load it with the telehandler and then be able to take it on to the packing site and tip it up. But from what I’ve been told so far there’s little competence with any machinery / no actual certification for the staff- it’s a trainer trained scheme...


I’m trying to minimise the risk of a- failed hydraulic lines and people around the trailer or somone somehow managing to uncouple hydraulic lines under pressure while the trailers up, and b- operator error.... which is my biggest problem. Everyone knows of somone who’s had a trailer decide it wanted to be free and comeback through a cab window to say hello. It’s just making me abit concerned they have just bought something else without any idea of how it will work.

 

[Scribus]

Would it be possible to hang/mount a lump of concrete on the drawbar? It could double up as a trailer shoe. No need for staff to fit stands or jacks as the counter balance would be integral to the trailer.

It might also help if the trailer sides were cut down slightly at the tipping end (think dump trailer) as this would prevent a full load at the rear of the trailer bed and so improve stability when tipping.

 

[Andrew]

I think they want to load it with the telehandler and then be able to take it on to the packing site and tip it up. But from what I’ve been told so far there’s little competence with any machinery / no actual certification for the staff- it’s a trainer trained scheme...


I’m trying to minimise the risk of a- failed hydraulic lines and people around the trailer or somone somehow managing to uncouple hydraulic lines under pressure while the trailers up, and b- operator error.... which is my biggest problem. Everyone knows of somone who’s had a trailer decide it wanted to be free and comeback through a cab window to say hello. It’s just making me abit concerned they have just bought something else without any idea of how it will work.

Fit two rear legs with tams tee’d into the tip line with a pressure valve so it won’t start to tip until they are fully extended and pressurised. Fit an electric solenoid to each of the tip rams as well so it has to have power to tip or lower.
Make up a simple powerpack as I described earlier with a lift and lower valve.

They will have to lower the body before the legs raise, so no point disconnecting it when tipped. If they do then the electric solenoids would isolate the pipes.

 

[Steevo]

Would it be possible to hang/mount a lump of concrete on the drawbar? It could double up as a trailer shoe. No need for staff to fit stands or jacks as the counter balance would be integral to the trailer.

Pipe could still fail though.

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

well there is many of thick farmers get away with, and won't be told,

beats me how the logs are going to flow, as i would think they will just bridge, and stop running if loaded with a handler in to a trailer

 

[tinman]

I'm not being smart here but I'd be asking myself a few questions on this one,
1, how good a customer is this, how much per annum is he worth to you?

2, have you got indapendent insurance so if anything ever went south that your covered and I'm not talking about house insurance here....

Going on what you've said it sounds like it's a right motley crew, it's possible that they are foreign nationals so if you wait until Oct 31st they will only be employing super smart UK folk who would see the dangers cumming a mile away and therefore any kind of setup would do, Altho there is the bit where they can't see the clear and present danger their in right now so maybe the employer would be just as far on but that's a horse of a different colour mind.

I'm afraid it's got to the point in this day and age that making something up like what they are on about is leaving you extremely exposed to an insurance claim if anything ever went wrong and seeing since you were the man who constructed it there is a very high probability that you could get hung out like a sheet if the preverbial hit the fan.

 

[FarmerD89]

beats me how the logs are going to flow, as i would think they will just bridge, and stop running if loaded with a handler in to a traile

Yes which is where I’m struggling, whereas a potato grader has capacity to move them, reduce flow size and rate plus cleaning,

I'm afraid it's got to the point in this day and age that making something up like what they are on about is leaving you extremely exposed to an insurance claim if anything ever went wrong and seeing since you were the man who constructed it there is a very high probability that you could get hung out like a sheet if the preverbial hit the fan.

This is the issue and from what I’ve seen there’s generally 5 of them within 3 square meters so Sod’s law is they’re standing admiring the trailer as it summersaults.

 

[Bobthebuilder]

How do the logs get into telehandler bucket? From elevator?, from heap on floor scooped up? Or thrown in by hand? Basically what I’m saying is if the logs are coming off processor via elevator why not have a couple of tattie boxes side by side filling from elevator with a diverter plate or a frame holding a couple of dumpy bags side by side, so when 1 bag/box is full move diverter to next 1 while you shift full 1 with telehandler

 

[FarmerD89]

They’re splitting them then drying them in bulk.

 

[FarmerD89]

They’re splitting them then drying them in bulk. I assume they’re then bringing them back to put in those little consumer nets.

 

[tomlad]

Is this a example for the OP were 1 might say 'listen to the voices '
Generally , generally, i 've reckoned thus far in life if the little voices say walk away from this one u should listen.
But i don't know so much.

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

trailer will be no good, potato grader intake will feed them better, i would make them see this, or walk away,
i know of 2 accidents with tipped trailer for feed, we refuse to fill them now if tipped up

 

[roscoe erf]

now I love a good bodge but this would have me running to the hills, the grader is a much better way. I use a hopper where the ton bags can be hung manually and then removed by forklift when full bridging is a issue but I've a long pole to shift the offending log and it doesn't happen to often

 

[FarmerD89]

Trailer would only suffice if it’s hitched to a tractor, I don’t like loadall hitches at the best of times tipping with mine.

I may just heed the safety of the voices in my head.... possibly not the sanest option

 

[FarmerD89]

I have just found this - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/173861730668

So he’s two options really, this and I make it work or they pack by hand. As he did originally suggest an angled work bed that logs were dumped on and they slid towards the packers.....

 

[PSQ]

There might be "50 ways to die in the west", but theres hundreds of ways when working with wood machinery and untrained operators with a false sense of self preservation.
Safe to say I wouldn't be a party to some half arsed employer trying to cut corners, or any bodges carried out on the cheap. If they want to carry on with it ask yourself if the boss is the kind of person you could share a cell with for 18 months...