# Carrying Yoke



## ricks_smbc (Feb 28, 2006)

Has anyone used some sort of yoke to haul buckets of crushed stone?

We hauled a lot of crushed shale in to armor the trails and we have plenty of more work to do. It makes for bomb proof areas that usually get super saturated and close the trail. We were using 5 gallon buckets about 1/2 to 2/3rds loaded and found it to be tough work. I looked online and found a canoe carrying yoke and thought it could easily be transformed to carry two buckets. They also make a 41 inch version. Any experience or ideas?

http://www.austinkayak.com/products/810/Old-Town-36-Canoe-Carry-Yoke.html


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## mudflap (Feb 23, 2004)

Although I have no personal experience myself using a carrying yoke like you describe, I did live in southeast asia for awhile where they used something similar. Rather than across the back and both shoulders, the yoke went from front to back across one shoulder. 

I'm sure if you can find any pictures of asians carrying goods or water, you will find the device that I am talking about. It must work well because they were used everywhere in Asia.

Another possibility would be something like the old newspaper pouches that paper boys used to use, kind of like front and back saddle bags with a hole for your head. I'm sure with a little thought you could devise some kind of dump bottom so that shucking the load wouldn't be too difficult.


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## Fattirewilly (Dec 10, 2001)

What's wrong with a wheelbarrow?


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## emptybe_er (Jan 15, 2006)

. . .young grasshopper. . . you must use the burlap-sacks that rice is sold in. One must use two bags on a staff (preferably bamboo...) using the mantis-technique is used to snatch the branch - the all important horse-stance must be exercised to maintain balance. . . here, it is mandatory that you take exactly 888 steps to the destination you intend to deliver the rocks in the burlap bags. During this training, young grasshopper, you will learn burlap-bags also can be used as reinforcement for the dirt you want to keep in place. . . .


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## ricks_smbc (Feb 28, 2006)

Fattirewilly said:


> What's wrong with a wheelbarrow?


I'm in northern vermont and the trails are rooty and rocky. We use a wheelbarrow where we can, but can not get very deep into the single track. There is still a lot of hauling.


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## Loren_ (Dec 3, 2006)

That looks like a lot of work.

Here's a limestone hauler that I build up recently from an old child trailer. Holds a 5 gal bucket full, with some room to spare. Since the wheelbase is only a couple inches wider than the 5 gal pail, it's narrower than handlebars and tracks on singletrack. Can haul behind a bike to get close, then unhook it from the bike and drag by hand even closer, and then lift the pail out for the last stretch.


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## ricks_smbc (Feb 28, 2006)

Loren_ said:


> That looks like a lot of work.
> 
> Here's a limestone hauler that I build up recently from an old child trailer. Holds a 5 gal bucket full, with some room to spare. Since the wheelbase is only a couple inches wider than the 5 gal pail, it's narrower than handlebars and tracks on singletrack. Can haul behind a bike to get close, then unhook it from the bike and drag by hand even closer, and then lift the pail out for the last stretch.
> 
> View attachment 399437


Loren - That looks sweet! It wouldn't make it into our singletrack though. We have a machine, a DR Field Powerwagon. It is basically a power wheelbarrow with a 5 hp engine. We loaded it with six 5 gallon buckets and then a lot, lot more material around the buckets. It carries about 600 lbs. We used a skid steer to get as much material into the woods on double track as far as we could go. Then we used the powerwagon to get it even farther. We still have quite a way to go by hand. Several hundred yards with two 5 gallon buckets is far!

Right now we have a lot of material in the woods stockpiled. We will be doing most of the rest of the work with the wagon and by hand. I think I'm ordering a few of the yokes and am going to try them out. Worst case, the break and I wasted a few dollars.


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## Shelbak73 (Nov 10, 2007)

Been there done that as a kid working on a ranch.
Hopefully the yoke extends past your shoulders by 8" or so to allow for swing so you don't bash your legs as you stagger around those roots and rocks.
Yoke should be stout enough to carry full buckets, full buckets are the easiest way to insure an even load.
Ropes with "S" hooks on the ends should allow you to lift the buckets 10 to 12 inches off the ground, using your *legs only!* Lifting with your back will have disasterous consequences.
The single shoulder method is ok for light loads, but I wouldn't recomend it for anything over 50lbs. Pad the yoke to the extent of your shoulders, I'd recomend 1" thick foam of the highest density you can find.
Purchase a new set of Ti pedals because when you're done with this job the bottom of your pedal stroke will snap your pedals off. :thumbsup: 
I made my yoke from 3/8" plywood. Making two identical yokes and mating them together should give you 10plys in a 3/4" thick yoke. A single yoke made from 3/4" ply will only give you 5 plys in 3/4" and will be weak.

Hope this helps, good luck and be safe.


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## ricks_smbc (Feb 28, 2006)

Shelbak73 said:


> Been there done that as a kid working on a ranch.
> Hopefully the yoke extends past your shoulders by 8" or so to allow for swing so you don't bash your legs as you stagger around those roots and rocks.
> Yoke should be stout enough to carry full buckets, full buckets are the easiest way to insure an even load.
> Ropes with "S" hooks on the ends should allow you to lift the buckets 10 to 12 inches off the ground, using your *legs only!* Lifting with your back will have disasterous consequences.
> ...


Thanks for the feedback. I went ahead and ordered 2 'Old Town 41" Carry Yokes' this morning for $50. Hopefully that will give us enough clearance and that they are strong enough. I am thinking that I will use staple nails to adhere a chain over the top and down both sides. By using the chain, we can change the length to accomodate taller and shorter folks and it should add to the structural strength.

As far as padding, I will look into the foam. I was thinking just stapling padded material. Maybe some foam padding held into place with material. We will have to experiment, but I think you are right, they need to be padded.

The good news is that a bunch of us rode the work that we completed and were totally stoked! All the nasty spots were gone! It was actually great to see the spots we hadn't gotten to, it let us know what we did was working. It's a lot of work, but these trails are on town land and we have no fear of loosing them. So the effort should pay off long term.


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## ricks_smbc (Feb 28, 2006)

EmptyBe_er: I am humbled and confusiusly confused


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## Shelbak73 (Nov 10, 2007)

hummm........Chain huh......Sounds like a good plan but check and see if it digs into the wood. If so it's going to shorten the yokes life span, as well as the life span of the person wearing it.
If it does you might try wrapping that area with a heavy twine...nylon perhaps?
I drew my inspiration from the pages of National Geographic, Boy Scout training :thumbsup: , and the need to get spools of barbed wire into areas where our horses wouldn't go, I was 13.


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## ricks_smbc (Feb 28, 2006)

Shelbak73 said:


> hummm........Chain huh......Sounds like a good plan but check and see if it digs into the wood. If so it's going to shorten the yokes life span, as well as the life span of the person wearing it.
> If it does you might try wrapping that area with a heavy twine...nylon perhaps?
> I drew my inspiration from the pages of National Geographic, Boy Scout training :thumbsup: , and the need to get spools of barbed wire into areas where our horses wouldn't go, I was 13.


I'm thinking the chain gets nailed with heavy duty staples across the top and over the side edge. One piece of chain would run the length and over both sides. That should reinforce the structure and I don't see how it would hurt. How do you see it damaging the yoke?

I appreciate the feedback. And we'll see how it works out. I rode the trails again last night and they rock! It was worth it!


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## Shelbak73 (Nov 10, 2007)

Rock on! (Literally)


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## mtb777 (Nov 6, 2005)

What about a length of 2" heavy PVC pipe (or EMT), foam wrapped, with a length of chain that has a *_______ bolted though it at each end to keep the chain from sliding through either way with S hooks at each end
*don't know what you call them, not a clevis, but the oval shaped threaded link you can add to chains or cables(longer than 2").


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## ricks_smbc (Feb 28, 2006)

mtb777 said:


> What about a length of 2" heavy PVC pipe (or EMT), foam wrapped, with a length of chain that has a *_______ bolted though it at each end to keep the chain from sliding through either way with S hooks at each end
> *don't know what you call them, not a clevis, but the oval shaped threaded link you can add to chains or cables(longer than 2").


Good idea. I have already ordered the wooden yokes. I'll see how they work out and if they don't, I may try the pvc.


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## ricks_smbc (Feb 28, 2006)

We fabricated and tested the yokes out this past week. They worked and certainly made carrying stone a lot easier. We still couldn't carry full buckets, not only the weight, but the swing factor was unmanagable. With the buckets 2/3 full, you could go a lot further without stopping. Even the techie sections that I was concerned about walking through went okay, slow but okay. 

We are still playing around, but for the $25 (+$10 of donated parts from the local hardware store) spent on each one, a very worthwhile investment. Let me know if you want full details on how we ended up building them.


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## radair (Dec 19, 2002)

I think it's a great idea, post some pics of your set-up when you get a chance.

Carrying buckets is torture. I won't do that again.


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## mtb777 (Nov 6, 2005)

What about just carrying a couple 2 - 3 buckets between a couple of carriers on a Rock Bar?? Swinging might be the issue there!


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