The three advances that made it possible were getting another trailer tow attachment which got the log end away from the ground and the back bumper, (2) driving a lag bolt into the end of the log for a pivot pin, and using the extension ladder as an a-frame to lift the log with a come along so that I could back the hitch under it.
Oh yeah, it was raining. It's always raining. But it made a nice change from sleet and snow. When MM came home I had her watch how the log was tracking and I drove it up to the woodshed.
The ladder was useful for unloading the log, and the peavey and log jack too. There we used the electric chainsaw to cut it into lengths and MM put one of the resulting 16" long logs onto the splitter to see if it would split. The wedge in the splitter only came halfway up the diameter, but the log split neatly and this fat log yielded a lot of firewood, though it may need to cure til next year to be dry enough.
Altogether, a successful tryout for the Mark One log carriage. In the next model, the stability would be improved by having the forward and rearward bars extended a couple feet. The ladder and come-along seems to be more useful for hoisting onto the carriage and trailer hitch than the log jack. The log jack may need its bolts tightened, too. The pivot bolt could use to be larger diameter; the one I used bent a little before we were done.
Loading and unloading a log, then, required the ladder and a crow bar to hang the come along; and a separate chain to circle the log and hook to the come along. The come along might have been better using the double-strand configuration because the lift was pretty hard. Slanted ground may put the ladder-lift setup off balance so it's better on the flat. It requires a drill for the lag screw pilot hole and a socket wrench for driving the screw.
I would like to put the log on some sawhorses or stands for cutting. In any event I needed peavey, log jack, chain saw, oil, #10 X 100 foot extension cord, and a small #14 to hook to chainsaw cord, and extra chainsaw oil.
Update:
3/12: Yesterday's work ended up with my method slightly modified:
A. forget about a lag screw pivot post.
B. Set up with the six-inch offset trailer hitch installed (without tow ball) upside down (tow attachment is 6"ABOVE the 2" receiver socket):
1. roll out logs by towing or peevee to the road's edge.
2. For logs less than 12" roll them onto the log jack a little off-center to the front.
3. using one hand to lift the log, slide the carriage under the back end of the log, and bring the wheels forward to about 2/3 from the front. Strap the carriage loosely onto the log in two places with load-binding straps.
4. remove the log jack and tighten the straps.
5. Back the tow vehicle up to center the hole in the tow hitch just over the towed end of the log
6. slip another load-binding strap under the front of the log and arrange it to make 1 1/2 turns around the log end, with the hook ends facing forward, long enough to reach the hole in the tow hitch.
7. tighten the strap until the log comes within an inch of the bottom of the tow hitch hole
8. ready to tow.
On arrival:
1. loosen the tow strap enough to lift it off the eye in the tow hitch.
2. maneuver the back end of the log 1 1/2 to 2 feet from the log pile, chock log cradle as required
3. place the front end of the log on the ground parallel to the back end.
4. remove all straps
5. rotate log, carriage, and all, lifting the carriage and rolling the log off of it.
log should be next to the previous log and the carriage should be on top.
Lift off the carriage and put it in the tow vehicle and return for more.
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