Log Skidding Tongs?

[VT365]

What's the proper way to attach a log tong to tractor's lift arms for lifting and dragging logs?

[Youare]

I guess you could chain the tongs to the draw bar that attaches to the lower 3PH arms, but I would not want to put too much side pull stress on those arms.

I would think the better way would be to use a chain connected to the tractors rear end equipment hitch.

Or, use a log arch to move logs with. I made one years ago.

Randy

[bjcsc]

Log tongs will only keep a good grip when the force is horizontal. Hook them to a chain and then to your drawbar. You may also have to use a mini sledge to set the points unless you plan on hitting the load hard like a horse...

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I skidded quite a few logs when I cut logs for a log cabin I built a few years ago. I have skidded quite a few logs as well since then. I have used tongs as well as just wrapping and hooking a chain around the end of a log and hooking the other end of the chain to a drawbar on the tractor. My experience has been that the chain wrapping method has worked best for me. Too many times I assumed that the tongs well well secured in the log and pulled the tractor away only to realize that the tongs had come undone from the log. Bear in mind that I hooked up with a length of chain on the ground between the tractor and the log. Maybe I should have put the tongs directly on the drawbar (drawbar that mounts in the lower arms) and lifted one end of the log straight up with the arms, but I haven't tried that.

The chain to the log and back to the drawbar has never come loose in the dragging process. The only problem is that it is sometimes difficult to get the chain under and around the log on a heavy log. There have been a few occasions I had to use tongs for this reason.

[JerryK]

I skid logs/stumps with my boom attached. I use the boom to lift the log with a strap or small chain to get the main chain around it, then drag with the drawbar. The boom is handy to horse the log/stump around to get that main chain on, and sometimes to help get the chain off the log at the end of the skid. When I built my boom, I put several spots to lift from along the entire lenght of the boom. You could use a FEL to get the main chain on, too.

[flINTLOCK]

How do you keep the debris off the log during the skidding run. My chainsaw doesn't like dirt.

[ToadHill]

Flintlock, if your chainsaw is very sensitive to dirt the only answer is buck it where it falls.

[JerryK]

I never buck up logs that I skid, I buck them in place [like the above post] if I am making firewood. I only skid 'junk' logs/stumps, or ones that are destined for a sawmill. They usually remove the bark before processing.

[flINTLOCK]

That clears it up. Thanks.

[flINTLOCK]

I was hoping to skid out some firewood logs using tongs and short chain to lift arm mounted drawbar so I could lift front end of log enough to clear obstacles on ground and help keep it cleaner for bucking.