How do you skid logs with your tractor..pics?

[krue]

I've built a limb rake (think bb with 2" pipe teeth instead of blade) and hung a grapple off of it to drag logs, the rake acts as a wheelie bar if the log stops suddenly.

 

[tawilson]

I've had great success using skidding tongs and a chain on my front end loader. I usually set the ends of the chains further apart than in the pic and so the ring on the tongs hit the cutting edge of my bucket when I roll it back. It turns the tongs so I can pick up a tree pointing at me. If the tree is perpendicular to the tractor I roll the bucket forward and the tongs rotate accordingly. With a little practice and a couple different size tongs you should be able to move logs all around without leaving your seat. :You need to be careful about rolling the bucket back so the tree is pointing up as it can swing around toward you. When you get the tree where you want it, set it down and hit the ring on the tongs with the cutting edge and they usually pop right off.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/attachments/49376d1136718576-moving-logs-803057-skidding-tongs.jpg

 

[MikeD74T]

Spiveyman, I'm not so much trying to spend other peoples money as to point out the mechanics so a smaller device suitable for smaller tractors could be built. I would copy only the grapple to hang from a short boom pole for dragging logs with the butt in the air rather than carry the load entirely in the air. Hanging it from 3 or 4 links of chain would allow turning when dragging. I was mainly interested in the linkage that causes both grapple arms to open simultaneously which is clear in the opening picture. If I couldn't built something useful for $100 & scrounged parts I'd give it up. MikeD74T

 

[RonMar]

I've had great success using skidding tongs and a chain on my front end loader. I usually set the ends of the chains further apart than in the pic and so the ring on the tongs hit the cutting edge of my bucket when I roll it back. It turns the tongs so I can pick up a tree pointing at me. If the tree is perpendicular to the tractor I roll the bucket forward and the tongs rotate accordingly. With a little practice and a couple different size tongs you should be able to move logs all around without leaving your seat. :You need to be careful about rolling the bucket back so the tree is pointing up as it can swing around toward you. When you get the tree where you want it, set it down and hit the ring on the tongs with the cutting edge and they usually pop right off.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/attachments/49376d1136718576-moving-logs-803057-skidding-tongs.jpg

This is also a good way to put a tractor on it's side. I have had my tractor up on two wheels doing this, lifting and pulling the end over obstructions that I couldn't just drag the log over. If the log hangs up(or just the drag from the log/limbs sliding past other obstructions) all the pull force is way above the tractors CG. This is he same reason you should pull from down on the drawbar and not up on the toplink attach point. With a heavy log and 4X4 drive, you could do a reverse wheelie. If you are maneuvering a bit to clear obstructions and the pull gets off to the side slightly, you can very quickly find yourself with wheels in the air. It will happen very quickly so if done, I would reccomend that you keep your foot over the clutch or HST control to quickly stop and a hand on the FEL control to drop the bucket quickly.

As pictured, the log appears to be hanging free in the air, and this is better, but if you are working any terrain, you have all the load as well as the FEL weight high in the air and this is not a good place to have it. Any load should be moved as low to the ground as possible. It is also swinging free like a pendulum so any swing of that load weight might also contribute to a dynamic rollover.

Be carefull...

 

[BigE_]

Looks like you need one of these:
Logging Arch - Fetching Arch
For $1900, though, you could probably build one yourself.

In-line pictures for when the posting expires....

 

[mjfox6]

I use a boom pole with a choker chain. Others use logger tongs on their boom poles so that they don't have to get off of the tractor or get a chain around the log.

There are other threads about boom poles and logging tongs.

 

[ore540]

Looks like you need one of these:
Logging Arch - Fetching Arch
For $1900, though, you could probably build one yourself.

If you're thinking of building one yourself, do a Google Image search on logging cart . They used to use simple, straight axle 2-wheeled rigs to skid or carry logs out. Can still see the big ones with 10' wheels in museums around. You probably don't need that kind of clearance

 

[toolsorbust]

I've had great success using skidding tongs and a chain on my front end loader. I usually set the ends of the chains further apart than in the pic and so the ring on the tongs hit the cutting edge of my bucket when I roll it back. It turns the tongs so I can pick up a tree pointing at me. If the tree is perpendicular to the tractor I roll the bucket forward and the tongs rotate accordingly. With a little practice and a couple different size tongs you should be able to move logs all around without leaving your seat. :You need to be careful about rolling the bucket back so the tree is pointing up as it can swing around toward you. When you get the tree where you want it, set it down and hit the ring on the tongs with the cutting edge and they usually pop right off.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/attachments/49376d1136718576-moving-logs-803057-skidding-tongs.jpg

I use this same type set up to log with normaly hooking up you can do that from the seat but to unhook i haft to get off to do that. my tongs do great on logs 8" or better any thing under that tend to fall out. I have loaded oak logs as big as 38" x 20' using this method. With practice you can control the log with presision. The larger logs will tip the tractor but i normaly keep a hand on the loader controls and lower the log if it starts to tip and if im on a slope i will drag one end of the log till i get to more level ground.

 

[Slacker]

Northern tool 2" 3pt rcvr and log tongs on a JD 750 4x4. I've since upgraded tractors, but the log dragging setup still works great.

 

[tawilson]

toollsorbust,
Have you tried using the bottom lip of the bucket to pop the tongs off? It doesn't work every time, but prolly 75%. And yes, hand on loader valve is a habit now for me whenever I am using the bucket.