Chilly807
Elite Member
After pricing what it would cost to get one made, I decided to build my own. It's intended to fit over the end of a log, the choker extends through the nose cone to the hauling cable.
I built it from 1/4 aluminum plate, welded a piece of aluminum pipe inside the nose cone for reinforcement. It's 16 inches wide on each bottom edge, 2 inches at the top, and 18 inches high.
As it pulls through the woods, the cone keeps the log from hooking on trees, submarining under other logs, and keeps the cable from getting fouled in general. Ideally it would be round, but I don't have the gear to roll plate with, so the pyramid will have to do. I suspect eventually it may take a bit rounder form anyway...
Trials went really well this morning, it worked better than I had dared to hope! I skidded out two good size hardwoods, a birch and a maple that I had doubts the rope would handle.
I use a snatch block and 5/8 nylon rope, no winch in the picture as yet.
I made a point of not trying to clear the path, which was about 150 feet through trees and brush, uphill all the way. The maple was about 14 inches at the butt, just fit inside the cone.
It pulled both trees out without any snags at all, load on the tractor seemed lighter since the butt end of the log wasn't plowing it's way. No dents or other damage to the cone.
The picture quality isn't great (phone camera), I'll have to wait until the ground dries up a bit to get better pictures.
Chilly
I built it from 1/4 aluminum plate, welded a piece of aluminum pipe inside the nose cone for reinforcement. It's 16 inches wide on each bottom edge, 2 inches at the top, and 18 inches high.
As it pulls through the woods, the cone keeps the log from hooking on trees, submarining under other logs, and keeps the cable from getting fouled in general. Ideally it would be round, but I don't have the gear to roll plate with, so the pyramid will have to do. I suspect eventually it may take a bit rounder form anyway...
Trials went really well this morning, it worked better than I had dared to hope! I skidded out two good size hardwoods, a birch and a maple that I had doubts the rope would handle.
I use a snatch block and 5/8 nylon rope, no winch in the picture as yet.
I made a point of not trying to clear the path, which was about 150 feet through trees and brush, uphill all the way. The maple was about 14 inches at the butt, just fit inside the cone.
It pulled both trees out without any snags at all, load on the tractor seemed lighter since the butt end of the log wasn't plowing it's way. No dents or other damage to the cone.
The picture quality isn't great (phone camera), I'll have to wait until the ground dries up a bit to get better pictures.
Chilly
