Winches 3 pt skidding winch -vs- logging arch

[jonstark]

Any of you folks have any experience with a logging arch -and/or- a skidding winch so to make comparisons? I need to decide which to use as I have both available but need to choose which is going to work best for me and my particular needs. I need your input on using a fetching or transfer arch.

Thanks!
jon
(just bought a Cat D3B this morning)

 

[20 20]

Well, that depends on what your hauling? If your moving logs for lumber then either a log trailer or an arch would be ideal. Lumber logs cut much better without dirt. If your just pulling fire wood logs out then a skid would be fine.

 

[jonstark]

Lots of both. Short stuff for the WoodMizer and longer stuff for the splitter. Kinda leaning towards the arch with a hitch on the back of the L3010.

jon

 

[ChuckinNH]

I would say that it depends a lot on how close you can get to the logs in the woods. The winch will work much better to bring the logs out to the tractor, and will keep the butt ends off the ground while pulling, but not as high as a logging arch. The older JD dozers had a logging arch that mounted over the whole dozer , and included a winch. Before skidders, a lot of loggers around here really liked them.

 

[20 20]

Lots of both. Short stuff for the WoodMizer and longer stuff for the splitter. Kinda leaning towards the arch with a hitch on the back of the L3010.

jon

After milling lumber for maaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnyyy hours, I would never go back to mud skidding. Dulling the blade just waste time that could be spent making lumber. There are usually enough hidden things{nails fence etc} in trees with out adding insult with ground in dirt mud sand or rock. If it were me I'd go with an arch or narrow log trailer with a loading setup{try a search there are a lot of kool ideas out there}.

ChuckinNH: brings up a good point also, what type of terrain do you have? If it is steep then winching the logs up to a stable spot may be your only option? Or if there are logs that "have" to be skidded use those for the fire wood and keep the lumber logs for the arch {if possible????}.

Also keep a positive additude maybe you'll win the lottery and can buy both or something even better

 

[Q-Saw]

I think a skidding winch would be much more useful as well as more manueverable in the woods. For example, if you're felling a tree and it hangs up on another tree, you can use the winch to pull it down safely from a distance.

If you're worried about contaminating the logs with mud and sand, do your skidding when you have snow on the ground.

Just my 2 cents.

- Marty

 

[ChuckinNH]

These guys have some nice products for one man logging on a small scale. I like the forestry trailer though it's sure not cheap. They have a nice logging arch too, and the bullet nose log protector should help keep some dirt off logs that have to be winched.

NovaJack

 

[20 20]

NovaJack along with others do make nice equipment, but like ya said $$$$$$$$$ that can be hard on the wallet. Do you have access to a welder and scrap metal? There isn't a whole lot to a small scale log trailer. I use my mini ex{loading} and a narrow dump trailer that I made. That way the excavator can stay in the woods and all I have to do is tow the trailer in with my tractor and dump away. Once I get a stack then I just use the ex to load the mill. Q-saw is also correct about hauling in snow, but for me that's not allways convenient.

 

[ChuckinNH]

I think that NovaJack has good ideas as well as products, and that's partly why I included the link..........

 

[jonstark]

Also keep a positive additude maybe you'll win the lottery and can buy both or something even better

20 20,
I like your attitude ! I'm gonna go buy a ticket in the ayem.

jon