Wallenstein remotes.

[Chilly807]

Personally I'd feel safer without the remote. Last thing I'd want is for the winch to engage accidentally while I'm hooking a choker. You only get one set of fingers.

Norse (Igland) also offers a wireless remote option, I have no idea how much it is since I bought my winch used. Like the other guys, an auto-release snatch block is high on my list of want-to-have items. I use a snatch block whenever the hauling path is either crooked or I can't get a straight pull from the back of the tractor. Norse allows you up to 30* angle, but I've had a couple of occasions when the outside wheels came off the ground even at 30* or less.

The newer style winches with the blade as opposed to 2 feet are a lot better.. you set the top link to have the winch angle from 10-15* backwards when the blade is touching the ground and lower the 3 point control all the way. If you get hooked up solid, the angle tends to force the blade further into the ground the harder it pulls. If you have as close to a straight pull as possible, it would be very difficult to flip the tractor over backwards, if it's even possible.

Sean

 

[Chilly807]

I have had my tractor jerked or dragged backwards but it has never come up. I have also had it tipped sideways on two tires which is surprisingly easy to do. Usually it the log is moving evenly you are OK.

In general working with a tractor and a winch in the woods is very slow work. If you are looking to "Get-Er-Done" quickly you will most likely be quite disappointed, even with a remote. Of coarse a lot depends on your site conditions, what you are cutting, and how careful you need to be with your residual trees.
You gain speed by planning ahead to minimize your steps and have everything go smooth. Which you will be better able to do after some experience.
For example I try to bring 5 or 6 trees up the same winch path. If I have a snatch block in use I try to bring them all up to the block. Then I remove the snatch block one time and winch them the rest of the way to the tractor. That saves a lot of walking over changing the block for each tree. The walking back and forth is hard if it is hilly or knee deep snow or you have to wade thru slash. It wears you down. But you can really minimize it by planning ahead and using good directional felling techniques.

Here are a couple pics of a typical setup pulling logs up a pretty good bank (look at the cable angle in the second pic). I pulled them one at a time up to the block first. Then removed the block. Then pulled them to the tractor. Then it took two hitches to get them up the steep hill to my landing.

This is just one example of the type of things you will learn to make the work go faster and easier.

If I'm ever in the market for some telephone poles I'll give you a call Gordon.. nice looking wood there!

Sean

 

[ken999]

Heck, I'd like to go up and help Gordon cut some wood. His pictures always look like so much fun!

I've dragged cable for a Tree Farmer C5d a few times before, so I'm semi familiar with the process. I'm not looking for production, just a better way that carrying it to the pickup...lol...A tractor and winch are gonna be quite the slick operation.