Skidding winch
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goeduck
Super Member
That is impressive !
John_Mc
Elite Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2001
- Messages
- 4,573
- Location
- Monkton, Vermont
- Tractor
- NH TC33D Modified with belly pan, limb risers & FOPS. Honda Pioneer 520 & antique Coot UTV
I debated a 3Pt grapple, but needed the reach of a logging winch, so that's what I bought. I eventually ended up buying a forestry grapple for the front end.
John_Mc
Elite Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2001
- Messages
- 4,573
- Location
- Monkton, Vermont
- Tractor
- NH TC33D Modified with belly pan, limb risers & FOPS. Honda Pioneer 520 & antique Coot UTV
That's typical of most logging winches. Mine is rated for 3 feet per second (180 FPM or about 2MPH or 3 KPH) with the spool half full. I'm assuming this is at the rated 540 PTO speed. I never run full PTO speed. I'm typically around 2/3 of that, but since I have 230 feet of cable and most of my pulls are probably half of that or less (unless I'm in an unusual situation), I'm also generally running with the spool more than half full, which speeds things up a bit. I'm guessing a typical winching speed for me is probably around 125 FPM.
That said, Virx1 said he's able to drive right up to most trees, so a short pull at slower speeds is probably not that big a deal for him. If he wanted higher speeds, he could crank up the RPMs to get more flow out of his tractor's hydraulics to get a bit more, or switch to a PTO hydraulic pump, if his winch could handle the flow rate. It sounds as though it works well for him, and at a reasonable cost, since he made it himself.
My winch speed is rpm related, (one small tree= idle) (medium pull= 1500-2000 rpm<<<Most often used) (risk cable break pull= 2500 rpm<<<Very rarely used) extremely upset, throwing chainsaws, hammers, axes and anything I can get my hands on = blow motor wide open<<<haven't been there yet and that's probably because I dont have a Hoyt Clagwell tractor..................
hslogger
Platinum Member
I may have missed something in previous posts but nowhere did i read about a simple way of starting a log with less force. If you put a choker around the log with a wrap, when you tug on it, it will give the log some inertia help by it starting with a role and then the pull in the direction you wish to proceed. You have the set the hook or choker bell on the opposite side down a the bottom
^^^^^
That's a good point, and a trick I use often to roll the tree from behind the stump.
What is that tuck in your signature? There isn't enough of it showing to tel, but it looks like something older which you restored.
That's a good point, and a trick I use often to roll the tree from behind the stump.
What is that tuck in your signature? There isn't enough of it showing to tel, but it looks like something older which you restored.
CobyRupert
Super Member
Good point.
I've never put a full wrap, but often bring the hook under the log and hitch it to the choker chain that comes over the top of the log on the "back side" of the log. This does 2 things:
1) Gives the log a 1/2 roll when cable is tensioned. As you mention, it's good if log needs to get away from stump, or rock etc..., but more importantly:
2) I use a open grab link on my chokers, so this way gravity holds the grab hook on the chain, and the tension on the cable end of the choker, from the weigh of the slack cable off the top, holds it tight too.
Yes, snap hooks (which get bent to h*ll) or a proper log chain choker hook would prevent this, but it took me a long time to figure out best way to prevent the hook from falling off choker when the cable is rattling around when you're taking up the slack.
goeduck
Super Member
I also made a log grapple, and for me this kit is initially enough.
With them I get my firewood from the forest.
Grapple Making:
Very impressive !