Big Wood - Small Tractor.

[John_Mc]

Has anyone used a gas capstan winch. They seem to be guite versatile and more practical than a 12 volt winch.

I don't own one, but have used one on a couple of occasions. One of those occasions was in a Game Of Logging Storm Damage Clean Up chainsaw course. I was impressed. In the class, we used: Portable Winch Co PCW5000 Gas Powered Winch. It's well built and easy to use.View attachment 633532
They also sell a "forestry kit" which includes the winch and a lot of other useful stuff, including a skidding cone, snatch block, choker chain, & etc. The kit is definitely worth it, if you don't already own a lot of the stuff in it. They are rated for 2000# pull @40 FPM. If you double the line with a snatch block, you double the pulling force, but cut the speed in half, so 4000# at 20 FPM. Even the double line speed is much faster than any electric winch you are likely to use with a small tractor, and on top of that, there is no need to stop and let the winch cool down every few feet.

This is not exactly blazing speed for pulling out a log, but at least it's not agonizingly slow like an electric winch is, and it can make this pull continuously: no waiting period for things to cool down. For reference, 265 FPM is a typical walking speed (about 3 MPH). A typical logging winch can pull about 2 MPH (175 FPM) if your tractor is running at PTO speed of 540 RPM. (That was about my hiking speed in moderate terrain when carrying a full pack, back when I did a lot of backpacking.) I'm generally not running my tractor at full PTO speed when winching logs in the woods. I generally throttle back to what amounts to about 120 FPM. That's just a comfortable speed for me.

If owning a tractor logging winch was not in the cards for me, I'd grab one of these portable capstan winches in a heartbeat. In fact, if I did a lot more storm damage clean up than I currently do (mostly my own property and helping out friends), I'd probably buy one even though I already own a logging winch. There are situations where one of these portable winches is just easier to use than a tractor mounted logging winch.

 

[ericm979]

How heavy of a log can 2000lb of winch pull pull? Is that an idealized 2000lb log, or 2000lb of pulling force, or something else?

 

[John_Mc]

How heavy of a log can 2000lb of winch pull pull? Is that an idealized 2000lb log, or 2000lb of pulling force, or something else?

It's 2000# of pulling force.

How heavy a log it can pull is STRONGLY dependent on ground conditions, and the shape of the log, and how cleanly it was limbed. A skidding cone or skid plate / skid sled under the front of the load can significantly reduce the pulling force required. I've seen homemade skidding cones and a lot of homemade skidding plates (looks a bit like a sled or toboggan that slips under the leading edge of the log). Sometimes I'll bevel the leading edge of the log to help keep it from digging in - kind of a poor man's skidding cone.

I've whole trees out (20+" DBH Red Oak) without a problem with my 7700# logging winch. I've also had trouble pulling out 1500# logs with it, when the conditions are just not right (though I can almost always figure out those 1500# logs, I just have to jockey things around a bit). When cutting firewood, it's easy: If I can't move a log without a lot of hassle, I just cut it down to a shorter length that I can move. If it's a sawlog that I need out in one piece, sometimes I have to get more creative.

 

[plumbstraight]

^^^I like that electric winch setup. Have no experience with one but the battery issues mentioned earlier, this should be a non issue for intermittent use?

That JD looks like hydraulic winch?

Yes, the JD is hydraulic works very well. The electric is slow, but had the winch so put it on. It is 10,000lb. Much more than the tractor will pull, but with the small gears in electric winches, shock loads from pulling on the move is better to have a larger winch. Mostly used to move trailers and such, but handy when you need the winch.

 

[Oldpath05]

I dont know why more people dont do this with small tractor's and ATVs, I think it's called Par-buckling. I use to load logs on my ATV trailer that way before I bought a tractor and all I had was a small boat winch, you'd be amazed how big of a log you can load on a trailer or truck.
How to load logs on a truck using a 12v winch - YouTube

 

[John_Mc]

I dont know why more people dont do this with small tractor's and ATVs, I think it's called Par-buckling. I use to load logs on my ATV trailer that way before I bought a tractor and all I had was a small boat winch, you'd be amazed how big of a log you can load on a trailer or truck.
How to load logs on a truck using a 12v winch - YouTube

Yes, it's called parbuckling. There are a couple of threads on here about it.

Here's a couple descriptions of another method which uses a hinged arch across the back of the trailer:

This one shows a few pictures in action: Moving Logs

This is a longer thread with some build details: DanG-DeadHeader Log Lifter

I do not own one of these, but have seen one in use a few times. It worked well, requires only minimal modifications to the trailer, and was an inexpensive method of loading logs, especially if you already own a winch.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I've parbuckled many a log onto a trailer, heck I've parbuckled them off too!

SR

 

[Oldpath05]

Nice picture SR must of taken it for demonstration purposes. Yes par-buckling can be used to unload to, it works great in both directions and there is hardly and foot print left behind cept tire tracks. I still have all my parbuckling jingle jangles, all I need is another boat winch maybe this summer I set it up again

 

[Oldpath05]

Yes, it's called parbuckling. There are a couple of threads on here about it.

Here's a couple descriptions of another method which uses a hinged arch across the back of the trailer:

This one shows a few pictures in action: Moving Logs

This is a longer thread with some build details: DanG-DeadHeader Log Lifter

I do not own one of these, but have seen one in use a few times. It worked well, requires only minimal modifications to the trailer, and was an inexpensive method of loading logs, especially if you already own a winch.

I thought that what it was called, I had to dig deep to try and recall it. I think the parbuckling method would work better then the re-hooking tailgate way, put down ramps and let the log roll that what a log does best.

 

[John_Mc]

I thought that what it was called, I had to dig deep to try and recall it. I think the parbuckling method would work better then the re-hooking tailgate way, put down ramps and let the log roll that what a log does best.

Whether parbuckling or the log-lifter arch is better depends on the design of trailer you have and on what you are lifting. (As well as the surroundings and terrain in which you are working, I guess.)

I agree that for picking up sawlogs (mostly straight and round) in an open area, parbuckling is hard to beat: minimal equipment and fabrication required, and probably can get by with lower powered winch and battery.

For working in tight quarters, such as along a narrow trail, or with odd-shaped logs (such as yard trees), the arch over the tailgate might be a better choice.