skidding logs

[ROUSTABOUT]

I suppose you could lift with the 3pt, but drop the log onto a sled to pull from the drawbar. Some guys used to use car hoods to skid things around. Not sure if the current car hoods would stand up very long to that use. Or look for a good sized piece of steel plate you could weld a lip on so it doesn't dig into the dirt. Or take a 55 gallon plastic drum and reshape it into a logging cone.

Just pick the end of log up and drag. Forty years I've done that.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Keep everything at riding lawnmower speed. No incidents here in 40 years of my brother and I snaking logs out with tractors and skidders.

 

[Mallard1]

Thanks for the help, the plan is put one 9’ in the grapple if we have room and then skid a 19’. Doing this will cut our number of skids by 2/3

 

[Jstpssng]

Thanks for the help, the plan is put one 9’ in the grapple if we have room and then skid a 19’. Doing this will cut our number of skids by 2/3

In that case, you know to keep that bucket low.it would be easy to watch what's going on in the back, and forget about that extra weight on the front.

 

[Mallard1]

I went down today to try this out on two logs I already had pulled out, one was 28” diameter on the small end and the other was 32”. Apparently my tongs aren’t big enough. They wouldn’t slip down far enough and just slid up when I tried to pick up. I’ll look for a larger set this week.

 

[2manyrocks]

Can't you do the same thing with a logging chain with a slip hook on the end? I think someone already mentioned it.

 

[2manyrocks]

This premade choker chain has the choker hook already on it, but the choker hooks can be purchased separately.

Amazon.com

 

[dstig1]

Was just going to suggest a logging choker chain. 2manyrocks beat me to it. As long as you can find a way to attach it to your 3pt with a hook or something on the quick hitch, that should do it.

 

[Rockbadchild]

knock it down with a hammer to grip it

 

[WranglerX]

I typically use a 20 ft and a 35 ft chain with grab hooks for my skidding, and I find this really short chain is a real helper on several instances when I need to grip logs differently or instantly adjust length of chain or something in lashup like make loop in middle of chain to loop over QH hook...... Also having a couple of steel rings that chain hooks will drop through and a couple of clevis's helps...

 

[BlueKnife]

I went down today to try this out on two logs I already had pulled out, one was 28” diameter on the small end and the other was 32”. Apparently my tongs aren’t big enough. They wouldn’t slip down far enough and just slid up when I tried to pick up. I’ll look for a larger set this week.

Need to get a couple cat chokers. They works great for what you're doing. Much more secure, stronger and less expensive than tongs and usually not much harder, if any, to use.

 

[WranglerX]

Can someone explain to me how you use this style choker, I understand about the chain hook wrapping around log but fail to see how you attach choker to tractor to pull....

 

[treefarmerguy]

The chain is usually then attached to the winch by way of notches on the body of the winch.

 

[thclimer]

or on the cable there are slides that a chain can be attached to:

 

[ericm979]

Or you can put one of these on the end of your winch cable

the cable goes in one side of the opening you can barely see on the lower left, loops around inside and comes back out the other side. There's a wedge inside the body that locks the cable in place. It's a reuseable way to terminate a cable. They make them with grab hooks as well as the keyhole. Or you can make a short chain with a grab hook on the end.

 

[2manyrocks]

Put the choker chain on the log and then attach it to a regular chain that has a hook on each end with one hook attached to a clevis on the drawbar.

 

[WranglerX]

The chain is usually then attached to the winch by way of notches on the body of the winch.

Don't have winch or anything on rear of tractor with notches/slots....

 

[WranglerX]

Put the choker chain on the log and then attach it to a regular chain that has a hook on each end with one hook attached to a clevis on the drawbar.

If I have grab hook on end of chain I can wrap around log and "hook", why do I need a "choker"....

 

[BlueKnife]

Don't have winch or anything on rear of tractor with notches/slots....

Then that style of choker chain won't work for you.

 

[2manyrocks]

If I have grab hook on end of chain I can wrap around log and "hook", why do I need a "choker"....

The choker hook allows the chain to self-tension around the log when you pull it. It's not necessary to buy the entire choker chain assembly. You can replace one of the regular hooks on a normal chain with one of these. Amazon.com