Best Log Skidding solution

[missesalot]

What I’m working on is getting out some butternut logs that we want to have sawn, as my dad and I are woodworkers. He makes canoe paddles and I made cabinets and furniture, butternut is great for both and rare these days. Had a few fall down and we want to use them. I can get my tractor, wheeler, or UTV right to them. Also, we have a ton of ash trees that are dying due to the emerald ash borer, so we want to get some of those logs out to sell while they are viable.

 

[JerryK]

Leaving the mess in the woods is what we did growing up.. We trailered it out with a cord wood trailer. Besides the dirt on the last 6ft doesn't help a chainsaw chain much either.. If we drag it out now it's in the snow.

Ditto, I buckup/split where I fall the tree. If I do have to move it/store it, I cut in sections and haul with my forks. That way I can stack it up above the ground and keep it fairly clean before I buck/split. I sharpen my own chains, so I don't want any more sand/krap in the the bark as possible. Draggin to me is old school, unless you are hauling it to a stationary wood processor. Even the pros now drag as little as possible, they have equipment to pickup/haul the logs to where they are stacked for sorting, before the semi's haul them out of the woods. And, if you have to drag anything, please use the drawbar, not the 3pt.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Skidding winches may cost a few bucks, but you get most if not all of it back, when you are done with it and sell it!

SR

 

[4570Man]

I’ve not seen any used winches for sale within reasonable driving distance. I had a wooded 6 acres that I was wanting to pull some timber off of and I’d about decided to buy a new winch but I sold the 6 acres so I don’t need one anymore.

 

[missesalot]

How much are winches ?

 

[arrow]

What I’m working on is getting out some butternut logs that we want to have sawn, as my dad and I are woodworkers. He makes canoe paddles and I made cabinets and furniture, butternut is great for both and rare these days. Had a few fall down and we want to use them. I can get my tractor, wheeler, or UTV right to them. Also, we have a ton of ash trees that are dying due to the emerald ash borer, so we want to get some of those logs out to sell while they are viable.

If this is all you want to do, just use the cross -draw bar with a clevis and chain. Your total investment including the chain will under 30 bucks. Done.

 

[Gordon Gould]

If you can back right up to them then a winch would be a waste of money. You are still left with lots of choices. The best depends on your situation. They all work. Drag them on the ground with a chain on the draw bar. Front of logs digs in so a big log could drag hard depending on the ground/soil. And entire log is drawn thru the dirt/mud which will fill the bark. Or lift one end of the log off the ground with the 3ph and some kind of implement you can hook a log to even a box blade will work. Only the far end drags in the dirt so it drags easier and cleaner. Same with a log arch it also gets one end up and is very safe. A trailer if you can load it by hand. A grapple or chains on your bucket if the area is clear enough to travel with a log cross wise. There is tons of stuff here try a search.

gg

 

[arrow]

As far as processing trees into firewood within the forest...no thank you. Much depends on woods density but bucking and crown processing is much safer in an open environment.

Would not want to consider woods processing in this type of forest.

 

[Oldpath05]

Leaving the mess in the woods is what we did growing up.. We trailered it out with a cord wood trailer. Besides the dirt on the last 6ft doesn't help a chainsaw chain much either.. If we drag it out now it's in the snow.

True that's why in the last 4 years I winch up my trees then winch them out in the opening, cut off and push all the limbs/brush into brush piles, make's it a lot easier to walk through during hunting season.

 

[missesalot]

My place is a jungle. Def won’t be able to bring anything out with forks or in a grapple.

 

[arrow]

How much are winches ?

You can get a new one for around 3K. I don't think you need one however for your situation.

 

[Oldpath05]

A skidding winch is the BEST way, everything else just "wishes" it was a skidding winch and doesn't work as well as a skidding winch!

SR

Very well put, I couldn't said that any better my self. So what's title of this thread...............BEST, all other here are just Log Skidding solutions, and I've been there done that plus others.

 

[Jstpssng]

How much are winches ?

I paid $3000 for a new Uniforest last year after buying and selling two used units. Either they are worn out; or the seller wants as much as the price of a new one. I agree with the poster below though; for a few trees it isn't worth the cost. When I was between winches I cut and piled 12 cords of tree length fir using a cross draw bar on the 3 pth to pick the butts up out of the dirt.

If this is all you want to do, just use the cross -draw bar with a clevis and chain. Your total investment including the chain will under 30 bucks. Done.

I have also seen trees dragged out that way using an old car hood to keep the butt out of the dirt.

As far as processing trees into firewood within the forest...no thank you. Much depends on woods density but bucking and crown processing is much safer in an open environment.

Would not want to consider woods processing in this type of forest.

To each their own, I wouldn't want to drag that top through any more of my regeneration than I had to.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I’ve not seen any used winces for sale within reasonable driving distance. I had a wooded 6 acres that I was wanting to pull some timber off of and I’d about decided to buy a new winch but I sold the 6 acres so I don’t need one anymore.

"Wince" is what I do every time I see you spell WINCH!! lol

Hooked On Phonics is your friend! ha ha ha

SR

 

[atsah]

As far as processing trees into firewood within the forest...no thank you. Much depends on woods density but bucking and crown processing is much safer in an open environment.

Would not want to consider woods processing in this type of forest.

I did it that way for 35 years, also cut 4ft wood with a cordwood saw off the back of a International 350 utility with no blade shield, that's what people did back then, Today is safety everything, we didn't even have a chain break on our Homelite chainsaw, it was a piece of plastic in case the chain snapped, you knew if you screwed up you were screwed and I can't remember anyone getting hurt back then..

 

[Oldpath05]

BEST>>>>>>>>>>> Tractor winching - YouTube

 

[missesalot]

For a 45hp tractor, do I want a cat 1 or cat 2 3pt drawbar?

 

[atsah]

TC45 is CAT 1..

 

[John_Mc]

What I’m working on is getting out some butternut logs that we want to have sawn, as my dad and I are woodworkers. He makes canoe paddles and I made cabinets and furniture, butternut is great for both and rare these days. Had a few fall down and we want to use them. I can get my tractor, wheeler, or UTV right to them. Also, we have a ton of ash trees that are dying due to the emerald ash borer, so we want to get some of those logs out to sell while they are viable.

If you can get right up to them, then a logging winch doesn't really do you any good. Those winches are great for getting logs to your tractor, but if there is no need for that, save your money. You may want one someday, but it sounds as though your current needs are simpler.

Since it's a sawlog, i'd recommend not simply chaining them to your drawbar and dragging them on the ground. At the least, get the front end of the log up using a skidding plate or a logging arch (you can also rig your own device for lifting the front end of the log with your 3 pt hitch, but be aware that there can be safety issues with this if it is not done correctly).

Another possibility is loading the logs into a trailer: you can rig something on your loader (choker chain or tongs, or buy a grapple) or use a couple of inexpensive ways (if you already own a trailer or can find a cheap one) to rig a trailer for loading: do a search here on this site or google/YouTube search "parbuckling" (using an electric winch & ramps to roll logs onto the trailer from the side). An alternative is to add a loading arch to the back of your trailer. This also relies on an electric winch to provide the power. I've seen folks make then for next-to-nothing. Here are a couple decent links showing some:
The DanG-DeadHeader log-lifter
Another trailer arch with photo sequence
Multi video series of a trailer loading arch build

(Not saying the trailer loading arch is the best solution for your needs, I just happened to have some links saved for that.)

 

[cathy liebchen]

Light duty cross-drawbar variations, which allow you to raise logs slightly, reducing ground friction and keeping 50% of log length clean.



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we had the Titan 3 point hitch one in the pics on the right and bent it into a pretzel right away moving trailers, it was flimsy junk . Bought the heavier square tubing one with a receiver hitch in it, much more durable