It's Logging Season-Northeast

[MadJack]

What have you guys built to skid logs out?
I have heard of more problems with Farmi-style rigs, and I'm looking for simple rigs that just plain work for a part time logger.
Bonus for photos...

 

[Rustyiron]

What problems are you hearing about?
Other than the opportunity to do something really stupid and have it go very wrong very fast all I hear is they're a very effective and a relatively inexpensive tool that seems to keep their value for a long time.
As with all equipment, it needs to match your needs and conditions. Pulling out 50' - 100' or 200' of cable to sneak a log out of the woods is a lot easier than building a trail for the tractor to get to it.
I don't have one myself for various reasons, but I haven't "heard" anything but happy ownership stories.

 

[MadJack]

1) $3500 is a lot for a pretty piece of steel. (I'm land rich-cash poor)
2) I already have logging trails
3) temperamental controls (on two I have worked with)
4) PITA sheet metal hiding a (normally) quick fix issue.

Sure it would be nice to have a new, or near new Farmi. No argument there!
I was merely looking for other options and ideas from those who actually LOG timber with their tractor.

(BTW... I'm "really" not stupid)

 

[Rustyiron]

I didn't mean you Jack, you know how the safety police get on here and I surely wasn't trying to be flaming you at all.
I just didn't understand your first comment about problems, still don't.
I'm here in rocky Maine also and besides rocks I've got stumps and I was concerned about the blazing fast winch speed of these winches (for my conditions).
My contraption started out as basically an "arch" that would allow the butt end to be 3-4' off the ground. One thing led to another a I added a hydraulic winch and finally a grapple. I've got about the same money in it as a store bought winch but it suits me better. I'm only thinning for boiler wood, the big wood was removed years ago.

This was a big old standing dead pine that I wanted to see if there's anything left on the inside for the sawmill.

 

[MadJack]

That photo is exactly what I was looking for! Thinking outside the box, looking at other peoples designs, then building/modifying for my personal use.

Please pardon my snappy response earlier. Bad Lyme morning and I get cranky when I hurt.

Thanks for the ideas RI. I'm over near Gardiner, but they still let me wander...

 

[Gordon Gould]

I agree with Eric. I have heard nothing but good words about Farmi style winches. Have been using one myself for 20 years. They are built to last and no nagging little problems like you mentioned.

You said " I'm looking for simple rigs that just plain work for a part time logger." If that's the case then you can't go wrong with a winch.

gg

 

[Gordon Gould]

I actually log with a tractor (I think) and have an extensive trail system and can honestly say that I could not get very far on my woodlot w/o a winch.

gg

 

[nyone]

Needing any attachment is solely dependant on the person useing it, way it's used and land it's used on.

I log mostly for firewood and it would take many many years of personal firewood burning to make up even a $4k winch. I also dont have huge hills nor closely spaced trees. A chain and grapple bucket works well for me.

 

[Chevyguy0819]

I have a wallenstein fx90 winch that is probably over 20 years old. use it all the time and never had a problem.

My grandfather always used something similar to this

 

[davedj1]

I just posted a build thread of an old wrecker winch I put on the 3 point and run it off the PTO, it works very well, cheap and easy to build into what I wanted/needed