It's Logging Season-Northeast

[Rustyiron]

I built a log arch many years ago, and used it behind a small Case tractor to move a lot of wood. I put a hand winch on the front of it with a pulley directly over the axles in order to winch and lift the logs off the ground. It had a chain to secure the log for transit to take the load off the winch itself.
The winch was a cheap harbor freight version which broke after a fair bit of use.

I no longer use the arch. It worked well for what it was, but there are much better ways.

Since then I bought a used logging grapple for less than I could possibly build one for.
I think a good alternative to a full blown logging grapple, would be a simple 3 point frame similar to mine, with just a set of logging tongs hanging from a chain.

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Piston that looks like it had a winch on it at one point. From the looks of the valve on your right fender that you've got to juice, just need a winch.
I build a similar "thing" and put a 8000# Ramsey planetary hydraulic winch on mine. It's no where near the speed or power of a 3pt. and only carries 90' of cable but the line speed is about a foot per second and I'll winch in a grapple full to just under the grapple from different directions and then grapple it out.

 

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If I had a choice, I'd forward my stems out w a trailer like Rusty has especially if you already have trails. You'll need a front mounted grapple.
An alternative are those gas powered capstan winches for around $2K. Skid to an area. Pick em up w your grapple and load them on a forwarding trailer.
I never used one so I do not know how quick they are.
I'm only doing 5-6 cords per year for firewood so a chain and a draw bar has always worked for me.
category_winches+gas-powered-winches

 

[Gordon Gould]

If I had a choice, I'd forward my stems out w a trailer like Rusty has especially if you already have trails. You'll need a front mounted grapple.
An alternative are those gas powered capstan winches for around $2K. Skid to an area. Pick em up w your grapple and load them on a forwarding trailer.
I never used one so I do not know how quick they are.
I'm only doing 5-6 cords per year for firewood so a chain and a draw bar has always worked for me.
category_winches+gas-powered-winches

I do mine many different ways but I agree that coming out of the woods with a trailer load of logs and blocking them up right on the trailer, splitting them, and toss into the storage, all in one fell swoop is about the most efficient method I have tried.

gg

 

[spruce Deere]

I use chains and tractor draw bar also.. Not much of a problem if you are paying attention..... Most dangerous thing about logging and firewood is log splitter.....

Been my experiences that its the things you don't see that are the most dangerous... Limbs falling out of trees, limbs flipping up and smacking tractor/you when working, sticks and things that Jill poke into stuff that should not be poked like tires, hyd lines and me, underground hornets nest.

Not once has my splitter turned violent on me.... Chain saw on the other hand, gotta watch that animal

 

[Piston]

Piston that looks like it had a winch on it at one point. From the looks of the valve on your right fender that you've got to juice, just need a winch.
I build a similar "thing" and put a 8000# Ramsey planetary hydraulic winch on mine. It's no where near the speed or power of a 3pt. and only carries 90' of cable but the line speed is about a foot per second and I'll winch in a grapple full to just under the grapple from different directions and then grapple it out.

You are correct. The guy I bought it from stopped using it after he bought a Metavic forwarding trailer. He had a hydraulic winch on it but wanted to keep the winch. I've wanted to get one for it ever since I bought it, but I haven't put in the effort to find one. I honestly don't know what to look for??? It seems easy enough to bolt on and hook up the hydraulics, but what do I buy?
I really like the grapple as I don't have to get off the tractor to drag trees out, however if I added winch, it would obviously be many times more useful. I've been looking for a 3 point skidding winch for a while, but I'd almost prefer to just add one to this and avoid having another implement.

 

[Piston]

I do mine many different ways but I agree that coming out of the woods with a trailer load of logs and blocking them up right on the trailer, splitting them, and toss into the storage, all in one fell swoop is about the most efficient method I have tried.

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gg

Gordon, is that your old pronovost trailer? That is a great idea. I ended up selling mine because I felt it was just too small. This looks like a great way to make it super useful.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Gordon, is that your old pronovost trailer? That is a great idea. I ended up selling mine because I felt it was just too small. This looks like a great way to make it super useful.

Yes, that's the Pronovost. And every time I use it I thank you for telling me about it's availability. It is small by most standards but good for my 30 hp L3010 in the woods. I can haul a yard of gravel or 3/4 cord of wood. As you know the side panels are removable. I added some stake pockets and rub-rail/side stiffeners to make it pretty versatile now.

gg

 

[John_Mc]

I build a similar "thing" and put a 8000# Ramsey planetary hydraulic winch on mine. It's no where near the speed or power of a 3pt. and only carries 90' of cable but the line speed is about a foot per second and I'll winch in a grapple full to just under the grapple from different directions and then grapple it out.

What did you do to get that sort of speed out of your hydraulic Ramsey winch? Most of theones I've seen max out at about 12 feet per minute (1/5 your speed) and require 15 GPM flow to get that speed.

 

[John_Mc]

An alternative are those gas powered capstan winches for around $2K. Skid to an area. Pick em up w your grapple and load them on a forwarding trailer.
I never used one so I do not know how quick they are.
...
category_winches+gas-powered-winches

Those run around 30-40 FPM. This puts them significantly faster than most electric winches, and with no duty cycle to worry about. (Many electric winches require a LONG cool-down cycle after even a brief pull near their rated pulling limit). Still quite a bit slower than a 3 Pt hitch logging winch, but they do make for an inexpensive alternative.

 

[Rustyiron]

What did you do to get that sort of speed out of your hydraulic Ramsey winch? Most of theones I've seen max out at about 12 feet per minute (1/5 your speed) and require 15 GPM flow to get that speed.

It may be that it's a "planetary" vs. Worm gear. All I did was plumb it and the tractor is stock in that department.
I also run it at an idle unless I'm hauling in something with a lot of resistance. (Pushing around rocks or stumps in the path, digging into the dirt, etc)