Log Arch - Homemade

[savageayape]

Well, I needed a way to get the logs out of my woods without damaging the property from dragging them. Of course I looked over this forum and considered purchasing a log arch from a manufacturer. I told a friend of mine about the log arch and after describing it to him, he told me he will be happy to build one for me. I gave him some measurements and info with regard to what I wanted to be able to do with it. He told me he would probably start work on it in the spring, but a few weeks later he called and said it was ready. He even sprayed it with primer for me. Now I just have to paint it. Even though I didn't build it, I thought I'd share some photographs of it with you guys. I'll add more photographs after I paint it.

 

[rdbrumfield]

Nice piece of work. I think you are going to wish it was a bit taller though. Nice it has a long tongue, will make it easier to back up.

 

[kennyd]

Very nice!

But I think you will need a chain on your hitch adapter to the drawbar to keep the 3PH from raising when a log is attached-remember that the 3PH naturally floats and will raise if negative pressure is applied like a long log hanging on the rear.

 

[savageayape]

Nice piece of work. I think you are going to wish it was a bit taller though. Nice it has a long tongue, will make it easier to back up.

I've already had that concern as well, but I haven't tried using it yet. I talked to my buddy about cutting it and adding some more steel to increase the height. He said that would be no problem. I'll wait until I test it out first before doing that though.

 

[savageayape]

Very nice!

But I think you will need a chain on your hitch adapter to the drawbar to keep the 3PH from raising when a log is attached-remember that the 3PH naturally floats and will raise if negative pressure is applied like a long log hanging on the rear.

This shouldn't be a problem with the way I intend to use it. The log won't be balanced at the rear of the arch. I will use the winch cable at the rear to raise the log beyond it's center point. That way the log will be raised at the rear and still touching the ground under the arch toward the tractor. I will then lower the 3 pt hitch and attach a chain from one of the hooks welded to the arch, slide the chain under the log and attach it on the hook on the other side of the arch. I will then raise the three point hitch which will in turn raise the log off the ground completely. The only concern I can think of right now is that it appears it may be too close to the ground, but I have to test it out to determine if it needs to be taller.

I really appreciate your thoughts and any other ideas or suggestions will be appreciated as well.

Now that I think about it a little more, I may need to fish the chain under the front of the log (part under arch and closer to the tractor before raising the rear of the log with the winch for the very reason you mentioned in your post.

 

[kennyd]

How long are the log you intend to carry?

It may be more "user friendly" to operate if there was a upside-down V welded where the chain hooks are...to serve as a saddle. Then winch the tree off-center so the butt comes into the saddle first-then lifts the trunk holding the tree firmly.

And I still think for safety's sake you need to limit upward travel of the 3PH, especially if you ever plan to move regular trailers around.

 

[steveoutdoorrec]

Seems to me that raising the back of the log and then lowering the 3pt and then chaining the front of the log before raising the 3pt to clear the ground is a lot of back and forth.
Why not put another winch to lift the front. That way you pull over the log, lift both ends and put on the safety chains and go. Only out of the seat once and no raising and lowering of the 3pt

 

[drivadesl]

I think it looks great and have been thinking of building one myself. You;ll find out right away if its not tall enough, but I would think no problem for your average 20" log. Do you have any idea what the weight capacity is? The steel looks heavy enough, and I like the tires. Any idea where you got these from and the diameter of the axels. Also curious what it ended up costing you for materials. Best of luck with it, I imagine you will be painting it JD green.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

Nice work!

Post some pictures when you get to try it out..........Hurry

 

[savageayape]

How long are the log you intend to carry?

It may be more "user friendly" to operate if there was a upside-down V welded where the chain hooks are...to serve as a saddle. Then winch the tree off-center so the butt comes into the saddle first-then lifts the trunk holding the tree firmly.

And I still think for safety's sake you need to limit upward travel of the 3PH, especially if you ever plan to move regular trailers around.

I imagine most logs will be between 10' and 16'. I really like your idea of the upside-down "V" That would help keep the log from swaying back and forth as I haul it away as well as with the suggestion of how to lift the log. I'll have to play with various techniques until I find one that works well.

I hate to sound stupid, but I'm not sure what you mean by limiting the upward travel of the 3 pt. Are you referring to pulling from too high above the axles and thus causing the tractor to pull a wheelie? I don't plan to pull regular trailers with it, but if I do, I'll be sure to keep the 3 pt low (at axle height).

 

[savageayape]

Seems to me that raising the back of the log and then lowering the 3pt and then chaining the front of the log before raising the 3pt to clear the ground is a lot of back and forth.
Why not put another winch to lift the front. That way you pull over the log, lift both ends and put on the safety chains and go. Only out of the seat once and no raising and lowering of the 3pt

To do that, the 2nd winch would have to be off center or under the frame. I'm not sure I want to place a winch off center. I don't want to install one under the frame where the log will be. You're correct though, my original plan does have a lot of back and forth movement.

 

[kennyd]

I hate to sound stupid, but I'm not sure what you mean by limiting the upward travel of the 3 pt. Are you referring to pulling from too high above the axles and thus causing the tractor to pull a wheelie? I don't plan to pull regular trailers with it, but if I do, I'll be sure to keep the 3 pt low (at axle height).

Not stupid at all...

There is NO downpressure on your 3PH. You can lower it all the way and lift the arms up by hand-try it.

SO, if the majority of the logs weight is aft the axles on your arch (think tail heavy) then the tongue of your arch will become very light and the 3PH can raise up.

 

[savageayape]

I think it looks great and have been thinking of building one myself. You;ll find out right away if its not tall enough, but I would think no problem for your average 20" log. Do you have any idea what the weight capacity is? The steel looks heavy enough, and I like the tires. Any idea where you got these from and the diameter of the axels. Also curious what it ended up costing you for materials. Best of luck with it, I imagine you will be painting it JD green.

I'm not sure what the weight capacity is, but I'm confident the steel is plenty large enough for the logs I'll move. I don't remember the weight capacity of the wheels and axles, but my friend told me they are heavy duty and should pose no problem at all. He purchased all the hardware from Agri supply including the wheels and tires. The tires are for a gator. The total material cost was $881.00. It's a lot cheaper than any of the comparable log arches I've seen for sale. The arch is 9' long and I don't remember how wide it is. It's at my property an hour away and I'm stuck working open to close every day now for an unknown number of days until my employee who watches my store is able to come back to work from her surgery recovery (knee replacement), so I'll have to wait a while until I can try it out and give you guys some new updates.

Yes, I'm painting it John Deere Green.

 

[savageayape]

Not stupid at all...

There is NO downpressure on your 3PH. You can lower it all the way and lift the arms up by hand-try it.

SO, if the majority of the logs weight is aft the axles on your arch (think tail heavy) then the tongue of your arch will become very light and the 3PH can raise up.

Ok, I know what you mean now. I plan to have a majority of the log weight closer to the tractor with relation to the axles of the arch. that should provide down pressure on the hitch.

 

[rdbrumfield]

This is one I put together for my quad. I made a much larger one for my tractor many years ago and sold it to a fellow that just had to have it. It used a pto driven winch I put together, and had hydralic cyclinder to dump it.

this one does it all with the boat winch on it. I think I posted before, but here you go.

I got to looking at where you have that reciever hooked. If you put another one right at the bottom, you could lift your 3pt all the way up and the hight of the tongue would be about the same as it is now. That would eliminate the chance of it raring up. You need to make it a solid as posible, I you happened to have any bodypart over that tongue and it came up all of a sudden while winching or whatever it could be painful.

Just my personal experience, and I have used these behind everything from my quad to D8 cats, when and if you decide to get a bit more hight, put it in the angle above the tires to spread them a bit also. A footprint the width of your tractor will be safer, and if possible, put a round reciever shaft on your 3pt hitch. Run it through it so it will turn 360 degrees. An inch and a half pipe with a saft that will fit it nicely with a bit of grease, you will be glad you did. If you turn it over, and you will at some point, it won't hurt the tractor or bend up you hitch setup.

 

[steveoutdoorrec]

I was looking at you winch and how it runs over the pully at the rear. What I had in mind was one mounted facing the other way running over another pully. Of course it would have to be aligned to clear the rail but if you mounted it on one of the cross bars where your safety chain hooks are that would be the ideal place to mount in.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

This is one I put together for my quad.

You have a nice one too

Thanks for the pictures!

 

[savageayape]

Well I painted it and decided to include some updated photographs of it. I have not yet painted the wheels (JD yellow), but will do so sometime this summer. I haven't had the opportunity to use it yet either. I've been too busy with timber stand improvement and planting warm season grasses and wild flowers to complete a couple cost share agreements I have with the IDNR. Hopefully I'll get to use it soon.

 

[rdbrumfield]

This one I finished a while back. Had no problem picking a 3 footer off the ground and skidding it. It was only about 20ft long though. I did use a larger set of tongs though. I have since put a line on the winch. It is a bit slow as it is a lower geared winch than the one in my loader and the hyd motor is a bit larger, but boy, will it pull.

 

[mjncad]

Those are nice looking log arches.