Log Skidding

[MarkV]

Deepsnow, any chance of snapping a photo or two of Joe's attachment?

MarkV

 

[deepsnow]

MarkV,
I get online via public internet access. Sorry, don't own an computer hardware. I thought of another load limiting element. It's also a safety concern. The weight imbalance caused by the wood load. Joe's tractor is an old grey Ford. He was limited to 1-4 logger length 8-18" red oak logs. I'm not sure if it was a lift limited load, stabilty issue or the possibility that a larger load would roll off the unit while climbing a steep grade.

 

[stovepoker]

"Keep the log as long as you can as long as you can".
Keep the front end of the log as high as you can without
lifting your front wheels, if you're using a tractor. The
weight distribution in a tractor is not ideal for skidding, and
can be super dangerous. As soon as I learn how do do it I
will post a picture of a log skidding attachment I built for my
Satoh S650G 25 years ago, that has skidded an obscene
amount of timber. The tractor is still like new. in recent years I have also built Grasshoppers and all other kinds of outrageous forwarding equipment for my buddies who insist on using 4X4 ATV's for moving logs. I think they're insane
but, guess what, they're moving stuff with ATV's that I couldn't
move with Caterpillars 35 years ago...keep the faith

 

[Youare]

I built a 2 wheeled log transport around 15 years ago, it has moved many thousand board feet of logs. The device I made does add some weight to the rear wheels of the tractor but not enough to ligthen the front end. I'd say 75% to 80% of the weight is on the log transport and the rest is on the drawbar.

I used it tonight to unload a 24" diameter 9 foot long cheery log out of my pick-up. A person at work cut down a large cherry tree and asked if I wanted it for fire wood. I have used to transport over the road before and would have again but I was able to slide these logs into the back of my truck as they were on a side hill.

I have hauled 3 logs 12" in diameter by 12 feet long at one time or one log 26" in diameter 12 feet long. The whole log is raised off the ground so there is no damage to the ground and no dirt on the log.

It cost me less than $100.00 for the material to make this thing. I would post a picture if I had a digital camera. I will try to amke a drawing that I can post.

Randy

 

[xantherx]

Attached is photo of my home-made log hauler just after I made it. I used steel pipe since that was what I had available. Steel box would have been better. I have dragged 8-10" dia logs up to 12 ft long without any problem. You definitely need to limit front-to-back sway (as you go uphill & down-hill) and side-to-side sway (as you make turns) on the lifted end of the log, hence the chain arrangement. Since I took this photo, I replaced the portable come-along hoist with a small Fulton ratchet hoist mounted permanently atop the vertical post. That lets me lift & drag logs while my tool basket (an old steel freezer basket) remains in place on the tongue. Good place to carry chainsaw, fuel, etc.

 

[beenthere]

That is quite a log skidder. That will take a monster log, as it is very heavily built. Nice outfit.
I will stick to my 3pt hitch with logging tongs, as I find working in the woods, it is tough enough to get just the tractor to the log to hook it, without the thought of getting a two-wheeled trailing skidder backed up to a log. Your winch idea would serve to pull the log up to the skidder if backing up to it wouldn't be possible.
What size logs have you pulled out of the woods with this rig? Certainly you jest with the small pipe slung in the rig for demonstration. I can see a log in that rig that is 30" diam and 12' long (that is just above the limit of oak log that my old 2-cyl Deere 420 would pull out with the 3pt lift and the snow plow on the front for weight).

 

[xantherx]

You did hit on one disadvantage of a towed skidder: backing it into a tight area to hitch up to a log. That's sometimes a hassle. At times I unhitched the hauler & maneuvered it by hand to the log, then backed the tractor up to the hauler, reconnected, lifted and dragged away. The advantage of the hauler is that most of the weight is taken by the hauler itself and is not falling on the 3-point or rearend of the tractor. I'm not sure my small tractor could lift a large log just using tongs on the 3-point.

 

[kcbarnes]

Your pic is now a starting point of another project. Thanks for the inspiration.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

There are a lot of companys building different kinds of tools to deal with moveing logs, but one of the best designed log arches i've seen is from Norwood.

http://www.norwoodindustries.com/skidmate.htm

Look at their product line, as they have good products at a fair price.

One poster said he uses his loader to pull logs out backwards, but loaders aren't designed for those kinds of stress', and personally i'd NOT use that method! All of these smaller tractors (under 100 hp) these days don't have a frame, and they aren't all that hard to break in half!! It actually happens quite often.

I have a saw mill, so i do quite a bit of "skidding" logs out of my wood lot. I pick up one end with my 3 point, and go slow untill i get a feel for what's happening, and untill i clear any stumps, bumps ect. that could cause a problem. The heavier your tractor is the better for draft work, and an ag. tractor is the better choise for this job. I've pulled out some fairly big logs with my tractor, and some were much too big to pick up with my loader!! If you use common sense, bigger logs can be handled with a farm tractor, but it's really not the right tool for this job.

http://www.fototime.com/{EF476EAD-31DD-4CFB-8624-860ACFF544F2}/picture.JPG

If i have to move the logs a long distance i haul them with a farm wagon 10 ton running gear. This works very good!!

http://www.fototime.com/{6B0AADCD-3720-45BE-A3FC-1A319FDB6EA1}/picture.JPG

Once i get the logs on site, i saw them with my band mill.

http://www.fototime.com/{23954D38-E328-4C15-981F-49091FDAA81A}/picture.JPG

I mostly saw for my own use, so i saw a lot of construction lumber. Right now i'm getting ready to saw sone 3x6's for a loft in my shop.

http://www.fototime.com/{6AF8082E-1F0D-4073-BC88-237B65D6515C}/picture.JPG

It's really handy to have a mill on site to saw what ever you need when it's needed!!

I do have some nice hard wood sawn and drying on stickers. I try to keep some different kinds of lumber drying for later use.

http://www.fototime.com/{9A34DEB7-F187-40C1-A524-134E5D4A73D7}/picture.JPG

Hope you liked the pictures,
Robert

 

[DavidInNH]

Robert,

Thanks for posting the pictures - you have a beautiful place and some nice toys!

<font color=blue>One poster said he uses his loader to pull logs out backwards, but loaders aren't designed for those kinds of stress', and personally i'd NOT use that method! All of these smaller tractors (under 100 hp) these days don't have a frame, and they aren't all that hard to break in half!! It actually happens quite often.</font color=blue>

I think that was me/w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif. I've only pulled a couple of logs and they were MUCH smaller than the ones in your picture. My L48 is pretty sturdy and I was pulling them down the gravel driveway so it didn't even cross my mind that I might tear something up. I have heard stories about tractors breaking in two. My brother says that he used to weld up broken Kubotas all the time and my neighbor has a JD that has been broken 2 or 3 times. I have never followed up on what people actually do to break one though. Does anybody have other examples of ways to break a CUT in half?

-david