Logging on a budget?

[piller]

At this point I've got a 4wd tractor, a FEL with pallet forks, and a 20 foot chain. This setup works pretty good for getting logs that I can get close to with my tractor.

Now, I want to retrieve some trees/logs that I cannot get the tractor close to, for example 50 feet down in a hollow, or 150 feet in the woods.

A three point hitch logging winch setup would be great but it's too expensive.

Should I buy a bunch of chain? Would a steel cable be better?

I want a good way to retrieve logs but it needs to be safe. Suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Chilly807]

I've been where you are now, and just finally said enough is enough. I bought a log winch for the three point with the thought that after I'm finally done cutting firewood and hauling deadfalls, I should be able to sell it for not much less than what I paid for it.

Having said that, it's possible to do the same job without it, it just takes longer.

I used a 200 foot long piece of nylon rope and a snatch block anchored in a tree. The safety police will have a field day with this.. you use a smaller diameter rope to anchor the snatch block, so the small rope will break before the larger hauling line. That's the theory anyway. I never had any problems, but it's not the safest way to do things. Hauling without the snatch block to redirect the angle is just asking for a trip to the ER, if you're lucky.

I use a skidding cone for the nose of the log so it doesn't get hooked on everything it passes.

A long cable is one of the most hateful things known to man to haul around, and chain is heavy as sin. It's why I used the rope, which was bad enough.

If you decide to use the rope or cable, I'd suggest you make a safety screen out of something strong enough to stop the cable or rope. Attach it to the back of the ROPS, and stay behind it when pulling.

Personally, I'd buy the winch and be done with it, or not do it at all. I was lucky, and very careful besides, and it turned out well in the end.

Sean

 

[Grandad4]

Lot's of us have walked down that road. Like you, I started out with a 20ft log chain, kept adding more until we had 130 ft. Rigging that up to make a pull will definitely make a man out of you, but you don't really get a lot done that way. Went to a pallet fork setup (poor man's grapple) and carried lots of logs out in 6-8 ft. sections using the FEL. But again, as you said, one can only go so many places with the tractor.

I had considered rigging up a hydraulic winch to be mounted in the FEL or on one of those 3pt bucket scoops, but it didn't seem cost effective.

So we recently bought the logging winch, which raises the bar to a whole new level. Like Chilly, we figure to sell the thing when we're done. If you can wait about 3 years, I'll make you a really good deal. So far, it's doing exactly as we wanted and works well. See the "Logging winch update" thread with photos I recently posted.

 

[Mudfarmer]

I on the other hand like cheap. Must be why I like Harbor Freight (HF). Look for some of my other posts to see pictures. I have a 3 point crane ($150) to which I attached a HF 2 inch receiver ($20). I got a HF winch mount on sale that hooks into a 2 inch receiver ($40). I bought a 8000# HF winch on sale ($300) which has 100 feet of cable. I extended the electricals with 4 gauge welding cable (2x 8 feet, expensive at $40) and added an old pair of alligator clamps from an old set of jumper cables. Put a snatch block ($30) on the front of the crane so that the line runs easily onto the winch, hook the aligator clamps to the battery and your set to go. I can feed the wires under the hood of my JD 3005 so that they are out of the way. Total cost: < $600. You'll want a couple of extra snatch blocks for running the line around corners and some chain for when you get out over 90 feet.

I have hauled in 18 inch 20 foot logs with this, then lifted the front end of the log with the crane and hauled it to the woodshed. The bonus is that I have done the same by hooking the winch up to the front end 2 inch receiver ($200 from Curt online) on my pickup. I actually store the winch in the truck since mud season is arriving.

Mf

 

[Skyco]

I use a skidding cone for the nose of the log so it doesn't get hooked on everything it passes.

Which skidding cone do you use? I've been contemplating buying one, the big yellow plastic one but have never been able to actually see one first...

Oh - and nylon rope? You are a brave man, that stuff stretches and stores a lot of energy.

 

[Grandad4]

I on the other hand like cheap. Must be why I like Harbor Freight (HF). Look for some of my other posts to see pictures. I have a 3 point crane ($150) to which I attached a HF 2 inch receiver ($20). I got a HF winch mount on sale that hooks into a 2 inch receiver ($40). I bought a 8000# HF winch on sale ($300) which has 100 feet of cable. I extended the electricals with 4 gauge welding cable (2x 8 feet, expensive at $40) and added an old pair of alligator clamps from an old set of jumper cables. Put a snatch block ($30) on the front of the crane so that the line runs easily onto the winch, hook the aligator clamps to the battery and your set to go. I can feed the wires under the hood of my JD 3005 so that they are out of the way. Total cost: < $600. You'll want a couple of extra snatch blocks for running the line around corners and some chain for when you get out over 90 feet.

I have hauled in 18 inch 20 foot logs with this, then lifted the front end of the log with the crane and hauled it to the woodshed. The bonus is that I have done the same by hooking the winch up to the front end 2 inch receiver ($200 from Curt online) on my pickup. I actually store the winch in the truck since mud season is arriving.

Mf

Good for you, Mudfarmer. An electric winch was my first "build it yourself" concept, but I figured it would draw down the battery pretty fast, limiting how many pulls you could make at one time. Have you found that to be the case?

 

[IndyIan]

There is synthetic rope with a 10,000lb working rating, and its tough enough to use as chokers! I forget the name of it but my local small scale forestry shop had 250' rolls for something like $400 I think. I'm going to get a roll and with some pullies and a cone so I can snake a log from all sorts of tricky spots without skidding winch.
I'm sure a winch is much faster but for a hobbyist getting a couple thousand bdft out a year, its probably more trouble to keep a winch running well and the cable sorted out so you can actually unwind it once you get halfway to your log... I guess 250 ft rolls of rope isn't really a treat work with either in the woods but atleast it was cheap!

 

[Arky217]

I logged and milled all the lumber that I used to build my house.
At that time, I didn't have my tractor, but I had an ATV.

I built an extendable log arch, and mounted a hand winch. It would pick the entire log off the ground, as large as 28" dia. by 16' long.

I built it strong but light enough so that I could unhook it from the ATV and push it over the log.

Using this method, I was able to get in some tight places.
Downside of this method, however, would be steep slopes.

An upside though, is that the log stays completely clean from dirt and mud.

 

[Baby Grand]

There is synthetic rope with a 10,000lb working rating, and its tough enough to use as chokers! I forget the name of it but my local small scale forestry shop had 250' rolls for something like $400 I think. I'm going to get a roll and with some pullies and a cone so I can snake a log from all sorts of tricky spots without skidding winch.
I'm sure a winch is much faster but for a hobbyist getting a couple thousand bdft out a year, its probably more trouble to keep a winch running well and the cable sorted out so you can actually unwind it once you get halfway to your log... I guess 250 ft rolls of rope isn't really a treat work with either in the woods but atleast it was cheap!

Dyneema? Expensive stuff, but supposed to be the cat's whiskers.

I'm using 5/8" Double Braided Polyester (not polypropelyene)- about 90 - 95% strength of nylon for a little more $, but with way less stretch. ROughly 13000 lbs tensile stregth (derate with your choice of Safety Factor). I'm using snatch blocks and (when needed) a block and tackle to reduce line pull loads. Haven't had much experience, but once the ground freezes up I plan to get crackin' in earnest & will report out.

 

[SPYDERLK]

There is synthetic rope with a 10,000lb working rating, and its tough enough to use as chokers! I forget the name of it but my local small scale forestry shop had 250' rolls for something like $400 I think. I'm going to get a roll and with some pullies and a cone so I can snake a log from all sorts of tricky spots without skidding winch.
I'm sure a winch is much faster but for a hobbyist getting a couple thousand bdft out a year, its probably more trouble to keep a winch running well and the cable sorted out so you can actually unwind it once you get halfway to your log... I guess 250 ft rolls of rope isn't really a treat work with either in the woods but atleast it was cheap!

Use a chain choker. Regardless of tufness little tiny rope fibers grind up easy.
larry