Wallenstein remotes.

[ken999]

I see Wallenstein is now offering remotes. I called and spoke with the tech and he claims they are good for up to 300' from the tractor. Seems to me that would be very handy and save alot of running around. Any thoughts from the seasoned winch users?

 

[Piston]

That sounds like a great idea to me, although I'm not a seasoned winch user..... As in, I've never used one!

I would think it would be nice to stand away from the winch/tractor/tree and out of harms way, but at the same time, I'd think you would want to be close enough to the tractor to monitor exactly what is going on at the tractor/winch.

Hopefully some winch users will chime in.
(Hint hint)

 

[NHbotanut]

It would be nice, but definetly not essential. You really want to keep an eye on the tractor while winching, as they are strong enough to flip over most tractors, and like most accidents, it happens real fast.

My Farmi winch has a control rope about 7-8' long. This keeps me out of the line of pull, but still close enough to make sure the tractor is anchored.

What I really want is a Self Releasing Snatch Block, but they sure don't give those away! I have 2 regular snatch blocks, but there is a lot of walking back & forth using them.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I have a lot of time on a winch and I guess I don't know how useful it would be. I'd have to think about it a while. But on the surface a couple of quick thoughts:
1) Adds another element of risk. Equipment malfunction. Trip and push a button etc. There would be a strong temptation at times to put a little tension on the cable while you are handleing it hooking a hitch. Not good. Also, I am used to being near the tractor with one eye down the cable monitoring the hitch and the cable's speed and tension with the other eye and ear on the tractor ready to release the clutch. Things happen very fast. It might be hard to do that remotely.
2) Normally you pull your cable and chokers out to the log. Hitch up. Walk back to the tractor and winch in. Remote no help there. However, some times it would be very helpful to be able to follow the log in with the remote and a peavy in your hand so you could stop it and give the log a roll here and there to avoid an obstacle. This would seem very helpful but after you run a winch for a while you learn how to avoid obstacles by second nature and I am not sure just how beificial this would really be. Nice to have though.
3)If you could apply tension to the cable and set the brake remotely it would help in the situations where you want to put tension on the tree before you fell it. It saves a trip back to the tractor to tension the cable then a trip back to the tree to make your cut. Can you set the brake remotely ?? This would be a plus to me.
4)Probably like most good tool features the remote would quickly become a part of your normal routine and you would not want to give it up but I still think it belongs in the nice to have rather than the must have catagory. I would want a self releasing snatch block first which is also in the nice to have list.

Those are just quick thoughts - I may have missed something obvious.

 

[Baby Grand]

I don't own a winch, and I've never run one.
The one possible advantage I can think of is that you can plant the tractor in a good, stable place that may not provide a direct line of sight to the log. The remote would allow you stand where you can watch the logs progress until it gets to a point where you can see it from the tractor.

I guess the risk, as Gordon describes, is getting "target fixation" on the log and losing track of what the tractor's doing.

 

[J_J]

Baileys hyd has had hyd wireless remotes forever.

Just about all the wrecker trucks have the wireless winches.


Electronic Valves Controls and Switches

 

[ken999]

Thanks for the input fellas.

I was looking at if from the standpoint of only walking away from the tractor once to hook up set snatch blocks etc, then winching in, peavy if necessary and picking up blocks on the way out.

If I understand the process correctly, most of the winching is done within 100' of the tractor so I suppose the trips back and forth really don't add up to alot of time per hitch.

At any rate...keep the comments rolling. I'm trying to decide between brands and this remote aspect certainly has some appeal at face value.

As to the remotes from Baileys...how does one go about hooking them up? Do they simply pull the string for you?

 

[ken999]

Also...has anyone had the tractor come up WHILE the log is moving or does it usually require a hang-up to pick things up?

 

[J_J]

ken999

The receiver attaches to your winch, and the wireless remote controls the fwd/rev/neutral.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I have had my tractor jerked or dragged backwards but it has never come up. I have also had it tipped sideways on two tires which is surprisingly easy to do. Usually if the log is moving evenly you are OK.

In general working with a tractor and a winch in the woods is very slow work. If you are looking to "Get-Er-Done" quickly you will most likely be quite disappointed, even with a remote. Of coarse a lot depends on your site conditions, what you are cutting, and how careful you need to be with your residual trees.
You gain speed by planning ahead to minimize your steps and have everything go smooth. Which you will be better able to do after some experience.
For example I try to bring 5 or 6 trees up the same winch path. If I have a snatch block in use I try to bring them all up to the block. Then I remove the snatch block one time and winch them the rest of the way to the tractor. That saves a lot of walking over changing the block for each tree. The walking back and forth is hard if it is hilly or knee deep snow or you have to wade thru slash. It wears you down. But you can really minimize it by planning ahead and using good directional felling techniques.

Here are a couple pics of a typical setup pulling logs up a pretty good bank (look at the cable angle in the second pic). I pulled them one at a time up to the block first. Then removed the block. Then pulled them to the tractor. Then it took two hitches to get them up the steep hill to my landing.

This is just one example of the type of things you will learn to make the work go faster and easier.

 

[Chilly807]

Personally I'd feel safer without the remote. Last thing I'd want is for the winch to engage accidentally while I'm hooking a choker. You only get one set of fingers.

Norse (Igland) also offers a wireless remote option, I have no idea how much it is since I bought my winch used. Like the other guys, an auto-release snatch block is high on my list of want-to-have items. I use a snatch block whenever the hauling path is either crooked or I can't get a straight pull from the back of the tractor. Norse allows you up to 30* angle, but I've had a couple of occasions when the outside wheels came off the ground even at 30* or less.

The newer style winches with the blade as opposed to 2 feet are a lot better.. you set the top link to have the winch angle from 10-15* backwards when the blade is touching the ground and lower the 3 point control all the way. If you get hooked up solid, the angle tends to force the blade further into the ground the harder it pulls. If you have as close to a straight pull as possible, it would be very difficult to flip the tractor over backwards, if it's even possible.

Sean

 

[Chilly807]

I have had my tractor jerked or dragged backwards but it has never come up. I have also had it tipped sideways on two tires which is surprisingly easy to do. Usually it the log is moving evenly you are OK.

In general working with a tractor and a winch in the woods is very slow work. If you are looking to "Get-Er-Done" quickly you will most likely be quite disappointed, even with a remote. Of coarse a lot depends on your site conditions, what you are cutting, and how careful you need to be with your residual trees.
You gain speed by planning ahead to minimize your steps and have everything go smooth. Which you will be better able to do after some experience.
For example I try to bring 5 or 6 trees up the same winch path. If I have a snatch block in use I try to bring them all up to the block. Then I remove the snatch block one time and winch them the rest of the way to the tractor. That saves a lot of walking over changing the block for each tree. The walking back and forth is hard if it is hilly or knee deep snow or you have to wade thru slash. It wears you down. But you can really minimize it by planning ahead and using good directional felling techniques.

Here are a couple pics of a typical setup pulling logs up a pretty good bank (look at the cable angle in the second pic). I pulled them one at a time up to the block first. Then removed the block. Then pulled them to the tractor. Then it took two hitches to get them up the steep hill to my landing.

This is just one example of the type of things you will learn to make the work go faster and easier.

If I'm ever in the market for some telephone poles I'll give you a call Gordon.. nice looking wood there!

Sean

 

[ken999]

Heck, I'd like to go up and help Gordon cut some wood. His pictures always look like so much fun!

I've dragged cable for a Tree Farmer C5d a few times before, so I'm semi familiar with the process. I'm not looking for production, just a better way that carrying it to the pickup...lol...A tractor and winch are gonna be quite the slick operation.