How do you hook your Log tongs to draw bar?

[IslandTractor]

Arrow we are not that far off in our thoughts. I am just concerned that new people looking for advice on skidding logs might choose this relatively risky method without being experienced and aware of the hazards.

We take risks everytime we get out of bed in the morning but it is nice to eliminate serious ones if we can. Flipping a tractor, as we all know, can happen to very experienced operators so setting up a tow/pull/drag to minimize that risk just makes sense. Operating slowly in known turf etc is one way to do that but as one is still vulnerable to some of the uncontrollable issues I still think it is best for people with less experience to avoid these "high hitch" methods altogether. I guess for me the point is mostly that there are alternatives that just require a bit of forethought/planning so why not send the new guys in that direction to begin with.

 

[arrow]

I am glad to see your movement on this subject meaning that your last post would have made a good first post. A couple of years ago it was I bringing up the point of questioning how safe or unsafe a seat belt was on a smaller narrow tractors that was operating in certain terrain or conditions. I got kinda beat up on my assertions but will always remember that if I had my belt on the day my tractor found a low spot in the front while climbing a high spot in the rear backing up, I might not be here today as the tractor flipped hard on its side where I would have surely bashed my head against the rock it came to rest on. Instead I was thrown/jumped from the seat and landed on my feet. Made me question blanket assertions such as "always wear your seat belt". Under certain conditions, it may be more safe to lift a log with a 3 point than to drag it on the ground pulling it with the hitch bar depending on terrain and the tractor. The very thing that may cause a tip over may also be the thing that provides a safe turn and that is the extra weight provided by a lifted hitch. This weight helps with traction and stability which may be just the thing needed on a given situation. That is on one hand. On the other hand, as I was journeying from my bil's house in Kentucky last week, ( where I cut grass with his JD 5325 and was sure to be belted in on that baby) while driving through West Virginia and part of Maryland, I opined on how would I care to skid logs through these hills and decided I would not. Talk about some variables

 

[Famah]

Greetings Learned Forum:

My brief visit to the Forestry Forum was pretty grim.

How is this for a thread title: "Logging with farm tractor=bad"

Here are some posts:

"a tractor is for farming, unless it is equipped with the right protection. i did it for a while, but i think a skidder is a lot better"

"logging with a farm tractor is very dangerous just a good way to flip one over on your self."

So I am not thinking I will find a lot of helpful hints on how to skid with one of our contraptions, other than buying a really nice logging winch for several thousand dollars.

Using a friend's borrowed Kubota L3400, I bet I have skidded at least 40 good sized trees, using a choke chain and a hook on the draw bar. I had no idea I was taking my life in my hands to such an extent. I was just wondering if there was an easier/more efficient way.

Nick

 

[Bedlam]

I have skidded logs with no problem. I wonder if they arent being used for lumber why bother? Might as well throw a chain around the center and lift it up a bit and cut them to legnth right there and then transport in the bucket.If I pull trees it usually becasue I want the brush in another spot so I drag it close cut it and the push the brush away.

 

[arrow]

Greetings Learned Forum:

My brief visit to the Forestry Forum was pretty grim.

How is this for a thread title: "Logging with farm tractor=bad"

Here are some posts:

"a tractor is for farming, unless it is equipped with the right protection. i did it for a while, but i think a skidder is a lot better"

"logging with a farm tractor is very dangerous just a good way to flip one over on your self."

So I am not thinking I will find a lot of helpful hints on how to skid with one of our contraptions, other than buying a really nice logging winch for several thousand dollars.

Using a friend's borrowed Kubota L3400, I bet I have skidded at least 40 good sized trees, using a choke chain and a hook on the draw bar. I had no idea I was taking my life in my hands to such an extent. I was just wondering if there was an easier/more efficient way.

Nick

Skidding is a pretty efficient way for a homeownwer or for a logger for that matter. I do not know what the odds are in terms of skidding on a compact tractor or driving a car on the road as it relates to a safety factor. According to all the safety eddicts that have come down the pike over the years, everyone over the age of 65 should be dead as they should not have made it thru childhood what with no helmets while bike riding, playing with fireworks, **** my first football helmet had no face bar. Anything you learn from this forum must be under consideration as from whence it came. Some guys get puckered up if their front wheels lift 6 inches off the ground and then state to all that would hear that they will never do that again for whatever caused it. You've skidded 40 trees, how'd that go? I personally think there are many more things you can do than skidding with a compact tractor to take your life in your hands. Use your own experience and common sense and don't let anyone here rattle you too hard. Remember, there are many people here who have brought over stems in just this way for many, many years with nothing untoward happening other than the usual aggravations when doing this sort of stuff.

 

[IslandTractor]

Remember, there are many people here who have brought over stems in just this way for many, many years with nothing untoward happening other than the usual aggravations when doing this sort of stuff.

Yeah, but keep in mind the ones that did not survive that experience tend not to post on TBN anymore. The fact that someone on TBN claims that going over Niagra Falls in a barrel is easy and safe because they have done it and survived is not exactly good evidence that your odds are good for surviving the experience.

Yes we are all here today despite growing up without seatbelts but we also know that without modern safety devices that there would be about three times as many road fatalities as there are today (based on comparison to fatalities per mile in 1960). That is about 70,000 deaths per year prevented by safety devices.

When safer ways of doing a dangerous task are developed it just makes sense to carefully reconsider your usual practice. Not everyone needs a skidder or logging winch but there are also ways to adapt a tractor so that flip over risk is minimized.

 

[20 20]

I'm still reading and still come up with the same answer in my head, everyone is making good points but I still say the most important is the operator him/herself. Experience and learning is all ANY of us can do, practice and share our ways. I have pulled thousands of logs with tractors over the years and I still learn something new every time I hook another. Of course I like to watch and figure what is what while things are happening. Some folks think all they need to do is hook up, drop it in a higher gear then needed, pop the clutch and they're off never to look back just listen to their Ipod. I've fallen thousands of trees over the years also but, would NEVER consider myself a professional tree faller nor would I ever consider ANY other person one, IMO there is no such thing. Every time something to do with logging comes up there are to many varibles to ever have one way written in stone, other then PAY ATTENTION !!!!

 

[20 20]

On another note about all of the safety functions on machines, I'm noticing people are becomming LESS responsible as operators. I'm noticing more folks off in laa laa land while operating machinery instead of watching listening feeling how everything is running. I never listen to a radio etc... while running my machinery not even while plowing snow. I'm not saying it's wrong but I do see some really dumb{ooops there is that word} mistakes happening. So my question is if folks are over confident because of safety swithes A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P.......... then are they TRUELY operating the machine to the best of their ability? The presence of or lack of safety devices still does not help a bad operator.