Logging with tractor and winch ?

[Madman_Mark]

What size tractor do you guys recomend for part time logging with a tractor and winch ?
Any less then 50 HP ?
Any advice, opinions, experiences or things to look out for etc... ?

 

[AndyMA]

I use a Fermi 11,000 # winch on a Ford/New Holland 2120 43 HP tractor and have not found any logs in New England that I cannot drag. The winch comes with 165# of cable and I use a few 25' 5/16" Grade 70 chains to extend it I need to. The one accessory I find very useful is the self releasing snatch block that allows you to pull trees around corners. With the Fermi winch you can hook a number of trees to the winch and then lift the 3 point hitch, raise them and pull them out together. The blade on the winch anchors the tractor to the ground real well and also is good to fill in ruts. The one thing I learned from the Farmi manual that wasn't obvious until I thought about it was to fell the trees with the small end toward the tractor. That way you are pulling a wedge, pointed end first and it takes far less energy. My gut would have told me butt end first. For more info see: http://www.northeastimplement.com/index.htm
The only thing I want to add is a safety note. Always pull as close to straight off the back of the tractor as possible. Only a few degrees off and you won't believe how fast a 6000# tractor will flip.

Hope this helps

Andy

 

[AndyMA]

Here's the snatch block I spoke of from Farmi

 

[Youare]

I did use an 8N with the smallest Farmi winch to pull a number of logs out of the woods over the past 20 years. I also used the tractor to do a number of other woods related things.

One use was to feed a portable saw mill I have, a weekend warrior hobby. The primary purpose was to gather each winters fire wood. Now the Farmi winch is on a 30 hp. Kubota.

The size of the tractor depends on the type of terrain you have to deal with and the size of the trees you plan on harvesting and how much you have to cut in a day to be profitable.

I would guess you would not want a tractor under 50 hp and the correct size winch to go with it. You could purchase a frowarder type trailer complete with winch and grapple loader and you would have a nice package to go into the woods with.

This website may give you some ideas.
http://www.valbysales.com/newpage135.htm

Randy

 

[art]

I try to match the line pull to the tractors weight or to keep it a little less. I do like a floading butt plate so not to get hung up on a stump and you still have the ability to fill ruts.

 

[Bobvt]

Mark,

I have been skidding with a 55 HP tractor and a Norse 490 (10,200 lbs. pull). I moved up to a 65 hp. Even though the 55 had 4 WD and a bucket, the loads I'd pull out would bring the front wheels of the ground. The 55 had enough power, although I've gone up a few slops with a full hitch where the rpm's would drop a good 1400, but it didn't stall. My hitches will be 5 - 6 full lengh (branches are topped to 1.5 inch diameter) maple, cherry or yellow birch with an average diameter of 14 inches. The load pulls harder with the branches on.

Just got the 65Hp and haven't taken it to the woods yet. It is quite a bit heavier than the 55 hp. We'll see what it does next month. I'm going a extensive cut, mostly hemlock and white pine (some with 30+ inch diameters).

Bob

 

[LAGEORGE]

I wish my lawn was that green!

 

[AndyMA]

mine certainly isn't. i guess unless it's like the astroturf in the picture it won't be

Andy

 

[slowzuki]

My neighbour logs commercially in the winter. He bought a 45 hp open station NH to do this with initially. The second week it went back and a 65 hp cab model NH replaced it. He has broken a lot of windows in that thing. The big curved rear swingout is very $$$$!

He also has a Ford 6610 4wd and a late 80's 2wd ford around the 65 hp mark.

He uses a Farmi winch I believe. In the winter they string the winch out so it doesn't develop coils in the wire, makes it easier to pull I suppose.

They use a side discharge blower and a back blade to keep the roads open. The back blade has a tnt on the blade frame.

 

[Bobvt]

Andy,

I don't know about skidding from the top end. I went to the Northeast site. It appears the reason they give is the stump may be in the way when winching the butt end and the heavier butt ends may dig in. Sometimes this can be a problem. On those occasions where this is a problem, I use a snatch block (hitched high).

The disadvantages of top end skidding are: (1) can't pull out as big a hitch (better to have heavy butt ends off ground and adding weight to rear wheels - same applies to winching); (2) if tree gets lodged, you have a lot more work getting the winch cable attached (at the appropriate angle) to butt end to dislodged; (3) the tree top may fall into position that makes it difficult to limb (with butt end I just pull it to a deseriable spot); and (4) the tops are in the way (difficult to get cable to tree and often drag some branches to skid road).

Bob

 

[Madman_Mark]

Thanks for the link to that site Andy, lots of good info.
I used to drive a tractor/winch combo in the woods for a friend of mine comercially (until it burnt with no insurance one night). It was around 70 HP but I can't remember exactly. I'll try to post a picture of it someday.
It was an Igland winch.
We used to winch one log in at a time and hook the chain in the slot and then winch the next one until we had 5 or 6 on board. Worked pretty good but I see now you can get those sliding keyholes and haul in all 6 at once like a skidder would do. Does this work very well ? Seems to me it would tend to pull the tractor backwards winching in that many at once, unless of course they are really small.

 

[Slamfire]

Are you doing this commercially? For personal use I find the smaller tractors do less damage to the trees I'm not harvesting at any particular time. It is suprising just how large a log you can skid with a small tractor.

 

[Madman_Mark]

Yeah, part time comercial but possibly more in the future.

 

[gmol]

I log with a Norse 450 winch and a Kioti DK 55 tractor. A very nice combination to work with. I cut pine last week the biggest was 42" on the butt and was able to get out 20' logs, one at a time . Firewood is not problem with multiple logs per hitch. Looked into Holder Tractors but the price tag is prohibited . Used to use a 35 h.p Kioti but could not get myself out of trouble or snake out any real sized logs. I would say 55h.p minimum.

 

[Garson]

My DS4510 (45HP) Kioti has plenty of power for hauling a couple of 25" logs 30 feet long, but it has a manual shuttle transmission. On level ground these logs pull in 6/8 gear. Hydrostatic transmissions will absorb at least 20% of your horsepower in my experience, despite what many people say, so that is definitely a consideration in selecting your HP.

Also if you have mountains to contend with, more HP may be required. I've loaded all 4 Kioti tires (ag tires are a must) because "traction" may be as much of a factor as HP and this improves "stability" also. But I'm a hobby firewood cutter - 15-20 cords per year (skidding from a mile back in the woods). Commercially a 65 HP tractor (with manual transmission) would surely pay for itself.

 

[Ductape]

Holy thread revival, Batman ! :thumbsup:

 

[Ozykioti]

LOL Ductape, I didn't realize the thread was so old until I got to your post!!

 

[Garson]

Better late than never - LOL

 

[90cummins]

I have a 28hp Ford 1720 and recently had the opportunity to borrow a Farmi 601 winch. All I can say is WOW! Even though my Ford is far smaller than recommended I'm astonished @ what I can pull with that winch on my small tractor.
I have pulled 20" Maples with it.
I do not have the power/weight to hitch & drag a log with the butt off the ground but I can drive out & winch the log to me.
If I had known how this tool enhances the capabilities of my tractor I would have had my own years ago!

 

[Lloyd_E]

I log with a Norse 450 winch and a Kioti DK 55 tractor. A very nice combination to work with. I cut pine last week the biggest was 42" on the butt and was able to get out 20' logs, one at a time . Firewood is not problem with multiple logs per hitch. Looked into Holder Tractors but the price tag is prohibited . Used to use a 35 h.p Kioti but could not get myself out of trouble or snake out any real sized logs. I would say 55h.p minimum.

Almost the same setup as me. dk45hp with norse 450 winch. Lots of snatch blocks, chocker chains etc. It came with as few chains which had an 8"x1/4" rod attached to the end. This allowed you to push the rod under the tree butt to pull the chain through. Very handy. I made up a bunch more chains and added longer rods.

I've pulled some big stuff with this set up. One of the things we do is sharpen the butt with the chainsaw before pulling - it lessens the change of getting hung-up.

Play safe!