How not to skid logs

[ger]

I've been reading this thread with interest, as much of my winter fun involves firewood and sawlogs. I made a 3pt hitch arch from junk around the farm- starting with the needles pivot arm from an old NH baler- cut, then widened- sleeved with a piece of pipe- and the top hitch bracket welded on. I attach a chain to the drawbar on the tractor, up over the arch and around the log. There is a short piece of chain hooked directly from the drawbar to the log to keep the pull below the axle. The device is ugly but effective- back up to log(s) chain 'em up-lift-and drive away. jpeg is not really clear but it gives the idea
Ger

 

[HomeBrew2]

Nice functional looking arch. Nice to get something working quickly then be able to move on to getting the work done. ... cool tracks too /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The device is ugly but effective- back up to log(s) chain 'em up-lift-and drive away. jpeg is not really clear but it gives the idea
Ger )</font>
I suppose some may care about the looks, but I'm not one of them. A good effective tool is everything, looks nothing. I'm just wondering how the heck you reach the pedals on that tractor, you're a little short! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif John

 

[ger]

errr... that's not me ;-), thats my pilot (pile-it). So far he's good for the kindling pile. He's willing and enthusiastic though a bit undersized (for now).
Ger

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( errr... that's not me ;-), thats my pilot (pile-it). So far he's good for the kindling pile. He's willing and enthusiastic though a bit undersized (for now). )</font>
Yes, I can see that he's enjoying this. Think of all the special memories he's going to have. Let's hope things don't change so radically in the future that he won't be able to do the same for his offspring. John

 

[gbirky]

That's pretty much the way we used to skid logs when I was a kid. We used a boom pole on the 3pt to lift the end of the log with a chain. Then used another chain from the log to the drawbar for the pulling part. In 15 years of skidding, we never reared the tractor up even skiding up steep hills. And we skidded some very large logs with a 65 hp farm tractor.

 

[kensfarm]

I like to see more pictures of your tractor.. and the tracks setup.. looks interesting!

 

[HomeBrew2]

YEH, I was hopin' he'd take my hint earlier ... but maybe now that he has a fan club ... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ger]

Gosh, since you asked! Ford 8N with Arps halftracks. Its quite a set-up, more traction on snow than tires on dirt, yet provides so little drag that you can roll down a hill to start the tractor-it's pulled a lot of wood out of the forest.

 

[ger]

and another pic

 

[HomeBrew2]

EXCELLENT! Thanks!!!

 

[MikeS_in_GA]

The manufacturer is making a new one for me. Here's a picture of the new design. The new design has a pivot mechanism built into it to help with the lateral load. I'm not sure about this - guess I'll wait and see how it works when I get it. It looks stronger than the original. I thought it should have more reinforcement near the 3pt hitch lower arms. I should get it pretty soon - so he may have added that already. Any comments are greatly welcomed.

I don't drag too many logs. Usually I just carry them with the grapple bucket, but some logs are too big or not in an area where I can drive with 10 feet hanging out of each side of the bucket.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[MikeS_in_GA]

another view

 

[beenthere]

That looks like a great fix. At least the hitch won't be the weak link now. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[MikeS_in_GA]

Here's the finished product - now for a field test next week.

 

[Rip]

I made a Skid Plate logger like the Quad Skidder ( www.montanajacks.com click on "Exclusive Products") and yours but out of cold-formed 3/16" and added a few hand grip holes along the front and sides for ease of handling. Also removed the grab hook from one end of the load binder and secured it to one of the chains with a cold-shut to keep it all together.

Did not need any side rails and unit seems to have held its shape after over 40 semi-green (beetle kill) 25 to 40' pondorosa logs winched or pulled over very rough rocky terrain.

Much of the log is being draged on the ground, so grinding in gravel is a bit of an issue when you buck it later over a more suspended log arch method, but it is Very simple and trouble free and really keeps the butt of the log from digging in. I winch a lot of logs up ravines or steep slopes, and it has worked perfectly for this application as well.