How not to skid logs

[longway5]

I've had good luck pulling logs with a box blade and chain. Its good for a few logs, as its slower than a logging winch. What I like to do is back up to the butt of the log, drop the blade, and chain the log up close to the blade. When I pick the blade up, if I've chained it right, the butt will be off the ground and high enough to hit the blade in the event that it slides forward or I have to back up, instead of into the back of the tractor.
There is the chance that tractor could roll over backwards if you were to hit something, but in my experience with some large logs and an L2850 with loader, I've never even had the steering go light on me. With the butt of the log off the ground, you're less likely to hit something anyway. The weight of the average tractor being so far in front of the rear axle, and the drag of the log on the 3pt being only a few inches above, the forces tend to average out in favor of the tractor. As always though, be safe and don't do anything you're not comfortable doing.

 

[lmiller]

<font color="blue"> a come-along for a hoist </font>

The nice thing about this:
http://www.novajack.com/en/0103.htm
is that the log is only in the air when the tractor is pulling. If the log stars to over run on a downhill it will drop and stop. It also eliminates the need for another moving part.

Lou

 

[lmiller]

Here's another link i just found:

http://www.futureforestry.com

Lou

 

[JimMorrissey]

What is what happened? I don't see an attachment or a written description of the results....Maybe I'm missing something here.

 

[maussmall]

Hi, i've got another link for atv logging stuff :

http://www.remorques-jms.qc.ca/en/accessoires.html

 

[johnk]

Heres a pretty neat skidder with NO moving parts. I'm going to try and build one. Just don't know how to get the bend in the 1/4" steel plate....

 

[John_Mc]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Heres a pretty neat skidder with NO moving parts. I'm going to try and build one. Just don't know how to get the bend in the 1/4" steel plate.... )</font>

Did you forget teh attachment or link?

 

[lmiller]

Didn't see your link but if you're trying for something like the quad skid I had this thought, cause I want to make one for myself. Set the steel up on 2 parallel rows of bricks or cinder blocks, heat it in a line between the rows (also parallel) with a flame head on an oxy acetylene torch to cherry red, use the front edge of the bucket on your FEL as an anvil to press down along the heated area to make the bend. Then you would need to reheat and quench to harden the bend (maybe).

If I do this I'll post it in the build it forum.

Lou

 

[Maine_Polack]

I have made a "quad" type skid plate. I think they work good for logs, or whatever. They make a pretty good stoneboat if large enough. The only drawback when moving it to the log by hand is the weight.
This same weight is also a plus. I also use it behind a wheeler to groom some xcourtry ski trails I've made. Good excuse to take a ride and enjoy the fresh snow.
I made mine by having the steel supplier put the sheet in his break and make numerours "crinks"about an inch apart. We just eyeballed it as we went. It made a pretty good and smooth overall curve. I did add some struts along the sides, because it seemed to flex too much. It's just the kind of implement I like - simple, and no moving parts.

 

[slydog]

Can you post some photos?

 

[Maine_Polack]

Will try to oblige with photos on the 'morrow.

 

[Currmudgeon]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="red"> a come-along for a hoist </font>

The nice thing about this:
http://www.novajack.com/en/0103.htm
is that the log is only in the air when the tractor is pulling. If the log stars to over run on a downhill it will drop and stop. It also eliminates the need for another moving part. )</font>

I like that. It's better than my suggestion.

 

[John_Mc]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ... Then you would need to reheat and quench to harden the bend (maybe).)</font>

That quench won't do you any good if it's low carbon (aka "mild") steel. You need high carbon steel (or some other alloys which you normally won't find in 1/4" plate without some real searching) in order for the heat and quench to do much of anything.

Also, if you do manage to get some high carbon steel, after the quench, you'll basically have untempered martensite structure, which is very brittle (i.e. it might shatter when you hit a rock, or break with only a slight bend). To avoid this, you'll need to reheat it after the quench, though not as hot as the first heating. The process would be: heat to bright orange color (almost yellow ... this would put you in the neighborhood of 1500+ degrees F), quench before the glow fades, then reheat ... I'd suggest up to the point where it just barely begins to glow (in a dim room, you can see a glow starting at roughly 1000 degrees F). Sorry, the colors are from memory... it's been a few years since I dealt with this on a regular basis. Another thing to watch out for: you'll generally end up with weak spots at the edges of the "heat affected zone". that is, where the portion you heated and quenched meets the portion that was not heated.

All-in-all, a good heat treatment is a bit more complex than is generally appreciated. You might be better off just bending mild steel to the shape you want, then weldng on ribs if it doesn't want to hold that shape.

John Mc
(with too many years in the steel wire industry)

 

[Maine_Polack]

Skid Plate skidder

 

[Maine_Polack]

Trail groomer

 

[slydog]

Thanks for the photos MP! Looks like it would be simple to fabricate one of those if I can find some way of rolling the steel.

 

[JimMorrissey]

I still don't see any attachments or descriptions of what happened. What am I missing here.

 

[MikeFromVA]

Jim,

He forgot to attach the pics in the first 3 posts - look at the 5th to 7th posts..

 

[JimMorrissey]

Thanks Mike.

 

[have_blue]

You can use "Tempil Sticks" to ensure the right draw temp. Most steels require 700-900F, else it may become too soft. Of course 900F produces a dull red in low light.