Skidding Tongs for pulling lumber - What else do I need?

[civilian]

If using tongs, I have found a 2lb sledge hammer a worth while tool. Hammer the prongs into the end of the log. Be safe. Have a second person there watching you cut trees. Just in case. Be safe. Jon

 

[Gee Ray]

The barrel cone seams like a great idea for the cost. The portable winch looks good. The rope gives great control when pulling. Make sure you get the correct rope, and good rope will be costly. It is a much better idea then an electric winch with a wire cable. I would forgo the tongs and go with this portable winch and barrel to get started. I would add a clevis to use in the tractor draw bar and 2- 1/4 inch Grade 70 chains. Lighter to drag in the woods yet very strong. One to tie through the barrel as a choker and if needed to tie the choker to the tractor.

Cycledude's post with the sled would be by next purchase if the barrel does not hold up. I bet you could find a welding shop that could make the sled a little cheaper.

Safety wise use the fixed drawbar on the tractor until you get a lot of experience as people are prone to overload the three point arms making the front end get to light.

 

[CobyRupert]

I 2nd Cycledude’s suggestion for choker chain. I’ve never had a tree that was so straight and so branchless fall on ground so flat that you couldn’t get a chain under it within a foot or two of where you wanted to.

Check the rating of your tow strap that you plan on pulling with. Others may chime in with a good number, but I’d want rating to be 5-6 times the weight of the tractor. Straps and cables can hold a lot of stored energy like a rubber band. Especially if the log get hung up on something and the full pulling power of the tractor is input into the strap. If it snaps it can take a head of. (There’s YouTube’s of cables and straps snapping.) The danger is that the seat of the tractor is right in line with the strap’s recoil if it snaps.
(I like that a tractor log winch has a cage that blocks operator)

People have been known to put the strap through a tire or put a heavy mat, etc.. over the line at the midway length so that if it snaps, the added weight catches or drops it. Not foolproof, but…

 

[newbury]

Chain is the ideal when dealing with trees, dragging it across the forest floor doesn't damage it much,
BUT it's heavy.
I use a lot of rope for getting trees to fall where I want them in dense woods, and to "steer" trees near buildings.
I've found a good source of rope for me is CMC .
They sell "short" pieces of quality climbing/rescue 1/2" rope for ~$100 w/ shipping for a 50lb box.

Lengths ranging from 20′ up to 125′. 1/2″ box contains approximately 500 total feet.

/edit
And now repurposed materials is selling a 25lb box for $75.

 

[Cycledude]

You might like this setup

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[square1]

What size trees are you harvesting? Those 32" tongs are going to be a PITA to use on anything under ~24" diameter. The removable points on those timber stuff tongs make it impractical to set them into the log by smacking with a hammer. The tongs will lose their purchase on the log with any release of pulling tension. The smaller the log the more they're going to fall off.
For discussion purposes, an average green 24" log 8' long weighs ~1200#. Assume the 24" tree is 75' tall and tapers normally. This tree weighs as much as your tractor. Pulling it up hill is going to require it be cut into sections. As you work toward the smallest end of the tree, the tongs are going to become more & more useless
Use a chain. Best wishes

 

[LD1]

The barrel cone seams like a great idea for the cost. The portable winch looks good. The rope gives great control when pulling. Make sure you get the correct rope, and good rope will be costly. It is a much better idea then an electric winch with a wire cable. I would forgo the tongs and go with this portable winch and barrel to get started. I would add a clevis to use in the tractor draw bar and 2- 1/4 inch Grade 70 chains. Lighter to drag in the woods yet very strong. One to tie through the barrel as a choker and if needed to tie the choker to the tractor.

Cycledude's post with the sled would be by next purchase if the barrel does not hold up. I bet you could find a welding shop that could make the sled a little cheaper.

Safety wise use the fixed drawbar on the tractor until you get a lot of experience as people are prone to overload the three point arms making the front end get to light.

Lots of good points and advice so far in this thread but for his tractor I think 1/4" G70 is a little too small

 

[markerxt]

1/4" G70 is too small for his tractor, but he can use 1/8" or 3/16" chrome instead.

 

[Panik]

At this point my best idea is to hitch two tow straps together, one end shackled to the tractor and the other shackled to the tongs.

It may be worth the time to check out prices for appropriately rated lengths of logging/tow chain or wire rope at Home Depot/Lowes/Menards/Tractor Supply instead of using tow straps. Dragging stuff behind a tractor puts a beating on whatever you are using to pull with. At very least I probably wouldn't plan on using those tow straps as tie downs afterward. I've got two 20' sections of 5/16ths tow chain and I think they might have cost $90.00 together. You should also be able to buy by the foot for custom lengths at a comparable price to pre-cut lengths.

Another thought... Consider investing in a shorter length of heavy duty wire rope to act as a choker as an alternate to the tongs. In some situations tongs work better and in others they may not bite well enough and a wire rope choker might be of better use. Just make sure you constantly check the fasteners for the eye for slippage and the wire rope for fraying. Best of luck!

 

[LD1]

1/4" G70 is too small for his tractor, but he can use 1/8" or 3/16" chrome instead.

1/8 or 3/16 chrome what?

1/8 and 3/16 is smaller than 1/4

He has a 55hp 5000 pound bare tractor. Id even be leary of 5/16 g70 chain on a hard pull. I have stretched and broke 5/16 with less machine