Skidding Winches

[Gordon Gould]

I don't believe any of the winches (at least Farmi's) are QH compatible. I found with my QH and JL501T that the top link is too high to use. After seeing how the winch works I believe I know why this is. Instead of having the top link arm and lower arms parallel, which lifts an implement straight up, the arms are not parallel. Non-parallel arms will kick the bottom of the winch outward when lifting, this creates a "shelf" and helps support the butt of the logs being hauled. It is quite ingenious and works very well (at least on my tractor).

Blane
(also from NW Oregon)

Blane thank you for answering OregonCraigs question for me. Somehow I missed it. I apologize Craig.

I don't know QH stuff but my small JL290 winch also has a high top link connection point like Blane described. Not only does it give the shelf effect it gives you more lift by rolling up like that.

gg

 

[OregonCraig]

I don't believe any of the winches (at least Farmi's) are QH compatible. I found with my QH and JL501T that the top link is too high to use. After seeing how the winch works I believe I know why this is. Instead of having the top link arm and lower arms parallel, which lifts an implement straight up, the arms are not parallel. Non-parallel arms will kick the bottom of the winch outward when lifting, this creates a "shelf" and helps support the butt of the logs being hauled. It is quite ingenious and works very well (at least on my tractor).

Blane
(also from NW Oregon)

Thanks for the reply, and you are correct. At least with respect to Wallenstein and Farmi, neither company recommends the use of a QH, even if it would fit. They have concerns about the strength of the QHs and possible damage or injury if the QH fails or is unable to hold the winch.

 

[OregonCraig]

Blane thank you for answering OregonCraigs question for me. Somehow I missed it. I apologize Craig.

I don't know QH stuff but my small JL290 winch also has a high top link connection point like Blane described. Not only does it give the shelf effect it gives you more lift by rolling up like that.

gg

No worries, Gordon. I have read countless pages on this forum over the last few years. You and others have answered so many of my questions without knowing it.

After planning to get a skidding winch for several months, this lack of QH compatibility caused me to consider other options and methods. I've decided to go with a log arch and portable capstan winch. For my limited needs, I'm hoping this combination will work better. Time will tell.

 

[bcp]

That was my winch you saw on Craigslist. I bought another Farmi and didn't need two.

Blane

Blane,

How well does it work on your "None yet" tractor?

Bruce

 

[BWSwede]

Oops. I guess I need to update my profile. Thanks for the reminder.

When I was pricing some parts to convert my JL501 to a JL501T I found the USA distributor for Farmi (North East Implement) online. While reading this page

Farmi Winches | Farmi Winches | Products | Northeast Implement

I saw they had some cool tractors sporting winches. Imagine my surprise when the 4th out of 4 pictures came up and it was my truck (Unimog) on our property. They must have found the picture on the Internet and decided it would look good on their site.


Blane

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I had a decent sized tornado damaged white pine out back that I've had my eye on... Anyway, I've been wanting to get it to my mill site and mill into some siding for my deer blind project,

After cutting my way to it, I got started,

Because I have a skidding winch on my tractor, I cut a larger than normal notch in the tree and hooked the cable from the winch as high as I could reach, and tightened it up, then locking it,

With dead standing/damaged tree's, I wanted that cable tension... Anyway, the tree went over as planned and I then winched it out and off I went to my mill site,

Next will be to cut the logs out of it and mill them into that much needed lumber!

SR

 

[Coyote machine]

Nice work!:thumbsup:
BTW, what's the orange thing sticking out of the tree? I know it can't be a Stihl saw!

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Nice work!:thumbsup:
BTW, what's the orange thing sticking out of the tree? I know it can't be a Stihl saw!

It's a Husky 55,

I bought the power head (as seen above) for 50 bucks and it's been a pretty good saw... BUT, I have to admit, I LOVE my new Husky 550xp better! It's 2 pounds lighter...

SR

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Nice work!:thumbsup:
BTW, what's the orange thing sticking out of the tree? I know it can't be a Stihl saw!

It's a Husky 55,

I bought the power head (as seen above) for 50 bucks and it's been a pretty good saw... BUT, I have to admit, I LOVE my new Husky 550xp better! It's 2 pounds lighter and still has good power!

SR

 

[Greenland South]

Built a self releasing snatch block. Don't know if it works yet. Hope to try it out this week. Not to sure about the cable keeper, may have to rethink that. This was about $275 cheaper than buying one.

 

[bcp]

Looks good, but I would reverse the bolt and round the corners of the bolt head a bit. The cable might snag the way it is now.

Bruce

 

[Greenland South]

I'll try that. Thanks

 

[Rustyiron]

Built a self releasing snatch block. Don't know if it works yet. Hope to try it out this week. Not to sure about the cable keeper, may have to rethink that. This was about $275 cheaper than buying one.

Very nice, I want to build one also but got hung up on the pully itself. What did you use?

 

[Gordon Gould]

That looks great. I think you have a good thing there. I only see two minor differences between yours and the one I have but it looks like yours should work fine. I will just list them for you to think about if you need some fine tuning. The first is on mine there is more room for the hook and sliders to pass around the pulley. I am thinking as they go around they jack the cable out so it can fall. There is no size reference but it looks like the hook/sliders may hit your trip post. May not matter depending on when or how the cable falls. The second is mine has a strong detent holding the keeper closed. They have two hole drilled in the plate beneath the keeper and two round headed rivets in the keeper, rivet heads down, the heads sit in the two holes in the closed position. Detent pressure is set with a coil spring and castle nut. Here are some pics so you can see what I mean.







gg

 

[Greenland South]

Very nice, I want to build one also but got hung up on the pully itself. What did you use?

I was in a machine shop a few weeks ago and I noticed a stainless sheive in the scrap bin. Machinist said it was machined to the wrong size. I said it's the perfect size, can you cut some off one side. 15 minutes and $50 cash later I was on my way.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I bought a few snatch blocks from harbor fright for $24 ea... They are exactly the same ones sold under numerous other brands for $50 + bucks ea.. I'm thinking they would be a very good starting point...

I've used them some and I have no complaints so far...

SR

 

[Gordon Gould]

Doing the same old enjoyable thing today - working in the woods. Cutting fir with stump rot and trying to make saw logs out of them.




I made a bad set-up on the tree above with my self releasing snatch block. The result was the cable being jammed between the sheave and the body of the block. Had to take the snatch block apart back in the shop to free the cable.



I was making a video so I caught the trouble on tape. If you pause at 34 seconds you can see what I did wrong.

http://youtu.be/ofgkSwgpPBg

If you didn't see the problem it was that I set the snatch block way to low - almost on the ground. I never did this before. I usually put it at least a couple feet off the ground but in this case I had the strap on a young oak that is a future crop tree and I wanted to minimize the stress on the tree and root system so I set it way low. Because the block was so low, lower then the diameter of the log, and the winch is high, the cable had a lot of lift on it so when the slider hook went around the sheave and jacked the cable off the snatch block the cable went up and jammed instead of falling free off the bottom.

In hind sight my mistake is obvious but I never gave it a thought when I set it up. So if you have a self releasing snatch block remember to set it high enough so that the cable will fall freely off the bottom when it releases. And make sure the weight of the log is pulling the cable down at the release point so the cable can't lift into the block and jam under the sheave.

gg

 

[Rustyiron]

I bought a few snatch blocks from harbor fright for $24 ea... They are exactly the same ones sold under numerous other brands for $50 + bucks ea.. I'm thinking they would be a very good starting point...

I've used them some and I have no complaints so far...

SR

That's exactly what I picked up today on the way home. Thinking about taking it apart and putting both halves together, welding them with the sheave on one side, then seeing what else it might need.

 

[Agvg]

Those self releasing snatch blocks are great but they have some limitations and you must plan the pull more.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I don't think my cable will get jammed under the sheave out in the woods again. I made a guard out of a short piece of rod.




gg