The "eagle" soft tongs

[blue_eyed_devil]

Here it is, Deadheader.....
This scissor action lifting tong is from an old ILBA newsletter.
I'm building a log house and have to move some seriously heavy pine logs (63' long).I had been using normal lifting tongs but was feedup with so much damage being inflicted every time I picked one up.
The mechanics are very simple but if anyone wants to build one,it is imperative that high grade materials are used.Most importantly, use high grade bolts and shafting.I used 1" 4540 HTSR shaft and grade 8 bolts.By the way.......NEVER weld or heat this type of shaft.
 I had  a couple icy logs slip out ,last winter, so I  added some small tabs that do imbed the wood.But not nearly as damaging as lifting tongs! Put some thought into your locking device to hold it open because it is heavy to open.
Contact Cathy Hanson at //www.logassociation.org for the "Mackie lifting tong" newsletter .A word of caution........This is a homebuilt unit and as such, it has no U.L.listing. or OSHA approval,Be very careful using this unit.

[blue_eyed_devil]

I forgot to add that (bigger is better)
I had a wire rope shop make up the cables (very important),and supply all the shackles.
Error on the high side when figuring your  loads.Make sure everything is rated 6 tons or more.I had a 4  ton eye-bolt snap on me trying to free frozen logs out of the pile.

[Don P]

Thank's for posting the tongs Blue. You were showing these on another forum about the time Florida Deadheader was asking about tongs. He does river log (and gator) recovery. I thought you guys might want to compare notes. Oh, both of you have also built your own mills. I don't recognize a dope slap from above often, but I figured maybe you guys should meet. :D

[ARKANSAWYER]

  Blue,
  This is right on time.  I  have to set some logs for perlins that are flat on one side on a tire wall home and did not want to have to sling them as it would require some one to climb up and unsling  each one as they were set.   I really dislike any one being under the gin pole.  I have been thinking of making some thing like yours.  Thanks!
ARKANSAWYER

[blue_eyed_devil]

Hi Arkansawyer
I have a small twelve volt winch rigged off the boom,(not shown)so that I can open and close the tong.Otherwise you would still have to climb up to lock it open.
The reason I went with the winch is the fact that it is heavy to lock it open but by no means impossible to do manually.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Hi Devil. I was havin probs with the server and when I got back online, I forgot to respond to yer post. Appreciate postin the tong pic.  Problem we have, is, the logs are buried and the suction creates a LOT of pressure on the winch. I don't think your idea would work, because we never know where, on the log we are attaching the tongs. Sometimes we actually rip the sapwood pulling on a log. We have had to re-hook 3-4 times, before getting a log loose. Then there are the BIGGER logs that our tongs won't fit around.

[Buzz-sawyer]

 Hey blue
I am building a lift for my 2 ton truck....I am wondering about the rest of your rig...do you lift the boom with a winch?
...I like the simplicity of your tongs and may go with a similair design...with a cable lift and hydraulic boom lift like an early production type..
any more pics?
Don

[blue_eyed_devil]

"putting it together in the shop"

[blue_eyed_devil]

The boom slides into my loader bucket.The 4"x4" knee
braces have 1" thick steel tabs (welded).These slide into pockets inside the bucket.The boom is then supported with two 5/8" wire rope cables that anchor to the top corners of the bucket with 70 grade chain.It's crude but heavy duty.The boom is an old chunk of logging trailer "reach".

[blue_eyed_devil]

Another shot
Sorry.......... I'm not so good at optimizing my pictures

[blue_eyed_devil]

Deadheader.
Do you have a unit that can cut and recover standing trees underwater?
I think there must be millions of trees flooded over by dam Reservoirs .
  Hey...... I just noticed, I'm a "full" member now .What's that about ?

[Fla._Deadheader]

 Hi Devil. I LIKE the second set yer building. I still don't think we could use them. Sometimes a log will come up on one end, and stand 8-10 feet up out of the water. The tongs would slide up that, I'm sure.

  We are NOT allowed to cut anything. If it isn't cut off on both ends, we can't pull it???
  Besides, how would we know what we were cutting??? We can't see 'em. : : ;D ;D ;D

 Full member gives ya LOTS more places to snoop around and get lost on the forum sites. Click around some places and see what's new, that ya haven't seen before. :D ;) :D :D :D

[Buzz-sawyer]

blue_eyed_devil
I would like to make a set of tongs like yours...I tried to get plans from the link you posted...but unfortunately no response...could you mail me a scan of your copy....would appreciate help on it
Don