Cheap log turner

[Leggman]

I finally have my sawmill running again after making the belt drive a two belt instead of a one belt. I am in serious need of a cheap and easy way to load and turn the logs. I have no hydraulics so I was thinking of something like a winch that can easily be installed/removed.
Any ideas will be welcome. Thanks  Dave

[Treehack]

Watch this video from Norwood. 

https://youtu.be/I8Gih2z2GX4

Toward the end, it shows their loading and turning winch that should give you some ideas.  I just got a new TK with similar winching setup. 

[ScottCC]

Excellent ideas, thanks.  I wonder if I hung an electric winch off my lt15 wide would it hurt the frame in order to get same log spin?

[Treehack]

I wouldn't think it should hurt the frame.  Woodmizer actually has a winching system for LT15 Go and LT28, so if theirs does not hurt the frame, yours shouldn't. 

http://woodmizer.com/us/Products/Portable-Sawmills/LT15GO-Portable-Sawmill 

[Gearbox]

Build it like a engine crane and mount a 12 v winch on the arm . Use the hook off an old cant hook or peavey roll it in and out .

[gww]

My mill is only about 9 inches off the ground.  I have used a cheep 2000 lbs hand winch/come-along (which worked but was hard)  and a 2000 lbs electric winch which was better.  I had the winch on the front of a honda 300 and pulled it paralel to the mill in the middle of my log deck.  I had two 4x4s from the ground to the mill.  I rapped a chain around the log and hooked it to my mill track on the oposite side of the log.  I did put 8x8 blocks in front of the atv tires and against the mill.  The 2000 lbs winch had rolled up everything I tried but was probly hardest on the atv then anything.  I do have to stop every so often when the log goes a little side ways and run around and straiten it every so often.

On a portable like you have leggman. It would be neat it you go this rout if you could put some bars or teeth that fold down till the log is past it and then pop up and hold the log in place incase you have to stop a small winch that does not lock when you stop it.  Then you could go around and shorten you chain if you run out of winch cable or you could adjust the angle of the log with out it rolling back down the ramp to your mill.  With the rails and a cant hook, you could roll up the smaller logs if your ramp had little log stops to stop it from rolling back down the ramp.  That would be cheapest. 

If a hand boat winch held enough cable, That might be the easiest to mount and not need power to use.

I doubt you can understand what I am trying to say due to my writing abilitie but I am trying my best and you can always ask for better.

Good luck
gww

Ps If using a come along (I don't advise) or a boat type winch that has a lock to keep it from backing up, You could just carry some wedges and walk around and chock the log in place manually and make any adjustment and then pull it up more.  Then you could just use some 4x4s or 6x6 for ramps.

[Sixacresand]

The LT10 that I used to have was only 4 inches off the ground.  I could straddle the mill bed with the log arch use the setup shown in the sketch to turn logs.  I liked it because I could turn in either direction.  It does not have to be on an arch.  Could be engine hoist, over head beam, FEL, boom pole, etc.


 

[Kbeitz]

This works well for me...



 

[kelLOGg]

An important feature of Kbeitz's turner design is that it can slide in and out (so it appears to me) so a log of any diameter can be pulled vertically. This removes the component of force that pulls the log into the stop reducing the rolling friction of the log against the stop to a minimum. That's the feature I use too and it makes a big difference when turning a large log. There is enough rolling friction and no need to add more.
Bob

[gww]

K
What do you do when you are moble with your mill. I notice that leggmans mill is on wheels. 
gww

Ps. I wonder if some kind of boom system in the back of a truck would do the job with out too many steps.  Maby a winch on a boom pole that slides in and out also?  There is probly a reason that most of the comercial saws either roll the log up a ramp or have arms attached to the saw that lift the log.

[Kbeitz]

Sometimes I use this...



 

Or this...



 

[alanh]

i have a version that I drop into a 2" receiver thats bolted on the side of the mill. My favorite method is stick my 60" logrite and get the tractor bucket under the handle and lift and push...

[kelLOGg]

Mine slides in and out of the mill (can be removed but I never do) and pivots. Here's an old pic - I have since motorized the in/out feature.



 

[dboyt]

I generally use a 5' Logrite cant hook for anything that I can turn by hand.  To help with this, I have a chock so I can turn the log a bit, lifting with my legs, chock it, then get another bite on the log.  For the bigger stuff, I use a mechanical farm jack with a hook and strap.  It is easily portable, but too time consuming for any but the biggest logs.

[Leggman]

Great input,
I am leaning toward the winch either mounted on the mill or on the back of my truck.
I have a similar setup mounted on the back of a pickup I use for pulling engines???
Thanks a bunch.

[fishfighter]

Most engine lifts are only rated at 1,000 lbs. Check yours for the rated lift.

[kelLOGg]

Here's a recent pic of my swinging boom loader showing in/out motor, up/down switch in its holder and a 2500 lb pull winch. The vertical pipe is 4" dia with a 4.5" pipe over it. This is my 2nd generation loader because the 1st one bent; this one won't. (fingers crossed) Except for the winch and solenoids I built it with on-hand "scrap".



 

[Sixacresand]

I failed to this mention in my earlier post. Big logs are higher than the log stops which will dig into the log which makes turning harder.  I slipped a piece of pipe over the log stops to make them higher than the log.