lifting tongs

[burtle]

Can anyone suggest a good set of lifting tongs? Tongs that will handle logs up to 36" in diameter

[firefighter ontheside]

I would recommend mine, but I don't know where they came from.  I like them because they have a swivel and a chain hook at the end instead of a loop like my other set.

[Southside]

A friend with a tree service has two pair, both custom made, cost $400 or so per pair and worth every penny.  For that size you may want to talk to a fab shop.  

[firefighter ontheside]

Deleted.

[Magicman]

When you said "lifting" and 36" you stepped up into the big boy britches category.  25" will be in the ~$300(+) range but a quality 36" is a bit higher:  LINK

Don't even think about Roughneck or anything from northern toolhttps://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=position"> Note:Please read the Forestry Forum's postion on this company.

The tongs that firefighter ontheside linked to above are skidding tongs, not lifting tongs. 

[Southside]

Magicman is right.  I have never dropped a 36" log, but I have had some 12"-20" rotten pine break off in my feller buncher and fall from 10-20'. I have lost some out of the head that were 24"-25" at the very bottom.   Mind you - my buncher is armored and weighs 48,000 lbs - when those "little" pine logs have struck the buncher it has rocked it like a Tonka toy, to the point where tires have come off the ground.  

You can not take any short cuts when lifting logs that size - they will kill you without hesitation or remorse.  

[mike_belben]

Use regular tongs with a cable basket underneath.  Hook the cable eyes onto the tong tabs.  Or use chain with slider hooks and latches.

Tonging a big piece of wood is just begging to tear it apart and sacrifice footage.

[Skeans1]

Here's an take a large set of tongs add some teeth inside the jaws and cut the bottom tooth off each side like a set of yarder grapples.

 

[GAB]

Can anyone suggest a good set of lifting tongs? Tongs that will handle logs up to 36" in diameter

I would suggest talking to Kevin @ Logrite.
That is who I purchased mine from.
Please note that the ones I purchased will not do a 36" log.
Gerald

[Magicman]

Copied from the Logrite site regarding their 16" skidding tongs:

Dixie skidding tongs are the finest tongs money can buy and are made in the USA, which is why we use them on our log arches.

[goober]

Oshkosh tools makes logging tongs   they have a web sight .Oshkoshtools.com

[Magicman]

Yes they do:  Oshkosh

[barbender]

From what I recall from a little time log building, actual rated lifting (not skidding) tongs are really expensive, and ones big enough to get around a 36" log would be really, really expensive. Unless you are lifting a steady diet of big logs, I would get some load slings for the big dogs and get a set of tongs for the more normal sized logs.

[Southside]

One other thing to consider too is that each size set has a working range.  The big ones don't do a great job with smaller logs, the geometry just does not work out well, and of course the small ones can't do stuff that is physically too large.  So you really need to know what you will be handling and make a contingency plan for the other not typical stuff.  Barbender had a great suggestion there that solves the problem and saves money.  

[thecfarm]

Skeans1,don't see tongs like that in Maine much. ;D 

[mike_belben]

Those are PNW atv tongs.  You should see what they run on the big equipment. 

;D

[thecfarm]

I'd like to see a picture of a PNW atv.  :D  :D

[Skeans1]

Skeans1,don't see tongs like that in Maine much. ;D  

Tongs? Those are grapples you can load with them. Tongs out here you will see get tossed with redneck fly fishing basically.

[thecfarm]

Here's an take a large set of tongs add some teeth inside the jaws and cut the bottom tooth off each side like a set of yarder grapples.

I thought you called them tongs too?

[Skeans1]

Those are cable yarder grapples, most of the time if you tongs or tonging it's for the guys tossing which to me doesn't sounds like a fun place to be in the brush under.

[Magicman]

Use the PNW tongs with this log arch.


 
Gotta match the equipment to the job. 

[barbender]

I first read about pitching tongs in a magazine, I thought, "no way!" until I watched some videos of it. Kinda crazy!

[Skeans1]

I first read about pitching tongs in a magazine, I thought, "no way!" until I watched some videos of it. Kinda crazy!

I remember being a kid and seeing it at a logging show the guy put a bucket out at 250 and was able to hit it that's how accurate the guys are with them.

[barbender]

Truly amazing! I feel good when I can get my fly to hit the water flyfishing😁