Holding logs on manual mill

[FarmingSawyer]

Somewhere here abouts I saw someone using a short cargo bar type ratchet thing for holding a huge log against the backstops.

I've been searching for such a thing but can only find ones that are 40" or more. The one pictured here looks much shorter. Any ideas what I was seeing and where to get one?

I've been using ratchet straps to hold a log once I've rotated it to hold things until I get the dogs set. But the dogs on. Thomas mill are fussy at best and really only good for logs under 20". I like the ratchet bar idea because it could stay in place where as the straps can't. Just need to find one short enough....

[JB Griffin]

Simple just cut it down to length. To my knowage they are racheting on one end only for about a foot, so just cut off the stationary end to length.

[goose63]

When I was still driving truck we had load locks was a hollow tube with pads on the end with a ratchet handle to tighten it up to the walls of the trailer.
we could get them in most big truck stops. you could cut one down to any size you want.
Google load locks hope this helps

[FarmingSawyer]

Simple just cut it down to length. To my knowage they are racheting on one end only for about a foot, so just cut off the stationary end to length. :)

Well,  duh.... That's almost too simple for words. No wonder I didn't think of it.

[JB Griffin]

Your very welcome FarmingSawyer ;D

[StimW]

I have some short pieces of oak that I saved from the slabs and I use them for wedges on the bunks.
I roll the log up against the stops with the Cant Hook and shove the wedge in to hold it then set and tighten the clamp.
I also make the first cuts then rotate 90* so the cut is up against the stops and use the wedges and Cant Hook to get the cut square with the stops and bunks then clamp. 

[Alligator]

I saw these on a local Craigslist. They are military issue tank track joining tools. There were 3 for sale. They look like, if sharpened and welded in place, would make log dogs. They are military surplus, probably a lot of them around some where. Just a thought. These were $79. A quick google turned up some for $600. Might not be that good an idea.