Moving logs

[markkelly]

Looking for ideas or suggestions for moving logs without heavy equipment and a very low budget. ???

American Elm logs about 24" in diameter and 12 feet long in a/  flat area- right now just using short sections of 2"pipe and roll the log up with cant hook and pull with a rope.  I have invested in a ford 3000 tractor but needs some work.

[terrifictimbersllc]

What kind of moving?  ??? How big logs? ???

[DR Buck]

   
  Try the Logrite web site.

   Look to the left under the sponsors links.
       

[Jeff]

If you have the time, read over this topic (link to follow) It's about the need to harvest and move and eventually mill the bug killed trees here at the cabin. it's about as low-tech as you can get and still be fairly efficient. Quite a few photos and video clips.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,45897.0.html

[mikeb1079]

12v winch and a technique called parbuckling.  basically rolling the log with winch line.  with a 50 dollar winch and a cant hook i've moved some 1000 lb ers for sure.  not saying it's the best way, but it's a way.   be careful.   8)

[LorenB]

Looking for ideas or suggestions for moving logs without heavy equipment and a very low budget. ???

Mark,

As terrifictimbers points out, it depends.  How big are your logs and how small is your budget? 

My brother needs to move firewood logs out of his hilly area occasionally.  He is using this winch:
http://www.winchesplus.com/index.html

That's a $2000 piece of equipment, but it's pretty strong.  Here's an alternative:
http://carlneutzel.com/winch.html

I don't know if the capstan winch, that uses a rope, is any cheaper than the one with the spooled cable, but it's probably a lot lighter. 

Either of those can be used with a LogRite arch like their fetching arch, here:
http://www.logrite.com/fetchingarch.html

I have one of those arches, and it is extremely handy for moving heavy logs up steep slopes with a winch or just by towing. 

A winch plus an arch will make moving almost any size log possible, but you will have to invest some money. 

Good luck,
-- Loren

[thecfarm]

How's your land,hilly,rocky,lots of dips and small knolls,swampy? Lots of things can be used if you are in no hurry or trying to make money at it. An old 4 wd truck could be used. On mine land it would be kinda hard in places. Do you have any thing now?

[redbeard]

 

Here is a economic skidder some tubing and a winch and of coarse your 4x4 truck.  My friends 16 yr old boy ran the skidder last summer for a fellow building a cabin up in Chugiac Alaska I think the deal was he got to keep the truck for his wages. I told my friend to tell the fellow about the forum. So maybe The cabin builder is already a member and will reconizes his old truck.  

[terrifictimbersllc]

I started with 200' of 3/4 rope and two matching pulleys. And a 4x4 truck.   Very efficient under the right conditions.   Cat's paw knot on chain is invaluable. Also a very large shackle/pin for the other end with a cat's paw knot on the pin.

[Ianab]

Looking for ideas or suggestions for moving logs without heavy equipment and a very low budget. ???

A question that's not been asked yet... What do you have already?

Like, I've dragged small logs behind a quad bike, even without an arch. Use an arch, and you can drag medium size logs ;)

Where you you need to move them?

How big are they?

There is always a way, given some basic tools and a bit of ingenuity.

This is a pic from a local museum, how things were done 100 years ago. It could winch in a 20ton log from a mile away, using 2 "horse power"


So yeah, winches, levers, pulleys, ramps etc are your friend when it comes to moving heavy things.  ;D

Ian

[jackganssle]

This weekend I had to get a gnarly 16' long 28" diameter log on my LT-15. It was only 8' from the mill but would not budge with a cant hook. So I drilled holes in each end, an inch deep, and put the tongue of a farm jack in one side at a time. Cranked it up a foot or so, and pushed the jack over. The log moved a few inches each time, but eventually got it loaded and sawn.

[pineywoods]

If you don't have any equipment, you will have to invest SOME money eventually. I logged for years with a cant hook, one 40 ft chain, one pair of skidding tongs and one old farm tractor. You'll see post about people using a 4 wheel drive atv and that can be done. For a lot less money, look at an 8N ford tractor or something similar. Millions of them around, cheap, almost bullet proof, and parts are readily available.

[LorenB]

For a lot less money, look at an 8N ford tractor or something similar. Millions of them around, cheap, almost bullet proof, and parts are readily available.

I agree, pineywoods.  Yours is one of the most practical low-budget suggestions I've seen yet. 

-- Loren

[Ironwood]

Find a front loader for that 8N. It will make steering a little harder but keep the front end on the ground. Also, the later model 8's had a better steering box that you could adjust the backlash and they steered easier than the original 9N and early 8N style. If your on relatively flat ground you'll be golden as they dont always like to stop, rear axle seals leaked until 51-52 when they went with a double seal (you'll notice a double bump on the bottom of the axle casting on the underside near the backer plate). Electronic ignitions are also available as are 12 volt conversions. GREAT tractors for the right application. I have had numerous ones here over the years, currently without, but likely one will come back to our property some day. Common as pond water and bullet proof driveline. I still have lots of parts here including a complete spare 4 speed tranny, rear center housing, lift arms, pump and top plate. I otta find a basket case somewhere to resurrect.

Here is my last one before I traded it in.  51' w/ a Davis walk thru loader. My earlier ones were 52's with Dearborn "climb thru" loaders.  :D

Ironwood

[Bandmill Bandit]

Another good one is the massy ferguson work bull 202. was basically the 8N turned into an industrial version by massy they were a well built tough little tractor with good hydralics and good power. not fast on the road but did about 14MPH in road gear. 3 speed tranny with high low range and a ours had a posi track pedal as well. that sucker would out pull a lot of tractors half again as big. easy to fix too.   

[ladylake]

If you get a loader tractor get one without the set back front axle, the farther out front the axle the better.    Steve

[JP135]

Here is my last one before I traded it in.  51' w/ a Davis walk thru loader. My earlier ones were 52's with Dearborn "climb thru" loaders.  :D

Ironwood

THAT is a nice little 8n. My daddy taught me to run a tractor on his 9n, so I have a soft spot for 'em. I'd like to find one now, but you almost never see 'em around here with a front end loader - and if they do have a FEL, its shop-built junk.

[robnrob2]

Here is a way that I do it, if I can embed this right..

<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SKmh9ETeL28?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><

[zopi]

Heh...got to thinking about this thread the other night...went back and read the chapter in foxfire about logging...sure will make you appreciate a tractor amd winch...horse and ox logging, j grabs and chain...they would train together ten or twelve logs and drag em to the flumes or corduroy  roads behind the animals...a little j out at the ledge of a hill and send the train over....logs runnong downhill chained together sixty or seventy miles an hour....we sure have come a long way.
Probably your best bet is a little tractor as mentioned....make sure you are pulling with the load as close to the axle as you can...old tractor will climb and flip itself pretty quick...a log arch..preferably a fetching type with interchangeable hitches is a little safer in the woods...makes it easier to snake em out with rope and fairlead too...
I don't get to hunt wood in the forest much...most of what I get is urban timber...a whole different challenge.

[mikeb1079]

nice setup and dog rob!  looks like a good old fella  8)

[swamper]

Shoot, if you have a tractor, you have the situation licked.  A three point boom pole will lift those logs if you tie on it midway of the boom and use a short chain and some grabs.  We moved whole trees with a similar sized tractor.  Had to steer with the brakes, but it moved them.  Full tree length, 2' diameter, with all the limbs on, southern yellow pine.  A 3000 ford should snake out two logs at a time with the limbs off, and two sets of grabs on the drawbar.  Make sure you use a clevis to attatch the grabs and keep the lift low when empty to keep the grabs from grabbing the cleats on your rear tires.  If the empty grab swings over and grabs a tire, it will make you have a bad day. 

[Left Coast Chris]

Another option which can go down the highway.  This one cost $400 from the local propane company.

[bandmiller2]

That propane tank trailer is a dandy looks like it would be easy to legnthen for longer logs.Really humping logs is heavy dangerous work and if a fella can't afford efficient safe ways to handle them better go swinger and mill them where they lay. Frank C.

[swamper]

That propane mover looks like a handy Dan for moving a large section like that.  I know the propane companies here don't even use those trailers anymore because they have a truck with a small crane on it.  The cranes are all I have seen them use to deliver to the new houses I have built.  I may try to pick one up from them.  That's a good idea from you, thanks.

[DR Buck]

Another option which can go down the highway.  This one cost $400 from the local propane company.

I'd like to know how you load a log like that on to this thing?  I seems it would be a real effort to get it up over the cross frame.   Pictures of the loading would be nice.  ;)