Log Arch or Skidding Winch

[jeepcj779]

DDW_OR, I did look at the Wallenstein, but they cost a lot more than the others for not much in the way of additional capability, other than they have a 2" hitch mount

[Ed_K]

 I use the Tajfun winch it came with a bolt on hitch but I didn't like putting it on to use a wagon then take it off to skid logs (if it's left on it'll get all bent up). So I welded a receiver hitch into it just above where the blade angle is. First time you hook a hitch into them slots and you go over a rise and the log goes completely off the ground an either stretch's the chocker out or pulls out of the slot an bends it up you'll quit using them. Chains won't fit in mine lol.

[DDW_OR]

the 2" hitch mount can be retrofitted to one of the others
will be doing this to the Farmi Winch

here i used a choker chain to tow the ATV
the ATV is for quick trips back to the house
FYI 160+ acres


 

the winch is a GREAT counterbalance

[mitchstockdale]

I picked up a used Norse winch locally a couple months back and have pulled out lots of firewood so far.  I could not imagine doing firewood or any tree work without it.  I highly recommend a winch you will be grinning from ear to ear once you see what they can do.   As for tearing up your road... that is unavoidable... luckily you have a tractor to fix it up ;D...I have been lucky all winter with frozen ground and lots of snow to skid on, this past week things started to melt and i notice some damage it should smooth out nicely once things dry up a bit.

As for hauling out a twitch on the cable it is no factor, the drum lock is a big piece of steel that engages into heavy slots on the cable drum and is built rugged.   Although using the slots allows you to haul out significantly more wood than just with the cable (depending on how many sliders are on the cable).  If I am cutting in an area and have several trees felled I will haul in 2 or 3 at a time hook them to the slots until they are full, then fill up the cable, lock the cable drum and drive away.

[John Mc]

As for hauling out a twitch on the cable it is no factor, the drum lock is a big piece of steel that engages into heavy slots on the cable drum and is built rugged.   Although using the slots allows you to haul out significantly more wood than just with the cable (depending on how many sliders are on the cable).  If I am cutting in an area and have several trees felled I will haul in 2 or 3 at a time hook them to the slots until they are full, then fill up the cable, lock the cable drum and drive away.

There is one caveat to hauling out on the cable: IF your cable is tightly wound on the drum, it should not be a problem. However, if you have managed to get some loose wraps in there, hauling on the cable can cause the cable to pull down into the lower wraps on the drum. Best case in this situation is that it just gets hung up a bit and you have to really yank on it (or attach to an anchor and drive off) to get it to unwind again. A moderately bad case just ends up putting a permanent "wave" or bend in the cable - not quite a kink, but enough so you notice it, and maybe occasionally cause a premature release if you are using a self-releasing snatch block (depending on the design of the block release: one of my blocks is much more tolerant of wavy cable than the other). The worst case is that you damage your cable and have to cut some off or replace it.
How do you get loose wraps if you are winching in a load? One circumstance is when using a self releasing snatch block: there may be a period of no tension on the cable right after it release, until it has taken up the slack, Another is if you use your winch to "persuade" a hung up tree to come down: you can end up with a lot of slack once the tree finally falls. I'll often step on the cable as I winch in slack to keep a bit of tension (then of course back off and get out of the way before it gets fully tight again). If I'm working with someone, often they'll put some back pull on the cable while taking up slack to help it wind tightly. Another cause is not having the drag set properly for unspooling, so the drum freewheels for a bit after someone was pulling out cable (especially of they were moving quickly).
I've had to replace a 230' cable when it got badly kinked right in the middle. I was freeing up a hung tree for a friend. Apparently, they didn't think my warning about keeping tension when winding in slack was serious. I did not realize the rat's nest they had created until I went to unwind things later.

[PoginyHill]

I prefer to haul load using only the main cable. I generally haul 4-6 tree-length spruce/fir of moderate to small diameter (typically 40ft long or so). My winch is a Wallenstein 110. I have had several instances of a loose wind cause problems unwinding by hand, but no show stoppers. I do have a question I've been pondering: How does synthetic cable compare to wire rope? Obviously it's lighter, but is it less subject to getting caught in the spool due to a loose wind? Or worse than wire rope?

[John Mc]

I prefer to haul load using only the main cable. I generally haul 4-6 tree-length spruce/fir of moderate to small diameter (typically 40ft long or so). My winch is a Wallenstein 110. I have had several instances of a loose wind cause problems unwinding by hand, but no show stoppers. I do have a question I've been pondering: How does synthetic cable compare to wire rope? Obviously it's lighter, but is it less subject to getting caught in the spool due to a loose wind? Or worse than wire rope?

I have not used synthetic line on my logging winch, but have used one a bit on a 5000# electric winch. It seemed much less prone to having problems from a loose wind.
However, when I posed a question on here some time ago asking if anyone had experience with synthetic rope on a logging winch, the consensus seemed to be that the they just couldn't stand up to the abrasion inherent in most logging aplications. You might get away with it if you are just winching through nice loamy soils, but not in the rocky areas we have in my neck of the woods. I dropped the idea, but your mileage may vary.

[jeepcj779]

Anyone know when Labonville will be getting in some new Norse winches? Website says they are unavailable until back in stock. I tried calling a couple times but no answer.