iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

A pile of scrap or a future logging arch?

Started by jph, November 12, 2005, 01:38:08 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

jph

My wife says it's a pile of scrap, I see other possibilities.

John




Dan_Shade

is that from a rake?

you could probably cobble something that would work, all while keeping the visual appeal to a minimum!
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

jph

Yup , the useful remain of an old hay turner and the back axle from a small articulated tractor.
John

floyd

Atriculation may not be good choice for arch. May want to hard wire that inunleds you plan on suspending logs completely. Then it may be useful on back arch but have not used articulating arch myself.
When I logged more, I used what is called log doggie" Here". I skidded with a team  Log doggie is axle wide enough to accomodate logs with bar in middle of wheels 1" higher than tires. Placed like this it looks like an"A". 1 puts it perpendicular to long axis, hooks chain, or choker with hitch up in air. Then hook chain under bar to front where it was hooked to the grab hook on the doubletree. Then horses hooked perpendicular to log & asked to go towards long axis of log. Doggie rotates underneath log so front is in between the wheels.

Is lighter than arch & no need for tongue on arch as back end of log is on the ground & acts as brake on slopes.

Clear as mud?
Wish I had pic but doggie is now on front of 4 gang disc. 

jph

Floyd
It was the old tractor that was articulated , plans for the new arch are not finalised but I plan to have a draw bar to pull the arch to the log and then use  the arch to raise the rear of the log while the 3 point linkace raises the front and pulls it.
John

floyd

In that application the articulation may be a good thing.

It really makes a difference when entire log can be suspended. In a woodlot setting it may be necessary to ground skid to get to a skid trail ,or road where the arch can be used to entirely suspend the log.

The set up you describe would really be good for removing trees from a lawn,  for example.
I have seen arches that have a ramp that a grabhook runs on for loading or some have a winch to raise the log into travel position.

The ramp flattens out for a foot or so, or maybe even tilts towards front of arch to keep the log suspended.

jph



Progress so far.
I think I will make the draw bar about 8ft long so I can fully  suspend logs of 16ft or should I try and make it longer? I have gone off the idea  of lifting the front of the log with the tractor. A trip to the scrap yard yielded two pieces of about 3in diam pipe, one of which slid inside the other.Could I use this to make the draw  bar extendable? The arch would certainly be easier to transport  on the back of my truck. I think the  moment of  forces involved will be too great, but if the weight of the log is transfered vertically down through the arch then perhaps it will only be the forces involved in pulling the log /arch forward that I have to worry about, or am I wrong. The Future Forestry arches cetainly look well braced.
John

Fla._Deadheader


Lookin Good.  8)



  You can let the puppy out of the corner, now  ::) ;D :D :D
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

floyd

Now protect the inside of the tires so when you turn the log will hit metal & not the walk up on the tires.

You can still suspend the entire log by hooking the middle of the log to the arch & hooking onto the front of the log to pull it. If you do this you should run a chain around the log & attach it to the hitch on the tongue of the arch.

jph




Well it's just about finnished, I just need a good size log to try it out on to see how good my welds are.  Made entirely from steel from the scrap yard, even the paint was surplus.  I hope I have as much fun playing with it as I have had making it.  ;D ;D ;D


John

sprucebunny

That looks good  8)

Do you have any idea what it weighs ???

Looking forward to the report on your trial run ;D
MS193, MS192 and an 026  Weeding and Thinning. Gilbert Champion sawmill

Frank_Pender

That is looking cooooool.  Thank you for sharing.

As was mentioned, earlier, you might want to protect the tires some way.   You could cinsider some 12 steel pipe, cutting in half lengthwise sand connect to the frame, with the bottom asbout where the axels are located.
Frank Pender

D Martin

Glad to see the axle out of the way, looks like it ought ta work. Whatcha pickin the logs up with, cable? Whatcha haulin it with? Scrap is cool, not everyon can "see".

RSteiner

That is a nice looking arch.   :)

I made one many years ago an have found it very useful producing cleaner logs and less ground damage plus it is a lot safer in the woods for the tractor.

I made mine with an 8 foot horizontal tow pole that telescoped out to 12 feet for longer logs.  I found I never used that feature a 16' log with the heavy end up front worked well.

The only suggestion I would make is adding a strut on each side from the vertical pipe that the wheels are connected to, about halfway between the top of the arch and the wheel, to a point on the tow pole ( horizontal backbone) about 2 or 3 feet from the rear of the arch.  You can experiment with the location of the struts so they don't get in the way of the log.  They will add a lot of strength to the arch when one wheel hits an obstruction and instead of pulling just at the top weld point you will be pulling fthe tires from three points.

I put a boat winch on a vertical mount at the rear of the arch to lift the log of the ground and pull the log under the arch.  Along the tow pole in front I made two chain grabs to hold the log up and I put two in the rear one on each side of the arch to hold the rear of the log up in a sling.

Randy
Randy

Lud

I agree with RSteiner's comments.  It's a nice lookin arch.   But there are a lot of stresses carrying a heavy log and some triangulation supports spreads out the burden.

I wrote up arch I built as Lud's Puzzle over in sawmills and Milling.  You can see the triangulation.......and I'm thinking of adding a couple more in back at the top for my rear carrying chain location!

Good color choice too! 8) 8)
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

jph




Her is a photo of the arch set up for picking up a small log   ;D ;D ;D

I wanted to keep it as light as posibble  and be able to transport it and my little tractor on  a tilt bed trailer pulled behind my truck.  I thought I could always add  struts if I felt they were needed. It's first job will be moving some fairly small  softwood, I will let you know how I get on.
I am using a chain winch to raise the logs as  I already had one.

Lud

Seein' the picture in relation to the tractor,  I think you're fine...for dragging. :)
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

jph

I had an excellent day in the woods today, everything worked well ,my little Zetor tractor was fantatic at pulling the arch which itself performed  brilliantly. We moved 17 logs which I thought was pretty good going  considering it was the arch's first job.  The constant drizzle  didn't dampen my spirits  8) 8) 8)
I am now back home having had a hot bath, I left the woodland owners camping in the woods.  The largest we moved was 17ft by about 22inches.
Tomorrow I return with the Woodmizer.









John

Jeff

Don't cha just love it when a plan comes together?  :)
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Frank_Pender

Well done, John.  Fine design and workmanship. 8) 8)
Frank Pender

Paul_H

Quote from: jph on November 12, 2005, 01:38:08 PM
My wife says it's a pile of scrap, I see other possibilities.






She'll never doubt you again   ::)  ;)

Great job on the arch!
Science isn't meant to be trusted it's to be tested

RSteiner

Imagination in action!  8)

I noticed how clean that log is.  You did a nice job putting together those pieces of iron, as a friend of mine would say it was a diamond in the rough it just needed some cutting and polishing.

It is so much easier and safer moving logs in that manner in the woods.

Randy
Randy

KILROY

jph,

Well you have heard it before and you will hear it again, that is a good looking arch. You have a lot of ingenuity and welding skills. I am glad it is working as planned.

maple flats

Great job jph. looks like you have a real good log arch.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

Lud

She got a lot longer in the pictures.  Is that her permanent length now or is it adjustable? ???
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

Thank You Sponsors!