Prospecting for comments on 3pt hitch log handlers

[kantuckid]

I've been looking at the rguile 3pt log lifting device on Ebay (sold by seller name 1rguile)  along with Timber Tuff and RK Designs. The first one is also sold on Amazon and the least expensive but lacks height in it's design. The Norwood LogHog is NLA and looks better and was higher price point. 
I no longer have a welder to fabricate one and don't need a more sophistcated version. 
Your thoughts? Thanks

[mike_belben]

Are you going to use chokers or tongs?  


Do you have a quick hitch adapter? @beenthere  has a pretty simple setup on page 1 here


https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=37738.0


If youve got a big tractor or a front loader or are only dragging small stuff a long pole like that will work well so long as it doesnt bend, however its still static.  Its not going to give you too much more lift than the 3pt range itself.  Maybe an extra 10 inches or so.  The more extra lift it gives you the more capacity it costs in a small machine.  6inches closer to the axle makes a very big difference on my little 2wd.   

[doc henderson]

It looks easy enough to build, and customize for your needs such as height as you mention.  I have a blade I have not used since I have had a skid steer/track loader (20 years)  it goes with my 850 John Deere.  it is a traditional 3 pt. that can be angled and even turned 180° backwards.  it seems something like this could be modified and even a winch added to resemble the traditional skidding system.  It seems many of these are around.  I loaned mine to a buddy 10 years ago and have never ask for it back.  

[doc henderson]

could maybe add a hydro. cylinder in place of the top link to add some lift/rotation up.

[mike_belben]

A reversible back blade trimmed down would make a pretty good platform for an old braden/tulsa style PTO winch if it had- or could be modded to have- freewheel. 

[kantuckid]

I use tongs some on smaller stuff, choker on big guys and lift with lower arms. Objective: I do need to stop banging logs into the back of my tractor. :D 

"My tractor" is now back in "my hands" ;D after a 3 month hiatus for a clutch replacement, whew. Just in time too. Thursday I caught up my private road from gullies all over then Thursday night we had the biggest fastest rain since I bought this place in 1978! We live up high in the woods but 7" of water came down in an extremely short time flooding sveral nearby counties. In our case it came off the limestone cliffs down to out house and had 3-4" water in basement and my road was as bad as it's ever been-seriously bad. I now have it looking OK but flat and I've lost all my roads crown gravel so there goes ~ $500 for rock. Living 2 miles from the quarry it's still a large expense for us annually. The guv declared an emergency but not like they'll do anything for us- it's all on us.  

[John Mc]

I've only used a few hand tools by TimberTuff. A friend bought some due to the low cost as compared to some of their competitor. He had a pulp hook, 8" hand tongs, and a peavey. I was not impressed by any of them. None of them worked very well for their intended use. The pulp hook just would not grab anything, it just popped right back out of whatever you swung it at. The hand tongs had trouble staying on the log, even when limited to 6" logs. I had to carefully place logs in the tongs in order to carry them, which sort of defeats the purpose of having tongs. Maybe it wold work on softwoods or rotten wood? (My Husqvarna 8" tongs regularly grab 10-12" hardwood logs). The peave just would not grip very well (admittedly, I'm used to a Logrite peavey, which is sort of the gold standard).

As a result of those experiences, I generally stay away from TimberTuff stuff.

[trapper]

I bought a TimberTuff  pulp hook for a second pulp hook and returned it.  

[kantuckid]

For now I'm leaning toward RJ Designs on Amazon or the Rguile log skidding attachment or maybe? one of the many 3pt tractor receiver hitch attachments then throw on a Titan logging boom to lift the logs. This is something I've put off for years and now's the time!
it's not hard to chain a log tight then lift and pull but that carries with it the obvious issues of banging logs into my tractor thus the bash plates we see. These devices above would give the butt something to snatch against when lifted. 
Just got done pulling the SYP tree I dropped when my tractor died 3 months ago. It "asked me" to lift the butt on every log as they all decided to chase the stump so had to hop over it as over crap kept it against the stump- plus their size said cut me down some.