Log Arch Build

[BowtieTimber]

Hello everyone,

I've been following along with different posts on this forum for some time as a guest but I think it's time to share a project I've been working on.

I own a Norwood HD36v2 mill and have been struggling to get wood to the mill due to lack of heavy lifting equipment.  This got my looking into different log arch designs.

Different bits and pieces of the design have been borrowed from all over the internet to hopefully make the perfect arch for my needs.

The construction is mostly out of 1/4"walled  2.5" x 2.5" square tubing.  The overall length with the tongue portion installed is approximately 11' long.  The inside of the arch is 39" wide and is 59" tall with the wheels installed. It is definitely going to be very heavy duty when it's completed.  

The general idea is that the arch can be towed behind an atv / truck / tractor.  But with the tongue removed I have fabricated a handle insert that will have a winch point so that the arch can be used as a fetching arch in hard to get to areas.

I have a whack of photos which will be uploaded momentarily. 

Looking forward to hearing suggestions or feedback from more experienced people.

[BowtieTimber]

 

 

 

[BowtieTimber]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BowtieTimber]

 



Tacked into place
  

 

You can see here how the front tongue section will be removable.


 
To remove the mill scale and rust I soaked all the parts I could in vinegar for 12-24 hours then dipped into warm water with baking soda to neutralize the acidity in the vinegar.  The parts that were too large to dunk I utilized 3M's strip pads which are expensive but work very well!


 
All cleaned up and ready for a quick shot of primer to prevent any rusting.


 

 
Bent up some rebar as a makeshift handle to help wield this thing around.



Making a winch mount for the 3500lb two speed winch.
 

 

 

[Wlmedley]

 

 Looks like you're using the same winch I just added to my log arch.Works really well.

[BowtieTimber]

Wlmedley, your gearing appears to be a bit more stout.  I just got a cheapy one off Amazon to try out for now.  

I do have some 3/8" cable in the mail though with a ferrule and bell which hopefully works well with this winch.

[BowtieTimber]

This front section of tube will allow for a heavier winch to be mounted if I need to pull a log a little closer.  It will also allow for a set of log tongs to be inserted for when the arch is used as a fetching arch.


 
Gussets added to the arch, front section of tube, and axle mounts.  The axles I've gone with are on the lighter side so I wanted to be able to unbolt them if needed to add heavier duty ones.



Fabricating covers for the end of the exposed tube.
 


Wheels are on for the first time.
 


Large winch mounted up front to test fit.
 

 

 

[fluidpowerpro]

You do nice work.

[BowtieTimber]

You do nice work.

Thanks!

[Wlmedley]

Looks good.Arch and small four wheel drive tractor is all I have to put logs on my log deck and has worked out well for me.Electric winch should be pretty nice also.

[Resonator]

Good progress.
I'd suggest adding angle braces between the "backbone" and the "wishbone", a few heavy logs on a rough trail will test it and see if or where it bends.

[BowtieTimber]

Good progress.
I'd suggest adding angle braces between the "backbone" and the "wishbone", a few heavy logs on a rough trail will test it and see if or where it bends.

Thank you, yes that's in the plans too!  Just have to figure out the angles and how to make those cuts... should be fun!
This is the other attachment I am working on so that you can wheel it by hand.  I will close in the front with a shackle mount for the winch to grab on to.


 

 

 

[Walnut Beast]

Looks great. I love class 3 receivers for multiple uses. I would run a gusset on the very top long length for added strength 

[BowtieTimber]

Looks great. I love class 3 receivers for multiple uses. I would run a gusset on the very top long length for added strength

I've been toying with that idea, similar to the design that log rite uses.  What material would you recommend for that?  Flat bar or some 1" x 2" tube?  I don't have a any real equipment for bending the steel at this time.  Although I suppose some heat and a hammer always works.

[Walnut Beast]

The tubing or the flat bar would be fine and no bending needed 👍. That is definitely going to be a really handy unit! On the flat bar on top you could put two and make a A on top and weld like that also. Really it's what you have available or cost effective for you

[OH_Varmntr]

Nice build so far.  Following along 

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Your doing some good wielding Bowtie.   Not to many guys around that can fabricate like that.   I wonder if your keeping track of costs?   I'd like to know what it cost to build that compared to buying one of similar size and usefulness.

[Stephen Alford]

  Nice job for sure. If you build one of these Mr Walnut Beast be sure and add lots of  Lights   :D

[BowtieTimber]

Your doing some good wielding Bowtie.   Not to many guys around that can fabricate like that.   I wonder if your keeping track of costs?   I'd like to know what it cost to build that compared to buying one of similar size and usefulness.

Thanks Lapp,
I haven't kept an exact figure but I did purchase all the steel new so I've spent about $600 on steel.
The winch was $65 on Amazon, 3/8" cable with nub and bell from wescovan was about $100 with some other odds and ends after shipping.  So call that $165.
Axle stubs were $200 and the wheels I just had on hand.
Miscellaneous grinding pads/welding gas etc I had to restock was about $100. 
Hardware and trailer tongue were about $50.
So all together would be just over $1000 realistically.  I know a lot of guys throw them together with scraps for free but I wanted something nice that would last a long time and compete with the best arches out there so I didn't mind spending a little bit. 

[Ljohnsaw]

 :P
That's purdy!  Not like mine :-\
V1.0



 
Too much snow on the old welds (not mine)

 
V1.5


 

[BowtieTimber]

That's a pretty cool design, looks like it would handle well!  Would be neat to have the right tools to bend some tube.

[Wlmedley]

Found some old build pictures of my arch.I've drug it over stumps and rocks and it hasn't failed me yet.Put in as much bracing as possible without making it to heavy.

 

  

[John Mc]

Wlmedley -

I'm surprised you haven't needed some diagonal braces running from the uprights coming up from the wheels to the wishbone/backbone. It looks as though it presently relies on just the butt joint where the wishbone meets the uprights. Has that been holding up OK?

[Wlmedley]

Remarkably I haven't had any trouble with anything bending on arch which I built about 4 years ago.I originally built it to move logs off of a 3 acre lot I was clearing off for a house seat.It had a lot of white oak and poplar which I worked out a deal with a fellow to sale at log yard.Brought all the good logs out over rough ground with arch and after buying sawmill a couple years ago have used it a lot.Here's one of the loads I bought out with it.

 

  

[Ljohnsaw]

That's a pretty cool design, looks like it would handle well!  Would be neat to have the right tools to bend some tube.

Those are great looking bends, aren't they ;)  The original was a septic tank trailer that I extended.  The low slung rails were an issue.  So, I cut that up and re-arranged things.  I also made it modular, so to speak.  The S curve from the hitch to the front of the top bar is one piece made from the front U section.  The top bar and the two braces are separate pieces.  There are two through bolts at each location that lock it all together.  When apart, it fits in the back of my truck.  With two people, it takes about 10 minutes to assemble.

[BowtieTimber]

Still waiting on a few odds and ends to arrive in the mail.  In the mean time I made up this removable caster for the front tongue to make it easy to move it all around by hand.



 

 

[Walnut Beast]

A tip for you on the wheel casters you have. You can move a good amount of weight but they bind easy and can bend when wheels are not in the direction of pull. A quick kick or push by a longer handle to get them in the direction of travel sometimes is what's needed

[lshobie]

Looks great!  I built one out of scrap and found that most designs only carried one big log so I made it that I could put a bunch of smaller logs on top of the rig - saved lots of time and I moved lots of material with it.

https://youtu.be/mnrOjxFh62g

[BowtieTimber]

Looks great!  I built one out of scrap and found that most designs only carried one big log so I made it that I could put a bunch of smaller logs on top of the rig - saved lots of time and I moved lots of material with it.

https://youtu.be/mnrOjxFh62g

That's a pretty cool concept, I like that!  
Unrelated to the post, do you have another YouTube channel where you fix up old sleds?  I'm pretty sure I've seen some of them if that is you!
After a short hiatus I was able to get all the odds and ends I needed.  Just need a couple small touches and paint then I'll be ready to put it all to work! 

[BowtieTimber]

 

 

 

 

[Walnut Beast]

Looks great and the supervisor also! 

[Wlmedley]

Looks good,should work really well.You might have trouble getting cable to spool up on winch.I used 5/16" cable and it was hard to get wrapped right on small drum.

[jb616]

Looks good,should work really well.You might have trouble getting cable to spool up on winch.I used 5/16" cable and it was hard to get wrapped right on small drum.

Here are a couple lessons that i learned with mine; 1 I used the synthetic winch rope which is very pliable and very strong. 2 Because i trashed 3 of the boat winches in one day, i called Woodmizer and ordered a winch that i have on my manual LT30. I don't know the namebrand but the teeth on the large pulley are not external to the diameter of the pulley but inside if that makes sense. Yes it cost over $300 but each of the ones I trashed cost $80. 
Another tip. put the hook on a pulley and bring the winch rope back up to the frame. you will double your lifting power. 

[Crusarius]

I love the detail and thought you put into making that work. You will be very happy with it. Mine was slapped together from my scrap pile and leftover sawmill build steel.

One thing that really sets mine apart is the 2 piece construction.

The blue part is actually the tongue for my sawmill. It slides inside the log arch frame. this makes it so I can drag it around with the truck or tractor but then it can be broken apart for longer logs.



 




 



This log was almost 30' long. towed like a dream. a lot easier than borrowing a long enough trailer to bring it home.



 

all of the straps and everything was temporary during testing. I now have chain loops and binders that I use to hold everything in place.

[bitternut]

I have a hard time believing that that set-up passes as legal on any highway in NY STATE. huh-smiley
Certainly gets the job done though. Had any opportunities to cruse by a trooper yet?

[Old Greenhorn]

Hah! You haven't been on my road. I drag logs with my little arch and leave a trail of bark and pith from where I got on the road to where I got off. Easier to find the scene of the crime that way. :D You'll see everything on my road if you live long enough. One Sunday morning I'm eating my breakfast and I see a tandem axle dump going down the road pulling a 20' equipment trailer with a LOAD of 50' steel roof trusses on it and let me tell you that load had more bounce than a goochie dancer.  The extra 8' hanging off the front and 15 or more off the back. Driver did real good too, until he tried to turn up into the woods with the load and got both the front and back of the trusses hung up on geological obstructions at the same time. Took a big excavator and a dozer to finish the last 150' of the run, but it was Sunday, so who cares? :D
 I see all manner of things running up and down, even horses for a few years.

[bitternut]

That may be possible on some back road Tom but Crusarius's picture was taken on what looks to be a major highway. I would slap a triangular orange slow moving vehicle sign on the back of that log and play dumb if got stopped.

[Crusarius]

that was taken on a county road in front of my house. I stopped and talked to the sheriff plenty of times with logs like that. The only thing they recommended was a flag on the back which I did add after I took the picture.

[rusticretreater]

Yeah, if you're just going slow and live nearby its really kind of like driving a farm vehicles down the road.

[Old Greenhorn]

Rural is as rural does. :D
 Most of the LEO's around here have common sense and can apply it. If you are not obstructing the road, have sufficient warning devices, and it is a temporary thing, they let it slide just about every time. Sometimes there are issues with State Troopers who are transferred into this barracks from city locations or were not raised rural. We also see it from the DEP whose police are often long time NYC beat cops that need a transfer to 'the country' to work some things out. They take a little while to relax and fall into the groove and a rare few never do. I had a buddy drive his lull 5 miles from one location to another over town, county, and state roads (one was our main divided highway, 55 MPH, 4 lane) with no issue. Now I wouldn't do that with a feller buncher, but if you are smart and stay on the shoulder and don't damage the road you are almost always good. It also cuts both ways. Take advantage of it, run an overweight or unsafe load, or damage a road and get caught, well then you are done. It will seem like every time you pull a rig out of a driveway there will be a cop waiting to check you out and word gets around quick to look for you.
 I should add though, these times are fading away now that our demographic is changing in the area. A lot more folks just pull their phone out of their pocket and make a call to complain rather than smile and wave.

[mudfarmer]

No problems doing stuff like that up here in the land of the free. Don't start telling people that though we'd like to keep it that way ;)

[BowtieTimber]

Well finally got around to doing some field trials with the arch!

Started with the large cherry with the croch piece and it handled it no problem.  Moved on to the much heavier straight cherry log which is handled with ease.

We then started hammering out some 12' long ash logs no problem!  

Overall I'm very happy with the performance.  I will be adding a "Y" brace up front to hold the logs steady instead of a rachet strap.

Might have to weld a nut onto the winch so I can hook an impact drill up instead of winching by hand.  That gets a bit old by the end of the day.



 

 

 

 

 

[fluidpowerpro]

Looks great! Nice job.

[trapper]

Nice build.  Mine has an angled bumper in front of the tires for when I turn too short around a tree.

[Walnut Beast]

Looks great! It should serve you well👍