Searched around a bit and couldn't find the information I was looking for...sorry for droning on; its how my mind works.
In regards to a post setup for parbuckling logs up ramps to the mill bed:
a) 12v or 120v? At home, I have access to close by 20amp outlets. If I ever take my show on the road, I'll have access to the homeowner's outlets or I can bring a generator if absolutely necessary. But I'll be sawing primarily for myself in my backyard. Seems like buying batteries is an unnecessary expense.
b) Winch Capacity? With the mill being an HM126, I am estimating the max the mill would ever see is 3000-3500lbs if I somehow managed to procure say a 16ft, 24in white oak. I have a friend down the road with a land clearing/stump grinding business. He has some support equipment and says he can assist if I get something I can't handle, but we know how those promises go sometimes. I would say that puts me in the sub 3000lb category 95% of the time. If I understand the the basics of parbuckling, I wouldn't need a 3000lb winch to parbuckle a 3000lb log, yes?
c) Winch placement? I envision three possibilities:
1 - Mounted near the tongue of the trailer and run through the snatch block on a post mid-trailer
2 - mounted on the deck of the trailer directly under the post and run through the snatch block
3 - mounted horizontal on the side of the trailer under the post and run through the snatch block
The deck of the trailer is about 16inches bigger than the mill bed so there is room on each side to mount things.
Based on the HM126 drawings, it doesn't look like I'll have space to mount the winch to the deck of the trailer and have clearance for the carriage to pass over it. Unknown at this point.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/62288/trailer.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1626805735)
Open to suggestions please.
VB-Milling- I have a 3,500 lb. winch on my loader/log turner that works great. It is a 12v unit and just uses a regular top post car sized battery. It will load logs all day long with no issue of battery becoming weak. I know I have sawed for two full days before without charging and it continues to work fine. The parbuckling does not take much power. If you are going to use the same winch to turn/roll logs on the mill, that is when you need the power of the 3,500 lb winch. Starting a 12" or larger cant to roll off the bed from a horizontal position takes a lot of grunt. Once it is up off the rail a little it goes rather easy. I am on year three and almost to year 4 with my mill and I still have the same battery that came on my mill. It charges right up overnight with a 15 amp. charger. I would not like having an electric cord under foot while milling as it would certainly be a trip hazard. Having a cord out there at night charging the battery should not bother anyone. I use the free wheeling function when spooling out the cable to get around the logs. This eliminates battery draw from powering it cable out.
My log turner is located on the opposite side of the mill track from where I walk and is just far enough away from the track to allow the saw carriage to pas by it. It sets just ahead of the axle and right tire. Pull a pin and it will slide in closer to the track for over the road travel. It has to be moved out to saw. It has been a good system for me. Possibly it could work for you as well. Good Luck!
I would follow Woodland Mills lead on this and try to copy what they did. The drop post with the winch centered between your log ramps seems best. It sounds like you didn't buy their trailer package. So have a welder make a square hole for a mounted winch post to pass through(snug) and lock in with pins. Make sure it is centered with your trailer to distribute the weight evenly.
I didn't buy their ramp/winch kit because $500 seems expensive for what it is, and I want an electric winch as I sweat enough and there's plenty of other stuff to sweat over when milling logs. Any trailer shop should be able to help you, you could even do two square holes on each side so you can work from both sides if necessary.
@Gere Flewelling (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=37292)
This is good info, especially the battery info and its longevity. In the small amount of research on winches I've done so far, it certainly seems like 12v winches can be purchased in many different flavors while 120v are less plentiful and cost more.
Can you share some pics of how the winch is mounted? Is the setup the same as the outrigger post with the manual winch on top and are those two totally separate installs?
Thanks!
@Daburner87 (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=52608)
Yeah, didn't buy the trailer package, rolling my own design.
One thing I don't like about the Woodland Mills winch post design is that it drops in the log stop holders. I wanted to keep the stress off the mill base and move that stress to the trailer, which is wider than the mill base. Sounds like you're suggesting what my current plan is, so that's good.
Also didn't buy the ramp/winch kit as I assumed I could build one for a lot less and make it electric. We'll see how that plan unfolds and whether it was the right decision. Seeing that I plan on making both fenders removeable, whatever design I go with will be operational for loading either side.
Thanks for your input.
VB-Milling- The main winch arm is a Cook's installed unit that bolts in place. I will take some pictures of it specifically and post them to give you a better idea of how they designed it. It work very well although it can be bent when straining to flip a large flat cant laying on the bed. I recently came up with a modification to address the weak bendable area on the winch arm. That will be in the pictures as well. The second winch arm with the hand winch is much smaller in design. I only use that when loading 20' logs onto the mill as they just need a little guidance to keep them going straight. The original does most of the work.
@Gere Flewelling (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=37292)
Thank you for clarifying the two are separate. I was a little confused.
I have looked at your past pictures and just can't quite figure out the winch. Looking forward to some pictures.
Also went on Cook's website and the pictures I can find only show the winch setup from across the sawmill so its hard to see.
I looked a little closer at a few pics and think I got it figured out, but would still much appreciated some closer pictures of the loading winch post and mounting.
Looks like your manual winch post is 2x2 and the Cooks 12v winch post is 3x3 ???
I load logs onto a trailer rather than a sawmill but the principal is the same.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20011/2410/DSCN0689.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1267646471)
I started with a 3500lb winch which croaked and replaced it with this 8K Mile Marker. The 3500 would have been OK with these "bitty" logs, but it seems that we are never satisfied.
@Magicman (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=10011)
I saw this picture in another thread and that's what prompted me to think I may want to install the winch at the front of the mill trailer. This is how I currently have the 8000lb winch installed on my log getter trailer, but I haven't actually had the occasion to use it yet to parbuckle.
Appreciate the feedback.
I believe the ramps are 2"X3"X ΒΌ" thick. They hook over the trailer top rail and have about 8" "feet" to prevent them from sinking in.
I welded a Square steel piece under my mill then made another piece that fit inside shaped like a L then put a 5000 pound winch on top just run cable down around log and back up to winch works good
VB-Milling- Here are some photos of my loading arm that you requested. I had mentioned that it is possible to bend the horizontal arm trying to roll a large log setting on wide flat base. It is due to the weak area where the large hole was drilled inn the arm for adjusting. After straightening the arm a couple of times, I made this brace to reinforce that area. It can be flipped up out of the way when in road towing mode. The last two pic's are of the log rolling hook that Cook's makes. It works very well. Just don't drop it on your toe as it is heavy.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47292/IMG_3550.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1627121262)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47292/IMG_3551.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1627121360)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47292/IMG_3558.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1627121598)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47292/IMG_3559.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1627121616)
@Gere Flewelling (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=37292)
Thank you for the pictures. They are very helpful. I have several good design ideas to put to paper now.