Anyone out there use a portable winch to pull logs to your logging trails? I just got a DVD and info from Portable Winch out of Canada. The video is pretty impressive. They are pulling logs out with the portable winch which is a capstan style winch with high strenth ropes, snatch blocks and a skidding cone. I may buy one in the Fall but wanted to hear some forestry review. If you use one what is the largest dia. trees your pulling and lengths?
Thanks...
How fast are they? that's the other thing to consider, which will vary depending on what your goal is.
Hey, Check this thread.
Portable Gas Winch (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=23303.msg331518#msg331518)
Thanks Grassfed,
Here is the website of the winch I am referring to.
http://www.novajack.com/en/0101_05.htm
Any other reviews?
Thanks
i never tried a capstan winch system. but I have been using a lewis chainsaw winch for over 15 years now and it is a great tool to have around. carry it any where and all the pulling power you need with a 70cc. saw powering it.
I have worked with the Nova jack systems. I believe they are good if you are wanting to work with small equipment. As far as the winch and skidding cone worked great for fetching small sticks where you didnt want to drive equipment . If you buy the system make sure you get a corner block. It is a great tool . You can pull around a tree and set the rigging so it pops off the block just when you need it to go straight. No scuffing of remaining stand because you not tring to bend poles around them. I find the winch system slow but strong. I like pulling with the ATV better.
Dale
I'm with burlman, love the Lewis. I use it a lot now and it is great for the small, underfunded operator.
Ledlie
Have any of you guys heard tell of, or used, a "Yankie Yarder"? It is a portable cable winch system that is powered with a five HP stationary engine. They are easily built and cheap to operate. They work best with a skid cone and snatch block.
A google search on "Yankee Yarder" comes up wih nothing. Do you have a reference, link, or site where you find that name ?? ???
I think the Yankee Yarder may be technology from the past. A guy I worked with was responsible for making a lot of small woodlot equipment. That is the only place I have ever seen them. Fortunately the guy (Douglas MacMaster, since deceased) that built this equipment also made plans for constructing the equipment he built.The Prince Edward Island Forestry Department still has plans available if anyone is interested. The winch is simply a 5 HP engine with reduction on it that belt drives a winch drum with cable on it. the clutch system is simply tightning and loosening the belt with a lever. The cable will freewheel when the belt is slack. You tighten the belt to retreive the cable and pull the log in. I will try to get a picture of one if I can. If anyone wants plans they can email me and I will see to it that you get a set.
Dale,
I have viewed their CD and am questioning if my 400 Honda will have more or equal power than using the winch itself. I almost ordered the winch with the forestry kit but am having second thoughts if I should just get the forestry kit and see how the ATV does as my power source.
When using the Nova Jack system did you find that you can get equal or more power with snatch blocks, corner block and ATV than with blocks and the winch?
Thanks....
I bought one of those winches last Jan. Used it all winte pulling logs to my paths. Woked geat fo the way I log. Best money I spent. Wife and I cut about 570 logs this winter. For me that is very good. Wife operated winch I attached logs. I did not use a cone and did all my skidding in the winter. Great for hauling 16 ft spruce to the path. Not fast but then to cut a side trail in to get one log would take longer and be a lot more work. Pic on my gallery
Quebecnewf
The small ATV winch will over heat.
The only down side to the portable winch is applying constant pressure on the running end to keep the rope tight on the capstan.
I have the capstan winch it does a really good job for what I use it for.
We used no snatch blocks . A direct pull er well as direct as you get with the corner block. Its a slight change of direction but no mechanical advantage. The only advantage to the corner block is the height that you set it at . So you are pulling up and not into the hill. as well as the disengage system built into it.
WE used it in a thinning. Pulling small stuff less than 12 Dib. about 16 feet long. bunched with winch and big 4 wheeler and then used arch to make the long haul.
Dale
Kevin,
I don't intend to use my 4-wheeler winch, but the 4-wheeler it self.
Quebecnewf,
It looks like most of your logs were pretty small diameter. You sure do have a pile though!
What is the largest diameter trees your able to pull out?
I would like to pull out 16-20" diameter spruce trees. 16 to 20' Long. I plan to pull logs to the trail where my arch can haul them out. I know it won't be easy.
Is that going to happen with this capstan portable winch?
This will make it easier for the large trees ...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10030/pulling%20a%20log%202.jpg)
Kevin got it. Only so much any winch will do by its self. Then you've got to start using leverage.
The winch will handle the load but it's pull on the running end that you are exerting that you'll want to reduce.
Most of my logs are a smaller run. I pulled about 25 logs in the 16 ft long 12" at the top range. With those type I used a snatch block, this doubles the power up to 5000 lb line pull. Speed drops by half.
You should have no problem hauling the logs you mention. You will need a snatch block for the bigger ones. I have a great deal of experence in pulling things with winches, Over 30 years of hauling and launching boats etc. This was a big help in that I knew how to rig the blocks to do the most work.
For 90% of the logs I hauled it was just a straight pull. I would go in attach the rope to the log. I then had a single sheave block running on the line. This block had a small 6 ft piece of rope attached to it. I used this block to change the direction of the pull if needed. If I needed more pull this block was attached to the log being pulled as a snatch block this doubles the pulling power.
One day we fell a large spruce across a brook. We hooked the snatch block to the base and pulled it backwards across the brook though a willow bed limbs and all.
Like I said for the way I log it was the best money I ever spent. It is a bit slow but when your in soft snow on snowshoes you don't want anything going to fast.
Quebecnewf
A log 20" at the top and 16' long is going to be heavy both for the winch and the ATV. It can be moved wiyh either machine but not without careful planning
In Kevins drawing you would put 7500 lbs of line pull on the log using the capstan winch. This will move a very heavy log but it will be slow.
Do you log in the winter or summer and what is the ground and brush like.
Quebecnewf
Quebecnewf,
I have logged during both seasons. I really prefer the winter with sleds. I would like to start pulling 20' logs out so that I can pick and choose in the summer season what I want to cut. If I need 12's it will work out having 8's left over. 10' + 10' etc. It could be a real challenge with the ATV in summer but I would like to give it an honest effort but would need a winch like this. The brush and terrain is relatively flat but there is always going to be stumps and brush to contend with.
Here is a picture of my UHMW plastic sled that I log with in the winter. This is a load of firewood but the same principal applies to milling logs. Anything longer than 12' can become a pain especially if there are many hills on the trail.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13994/Library%20-%201323.jpg)
I just finished this log arch and it works well. I have skis for it so maybe I should just be patient and wait for winter to try it out with the snow, it will probably be the best time. Another plus is no mosquitos and better working temps... like -10 ;D I would prefer anywhere from 10+ to -10 for hauling logs in the snow. 8)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13994/Library%20-%203410.jpg)
I have also considered cutting trail this late summer/fall and then using the portable winch to stack and gather logs at key points on the trail and then pull them out in the winter, but if we get too much snow that could be a problem.
Time will tell.....
As I said I do all my logging in winter. I have homebuilt sleds that go behind the skidoo. I cut a main trail into the woods and then use the winch to gather logs into that trail. I haul a distance of approx 15 kl from the woods to the mill. Have of this distance is over frozen sea ice the other half over the land.
We need cold weather to have good logging. If we have a mild winter we have problems. Slob on top of the ice and poor hauling conditions.
Starting to saw my logs now. Just part time and sort of a hobby or a passion according to my wife
Quebecnewf
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12408/Full%20Load.jpg)
Quote from: treetech on June 08, 2007, 09:52:31 AM
Have any of you guys heard tell of, or used, a "Yankie Yarder"? It is a portable cable winch system that is powered with a five HP stationary engine. They are easily built and cheap to operate. They work best with a skid cone and snatch block.
You may be reffering to what we used to call a "Mighty Might" winch that we used to use to move bolders whilst dredging for placer gold.
Keene Engineering used to sell them. One powerfull winch for sure.. 8)
Ha! found it.
Can't believe they're still making them.. 8)
-Here- (http://www.keeneeng.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=HDW1&Category_Code=WE)
It's not quite the same but close. I think the mighty mite is geared down a lot more than the yankee yarder but are the very same idea. I found a guy handy home that has one and I am still trying to get a picture.
Look what I found in the FF gallery:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/archives/drawings2/YankeeYarder.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/archives/historic2/YankeeYarder2.jpg)
I want one.. :)
Hi All
I have put some pics of a yankee yarder in my gallery. I tried to post them but ran out of time. This yarder is not quite the same as the plans I have sent out but it is very close. These are great little winches and are easy to build. The modification I did was my engine didn't have reduction gear installed on it so I put in an extra shaft to slow the cable speed when winching in. This caused a lot more friction when pulling the cable out so I had to come up with a way to freewheel the cable. You can see this in the last two pictures.
Treetech
I have got a Finnish Winch, the radio TIR. Pulls 16'-24" diameter logs any way you want them. It is a 13 hp, gear reduction of 13 to 1, two 5 wind drums that multiply pulling power. Check out my posting. Enchanted Forester
As far as cutting ahead and staging logs to pull in winter I have found it harder to pull them after they have set and frozen down even if only on cribbing and gotten snow piled on and around them. I like pulling in winter, fresh cut logs on a good snow base. I pull most of my heavier ones with a 25HP 4x4 tractor with FEL and 3PH log arch on back. If logs are heavier I load the bucket to hold the front down. I have chains front and rear, roll bar too, and I drive rather slow with one hand on the 3PH control and one foot resting on the tranny just over the clutch. Pulling with such a small tractor requires extreme caution because the front can jump up suddenly and you MUST be ready to react properly and not panic. On my arch I run 2 chains, one to lift and one from the log to the drawbar which helps prevent walking the tractor out from under the load (flipping)
Not exactly what you had in mind but I had to post anyway.
http://www.ssindustrial.net/donkey.jpg
Steve
That's a cool winch. A guy at a logging show had one running. Pure cord wood and steam.. 8)
I bought one heck of a winch from a friend of mine last week. It's a 12k with 3/8" cable that came off of a roll deck tow truck. Beefy starter motor powered angle gear drive.. . :)