Cheap and easy log turner!

[Cornerstone]

After the first full size log I milled, I promptly ordered the coveted Logrite cant hook, thinking it was going to make flipping logs over easy peasy. A few days later, the bright blue work of art that is the "best cant hook made" arrived and I thought heavy lumber production was soon within my reach. I suppose my erroneous thinking was due in part because I've never had to move a log bigger than, say 12" in diameter before. Now that I'm messing with much bigger, and to make matters worse freshly felled green wood, it's a whole 'nuther ball game.

Thanks to this most excellent forum, there are several versions of log turners that a guy can build for himself thanks to others hard work in designing and real world use. I obviously would love to have the hydraulic Pineywoods version, but cant afford all the components to build it at the moment. There's also the fluidpowerpro chain style turner which is sweet, plus the fact he's always willing to help a guy out. I went on YouTube and found a few other variations that are similar to the basic "cable winch on a mount" that come standard on many of the lower dollar manual mills out there. I was about to pull the trigger and go that route when I got to thinking I really didn't want to have to mount it all up, turn the log, then take it back off the frame so I can saw. I decided to go ahead and buy the winch and just deal with it. I guess my light bulb brain had a flicker of full power for a brief second, because suddenly... I had an idea! So far it seems like it may have been a good one! Here's my $86.58 log turner. Hopefully this cheap and easy option will benefit someone else down the road.

I welded a piece of 2.5" x 1/4" angle iron to the upper frame of the carriage to bolt the winch to, then temporarily nabbed the hook from my Logrite to see if the whole thing would work before I go to the effort to make another one specifically for the winch.






Open up the spool of cable, pull out enough to reach under the log and get a bite, then retract the winch.


 

 


I was pretty surprised how easily the little 2500 lb. winch handles it. I'll probably remove all the excess cable on the spool, so the winch has max pulling power. I figure the less strain on it the longer it should last.

[Ljohnsaw]

That is pretty cool.  You just have to raise your blade out of the way and good to go!  Keep an eye on your frame that you don't bend it.  Maybe add some triangular bracing?  Are your wheels up to the extra weight of a log?

Think it would work for my logs? ;)


 

[Cornerstone]

John it's safe to say you better get the top of the line Warn 20,000 lb. winch for those behemoths.

The mill is up on the jacks at the moment, but, yes... I've towed the mill with a big log on it to my BIL's house with no problems. Yet. I may end up getting 15 inch rims with a heavier duty tire, not sure it's needed yet.

Thanks!

[Ljohnsaw]

No, I meant the wheels on your saw head!

[Cornerstone]

 :D :D :D HA! They are steel with needle bearings, so I think they'll be fine. (famous last words)

[Southside]

Nice work but my first thought was "eek".  If a stub or something fetches up while rolling a log that could put a lot of down pressure on the cross brace, and once it's bent....  Could you mount the winch on one of the vertical frame sections?  At least the downward pressure would have support.  

[shelby78]

I would be most concerned your going to knock the whole head off having it over the log/cant. Pulling on one end vs the middle of a log can make it twist funny also. 

Even if you were pulling mid way I slide things half off my mill on big turns with a hook and loader and a log would push pretty hard on the head Sidebraces when it flips/slides. I'm sure if you go slow your ok but sometimes things don't go slow with big timber.

[kelLOGg]

How do you keep the log end from hitting the frame of the sawhead?

[maineshops]

I have a gantry crane over my mill that serves as loading the logs on the mill as well as turning the larger logs. It has the added value of picking up the mowers to do blades and many other uses. Very handy tool for me. It has rollers for some mobility Dan. 

[Gere Flewelling]

 <Here is another non-hydraulic solution to turning large and small logs on you mull.  This system operates from under the log as opposed to over the top of the mill.  I use a 2,600 lb. capacity 12v. winch that has a remote fob style control.  It works on most any log I have put on the mill as you can see by the pine in the picture.  That log was 16' in length and near impossible for me to have rolled with a cant hook by myself.  This devise allows me to run the mill by myself and still operate efficiently.  It took a while to build and is bolted in place so no welding was done on the frame of the mill.br>
 

Its not a hydraulic devise by any means, but gives someone with a hobby mill an opportunity to saw with better efficiency.

[GAB]

GF:
When I read this "It works on most any log I have put on the mill as you can see by the pine in the picture."     
I was only seeing the first picture and I said to myself that ain't no pine log.
After scrolling down - picture #2 now that looks like pine.
You got me.
GAB

[jpassardi]

I built a winch claw turner like G.F. above for mine as well. It's worth the effort.
The real work is once you get a large flat cant against the bed as opposed to a round log.

[Cornerstone]

I would be most concerned your going to knock the whole head off having it over the log/cant. Pulling on one end vs the middle of a log can make it twist funny also.

Even if you were pulling mid way I slide things half off my mill on big turns with a hook and loader and a log would push pretty hard on the head side braces when it flips/slides. I'm sure if you go slow your ok but sometimes things don't go slow with big timber.

I can see this being a potential problem, thank you. The log stops are what kept it in bounds when I tried it out, but those are only on one side of the log bed. 

[Cornerstone]

How do you keep the log end from hitting the frame of the sawhead?

The sawhead frame has 36" of clearance above the bed on the back side and the front raises higher than that.

[Cornerstone]

I have a gantry crane over my mill that serves as loading the logs on the mill as well as turning the larger logs. It has the added value of picking up the mowers to do blades and many other uses. Very handy tool for me. It has rollers for some mobility Dan.

Ultimately when I have it in it's semi permanent home, I plan to do the same thing and mount a winch to the structure overhead. I'd really like to use trolleys on a few overhead I beams so I can move the winch all around.

[Cornerstone]

<Here is another non-hydraulic solution to turning large and small logs on your mill...

Thanks for showing me another option Gere. I'd love to see more of it so I can understand how the winch operates the arm. Would you mind showing me some more pictures of it from a few angles? 

[Cornerstone]

I built a winch claw turner like G.F. above for mine as well. It's worth the effort.
The real work is once you get a large flat cant against the bed as opposed to a round log.

I'd love to see more pictures of your claw turner as well. 
Thanks

[Crusarius]

just FYI you can buy just the hook from logrite to connect permanently to the cable. I would not remove all of the cable though because as it breaks you can just cut it shorter for a long time before you need to replace it. I use a 3500 pound winch on my UTV plow and usually break it 2-3 times a season.

[shelby78]

I would be most concerned your going to knock the whole head off having it over the log/cant. Pulling on one end vs the middle of a log can make it twist funny also.

Even if you were pulling mid way I slide things half off my mill on big turns with a hook and loader and a log would push pretty hard on the head side braces when it flips/slides. I'm sure if you go slow your ok but sometimes things don't go slow with big timber.

I can see this being a potential problem, thank you. The log stops are what kept it in bounds when I tried it out, but those are only on one side of the log bed.

While I always roll tword the stops if you have say a 1 ft tall stop and turn a 32 inch log/can't if it hits just the right momentum vs weight vs width it will shoot half off the mill when it turns the last bit. Your shooting it tword the open side and if your head is there it could be a good smack.


My mill has rollers on the tops of the stops so that may not be as much of a issue for you.

[jpassardi]

 

 
The winch is mounted to the bottom of the end bunk and pulls the cable on the bottom left.
Note how it rotates against the backstops.

[Gere Flewelling]

 <bThe third photo shows how I ran the cable down the right side of the frame and brought it over to the left side through the use of pulleys.  The second shows where I mounted the winch to keep it out of the way of the workings of the mill under the logs.  It also shows where I located the batter for the winch to keep it away from potential damage from logs. The first photo show how I ran the cable across to the left side, through a pully and back down to a pulley on the claw arm and back up to anchor on the left side frame.  r>
 

 

This cable and pully arrangement has worked quite well.  The only thing I had to add was an extra 2" tube on the underside of the claw arm base (not in the picture).  I filled the tube with steel rods and welded the ends up.  I did this to make the claw arm heavier so it would lower on its own.  It is a one handed operation with the remote control that hangs around my neck when sawing.  I do need to guide the claw some to align it where I want it to start lifting as it retracts when it goes below the log or cant.  I learned quickly to use only thumb and index finger for this maneuver.
Thanks for the interest.  GF

[Cornerstone]

* I filled the tube with steel rods and welded the ends up.  I did this to make the claw arm heavier so it would lower on its own.  It is a one handed operation with the remote control that hangs around my neck when sawing. 


* Thanks for the interest.  GF

First off... That is one cool design!  Thanks for posting the pics, I think I may need to add this to my saw as well! 

* It's pretty neat that you added significant weight to the arm of the claw and made it retract at a decent rate of speed. 

* Thanks for sharing Gere!

[Cornerstone]

 
The winch is mounted to the bottom of the end bunk and pulls the cable on the bottom left.
Note how it rotates against the backstops.

Really appreciate the pics! I'm glad you 2 spoke up and mentioned a way I hadn't yet come across. I like it!
Thanks!

[Southside]

I use my ATV winch almost daily moving portable chicken houses, after dealing with constant snags, kinks, and breaks I went to synthetic winch rope and have yet to have one fail, and the stuff doesn't cut your hands up. 

[Cornerstone]

After clicking on a link in another thread, I was in the Woodmizer catalog. Not surprising they have a very similar spring loaded design of non hydraulic log turner for 450$. I guess that proves its a worthy add on. I'd love to post a picture of it from their website but just have this bad feeling that it would upset someone, somewhere.