Home made dolley to skid logs cleanly

[nybhh]

The trails through my woodlot are wide enough to carry a 10ft log with my tractor FEL and that's how I ussually do it to keep them clean and out of the dirt and mud.  I have a need for some 16ft 18-20" diameter pines however that I'll need to skid and I'm trying to come up with an inexpensive way to do so while keeping the but of the logs out of the dirt and damaging the trails now that the ground is beginning to thaw out.

The best thing I've come up with is buying a pair of 10" pneumatic dolley wheels that can support 500lb each ($25 each) and bolting them to an 18-24" long 4x4 that could be screwed into the bottom of the log.

Anyone have any thought on this, links or reference images to something sinilar, or other ideas?  I only need 4 of this length so I don't want to invest a lot of time and money into it.

Btw, my technique for safely skidding with a tractor is to hook up a box blade to the 3ph.  I hook a chain to the drawbar and then up and over the box blade and choke the log.  By only lifting the box blade a few inches you are keeping the center of gravity low and the BB makes and excellent brake if you drop it and will also keep the end of the log out of the back of the tractor.  Even though you are still pulling from the drawbar, it would also stop the tractor from flipping back on itself in the event the log gets hung up on something and the tractor wants to keep going.

[firefighter ontheside]

I have 36" square tube that I welded hubs with golf cart wheels and tires.  I have plans to make a sort of cradle to keep the axle perpendicular to the log, but for now I just set the log on and strap it to the axle.  At the other end, I do similar to what you described with the 3 point.

[mike_belben]

Make a sled out of some slab wood and wrap it to the log with a strap.  Build it in a way that you could lag bolt harbor freight $7 tires to it if your tractor cant drag it.  They take a 5/8 bore.

Think boat trailer.  Plop it on the box blade with a bungee for transport to the woods

[nybhh]

Thanks guys.
@Firefighter - What you described is what I was originally thinking.  I weld a little so the idea of fabricating something like this was the original plan but I have a tendency for projects like these to spiral out of control.  If this becomes something I need to do more often, I would probably go this route over buying a log arch.

@Mike - I like the idea of just using a lag bolt as an axle with these cheap tires although those HF may be a little light at 300 lb.  Depending on the specific wheel profile, I might also need a little section of pipe or something to function as a spacer to keep the tire from rubbing against the sled but overall, this will probably be the way I go.  Thanks!

[mike_belben]

Predrill the holes so that tires have the tops cambered out a bit before any load goes on.  If they still rub cut some wood away.  Those cheap wheels can take way more than rated for but the bearings cant take being clamped tight or theyll pop apart.  You need a little float on the lag bolts. I woildnt space them out any more than needed or they might bend or tear out.  Now if you build it with the lags in double shear then no worry there.

wheelbarrow tires might be better if youre going double shear.  

Me personally id chainsaw whittle a bucked off oak round into a little vee topped boat to lag wheels too, then lag on my most torn ratchet strap, trimmed down so i dont have to fuss with the tails or wrap it.  Just something quick for a trial.  V1.1 is always better right?  Why put the money into v1.0

[Hilltop366]

Old car hood and a piece of chain?

[TKehl]

So if I get this right, you are already picking up the front of the log with the tractor and 3 point and want to get the back end up.  

If so, I'd look for a used trailer axle.  Then use a ratchet strap under axle, over log, under axle on other side, and over the log again to connect itself.  A couple more from spring perches to box blade if it tries to go squirrelly.

Used axles are CHEAP.  I have 5 mobile home axles I've been adverstising at $30 each for 6 months and only sold one so far.  They are 6k Lb axles.  Hit craigslist and I bet you'll find some local with tires and springs for under $100.

[mike_belben]

A hitch on the box blade to pull a little skeleton trailer would work pretty well with a winch on the blade, and a chunk of metal with some means to stay put on the back of the trailer, for a ramp fo get the butts up onto it.  

 choke the backs of the logs to a truck or stump and drive out from under them to unload.  

[nybhh]

I decided to use two wheels per side to spread the weight out a bit so I have 4 wheels plus some 7"x5/8" lag screws headed my way.   I plan to put this little contraption together in about 30 minutes over the weekend if everything shows up.  We've got fresh snow on the ground now so I may not get a chance to actually use it but we'll see.  

[firefighter ontheside]

Here is mine with a red oak log.

[nybhh]

Here is mine with a red oak log.

That's pretty nice & simple.  I'm sure these cheap wheels I bought won't last forever so if I end up doing this more often or come across a cheap wheel/axle combo, I'll definitely rig up something like that.  Looks like it will last forever.  Thanks for posting.

[mike_belben]

It just donned on me that if you pull the tub and landing gear from a two wheeler wheelbarrow, youll have a nice dolley already built.  I would drill two holes at the handle ends and bolt a draped section of chain to them with wingnuts.  Hang that chain over your top link for a hitch as you drive out and itll follow along.  

When you lift the log youve got handles to scootch the axle under, and then drape the chain back over and anchor it so the handle dont drag and the dolley doesnt shift too far off to the side.  I suppose a bungee, rope or ratchet strap would also do.

A good hefty hand truck might do well too.  Or a drum dolley but with some better wheels. 

[firefighter ontheside]

I think I've got about $100 in it.  2" steel tube with 1/4" wall.  Used golf cart tires and wheels.  Hubs from northern toolhttps://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=position"> Note:Please read the Forestry Forum's postion on this company.

[thecfarm]

Not fair. You guys have some nice ground. That would not last 100 feet on my land. A rock,or a uneven place would do that in.

[Dave Shepard]

I used the back of a wagon running gear. 

[firefighter ontheside]

That's a heck of a log.

[teakwood]

That's one heck of a skidder!!

[Andries]

Dave - have you been adding steroids to the fuel in your Rincon 650?
8) 
That log looks like a serious contender for a timber framing project.
Nice dolly and great work!

[nybhh]

No kidding!  Makes me embarassed to post my humble rig but here is the completed dolly.  Like all projects, I underestimated by about 50% - It took about 45 min.  It looks tiny in the pic but it is 24" wide and will support about 1200#.  Ground clearance kind of sucks but for about $30 and an hour of time, it ought to get the job done.

[47sawdust]

I think the bed on Dave's WM is a !/4 mile long now.

[luvmexfood]

Building a log arch is fast moving to the front burner in things I need to do. Easiest thing I can do is use an old farm trailer frame I have. Only thing is that it has an old truck axle for the back.  Don't know how I would get the log up on it. Second I have an old hay tetter that has two wheels mounted on stems, no solid axle all the way across, I could cabbage. If I kept my arch low has anyone seen one that I could have my boompole on and pick it up when backing down thru the woods making it easier to back?

[mike_belben]

If the truck axle is full float just cut the tubes off, weld the stubs onto an upside down "V" frame.  People love "U" shapes but a vee is easier to make, stronger and will pinch the log nice as you bring it up.  

[WV Sawmiller]

   Don't know why I did not see this earlier but mine is similar to Firefighters. I used 2 pneumatic times with 1" bearing size. The lady welder who build mine took about a 28" piece of schedule 80 steel pipe, I used 5" long 1" diameter grade 5 bolts for axles. She inserted the nut head into the pipe, pressed it tight then welded. The bolts stick through the wheels and I put on a flat washer, lock washer and double nutted the exposed threaded part. She welded an angle iron Vee in the middle of the axles. I lift the log with the log arch, put the dolly underneath and tighten a ratchet strap over the top of the log. I just drilled holes in the uprights of the cradle big enough to put the S on the ratchet through. This works pretty well for me. Adjust the size of material to fit the size logs you are going to be pulling.

See dolly on left side of the picture.

Put the dolly under the log and attach and tighten the ratchet strap.

I lower the log and move the arch to the front and pull/pick it up again with the winch on the arch.

Now just tow it to final location. I normally disconnect from the arch, unfasten the ratchet strap then roll the log over with my LogRite freeing the dolly for the next use.