How I use my log arches, and one problem I've been thinking about

[Brad_bb]

I own a fetching arch and a buck arch.  The situation they benefit me the most, is pulling large, long logs from the woods or a yard.  I'll either use an arch on each end of the log and pull it with something like my Polaris Ranger, or I'll put an arch on one end, and use the tracked skid steer to lift the other end.  Doing so puts the weight of the log on the arch wheels and making it easy to roll as opposed to lifting one end and dragging it, which takes considerably more lifting power and marks up the ground.

One of the two situations are a woods where you have a narrow path you're trying to get the log through so as not to have to cut small trees and thus do damage to the woods.  The other is a yard where you don't want to damage the homeowners grass.  

I had someone that lived in a neighborhood  built in a heavily wooded area.  Four walnut trees needed to be taken down due to their proximity with a power line.  The owner had the tree company drop the trees, and I had to get them out of the yard with minimal damage.  



 

 


The Problem
The logs that are most difficult to deal with are from 26" dia to about 36".  The last log I pulled form the woods was a dead Ash about 32" at one end and 24" at the other and 24' long.  What I then have to do is chainsaw some of the side slab wood off in the area the arch will go to get it narrow enough to fit the arch(I'm making beams, so I'm not so worried about the side lumber/jacket boards).  That was fine, but then the log needs to be lifted off the ground.  I have the winch attachment for the fetching arch with the choker cable, but the problem is that it hangs too log with the pulley.  I can't get the 32" log off the ground because there is not distance between the pulling and the log at that point.  What I have to do is take some 2" load straps and wrap around the log and arch and ratchet the log up.  By not using the pulley and cable I get about 5-6" more height.  If I can get the skid steer in there to lift that end of the log, it makes it a lot easier to then strip it to the arch with the load strap.  

I understand why the arch is set at the height it is- so the toggling action works. But the most useful way to use it is as I have described.  I wish both of my arches had more height.  I wish the spindles were adjustable height.  I don't think I'm overloading the arch, because each arch is only supporting one end of the log.  

I don't know if the large arches offer any more height, but I really would not want to go up in arch width.  That would limit the width of the space i could pull from.  What I think would be useful is an arch based on the geometry of the fetching arch, only with slightly more inside width, and adjustable spindle(axle) height.  For example if the spindles were on tubes that slid up and down inside tubular steel frame of the arch. They would be pinned with 2 or 3 possible heights for the arch.

Just my thoughts based on my use.

[square1]

Assuming you trailer the arches to the site, taller tire / wheel set ups might help. If you look at the earliest arch designs they had very tall wheels. You know you're messing with the center of gravity so stability on side hills requires more consideration since width is not being increased.

[Crusarius]

Brad, I love the idea. Bring them over, we will get to work on it

After building my arch I felt it was to tall. I thought about lowering it but after the first few logs I hauled with it I decided I was to lazy to change it. So far it has worked well for me What saves me for center of gravity is the arch can stay high but I only need to lift the log enough to clear the ground. works great. Just need to remember to strap it left to right or it will roll over. No, I did not take pics I was to angry I did it

[Tam-i-am]

Brad_BB

Whenever you go to market with something you try to fill a need with a product at a price point people are willing to pay for.
In order to keep the arches at an affordable price point we build everything to be reliable and durable and designed to get the job done.
We also realize that everyone's needs are different and offer different sizes and styles.

The log diameter you wish to move with the Fetching arch is out of its size range as it is designed to move 25" dia.  Really you should be using the fetching arch as the tag axle with either a tractor arch or a winch on the front of that log.

using the calculator in the FF tool box your log is way over capacity of both of those arches.  The longest log the calculator would let me figure is 20'.  Using your diameter and 20' the log would weigh 4104.96 lbs for white ash and 4447.04 lbs for black ash.  The combined capacity for both arches  3800 lbs.  and you are hanging an extra 4'.  So considering your job sites limitations I think the arches seem like a perfect fit and are performing above and beyond.

[Magicman]

 

 

[Brad_bb]

The log diameter you wish to move with the Fetching arch is out of its size range as it is designed to move 25" dia.  Really you should be using the fetching arch as the tag axle with either a tractor arch or a winch on the front of that log.  And sometimes I do.  This last Ash log I had to get it about 100 ft to get it out of the woods first to be able to do that.  Seemed to work fine, the only problem was having enough room to get the log off the ground.  I got it off 2-3".  When the ground is not even, it can be a small issue though.  If i had 6 more inches that would give me room to winch it up and have enough ground clearance.  

using the calculator in the FF tool box your log is way over capacity of both of those arches.  The longest log the calculator would let me figure is 20'.  Using your diameter and 20' the log would weigh 4104.96 lbs for white ash and 4447.04 lbs for black ash.  The combined capacity for both arches  3800 lbs.  and you are hanging an extra 4'.  So considering your job sites limitations I think the arches seem like a perfect fit and are performing above and beyond.  The log was white ash, dead on the stump, so considerably less water in it, thus less weight.  What is the limiting factor on the arches?  Tire? Rim?  Spindle?  I may end up building a custom one or two for this situation.

I'm not asking Logrite to make anything different for me.  I'm just expressing the use I have, how log arches are most useful for me.  When I don't have any other way of pulling logs like this is- when they have to be pulled out via a narrow or semi-narrow trail, is where the arch seems like the only tool that can run a heavy log into a not so heavy pull.  

The walnut log in the pic I posted, is only in the 17-22" dia range, but It's long.  One was 26 feet.  I want to keep them long as I cut them into beams so this could be long enough for a, 8x12 tie beam.

[Jeff]

giant eye roll smiley