Which size cant hooks are needed with a hydraulic mill? Hookaroons, too?

[KenMac]

As the title states, what does one need with a hydraulic mill?

[WV Sawmiller]

    What size logs are you rolling? I use a 60" Logrite. I sometimes also use my Magic Hook made from an old cant hook and a piece of 1/4" chain which I drive into the log and then hook to the movable clamp on my mill. This gives me about 2' of hydraulic assist to roll a log which is often enough to roll the log past the center of balance enough to roll it on to the loading arms. Remember - you can move a small log with an oversized cant hook a lot easier than you can move a big log with an undersized cant hook. And a pair of cant good Logrite cant hooks allows someone else to help you for those big logs. JM2¢.

[doc henderson]

I have a timberking b2000, hydraulic mill.  it came with a logrite cant, that I have never needed, and i just bought a pickaroon from logrite to use for my firewood logs, mostly to pull them down the staging table.  get started and see what you are missing.  i have a skid steer to assist as well, 

[Dan_Shade]

I like that 60" peavey.  I stick one in the ground at each end of the log pile. 

The 48" is a bit too short for my preference. 

[WDH]

60".  You will use it most.

[KenMac]

60".  You will use it most.

That's kinda what I was thinking. I got a 60" one with my mill from Cook's, but it is very heavy. I think a 60" Logrite and a 30" Hookaroon will help a lot. I'll use the hookaroon to guide boards on the drag back when needed. I really don't have to manhandle logs much, but I do like to have good tools for the job at hand. Do y'all see any reason to get the heavy duty cant hooks or are the standard ones from Logrite strong enough?

[WV Sawmiller]

   Get the heavy duty one. Then when you cut a heavy tree on it, it is harder to bend. Don't ask me how I found out.  

[Magicman]

 


My vote goes to the 60" first, but don't let it end there.

[btulloh]

My vote is for the 60”

On the hookaroon, I like it to be just long enough that the business end is about 2” off the ground when I hold it by my side and let it just hang naturally. That makes it real easy to back hand firewood splits.  Sawmill uses seem to Workout fine at that length. 

[DPatton]

The 60” Logrite is what I have and use. I wouldn’t want anything less.

[Nebraska]

This could go under the I did something dumb thread, but...... before.. I bought my mill I bought an off brand wooden handled 48" awkward clunky can't hook.. I admit  it....Don't try and save money,  buy good chainsaws, support equipment etc. 
That being said I've been fairly good this year and I'm hoping Mrs Claus will put a 60 inch logrite under the Christmas tree this winter,  then the clunker will be retired to guest use status. Have fun with the mill best wishes on the adventure..

[Banjo picker]

All of you bragging on those 60's make me want one, and I have made it fine for over 10 years with two mill specials.  I like the base ball bat handle.  Mine are longer than the one Magic man showed.  They will spin a good sized log.  

 
Might not have to lean on it so hard with a 60.  Banjo

[Chuck White]

I have a 48" LogRite cant hook and a few of the old wooden handled cant hooks and a really old pickaroon!

I've seen a few times when it would have been nice to have a 60" hook.

I really like the LogRite hook, it's just that the handle is a little large for my liking, but it works and works well!

[Old Greenhorn]

I have two hookeroons, one is short like btulloh mentioned and is used exclusively for firewood wood as Doc said. The other is about 30" and i find it very handy for dragging smaller logs when I am bucking in the woods and also grabbing a log to roll toward me or dragging heavy filtches out of the way.. Useless on big stuff though. I rarely use either around the mill, but I have seen production operations where the tailgunner uses one to get hold of the board to pull it off. I don't like the idea of marking up the wood like that.
 On cant hooks, I think you already have enough opinions to reach a decision. Figure out what you need to do, then get what works best for you.

[SawyerTed]

I have two 48" cant hooks, one Woodmizer and one Logrite.  I prefer the Logrite because it is lighter.  I wish I'd bought 60" ones to start and I need to add a shorter one for use on the mill to turn ornery cants the hydraulics  don't turn well.

[WV Sawmiller]

   I have a good (although handle has been customized slightly by a 1600 bf poplar tree as mentioned above) 60" Logrite and an old woodenhandled cant hook that stays at the front of the mill to turn small cants that are faster to turn by hand than with the hydraulics. One of these days I will hit the lottery or otherwise come into some spare cash and I will buy me a 78" Logrite megahook for those big sweepy logs I some times encounter. Then I will be set for life.

[Larry]

Anything a 60" hook can do, can be done with a 78" Megahook faster, and easier.  It will also roll logs a 60" only dreams about.

I keep a 48" right at my console for help with cranky logs on the mill.  The 60" has an easy life doing very little.  The Megahook gets most of the work.

A little trivia.....I think the Megahook began life as the ASS (Arky Super Stick) named after a past member.

[redbeard]

Have needed the 60" Logrite several times adjusting the bigger logs especially when you don't get square arms up quick enough and log role back too loader arms.
The 78" would make life alot easier!

[Magicman]

Remember that the 48", 60", & 78" all have different sized hooks.  The 48" is designed to handle 8"-32" logs, the 60" is designed to handle 10"-36" logs, and the 78" is designed to handle 15"-45" logs. 

I have tried to roll smaller logs with the 60" and the hook was too long, and I have tried to roll larger logs with the 48" and the hook simple would not open wide enough to bite.  I have no experience with the 78".

[WDH]

I have a mill special (Thanks Mr. Goat), a 60" canthook, and a 78" megahook.  I use the 60" the most, but there are times that I would be up the creek without a paddle (old saying) if I did not have the megahook.  It is essential for those big nasty misshapen logs.