Cant hooks

[lazyflee]

What's your favorite cant hook for big logs? My hook works great on small stuff but won't grab anything over say 20". The hook point is at too tight of an angle. Thanks

[trimguy]

My go to is a 60" logrite . I've turned logs 25" with it. Might could go bigger, I don't know. It will also turn small logs and cants. I pretty sure they make a 72", not sure what size logs you want to turn.

[dgdrls]

pick your size.

I have two, a 48" & 60" If I have help they get the shorter one

D

[lazyflee]

My go to is a 60" logrite . I've turned logs 25" with it. Might could go bigger, I don't know. It will also turn small logs and cants. I pretty sure they make a 72", not sure what size logs you want to turn.

I think the 4footer would be plenty long. Have some Spruce and Fir up to 36" and my hook won't grip em. The logrites say up to 28" I think, which is probably enough. I've learned to hook my smaller one in a knot, but, it sure sucks when the knot lets loose!

[Gere Flewelling]

Cook's makes a rugged cant hook.  They claim you will never break it.  I purchased one with my mill a few years ago.  They were right, I will never break it.  It is made out of steel and has a great design shape on the hook that doesn't slip.  The problem is that it is too heavy.  If you stand it somewhere you shouldn't and it falls over and lands on your foot, you will be reminded of just how heavy duty it is for some time while you are healing up. Compared to the logrite I purchased last year, it makes a great spare at this point.  If you have a young guy helping you, give him the Cook's cant hook to use.  Keep the Logrite for yourself.

[dgdrls]

If you already have a shorter one,  go with the 60"

D

[Magicman]

I think the 4footer would be plenty long.

No, not the 48".  They are fine with smaller logs, but if I only had two (and I did for many years) it would be and is the 60".  LINK



60" shown on top.  The hooks are longer than those on the 48" to accommodate larger logs.

[terrifictimbersllc]

I have 48,60, and 78. They all get used. Over about 25" unless the log has bumps to hook in on, you want the 78.

[Jeff]

If you are not using a logrite, then you are not using the best. If you say your canthook is as good, then you either never used a logrite, or you are a liar or an idiot. BUY A LOGRITE

[Lko67]

Got a peavy and a cant hook both 48 inch. Logrite probably will get a longer one for bigger logs. Only need on the road at home use backhoe for big ones.

[Stephen1]

My 60" Logrite peavey is my go to for everything, from logs to rocks, the point jams in the ground so I don't have to bend over to pick it up. I have the small 18" logrite canthook with the baseball grip for myself at the mill. They really are the best.

[firefighter ontheside]

I have the smaller woodmizer one that came with the mill, but my big one is a 69" one that was made by my friend Andy(gfadvm).  I inherited his mill and the two cant hooks.  I use the woodmizer one for regular size logs, up to maybe 20".  I use the big one for anything larger.  It is built with a 2" schedule 40 steel pipe.  It is heavy, but then Andy was also a metal worker, as well as horse vet, sawmill operator and woodworker.

 

[Magicman]

 


These are the dogs that I was using when I began sawing over 18 years ago.  I still carry the bottom peavey with the steel tubing handle to occasionally use as a pry bar.  The cant hook in the center was actually very good, heavy, but good.

[WV Sawmiller]

   I'm still waiting for a picture of a Magic Hook. Mine has the hook off an old flea market cant hook attached to 3' of 1/4" chain with a matching hook on the the other end of the chain. I use it with 1 or 2 - 6' 1/4" chains with hooks on both ends around my movable hydraulic clamp to rotate huge logs on to the lifting arms that are too big to roll over with my 60" LogRite. I've thought several times about buying a 78" LogRite cant or peavy hook but then I keep thinking that would be needed on logs too big for my mill anyway.


 See my Magic Hook on the bottom center on a recent mobile job I did. It is part of my standard kit of must take tools when sawing off site. My "customized" 60" LotRite cant hook can barely be seen on the extreme R side of my truck as most of the yellow paint has been worn off during use.

[Patrick NC]

I use a 60" LogRite. My mill wont handle bigger than 26" so I dont have to worry about it. To be honest, I use my skidsteer forks to turn anything bigger than 20" anyway. Probably being lazy,  but my back thanks me 

[Magicman]

 

 
Magic Hooks.  I made mine from broken logging tongs,and they are handy for several chores.



Such as moving a log on the sawmill using the toe board rollers and side supports.


 
Turning a misplaced log using the sawmill's log clamp.



Turning a large log.



Picking up and moving logs.


 
Holding a huge log close to the log loader.  Yup, lotsa uses for a Magic Hook. 

[lazyflee]

Seems like the 60" Logrite should be on its way to Montana. Need to make some magic hooks too, they could really solve some problems moving stuff around and off trailers. Our Fearless Leader sportin the Back in Black shirt looks like he means business, so off to the Logrite website I go!....Thanks, Flee

[mad murdock]

I like Logrites line of tools no doubt, but I mill a lot of really large logs, I move the, with a Peavey Mfg peavy with a large hook on it, I cut a lot of 40" + logs, between the 60" long peaveys and a hi lift jack, sometimes 2, and a Logosol smart pusher, I can move some real big logs, many 2000+ bd ft logs moved with those tools. Fortunately for me not a lot of lifting, just rolling, nudging and positioning for the swingblade to reduce to proper handling size. 

[thecfarm]

Our Fearless Leader sportin the Back in Black shirt looks like he means business, so off to the Logrite website    

You mean the skinny guy in the black t shirt??
Buy some blue creeper at the same time. They can sneak it in and save you money on shipping. Maybe Tammie will sneak in a brownie too.  

[terrifictimbersllc]

78" lets you give it to someone else while maintaining social distancing. :laugh:

[Sixacresand]

I set the cant hook so as to push down on the handle taking advantage of my abundant weight, rather than lift with my deteriorated back.  

[WV Sawmiller]

MM,

  I have not used mine yet to center the logs on the rails yet but I need to remember that when I get a heavy log loaded that is way off center. I don't have one of those fancy Peter Douin log centering devices to fit between the lifting arms.

   Most of the time I use my Magic Hook just to give an extra ummpf to turn a big, heavy contrary log 1/4 turn on to the arms and sometimes to hold one there till it rests there during lifting so it doesn't kick back. About 1/8 of a turn is all that is normally needed till lifted.

[SawyerTed]

In addition to a couple LogRite cant hooks and a Magic Hook, I use a 72" digging bar often for various log handling and sawmill chores.  It makes a good stop for one end of a log while some else rolls with a cant hook to pivot a log.  Sometimes the Magic Hook-toe roller- log stop method won't get the end of a log over a bunk. The digging bar makes a good lever to lift the end of a log.  Need to separate a slab from the cant when the blade gets stuck?  The digging bar can lift the slab to release the blade. Digging out to lower the stabilizer jacks is sometimes necessary and the digging bar helps.

 

[WV Sawmiller]

Ted,

   A spud bar similar to what you show is in my normal mobile sawing kit too. Sometimes I have to chip out under a landing gear to make sure it is lower than the rails, sometimes I use it to hold one end of a log while I use the cant hook to roll the other to point it at the loading arms and sometimes I use it to jack a mis-centered log from one end of the mill to the other.

[barbender]

Now if you guys got really creative, you'd think "I should put a hook on this spud bar, that would be so slick!" Oh wait, they already make those😁 I prefer a peavey myself, if I had a manual mill where I had to actually turn cants on the bed I'd probably want a regular cant hook. But my peavey works for all the stuff you guys are describing, and occasionally I'll even use the hook and roll a log😁