Log arch upgrade

[Wlmedley]

I built this log arch around three years ago when clearing about two acres of woods for a house seat.Wanted to salvage all the wood I could before excavation began.Used a chain come a long to pick up logs and it worked pretty good.Now that I have a sawmill log arch is a necessity as it's the only way I have to get logs on my log deck.Cleaned it up and painted it back when the weather was warm and today I installed a two speed hand winch which I hope will make it easier to use.Used 5/16 cable which I hope doesn't break.

 

  

[Wlmedley]

 

 Also kind of pleased with welds from Harbor Freight welder.Flux core wire feed welder I usually don't use for metal this thick.Cold outside and I didn't want to fool with my old gas Lincoln stick welder so I turned it up and gave it a try.A lot of splatter to clean up but welds turned out pretty good.

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Looks real good. . Your welds are better than I could have done.   That's pretty clean work.

[Walnut Beast]

Surprised you didn't put a little electric winch and deep cycle battery on it. 

[Wlmedley]

Thought about a electric winch like I have seen used on other arch builds but didn't think it would be worth the money.Takes very few cranks to get log up especially on the high speed handle.The only reason I wanted rid of come a long is that it tended to want to twist as I was pulling on handle as load got heavier and I got tired of chasing it,plus I didn't like it flopping around when I didn't have a log on it.Try to keep as simple as possible.

[charles mann]

So how do you get the front of the log hoisted up and secured in the saddle just in front and below your hand crank winch? 

[Wlmedley]

So how do you get the front of the log hoisted up and secured in the saddle just in front and below your hand crank winch?

When I built arch I mostly planned to cut 12' logs so straight beam is 6'.When straddling log I tried to put  big end to rear and when picking in the middle with tongs front would raise first and go in saddle hanging down and then rear(heavy end)would come up .I also have a small 1/4 ton come a long I can use to lift front and secure to saddle.I added another hook and shackle back a ways later for shorter logs and use little come a long there.Doesn't take much to lift front if main lift is centered on log.

[Wlmedley]

 <Tried out winch today.Works pretty good especially with handle in low speed position.Pretty easy to crank.Winch is rated for 3200lbs so should handle anything I cut.My buddy brought me a dump truck load of poplar and I use this to put them on log deck.I haul them about 200 yards and probably takes 20 minutes per log.I've got more time than money 💰 br>
 

[kelLOGg]

I like that design - particularly the brace? at the front end that keeps the log from swaying. I should add that on mine. I don't see a chain supporting the log on the back end so does the winch bear all the stress from going over bumps? If so, how does it hold up? Nice job.

[Wlmedley]

Winch carries all the weight on the back especially on short trips.I have two chain hooks welded on back which I can hook a chain under log and take strain off winch if I'm in a rough place or a public road.

[Big_eddy]

I really like the design. If I ever get to the point that I'm hauling logs out of the woods, I'll be building one very similar. For now I cut and block where they fall (and don't have a mill), but I have plans for the future!

[Wlmedley]

Future plans is what keeps us all going!

[charles mann]

You have made me start to think on how to get large diameter logs out that my tractor cant lift or to long of a log to fit through the brush while on forks.
Im thinking a 2pc. system like what is used to carry wind turbine blades or concrete overpass beams.

48" wide between the vertical axle supports, elec winch system to pull the log up, and use the tractor lift arms to pick the other end up. Unpin the sway bars to allow them to provide a small amount of pivot/turn/twist when going around corners.

[Wlmedley]

About 30" diameter and 12' long is my limit for this arch but about all my tractor wants also especially on hills.I use hitch on three point instead of drawbar so I can raise or lower front of log with tractor hydraulics.If log starts pushing tractor I can lower it and let it dig in to ground to slow down.This has saved my butt several times.Charles Mann sounds like your plan would work pretty good.30"is about all my sawmill wants also  :laugh:

[Crusarius]

charles if you want to use the 3pt I would build a plate with a lip to set the log on. Just using chains the back of the tractor gets beat up from the log slamming into it. I need to make a plate for my setup for just that reason.

I figure the plate will be shaped like a shovel to go under the front of the log and have a square front that when 3pt is lowered it will dig into the ground in case I start getting pushed.

adding a pivot to it would just make it cooler

[charles mann]

I was planning on using my gn/bp trailer bracket i built (3" sq tubing 1/4" wall), get some 24" pipe with 1/4" wall, slice/split/pie it in 1/3 and weld a piece of 1/2" plate to it or use 1/2" flat plate and build a 12" wide bottom and weld sides on it at a 45° angle and weld a 1/2" backing plate, get a class V drop hitch, welded to the backing plate and use the bp receiver hitch receptacle to insert the log "shovel" into it. Lower the lift arms down, back into/under the log and raise it up, securing the log by double wrapping a chain around the log and securing the chain ends to weld-on hooks on the trailer bracket. 

I also want to be able to secure the arch to the trailer bracket so i can haul it to the log and if need be, back in to the log, drop the arch over the log, walk it to the end of the and start the task of lift the log into the arch and saddle, and if i have a wireless remote winch, backing under the front of the with that tractor just before lift the arch end, only having to get off the tractor 1 to secure the log on both ends. 

Yes, a swivel/pivot would be nice and possibly very handy, esp if you cant get straight on with the end of the log. Something like wrecker wheel lift pivot point would be very handy. 

To even simplify the 3pt. end, weld a backing plate the a class IV or V hitch to prevent to log from running into the back of the tractor/pto area, lower the arms down, and hammer some log spikes with chain welded to it, lift log, double wrap with another chain and secure to the trailer bracket. 

[TroyC]

 


This is my simple arch setup. That pine log is 34" X 18'6". I had to trim the back end of the log to 27 wide to get the arch legs over it. My usual practice is to lift the end of the log with the grapple and strap the arch to it. Go to front and use  log clamp on tractor quick hitch to pick up front of log. In this case, the log clamp would not grab that big log so I had to strap the log to the quick hitch with a couple wraps of chain. Towed it about half a mile. Yeah, I know this log overloaded the arch tires a little.......

The arch will lever up the end of a reasonable log if you do not have a grapple.




Sometimes I load the logs on a trailer. Cuts down on trips to the woods, pull trailer with tractor hitch.




This is a smaller log on the mill. I'm going to cut the big log into a 10' and an 8'. Tractor will not lift either so I'll have to skid or par buckle the log up the loading ramp. Ill let you know how that goes next month  

PS- Wlmedley, nice looking arch you have there!