Parbuckleing with hand winch?

[Whitetail farms]

hi I have been given about 25 pine logs that are pretty dry and are mostly about 16 inch diameter, I have a trailer with a hand winch on it,I doubt the winch is rated for more than 1000 pounds and the trailer is almost 2 feet high,do you think this hand winch will be able to parbuckle the logs onto my trailer with the cable going through a block and rolling it up two 10ft 4X6...Thanks for your thoughts nick

[Rob Bocik]

You did not say how big your forearms are?

[beenthere]

Should without too much problem. Certainly worth a try. Parbuckling is just rolling the log up the ramps, not really lifting it.

[Ianab]

Should be OK, you are rolling up a ramp, which means only maybe 25% of the force needed, compared to lifting, and the way you arrange the rope means it's doubled. Runs from the winch, around the log, and back to the trailer. Means you effectively double your pull.

Of course you are still going to give yourself a workout moving 25 logs, but it can be done.

Ian

[Whitetail farms]

okay i will try it but if its not working good ill use another truck to pull them up but if its a little hard a gives me a good work out thats okay im young yet

[Axe Handle Hound]

That's pretty much the exact system I use and it will move a surprisingly big log.  The longer your ramps the easier it gets.

[Kcwoodbutcher]

I've done bigger logs that way but it's a workout. On a 16" log I'd get a friend and two can't hooks. With a person at each end of the log ( off to the side not behind it) you can sort of ratchet it up the ramps quickly. One person holds the log while the other person get a new bite.

[Ocklawahaboy]

Also, never underestimate the usefulness of schedule 40 PVC.  I've rolled many logs on it.

[dboyt]

The longer the ramp, the less lifting, but the more cranking.  Also more stress on the ramp.  Have you considered a 12 Volt electric winch?  After you're done with that job, you'll have plenty of other uses for it.  I use a parbuckle on my mill when there is no other way to load it.  What I'd love is a set of hydraulic lifting arms that I could take off the mill and mount on the side of the trailer.  Be careful to stay out from under the logs.  I have a friend whose wife was very nearly crushed to death by a log rolling back on her.


 

[Nomad]

     Parbuckling with a manual winch is time consuming, but normally very easy.  A couple of things to keep in mind. 
     First, even though it's easy, always  engage the ratchet on the winch.  If you don't and let go of the handle, it's gonna reverse spinning at a speed you gotta see to believe.  It can hurt ya bad.  (Yes, that's experience talking.)
     Second, never forget that logs don't have a conscience.  As Dboyt just mentioned, if you get downhill of one you're taking a foolish risk.  Problem is that inexperienced people don't realize they're in danger until something bad happens.

[dboyt]

First, even though it's easy, always  engage the ratchet on the winch.  If you don't and let go of the handle, it's gonna reverse spinning at a speed you gotta see to believe.  It can hurt ya bad.  (Yes, that's experience talking.)

Yep been there, done that.  The handle flew off and caught me on the leg just below the belt line.  Left a big bruise.  I was lucky, though.  6" to the left would have been far worse, ^{and I'd be talking like this}!

[rambo]

My hand crank has a 5/8" bolt where the crank handle attaches. Slap a 5/8" socket on a cordless drive and I bet your forearms will thank you. :D

[clww]

If it were me, I would pull/roll them up the ramps with the truck, which I'll assume you are pulling the trailer with. Should work out even better if you have two helpers, one on each side of the ramp.

[justallan1]

My mill trailer is 30" tall and I use 8' ramps, on 20" cedar telephone poles 10' & 12' long I just roll them up by hand. I loaded a 20" green pine log 12' long and it was just about everything my little harbor freight 12v winch would do. If your 4x6's hold you should be fine.
Allan

[Whitetail farms]

finally got out and tried the winch on my trailer there where a couple of flaws to be worked out but i think the next time i go get more it should go more smooth,the only things where that  my trailer was to close to the los so my ramps where pretty steep there isnt much i can do about that though,the winch cable is to long and was jammin up so i cut about 12 feet off of a 50 ft cable,and i noticed that its alot easier to get the logs on if they start on the ground first and not on the pile cause it i can get the hook under them...so ill go pull them of the pile and spread them out next weekend and see how it goes...be expecting some pictures,thanks nick