Tractor logging with winch

[Rhodemont]

 I am a one log guy.  I use my JD4720 with a Norse350 winch to skid out the oak logs.  Firewood tops and branches I do pull multiple but often buck in place and go collect later.  I only skid when the trails are frozen or totally dry.  If I trash the trails I will be in big trouble as they are our equestrian riding trails as well.  Many times I will use the FEL with lifting tongs to bring in a log.  This limits me to a 14 footer at about 24 inch for max weight the FEL can lift.  But that is ok because that is the size log I like to saw.  The big ones tend to be pia.  Part of skidding or FEL tong lifting is going out with the Gator and drag to smooth out any damage of the trails.  This year with all the rain I spend more time in the Gator dragging then sawing.

[John Mc]

@slydomba76 - you might get better results starting your ow. Topic under a descriptive subject line. 

[Woodfarmer]

So I did a dumb thing this spring. Sold my 20year old Farmi 501 thinking it was time for a new one 601. Well guess what, can't get them in Canada anymore. 

So I ordered a new Wallenstein 140. I tried a 110 last year, wasn't the quality of the Farmi even tho it's made here in Canada. 

I'm 55, so I hope this winch will be my last. Lol.

[g_man]

That's too bad. Why no Farmi 601 in CA ? The 501 is a good winch - even an old one.




 


gg

[thecfarm]

That picture looks good!!!

[John Mc]

That's too bad. Why no Farmi 601 in CA ? The 501 is a good winch - even an old one.

gg

The Farmi 501 and 601 are no longer being made. They have been replaced by the W50R and W60R

[Woodfarmer]

Still can't get it here!

[mjeselskis]

That's too bad. Why no Farmi 601 in CA ? The 501 is a good winch - even an old one.

gg

The Farmi 501 and 601 are no longer being made. They have been replaced by the W50R and W60R

And the new ones don't look as strong as the old 501/601. I ended up buying a Wallenstein FX110 since i think it was stronger than the new Farmi's now that they sold out 

[Woodfarmer]

I ordered the 140

[g_man]

The end of the cable on my Farmi JL290 winch was getting pretty ratty. So I cut off about 5' and redid the hook using a Flemish eye. A Flemish eye will not slip and is pretty easy to do after a little practice - a good use for the cut off piece of cable.

Hold the cable, 3/8" in this case, in a vise. It's made with a core surrounded by 6 bundles made from fine wire strands. Carefully pry up and unwrap 3 adjacent bundles like so.




 


Put the hook in the vise. Stick the 3 bundle group in the hole from the left and the 3 bundle plus core group in from the right over, ie on top of, the 3 bundle group. Bend the 2 ends back towards the cable and start wrapping them together at the center of the formed loop so they fall into the spaces they came from.




 


Finish the wraps.




 


I put a few wraps of black tape to help hold the fine strands in place while clamping and then add and tighten a clamp.




 


Added a second clamp below the first to make a better/stronger seat for the sliders.




 


gg

[thecfarm]

good job!!!

[weimedog]

About at the limits of this old antique 12,000lbs farm tractor pulling A mid 1970's International 1066 & Uniforest 65H with remote works. Had it on my John Deere 2750 for a long time. Just kept breaking that tractor up. Steering ram, lights, draw bar , three point arm,  etc. So moved it over to a little more tractor. AND the wood is a more dense Hard Sugar Maple than the Ash, red oak, cherry & Soft maple from the last few years. For what ever reason this round of logs are HEAVY.

Farm Tractor Logging / Skidding AND Some CSX In The Evening After - YouTube

[B.C.C. Lapp]

I swear guys this is a sickness.  A full blown saw dust addiction.  Here it is a Sunday, its raining, its dreary and wet as can be. And Ive been skidding logs over thirty years and here I am, watching weimedog's video and its making wish I could hook up my tractor winch and go play in my woods today. 

I can never get enough of it.   
Good video weimedog.

[thecfarm]

I have a much smaller tractor then that JD. A 40 hp NH.
The only issue I had hauling out some big pine, was the 3 point arms. I put a piece of 1X3 under each arm. The 3 inch part was laid flat, not on edge. That kept them straight.
That remote is nice!!!!

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Weimedog I have a uniforest winch and just like thecfarm my tractor is lighter than yours.   But I routinely move larger and heavier logs than those with the help of a log arch.  My arch was customized  by Logrite and it hitches directly to the uniforest winch in seconds, then the winch cable goes right through the snatch blocks on the arch.
A real game changer when moving long heavy stuff because you can get much higher off the ground.  Some very large logs Ive moved one at a time I could darn near get the whole log off the ground.   

I'd consider that before a skidder.   I have a small skidder but if I wasn't running it mostly full time I'd stay with the tractor, winch and arch.   I can move that tractor any where I want with my own truck and trailers. Trucking the skidder is darn expensive. The  repairs on a tractor are way less than a skidder both in cost and difficulty. Parts for old skidders are harder to find now and they ain't cheap.   I can get parts for my tractor at several places within 40 miles of me.
And like you said in your video the tractor also can be used for farm work and if you have a loader can also handle lots of other chores.    Id tell any body wanting to do some logging on their own place or small jobs to buy a tractor with a loader, a three point winch and maybe an arch, put some armor on the tractor and you have a more versatile and user friendly piece of equipment than a skidder.

[John Mc]

I routinely move larger and heavier logs than those with the help of a log arch.  My arch was customized  by Logrite and it hitches directly to the uniforest winch in seconds, then the winch cable goes right through the snatch blocks on the arch.
A real game changer when moving long heavy stuff because you can get much higher off the ground.  Some very large logs Ive moved one at a time I could darn near get the whole log off the ground.

I'd love to see pictures of that set up, especially something showing how the arch was customized.

[g_man]

Weimedog I have a uniforest winch and just like thecfarm my tractor is lighter than yours.   But I routinely move larger and heavier logs than those with the help of a log arch.  My arch was customized  by Logrite and it hitches directly to the uniforest winch in seconds, then the winch cable goes right through the snatch blocks on the arch.
A real game changer when moving long heavy stuff because you can get much higher off the ground.  Some very large logs Ive moved one at a time I could darn near get the whole log off the ground.   

I'd consider that before a skidder.   I have a small skidder but if I wasn't running it mostly full time I'd stay with the tractor, winch and arch.   I can move that tractor any where I want with my own truck and trailers. Trucking the skidder is darn expensive. The  repairs on a tractor are way less than a skidder both in cost and difficulty. Parts for old skidders are harder to find now and they ain't cheap.   I can get parts for my tractor at several places within 40 miles of me.
And like you said in your video the tractor also can be used for farm work and if you have a loader can also handle lots of other chores.    Id tell any body wanting to do some logging on their own place or small jobs to buy a tractor with a loader, a three point winch and maybe an arch, put some armor on the tractor and you have a more versatile and user friendly piece of equipment than a skidder.

I would like to see that arch set-up too.

Also, I agree your line of thinking. The only thing that I would add is that a skidder can go a lot of places a tractor can't terrain wise. But to me, working on my own place, it is worth the time and effort to put in tractor roads so that I can access wood in rough or hilly terrain, and they are a permanent improvement.

gg

[g_man]

One day a couple weeks ago that was a bad weather day like today I got the urge to work in the shop and make something - anything. I saw a short piece of serrated cutting edge off of a snow groomer that's been kicking around for over 20 years - aha. I've been thinking of building a bridge over a narrow brook next summer.




 




 




 




 


Not sure how useful it will turn out to be. I can think of places to try it beside the bridge. But it didn't cost anything and I had an enjoyable day.

gg

[Walnut Beast]

Nice job!

[weimedog]

Arch does sound interesting. These logs for what ever reason are dense and the heaviest I've pulled from here even though they aren't the largest by any stretch of the imagination. Most are in the 24 to 30 inch dia. and most are more than 50 ft as well, one was over 70. The growth rings are TIGHT, the wood dense & hard. The wood I did last year I was able to handle with the JD2750 and they were diameter wise the same size. This year I used the draw bar because when I had the winch and the draw bar it was simply too much weight for the little green machine. Broke some stuff and decided to move over to the 1066

[thecfarm]

I know you don't need it, because of the grapple. But that could be used for cutting firewood too.

[stavebuyer]

I don't think anything stock will hang with a 66 series IH. Pulled a world of logs with a 1466 with a home rolled winch setup cut off the front of an Army 5-ton. Tighten up the cable; turn the tires one time and lock the brakes. Whatever you hooked to came to you or the 3/4" cable parted. Mine was turned up a little to over 200hp and weighed 10 tons with all the junk added to her. I may be half deaf, but I can still hear that turbo purr.

[Plankton]

Never logged with one but those 66 series are the best. I have a 966 I farm with and Im pretty sure the world spins a little faster the way Im headed when I drop a plow in the ground with it.

[tawilson]

One day a couple weeks ago that was a bad weather day like today I got the urge to work in the shop and make something - anything. I saw a short piece of serrated cutting edge off of a snow groomer that's been kicking around for over 20 years - aha. I've been thinking of building a bridge over a narrow brook next summer.




 




 




 




 


Not sure how useful it will turn out to be. I can think of places to try it beside the bridge. But it didn't cost anything and I had an enjoyable day.

gg

Like maybe picking up logs to cut up for firewood.

[doc henderson]

how does that work?  g_man