winch log turner ideas (elk42)

[Georgia088]

Ok, I know you guys are probably tired of my questions, but I like to get ideas from people that know much more than I can imagine.

I am interested and possibly making log turners for my homemade mill.  I have been searching the forum for ideas and have found a few.  I already have a couple of 12v winches on hand that I would like to use.  I see that most are hydraulic driven, but I dont have the materials for this.

I have seen many posts that elk42 created his out of winches, and I have checked out his gallery.  However, I am a little slow.  I can't really figure out how his works.  Are their two winches that attach to the turner? One to lift it up and one to pull it into the log?  Can anyone explain or direct me to pictures/videos that may show how these work?
I appreciate all the information this forum gives!
Thanks!

[york]

How big are the logs that you will be milling???

[Georgia088]

about 22" diameter would be the largest.  But, Most would be smaller than this.

thanks.

[york]

Yes,ya need a way to turn log`s......On you-tube,search for what your interested in......

[dboyt]

Norwood has a winch log turning system, which also incorporates into log loading.  You might check out some of their videos.  Theirs is hand cranked, but I converted mine to a 12V electric with no problem and can work all day with a single deep cycle marine battery.  A couple of things to think about: The winch should pull straight up on the log so that it works efficiently and doesn't put too much stress on the log stops.  You will only need the turner for the first few turns.  After that, a cant hook is quicker.  I use a high lift farm jack for turning the big ones, and it works great.

Here is my dad loading a log with the winch:


Turning a log with a farm jack.  A rope is wrapped around and hooked onto the log so it turns when the raising the jack.

[elk42]

Georgia088
This is how my turner works on this  hickory log.


 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_st5DHayH-s

[Kbeitz]

If you can get a cheap engine lift and put a boat winch on it you will have one
that can roll really big logs. You can also use a cheap car jack.



 



 

[Georgia088]

Thanks guys!
I see the one is mobile. Does it not flip over when turning the log? I was wondering how sturdy it is going to have to be to keep the "frame" of the turner from turning over. My tracks to my mill are sitting on the ground. If I weld a turner with tubing to my tracks is it going to twist my rails? Or turn it over?

Thanks!

[YellowHammer]

I used a home made claw turner in my old manual LT-15.  It was fast, easy to build, and turned some big ones like this.  It used a 3000 lb winch. 

[alanh]

Where do/can I buy the turner arm? , all I found with a search was hydraulic one, like the simple winch idea..

[Kbeitz]

Cant hook parts ebay...

[kelLOGg]

My swinging boom loader/turner also slides in and out and is part of the mill.
Bob

[Kbeitz]

My swinging boom loader/turner also slides in and out and is part of the mill.
Bob

That looks just like mine...

[YellowHammer]

Where do/can I buy the turner arm? , all I found with a search was hydraulic one, like the simple winch idea..

I built it from scratch, based on the Woodmizer design.  A couple pieces of 2" square tube, hinged in the middle, one side mounted to the inside of the mill with a pivot bolt, the other end of the arm with a claw.  A winch hooked to the joint to raise and lower. It's a very simple build and worked like a champ.
I made the arms adjustable for length but I never changed it.  Here's a couple pics

[alanh]

O.K. Hammer, explains why I can`t find one, thanks for the close up pics, I`ll have to get my fabricator/son on this, looks like it works great.

[YellowHammer]

Here's a video of an LT28 that has a hand operated winch claw turner.  Mine is basically the same but hooked to an electric winch.  The winch claw turner is at 1:35 minutes into the video.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ1KNBPE5XY

.

[Jemclimber]

YH,   

You've shown many great mods, can you tell me what the notched piece on the cross member in the lower right was for?  Someday when I make time I will add some of these mods to my lt15.

[YellowHammer]

I can't take credit for that, it's a sliding toe board wedge I bought from WM many years ago.  It would fit over any of the bed rails and slide backward and forward.  The idea was that a cant hook would be placed under a log end and used to lever it up.  Then the sliding wedge would be rammed under log to hold it up in that position. 

I later started using a car jack for a toeboard, and built a two plane clamp so I never had to use the wedge again. 

[Rdillon]

YellowHammer, I know this is a few years old,  but I have a couple of questions about the turner. 
1) The straps between the 2 sections of tubing--is it welded, or does it pivot?
2) How thick are your claw teeth? What will work the best?
3) (Bonus question)--- Is this still working well for you? 

Thank you very much!

[Georgia088]

I did make one similar to this. I never loved it. It did work for me, but mine (maybe bad design) would only turn a log a couple inches of rotation if you manually pushed the teeth in to the log. I would then have to put a wedge under the log to prevent it from rolling backwards. Then release winch  and get another "bite" roll another couple of inches.... Over and over until I turned it. I tried springs to get it to bite by itself, but it never worked well. Occasionally it would bite as it was supposed to. 

 I broke the cable and the winch (both cheap) at different times.  Anyway, it obviously will work, but I didn't have much success with mine. 

Good luck!

[jpassardi]

 

 

This may help, I built one similar to YH. It works surprisingly well - worth the time spent.

[Gere Flewelling]

Rdillon- I built one of these turners from the pictures that Yellowhammer had posted.  I have a Cook's mill that was similar in design to YH's mill.  I think he sold that mill many years ago.  I built mine several years ago and just used it yesterday.  It works great on my mill and I wouldn't want to mill without it.  It was worth all the experimentation and time it took to build it.
The straps you asked about on His turner need to pivot on each end to give the arm the right flexibility to stay with the log during the tuening process.

 
I made the claw part out of a couple of old saw bucks off a large junk commercial Husqvarna chainsaw.  It had two identical bucks on the model saw I found (don't remember the model)  I tried to cut some out of some 1/4" flat stock, but the just looked too crude for my taste.  I drilled a lot of holes in the tubing to give me lots of adjustment, but have never had the need to change the adjustment.

I have rolled some pretty big rascals on the mill with it.  One difference my mill has from the WM mill is the log clamp design allow me to stand up the clamp arms to hold the log in place and get another bite with with the claw.  Makes it much safer than using wedges in my opinion.

I don't have a picture of the log clamps in the up position, but you can see them in the last photo.  Good luck with your build.

[Durf700]

I built one as well based off YH's design.  it worked great.  my nephew bought a new Hudson and I convinced him to add one to his mill as well.  I had him just purchase the manual log turner from Woodmizer and then we bolted on a few pulleys and his winch with battery and it works great.  I recommend buying the woodmizer log turner because the springs and claw work very good.  its pricey, but if you cant fabricate one yourself it will allow you to install on your mill fairly easily as long as your on a trailer.  if your mill is blocked close to the ground you will have a hard time with the turner being able to go down when not in use enough to be out of the way. 

here is a video of my turner working I fabricated based off YH's with a 3500 lb winch.  (don't get remote control for winch, you want a corded winch controller for sure! )

Sawmill winch log turner - YouTube

[melezefarmer]

My version of a log turner:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCS6Mdg_z5M

[Daburner87]

I use the same winch to pull logs up on the mill to turn them.  I have a logrite cant hook that I just have a quick connect link attached to and hook it onto the winch hook, then simply run it over and under the log and hammer it in on the corner where you just made your last pass.   Could possibly hook it on even further, but if you don't hook it far enough like I did when testing you can accidentally lift the entire log off the bunks  .   Scary stuff.   Works for me, but I only need it on the big logs.