heres the scoop (sorry kinda long)
the crane was origionally a harbor freight 1000lb crane.
now its an official redneck log apparatus. i mounted it to my truck bed with 1/2" plate steel on both sides of the bed. basically sandwiched the bed.
the 4 bolts in a line on the left side of the plate go through the frame. i cut 4 spacers to run the bolt through so that the bolts don't pull the bed down to the frame. cut them close and hammered them in position.
with the mounting done i built the extension from 3/16" steel tubing. don't remember what size, but it might have been 2". the piece that runs into the main beam from the mast is 1 1/2" x 3/16.
i had to weld an old file to a piece of 1"square i had to file down the inside of the boom from the crane to get the tubing to move somewhat freely into the mast. it runs from the pivot on the mast to where the crane's extension almost butts against the end of the 2" box. i made some some shims from flat stock for the crane's extension to fit snugly into the end of my extension.this picture just shows the cranes extension almost out of mine.
i added the metal to the top of the extension to hold the crane together with a hitch pin and to help move the weight from the end of the crane back toward the mast. i also put a little pulley to let the cable ride over the high point of the crane.the winch is now a 4500lb unit from tractor supply.i had a 2000lb unit but broke 6 teeth trying to lift WAYYYY too much. but it was working so i upgraded to the 4500.i also put a bolt near the end of the boom to double the cable up and increase the capacity of the winch. the only real problems i have is the bolt on the end of the crane is too close to the end and when the boom is almost as straight as i can make it, the cable rubs the bolt. also i bent the mast and the crane wants to swing toward the passenger side of the truck. the boom only swings manually and it can be a bear to turn. i'm thinking a piece of derlin might make to move easier. when the boom is raised to its maximum the overall height is right around 12'. if i were to do it over again i think i may have made something like this.
i think this is another arboristsite user but i don't know their name. i kinda like the ability to remove it from the vehicle. a friend wanted to use my crane to pickup his caribou in canada to process the animal, but he didn't need more hunters. i also added an outrigger after breaking a spring. i still bent the outrigger arm later but it was working. this is the next test.
the biggest is 21" at the butt and 16" at the other end. a little over 10' long. i don't know if i want it the first log of the day or the last log.the rest are mostly 15" diameter and around 10'. the smallest is just under 12". all of this will be cut 1" random width when my bandsaw mill shows up.
this log isn't for firewood though. saving it for the bandsaw thats almost on its way. but i moved 4 logs and didn't break anything (me included).
