# Homemade Timber Jack



## bitzer (Aug 2, 2010)

What do ya think? Its a 12ton stubby with a pivot point. The foot is about 1" longer than the 8 ton jack next to it. I'm going to find a more solid pin, but I think this will work decent. Guess I won't know until I try. 














Sorry for the huge pics. Usually they come out too small. Not sure what happened there.


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## forestryworks (Aug 2, 2010)

Hey that looks pretty good. Test it out on some safe trees. 

Might find that you need to let that pivot head pivot a little more... could cut the corners of the stops off a little at at time, as I don't think you'd want it to pivot too freely would you?


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## flushcut (Aug 3, 2010)

Thats sweet I have the same jack but a twenty ton. Nice work!


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## bitzer (Aug 3, 2010)

forestryworks said:


> Hey that looks pretty good. Test it out on some safe trees.
> 
> Might find that you need to let that pivot head pivot a little more... could cut the corners of the stops off a little at at time, as I don't think you'd want it to pivot too freely would you?



Hey thanks man! That is what I was thinking with the pivot. I thought this design will control it a little and I can always grind some off if it needs to pivot more. Its tough to say until I put it to work.


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## bitzer (Aug 3, 2010)

flushcut said:


> Thats sweet I have the same jack but a twenty ton. Nice work!



Thanks! I didn't want to spring for the twenty on this one. I didn't know if I would eff it up or not! ha. ha. I sure had my eye on it though. Can't ever have too much power.


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## Meadow Beaver (Aug 3, 2010)

I thought about doing that with a 50 ton jack.


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## RandyMac (Aug 12, 2010)

Pop that top plate off and hammer the corners up a tad.


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## cassandrasdaddy (Aug 12, 2010)

*?*



RandyMac said:


> Pop that top plate off and hammer the corners up a tad.



so they'll bite in?
good timing i'm making one outa a 28 ton. a question i have an air assist low profile i was thinking of using


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## Meadow Beaver (Aug 12, 2010)

I think I'm going to save my money for a brand new featherweight I found.


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## bitzer (Aug 12, 2010)

RandyMac said:


> Pop that top plate off and hammer the corners up a tad.



You think it will take a ride that way? Hey you would know though man!


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## flushcut (Aug 12, 2010)

cassandrasdaddy said:


> so they'll bite in?
> good timing i'm making one outa a 28 ton. a question i have an air assist low profile i was thinking of using



Just asking but are you humping a tank into the bush with you? OR?opcorn:


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## cassandrasdaddy (Aug 12, 2010)

*too heavy*

lol i've got a 4x4 utility body with a compressor and hundreds of feet of hose on a couple reels. i rarely cut away from roads and the only time i use a jack is near structures so it would work for me. my skill set is such that a jack is more window dressing with me. if i need a a jack i probably am in over my head. you gotta walk before you run and i'm still walking. but i do like watching and learning don't mind paying for the lessons with sweat


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## flushcut (Aug 12, 2010)

cassandrasdaddy said:


> lol i've got a 4x4 utility body with a compressor and hundreds of feet of hose on a couple reels. i rarely cut away from roads and the only time i use a jack is near structures so it would work for me. my skill set is such that a jack is more window dressing with me. if i need a a jack i probably am in over my head. you gotta walk before you run and i'm still walking. but i do like watching and learning don't mind paying for the lessons with sweat



Fair enough. Stay safe


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## cassandrasdaddy (Aug 12, 2010)

*so long as*



flushcut said:


> Fair enough. Stay safe



i don't get confused and think because i watched someone do it once it means i'm now qualified i'll be ok. thankfully big tricky trees are amongst the only things i show respect for. course i had a couple "incidents" to learn that respect


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## RandyMac (Aug 12, 2010)

cassandrasdaddy said:


> i don't get confused and think because i watched someone do it once it means i'm now qualified i'll be ok. thankfully big tricky trees are amongst the only things i show respect for. course i had a couple "incidents" to learn that respect



*"Incidents"* LMAO!!!!

I gotta story about one or a hundred of them. My editor hates it when I ramble on.....


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## DHIBBS75 (Aug 12, 2010)

Ive got an oak that has to come down that a friend give to me. Its about 50+ inches across and it is very healthy. close to 30 ft to the first branch. This tree needs to come down because of a new adition to his house. The top of the tree could hit the house, it is very well balanced. Would it be smart to use a jack to help it go the right way and if so how do you cut to use one?


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## forestryworks (Aug 12, 2010)

DHIBBS75 said:


> Ive got an oak that has to come down that a friend give to me. Its about 50+ inches across and it is very healthy. close to 30 ft to the first branch. This tree needs to come down because of a new adition to his house. The top of the tree could hit the house, it is very well balanced. Would it be smart to use a jack to help it go the right way and if so how do you cut to use one?



No offense, but if you're having to ask... hire a pro. 50" dbh is alot of wood. That's definitely not the tree to practice using a jack on.


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## cassandrasdaddy (Aug 13, 2010)

*lol*



RandyMac said:


> *"Incidents"* LMAO!!!!
> 
> I gotta story about one or a hundred of them. My editor hates it when I ramble on.....




as cool as the vids are when a job goes right i think a vid of the facial expressions when ones goes bad would be fun to watch. had one not too long ago at my house where the one saving grace was i was smart enough to have my kids in the jeep watching movies with the ac on 400 feet away as the 15o footer i was falling 50 feet from my house decided whether it was gonna eat my shed or the house. those are the moments that give you that warm special feeling


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## flushcut (Aug 13, 2010)

Using a jack is a good thing but in forest trees not so much in broad trees! You can break the hinge as you are trying to lift it due to heavy limb weight. Those limbs even though balanced are pulling on the trunk with tones of force. My suggestion would be to hire somebody to climb it and cut off the limbs off the backside and set a pull line as well as a jack to be safe after all it is your house. A 50" oak is some serious tonnage.


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## bitzer (Aug 13, 2010)

forestryworks said:


> No offense, but if you're having to ask... hire a pro. 50" dbh is alot of wood. That's definitely not the tree to practice using a jack on.



I agree man. Thats a lot of wood to mess with and practicing new technique with an un-proven jack would be ridiculous. When I tested mine all I had to worry about was wrecking myself. That was enough. My puny little 12 tonner would not be up to that task either. I should've made a 20, but for that size of tree I'm thinking 50.


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## RandyMac (Aug 13, 2010)

Be very carefull using jacks, they can fail, often with noisy results. Always back-up a jack with wedges, always.


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