# Dragging with chain, cable or ?



## Whopper Stopper (Apr 30, 2010)

From time to time I need to either drag a tree out or hook on to a top of a tree to pull it out of the thick stuff into an opening. I usually just use one of my tree ropes, either 1/2 inch or 5/8ths. Rope is nice because of the weight. With care it is very durable and tough to break. I am interested in trying a tong. A tong and rope has the potential of a trip to the hospital or morgue. I can't imagine the slingshot effect if the tong lets loose.

Chain is just plain heavy, and I never tried a short cable with chokers. For use with a tong or just plain dragging in general what is your tool or method of choice?


 WS


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## savageactor7 (Apr 30, 2010)

I've used ropes and chain on trees but never a cable. 

Pretty sure if you use tongs you'd want to marry it up with a chain. As handy as rope is it has a limited tinsel strength. 

Rope is good for elevated work...chain for ground level.


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## Junkrunner (Apr 30, 2010)

Chains usually, but I've started using a tow strap too.


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## savageactor7 (Apr 30, 2010)

Yeah tow straps come in handy for dragging limbs and lighter stuff. Many times you'll find them in the bargain bin. Logging is tough on tow straps.


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## avalancher (Apr 30, 2010)

I use a tong and rope all the time for dragging,to minimize any slingshot effects throw a wet towel over the end of the rope where it ties into your tongs.Stops a slingshot in its tracks.


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## Mike PA (Apr 30, 2010)

I've used chain, cables, and ropes, and prefer chain for its durability. I've broken cables and ropes, but I've never broken a chain pulling logs. To reduce the weight, you can use sections of chains and mix and match as needed. All you need is a few hooks.


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## Cowboy Billy (Apr 30, 2010)

What will you be pulling with? You need to match the strength of the cable chain or rope to what you can pull. 

And to some extent what you are pulling. I was dragging out 16' long white pine logs with a tractor. A 5/16 chain would have been strong enough to pull the log itself. But I broke a good 3/8 chain when the log hit a stump and caught on and came to a stop.

I usually use chains. Cables have there place But they are stiff and can be hard to work with. And when a strand breaks it leaves a little pointy piece of metal sticking out that I always seem to grab and punches through my glove and into my hand.

Billy


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## cedarman (Apr 30, 2010)

I made a choke chain out of 5/16". it kind of looks and functions like a choke colar you would see on a dog (but alot bigger of course). the harder you pull the chain the tighter it the loop gets around the log.

I chose the 5/16 cuz i use my atv to drag the logs out. 5/16 is lighter and plenty beefy enough to handle the torque my atv gives it.

If I used a pickup to drag logs id probably step up to 3/8.

them cables frail up and are hell on the hands. go with a chain


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## Dalmatian90 (Apr 30, 2010)

> to minimize any slingshot effects throw a wet towel over the end of the rope where it ties into your tongs.Stops a slingshot in its tracks.



Only if the laws of physics have been suspended. A highly unlikely occurrence even for Avalancher.

It's a simple force = mass x acceleration problem. If you only have a small mass like a wet towel, it just can't dappenen much of the acceleration so you'll still have most of the force. In the grand scheme of things, a wet towel in between a truck and a tree is pretty much a rounding error in the math.

The only major benefit to things like putting a coat over a cable is they *may* give you a better visual indicator which way to duck.

Ropes are the most wild when they snap because they've stored up potential energy as they've stretched, and they have the least weight so you get the most acceleration. That whole f = m x a thing...more force (the pull plus what is stored in the stretched rope), less mass...gotta have more acceleration when it goes.

Cables don't stretch as much, so they don't store as much energy. Still impressive when they go. The force you were applying pulling the object now has to dissipate by accelerating the mass of the cable.

Chains, like cables, don't stretch much. Plus they weigh a lot more...so they accelerate slower to dissipate the same amount of force.


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## mooseracing (Apr 30, 2010)

I must be using the wrong kind of rope. The synthetic rope I use on my winch drops to the ground when it breaks, cable is the opposite, it will slice through sheet metal and bones. 

I've also see chains stretch and break, but that is what happens when pulling loaders and graders out. 

In the end I use chains and cables as that is what I am comfortable with and have the most exp with. Synthetic rope for winches doesn't like to be drug in dirt. The sand gets in and cuts the fibers, that you have to stitch the rope back together.


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## avalancher (Apr 30, 2010)

Dalmatian90 said:


> Only if the laws of physics have been suspended. A highly unlikely occurrence even for Avalancher.



Depends on what you soak the towel in.I soak it in tobasco sauce,the wood fairies seem to take a hankering to it.After 12-15 of em line up on that towel, it will dampen the effects of even the biggest rope cut loose.It also helps to fatten em up a bit, I leave several buckets of peanut butter on the tailgate, the rascals leave me alone and easily gain ten pounds apiece on the stuff.

Unless of coarse I happened to drip some of that tobasco sauce on my pants, then it becomes all out war.Nothing like trying to get some cuttin done while one of these buggers chew on your leg.

Heres one that played holy hell with me just the other day.Swapped my bar oil into the fuel tank, turned my files around in my file handle, ate not one but two of my twinkies,and lost my truck keys in a pond.They may be cute, but they sure can wreck a guys day.


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## komatsuvarna (Apr 30, 2010)

Chains are stronger and easier to get around. Cables are cheeper. Ive bought quite a few certified lifting chains. Certified 1/2 chain good for 18,000 lbs with 2 hooks is 300.00... for a 2 foot long chain. Cables for 18,000 lbs is half price and twice as big. Altough 2 foot isnt hard to carry,20 foot of big cable takes up alot of room and is hard to manuver. Altough were draging instead of lifting, id still rather have chain. Btw, wet towel or jacket or other throwed over the cable does help.


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## bass_on_tap (Apr 30, 2010)

Don't skimp on hooks either if you're are making a tow chain out of a piece of chain. I was present when a hook broke and the chain came flying by and hit me in the thumb nail. My hand was chest high at the time. It was that close! Cheap hook made in China snapped. Now I only use G70 rated hooks on all my chain.


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## Wolfcsm (Apr 30, 2010)

Chain seems to me to be the easiest. Strong, hard to break, easy to get on the log. Ropes can be good - for a while. They wear out and rather quickly in the dirt. Cable is stiff - at diameters large enough to handle several thousand pounds. It will break and when it does it can and will cut off legs and arms, people in half and cut through equipment. The rule I was taught was to stand off not less then twice the length of the cable.

Hal


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## dingeryote (Apr 30, 2010)

Chain wins.

Good 70grade load binder chain and hooks wont fray and leave you bleeding all over the place, and a 20' length can be coiled up into a Rotella jug if ya cut it right.

Dosn't matter what the weight of whatever your dragging is, what matters is if it gets hung up what happens next.

Cable snapping ain't fun. Stuff gets broken and cut in half, back windows get busted out, blood all over the place. For small stuff it's fine, just treat it like a Pet Rattlesnake. 

Rope breaks easy if you're pulling anything of size, but it's dadgum handy.

Good chain can be bought for a pittance at Farm sales and auctions, and be leery of any chain or hooks not made in the U.S. The chineese have figured out they can stamp G70 on Pig iron junk chain, and sell it to the box stores.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote


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## redprospector (Apr 30, 2010)

Well, I guess I'm the Lone Ranger on this one. But I prefer cable for pulling logs, and I prefer cable chokers over tongs any day.
One of the benefits of cable over chain is that you can use a snatch block to change direction of pull when space is tight. Another is that you can hang a snatch block on what your pulling, and anchor the end of the cable close to what you're pulling with and double what you can pull. This is a big help when pulling with an ATV or something else that's small. But not recomended when pulling with a larger machine.
Like any other tool, cable requires a little maintenance. The splinters that pop up on a cable can be quickly eliminated with a torch. Watch for defects in the cable, and shorten it where they appear. Don't over load it, and watch out for stumps. Stumps can break rope, cable, chains, and tractors.

Oh, and one more thing. I've never seen a log skidder with chain spooled on the winch.

Andy


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## mercer_me (Apr 30, 2010)

I have a skidder so I use chokers. IMO they are the best for working in the woods.


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## indiansprings (Apr 30, 2010)

We've always used log chains, mainly because it's what we've had for years.
It's always been easy just to grab the same chains we use for securing loads on trailers. Since we only use them to drag tops and cull logs up, it works very well. Alot of the stuff we drag would take a heck of a rope to hold up, I'd be a little afraid of the rope breaking in our country, lots of flint on the hill sides. Chains we just throw on the back of the flatbed, have at least one on the truck all the time.


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## BarkBuster20 (Apr 30, 2010)

I cant believe how much support chains have, i know none of you have tried dragging a chain through the brsh and then wrapping up a log, lol it sucks. Cable is easy to drag through the woods, and you should wear gloves, and maintain the cable. LOL.


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## trapshooter9 (Apr 30, 2010)

A guy I know told me that his son was pulling something with his truck. For extra length he attached a tow strap to the end of a chain. He had the chain end hooked to the truck and the tow strap end hooked to the object he was pulling. You can probably see where this is going...When the tow strap broke it slingshot the chain into the truck and did so much damage that the truck was nearly totalled.


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## komatsuvarna (Apr 30, 2010)

Cable may work better in the woods. I dont skid logs so i dont know.I like chains better for what i use them for. Ive enclosed a few pictures so you guys could see what i use them for. I had to break them up (cause i dont know how to work this thing) so you could get the full picture of whats going on. Im using chain now. I used cables before, but got tired of having my whole bed space tied up with a bunch of cables.

View attachment 135233


View attachment 135234


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## mimilkman1 (Apr 30, 2010)

I like chain because they are more universal. Yes they can be a pain to drag through the woods, but usually we only have 20 ft of chain hooked on at any given time. Then we just unwrap from tractor arms and walk it back to the log. Cable you have to coil up and make sure it stays straight otherwise it gets all boogered up. Chain can be wrapped around 3pt hitch arms or thrown in on cab floors without too much frustration later. If I had a winch or a true skidder then I agree cable would be better, but for my needs now chain is the way I roll.

Kyle


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## ryan_marine (Apr 30, 2010)

Chains for ground work. I have a 150' cable for any leaners I have to pull in order for them to come down safely. I also use the choker hooks from bailey's. For 10 bucks they are worth their weight in gold. I have one on a 15' chain and one on a 25' chain. I have around 200' of chain so I can reach out to get a log out of some bad areas.

Ray


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## rtrsam (May 1, 2010)

Wire rope, hands down.

Once you get over 20' of chain, the weight alone will make the decision for you. Comparable working load limits with a 5:1 safety margin, wire rope weighs less than half as much as chain. 3/8" Grade 70 transport chain has a working load limit of 6600 punds, weighs 1.4 lbs/foot.

(http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=45025&ucst=t)

9/16" wire rope (6x19, independent wire rope core)has a working load limit of 6720 lbs, weighs .59 lbs/foot. 

(http://www.airwinch.com/tools/wireropechart.htm)

Wire rope costs a LOT less, too. 

PLus, try to dig a hole under a big log and jam chain under it to tie it up: a good stiff choker can be used almost like a shovel.

For goofing around, using it to drag a few logs through soft dirt, hooking between two trucks to pull a stuck one out, it's nice to keep a hunk of chain in the truck. A big advantage to chain is, if equipped with grab hooks, it's almost infintely variable in length. But for serious log moving and rigging, it's wire rope all the way.

Some old geezer once told me, cable is for electicity.


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## turnkey4099 (May 1, 2010)

redprospector said:


> Well, I guess I'm the Lone Ranger on this one. But I prefer cable for pulling logs, and I prefer cable chokers over tongs any day.
> One of the benefits of cable over chain is that you can use a snatch block to change direction of pull when space is tight. Another is that you can hang a snatch block on what your pulling, and anchor the end of the cable close to what you're pulling with and double what you can pull. This is a big help when pulling with an ATV or something else that's small. But not recomended when pulling with a larger machine.
> Like any other tool, cable requires a little maintenance. The splinters that pop up on a cable can be quickly eliminated with a torch. Watch for defects in the cable, and shorten it where they appear. Don't over load it, and watch out for stumps. Stumps can break rope, cable, chains, and tractors.
> 
> ...



Amen to that! I have an F150 2x, somewhere around 300 ft of cable in 50' lengths, 4 snatch blocks, 2 10' chains, a couple tow straps. All ride in the truck with the cables neatly coiled behind the seat. rest on the passenger floor board.

They get a lot of use and I have had just about every piece of equipment rigged to a log at once a couple of times. 

There is no way under the sun that you could do some of what I have done with chains.

As for 'ratted up cables', I have one cable that does have one 'sticker' on it - as I am reminded all too often. 

Harry K


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## BuddhaKat (May 1, 2010)

I'm surprised that nobody has factored in the towing vehicle. If you can tow it with an ATV, you don't have to worry about anything getting damaged if the tongs slip, chain, rope or cable breaks. Not that it would.

I would guess a 5/16" chain or a 3/8" cable would far exceed the weight handling capabilities of your tow vehicle.

For safety I tear the decks that I've been getting my wood from apart with a 3/8" chain or a 1/2" cable. Try dragging a 3' × 40' tree out of a pile when it's wedged between a bunch of other trunks the same size. I've broke everything I've brought. Last year I even had the hook break on the big chain and all I saw from the cab of my truck is this big, brown, fat string heading right for the windshield of my truck. I hit the seat and the chain just laid right up the hood and over the cab, nice and pretty. Barely left a scratch. The hole in my seat was much more serious though.  I musta sucked up half a pound of foam on that one.


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## John Ellison (May 1, 2010)

Whopper Stopper said:


> From time to time I need to either drag a tree out or hook on to a top of a tree to pull it out of the thick stuff into an opening. I usually just use one of my tree ropes, either 1/2 inch or 5/8ths. Rope is nice because of the weight. With care it is very durable and tough to break. I am interested in trying a tong. A tong and rope has the potential of a trip to the hospital or morgue. I can't imagine the slingshot effect if the tong lets loose.
> 
> Chain is just plain heavy, and I never tried a short cable with chokers. For use with a tong or just plain dragging in general what is your tool or method of choice?
> 
> ...



A lot depends on what you are pulling with. If it is a pickup you could do a lot with two lengths of 3/8'' wire rope, 50' and 100' with an eye in each end. A couple of half inch chokers that are 8' or + and a couple of 5/16" Hitest chains with a grab hook on one end and a slip hook on the other. A four inch or + block or two will be real helpful.

Use the block(s) to redirect or double your pull. The wire rope to reach out where you can't drive and the chain to shorten up and get as close to the log as possible for the big heavy logs. Wire rope cannot be treated like chain as it has a memory. When it comes tight you do not want any tight bends or it will get a kink. The best way to set a choker on a log is backward from the best way for chain. Tongs and a pickup would be pretty much useless except in a few cases. I would spend the 75 to 100+ on the other gear.


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## Gologit (May 1, 2010)

redprospector said:


> Oh, and one more thing. I've never seen a log skidder with chain spooled on the winch.
> 
> Andy



Yup... that would be something to see. I prefer cable and chokers for serious skidding. You can cut out the bad spots, splice them back together, and keep going. If you're working in brush or steep ground you can pack a coiled up choker a lot farther than a comparable length of chain. 

That being said, I always have a couple of good chains in the crummy, too. They're okay for light stuff, dragging blowdowns out of the road on the way in, getting somebody out of the ditch...that kind of thing. Note that I said _good_ chains...get the best there is, cheap stuff will just drive you nuts. If the links show any kind of stretch or wear, they go in the junk pile.

Guys that continually bust up rigging are either using cheap crap or are asking way too much of the gear. It's a learning process...if a 40' log won't move and you're tight-lined and straining, cut the damn thing into two 20's. If it's just for firewood it won't matter anyway.


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## Shagbark (May 1, 2010)

I use both chain and cable. The cable has a Wallingford choker. I have broken both. If you pay attention and go easy skidding will seldom break either. Not sure about tongs.


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## redprospector (May 1, 2010)

Gologit said:


> Yup... that would be something to see. I prefer cable and chokers for serious skidding. You can cut out the bad spots, splice them back together, and keep going. If you're working in brush or steep ground you can pack a coiled up choker a lot farther than a comparable length of chain.
> 
> That being said, I always have a couple of good chains in the crummy, too. They're okay for light stuff, dragging blowdowns out of the road on the way in, getting somebody out of the ditch...that kind of thing. Note that I said _good_ chains...get the best there is, cheap stuff will just drive you nuts. If the links show any kind of stretch or wear, they go in the junk pile.
> 
> Guys that continually bust up rigging are either using cheap crap or are asking way too much of the gear. It's a learning process...if it 40' log won't move and you're tight-lined and straining, cut the damn thing into two 20's. If it's just for firewood it won't matter anyway.



Yep. I didn't mention splicing because there's not many left that can do it. I guess that's a good thing for the cable manufacturers.
Chain's have their place, and I generally have 4 20 footers and a couple of 10 footers in ammo cans on the truck. The best use for them is tieing down the skidder, or ASV to a trailer for transport. I use them to tie down firewood logs on a gooseneck too. Chain's are best for pulling out stuck vehicles in my opinion, because it really screws up a cable choker pulling out stuck vehicles. 

I agree that a man should buy the best available, whether it's chain, cable, or fishing line. Unless he likes being pissed off and cussing later.

Andy


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## Curlycherry1 (May 1, 2010)

Mythbusters tried their darndest to cut a pig in half with a whipping broken cable and it could not be done. They never even got a good mark in the piggie. So cables cutting people in half is a myth.


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## BuddhaKat (May 1, 2010)

Curlycherry1 said:


> Mythbusters tried their darndest to cut a pig in half with a whipping broken cable and it could not be done. They never even got a good mark in the piggie. So cables cutting people in half is a myth.


Well if Mythbusters said it's bunk, then it must be de-bunked. Is it just me, or does anyone else just watch because Carrie is hot?


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## Curlycherry1 (May 1, 2010)

I'm married so I have no comment. 

That said my cousin and I were using a come-a-long once and we put a ~6' pipe in the handle for leverage and we broke the cable. It sliced his leg open pretty well, but it was the very end of the cable that did it.


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## Gologit (May 1, 2010)

Curlycherry1 said:


> Mythbusters tried their darndest to cut a pig in half with a whipping broken cable and it could not be done. They never even got a good mark in the piggie. So cables cutting people in half is a myth.



Maybe they ought to talk to a rigging slinger I know. A line on a yarder broke, snaked back, and took his left leg off. We call him "Stumpy" now.


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## bullseye13 (May 2, 2010)

I exclusively use chain for skidding logs. I need the variable length in order to get the best advantage for pulling wood out of some swamps and off creek banks. 

Those of you that havent seen a chain slingshot, its not something you ever want to witness. It may not sling as fast as a cable, but its got a hell of a lot of force. I was pulling a big oak out of a creek and the root ball hit the bank just as i was hittin the clutch, i missed it by a split second and the one hook on the chain broke. It cut the weeds off under the tractor and the chain laid straight up out under the front axle. The tractor was a International 1206....Great tractor for pulling logs, however its hell on chains.


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## mooseracing (May 3, 2010)

Curlycherry1 said:


> Mythbusters tried their darndest to cut a pig in half with a whipping broken cable and it could not be done. They never even got a good mark in the piggie. So cables cutting people in half is a myth.



It seems there are alot of people on the web that think Snopes and Mythbusters are the end all.

Check out alot of the offroading scene dangerous pictures. Cables going through vehicles, through seats, and out the back. If you don't think that will tear through you, feel free to run my winch for me. Not to mention, in reality people have been killed by winches and the cabling.


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## gwiley (May 3, 2010)

*G70 tow chain*

I have 3 lengths of grade 70 5/16 tow chain with binder hooks on both ends. Sells for $36 at lowes, rated at 4700lbs working load. 

The reasons I like chain are:

1. Doubles for securing the skid steer to the trailer 
2. Doubles for securing log loads to the trailer
3. Dragging through mud, sand, leaving in the weather etc. does not compromise the chain the way it would rope/cable
4. Easy to use as chokers for skidding (one hook on the top of the bucket, the other around the logs).
5. Recoil on a break is less destructive than cable/rope
6. easy to pack, store
7. Abrasion-proof (mostly)

Rope has to be kept out of dirt for it to stay reliable - you can compromise the integrity of the rope by getting sand into the core where it will cut fibers and you may not see the damage until it fails.

It is hard to attack ends to cable, cable develops spines that ruin your productivity (hard to work with a severely lacerated hand) and cable is hard to store unless you are spooling it on a drum. If cable gets kinked you should probably need to shorten it - bummer.

When chain breaks or a link looks worn that one link is removed and ends (like binder hooks, loops or slip hooks) are placed on the remaining pieces.


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## Curlycherry1 (May 3, 2010)

mooseracing said:


> It seems there are alot of people on the web that think Snopes and Mythbusters are the end all.
> 
> Check out alot of the offroading scene dangerous pictures. Cables going through vehicles, through seats, and out the back. If you don't think that will tear through you, feel free to run my winch for me. Not to mention, in reality people have been killed by winches and the cabling.



I am not sure if Mythbusters did the experiment right, I will leave that up to the arm chair FMEA experts, but I did see that they stretched the snot out of a 1" cable to the point it broke and it hit a pig carcus full on. No appreciable damage to the piggie. I think it probably needed to hit the pig closer to the end of the cable or something, because their experiment did not do much damage.


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## turnkey4099 (May 3, 2010)

gwiley said:


> I have 3 lengths of grade 70 5/16 tow chain with binder hooks on both ends. Sells for $36 at lowes, rated at 4700lbs working load.
> 
> The reasons I like chain are:
> 
> ...



When you are regularly running a hundeed feet or more of something to pull a log, chain just doesn't get it. I have 2 50' 1/4" cables (those are my lightest) that were work rated at 6,000. Both have been through the wringer and are still not kinking or ratted. Just takes some care on layout and re-coiling when done. I would not want to be out in the 'woods' with only cable, only chain, only tow straps. I carry an assortment of each. Each has its own purpose.

Harry K


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## redprospector (May 4, 2010)

I keep having to remind myself that most here are not doing this for a living. So efficiency isn't as important as if this were about a commercial operation.
I will say that before I got a skidder, I was doing small jobs with a Bobcat and I was yarding 2 to 3 times the wood using cables and snatch blocks of my competitors working near by with similar equipment, but using chain. I'm not saying I don't use a chain for dragging a log from time to time, but cable is much more efficient.
Use what ever you want, but in my opinion, if you want to move some wood & cover some ground get an assortment of cable in different lengths (I use 20's, 50's, 75's, 100's, & 150's), a couple of *good* snatch blocks, and a few chokers. Then you'll be in business.

Andy


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## turnkey4099 (May 4, 2010)

redprospector said:


> I keep having to remind myself that most here are not doing this for a living. So efficiency isn't as important as if this were about a commercial operation.
> I will say that before I got a skidder, I was doing small jobs with a Bobcat and I was yarding 2 to 3 times the wood using cables and snatch blocks of my competitors working near by with similar equipment, but using chain. I'm not saying I don't use a chain for dragging a log from time to time, but cable is much more efficient.
> Use what ever you want, but in my opinion, if you want to move some wood & cover some ground get an assortment of cable in different lengths (I use 20's, 50's, 75's, 100's, & 150's), a couple of *good* snatch blocks, and a few chokers. Then you'll be in business.
> 
> Andy



Agree. Anyone who doesn't carry at least one cable around 50' or more plus a snatch block or two is handicapping himself. I can't even picture the size of a snatch block that would be needed with a chain.

Now for just running up and hooking to a log to be dragged somewhere - yep, chain.

Harry K


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## Curlycherry1 (May 4, 2010)

I think there is some confusion here. For me I used a skidding winch with 200' of cable on it and a set of key hole sliders on the cable. A log chain with a Sweedish hook was put around the log and then the chain was placed into a slider on the cable. The cable was winched in and skidding was commenced with the tractor.

For decades that is also the same way cable skidders worked (and how they still work). They had a main cable with keyhole sliders and chains were used to attach each log to the skidder cable.

For going more than about 10-12' from the back of the skidding machine, then chain makes sense. But if a person is trying to drag a log from more than 10-12' between the skidding machine and the log, then cable makes sense.

I think there is confusion about what actually goes around the log. Lots of operations out West used cable chokers. Back East I never saw anything but chain used to wrap around a log. Now back East grapple skidders do a lot of the work so chains or chokers are not needed at all.

Having gotten my hands poked too many times to count by bad cables I loathe them. I hate cables except for the main cable on my old winch. I used and still prefer chains to attach logs to the main cable.


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## redprospector (May 4, 2010)

Curlycherry1 said:


> I think there is some confusion here. For me I used a skidding winch with 200' of cable on it and a set of key hole sliders on the cable. A log chain with a Sweedish hook was put around the log and then the chain was placed into a slider on the cable. The cable was winched in and skidding was commenced with the tractor.
> 
> For decades that is also the same way cable skidders worked (and how they still work). They had a main cable with keyhole sliders and chains were used to attach each log to the skidder cable.
> 
> ...



I like cable all the way from the skidder to, and around the log. Getting "poked" by bad cable, is a case of not maintaining the cable's, or being too tight to throw them away when they need to be gone.

Like I said, you guy's use what you want. I'm not trying to change the world, just telling what I've found to be most efficient for me.

Andy


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## Curlycherry1 (May 4, 2010)

redprospector said:


> I like cable all the way from the skidder to, and around the log. Andy



So how do you handle multiple logs? Especially logs that are scattered. Most skidders can handle up to 5-8 logs pretty easily, so how would you get a fist full of logs onto a single or double cable skidder?

As for getting poked by bad cable, yeah, my old man was a cheap SOB and so my cables were all recycled from some other use.


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## DJ4wd (May 4, 2010)

I have a big cable with a machained loop or eye in both ends and its nice,but I would much rather use a chain. To keep my weight down i have 2 straps made by kendedy from off my semi trailer, there 2" wide and 35 long.


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## isaaccarlson (May 4, 2010)

I have some heavy transport chain off one of dad's wrecked semi trucks. I also have a couple heavy straps and some chokers. I ALWAYS hook the strap end to the truck if I am joining up chain/strap. It gives a little cusion and keeps you from getting your head taken off. I have seen cable do some nasty stuff, it demands respect/distance. We have not broken a chain yet....but we use HEAVY transport chain. If dad can't use it on his truck, don't use it. That is what we were taught as kids and I will live by it. I had a couple hooks behind the seat of my old truck that I hung my chains on. I need to put them in my new truck. I miss the sound of chain banging against the inside of a bare metal cab.


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## isaaccarlson (May 4, 2010)

I have been dragging loads of chain around since I was a little kid and don't mind the weight for the comfort it brings. We used cable ONCE AND ONLY ONCE for pulling a silo down.


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## Mike PA (May 4, 2010)

Curlycherry1 said:


> For going more than about 10-12' from the back of the skidding machine, then chain makes sense. But if a person is trying to drag a log from more than 10-12' between the skidding machine and the log, then cable makes sense.



:agree2:

I am rarely skidding anything beyond 20-30', and usually closer. But I am just a firewood guy and if I can't get my truck close to it, I don't get it. Because I am close, I use chain. I agree that longer than that or if I had a winch, I would use cable.


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## redprospector (May 5, 2010)

Curlycherry1 said:


> So how do you handle multiple logs? Especially logs that are scattered. Most skidders can handle up to 5-8 logs pretty easily, so how would you get a fist full of logs onto a single or double cable skidder?
> 
> As for getting poked by bad cable, yeah, my old man was a cheap SOB and so my cables were all recycled from some other use.









I generally try to "gather" them up on my way down the skid trail. But if I'm having to winch them up, I string out the main line to the farthest log and then choke the closer logs hooking to the slides. You have to be careful not to have the mainline making a hard turn in a slide, or your mainline will become a cork screw. You can do the same with smaller machines & snatch blocks, but unless the logs are pretty small you usually just want one at a time.

I used to be just like your old man, but then I got tired of nursing sore hands.

Andy


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