# Portable winch



## Reg

Has anyone else used one of these?

I had this one on loan for a week and while it was quite handy for tipping trees over, I was un-impressed at its performance in pulling stuff along the ground. Might still be useful for some people though!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=giAgMte-p3k


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## Adkpk

Guess you didn't need that fence in vid number 3. Thanks, also fun to watch as usual.


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## rbtree

Well, you know my story, big guy.....

I got some little things fixed on my simpson winch....but didn't use it today.

The job was logging 6 firs from a brushy rough area. We reversed speed lined out the loads, brush bundles and some logs...but with my Milwaukee 15 amp right angle drill on the GRCS. What a combo!...far better than the Chain saw winch...largest load was prolly a 1200 lb log. we had the speedline straightened to about a 15 degree angle, so there could well have been 3-4x the load on the anchors....that's a lot of pull! I'll have to borrow my rope supplier's dynamometer, which would be great for a lot of testing!


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## lxt

I had an echo winch that I got out of northern tool catalog, pure garbage, sent it back they sent another one, after 3 tries I told em just give me my $$$ back.

I have a similar winch as shown however I modded it, I put the rope cum along pulley on & did away with the cable, I can swap back & forth if need be, but find that the rope pulley does a wonderful job, guys love it...alot less cranking!


LXT........


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## TimberMcPherson

I love my chainsaw winches, we moved about 60 tonne of pine with two guys on a job we had to use ladders and ropes to access. I have a chainsaw capstan but the real machine is my 66 powered continous cable winch, its a beast. Pulls trees out of rivers, up banks, winches truck and chipper into places youd otherwise not get into, and moves stuff like nothing else. We call her wench and love her powerful ways.

Dragging logs is really hard, you need to get the cable in the air to make really good use of the winches power as the running resistance of the ground is just to much. or sometimes you have to ratio the log by having a pulley on it and running the line from the winch, through the pulley and back to an anchor.

I havent used a chainsaw winch to pull over a tree, IMHO tirfirs are stronger, more reliable, controllable, give operator better "feel" and let the crew have better communication which is a major safety advantage. With chainsaw winches there are to many variables.


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## manola

We call her wench and love her powerful ways.
sonnerie portable gratuite


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## outonalimbts

*Portable winch choices Alternative*

A couple of years ago I went shopping to find a good winch to utilize. I had a lewis winch years ago, and it was nice but only on my biggest saws. The Honda capstan winch was pretty good as well but I am not crazy about using 3 strand rope to pull trees over with.

What choices did I have. I found one of the portable Warn winches, has it's own mounting bracket that I could chain to the base of a tree, etc. I used it for 3 years, until I had an DS groundie that screwed it up by allowing all the cable to wrap to one end and the thing burned up the motor.

I had to buy another for around $500.

I went out to our local Harbor Freight store, I got a 10 K winch with an extended warranty for just under $500. I keep a couple of (car) batteries charged (solar panel trickle charger on vehicle) all the time in my truck just for this winch. It is heavy, but not too heavy. I have slings and a piece of 3/4" bull rope to attach it to a tree, or other objects. I have lifted 7K logs, and have pulled 20K trees down that were leaning the wrong way.

Originally, I mounted the winch on the Top of my Chip truck, this took some beefing up of the frame opening at the back of the truck, but it was well worth it to assist in hoisting logs into the back of our truck I also used the truck as the platform to pull from as well.

In the video here, I took this two summers ago, The client had several trees that were leaning towards a child day care play area directly on the other side of the fence (behind these trees). We gave them a dirt cheap estimate as we didn't have to haul anything away. We cut the wood into firewood and dumped the chips in the back '40. They were very happy, we took down a total of 8 trees on this property. 

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6120nxiWnedeOx_izTZirw?feat=directlink

I am sure to receive much flak over the fact that I employ Latin Americans, but around here I can't seem to keep natural born Americans on. They come out and work for a day to a week and then start to whine about the wages- or they stay long enough to learn then go open their own business... lol.

P.s. The winch that I still use today is the same winch, I have simply un-mounted it from the truck and I use it for many different tasks, including gin poles, pulling trees and lifting large material into vehicles-etc.


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## mikes334

Those are some great pics. I was wondering how it would do in action.


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## NCTREE

Who makes that winch if you don't mind me asking? I've been looking for a portable winch I can attach to a tree or truck hitch. Bailey's has one (portable winch co.) not sure what to go with.


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## treemandan

I was about to laugh at the whole thing when I heard what sounded like block pulley hitting the ground so then I was just shocked... apalled even. 

No, I ain't got nothing like that Reg, I hope I never do. I would have redirected the pull line and hooked it to the truck. I do have winch on that, its kinda slow, not as slow as that one so sometimes I just hook it to the hitch and drive.


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## Reg

treemandan said:


> I was about to laugh at the whole thing when I heard what sounded like block pulley hitting the ground so then I was just shocked... apalled even.
> 
> No, I ain't got nothing like that Reg, I hope I never do. I would have redirected the pull line and hooked it to the truck. I do have winch on that, its kinda slow, not as slow as that one so sometimes I just hook it to the hitch and drive.



Always glad to spread laughter into peoples lives Dan, my take on treework is no exception.

I didn't make or own the winch, was just asked to try it. Pulley hitting the ground....so? I wasn't about to run over there and catch it. I have lots of pulley's, for various tasks. Normally I'd have felled the tree the other way, so no truck, winch or pulley!

For remote access it has grown on me since that video was made, but have also discovered plenty of 'Dont's' to adhere to.

NCtree I think its the same one in Baileys, made in Canada. Thanks


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## treemandan

Reg said:


> Always glad to spread laughter into peoples lives Dan, my take on treework is no exception.
> 
> I didn't make or own the winch, was just asked to try it. Pulley hitting the ground....so? I wasn't about to run over there and catch it. I have lots of pulley's, for various tasks. Normally I'd have felled the tree the other way, so no truck, winch or pulley!
> 
> For remote access it has grown on me since that video was made, but have also discovered plenty of 'Dont's' to adhere to.
> 
> NCtree I think its the same one in Baileys, made in Canada. Thanks


 
Yes, it was only the winch that made me want to laugh. It sure was screaming for a awhile there then the intermission. 

What I really don't like about the thing is the anchor point on the aluminum case. There is much torque being put on winches.

On the back leaner all that was holding was the rather weak looking anchor point which is under torque as well as pull. The machine looked and sounded overloaded. Everybody is quick to say how strong aluminum is til it breaks. The way its used on the winch gives me suspiscions. I was surprised to see you put all your trust into one anchor point but its nice to see you crash things... well not on pulleys. :msp_tongue:

That one place did look like a Hell hole, a fun Hell hole.


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## Reg

treemandan said:


> Yes, it was only the winch that made me want to laugh. It sure was screaming for a awhile there then the intermission.
> 
> What I really don't like about the thing is the anchor point on the aluminum case. There is much torque being put on winches.
> 
> On the back leaner all that was holding was the rather weak looking anchor point which is under torque as well as pull. The machine looked and sounded overloaded. Everybody is quick to say how strong aluminum is til it breaks. The way its used on the winch gives me suspiscions. I was surprised to see you put all your trust into one anchor point but its nice to see you crash things... well not on pulleys. :msp_tongue:
> 
> That one place did look like a Hell hole, a fun Hell hole.



I would assume Dan thats its been tested to destruction at some point in development....and that it will stall long before it breaks free. It took somewhere just over 2000lb to pull the leaner, I admittedly thought it'd take slightly less than that, but not to worry.

That video was probably about 3 years ago, and yeah Ive had it on its knees many times....but apart from chewing up a few ropes you know its still starts and runs pretty much the same.


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