# Made a cant hook



## YarraValleyDude (Apr 17, 2010)

Guys, this i my attempt at a cant hook, I've never used one before so i don't know what to expect from it.
Seems to work ok on logs up to about 24", its just built from some scraps i had lying around from other projects.
Handle is 5' long Ali scaffold pipe and the hook 20mm round bar bent to shape in a press. The spike is a M12HT capscrew sharpened to a point.
A few pics for you..and let me know what you think and if it need improving.



















Rob


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## stipes (Apr 17, 2010)

*I like it!!!*

Looks like you did a good job on it!!! Nothing to improve if it works good for ya!!!


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## YarraValleyDude (Apr 17, 2010)

stipes said:


> Looks like you did a good job on it!!! Nothing to improve if it works good for ya!!!



Thanks Stripes, i was thinking of adding an extra piece of pipe at 90Deg right on the bottom to lift the logs a couple of extra inches off the ground?
I guess this could be bolted on and turned into position the in lifting mode, if it dosn't work i can take it off and use it as is. Thoughts?

Rob


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## stipes (Apr 17, 2010)

*You can try it...*

To me,,it might be in the way ...Your setup looks good now....Me I'm always lovin to try new things.....


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## ShoerFast (Apr 17, 2010)

The grabber hook-point should be more aggressive, (turned around) so it would be more ready to bite into the wood. 

If the flat-side bites into the the log, and the angle were behind the direction of pull, it would work a little better, you might find?

Fantastic job, *A-* !


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## YarraValleyDude (Apr 18, 2010)

stipes said:


> To me,,it might be in the way ...Your setup looks good now....Me I'm always lovin to try new things.....



Ok, I'll this one as is and may make another when time permits, will need two anyway to move longer logs, cheers for your thoughts mate.


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## YarraValleyDude (Apr 18, 2010)

ShoerFast said:


> The grabber hook-point should be more aggressive, (turned around) so it would be more ready to bite into the wood.
> 
> If the flat-side bites into the the log, and the angle were behind the direction of pull, it would work a little better, you might find?
> 
> Fantastic job, *A-* !



Thanks for the tip ShoerFast, I'll have to try that as it does slip sometimes especially on dry timber with thick bark.


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## gtsawyer (Apr 18, 2010)

I love to see folks fabricating their own stuff - nice job and great pictures. I don't have tools/place/time/skill to do much of my own, so I can do a bit of vicarious living through folks like you.

Very cool.


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## MR4WD (Apr 18, 2010)

YarraValleyDude said:


> Ok, I'll this one as is and may make another when time permits, will need two anyway to move longer logs, cheers for your thoughts mate.



Simply cut the hook off and reweld it, no big deal. Other than that, looks really good. You can also try cutting the "hook" you made off and re-welding a sharpened 1/2" bolt in it's place. I've made a lot of them and that one looks pretty good.


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## YarraValleyDude (Apr 18, 2010)

gtsawyer said:


> I love to see folks fabricating their own stuff - nice job and great pictures. I don't have tools/place/time/skill to do much of my own, so I can do a bit of vicarious living through folks like you.
> 
> Very cool.



Cheers gtsawyer, i'm glad you enjoyed the pics and my handy work.



> Simply cut the hook off and reweld it, no big deal. Other than that, looks really good. You can also try cutting the "hook" you made off and re-welding a sharpened 1/2" bolt in it's place. I've made a lot of them and that one looks pretty good.



Another good tip, great stuff fellas.
I'll do that, cut the tip off and add the sharpened bolt, it shouldn't slip after that.


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## Andrew96 (Apr 18, 2010)

With a sharpened bolt protruding through the round stock (don't make it too short), if you do have dry wood...you can reach down and hammer it in with a rock, chunk of wood...or even a hammer..without flattening the pipe of the arm. Nice tool. Hmm...just noticed the arm might not be hollow stock...but still, don't make the bolt too short.


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## rarefish383 (Apr 18, 2010)

Looks GOOD, Since your spike is in a welded on nut you can experiment with different length spikes in just a couple minutes, real good job, Joe.


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## rarefish383 (Apr 18, 2010)

Sorry, at second look the nut doesn't look to be welded on. Is that a sharpened bolt going all the way through the pipe? If so, you can still change it for a longer one in a few minutes. I still say great job, Joe.


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## BobL (Apr 18, 2010)

As others have said the critical thing is the angle of the (back of the) hook to the log and this is affected by things like how far the tip of the hook and the other point digs into the bark.






Ideally the angle between the back of the hook and the log should be on the shallower side like C.
The other hook I made is shown in B. While the hook angle looks as shallow as yours in A, the angle for B is affected by the rotation of the image (RHS is rotated towards the front). If B was flat it would show a shallower angle than yours. 

Your hook should work fine for rolling logs on a flatish surface but I would be careful about being behind it if you were rolling a log up a slope. If you do that then kicking a block of wood along in front of your feet while you roll the roll is one option.

I find two hooks very useful because two people can work a log simultaneously and of course they can also move a bigger or more irregular shaped log.

Have you tried this test yet?


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## RVALUE (Apr 18, 2010)

BobL said:


> As others have said the critical thing is the angle of the (back of the) hook to the log and this is affected by things like how far the tip of the hook and the other point digs into the bark.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Is that what is meant by "down under?"














Really good points, though.


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## RVALUE (Apr 18, 2010)

Many good points, here...

Good job for never having seen one, etc. It's easy to criticise after the fact.

Good start..


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## YarraValleyDude (Apr 18, 2010)

> With a sharpened bolt protruding through the round stock (don't make it too short), if you do have dry wood...you can reach down and hammer it in with a rock, chunk of wood...or even a hammer..without flattening the pipe of the arm. Nice tool. Hmm...just noticed the arm might not be hollow stock...but still, don't make the bolt too short.



Thanks Andrew, I'll have a bit of a play around with it, by putting a sharpened bolt on the hook it should be better and yes the hook is soilt 20mm bar stock.



> Looks GOOD, Since your spike is in a welded on nut you can experiment with different length spikes in just a couple minutes, real good job, Joe.
> Yesterday 08:54 PM



Thanks Joe for the reply

BobL, Gday mate another Aussie i see.Thankyou for taking the time to put up those pics They really help to get the point across as to how these hooks should work.

Yes I've have tried that test by accident as i had a heap of logs to cut up that were stacked 6' high, pretty scary moving logs in that situation on your pat malone. The day went without incident thank god but my back was pretty sore after 9hrs on the saw cutting dirty wood
Those are some real nice tools you have made there mate, look great!



> Many good points, here...
> 
> Good job for never having seen one, etc. It's easy to criticise after the fact.
> 
> Good start..


Cheers Mate, It'll be right in the end, just need to get over this flu so i can get back to work.


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## Old Hilly (Apr 20, 2010)

YVD, mate if that 20mm round bar starts to straighten out, bend it back into shape and then weld another section of bar the same shape behind it. That way you end up with a sort of lamination that will be a lot stronger than just the 2 sections of steel on their own. Then you will bend/break the handle. Eventually you will end up with a hook that is so strong you will never be able to break it because it will be so heavy that you won't be able to lift it!
Dennis.


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## YarraValleyDude (Apr 20, 2010)

Old Hilly said:


> YVD, mate if that 20mm round bar starts to straighten out, bend it back into shape and then weld another section of bar the same shape behind it. That way you end up with a sort of lamination that will be a lot stronger than just the 2 sections of steel on their own. Then you will bend/break the handle. Eventually you will end up with a hook that is so strong you will never be able to break it because it will be so heavy that you won't be able to lift it!
> Dennis.



Good idea Hilly, cheers for that mate.
That will certainly solve any bending issues and will be easy to do if the need arises.So far so good though, in its current form.


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## bobt (Apr 20, 2010)

Nice job on your cant hook! Lots of good info from critics as well. I will offer a simple way to improve the angle of attack for the point of the hook.

Before you cut off the point or anything else, why not simply bend the bottom part of the hook a little more. If you look at cant hooks, the end of the hook is bent into a sort of "J" shape. Yours is more of a "C" shape. By bending it into a "J" it would present the point in a more aggressive angle. This would be an easy thing to do. Just heat it and bend,,,,,yes?

What do you think?

Bob


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## YarraValleyDude (Apr 21, 2010)

bobt said:


> Nice job on your cant hook! Lots of good info from critics as well. I will offer a simple way to improve the angle of attack for the point of the hook.
> 
> Before you cut off the point or anything else, why not simply bend the bottom part of the hook a little more. If you look at cant hooks, the end of the hook is bent into a sort of "J" shape. Yours is more of a "C" shape. By bending it into a "J" it would present the point in a more aggressive angle. This would be an easy thing to do. Just heat it and bend,,,,,yes?
> 
> ...



Hi Bob, yes that would be real easy to do in the press, i guess i just need to have a bit of a play around with it to get it working better.
At the moment I'm suffering from a bad case of the flu and am almost bed ridden so i can't get in to the shed for a lil' while.
With all the help I'm recieving from you guys i should no problem making the ultimate cant hook.

Rob


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## stipes (Apr 21, 2010)

*Get well soon....*



YarraValleyDude said:


> Hi Bob, yes that would be real easy to do in the press, i guess i just need to have a bit of a play around with it to get it working better.
> At the moment I'm suffering from a bad case of the flu and am almost bed ridden so i can't get in to the shed for a lil' while.
> With all the help I'm recieving from you guys i should no problem making the ultimate cant hook.
> 
> Rob



I guess it's the fall weather and winter coming soon......Spring is here and everything is in bloom,,so I'm coughing and snotting......Get some rest and get back on when ya can.....


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## YarraValleyDude (Apr 29, 2010)

Hey Guys, I'm back on deck now, i don't often get sick but this flu really floored me.

Anyway, since its raining today i thought I'd get up to the shed and mod the cant hook as per your recomendations.
How does it look now?















I've tried to make it more J shaped, and replaced the tooth with a interchangeable sharpened bolt tip.

Rob


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## BobL (Apr 29, 2010)

I reckon the original wedge shaped hook will work better than a sharpened bolt end. I can just see that bolt pointslipping out of the log and causing a problem.


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## Old Hilly (Apr 29, 2010)

I have to agree with BobL, go for a wedge-shaped tooth that will bite into the timber (slip between the "grain" and really bite in). I think the bolt might not bite in too well and cause you to fall upon your backside in a most un-dignified manner at a time just when you really don't want that to happen.


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## YarraValleyDude (Apr 29, 2010)

I'll give it a good work out today as its looking pretty dry today. I made a few points for the hook to try, i guess i could make a screw in tooth should the points fail.
Thanks for your thoughts BobL and Old Hilly


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## Old Hilly (Apr 30, 2010)

Perhaps I should modify what I said about the wedge being better than the pointed bolt. With one of these hooks and in particular with our OZ hardwoods, you need something that will really bite into the timber. Perhaps if the point on the bolt were to be "longer" than it is now, ie. the slope on the point is more gentle, you might just get better penetration. I would think that there is a fine line between a point that penetrates but does not bend and one that is too weak. Just don't ask me what it is!
Dennis


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## YarraValleyDude (May 1, 2010)

Old Hilly said:


> Perhaps I should modify what I said about the wedge being better than the pointed bolt. With one of these hooks and in particular with our OZ hardwoods, you need something that will really bite into the timber. Perhaps if the point on the bolt were to be "longer" than it is now, ie. the slope on the point is more gentle, you might just get better penetration. I would think that there is a fine line between a point that penetrates but does not bend and one that is too weak. Just don't ask me what it is!
> Dennis



I had a bit of a play with it today(the cant hook that is) the species i have on my property are mainly Wattle, Stringybark, Mountain Ash and Blackwood, the pictured point worked fine in the Wattle which has a thin bark but i had to change to a longer one for the thick bark species, its retention in the timber was excellent i must say.
Having the point at the right angle makes all the difference though.


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## Old Hilly (May 1, 2010)

OK. Now we have the prototype that works. When are you going to start production?:jawdrop:
Dennis.


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## bobt (May 1, 2010)

Looking good! Put it to work and have fun! Stay safe!

Bob


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## YarraValleyDude (May 1, 2010)

Old Hilly said:


> OK. Now we have the prototype that works. When are you going to start production?:jawdrop:
> Dennis.



Honestly Dennis I don't think I'd bother, there wouldn't be any demand for them.


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## YarraValleyDude (May 1, 2010)

bobt said:


> Looking good! Put it to work and have fun! Stay safe!
> 
> Bob



Cheers Mate!


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