Log Hauler?

[rarefish383]

I love to see the ideas others come up with for taking on heavy jobs. Here's one I had for a log hauler. I looked in the trading post to see if there was a picture to help, but there wasn't. You could try Googling Vermeer 630 or Vermeer model 10. These are two old Vermeer stump grinders. The priciple is the whole carrage squats down to the stump. If you took the cutter wheel off the unit you could back right over the log, drop it down, secure the log with ratchet straps or chain, lift it back up, and drive away. The tounge extends 3 or 4 feet for longer logs, pending on which unit you used. When it gets light out I'll take a couple pics of my 630A hooked up to my JD 265 to give an idea of what I mean, If I found an old juck carrage I'd switch the wheels over to a taller, heavier, truck tire for more clearence. I'll be back with pics soon, Joe.

 

[ChainsawmanXX]

Interesting idea! Ever thought of a Ditch Witch as a skidder as well?

 

[BobL]

Sounds like a good idea.

How much do you think the squatting mechanism could lift?

 

[rarefish383]

It's raining pretty good out so I'm kinda whimpin out on getting the pics right now. The hydraulic cylinder is about 1 1/2" bore with a pretty good mechanical advatage on the pivot point so I'd think it wouold be a pretty heavy log. Still thinking about it as a project, Joe.

 

[silverbullet]

If you can get your hands on a 3 point hitch bucket and remove the bucket you get a great log arch. lower it on the log. chain up the choker on the log and hook it to the arch. lift the 3 point hitch and drag to the landing. I've seen these things sell really cheap on craigslist and at farm auctions.

here's what I came up with. works great. p.s I've added 3 more weights to the front end since this picture.

up close of the choker chain set up

 

[ChainsawmanXX]

If you can get your hands on a 3 point hitch bucket and remove the bucket you get a great log arch. lower it on the log. chain up the choker on the log and hook it to the arch. lift the 3 point hitch and drag to the landing. I've seen these things sell really cheap on craigslist and at farm auctions.

here's what I came up with. works great. p.s I've added 3 more weights to the front end since this picture.

up close of the choker chain set up

How do the turf tires work in the mud? Whats the biggest log you have dragged out?

 

[silverbullet]

They work fairly well it is 4wd and has a differential lock to lock the front and rear together. the extra weights on the front made things alot better, however I wouldn't mind the R4 style tires like on most compact tractors now. The shagbark hickory hooked up in his picture was the top of 2 logs we got out of that tree and it was in the wettest area that we get wood out of and it had rained enough that I was making ruts while dragging this thing out. It was about 16 feet long and 22-24" in diameter. The butt log was about 12 feet long and about 27-29" in diameter. I had to ride on the front of the tractor to keep the wheels on the ground while my dad drove it when we drug the butt log back. Thats the biggest yet. Typically we hook up one bigger log like this and wrap a chain around a few smaller logs and hook it on too.

 

[ChainsawmanXX]

They work fairly well it is 4wd and has a differential lock to lock the front and rear together. the extra weights on the front made things alot better, however I wouldn't mind the R4 style tires like on most compact tractors now. The shagbark hickory hooked up in his picture was the top of 2 logs we got out of that tree and it was in the wettest area that we get wood out of and it had rained enough that I was making ruts while dragging this thing out. It was about 16 feet long and 22-24" in diameter. The butt log was about 12 feet long and about 27-29" in diameter. I had to ride on the front of the tractor to keep the wheels on the ground while my dad drove it when we drug the butt log back. Thats the biggest yet. Typically we hook up one bigger log like this and wrap a chain around a few smaller logs and hook it on too.

Right on!!! Watch them ruts though! they are never good for future logging and forest health!

 

[silverbullet]

the soil was so swampy there that the ruts were gone the next weekend.

 

[Guido Salvage]

I have a friend that has an arch type log cart that he pulls with a Farmall M. It has large aircraft tires on it and a long ram cylinder on top to lift the log. I will get pictures of it and a couple of self propelled carts that a friend's father built when he was in the timber/sawmill business once the rain quits.

 

[Guido Salvage]

Log cart pictures

As promised, here are the pictures. First up is a log cart that a buddy pulls with a Farmall M.

Here are a couple of the home made log carts that my friend's father built.

They have inline Chevy 6 motors and a single front wheel.