Skidding versus Lifting Tongs

[Marky Mark]

I had a makeshift tong setup for moving railroad ties that I had welded to use on the front of my bucket on my Backhoe. I tried to lift a good size oak today and they broke. I was looking in the Bailey's catalog and there are 2 types of tongs. Lifting and skidding. The Lifting are certified for lifting.

I have 20-30ft logs dropped off and what I have been doing is just lifting them and moving them to be bucked and then split. Should I purchase the overhead tongs or will the skidding tongs be enough. I am not standing over the logs just moving them about 50ft.

I like the skidding tongs since I can slip a chain on the hook and I am off and going where the lifting tongs just has a ring.Here's a shot of the skidding tongs.

 

[Marky Mark]

Here are the lifting tongs.

 

[WOLF_RIVER_MIKE]

Hey MM, I believe anything used for overhead has to be rated 5:1 safety factor compared to 2:1 for non overhead. At least that is the way the electric utilities are set up.

 

[NeTree]

Better safe than sorry... I'd go with the lifting tongs. They'll probably outlast the skidders anyway.

 

[dbabcock]

Mark,
If I remember correctly, I once asked you about tongs and you sent me this picture.

 

[ac45]

I think if you look closely between the two, the angle that the points of the hooks dig in may be different. This could be so the skidding tong digs in more were as the lifting tong wraps around the curfved surface before digging in. ????