Tool to raise logs off ground for sawing! (log jack)

[Marine5068]

Peavys and Cant Hooks have been around for a long long time and are used professionally at log mills. Not sure how long the log jacks have been in use but I imagine quite a while.
Actually the Peavy was designed and forged in 1858 by Joseph Peavy, a blacksmith from Stillwater Maine. He made a rigid clasp to encircle the cant dog handle with the hook on one side. It moved up and down, but not sideways. All loggers have used it ever since.
Check out these puppies at the attached link.
Very unique brand of professional logging tools with aluminum handles.
http://store.logrite.com/

 

[flyfshrmn]

peaveys, cant hooks and log jacks

I have several of these and find them indispensable when handling really big rounds and working on big trees. They're also very useful when working by yourself with a splitter. I have never managed to break a handle, even handling rounds as heavy as 1500 lbs. Two people, with two peaveys, can lift a round that size from flat on the ground to vertical. The biggest problem with them is that the hook has to really be set well to move heavy stuff. I like to set the hook and lift against the point, so it pulls the point further into the piece. I sharpen the hook points with a double cut file so they bite. Don't put a needle point on them; it will just dull quickly and bend. Shaft points also have to be sharp but not thin.

One of the best uses for the peavey is to break loose rounds that have been cut almost all the way through, but are lying on the ground. Set the hook and rock at about a 30 degree angle, back and forth, and they come right off the log. Also great for moving irregular pieces onto the splitter lift. Use the peavey to break off big rounds that might roll or endanger the cutter if they release suddenly. The handle gives you a lot more distance from the round.

The log jack is great for working around stuff on hard or rocky ground where you absolutely don't want to stick your saw bar in the dirt. And it works well with jackstraw piled wood, to move a piece up and cut it to free from the pile. They're easy to fabricate from scrap pieces and pipe and if you have a welder, very easy to build and a lot cheaper than buying them retail. I've made several of them, using old car jack handles for the hook. I build them so the lift will move the log about 4 inches off the ground. If you work in soggy stuff, you can flatten out the lift bottom so they don't sink into the mud as much. Or put a flat piece of wood under the jack portion.

I have a short handled peavey that I use around the splitter. It's especially handy for rocking jammed pieces off the wedge. A lot safer than swinging a sledgehammer at your splitter.

 

[Marine5068]

Great stuff Flyfisher.
Awesome info and thanks for the tips and such.
I guess I should build a log jack....It's going on my welding-to-do list now.
I'll need one of each if I keep getting large log cuts from all of my friends and neighbours.
By chance do you have any pics of the log jacks you've built? Just so I have some ideas to start with.
Thanks again. Gettin' Good reps for this one.
~Stan

 

[branchbuzzer]

I usually use a peavey rather than a jack, most of the time rolling logs over is enough to finish cuts.

Peaveys come in handy moving large sawlogs around, especially in areas where machines can't get in. They are nice for 'spinning' logs to help get them down steep hills and around obstacles by turning one end of a log while blocking the other.

A neighbor has one that's been in the family for close to 100 years with a supposedly original hickory handle.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

I understand not wanting to spend a lot of money on a specialty tool for occasional use. Then I ask myself a couple of questions. Will the cheaper tool hurt me if it fails? Is it an occasional use or a seasonal use tool? If it is a seasonal tool, a quality tools cost can be rationalized over a number of years. In the case of a cant hook and peavey I bought Log-Rite's with 48" handles and a foot or leg stand. I enjoy using them, and therefor, use them more often, which to me means I'm working safer, cleaner (keeping the chain out of the dirt), with longer chain/bar life. More often than not I do multiple cuts and roll a log to finish it. The log stand must be repositioned often and settles in soft soil, as others have said. Many times I have wished I'd gone with a longer handle on the cant hook.

 

[flyfshrmn]

log jack

Don't have pix right now. I've given away the ones I have here at the house and my others are at my other place up north. Will get pix and post next time I'm up there.

Use a pic of a wooden one for a template. For the hook, I go to the wreck yards or ask around for old jack handles with the lug wrench on one end. Cut to length and form the hook on an anvil. Grind the point to a wedge shape and temper. I also like to lightly temper the hook once it's formed so it doesn't straighten under load. Weld two flat 1/4 or 5/16 pieces to a black pipe handle of the proper length. I'm using 3/4" heavy wall black pipe. I don't go over 3 1/2 feet - longer than that and you start bending the handles or the hooks if you try to pick up something too heavy. Drill the flat pieces for the pivot pin. I usually cut them so they are elliptical with the wide part at the top for pin placement. Flatten the pin end of the hook slightly and drill for the pin. Weld the jack piece out of small sections of pipe, then weld it to the handle. This is the weakest part of the jack, at these welds, so take your time and get good penetration and good welds here. I'm still trying different methods of attaching the jack to get a strong joint. Once it's all done, I clean all the rust off and primer with a rust inhibiting primer paint. Don't cap the ends of the jack or the handle. You want them open, so they will dry and not corrode after getting wet.

 

[woodbooga]

I usually use a peavey rather than a jack, most of the time rolling logs over is enough to finish cuts.

Peaveys come in handy moving large sawlogs around, especially in areas where machines can't get in. They are nice for 'spinning' logs to help get them down steep hills and around obstacles by turning one end of a log while blocking the other.

A neighbor has one that's been in the family for close to 100 years with a supposedly original hickory handle.

I got one of them oldie peavies. Damn fine tool. I've heard tell of these logrites. Interesting concept. Prolly works good. Mine peavey costed $5. I heat with wood to save money, bottom line. I like good tools, but the $20, $40, $60 equipment purchases add up after awhile. Save circa $2000 in coin annually heating with wood. It would kind of take the edge off from that bottom line were I to go too deep into equipment that would be nice to own but not absolutely necessary.

 

[branchbuzzer]

I got one of them oldie peavies. Damn fine tool. I've heard tell of these logrites. Interesting concept. Prolly works good. Mine peavey costed $5. I heat with wood to save money, bottom line. I like good tools, but the $20, $40, $60 equipment purchases add up after awhile. Save circa $2000 in coin annually heating with wood. It would kind of take the edge off from that bottom line were I to go too deep into equipment that would be nice to own but not absolutely necessary.

I've been trying to find one by looking in junk stores and antique shops. Not many people know what they're used for, so I might just find one collecting dust.

 

[flyfshrmn]

peaveys and log jacks

I'm always on the lookout for older ones and in fact, my big one came off of ebay as an antique tool. It was a bit rusty, but cleaned up well and I paid a premium price for the hickory handle, which is six feet long. I don't know how old it is, but it still works well. I don't mind paying extra for good tools. I've had all of my store bought peaveys and log jacks at least five years, most much longer and while initially expensive, their overall cost amortizes down to negligible amounts over a lifetime of cutting wood. They're well worth the cost for what they save in labor, wear and tear on chains and bars, and your back and legs and they make dangerous work safer. The older I get, the more I like levers and hydraulics and peaveys are very well designed levers.

 

[Upidstay]

I was just about to post about these tools when I found this one. Been thinking about getting one of these for a while now. I'm not afraid to spend some extra dough for a good tool. Will steer clear of the Northern tool model

 

[WetBehindtheEar]

I bought the Timber Tough steel timberjack @ TSC. It was $40-odd dollars and helped a lot with a big pile of logs recently.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/outdoo...s/timber-tuff-steel-handle-timberjack-3990131

It is all steel and did ok. The jaw portion didn't always 'grab' the wood so I sometimes had to give it a light 'kick' to seat the spike into the bark.

All logs were around 15' long and at least 10" in diameter. Some were as big as 24" and I didn't try with those - I just cut 90% through and THEN grabbed with the timberjack to roll it 90degrees. I never tried to lift from the middle of the logs either - always on the end. I would get two, maybe three cuts and move the jack further down.


Here's a thread about what I did recently - the second photo in the first post shows the timberjack leaning up against the tree to the right of my buddy who was on the pile.
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?p=2555075#post2555075

 

[indiansprings]

We've made our own log jack with inch and a half pipe, we made our foot 14" long and put a eight foot long handle on it. It will lift all that two of you on the handle can lift. It's a real time saver on the logs we just can't roll.

 

[Dalmatian90]

I'm not afraid to spend some extra dough for a good tool.

Upidstay -- the LogRites are made in Vernon.

I bought mine at a local show from the owner of the company, if you live in central CT you probably could buy one right at the factory to save the UPS shipping charge.

 

[Brazer]

Homemade log jack

Didn't want to spend any money, so I made my own.
I threw a couple of pieces of scrap iron together and made a nice log jack.
Handle is 1 1/4" pipe, 5' handle, double log bites in handle, and a nice big biting arm.
Tell me what you think. When you are like me 67, and a wore out body and back, you retire from
real work, and spend time putting around. I try to work smarter not harder.

 

[zogger]

Didn't want to spend any money, so I made my own.
I threw a couple of pieces of scrap iron together and made a nice log jack.
Handle is 1 1/4" pipe, 5' handle, double log bites in handle, and a nice big biting arm.
Tell me what you think. When you are like me 67, and a wore out body and back, you retire from
real work, and spend time putting around. I try to work smarter not harder.

Looks better than my store bought one!

 

[stihly dan]

Nice, How much is shipping?

 

[Woody912]

got my peavey minus handle for $12 on eBay. 6' handle came from the ash tree in my front yard (several more up there) handle has some curve it so I can go past parallel and it is about 3" in diameter so I can roll the log up on it it I need a log jack. Not the most versatile tool, this is for when I need to roll a big log or an entire tree that I am limbing

 

[Brazer]

Thanks guys

Thanks guys. I was experimenting with a few ideas of how to make.
After seeing what's posted and what they sell, I figured I can make it better
I started with a little more height on the leg, and decided on about 8" high.
With the 2 sharp points on the handle bite, I can use on lighter logs, when placed on the points they don't move.
The shorter leg on foot gives me more leverage on up to 12"-16" logs, while still giving acceptable height off ground.
Never thought of shipping it anywhere.

 

[stihly dan]

Oh, that wasn't made for me.

 

[Hellbent]

Google "LSU log lifter plans" and there is a blueprint for one from the USDA plan service which has all sorts of plans for farmers and rural folks. It uses a 9' piece of 1" sch 40 black pipe IIRC. I have made several of these and they work really well. They will handle some pretty good size logs and can be used somewhat as a peavy. They also sit back and hold the tree up for you really well. Probably set you back 20 bucks and can be made in most any garage shop with a welder. If you need a heavy duty one just supersize it with heavier materials.

I will tell you I think there is some proper proportion to the "hook" and "jaws" to get it to work really well.

If you have any questions feel free to ask... I'm a metal shop teacher and certified welder.

Hellbent