Getting wood out when you can't get in?

[applefarmer]

I have a lot of good trees in the woods that have tipped over the past couple of years with all the rain and wind we have had. Problem is I can't get close to them with a trailer to get them out. I really don't want to tear things up too bad trying to get equipment to them so that only leaves winching them out. As of now I have no winching equipment. What is my best bang for the buck as far as ropes and winches go. Tractors and pto power are no problem if that makes any difference. Thanks.

 

[Guido Salvage]

How many trees and what is your budget? Could you make small paths to use a 4 wheeler or garden tractor with a cart? If you go the winch route, I would check on a Farmi or something equivalent (or maybe an used Timberjack :hmm3grin2orange.

Just remember, dragging wood out can also tear up the ground as well as lodge all sort of debris in the bark that will dull your chains.

 

[Somesawguy]

What's the terrain like? I'll second the garden cart/ wheelbarrow or small trailer.

 

[applefarmer]

What's the terrain like? I'll second the garden cart/ wheelbarrow or small trailer.

Thats the problem they are in low areas with water all around. Very soft ground that doesn't freeze up. There are at least 25-30 large trees mostly maple and oak 20"-30" in diameter. They are scattered around random in a hundred acre woodlot so its not like I would only have to make one skidding trail. I can get within 100' or so of them so I thought if I could cut them in to 10'-20' pieces then yank them up to higher ground.

 

[Turkeyslayer]

If you own a woodlot and/or cut a lot of wood a timber winch for a tractor is a great investment. And if you find you dont like it or use it enough they definitely hold their value.

 

[Turkeyslayer]

Thats the problem they are in low areas with water all around. Very soft ground that doesn't freeze up. There are at least 25-30 large trees mostly maple and oak 20"-30" in diameter. They are scattered around random in a hundred acre woodlot so its not like I would only have to make one skidding trail. I can get within 100' or so of them so I thought if I could cut them in to 10'-20' pieces then yank them up to higher ground.

With a winch this should be no problem.

 

[ken45]

At some point, you have to determine if those particular trees are worth the cost and effort to get them out. 20-30" trees are a lot of work if you don't have the right equipment and/or can't get it to the trees. With a "hundred acre woodlot", it sounds to me like there are easier sources of firewood available.

Even with a winch, trunks that size are going to be a slow process.

YMMV

Ken

 

[applefarmer]

At some point, you have to determine if those particular trees are worth the cost and effort to get them out. 20-30" trees are a lot of work if you don't have the right equipment and/or can't get it to the trees. With a "hundred acre woodlot", it sounds to me like there are easier sources of firewood available.

Even with a winch, trunks that size are going to be a slow process.

YMMV

Ken

Yep your right, there are far easier places to cut wood. I just can't stand watching them rot. Most of them are still alive as part of the roots are still in the ground so I wouldn't have to do this all at once.

 

[branchbuzzer]

At some point, you have to determine if those particular trees are worth the cost and effort to get them out. 20-30" trees are a lot of work if you don't have the right equipment and/or can't get it to the trees. With a "hundred acre woodlot", it sounds to me like there are easier sources of firewood available.

Even with a winch, trunks that size are going to be a slow process.

YMMV

Ken

That's what I was thinking, plus things can get hung up and then you're wading around in the muck to free it up. If it was me I might try it with shorter lengths, the less weight the fewer probs you'll get into.

For those of you in the non-mechanized division of the firewood army, I've gotten stuff out of soft clay swamps like that by using planks and a wheelbarrow. If it's really soft you can put small logs or boards cross-wise under the planks to spread the weight over a wider area, like a mini corduroy causeway. But when it's standing water, at some point it's better to look elsewhere.

 

[hanniedog]

What size tractor do you have? Trying to pull a 30in log will reguire a bit of testosterone. Front wheel drive is a must.

 

[logbutcher]

Thats the problem they are in low areas with water all around. Very soft ground that doesn't freeze up. There are at least 25-30 large trees mostly maple and oak 20"-30" in diameter. They are scattered around random in a hundred acre woodlot so its not like I would only have to make one skidding trail. I can get within 100' or so of them so I thought if I could cut them in to 10'-20' pieces then yank them up to higher ground.

Try an ATV. This woodlot is not only boggy, but bony and rolling. ATVs can move where larger rigs cannot with minimal trail making. My Honda Foreman with Subaru trailer has soft tires --~3 PSI --so it rolls over soft ground and snow. It will skid out smaller logs not longer than 16' and not more than 24" DBH over snow for bucking. For firewood, I buck, load the butts, then pile near the splitters for later splitting and stacking. GoodBody time.

Never seen oaks or Hard/Sugar Maples grow with wet feet......here at least. Your winter as ours has been unusually warm and snowless ( AlGore ).

Forgot: sometimes I have to "bridge" wet holes with junk softwood from blowdowns--called "corderoy road"--to get where the wood is.

 

[applefarmer]

What size tractor do you have? Trying to pull a 30in log will reguire a bit of testosterone. Front wheel drive is a must.

The biggest is a 95 horse 4x4 new holland. I would prefer to use a older 60 horse but it is only 2 wheel drive

 

[applefarmer]

Try an ATV. This woodlot is not only boggy, but bony and rolling. ATVs can move where larger rigs cannot with minimal trail making. My Honda Foreman with Subaru trailer has soft tires --~3 PSI --so it rolls over soft ground and snow. It will skid out smaller logs not longer than 16' and not more than 24" DBH over snow for bucking. For firewood, I buck, load the butts, then pile near the splitters for later splitting and stacking. GoodBody time.

Never seen oaks or Hard/Sugar Maples grow with wet feet......here at least. Your winter as ours has been unusually warm and snowless ( AlGore ).

Forgot: sometimes I have to "bridge" wet holes with junk softwood from blowdowns--called "corderoy road"--to get where the wood is.

No they don't grow with wet feet here either. They are on slightly higher spots surronded by wet areas.

 

[Steve NW WI]

The biggest is a 95 horse 4x4 new holland. I would prefer to use a older 60 horse but it is only 2 wheel drive

60 ponies oughta do just fine. My 180 MF at 65HP and 9700# makes a fine farmer skidder. I can and do pull 20" dia full trees with it. MFWD is a nice accessory, but if it was necessary, there wouldn't be millions of 2wd tractors out there.

A winch is still on my wish list, but I have ropes, chains, a couple pulleys, and some straps that will cover just about any need I have.

Logbutcher's on it with the corduroy road idea if you want to do it on the cheap. A mat of brush and junk saplings will do wonders at keeping you up on top of the mud.

 

[darkbyrd]

I use one of these Portable Winch

I LOVE IT! Get you some good ropes (plug: from one of our sponsors!) pulleys, clips, and a skidding cone, and NOTHING will stop you! I've pulled down 150' hangups, 24" logs up hills the goats don't climb, several big logs through the woods to the skidding road. Portable power, unlimited reach, and with multiple pulleys (which I rarely need) power to burn!

[video=youtube;dWneUE2F9FU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWneUE2F9FU[/video]

 

[jimmyrup]

I have a lot of good trees in the woods that have tipped over the past couple of years with all the rain and wind we have had. Problem is I can't get close to them with a trailer to get them out. I really don't want to tear things up too bad trying to get equipment to them so that only leaves winching them out. As of now I have no winching equipment. What is my best bang for the buck as far as ropes and winches go. Tractors and pto power are no problem if that makes any difference. Thanks.

Yea, get a 4 wd L series kubota with the largest capacity loader and a grapple .Good Equipment is the only way to go unless ur in ur 20's and got too much time on ur hands and want a bad back in ur future

 

[genesis5521]

Hi Darkbyrd:

I've done extensive research on that very same portable capstan winch (PCW-5000), and really like it. I figure around $1500 for everything I'd want (winch, skidding cone, couple of snatch blocks, and rope). Is that about right? Which rope do you use? Are there any drawback to this set-up? It's more expensive then a Lewis Winch, but I like the idea of unlimited rope length. And the power doesn't decrease as it would with a drum winch. Any info you can provide (both pro and con) will be greatly appreciated by all.

Thanks Darkbyrd,

Don <><

 

[darkbyrd]

Hi Darkbyrd:

I've done extensive research on that very same portable capstan winch (PCW-5000), and really like it. I figure around $1500 for everything I'd want (winch, skidding cone, couple of snatch blocks, and rope). Is that about right? Which rope do you use? Are there any drawback to this set-up? It's more expensive then a Lewis Winch, but I like the idea of unlimited rope length. And the power doesn't decrease as it would with a drum winch. Any info you can provide (both pro and con) will be greatly appreciated by all.

Can't speak to the price. I use double braid rope, and usually stuff that my father no longer uses for climbing and rigging because of damage, there's a whole lot less on the line when you're just dragging logs around. Drawbacks, well, the machine is kinda heavy, so if you can't get equipment to it, you're dragging this thing around. But that's just a price you pay. I have a large duffel bag I keep my 150' rope, several slings, several single pulleys, one double pulley, and a crescent wrench (you'll want that after you load some of those clips down!). I've skidded several logs several hundred yards with it. It works. It works great. It works great when you're alone. It's even better when you have help, but you don't need it. I have a couple of 3' steel bars I sometimes drive into the ground to hold the winch when I don't have an anchor tree handy. Sometimes that works. On the end of my skidding rope, I have a chain hook tied on, so it is quick and easy to hook to the chain on the skidding cone. The winch has an oil sensor, so if it tilts too much it shuts off, you'll quickly get the hang of how it likes to work. Pull the rope with fingertips most times. You can burn your rope up if you overload it, if it's not pulling, you need to do something different. Had it 2 years, not real heavy use, and has held up great. The clips on the machine, the bolts, came loose and lost one, put loctite on the nuts as soon as you get it.

What can I say? HIGHLY recommended if you're willing to invest in it.

 

[zogger]

60 ponies oughta do just fine. My 180 MF at 65HP and 9700# makes a fine farmer skidder. I can and do pull 20" dia full trees with it. MFWD is a nice accessory, but if it was necessary, there wouldn't be millions of 2wd tractors out there.

A winch is still on my wish list, but I have ropes, chains, a couple pulleys, and some straps that will cover just about any need I have.

Logbutcher's on it with the corduroy road idea if you want to do it on the cheap. A mat of brush and junk saplings will do wonders at keeping you up on top of the mud.

That's how they move the excavator here when it has to go into swampy areas. Left and right, knock down stuff and lay it across the road forward. Move up, do it again.

With that said, I always wondered how something like a snow cat with extra wide treads would do in the mud.

 

[zogger]

Dedicated bogger

If it is just for offroad on your farm use, find you an older good running 4wd truck now make a BOGGER. Being strictly offroad, you can go nuts with it, and go way beyond street tires. Big lift kit, then install the largest widest gnarliest wheels and tires you can. You've seen the big singles they use on farm spreader trucks, the "illegal for road use" size? Them babies. In fact I have had the thought one of those spreader trucks slightly modified would be slick for firewood, if you could get the rounds up into the back of it. Figure out how to open up the back some and use the built in conveyor for unloading....somehow....

Cheapest conversion most guys do to a pickup is a set of army truck rockwells, front and rear axles and then whatever wheels and tires. You will get from point A to B with that conversion.

I see deals sometimes on CL where guys have already done all the work, built nice trucks with the rockwells, then for some reason sell them or have to sell them for about what the parts cost them. Usually something like they built them as a toy, then a new baby on the way and they need something more practical, like a minivan...heh.

For that matter, you can get a deuce for what they want for one of them little high end ATVs or a used "normal" pickup. A lot of them come with a built in heavy duty winch. Drive to where you can, now winch out the log.

For real small and ability to get into the woods and back out, including dragging out some logs, check out rokon.com. That's the smallest most maneuverable offroad thing I have ever seen. It's basically an inline 2wd compact tractor. It just looks like a bike. That and a log arch could work.

After that, you can always go retro and use a horse/ox/mule/donkey.