Pickeroon - The Poor Man's Skidder

[Haywire Haywood]

I bought a Logrite Pickeroon a few weeks ago, and just used it once to help unload a truckload of wood. It worked ok as long as I could conveniently sink it into the bark, not so well in the wood. That wasn't really what I bought it for anyway. Today I took it to the woods to use it to skid small logs in the 8-12" range to the truck for bucking and splitting. For that it worked like a charm. For the 12" stuff I'd cut it into 5' sections. For the smaller logs I'd went twice that long. It was so nice not to have to lug 18" sections one at a time.
My only complaint is that it wasn't quite long enough at 30", I wish it was 36". It would also be better if it had a 'D' handle on the end like a shovel for more comfortable pulling. I might rig one. That would effectively lengthen it too.

Ian

 

[scottr]

Ian , would the pickeroon lift one end of a 10" southern red oak 4' long for the poormans skidding ? I like your D handle idea .

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I don't think 4' of red oak will be a problem. It'll pull anything you can. I took the D-handle off of a spare shovel handle that I bought a couple years ago and mounted it up. As it is, the wooden 'D' is mounted to the bracket by a couple of screws and isn't meant to take a lot of pulling. I need to drill a 1/4" hole thru the middle and use a thru bolt instead of the screws. I'll post a pic when I get it finished.

Ian

 

[JamesJems]

that's intriguing...

I was looking at solving the same problem here in the PNW, because we have so much downed wood from the storms that ravaged the coastal areas between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I too, have to move downed trees through the woods and am sick and oh so tired of lugging rounds through the forest two at a time with hatchets.

I'd love to see the finished product. Could it work with 18" inch (max) fir lengths or is that just a bit too heavy? Lately I've been thinking of the Simpson Chainsaw winch (a windlass, actually) but can't justify the cost for salvage/firewood...


Do send pics.

Jamesopcorn:

 

[turnkey4099]

This doesn't help for dragging wood but does work well unloading a PU.

I use a weeding fork, one of those with 3 or 4 tangs bent at a right angle. I can unload the first 3 ricks (from the tailgate) while standing on the ground with one. Of course a pickaroon would work even better but I don't have one of those.

Harry K

 

[alderman]

Has anybody tried a strap?

I use a woven strap for moving lengths around. I'm 6' 4" and the strap is plenty long for easy pulling. The drawback is it does take more time to put onto the wood, but once attached, I've never had it come loose.

Another suggestion: Someone told me to make motor noises while dragging and it makes it easier.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Here's the unfinished product, it won't look much different when I'm done except that the area where the handle is bolted on will be covered in black heat shrink tubing from work. --Ian

 

[scottr]

Ian , thanks for the idea and the picture . It looks like it will be a work and back saver . If I remember correctly , a pickeroon has a barb on the tip that helps hold in the wood fibers as you pull but releases if you pull straight out ?

 

[Haywire Haywood]

It's got a crook to the tip so it doesn't pull out when you're dragging. It still does if you don't get it buried well, but it's not often once you get a feel for it. --Ian

 

[curdy]

I just got one of these 2 days ago. I used it for firewood and skidding this weekend. I have the 30" one as well, although they also come in 24", 36", and 48". I like it a lot as well!

scottr, I was skidding some very solid pieces of oak with it, pretty close to that size too. It'll take it. Just get the spike nice and dug in the end

 

[scottr]

Ian , good closeup picture and information . Curdy , thanks for the information on the oak .

 

[Adkpk]

I use a woven strap for moving lengths around. I'm 6' 4" and the strap is plenty long for easy pulling. The drawback is it does take more time to put onto the wood, but once attached, I've never had it come loose.

Another suggestion: Someone told me to make motor noises while dragging and it makes it easier.

Motor noises??

I got a pickeroon. The old fashion kind. I got just a head and put an axe handle on it. Works great.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Forgot to mention that what I was pulling this weekend was chestnut oak.

Ian