Winches on the back of a chipper.

[Ax-man]

Those are purty fairlead rollers. Look like they cost some bucks. I haven't needed to replace ours.

When winching at the bottom of a steep hill I always feel like one of the guys off that show the Axemen. We got smart on some of those first hill jobs. Instead of going up and down the hill we either tie a haul back line to the hook or run out enough line and throw the hook and line down the hill to the guy at the bottom.

Playing with redirect pulleys using a winch is always fun and challenging to get things lined up for a straight pull to the chipper.

 

[a_lopa]

Ive got some nice rigging blocks im looking forward to using,Just ordered 150' 8mm dyneema.

Rollers cost me $180 a hotrod shop and steel sales around the corner from my depot made them up,Was good as the town im from isn't that big!

 

[murphy4trees]

Lots of good ideas here..
I've had a winsh on my chipper since 07, and wouldn't buy a chipper without one...

Its a huge improvement in productivitry and time and energy savings..

Had a meduim evergreen last year, no room to drop the whole thing, so I tied off the winsh line to the trunk about 20' up and made a little snap cut, just under the line. I came down and let the winch pull it off the snap cut. Set it up so the top would hang up in other tree on the way out, the winch pulled it over, then sucked the top right out to the drive.

Since I got a skid loader, that gets used mostly for pulling power and feeding big limbs etc, so the winch doesn't see nearly as much action, probably less than 10% of what it used to... STILL worth the money for the time it is needed. It gives the climber a lot more options, knowing that 1500 lbs of pulling power is right there and no time be needed to set up a MA rigging system..

 

[a_lopa]

What make of chippers are you running now Daniel?

 

[murphy4trees]

1590 xp bandit, with 140 hp...

 

[ForTheArborist]

I was wishing I had the electric remote control winch on my truck today while I was using just a power puller to ratchet in the trunk. I'll use that power puller to topple trees when there is property damage even slightly in question, and the angles don't look 100%.

Harbor Freight sells a $60 winch that is remote control. I must take a look at it soon.

 

[a_lopa]

1590 xp bandit, with 140 hp...

Do you find thats big enough with having the skid steer to load the wood?

 

[murphy4trees]

Yes, It's very good... pretty much works out, though I did demo an 1890 with 250 H.P. I AM sure that after chipping with that for a week, not much would make me go back to the 1590... The 1890 is just too heavy for my truck...

I AM a big believer that you should get the biggest chipper you can tow... The chipper is so central to tree work and bigger machines save so0o0o0 much time and energy...

I've got some video shot of the skid steer moving wood and brush, loading the chipper etc.. might get that up for a little more "showing off" on youtube..

 

[GilaShot]

The only way to go!

 

[wravenant]

Amazing

We had a Vermeer with a winch up in Alaska, and used it almost every day. Definatly worth the money, but need an experiences operator to get out its full potential.

 

[outofmytree]

I have had my 1590 (140hp) for 18 months and love her today as much as day 1. Load that girl with a skid steer and she eats it all up.

I have the same experience as daniel in that the more you use a skid steer the less you use the winch. The biggest differnce is the winch is available 100% of the time where the skidder has to be there and be unloaded. I vote for owning both!

 

[mooseracing]

We have a 1/2 in. Spectra line in it, won,t break, no slivers.

Using a synthetic type rope for dragging is about the quickest way to break it down from the inside out. Dirt gets into the fibers and slowly cuts them, that is the one advantage steel/wire rope has.

But saftey and the lightweight of synthetics are nice.

My fairlead rollers had worn the chrome off and were doing the rope no favors so i got some stainless steel rollers made up.

Hawse fairlead is recommended for syn rope applications by many rope makers. There are some Delrin rollers, but the rope makers state that the rope can get cuts when in the corners of the rollers. Also for those switching from steel to syn, sand the drum smooth, and replace your fairlead for the longest life of your new syn rope.

 

[treeman75]

Has anyone put a winch on them selfs? I have seen a thread some where but forget where.

 

[fishercat]

everyone I know ..................

with a winch on their chipper uses it all day everyday.they are a HUGE time saver.

 

[oldirty]

you are a complete moron if you buy a brand new chipper without a winch.

 

[pdqdl]

Not if it is one of those little bitty 6" chippers.

 

[Blackdog]

Wouldn't get a chipper without it in the 10-18inch range. Use it everyday to bring material to chipper, bring line into tree and sling line to chipper (the butt of your branch falls right on the bed and all your man has to do is throw the branch in the chipper.

Pull is rated at 2000Lbs, so I know exactly how much force I'm applying, know I won't break the line rated at 8000, should be able to pull any tree over if pull line is placed properly.

I would never recommend pulling with winch and then pulling forward with a truck or machine to gain pulling power. You have no way of gauging how much tension you are putting in the line with a truck or machine. Would never pull with a truck or machine period! A winch, a man, two men, a fiddle-block assembly, etc. all have very measurable amounts of force. If you don't know how force is applied how can you know if your rope is maxed! How come you don't know how much it takes to pull the tree over?! How could you safely use that line again?! A line might hold at it's maximum tensile strength one time, but will it ever again?

I have a couple of essential tools with our chipper winch:
synthetic line-never kinks, lightweight, never burrs, spools nicely
single-shear block- that serve as redirects around a yard and automatically pop out the line when the lead/choker reaches them.
chain choker with quick release attachment to end of line. Synthetic line will abrade easily when being choked around a butt and dragged across the ground. Just bought a chain choker with three chains and teeth attached to each link to grab brush, vines, briars, and other groups of small diameter material.
Log cart-can roll logs, brush piles, butts of trees felled into supporting trees, and many other things across manicured landscapes.
Heavy duty canvas tarp-pile your trash on and winch it to the chipper!
Wheel barrow-weld a loop down near the wheels and winch your wheel barrow up the hill to the chipper.

Your guys will always be finding ways to use the winch and increase productivity!

One more thing, my winch is stronger and never complains like employees, and never asks why its paycheck isn't bigger!

 

[Bowhunter01]

I was thinking of adding one to my chipper. Was thinking of fabbing one and tying into my hydraulics. I might check with the local hydraulic shop and see what ideas they have. They're a pretty "git er done" type crowd, I think I'd end up with winchasaurus rex if I gave them free rein to build one. I use my bobcat on almost all removal jobs, but a winch would come in handy sometimes cause its always with the chipper.