Wood retrieval methods

[sawkiller]

Visit your local dump, they often have reams of used cable. The best cable is elevator cable that when it reaches a certain # of hours it gets changed out, but is perfect for mainline cable, 9/16" comes to mind or 1/2". It's strong and very high quality and quite flexible too.
John

Yep, cranes and elevators will dispose of their cable before it is ever even close to being a safety hazard. If you have a friend in eiether one of the businesses buy him some beer and ask for some cable! What you will get will be alot stronger and easier to work with than the stuff from the hardware store.

We have a 5/8 that came off a crane and we moved alot of wood with that cable and a 1450 case dozer (60,000 lb dozer). It has since seen it's demise but we were pretty hard on it and it actually was rubbing a rock on one of the pulls and that is what done it in.

If you want lighter, faster, and more expensive than look into synthetic winch rope. The stuff is so light it will float and extremely strong. The drawbacks are not very abrasion or chemical resistant and UV rays will affect it after extended periods. We put it on a winch at the firehouse and it was impressive and it is alot safer because of its low weight the potential energy stored in it is very little if it breaks.

 

[Big_Al]

It's getting close to snow season up the mountains around here,some of the higher peaks have a couple feet of snow. I don't know where you're cutting at but time is getting short around here. Supposed to be more snow and colder than average temps this winter.

 

[HeX0rz]

Thanks all for the more input. I got a guy who was my teacher in high school but now owns a small surplus store. I'll give him a try for a mil. snatchblock.

I don't think I will find any cable like you guys mention. The dumps are especially tight on getting things from them...

I live in the north panhandle, thats all I'm comfortable to say here. Recently, yes, I have been seeing the snow fly in the mountain ranges. I will not be able to get back up into the mountains for a while probably. I'm gearing up for next year though. For the time being though, we have a family friends place who has many down and dead standing wood that we need to pick out of the land. Will keep us busy for a couple years actually.

Not sure how I'm going to do the whole wood thing for much longer though. Losing the house we are in this spring and could even end up into an apt. Hopefully not, but I'm not thrilled about cutting a bunch of wood and then not having a place to keep it after we move...

 

[deeker]

LogRite ATV arch and Yamaha 660 Grizzly for most everything.

 

[HeX0rz]

Show off, lol!

Is that a spruce log? I don't have the funds for an atv and log arch, lol. I just need a simple system to drag logs up the mountain to the road to buck it up and split it and load it...

 

[deeker]

Show off, lol!

Is that a spruce log? I don't have the funds for an atv and log arch, lol. I just need a simple system to drag logs up the mountain to the road to buck it up and split it and load it...

LogRite makes a small hand operated arch that works for what you want.

And the forest Circus cannot whine, because it has no motor!!

The one used here is under $600, and saves ONE HELL OF a lot of work.

Check out their website.

 

[HeX0rz]

....wait, your saying I can drag a log UP a mountain with that thing?

 

[deeker]

....wait, your saying I can drag a log UP a mountain with that thing?

Yes. Especially with a winch for the bigger ones.

 

[perryst]

Hauling

Here's a couple of methods i have used

 

[HeX0rz]

I find it hard to believe that I could DRAG a log UP a mountainside with the log arch. At 24" DBH average, even 8ft long is damn heavy. Maybe if I were to put a choker around the handle bars to the log so the arch lifts it up and then choke the free end I could winch it up the hill. But pulling it up a mountainside by myself, I find that hard to believe.

 

[deeker]

I find it hard to believe that I could DRAG a log UP a mountainside with the log arch. At 24" DBH average, even 8ft long is damn heavy. Maybe if I were to put a choker around the handle bars to the log so the arch lifts it up and then choke the free end I could winch it up the hill. But pulling it up a mountainside by myself, I find that hard to believe.

A winch is a huge help with the larger logs.

LogRite has one that handles a 26"dbh with a two man handle. Not the junior arch like the one I showed. But a two man arch with a winch...will pull more than you might expect.

We have used the ATV arch to move up very steep hills, trees that were 20' feet long and 25"dbh with the truck pulling it up. We used a couple of logging chains to hitch the arch to the truck which was in a paved parking area.

It is over 50% easier if the log is lifted on one end. Versus dragging the entire log. If the log can be lifted completely off the ground, then it is even easier.

Look at their website and their videos.

 

[perryst]

Sorry

Sorry I did'nt realize you were dragging up a mountain side
How about a gas powered capstan winch. You are only limited by the amount of rope. I have a 2 stroke capstan winch with approx 600' of rope that works great, although I have'nt hauled up a mountain side

 

[deeker]

Sorry I did'nt realize you were dragging up a mountain side
How about a gas powered capstan winch. You are only limited by the amount of rope. I have a 2 stroke capstan winch with approx 600' of rope that works great, although I have'nt hauled up a mountain side

Welcome to the site.

Your pic shows the LogRite ATV arch. Like mine.

Works great, and saves a lot of time.

Kevin

 

[JAL]

I use a 3/4" x 350 ft rope with a boat cleet attached to a 2" reciver hitch.

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[Alaskat]

Aside from the typical arch I also use a cone made from a pressure tank when just dragging logs on frozen ground or snow. I also have a 100' foot of 12mm austrian wire rope from my old hagglunds winch i use along w/ snatch blocks. I have several electric winches up to a new 15,000 Lb rated Warn but I would not consider using them for logging for they are to slow. I use a 450 JD dozer W/ winch 700 Polaris wheeler and a Mecedes Unimog 406 and 96 Cummins Dodge depending on location I also have used a Hagglunds BV 206 for extracting trees I had a flatbed on rear and ginpole w/ 15K Sepson winch. Happy trails

 

[Sandhill Crane]

JAL: Now that's a sweet idea. No knots, and it doesn't matter how tight or how wet it gets!

 

[sesmith]

I find it hard to believe that I could DRAG a log UP a mountainside with the log arch. At 24" DBH average, even 8ft long is damn heavy. Maybe if I were to put a choker around the handle bars to the log so the arch lifts it up and then choke the free end I could winch it up the hill. But pulling it up a mountainside by myself, I find that hard to believe.

It's one thing if you're cutting saw logs, but I've always figured why try to kill yourself hauling firewood logs out (if you don't have the right equipment) when all you really need to do is haul the firewood out. I cut my firewood in the winter, and buck it where it falls. Sometime the next spring or summer, I haul the rounds to the nearest trail with a DR power wagon. It works great for this. I bring my tractor down the trails and split the wood with the splitter on my tractor, and haul out the split wood with my pickup. Before I got the splitter, I hand split it where it fell and then hauled the split wood to my truck with the power wagon. This might not be the most efficient way to go, but I'm only cutting wood for myself. I usually cut 5-6 full cords per year this way. I also cut a couple of years ahead, so it doesn't matter when I get around to hauling the split wood out.

 

[HeX0rz]

Ultimately what I want to do is go wherever the wood is. Standing or down does not matter as long as it is not rotten. I currently own a 1/2 ton truck but will hopefully acquire a 3/4 ton dodge diesel. I'd like to get a gooseneck trailer to accomodate it. Take the truck, trailer, log splitter, and gear for wood cutting. Cut the wood down, drag to the truck, and split it all and load into the truck. Secure it all down and take it back home. Stack it to season until selling season comes around. If I could get atleast 1 cord a day, business would be very good. That would allow me to make a decent income without aving to worry about someone barking orders at me and telling me when to work.

No, I do not have a vendetta against people in higher authority! :greenchainsaw:

 

[Cedar Row]

Winch

I have a Warn 8000 lb winch on my pickup. With a snatch block, it will (theoretically) pull 16000 lb. I use it frequently when cutting firewood, to move logs and to handle snagged trees. It has 150' of cable and sits on the front of the truck. All you need to carry is short chain to hook to the log.
Saves room for wood in the truck. Pricey, but it is useful for many things, including pulling out a stuck truck.

 

[johncinco]

I have a set of pulleys I'll sell you. $65 shipped to you.

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/tls/2029941199.html