skidding logs with tractor?

[difflock]

I aye intended to get the valve stems protected on the old DB, plus running with brand new condom thin sidewall radials at about 12psi.

I did replace and re-route the somewhat exposed and 30plus years perished power steering hyd hoses.

Only hobby usage, but I have cleared probably 2 or 3 acres of windthrown rubbish in moss.

Over the past few years, plus cleared overgrown "roddens"

Without serious mishap, nor indeed breaking any glass, or damaging the tractor or a tyre.

Owner/driver bit counts for a lot.

Before I got the winch I skidded with 3 made up chains (actually discarded swing chains) and hooks from discarded chain tensioners (fished from a skip) all pulling from the "A" frame of a hydraulic link box.

It worked for me.

Plus as a hobby one is not under the same pressure.

PS

For that application I might like to try the linkage mounted hydraulic tongs.

Either to skid long lengths, or carry shorter lengths.

Though one might need a bigger heavier tractor with more lift capacity.

Ideally one ballasted with a grapple equipped loader on the front.

Useful for stacking surely?

The other consideration is how hard and dry is the 200m wide field.

and can you pick and choose your weather windows.

Good luck.

Marcus

Darn it I need to larn to type much faster.

Edited April 19, 2013 by difflock

[Craig.]

If your making some thing like the grab in the photo, and it`s a clearfell, how about getting a old trailer chassis and making a single bunk on it, cut and stack at the stump, load using the grab a bit time consuming loading only a few lenghts at a time, but unload quite quick, and should get a tidy stack roadside.

[Ryan]

I have only been in the field once for half an hour and conditions were very good. As I say its only for firewood and I am in no panic so I can pick weather conditions to suit. if I had the first lorry load home before end June id be happy enough, at least that would be this winter sorted.

 

Craig I have a small fraser tipping trailer but its only single axle. I had thought of making up a removable frame with a couple of large "U" shapes and forward them out with that. It would need to be real dry for the single axle trailer though

 

Thanks for all the comments so far, giving me plenty to consider

[mendiplogs]

We are winching and skidding at the moment (see pic from today) and then converting before forwarding - the ground is too side-sloped to convert in the cover and forward out. About 450 ton of it is being skidded; it's not that bad and in this job is the best solution by far. Important imo is to skid full length - not less and certainly not short pieces - the butt can dig in and the whole stick pole-vault over forwards onto the tractor! It's true that the wood gets dirtied by skidding and chain sharpening becomes twice as regular; I tried MC chain but couldn't be arsed with it in the end.

 

HI TCD nice looking job there mate well done mate jon

[Chris Sheppard]

As they're all small diameter trees, and it's all for your own use, I'd look at something like an ATV timber trailer and cut to something like 2m or similar and hand load/stack.

 

Either that or just get someone in to forward it from stump.

 

5 acres isn't a huge area, Buying a forwarding trailer would be a bit overkill I reckon.

 

Skidding small diameter trees is just a pain in the arse. Takes as long to choker a small tree as it does a larger one, but for less reward and no matter how well you choker them, one will always fall out of it's chain before you get to the landing

[treedweller]

Do it like TimbercutterD skid them out whole then convert and load with a set of forks. It's all well and good hiring forwarders and buying timber trailers but this isn't a commercial operation the chaps got some standing timber to do what he want's with. What will he do with his timber trailer when this jobs done??

[Stubby]

Going to murder his chain converting after skidding though !

[AlvinD]

Put a traffic cone at the top end of the logs

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Going to murder his chain converting after skidding though !

 

The pic I added shows that the butts are pulled as high up towards the winch cable outlet as possible and the winch itself is lifted. Thus the first few metres stay off the ground, less ground damage is done and less dirt gets on the stick.

 

Like I said, tried multicut chain but didn't make that much difference; you just have to accept you'll be sharpening a few times in a day. A decent brash mat in the skid-road makes a significant difference. Picking up wet sod and stones is undesirable; friable loose earth is bearable.

 

You can see in the pics that really the wood is pretty clean. Any missed pegs (naughty naughty - smooth snedding please) tend to collect dirt.

 

I forgot to mention that the racks run along the hillside not up and down it as it's planted long and thin; normal forwarding straight down hill isn't an option due to two leats running along the slopes aswell!

Edited April 21, 2013 by TimberCutterDartmoor

[slack ma girdle]

Skidding out in whole lengths for what you want is going to be the way forward. Make yourself an A frame for the back of the tractor. I made mine for £20 and has pulled out about 1500 m3 so far.. Don't bother with short lenghts they will either get lost on the way out or snag and flick onto the tractor, or both

If you want i can send some pictures of my A frame for inspe.ration