skidding logs with tractor?

[difflock]

There are very few instances when rank peat moss has its advantages.

But not blunting a chain is certainly one of them.

Helps keep the bar running nice and cool too.

[openspaceman]

There are very few instances when rank peat moss has its advantages.

But not blunting a chain is certainly one of them.

Helps keep the bar running nice and cool too.

 

Wealden clay is fairly easy on the saw too but the nearby bagshot sands cause a lot of wear

[Big Bolt]

sometimes i have pulled em out in one piece and sorted the timber in one spot then the loader takes the brash to burn

[Ryan]

Im heading off tomorrow with my new attachments to start skidding out the 200 or so trees I have felled and stripped in the last couple of weekends. I made an attachment for the 3 point linkage to lift the butts clear of the ground for skidding and then a grab for the front loader of the tractor to aid with stacking the logs at the roadside for collection. Heres what I came up with

 

This is the skidding arm lowered for connecting logs.

 

And lifted up the butts will clear the ground

 

 

This is the grab. The rams a little short reducing the travel but im on the look out for a longer one or two.

 

And closed

 

Another view

 

[MattyF]

All nicely done now Get some pics up of it all in action !

[pycoed]

Nice fabrication work - I think the grab is tremendous. Just be very careful with that skidding set up because all the pulling force looks to be coming through the top link? And through a pretty good lever too...

I'd definitely rig a choker chain from log to the lower arms or drawbar to take the pulling load, or there's a risk of a back flip especially if going up a steep bank. Be a risk of damaging the toplink housing on the tractor too if you shock load it with a heavy log.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Nice work but I seriously think the wires are too small and will snap in seconds. As above, attach proper choker chains instead.

[Chris Sheppard]

Looks some nicely made stuff

 

Just be very careful with that skidding set up because all the pulling force looks to be coming through the top link? And through a pretty good lever too...

I'd definitely rig a choker chain from log to the lower arms or drawbar to take the pulling load, or there's a risk of a back flip especially if going up a steep bank. Be a risk of damaging the toplink housing on the tractor too if you shock load it with a heavy log.

 

I'd half agree and half disagree with you.

 

I'd not be too worried about the top link as there's some huge loading going to the top link when using a winch, less so when doing the actual skidding.

 

I'd agree though that there's going to be a lot of leverage taking weight off the front of the tractor.

 

Agree with TCD too though about the wires, not sure they'll last very long, especially if you're going to hook thse clips back round the wire.

 

Choker chains and a row of slots on the bar to hook them into would be my suggestion.

[Ryan]

Cheers guys. I agree chains would probably be much better, but I got the rope for free and half a dozen hooks and some rope grips were only a few quid so I thought I give it a go. The rope is 8mm so should be capable in theory of lifting a fair weight and none of my trees are too big.

 

I thought the pressure on the top link might be too much but after some inspection noticed the pressure is taken of the top link by a heavy cast block on the back end and provided it is not shock loaded should be ok.

 

Anyway I tried it out today for a few hours. Skidded about 90 trees into the field, then cut a 16ft length from the butt of each. I then transported these using the grab and loader to the roadside for collection. Most are 18 to 25ft long of usable firewood so I'll take the short top sections home in a trailer behind the landrover. The 16ft lenghts I will get collected by artic lorry. Heres a couple of photos of the skidding. (I'll get some of the grab working next day)

 

Chokers set

 

Butts lifted

 

And the view from the cab. Small load this time. Chokers wouldn't reach any more

Edited May 11, 2013 by Ryan

[Ryan]

If you look at the first photo you will see a couple of the clips on the hooks have been broken allready, though they work fine without the clips. Find the ropes handy to work with and would like to carry on using them if I got better fittings and got the ends crimped as opposed to grips.