Building a 3pt Log boom+winch

[XP_Slinger]

I’m going to go pick this up today. I have an adjustable class V pintle hook that I will hang the tongs from. I may put in some better sway bracing depending on how it behaves. The included bolts should be high strength, if they’re not I’ll replace them with grade 8. I like the option of high and low receivers, high for smaller logs, low for the big dogs.

 

[XP_Slinger]

Change of plans, I like this one better, heavier build.

 

[Marshy]

Change of plans, I like this one better, heavier build.
View attachment 112690

Where are you shopping? That looks nice.

No I didn't start building. I'm cutting into my hydronic system today to hook my wood boiler up. This weather is killing me because the ground is frozen and low snow, perfect for cutting and pulling trees right now but 60 is in the forecast!

My walk in the woods yesterday reminded me how many Ash logs I could harvest. Probably not enough to justify selling but too nice to make into firewood. I'm really going to want some sort of 3 pt to drag them out when I'm ready though. Maybe in a week or two... hopefully.

 

[Ryan Browne]

Change of plans, I like this one better, heavier build.
View attachment 112690

Speaking of heavier build, I am impressed both by the strength of that shopping cart and the man who lifted it in there.

 

[XP_Slinger]

Where are you shopping? That looks nice.

No I didn't start building. I'm cutting into my hydronic system today to hook my wood boiler up. This weather is killing me because the ground is frozen and low snow, perfect for cutting and pulling trees right now but 60 is in the forecast!

My walk in the woods yesterday reminded me how many Ash logs I could harvest. Probably not enough to justify selling but too nice to make into firewood. I'm really going to want some sort of 3 pt to drag them out when I'm ready though. Maybe in a week or two... hopefully.

I’m at Runnings in Rome. I’ve got a ton of ash in my woods too. Wish those damn Beatles weren’t coming.

Speaking of heavier build, I am impressed both by the strength of that shopping cart and the man who lifted it in there.

I questioned the integrity of the cart too..lol! Hitch is probably only 100lbs ish, don’t be too impressed. Ha ha!

 

[Jimmy in NC]

Excellent point. My goal is to have the log no more than 16” off the ground regardless of lifting capacity.

Rigging the log so it is only 6", 10", 16" off the ground but the lift fully up... tractor acts like the force is at full height of the lift. That is why a log arch is so nifty. It can be pulled off the draw bar and safely get height. Now pulling off the 3 point high helps plant the rear tires and can transfer front weight to the rear axle get more tractive effort.

I am not saying don't do it... but be aware of the dangers. More people hurt towing a log out of the woods with a farm tractor every year than hurt by a chain saw. Heard of several injuries and fatalities over the years.




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[Jimmy in NC]

Change of plans, I like this one better, heavier build.
View attachment 112690

Nice looking unit. My dad made something similar at one point and did not make it wide enough where my tractor's sway control will come into play. Hard to explain but even all tightened up it sways side to side at least 10". Think I should replace it with a manufactured unit.

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[XP_Slinger]

Rigging the log so it is only 6", 10", 16" off the ground but the lift fully up... tractor acts like the force is at full height of the lift. That is why a log arch is so nifty. It can be pulled off the draw bar and safely get height. Now pulling off the 3 point high helps plant the rear tires and can transfer front weight to the rear axle get more tractive effort.

I am not saying don't do it... but be aware of the dangers. More people hurt towing a log out of the woods with a farm tractor every year than hurt by a chain saw. Heard of several injuries and fatalities over the years.

Sound advice, rest assured that I won’t be going at this blindly thinking I’m invincible on my new tractor. I’ve done A LOT of log skidding with my little Farmall Super A and believe me, I had to pay a lot of attention to how the log was loading the rear, how light the front end was getting and how much weight was too much for that little tractor to lift. All the same precautions will be applied to how I operate my new machine.

Yes there are better ways to skid logs, but that doesn’t mean this way is bad or dangerous. Much of the risk lies in the operator being impatient. Trying to haul too much weight at once and/or going to fast.

 

[Marshy]

Nice looking unit. My dad made something similar at one point and did not make it wide enough where my tractor's sway control will come into play. Hard to explain but even all tightened up it sways side to side at least 10". Think I should replace it with a manufactured unit.

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Does the tractor have adjustible chains to control sway? Mine does.

 

[Jimmy in NC]

Does the tractor have adjustible chains to control sway? Mine does.

Yes but they are backwards from most. My current machine is a John Deere 650 which is a Yanmar built machine close to a Yanmar 1500. The chains are for all arguments sake, backwards. Most come from then end of the axle housing to the ends of the arm. This tractor is a bit small so the chains come from the center. They are tightened all the way up and she still swings. Fine for what dad did... but I ask a bit more from the machine. That swing gets exciting at times.

Here is what I have...chains fully snugged. An at rest picture, pushed to the right, pushed to the left.

If the bottom was wider they would hold tight. The A frame is just too narrow.

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[XP_Slinger]

Yes but they are backwards from most. My current machine is a John Deere 650 which is a Yanmar built machine close to a Yanmar 1500. The chains are for all arguments sake, backwards. Most come from then end of the axle housing to the ends of the arm. This tractor is a bit small so the chains come from the center. They are tightened all the way up and she still swings. Fine for what dad did... but I ask a bit more from the machine. That swing gets exciting at times.

Here is what I have...chains fully snugged. An at rest picture, pushed to the right, pushed to the left.

If the bottom was wider they would hold tight. The A frame is just too narrow.

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My tractor uses sway blocks that can be flipped to allow use of Cat II implements. It’s current config is Cat I and the arms only sway 3/16”, pretty tight fit for not being adjustable. You want a measurement of the base of my hitch?

 

[XP_Slinger]

I really like this set up. Not as nice as a winch, but it is solid. There’s lots of metal between me and the tongs should something let go and the log is far enough below the hitch that it doesn’t slam into it while dragging. Has plenty of height for lifting logs up. Very happy, now I just gotta wait for the snow to melt so I can get to work in the woods.

 

[Jimmy in NC]

My tractor uses sway blocks that can be flipped to allow use of Cat II implements. It’s current config is Cat I and the arms only sway 3/16”, pretty tight fight for not being adjustable. You want a measurement of the base of my hitch?
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Nah... Ill probably just pick up a manufactured unit from AgriSupply.... go by it twice a day...

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[Marshy]

Wait for snow to melt? You mean mud or summer? Yuck. How's the time to be cutting!!! Well, before it hits 60 and makes it into mud.

 

[XP_Slinger]

Wait for snow to melt? You mean mud or summer? Yuck. How's the time to be cutting!!! Well, before it hits 60 and makes it into mud.

I’ve already got mud brother. My woods are a mix of too much snow or muddy sink holes right now. I’ve got a bunch of trees girdled, I’ll probably head in with a wheeler and start dropping them soon.

 

[Trevj1]

Yes but they are backwards from most. My current machine is a John Deere 650 which is a Yanmar built machine close to a Yanmar 1500. The chains are for all arguments sake, backwards. Most come from then end of the axle housing to the ends of the arm. This tractor is a bit small so the chains come from the center. They are tightened all the way up and she still swings. Fine for what dad did... but I ask a bit more from the machine. That swing gets exciting at times.

Here is what I have...chains fully snugged. An at rest picture, pushed to the right, pushed to the left.

If the bottom was wider they would hold tight. The A frame is just too narrow.

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Those chains don't look like they are doing much useful except maybe keeping the 3pt hitch arms off the tires.

The JD5300 here has longer chains with a turnbuckle in each, allowing you to lock the sway out without restricting the lift action. I think a fgella could do worse than to head down the hardware aisle with an idea in mind to maybe have a pair of braces crossing from, say, the outboard end on one side, to the arm mount diagonally opposite, so they could be torqued down to lock everything together.

Makes a heck of a difference in the abuse the tractor takes, not having the load free to swing at random, for sure.

 

[Jimmy in NC]

Those chains don't look like they are doing much useful except maybe keeping the 3pt hitch arms off the tires.

The JD5300 here has longer chains with a turnbuckle in each, allowing you to lock the sway out without restricting the lift action. I think a fgella could do worse than to head down the hardware aisle with an idea in mind to maybe have a pair of braces crossing from, say, the outboard end on one side, to the arm mount diagonally opposite, so they could be torqued down to lock everything together.

Makes a heck of a difference in the abuse the tractor takes, not having the load free to swing at random, for sure.

With a full width CAT 1 attachment those chains are snug. You actually have to remove the bottom pin to mount most attachments....dad simply built that A frame narrow...didn't know any better and if I remember correctly, the bottom piece was what he started with.

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[XP_Slinger]

With a full width CAT 1 attachment those chains are snug. You actually have to remove the bottom pin to mount most attachments....dad simply built that A frame narrow...didn't know any better and if I remember correctly, the bottom piece was what he started with.

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Looks like he did a nice job building it...solid.

 

[Trevj1]

I really like this set up. Not as nice as a winch, but it is solid. There’s lots of metal between me and the tongs should something let go and the log is far enough below the hitch that it doesn’t slam into it while dragging. Has plenty of height for lifting logs up. Very happy, now I just gotta wait for the snow to melt so I can get to work in the woods.
View attachment 112757

Yeah, likin' the looks of that set-up too.

Reminded me that I have a Pintle hitch similar to that out in the shed.

I used a frame from an old two wheel rake, not as well braced as that frame, for skidding a couple wind fall logs to where they could be stored until I find something more useful for them besides firewood. I think I can steal the idea of that bracing, as well as add a hitch port to it and improve things a great deal.

Wanted to add the hitch port anyway, as it would allow me to use my flat deck trailer behind the tractor a lot easier, as well as giving me the ability to wrestle various other trailers around the place, esp. in the event of a forest fire here. Mainly just to pick them up without having to diddle about, and move them from where they are, out into the great wide open, where there is far less risk of damage to them.

Been sorta building a collection of stuff to make a 'fire' trailer with, have some IBC liquid totes, a pretty decent pump and some fire hose and nozzles. Another Project!

Been sorta eyeballing the hydraulic winch that Norwood or Wallenstein (not sure which) makes, just a hydraulic motor running off the tractor hydraulics, and running a capstan pulley. Got looking at capstans when I was mucking about with a friend's Land Rover, and started looking at those first. Too rich for my blood to buy one of the real LR ones, but the idea is good!

 

[XP_Slinger]

I like that it is a receiver too, makes it more useful than just being a skidding frame. When I’m not skidding just pull the pintle out and install a hitch for other chores if necessary. I’m going to weld some binder hooks on the lower frame for when I need to choke logs that are too light for the tongs to keep a good bite. Can’t wait to put this thing to use.