1/4 inch vs 3/8 wire rope/cable

[OnlyStihl]

At a flea market was 100' of 1/4 wire rope with 3/8 hooks at both ends. $5, Wow! Today I replaced the damaged wire thimbles at either ends, and now it is ready for work.

I normally use 3/8 wire rope, so 1/4 seems a bit light. Anybody use 1/4 much? I see that it is rated for about 6000lbs, which seems like that ought to be enough. Anybody?

 

[Woodtroll]

What do you use the cable for? 1/4" is flexible and light, but I would think it too small for skidding big logs out with heavy equipment. With smaller logs with an ATV or something like that, it should be fine. That cable would move a big log, if it's not frozen down, but if you hook a stump or if the end digs in the tension builds up quickly if there's something diesel pulling the other end. Shock loads can break things that the same static load wouldn't harm.

 

[OnlyStihl]

What do you use the cable for? 1/4" is flexible and light, but I would think it too small for skidding big logs out with heavy equipment. With smaller logs with an ATV or something like that, it should be fine. That cable would move a big log, if it's not frozen down, but if you hook a stump or if the end digs in the tension builds up quickly if there's something diesel pulling the other end. Shock loads can break things that the same static load wouldn't harm.

The question was about skidding logs. Logically, longer heavier bad terrain will be hard on any rope or chain. The 1/4" is nice as it doesn't weigh some awful amount. 80 feet (I've 3 twenty-foot segments and a couple of 10 footers) of 3/8 chain is about 120lbs, whereas the same in 1/4" rope is nothing. 1/4" sure seems attractive. Hate to find out when it breaks and whips.

And I can't complain about $5.

I bought this same (40 feet total) a few years ago for a bit less than $90. And more recently picked up the same or close too, at another flea market for near $0. But the weight... OMG. Crazy!

 

[Woodtroll]

Nope, don't blame you. The price was right and I would have bought it too! The smallest I've used for such tasks is 3/8" cable, but I usually use chain because normally I'm not pulling anything I can't get the tractor or dozer pretty close to. And yes, even 1/4" chain gets HEAVY with any great length.

Try the 1/4" cable on some open ground with some different size/weight logs just to give it a try. If you've used cable long you can tell by the eyes and connections how badly it's being stressed. Be careful, and good luck!

 

[Sloughfoot]

I've got a 1/4" choker for pulling small trees and brush out instead of cutting them repeatedly. It grabs on to little stuff better than the bigger ones do.

 

[OnlyStihl]

I've got a 1/4" choker for pulling small trees and brush out instead of cutting them repeatedly. It grabs on to little stuff better than bigger ones.

Yeah, even if I never use the 1/4, it was to good a deal not to make the purchase and get it ready for possible use. Chokers are important and I have plenty of chain for that, but for a good distance 90 to a 100 feet of light weight cable would be nice to have as an option. If it broke in use, it would be a small hit on the pocket.

 

[Sloughfoot]

Yeah, even if I never use the 1/4, it was to good a deal not to make the purchase and get it ready for possible use. Chokers are important and I have plenty of chain for that, but for a good distance 90 to a 100 feet of light weight cable would be nice to have as an option. If it broke in use, it would be a small hit on the pocket.

I haven't figured out how to get choker chain to grab on small diameters. Found a plan for a rig with a short length of pipe where the chain presses the wood into the pipe edge but haven't gotten the kinks worked out of that either. I'd rather work with chain than cable because I don't like working in gloves.

 

[OnlyStihl]

I haven't figured out how to get choker chain to grab on small diameters. Found a plan for a rig with a short length of pipe where the chain presses the wood into the pipe edge but haven't gotten the kinks worked out of that either. I'd rather work with chain than cable because I don't like working in gloves.

Cable kinks if not use right. The 3/8s hooks on the 1/4 cable work perfect for use with the 3/8 chain. I do have some wire rope chokers but I don't recall ever using them.