Building a 3pt Log boom+winch

[Marshy]

I'm considering building a 3 point log boom for skidding trees. I eventually want a winch so I want to build it with that in mind. Anyone build their own?

I have a class 5 hitch receiver that I'll be using for this build. Right now I'm just browsing what s out there and the features I want and should consider before I build it. Here are some I found on the internet.

This is about as simple as it could be but this design has no way to incorporate a winch with the center support.


I was considering making the lower half more open like this, but keep the top half so ijt has the cantilevered boom part to hook chains to.


Mine will have the receiver just like above. I was thinking I could mount a winch to a plate and square tube to slide into the receiver. Because it's a class 5 receiver it has a 3x3 opening for the receiver so I was thinking I could use both sides of the receiver and make a blade attachment for the other side of the receiver (tube inside of a tube, ie one side uses the 3x3 and the other side uses a smaller tube to fit inside the 3x3). Making them removable seems appealing to me at the moment.

Here is one with a pivoting boom. I could add this as a feature. This would scissor the boom when you lift the 3pt and it has an open center for the cable. I'm thinking of making the frame like this so it scissors. Besides, depending on the lengths it will give me mechanical advantage when lifting.


I would hang a block under the boom like this.


I'm just not sure what winch it will have or how much room I will need for it. This is going on my 32 hp Deutz-Allis with a Cat 1 3pt. Im not building a skidder, just something to get the logs off the ground primarily and possibly to winch them 20-30ft.

Any recommendations for a winch? Trees will be 20-24" diameter max. If it's too heavy I'll cut them shorter. This is for firewood. I appreciate any input.

 

[Redfin]

I would be looking at a pto winch
Wade.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

No expert here but would the tractor be able to handle the load of an electric winch? Simple lifting and lowering probably wouldn't be a problem, but prolonged winching might tax the electrical system.

That last pic looks to have a hydraulic winch as well as the pivoting boom. The winch is in front of the business end so it appears well protected.

 

[Marshy]

So far the only ones I've found are on Craigslist and are off a JD 440C skidder. I'm keeping my eyes open though. I don't have an extra remote but maybe I could make a hydraulic one work too.

 

[Marshy]

No expert here but would the tractor be able to handle the load of an electric winch? Simple lifting and lowering probably wouldn't be a problem, but prolonged winching might tax the electrical system.

That last pic looks to have a hydraulic winch as well as the pivoting boom. The winch is in front of the business end so it appears well protected.

I was thinking electric as well. They are plentiful. I would need to buy electrical cables for it though. Only one battery on the tractor (12v) and not many loads. It's a small alternator so maybe need upgrade?

The last pic is the closest to what I want to build. The lower frame work will be triangle though, not square.

 

[Marshy]

If I went with electric, how small is too small? Just get the largest I can afford?

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

If I went with electric, how small is too small? Just get the largest I can afford?

May not be big enough but you can get a 2500 lb ATV winch at Harbor Freight for $50.

 

[Marshy]

I know little about winches but, don't their rating go down significantly with the more length out? I was thinking like 5000lbs for electric. My tractor only weighs about 2700 lbs.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

I know little about winches but, don't their rating go down significantly with the more length out? I was thinking like 5000lbs for electric. My tractor only weighs about 2700 lbs.

Remember the chunk will be sliding on the ground so the pull will much more than just the weight of the log. Not sure how much a 2700 lbs stationary tractor will be able to move.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Also, the bigger the winch, the bigger the electrical draw. And, yes, winch capacity s based on the first wrap on the drum and goes down as the spool fills up.

 

[Marshy]

Remember the chunk will be sliding on the ground so the pull will much more than just the weight of the log. Not sure how much a 2700 lbs stationary tractor will be able to move.

Thats why i was going to add a blade.

Also, the bigger the winch, the bigger the electrical draw. And, yes, winch capacity s based on the first wrap on the drum and goes down as the spool fills up.

Thanks for that info. Makes perfect sense.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Thats why i was going to add a blade.

Keep in mind the forces on the 3-pt hitch.

Having done towing and recovery over the last 30+ years I can tell you that winching is really a science. It's not as simple as trying to move a 1,000 lb object. All the other forces need to be factored in. At the end of the day it's all about the weakest link.

 

[Redfin]

I know little about winches but, don't their rating go down significantly with the more length out?

And, yes, winch capacity s based on the first wrap on the drum and goes down as the spool fills up.

Mark nailed it. This is also why blocks are useful. Being able to spool out as much line to keep the winch pulling at its max capacity.

 

[huskihl]

Winch ratings actually go up the more line you have out, because the drum is smaller diameter with each layer you let out.
We've played with winches for years on our jeeps and 4 wheelers, and from what I've seen, you don't want anything small. The cable is too small diameter and it won't last in the woods. And even if you put an 8 or 10k lb winch on it, they're so slow that you'll never use it. Go find a buddy with a winch on his jeep, drive the front bumper up to a healthy tree, and find a log to drag out. If it's any distance away, the battery will be nearly dead and you'll be plenty certain that you won't ever want to do that again. Winches serve a purpose. They'll get you out of a bind when no one else is around or when no one else can get close enough to you to pull you out.
I'd hunt down a couple hundred feet of 3/8" cable and use the tractor to drag logs.

 

[Redfin]

We've played with winches for years on our jeeps.

First mistake.

 

[kkemp]

Here's what I've been using .

 

[Ryan Browne]

I can't say strongly enough how much I'd recommend buying a three point winch. This is a great example of a place where a guy can spend a bunch of time and even a fair amount of money and end up with something that's only half as good as the factory unit.

First, electric winches are slow, really SLOW. Also, they require a lot of juice and have a pretty limited duty cycle, especially the cheaper ones. All of that is fine if you're using the winch for recovery. If you're using it on a tractor for pulling logs though, you're gonna get bored. You also stand a real risk of burning up the winch motor or over working your alternator to the point of failure (depending on your tractor model this can be an expensive replacement).

Compare that to a skidding winch which has a continuous duty cycle, doesn't affect your charging system, is quite fast, and is designed to transfer the forces from wincing into the ground which will reduce the strain on the tractor. There are several good manufacturers of skidding winches, but the Norse winches from Labonville are the cheapest. I think you can get a pretty nice one for under $3000. They're a seriously handy tool. If mine was stolen today, I'd order a new one tomorrow. They have a profound impact on productivity as well as safety in the woods. Worth every penny you pay for them, and to that end, it'll probably be worth 80% of the sticker price in 15 years when you want a new one.

 

[ajschainsaws]

yeah,skidder winch is the way too go
you haven't got the weight or the pulling power at least with this winch if you start to bog down you can let the rope out get your tractor on better ground and bring the log too you again and off you go skidding

 

[Marshy]

Thanks for the input but dropping $3k on a log winch just isnt going to happen. I can build my own for less than $500 and it will do everything I need. The logs I'll be using this for are not going to be 2000lbs.
I've ruled out using an electric winch. The duty cycle and all that just isn't going to work.

I did find this winch for $300 though. It could probably be converted to hydraulic.

It's likely I'll build the log boom without the winch but I want to build it with the intention of adding one later.

 

[XP_Slinger]

I know nothing about winches and stuff. Thanks for starting this thread, I’ve already been thinking about this for my tractor.