From: amirza@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (Anmar Caves)
Subject: Re: Dragging Logs
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 02:02:23 GMT

In article <1992Dec28.203756.2596@nntp.nta.no> BARANSKI@veamf1.nusc.navy.mil (Jim Baranski) writes:
>truck or a trailer.
>
>What's the best method for dragging logs?  Tractor?  Horse?  Other?  What size
>tactor would I need to drag logs?  I don't currently have a tractor, and I
>don't really want to spend a lot of money for a huge tractor, but if I can drag
>the logs with a small tractor, it might be worth it.  How much HP would I need?
>Would a 'garden' 20 HP tractor do it?

I had a similar problem when I was cutting logs for the cabin at my
property.  I came up with several solutions, some creative, and some
dismal flops.
More below.

>Another idea I had was to have a small cart with a electric or hydraulic winch
>powered by a battery or lawnmower sized engine.  I could haul this thing into
>the woods wherever I wanted to pretty easily, chain it to a tree about a cable
>length away from the log in the direction I want to go, reel out the cable,
>latch onto the log and drag it up to the winch, and repeat untill I have the
>log where I want it.

It'll work, but yer talking a lot of work on your end!

>Another alternative would be to have the winch on the truck.  Three places come
>to mind, in the front, in the rear of the pickup bed, or in the front of the
>pickup bed.  Which place is better?  The plus of having the winch in the front
>of the pickup bed would be that the winch could be used to drag the log right
>up a ramp into the bed, or onto a trailer.
>
Try this if nothing else is an option.  Make a 2 wheeled carrier out
of some motorcycle wheels and some tubing.  Make it heavy duty enough
to support the biggest log you'll have and then some.  Make it so the
log is cradled inbetween the wheels.  Then, place this contraption
near the middle of the log, but a little to the forward end.  In this
configuration, you can haul a 2000# log out of the woods (assuming no
obstacles for the wheels) with as few as 2 people, and a light duty
winch for the uphill portions.  That's what I ended up having to do
for the sill logs in my cabin.  If you just try to drag the log
through the woods, it'll take a lot of brute strength.  Probably way
more than a 20hp tractor will be able to provide.  

If the wheels aren't an option, basically any way you can pick one end
of the log up higher than the other end and drag it travois style will
be a lot easier than just dragging it flat.  I was able to get a 2000#
hickory log almost a quarter mile on dirt roads out at my place (once
I got the damn log to the road that is...) with a 2 wheel drive S10
pickup that way.  The end of the log on resting in the bed of the
truck gave the traction needed, and the other end dragging on the
ground offered little resistance.  I tried that after unsuccessfully
trying to drag it flat with same truck.  Getting the damn log up onto
the foundation is a story for another post....

Good luck, you're in for a *lot* of work.


-- 
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