Winch Log Loader / LT 40 Manual

Engineer · May 18, 2006, 05:00:40 PM

I think, if my physics/statics/dynamics from 20 years ago aren't too fuzzy, that that setup will yield somewhere on the order of 3-4 times the rated winch load on a level rolling pull. Probably half that on a 45-degree slope.

So if you have a winch rated at 4000 pounds, you could probably roll a five-or six ton log up ramps with little difficulty.

I like the idea of the dual cable over and under the log. The way mine works, you have to free-spool the winch cable, pull it over the log and then figure out how to get said cable back UNDER the log and then free-spool enough line to hook the cable back up to the mill. One line over, one line under. With that drawing, it will double your rated load (almost) and stabilize the log much better. When the log is on the mill, you can drop the cable on the ground in front of the log deck, roll the next log over the cable, and simply hook the pulley onto the winch cable on the mill. It's actually a simpler hookup in spite of a more complex setup. The only negative I seee is with a very short log you could lose the cable off each end. Solved by moving the ends of the pulley cable closer together.

I think even a relatively weak manual boat winch could work that setup with little difficulty. Nice.

dad2nine · May 18, 2006, 10:38:46 PM

rbarshaw, I see what you mean. The winch will want to pull the cable with the least amount of weight. So the smaller end will want to come up first, the log will turn till the weight on both cables equals out. Then the other end will start to roll, to much weight difference could cause the log to turn enough to cause problems... But by using two cables that are the same length with looped ends, the winch should pull both cables equally and hopefully cause the log to roll somewhat straight. These are logs were talking about and are not all that round either. Your idea of using a loop instead of a pulley is really making sense; you're a very smart individual and I greatly appreciate you freely sharing your knowledge .

Engineer, I really didn't give it that much thought, until you mentioned it. Your right, if the cables are too far apart this could spell trouble too. I'll need to install at least 4 heavy duty eye hooks, two close to and two further away from the winch, to accommodate different log lengths (this will also reguire two differnt cable lengths)... Common sense is telling me a bigger angle, but not greater the 45%, would take less pulling power. So I'm seeing even a greater mechanical advantage with longer length logs than shorter ones.

I'll just have to hook this up, see how it works and tweak it till I'm happy with it.

Another question, I would like to install some kind of quick connect for the power cables. So I can make the winch portable. Use it on the trailer and on the trailer hitch of my truck to pull teenage boys cars out of the ditch... This by the way seems to happen rather frequently BTW.

Any ideas on a quick connect and wize size needed for a distance of no more than 30ft (truck battery to tailer)?

Thanks

DanG · May 18, 2006, 11:14:22 PM

Just go ahead and mount the winch on your truck to start with. The way your drawing is, the snatch block is going to reach the winch and stop everything when the log is about halfway up the ramps. Ya gotta move the winch away from the bitter end tie points to use the V-chain setup. If you just gotta mount the winch on the mill, a single cable setup is the only thing that will work. You'll just have to find the center point of the log. If the log starts coming up crooked, you can adjust it by inhibiting the travel of the high end pretty easily.

dad2nine · May 19, 2006, 12:31:41 AM

DanG is right the V Cable is too long, it needs to be shortened considerably...

Thanks DanG for keeping me honest here! Thinking of either shortning the V cable or just using the single line method... The V cable would get me some extra pulling power at the top of the ramps, if I needed it for bigger logs. but the single line method should work for most logs... I'll probly use the single line method for most all the loading.

I'm thinking the V cable length needs to be just a little longer than the bed width, but I'll have to play around with the length to determine what it should be, log dia also plays into the length of the cable... Your right the snatch block needs to stop and be tight just short of reaching the winch, when the winch is fully reeled in.

Then again once the log's on the bed it's pretty easy to move around and tighten up against the dogs, unless ofcourse it's a monster log...

I just deleted my picture by mistake well the entire album, haveto work on it tomorrow... uggg...

DanG · May 19, 2006, 12:58:43 AM

I just don't think you can use a V-cable effectively if you mount the winch on the mill. I'd be thinking of going with 2 smaller winches, such as boat trailer winches for about $150 each, and running 2 straight cables if you just must mount them on the mill. I'd go with the larger winch mounted on the truck, so you can also use it to load logs onto a trailer to bring them home.

Even being the skinflint that I am, I sprung a bit over a grand for a MileMarker hydraulic winch and hard-mounted it behind the cab of my truck. I haven't regretted it for a skinny minute. It has loaded every log that I've ever tried, and pulled a number of vehicles out of the ditch, including my 11,000 lb forklift. I had to tie the truck to a tree for that one!

jpgreen · May 19, 2006, 02:35:19 AM

I seen a truck stretch doin' that one time.. ;D

mike_van · May 19, 2006, 06:39:32 AM

I have a line drawing of a winch setup I used for a while that worked quite well, but can't get it to load. If someone wants to volunteer, i'll email it, see if you can get it to a size still readable - Mike Van

WkndCutter · May 19, 2006, 07:19:50 AM

I use a single 2000#/6000# winch I got from harbor freight. Total cost $40. I have attached it to the saw using a length of chain. I can move the winch to where I need it with this method. I have loaded 36" 10' long white oak with this. I can tell you it was at the max load and I am planning on getting a second winch for the next time I load something that heavy. I plug the winch into the tow/light plug on my truck. Works for me.

jpgreen · May 19, 2006, 09:07:45 AM

WkndCutter,

One possible reason you were at your max load was from using your tow light plug. That's' way to many amps pulled through that small wire. I'm supprised it didn't blow a fuse or burn up, unless you have a heavy charging circuit wire for trailers homes, etc.

dad2nine · May 19, 2006, 09:58:17 AM

QuoteI have a line drawing of a winch setup I used for a while that worked quite well, but can't get it to load. If someone wants to volunteer, i'll email it, see if you can get it to a size still readable - Mike Van

Mike please send it to my email address listed in my profile, I'll take a stab at it - if I can't get it to resize, I'll try and redraw it. It's great so many folks are sharing ideas and experiences, we all are learning from eachother thats the way it should be.

DanG here's a few more pics - with a shortened V cable, do you think this will work?

Thanks

rbarshaw · May 19, 2006, 05:24:25 PM

My winch is mounted about 1' away from the side of the mill on a square pipe that fits into a socket under the mill so there is enough room for the v-cable. To shorten the cable for smaller logs I just place it between buncks that are closer togeather and i have a slip arangement to change the overall length of the cable to suit the log, it's a flat piece of 1/4" plate steel with two holes that the cable loops thru at one end.

dad2nine · May 19, 2006, 11:31:00 PM

Here's Mike_Van's drawings. Very Interesting, Mike can you please share some details? I'm really interested in the motor size (assuming 12VDC?), gear size (ratio) and what the largest log loaded with your setup. How well it works and what you would change (if anything). I havn't ordered the winch yet...

Thanks for sharing your design Mike!!!

mike_van · May 20, 2006, 07:10:17 AM

Nice job on the photo edit! I can build a working sawmill, but can't edit pictures - On the pipe winch, all the parts came from the salvage yard - the motor was 120V AC capicitor start, 1725 rpm reversable. It was paired with a rightangle drive, probably 50:1 - on the end of the r.a. drive, a 14 or so tooth sprocket, #40 chain. The 2" pipe was 6' long, mounted between the mill frame, it turned on flanges made of flat plate with a 1 7/8" dia. 4" long stub into the pipe. around the 2" pipe was a short piece with about a 40 tooth sprocket welded to it, a hole drilled 1/2" dia through both, a 1/2" bolt went there. To freewheel the winch [pipe], you pulled the bolt, to wind back up, just slip it back in. I rolled 2' dia. 16' oak logs onto the mill with it, alone - the winch turned really slow, as long as the cable was right, the log will roll, not slide. I think I had 3/16" cable on it. Once I built the loader for the tractor, the winch came off, used the parts elsewhere.

amberwood · May 22, 2006, 12:58:45 AM

After all of this discussion re logloading went home Friday night and welded on a few brackets for a future installation, and as a plus picked up a free drag chain complete with plastic bucket from a supplier (from my real job) then had to madly apply the paint to the mill before the other half got home..finished 2200 hrs.. 2 pack is sticky stuff.

Reassembly starts tonight so should have pics avail by the weekend with any luck.

Right now watching the ebay bid on a 2000lb winch for loading...it is addictive.

DTR

WkndCutter · May 22, 2006, 07:02:55 AM

Sorry I'm coming back late on this but I had a busy weekend. I power my winch off the 7 pin trailer tow plug on my truck. I have a towing package with a 40 amp power line for the trailer. I got a 7 pin connector from the local trailer store and just wired the positive and negitive wires to where they needed to be in the plug. Only bad point is the truck key has to be in the run position to run the winch. I run a single cable most of the time but I have chain to run a V rig if need be.

Andy

dad2nine · May 23, 2006, 11:07:59 PM

I'm currently looking for someone in the area, who will do some cutting and welding for me. Below is a side view sketch of the bracket I envision for the mill winch. Please comment, especially if I'm all wet. Still have not ordered the Warn 4700DC winch as it will be useless less I can find someone to weld the bracket up. I may just have to go and rent a welder myself, since everyone I've talked to doesn't want to have anything to do with it. Even though, I'm offering to pay them for their time. If there is anyone around Granville County, NC who would like to earn some extra cash and help out a neighbor, please let me know.

Thanks

kelLOGg · May 25, 2006, 05:22:16 AM

Dad2

You've already got a lot of info so I'll be brief. I use a Superwinch 2500 to do what you want to do. See photos in my gallery to see it in action.

Bob

kelLOGg · May 25, 2006, 05:30:15 AM

Dad2

Me again. I did not see your last post or I would have mentioned that I weld. I'm just south of Durham Co., in Chatham. I don't have a portable welder so if you could come to my place I might be able to help.

Bob

jpgreen · May 25, 2006, 07:41:45 AM

D2-

Like your picture.. 8)

Thinking about your drawing, that looks like a lot of flat stock to have to deal with. You may want to think about using some angle iron in the design also. If you can incorporate large enough angle, to take the place of some of that flat, it would be stronger and easier to fabricate.

Also I would make it say a good 8" wide or wider if you have room on the rail. Then I would weld a gusset to support the receiver (between the receiver and the top side above the rail), and drill, then weld in a few say... 3/8-16 hex head 9/16" nuts for bolts to be able to tighten the unit down from the inside.

Clear as sawdust?.. ;D

I dunno... I'm kind of an ape when it comes to fabricating. Most of the time I have to have materials setting in front of me so I can pick it up, and gaze at it. My drawings hardly ever wind up to be exact.

dad2nine · May 25, 2006, 01:05:24 PM

Quote from: kelLOGg on May 25, 2006, 05:30:15 AM
Dad2

Me again. I did not see your last post or I would have mentioned that I weld. I'm just south of Durham Co., in Chatham. I don't have a portable welder so if you could come to my place I might be able to help.

Bob

Bob, Thank you very much for your offer! My mill needs some serious help as far as log loading. It's ok if folks can bring me the logs, as my buddy has a loader. But I currently have two folks that want me to slice and dice at their place. I've already looked at both spots and I can get the mill to where they will fall the trees. They are just waiting for me to get my act together. I''ll send you an email so we can exchange information and work out the details.

Man Thanks alot !!!