Lewis Winch????

[timberbeast]

Anyone ever use a Lewis winch,  the one that hooks up to a chainsaw?  Supposed to pull 4000 lbs single line.  Ground conditions being what they are at my site,  I figured it might be handy.  I have a lot of smallish (8-15") cedar down in the swamp,  Got no PTO,  or 12 volt on my tractor....

[Scott]

try lewiswinch.com

[mustang]

We used one at work to skid logs to make fish structures.  used an 036. It done a pretty good job. Sure beat using log carriers.  Most of the material was 8-12 inches and 6-10 feet long.  We put logs in the creek one day and i would have make loggers   pull logs out in stram protection zones. Didn't make a lot sense.

[Kevin]

There`s a capstan winch out with its own engine.
You can use an unlimited length of rope.
http://www.novajack.com/en/index.htm

[carhartted]

I have used a Lewis winch, they work very well.  The problem is they tend to move around since they are pretty small and not anchored to a truck or anything.  

I have used them for extracting heavy equipment and such.

We had a front end loader go into the Yukon river a few years back, the operator was standing on the roof and his shoulders were just sticking out of the water.  Someone was brave enough to go under water and hook up two cables to the rear, hooked up two Lewis winches and it came up smoothly.

We still haven't fixed the brakes on the front loader, mabeye this year.

Have also righted the same front end loader that had tipped on its side.  Worked great.

Jonathan
Fairbanks, AK

[Weekend_Sawyer]

 Welcome abord Johnathan, I have had the pleasure of visiting Fairbanks 3 times on business. I had the best steak of my life at the Turtle Club in Fox and had some good times at the bar. Still have a marker for a free beer there. One of our group got the Miners cut steak, It hung over both sides of the plate!

 I hope to get back up there soon.

Jon

[carhartted]

The Turtle Club has one fine steak.  I can only afford to go there on very special ocasions.  Fairbanks is a good town, a little cold sometimes but only in the winter.    

Jonathan

[burlman]

I had a lewis winch for 15 years now, it is an intregal part of my tree service business.  w Hat you want it for it will be just fine. Set your self up some pullies in trees to get some lift on the butt or winch from the top if you are pulling up hill. Back  up your winch with a large saw or you burn clutches like crazy. I run mine on a Sthil 44, with all the power you need and the chain brake will hold a load too. The biggest problem I find is under a serious load the cable will try to spool to one side, eventually jamming in the drum housing if you are not paying attention. As you practise you catch on to the tricks as you go along. goodluck I don't think you'll be disappointed in this product. I changed 1 gear in 15 years of use. bye burlman.

[Mark M]

Burlman or Anyone,

Does it bolt right on to the Stihl or do you have to use that little short bar?

Also has anyone used the double drum Lewis winch?

I am thinking about maybe getting one of these winches instead of making the Yankee Yarder.

Mark

[burlman]

hi mark. My winch came with a little short bar. I believe the new ones come as a bolt on unit. I always wanted to modify mine to this system. the short bar makes a weak point. When you are pulling a heavy turn, you try to keep the cable spooling evenly across the drum, but with a heavy turn it tends to want to stay on one side or the other. When you are pulling on the saw trying to steer the cable you can flex the short bar and throw the little drive chain off. However it is a dandy little tool. In december I pulled a 24dia. 16 foot curly hard maple through 12 in. of snow. You got to love the tree services, get paid to cut and clean up great trees, and the customer doesn't want the wood. sawed 'er up last week lovely clear curly sapwood.... good luck.....burlman