Electric (12v) winch?

[woodhick]

Ok here's what I'm thinking.  I have a LT40 manual mill that I have added hydraulics to.  It currently have a two-plane clamp setup and powered backstops, and turner.  I still have a valve open on my valve body that I thought about putting a hydraulic loader on.  I even have some of the parts made to do that.  My problem is that for the most part my mill sets in a shed that was dug out of the bank and has a wall level with mill.  I unload logs there and roll them right on to the mill.  Nice setup.  However when I do a traveling job I am using the ramps.  If I put a hydraulic loader on it will be in the way when mill is in shed.  I can make it to quick attach without too much problem.  But the I got to thinking ???  what if I used a 12v winch to pull the logs up the ramps.  I know woodmizer uses a hand winch on there manual mill.  Anyone ever use a 12v winch to do this with.  I know it would be a little slower than the hydraulic setup but most of my milling is inside the shed.  Just wandering if anyone on here ever used the winch setup?   Thanks for any input.

[Kcwoodbutcher]

The winch will work but it might be taxing on the small battery and alternator on the mill, depending on the size of the winch. I'd go the quick attach route, it quicker and safer.

[chet]

I use a 2000# winch to load my mill. A fully charged marine battery will provide enough juice ta power da winch for an entire day. 

[footer]

I use a winch on mine, and I use power from the truck to power it. I do not have any pics yet, but could get some. I also use the same winch to operate the factory manual turner.

[MemphisLogger]

At my shop, we feed my mill with a 4000lbs Towmotor forklift.

On jobsites, we use the 8000lbs Warn winch on my Toyota pickup to parbuckle logs on to the mill up the ramps. I keep an Optima deep cycle battery in my truck and never run out of juice.

Sometimes we even use the winch to turn stuborn logs by wrapping the cable around the log a few times and choking it.

[Skip]

I use a 1200lb ATV winch on my LM 2000 It sits on a pedestal on opposite side of mill, check Norwoods website for pictures. I have rolled logs in excess of 2500lbs up the ramps. Run the cable over the top of the log come back underneath and hook to frame under the rails . A GOOD deep cycle battery will last for days before needing recharged. ( the pedastal sits in a receiver so it can slide back to let head pass, I put one made of channel on both sides of my trailer so I can use the winch on the saw AND my trailer works great.

[fuzzybear]

I helped a friend with a WM put an external alternator in his. Used an alternator from a Cat diesel. He has a 12v winch and it would drain the battery down, but with the 100amp alt it never drains.
the alt. from a diesel is made to work at low rpm so he always has enough power now. One side effect was that he believes the mill actually runs better and faster with the large alternator. The whole thing was bolted on with an addition of a 3 track pulley instead of 2.

[DeepWoods]

I have the same setup as Skip.  I have rolled some big norways up on my mill with little effort  .  It works well for me. It is not as fast as hydraulic, but little cost for what is does for me. 




I copied Mark Mathys design after seeing his pictures that he had posted here
http://www.pbase.com/mmathys/my_saw

[Slabs]

Go look at a mill with a hydraulic loader and try to (mentally) compare it with a "parbuckling" apparatus that would supplant it.  The effort to roll a 1000 pound log up a 3:1 ramp by parbuckling would be about 167 pounds (almost human pull capacity).  An electric winch might be an overkill, and slow to boot.

Don't know the price of parts for loader conversion but I bet Woodbowl could tell you.   If you ain't experienced a loader in the field you got a treat coming.


Good luck.

[woodhick]

Thanks for all of the great replies.  I  know the loader would be the best way to go but my mill is in the shed 90% of the time and the loader would be in the way so thinking of going the winch route for the few times that I do go "mobile".  I'm still trying to decide which way to go.  Oh decisions, decisions, ???.   If I don't add the loader then I could use that valve circuit to add roller toeboards to the mill. ??? 

[DanG]

You ain't even really gotta have a winch.  Just hook the cable(s) to the truck and use it to parbuckle the logs up.  Assuming your offbearer has set up the next pull while you're adjusting for the log you just put on, it should only take a few seconds to load each log.

[pineywoods]

If you use the electric winch on a truck, just be sure the truck motor is running. Winches will run a battery down real quick. Like DanG says, just use the truck to pull the parbuckle (we call'em cross-haul) rope. In my youth, the favorite form of motivation was a tired old mule.(the hay eating variety)

[footer]

If you use the electric winch on a truck, just be sure the truck motor is running. Winches will run a battery down real quick. Like DanG says, just use the truck to pull the parbuckle (we call'em cross-haul) rope. In my youth, the favorite form of motivation was a tired old mule.(the hay eating variety)

I have run my winch quite a bit without the truck running. I start it periotically to charge the battery. I have the warn 4700 that is concidered portable. I also carry jumper cables ;D

[Slabs]

I can't see the Woodmiser loader getting in the way while the mill is in the shed and being fed by a ramp, fork lift or other source.  In the full down position the loader is very much "out of the way".  In the field the loader held at "half mast" (partially elevated) is the handiest "dock" for holding flitches that are to be edged and slabs that can be tossed away momentarily until the offbearer can cart them away that you will ever see.  (Throw the slab onto the dock and start another cut while the offbearer gets rid of the slab.)

Again, if you haven't seen a "40" with loader in operation in the field with an experienced operator at the controls, you haven't experienced a mill to it's full capacity.

[woodhick]

Slabs, I have experienced a 40 with a loader and good operator.  My mill setting in the shed is pushed up against a 30" high wall that is level with the bed of the mill.  The ground is level with top of wall and extends out 30 feet or so.  that is the area where I lay the logs to saw.  As I load I can roll them straight onto the mill without ramps.  If I had the loader attached it would keep me from getting the mill against the wall in the shed. Would also push mill toward center of shed which is only 16' wide and the back side is enclosed which would make it tight to work in.  Still contemplating which route I will go.  May add the loader and build a new shed for the mill.  Who knows. ???