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Log turner for an LT15

Started by Qweaver, September 07, 2009, 03:00:27 PM

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Qweaver

My cousin is clearing 3 acres of mainly poplar and ash and we have 120+ logs to saw.  No one is buying logs around here right now so we are going to saw all we can.  Most of these logs are 16 to 28" dia and 10 to 16' in length.  I really need an easier way to turn the logs and cants on the saw than just two old guys with cant hooks.  I looked on the Woodmizer site and found nothing.  Is there one that works well on the market.  I'd even build one if I had a good plan.  I'd hate to try and design one from scratch.  HELP!
Quinton
So Many Toys...So Little Time  WM LT28 , 15 trailers, Case 450 Dozer, John Deere 110 TLB, Peterson WPF 10",  AIM Grapple, Kubota 2501 :D

solidwoods

I don't know what your short term or long term plans for the mill is.
I don't know if WM sells a log turner for an LT15, If they do and it fits your business model then get it.

Why are you logging / milling 16' logs?
To be efficient:
Sell/need first.
Mill second.
That means have a plan or a buyer first, then get logs and mill them.  That way you won't be doing unnecessary work.

If your logs are for speculation , then what's the justification for 16' and are your charging for the extra length?

You can also make a 6' handle for a cant hook.  The extra leverage is huge.
Make the handle 6 sided with a tapered log end.
jim
Ret. US Army
Kasco II B Band mill
Woodworking since 83
I mill & kiln dry lumber, build custom furniture, artworks, flooring, etc.
If you mill, you'll be interested in some of my work in one way or another.
We ship from our showroom.
N. Central TN.

tyb525

Some have rigged up a winch or used their loader by wrapping a cable around the log/cant. How are you skidding these logs out?

A cant hook with a long handle (eg a LogRite 4' or 6') can work wonders, especially with two guys. I would love to have a second person with a cant hook while turning those 2ft logs.

As solidwoods asked, why 16'? Do you have a market for long length lumber? The 16' logs will be much more work than 8ft or 10ft.
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

Dan_Shade

Quinton,

I built a turner with a boom and hand winch when I still had my hudson.  It was a little slow, but it worked great.



you could also attach a chainfall overhead if you have a shed for your saw.
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

moonhill

You can make 2-8' boards from one 16' log but you can't make a 16' board from an 8' board.  16' isn't that long. 

I hope this is clear enough.  It took me 15 years to be brave enough to try this, I just was not sure it would work, it is too simple.

I welded a grab hook on the bottom of the lift arm on my Hi-lift jack.  I took the hook of a broken cant hook and bolted it to a 6' length of chain.  Set the jack next to the cant and run the chain under the log and away from the jack, set the hook on the top of the cant, tighten the chain and hook it to the grab hook on the bottom of the jack.  The chain should be coming down the opposite side of the log as the jack stands at, cradling the cant/log.  It will simply turn as you jack the jack.  No log too big,  well almost, I suppose you would just need a longer chain.  I guarantee it will work or double your money back. It works as fast as you can pump the handle.   You won't be scared of those long fat logs anymore.

Tim
This is a test, please stand by...

Don K

I'm under a shed so I have a overhead winch to turn the big ones and it works great.



The hand winch is on the post to the right.





Setting the homemade hook.





Ready to roll. Notice the pulley. 1 of two.





Winching away.





Turned over and you can hold with tension until you get her dogged down. No Sweat.





This is the setup in the ceiling.

Don
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

fishpharmer

Don, Look at you..........nice shed.  And nice log turner setup.  I need a shed over my sawmill bad. 
Need a log turner too come to think of it. 

Would you my sharing how large are your corner posts and what are the overall dimensions?
Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
Lucas 618 with 50" slabber
WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
Deere 5065E mfwd w/553 loader

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

Don K

True 6x6 I sawed myself and I think it is 12 or 14 by 20 or 24. I can't remember. ::) My biggest expense was tin, all the lumber was cut from Ivan salvage.

Don
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

WDH

Don,

I made need a shed consultant, if you are in the market ;D.  That is one sweet set-up!
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

zopi

Moonhill...can you post a picture of that?
Got Wood?
LT-15G GO chassis added.
WM sharpener and setter
And lots of junk.

moonhill

zopi, I am the lamest picture poster there is.  But I know of someone who can.  I will see if it can happen later tonight-tomorrow.  It is worth a picture. 

Tim
This is a test, please stand by...

Don K

Danny, I ain't believing what I am reading. ;) :D Anybody that can take rough cut lumber and put together the quaility projects I've seen you post does not need a consultant for a shed. On top of that you have a shed with a tree growing through the top, I cut down a tree to build that shed. The way you love trees, You better not let me consult anything. I love to tip em over. ;D ;D ;D :D

Thanks for the compliment.

Don
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

Magicman

What they say about "necessity being the mother of invention".  Great setup.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

nas

This is what I use



It's not fast, but it works great.  The winch is mounted on a 4x4 that sits on the one rail of the mill.
Better to sit in silence and have everyone think me a fool, than to open my mouth and remove all doubt - Napoleon.

Indecision is the key to flexibility.
2002 WM LT40HDG25
stihl 066
Husky 365
1 wife
6 Kids

WDH

Quote from: Don K on September 08, 2009, 07:40:34 PM
On top of that you have a shed with a tree growing through the top, I cut down a tree to build that shed.

Yes Don, I am an invertebrate tree lover !





This is one of two trees growing in the shed.  They keep the lumber company  :D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

fishpharmer

Quote from: WDH on September 08, 2009, 08:57:27 PM
This is one of two trees growing in the shed.  They keep the lumber company  :D.

Those trees are probably scared to death :D
Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
Lucas 618 with 50" slabber
WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
Deere 5065E mfwd w/553 loader

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

Don K

I was thinking the same thing when I saw that picture. :D :D :D I'm sure they argue about who has it best. ;D

Don
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

WDH

Lets see who can ID the tree and who can ID the lumber :D.

I think that the tree has the upper hand since to-the-victor-go-the-spoils :).
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Qweaver

Thanks for all the info and pics everyone.  I'll try the overhead winch fastened to the shed roof...that looks simple and fast to build.
Quinton
So Many Toys...So Little Time  WM LT28 , 15 trailers, Case 450 Dozer, John Deere 110 TLB, Peterson WPF 10",  AIM Grapple, Kubota 2501 :D

kelLOGg

I have a problem with my cable winch turning system: If I am turning a large cant (20 x 20 say) the angle the cable makes with the cant pulls the cant into the squaring arms and as the turning begins the squaring arms gouge into the cant making the turn more difficult. It takes a lot of prying, pushing, etc. to free it. To tried to alleviate the problem I changed the angle of the pull by sliding in/out the boom (see gallery photos) but have not had a large enough log to test it with. Looking at the photos in this thread, it looks like others may have the same problem? If so, how do you solve it? I noticed on Cooks later models of the MP3 they have put a roller in the tip of the squaring arm to address this problem. Anybody know how it works?
Bob
Cook's MP-32, 20HP, 20' (modified w/ power feed, up/down, loader/turner)
DH kiln, CatClaw setter and sharpener, tandem trailer, log arch, tractor, thumb tacks

bandmiller2

Bob,on my bandmill the two swing up squaring arms are 2x2 square tube.I beveled the tops to aid the cant sliding back when turning worked but works better with a sealed ball bearing bolted to the side.The bearing is flush with the front of the arm yet the cant rolls on its top as you turn.The best solution for log/cant turning  is to build a hydraulic two plain clamp/turner like woodmizer uses it will flip and clamp, outher methods will work but not so handy.Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Don K

Bob, I have had a little trouble but the beveled arms on my mill help. My angle is a little off but I am going to move it out a little to where I have a straight lift on my outside edge. That should remove my little problem.

Don
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

Magicman

Quote from: WDH on September 08, 2009, 11:05:57 PM
Lets see who can ID the tree and who can ID the lumber :D.

I think that the tree has the upper hand since to-the-victor-go-the-spoils :).

Loblolly.........ash?
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

nas

Bob

The log posts on my norwood have rollers on the top and they work great for cants.  Sometimes a log will catch but I always have a wrecking bar handy to pry it off.  The biggest problem I have had is that once you are past the tipping point with a cant, the slam down can knock the mill out of alignment, but that doesn't happen often.

Nick
Better to sit in silence and have everyone think me a fool, than to open my mouth and remove all doubt - Napoleon.

Indecision is the key to flexibility.
2002 WM LT40HDG25
stihl 066
Husky 365
1 wife
6 Kids

tyb525

Sometimes you can use a long wrecking bar under the cant to ease it down so it doesn't slam. I cringe every time a cant slams on my little mill.
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

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