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Do you guys use Hookaroons?

Started by Piston, November 04, 2011, 11:52:15 AM

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Piston

I've never used a hookaroon but have been thinking of buying one to match my Logrite peavy. ;D

I split about 5 cords a year or so on the high side, and was wondering if people found them to be extremely helpful? 

Do you guys use them when splitting wood? 

What do you find it most useful for? 
-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

John Mc

I have a LogRite Hookroon. I've tried it when cutting or splitting firewood and ended up not using it much for that (If I had a real worktable for my splitter it would be of more use in sliding logs within reach to feed the splitter).

I do find it helpful when unloading wood from my trailer. I was killing my back leaning over to reach the stuff near the middle of the trailer. with the hookaroon, I can pull it over to the edge or out the back easily. If I were running a sawmill or a firewood processor, I imagine the hookaroon would be indispensable.

The most useful tool I've found for stove-length rounds is the Husqvarna 8" Timber Tongs (link is to the Bailey's page for this tool). The jaws open to 8", but I regularly pick up 10 or 12" diameter logs with it. Saves a LOT of bending, and I can pick the log with one hand. They make a 12" set, but it's more than what I need. If I get bigger than what I can pick up with the 8" tongs, I probably need both hands on the log anyway.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

WH_Conley

I use mine almost daily at the sawmill. When I have the wood splitter set up at the truck bed it is a constant companion, use it on almost every piece of wood. Use it to pull the juggles over to the splitter.



Bill

stumper

I use a pickeroon unloading my truck.  It works great for sliding wood or rolling wood.  Like a pulp hook it takes some practice to get the full benifit from it.  I used one up to 84 hours a week working in a paper mill, sliding wood from a flume into a grinder.

zopi

Yeah...I have an old Dixie hookaroon...use it to pull rounds out of the pile or off the truck...
Got Wood?
LT-15G GO chassis added.
WM sharpener and setter
And lots of junk.

Piston

I didn't even think about using it for the mill, I imagine it would be helpful on those logs that are small enough to roll by hand without using the peavy, but a pain in the back to bend over and roll by hand.  I could just reach across the mill with the hookaroon and pull the log onto the mill. 

I have some back issues and I was thinking the hookaroon might help out a bit by not bending over as much, but I wonder if the tongs John posted might be worth a shot as well. 

-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

thecfarm

I think DanG uses one on his mill too to help him reach boards or slabs.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

T Welsh

Piston, I use one while processing firewood,with the six way wedge on I get 2 oversized pieces of split wood on the top as it goes through the splitter,we simply reach out and hook and pull them back into the splitting tray as they go through,saves the back big time :). Tim

Piston

Tim,
My splitter is the type that pushes the wood through a wedge, rather than holding the wood stationary and pushing the wedge through the wood, which I believe is what your saying as well.

I have a 4 way wedge (the 6 way must be awesome!) and a lot of times I have to resplit the top 2 pieces, so what your saying is you hook the pieces you need to resplit and pull them back to the splitter? 

Sounds like it would be very helpful.   ;D
-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

T Welsh

Piston, I am using a firewood processor and it drops the sawn round into a tray before the wedge,then the ram pushes the piece through the wedge with a 4,6,or 8 way head in back of the vertical wedge,then you drop the next round into the tray and push it into the system,the first round is pasted through the 6 way and into the conveyor, we use the hookeroon to pull the top pieces back into the tray to be split again. here,s a picture. 

. If you look close you can see the tray in front of the saw bar. we simply rest the hook on top of the big pieces and let the ram push the wood through it and it flips the top piece back into the tray. it save,s a lot of bending over, and after a full days worth of doing this you figure out real quick how some one invented this tool. :D Tim

Piston

hmmm....
ya, umm, my splitter looks pretty much just like the one you have there Tim.   







:D :D :D
...in my dreams!
-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

John Mc

Quote from: Piston on November 05, 2011, 02:54:27 AM
I didn't even think about using it for the mill, I imagine it would be helpful on those logs that are small enough to roll by hand without using the peavy, but a pain in the back to bend over and roll by hand.  I could just reach across the mill with the hookaroon and pull the log onto the mill. 

I have some back issues and I was thinking the hookaroon might help out a bit by not bending over as much, but I wonder if the tongs John posted might be worth a shot as well. 

The hookaroon has the advantage when you are sliding wood around (the work table of a splitter or processor, the bed of a truck or trailer), and they have a longer reach.

The tongs have the advantage when you are picking up rounds off the ground (such as lifting rounds into a splitter). I have yet to find any tool that works better (and I've tried a couple). I also use it to grab and lift an end of a longer log if I have to drag it by hand for short distances. It's easier than grabbing it with my hands. The tongs do not work all that well with smaller split pieces.

If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

trapper

bought the logrite hookeroon for my wife to pull wood from the top of the pile to feed the OWB when I am gone.  I use it far more myself when making firewood.  Saves a lot of bending.
stihl ms241cm ms261cm  echo 310 400 suzuki  log arch made by stepson several logrite tools woodmizer LT30

Banjo picker

I would if I would put a new handle back in it. :D  Tim
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

Piston

Tim,
Just looking at your sig and admire all that heavy machinery you have  ;D

Do you have a FEL grapple for your tractor? 


QuoteI would if I would put a new handle back in it. 

Ya, it would probably work a little better that way  :D
-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

OneWithWood

Wife and I both get a lot of use out of our Logrite hookaroon.  It is great for unloading from a pick up bed as will as reaching to top of the pile.
Probably the most use it gets is moving embers and chunks in the CB.
One With Wood
LT40HDG25, Woodmizer DH4000 Kiln

zopi

Was using mine yesterday to hook and pull big rounds out to break with the portable splitter...sometimes easier to use than a cant hook...
Got Wood?
LT-15G GO chassis added.
WM sharpener and setter
And lots of junk.

T Welsh

Tim,
Just looking at your sig and admire all that heavy machinery you have  Grin

Do you have a FEL grapple for your tractor?  Piston, No,has a quick attach so I can change buckets and forks , but I have no plumbing up front on the loader arms,I would have to run lines to the grapple to operate the top clamps. But the skid steer has them

r.man

I've been thinking of making a pickeroon but so far for unloading the firewood trailer a garden rake works great. Happened to be raking bark from behind the trailer one day, decided to rake out the bark from the trailer and since I had it in my hands used it to pull the last of the wood from the front of the trailer. That rake now stays where the trailer gets unloaded and I don't bother going around to the front to flip blocks within reach of the back.
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

brokentoe

Great tool for a wood boiler.  I use one for my e classic 2300 for when i get to the furnace and there is still enough logs in the furnace.  nice tool to use to slide the logs around and help stir some coals.

bandmiller2

Piston,I've made a couple of pickaroons from old picks,cut one point off and shorten and reshape the outher,a pyramid point seems to work the best for me.As stated they are handy for unloading trucks and trailers and pulling those DanG slabs off.Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Jim_Rogers

At the mill, I push the round edge boards and planks back onto the log loader arms to wait further processing to square edge.
After the cant is cut up, I use a pickeroon to pull these round edge boards and planks back onto the mill table to stand up on edge and cut off the edgings.
I some times use the pickeroon to stand the board up and flip the clamp up as well.
It's nice having that long reach.
I often use it to drag the short log bunks I have next to the mill back in line where they should be if the backhoe front wheel pushes them out of the way.
I've found all kinds of uses for it, but those are the most common ones.

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Jeff

I think I bought my logrite hookaroon in around 2006 at a Paul Bunyan show that Chet and I went down to. I've used it for all kinds of things since then, but the reason I bought it had somehow put my back out that day at Paul Bunyan, and when I was handling the hookaroon at the Logrite display, I found it made the perfect cane to get my sad sack around the rest of that day. :D  I keep it in my truck now.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

lumberjack48

A pickaroon is the first tool my father taught me how to use, yes there is a right way and a wrong way, i went on my butt many times using a pickaroon.
I was 6, 7 years old when i started straighting wood on the landing.

I top loaded many thousand's cords of wood, went off the truck a few times, never fell off a rail car, knew a couple guys that did, got hurt pretty bad.

When strip cutting a pickaroon and a pick/axe were two of your main tools for hand piling wood.

When bucking up 100" , a pickaroon is a must, to straighten wood, and pull short pieces out of pile for trucker.

A pickaroon is nice for firewood, you don't have bend over to pick it up.

If you handling wood, there is a job for a pickaroon !!!!!
Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

Cutting Edge

Which ones work best?  I've seen them with a bit of a hook, and ones that are pretty square to the handle.  Or do they both have their purposes?  I'm 6'4", I could use a longer reach.

Quote from: Jeff on December 31, 2011, 01:44:54 PM
I was handling the hookaroon at the Logrite display, I found it made the perfect cane to get my sad sack around the rest of that day. :D  I keep it in my truck now.

Jeff, don't feel bad, I've had to use the chainsaw and axe both for canes.   hurt_smiley Kinda akward, but hey, whatever works!
"Winning an argument isn't everything, as long as you are heard and understood" - W.S.


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