Winches??

[willmyers0169]

Anybody using a winch to turn big logs? I have some big White Oak to saw and the manual mill is killing me and my dad, he's a little under the weather and i'd rather spend the money on a winch then see him over do it trying to help me out. 

I have a slant roof saw shed and was thinking of mounting the winch on the low side LVL about 9' off the ground, and hanging a pulley over the mill... Anybody doing this or tried it, if so , how'd it work out and what should I look out for.

[YellowHammer]

I hadn't done that, but I did build a copy of a Woodmizer claw turner, using a few hunks of metal and a 2,000 lb winch.  It worked great, and turned some really large logs.

[kellysguy]

I've thought about putting one on my engine hoist and placing that in the middle of my mill. It'll do the same thing you're talking about but not having to mount to a building and it will be portable if needed.


Here's some other mods: https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=53476.0

[kelLOGg]

I use 2 winches, one on a swinging boom loader/turner mounted on the mill and a second one to parbuckle logs onto a trailer. The mill-mounted one is a Superwinch with a 2500 lb pull and may be a tad undersize but it has turned everything I have put on the mill. Parbuckling requires rolling up a ramp so more oomph is needed so I use a 9000 lb pull MileMarker. It doesn't even know the log is there. You can see them all on my gallery.
Bob

[Andy White]

willmyers0169,
I have a Warn 2500# winch on my log arch that I use for that very job. It works really well, and I have turned some large logs and cants on my mill. Just roll it over the log, place the strap, and hit the "up" button. Log turns 90°, then reset to flip again. 

  

  

  

  

  

 
This really saves the old back.    Andy

[47sawdust]

willmyers0169-
My first mill I used a set of chain falls hung overhead for turning logs and it worked really well.
My current mill is an LT30 with a Warn winch mounted on it.It also works well for loading and turning.
I had to dig out the chain falls on Tuesday to retrieve a red oak log that missed one of the loading ramps and fell between the log deck and mill.Being set up in a shed gives you a lot of rigging possibilities.

[Sixacresand]

I used the arch on my LT10 to turn logs.  But I added a pulley block and turn the logs with the cant hook.  With the pulley system I could turn the log back some if I rolled it too far. 

 

[goose63]

Mine is out side so I have all the room I need

  For the big ones I just hook my strap to the chain sure saves on the back

[Slingshot]

 
Here is what I used when I had the LM2000...



 



 



 



 



 



 

Worked great.

______________________________
Charles

[Gearbox]

I just put a 3x5 beam across the saw shed and mounted a 2500 pound winch with a lawn mower battery and use a cant hook hook to grab the log . This is on a circle mill . $49 on sale at Harbor Freight . Gearbox

[willmyers0169]

thanks guys yall are all a great big help!!

[dboyt]

I've tried several techniques for the big logs.  So far, what works best is a hook like the one Slingshot shows tied to a nylon rope.  The other end of the rope is attached to an old-fashioned mechanical farm jack.  When the jack pulls on the rope, the log turns against the stops.  The most strenuous part of the job is setting the jack in place.  I'll try to get some photos, but hopefully, you get the idea.

[Magicman]

Just do not forget SAFETY. 

Logs are heavy, cumbersome, and sometimes have a mind of their own, especially when they have a butt swell, knot, etc. creating an unbalanced situation.

[5quarter]

X2 on the safety. 9 out of 10 accidents around a sawmill are not caused by the sawmill. its the the logs that are out to getcha.
When running a manual mill, the two most important words in your vocabulary are MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE.  ;) you're definitely thinking along the right lines.