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Thread: Need advise on winch set up

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    WNY
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    Need advise on winch set up

    I use a log dolly to move logs to my mill. Here's a photo of it with maybe a 22" log



    It has a 2000 lb manual winch; a little hard to see as it's on the other side of the spine, just before the diagonal. The cable goes through a pulley at the top of the arch and loops under the log to a ring off center on the arch. This arrangement should cut the force in the cable in half, so if a log weighs 1000 lbs the cable on each side of the log should have 500 lbs on it. Well, I tried picking up a 2300 lb log the other day and the winch wouldn't do it; in fact the teeth stripped on one of the gears.

    So, how do I need to rig this to be able to lift logs over 2000 lb with a 2000 lb winch? Thanks.

    John

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    NE OH
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    2,615
    The 2000 lb rating probably only applies for the first wrap of cable on the drum. As the cable winds in, the diameter goes up and the mechanical advantage goes down. So the force (and stress on the gears) goes up as the cable winds in. If you can shorten the cable without compromising function, that would help a little. If you could rig another pulley at or near the hook end, running the cable back to some fixed attachment point, that would help (at the cost of more cranking). Or you could get a heavier winch.
    --I had my patience tested. I'm negative--

  3. #3
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    Thanks Paul. Yeah, I knew the rating is related to the first wrap so I shortened the cable as much as possible but it's still on the second wrap. Nevertheless, I would have thought it could still pick up a 2000 lb log when the lines are doubled, but clearly it couldn't. I have another 2000 lb winch on it, though this one is a worm gear design, so I'll have to investigate adding another pulley.

    John

  4. #4
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    Dec 2010
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    I figured it out. By adding 3 more pulleys I created a sort of 4 line block and tackle, and I picked up the log w/o incident. Not very high, but high enough to transport it out to my mill.



    The ah hah moment came when I realized I could attach pulleys to the ends of a chain under the log.



    Now to get it up onto the mill.

    John

  5. #5
    If I ever built, or bought a mill, the transport wheel assembly would be able to be dropped off, allowing mill to be lower to the ground. Thirty five years ago,we ran into this when building our log splitter. Was going to build one of those "stand up" type splitters till a gentleman who was older than I am now asked "How many trees when you finish cutting them are standing up. Build it as low to the ground as possible." We did, and have been known to let air out of tires to lower splitter even more. Largest tree we ever split was an oak, about four feet in diameter that blew down in hurricane. We were able to roll sections onto splitter, using short ramp of wood

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    WNY
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    That would be a neat trick Bruce. I've never seen that feature on any commercial mill like mine however. That big log bent the heck out of the winch mount when I rolled it up onto the mill, but it did do the job. I built a new winch mount with much larger tubing and haven't had any problems since, but have not had another log that large yet. But I'm confident it can handle 2500 lbs.

    An advantage of the mill up higher like this is taking off cut lumber is much easier on the back than with a ground unit.

    John

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by John TenEyck View Post

    An advantage of the mill up higher like this is taking off cut lumber is much easier on the back than with a ground unit.

    John
    Life is full of compromises. Once at a trade show, I saw a mill that the transportation kit was extra. It included axles and tires, plus a tripod winch for lifting mill to remove axle.

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