Logging Arch Maneuvers Easy

Logging Arch Maneuvers Easy WAGONS/TRAILERS Conversions Norm Sieting built a straight pull logging arch The 8-ft long tongue runs parallel to the ground for 2 ft before angling up to join the arch When a log has been lifted into place Sieting runs a chain forward from the log tongs to a hook on the parallel portion of the tongue “The chain does the pulling and takes a lot of strain off the arch ” says Sieting “I can pull a poplar log down the road to my neighbor at 20 mph ” Automobile stub axles mounted on the ends of the arch legs give him a road speed of 50 mph when not carrying a log To mount the wheels to the arch he put a length of angle iron in V-blocks “I set the arch legs on top and welded the studs in place ” says Sieting Sieting designed the arch to be light as well It’s easy to maneuver and carries the weight of the log with very little weight shifted to the ATV hitch “A lot of log arches are heavy ” says Sieting “I built this light enough that if I need to I can just drag it 6 in to the side If I can’t back the arch into place I just unhook it and push it where I want it and then back the ATV in and hook it back up ” Sieting used 3-in pipe for the legs and the tongue with 2 3/4-in elbows for the shoulder of the arch He used 3/4-in conduit for bracing between the tongue and the legs Needing shims for the joint of the two different-sized pipes he took two short lengths of the 3-in pipe and turned them down on his lathe He milled down one side of a V-belt pulley to fit in the pipe and used it as a live center on the lathe “The pulley is tapered so it centered nicely in the pipe ” says Sieting “Once I milled the pieces down I split them I used a pipe clamp to tighten them down on the 2 3/4-in elbows so they fit the 3-in pipes ” A 2 500-lb winch is mounted to the tongue just ahead of the arch The cable passes through a roller guide before dropping to lifting tongs A hook mounted to the underside of the arch lets Sieting hook a chain from it to the tongs below the winch hook “I can release the winch and take the pressure off it when hauling heavy logs ” he says The arch also comes in handy for hauling brush Sieting slips a loop chain around the brush and uses the winch to bundle the brush and pull the ends in between the arch legs Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Norman Sieting 6112 Walker Rd NW Rapid City Mich 49676 ph 231-564-1031; normansieting@gmail com

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