Mechanism for lifting downed tree for bucking?

I've seen several around here in the farm supply stores. A Google search turned this one up

http://www.braveproducts.com/itemlist.php?mode=category&categoryid=119&parentid=109

No need to lift it - make your first cuts about 2/3 through the log, roll the log over and finish them off.

I think most people just cut 95% of the way through and then roll the log over. I usually cut 99% of the way through and then break the rest with my foot.

Besides rolling the log over to finish the cut, you can also cut some small short poles (or firewood logs) off some limbs. Put these down and roll the log onto them.

Something else that comes extremely handy is a cant hook. Sure makes rolling logs a lot easier and I don't know why more folks don't use them.

As stated, most folks will just cut a log part way and then roll it for the finish cuts. There are all kinds of tools for lifting logs once they are cut into a manageable length. A good peavey or cant hook can lift a pretty big log clear of the ground for cutting, but in most situations I find that the extra step is unnecessary. I have used a Logrite universal stand attached to a peavey, and if I was going to purchase a tool for the job this would be it.

Lots of good toys here: http://store.logrite.com/

Backwoods Savage said:

I don't know why more folks don't use them.

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Because we're too frigging cheap. It's on my "nice to have", not my "must have" list. In the meantime, I use a 4 foot iron bar if it resists my foot.

When bucking up my delivered logs, I lay out three skids and roll out the logs onto an 8'x8' area, aligning the butts with my trusty iron bar and go2it, rolling the bucked pieces out of my way with my foot. Small logs I lift into my sawbuck.

I bought a cheap unit from Northern, turned out to be an absolute P.O.S... Before I managed to turn it into a pretzel, I used it a few times and found it was more trouble than it was worth - the cut part way and roll approach was FAR easier... If I were cutting a downed trunk like you are describing, I'd consider cutting through as far as I dared all the way along the trunk, then prying up the cut nearest the stump with a bar and sticking a small log under it in order to break that one stem off, then roll the remainder...

A tool that many folks don't use, but which I find handy, if only because it's light enough that you actually want it around, is a "felling lever". It's officially intended to help make medium trees fall over, but it has lots of uses on the ground as well... The lever part can be used to break apart almost finished cuts (including the ones where two cuts didn't quite meet like they were supposed to have) or open up the cut if you managed to get the saw stuck :red:. They also have a "mini-cant hook" built in which can be very useful to roll over logs or possibly get slightly hung "leaners" unstuck (be VERY careful using it for that)

Remember when cutting any blowdown timber to watch out for springpoles and other branches under unusual tension. When cutting near a rootball you also need to watch out that the stump doesn't try to flop back down into the hole it came out of... There are reasons why all the safety folks say that cutting around blown down timber is much more dangerous than stuff that was deliberately felled - be careful...

Gooserider

I bought a log lifter called a timberjack at Tractor Supply. It was right about $40 I think. I highly recommend it. I hate mine but until I bought one I couldn't make that decision. You can ask around as I did and get all kind of opinions about them. But you need to try one and see if it works for you. There were times that I loved mine but not enough to make it worth lugging into the brush every trip. I still wish I could find a easier way and maybe someday I'll invent something but til then I'll cut most of the way through and roll em over to finish. Good luck.

ccwhite said:

I bought a log lifter called a timberjack at Tractor Supply. It was right about $40 I think. I highly recommend it. I hate mine but until I bought one I couldn't make that decision. You can ask around as I did and get all kind of opinions about them. But you need to try one and see if it works for you. There were times that I loved mine but not enough to make it worth lugging into the brush every trip. I still wish I could find a easier way and maybe someday I'll invent something but til then I'll cut most of the way through and roll em over to finish. Good luck.

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I think this has to be the best capsule description of a "Love / Hate" relationship w/ a tool I've ever seen! :lol: Not a bad post, but can you say conflicted???

Gooserider

ccwhite said:

I bought a log lifter called a timberjack at Tractor Supply. It was right about $40 I think. I highly recommend it. I hate mine but until I bought one I couldn't make that decision. You can ask around as I did and get all kind of opinions about them. But you need to try one and see if it works for you. There were times that I loved mine but not enough to make it worth lugging into the brush every trip. I still wish I could find a easier way and maybe someday I'll invent something but til then I'll cut most of the way through and roll em over to finish. Good luck.

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timberjack works well for me to!

I made a timberjack from 1 1/4 square steel tubing with a removeable foot for $20. This thing wont bend or break. It is a tad heavy though. I dont hike into the woods so weight isnt an issue.