Last fall I asked Battenkiller for a copy of his plans for his log arch build. See his thread,
My New "Log Rite" Log Arch
He forwarded a copy of his drawing with measurements and cut list with angles. A couple people have asked me for a copy, so I'm going to post them here, along with some of his comments from his thread and our series of PMs about it so others can use it.
I have a friend who worked in a metal fab & welding shop who is going to put one together for me this summer. I have an old 4x8 utility trailer that is rusted out that we are going to salvage for axles/wheels and tires, and I already found a big set of unused Dixie skidding tongs on Craigslist for $50 (took several months of searching to find one local.)
I'll post photos of my build when its finished in a couple months.
My New "Log Rite" Log Arch
He forwarded a copy of his drawing with measurements and cut list with angles. A couple people have asked me for a copy, so I'm going to post them here, along with some of his comments from his thread and our series of PMs about it so others can use it.
I downloaded some pics of the older (welded) design from the Log Rite site and realized I could make a clone for next to nothing. I overlaid a grid onto the photos (not the model shown above) so I could figure out the scale of everything from the measurements given on the website. I determined that they used 1 1/2" square steel tubing, and by using the weight given for the device, I was able to calculate the gauge of the steel from the cut list I made.
I went to the local steel yard and bought one 21' piece of 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" welded steel tubing with 3/16" wall thickness. $54. I went home and cut it up with my cheap used tool sale horizontal band saw. Here's the layout of the arch itself:
A buddy gave me one of those wheeled jacks for moving trailers around the lot. I pulled the wheels and mounted them on the arch frame. Then I welded a 6' piece of the square tubing to the top (using a sheetrock square to get it as square as I could), braced the handle heavily near the fulcrum area with more square tubing, added side braces made from some scrap pipe, and stuck a pipe into the end to determine the best resistance arm length for the wood I want to lift. Here's a pic of the front with my log tongs hanging off the pipe, grabbing onto a piece of pine about 3 1/2' long and 22" across - about 300 pounds.
Here's a side view of the arch with the log held up:
Here's Lady BK, all 5'6" and 142 pounds of her, lifting up the log all by herself. The welding gloves are only because I just completed that weld at the handle end and the steel was still hot.
Now she's having a real easy time of it because I slid the ring on the tongs back and shortened up the resistance arm a bunch. Notice how relaxed she is, and she isn't even having to hold the handle at the very end for more leverage. As soon as I can find a piece of 1 1/8" cold-rolled steel that will fit snug inside the front of the handle, I'll drill a few holes through it so I can make it as adjustable as I want it. I'll be making a 4' extension handle for pulling long logs (up to 16'), welding on some pipe for pull handles, then sanding, priming and painting it.
I may spring for new wheels and put these ones back on the trailer jack, but I kinda like having the whole thing for under $60 for now. I already had the lifting tongs for lifting logs out in the field onto the truck bed, but you could go with skidder tongs to save a bit of money, or just use some chain, or even some HD rope to hold it tight so you can lift it. The tongs are fast, though.
The frame is made from one 21' piece of 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 3/16" (wall thickness) square tubing with a couple pieces of 3/4" round steel pipe scrap for the side braces. I have a small metal cutting band saw, so I did the cutting myself. Assembly was done on a flat steel plate and all welding was done using my small Lincoln MIG welder.
No use getting huge logging tongs because the design only takes a 24" log through the middle. Plus, a large set may drag too close to the ground if the arch is built to my specs. A set that opens to 28" or so will make life easier, though. I think mine go to just 25" wide when fully open and they are hard to get in place on the biggest logs. I think I paid $90 for them. Don't get cheap skidder tongs. Real logs tongs are what you want.
The bar that holds the tongs is 1" square solid bar stock, with holes drilled every 1 1/2" for adjustment of the lever arm length. I welded ears of 1/4" plate to the bar and drilled them out for a 1/2" machine bolt to hold them in place. Just one way of doing it.
I'm pretty sure the handle is 64" long. That's how much I had left over after building the frame. I will get around to making the extension handle, but I haven't needed it yet. The adjustable load arm length let's me boost up the mechanical advantage when I need to. Obviously, you can't lift as high off the ground with it set really short, but you usually just need to clear it in order to get things rolling.
It has held up to some pretty massive logs so far, and I even used it to guide a 300 pound 15' long steel beam into my walkout basement. Worked like a champ, and nobody's toes got squashed in the process.
I have a friend who worked in a metal fab & welding shop who is going to put one together for me this summer. I have an old 4x8 utility trailer that is rusted out that we are going to salvage for axles/wheels and tires, and I already found a big set of unused Dixie skidding tongs on Craigslist for $50 (took several months of searching to find one local.)
I'll post photos of my build when its finished in a couple months.
