Log Skidder Designed For ATV's

2003 - Volume #27, Issue #4, Page #11

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Herb Linderman, Barker, New York, burns a lot of firewood, which means he has to make a lot of firewood. To do that, he has to get logs out of the woods.
  He's always used a tractor for that job, but there are times when he wished he had something smaller and more maneuverable. His solution was to make a log skidder for his ATV.
  "I've seen pictures of some commercial skidders available for ATV's, but I've never actually seen one," he says. "I don't know how close mine might be to some of the others. They all use an arch of some type."
  Linderman used 2-in. sq. tubing to fashion a triangle-shaped frame for his 2-wheeled skidder. He made the arch from the same material. For the slider bar, to which the log is chained, he used 1 1/4-in. schedule 80 pipe. The slider bar runs from the drawbar hitch back to the top of the arch.
  Linderman found a free set of tires already on wheels when he stopped by his community's tire pickup day. He mounted these on new 2,000-lb. rated weld-on spindles and matching hubs.
  "With the regular highway tires and new spindles, it tows down the road like its not even there," he says.
  He inflated the tires to a little over 20 psi pressure and added sealer (there are thorns in the woods).
  To use it, he positions the skidder over a log and wraps a chain around the end of it and hooks the chain to the hook on the slider bar. As he pulls forward, the hook slides up the bar, lifting the end of the log.
  "I had no problems going up hill with it, and even in mud, it left hardly a mark in the woods," he says.
  "To be honest, I'm amazed at how well it performs," he says. "It exceeded my expectations." He figures he can handle logs weighing up to 1,500 lbs. with it. The power of his ATV is the only limiting factor.
  One other feature he thinks is important was a suggestion by his wife. The back end is designed so it can be tipped up vertical and sit flat for storage. "It takes up a lot less floor space that way," he says. He also has a wood cargo platform he can fit to the cart for use when he's not skidding logs.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Herb Linderman, 9189 Somerset Drive, Barker, N.Y. 14012 (ph 716 795-9237; email: herbiesatv@yahoo.com).

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Log Skidder Designed For ATV's ATV'S ATV'S 27-4-11 Herb Linderman, Barker, New York, burns a lot of firewood, which means he has to make a lot of firewood. To do that, he has to get logs out of the woods. He's always used a tractor for that job, but there are times when he wished he had something smaller and more maneuverable. His solution was to make a log skidder for his ATV. "I've seen pictures of some commercial skidders available for ATV's, but I've never actually seen one," he says. "I don't know how close mine might be to some of the others. They all use an arch of some type." Linderman used 2-in. sq. tubing to fashion a triangle-shaped frame for his 2-wheeled skidder. He made the arch from the same material. For the slider bar, to which the log is chained, he used 1 1/4-in. schedule 80 pipe. The slider bar runs from the drawbar hitch back to the top of the arch. Linderman found a free set of tires already on wheels when he stopped by his community's tire pickup day. He mounted these on new 2,000-lb. rated weld-on spindles and matching hubs. "With the regular highway tires and new spindles, it tows down the road like its not even there," he says. He inflated the tires to a little over 20 psi pressure and added sealer (there are thorns in the woods). To use it, he positions the skidder over a log and wraps a chain around the end of it and hooks the chain to the hook on the slider bar. As he pulls forward, the hook slides up the bar, lifting the end of the log. "I had no problems going up hill with it, and even in mud, it left hardly a mark in the woods," he says. "To be honest, I'm amazed at how well it performs," he says. "It exceeded my expectations." He figures he can handle logs weighing up to 1,500 lbs. with it. The power of his ATV is the only limiting factor. One other feature he thinks is important was a suggestion by his wife. The back end is designed so it can be tipped up vertical and sit flat for storage. "It takes up a lot less floor space that way," he says. He also has a wood cargo platform he can fit to the cart for use when he's not skidding logs. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Herb Linderman, 9189 Somerset Drive, Barker, N.Y. 14012 (ph 716 795-9237; email: herbiesatv@yahoo.com).

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