Arch Hauls Big Logs Behind Small Tractor

Arch Hauls Big Logs Behind Small Tractor TRACTORS Accessories Chris Euart and his son Jason’s 8 hp Minneapolis Moline can transport a 1 700-lb red oak log without any problems thanks to their innovative log arch which can also be fitted with a rear-mounted forklift or high-reach boom     “We’ve used the forklift for all kinds of things even lifting up a cow that got stuck in the creek ” laughs Euart “The boom is handy for all kinds of jobs such as setting building trusses in place ”     Stripped of boom or forklift the log arch gets used for hauling logs Built with salvaged steel the main steel beam on the log arch is about 5 ft above the ground It was fabricated from two 1 1/2 by 5 by 2 1/2-in C-channels inverted and welded together to form a 12-ft long 4 by 5-in tube At the front it angles down to end in a standard ball receiver hitch     The arch at the end of the beam is made from more welded C-channel tubes and an angle iron frame It rides on 2 wheels from an old Chevy truck axle Euart cut the axle tubes off and machined them to fit bearings on the outside of the arch and flanges mounted to the inside of each leg     “We wanted to be able to carry a 24-ft log so we designed it so only about 10 ft would extend forward from the arch ” explains Euart “That balances the weight over the wheels on the arch not on our garden tractor ”     A 45-amp alternator added to the garden tractor provides extra power needed for 2 electric winches A 2 500-lb winch mounts to the angled portion of the main beam while a 9 000-lb winch is mounted to its top The smaller winch lifts the end of the log into an inverted V on the underside of the beam The V can be moved on the beam to adjust for logs from 10 to 20 ft long It stabilizes the log as it’s lifted into the arch by the larger winch and chained in place     Jason ran across a set of forklift forks being sold for scrap He and Chris fabricated a frame for them that hinges to a crossbar on wheels with a quick-tach pin The large winch attaches to a pair of cables that raise and lower the cross bar with the wheels riding against the angle iron frame of the arch The smaller winch is attached to the forklift frame and controls the angle of the forks It can adjust the forklift from hanging vertical to having the tips angled 10 to 12 in above level     The boom also hinges to a crossbar on the angle iron framework of the arch Made from 2-in dia heavy wall steel tubing with an angle iron cross frame near the bottom it stands 22 ft tall when straight in the air The large winch cable runs through a pulley on the arch to a pulley on the end of the boom to provide lift The small winch attaches to the cross frame to tilt the boom Support chains from the boom frame slip onto hooks on the arch to carry the load once the boom is in position     Angle iron braces run from the crossbar and up about a third of the boom’s length to reinforce it side to side A 1/2-in dia rod runs from the tip of the boom to the bottom It has a 4-in spread providing bridge truss-like support under load     “The more vertical the boom the heavier the load you can lift ” says Euart     The versatile arch has been used to transport large logs on public roads as well as out of the woodlot The cable on the large winch can also be used to pull logs into position to be loaded by the arch or the forks     “Now that we have it we can’t imagine how we got along without it ” says Euart     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Chris Euart 240 Pop Stirewalt Rd Salisbury N C 28146 ph 704 279-6793; ceeuart@juno com

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