Logging Arch Made From Plow Frame
Cross braces on plow frames make great logging arches, according to Rodney Rhoades. The northern Alberta farmer spends winter months cutting trees, and his logging arches make the job easier. Using plow frame bracing helped, too.
“I needed a logging arch, but so many are big and complex,” says Rhoades. “I was looking at my dad’s old 5-16s plow and realized the cross members were perfect for a Category 2, 3-pt. logging arch. I prefer bolting to welding, and it already had most of the bolt holes I needed.”
Rhoades took the braces off the plow and bolted them together in the classic V-shaped arch using spacers for the top link arm. He added pegs for the lower arms and a triangular boom to the rear, also fabricated from plow framework.
“I welded a piece of angle iron across the bottom of the arch and a 1/2-in. steel backing plate to the front of the arch,” says Rhoades. “Steel plate welded to the boom tip and across the arms of the boom reinforced it.”
Built nearly 20 years ago, the arch and boom functioned well on his Deere 4020 to raise one end of a log to pull it out of a stand of trees. Three years ago, he boosted tree removal capability by adding a winch.
“A friend found a 12,000 to 16,000-lb. winch at a farm auction,” says Rhoades. “That changed my life! Previously I had to clear a trail to back the tractor in for a log I wanted to pull. With the winch, I can just pull it out.”
He mounted it ahead of the arch between the 3-pt. arms, cutting holes in the back plate of the arch and in the cross brace on the boom. He replaced the hook with a snatch block for the cable.
The winch worked great for pulling out logs and for lifting log ends with the arch. The one negative was placement of the winch.
“I decided that if I did it again, I would mount the winch on the back side of the framework to give the winch more clearance,” says Rhoades, who did just that recently when he built a second arch for his Deere 3320.
“The biggest challenge with both arches was cutting the steel and enlarging holes,” says Rhoades. “Deere uses good steel, and it took a long time and a lot of cutting fluid to cut it with a bandsaw. It’s all 2 in. by 5/8 in. Enlarging the holes wasn’t easy either. I had to use masonry bits.”
Rhoades reports zero problems with either arch, and he uses them a lot. He operates a Mobile Dimension sawmill to produce lumber, as well as 3/4-in. by 1-in. battens for board and batten style buildings.
“I sell a lot of lumber to farmers for corrals and such, and the board and batten style is popular for rustic garden sheds,” says Rhoades. “The Mobile Dimension sawmill with its 12-tooth cutting blade and 2 edgers does a great job. I paid $20,000 for it in 1989 and have very little maintenance. I’m still impressed with it.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Rodney Rhoades, Box 89, North Star, Alta. Canada T0H 2T0 (ph 780 626-8521; rodrhoades@icloud.com).
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Logging Arch Made From Plow Frame TILLAGE EUIPMENT Plows Cross braces on plow frames make great logging arches according to Rodney Rhoades The northern Alberta farmer spends winter months cutting trees and his logging arches make the job easier Using plow frame bracing helped too “I needed a logging arch but so many are big and complex ” says Rhoades “I was looking at my dad’s old 5-16s plow and realized the cross members were perfect for a Category 2 3-pt logging arch I prefer bolting to welding and it already had most of the bolt holes I needed ” Rhoades took the braces off the plow and bolted them together in the classic V-shaped arch using spacers for the top link arm He added pegs for the lower arms and a triangular boom to the rear also fabricated from plow framework “I welded a piece of angle iron across the bottom of the arch and a 1/2-in steel backing plate to the front of the arch ” says Rhoades “Steel plate welded to the boom tip and across the arms of the boom reinforced it ” Built nearly 20 years ago the arch and boom functioned well on his Deere 4020 to raise one end of a log to pull it out of a stand of trees Three years ago he boosted tree removal capability by adding a winch “A friend found a 12 000 to 16 000-lb winch at a farm auction ” says Rhoades “That changed my life! Previously I had to clear a trail to back the tractor in for a log I wanted to pull With the winch I can just pull it out ” He mounted it ahead of the arch between the 3-pt arms cutting holes in the back plate of the arch and in the cross brace on the boom He replaced the hook with a snatch block for the cable The winch worked great for pulling out logs and for lifting log ends with the arch The one negative was placement of the winch “I decided that if I did it again I would mount the winch on the back side of the framework to give the winch more clearance ” says Rhoades who did just that recently when he built a second arch for his Deere 3320 “The biggest challenge with both arches was cutting the steel and enlarging holes ” says Rhoades “Deere uses good steel and it took a long time and a lot of cutting fluid to cut it with a bandsaw It’s all 2 in by 5/8 in Enlarging the holes wasn’t easy either I had to use masonry bits ” Rhoades reports zero problems with either arch and he uses them a lot He operates a Mobile Dimension sawmill to produce lumber as well as 3/4-in by 1-in battens for board and batten style buildings “I sell a lot of lumber to farmers for corrals and such and the board and batten style is popular for rustic garden sheds ” says Rhoades “The Mobile Dimension sawmill with its 12-tooth cutting blade and 2 edgers does a great job I paid $20 000 for it in 1989 and have very little maintenance I’m still impressed with it ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Rodney Rhoades Box 89 North Star Alta Canada T0H 2T0 ph 780 626-8521; rodrhoades@icloud com
