Arch before the horse

[Eli]

I started building a logging arch today and I don’t have a horse trained to pull it. I had all the material so I figured why not I love to weld and this is mostly a welding project. Ok truth be told I was on a service call up north in Pound Wi. And saw a guy pulling fire wood with a single horse so I had logging on the brain and needed a fix. What are the pros and cons to a wood or metal pole ? I see a lot of metal poles and was wondering what the difference was. Thanks Eli

[Barw]

barw
I just use what I have at hand and what is the cheapest.
Both work fine.

[Dennis]

I like a metal pole, I don’t have alot of experience comparing the two, but I made my metal pole were it can be pulled off my arch by taking a pin out and the pole can be split in half by unbolting it for easier transporting.

[Brad Johnson]

I much prefer a wooden pole on my Plowden team arch. First, it is cold up here in VT and a metal pole is no fun in the cold weather. Second, wood like ash, oak, or hornbeam has some flex in it which is important in tight spaces and with big loads on the arch. I have had situations where my pole flexed but did not break and metal would have folded and been a wreck. And, you can use square tube to make a receiver so that your wooden pole can come on and off easily…
-Brad

[carl ny]

I’m with Brad,a wooden pole has memory.. It will bend and spring back. When a metal pole bends, it’s bent…JMHO

carl ny

[Eli]

I think I will fire up the chain saw Saturday and find a straight grained ash and haul them by my brother to saw for me. I have to admit its handy to have a brother with a saw mill. Untill he asks me to stack 2×12 ash planks. Actually I love working in the mill second only to working in the woods. Eli

[Eli]

Almost done with the arch I have to get some expanded metal for the floor and put some steps on. I went with a wood pole I need to build a steel neck yoke so I can put a pin through for logging and a hitch pin for pulling it behind thr truck or trailer. A friend of mine who has owned draft horses for 40+ years plans to come over this weekend and check it out. Then we are going to check out the woods I have 65 acres of woods mostly blackish and pretty wet. If it gets cold before it snows I think we will be in business. A logger was in there in 1988 (before i owned it) and took out any thing worth money I have been planting swamp white oak and maple but the deer get most of them. Eli

[Eli]

the arch needs sand blasting and paint and taller tires. it was built from things i had lying around. i plan to build a removable hitch so i can use it like a forecart. also a farn sleigh and a two wheeled cart eli
Ps the two wheeled cart i built after my cousin gave us a small Morgan she could no longer care for (divorce) and it was broke to drive her name is gypsy and now I’m hooked. Also pics of our doctors buggy gypsy and my little girl and one of my favorite pictures.

[Author]

Posts