Bobsled at work

[Gabe Ayers]

On the advice of Carl Russell I have begin using a team bobsled for a white pine job this winter. The woodlot is fairly flat and well-spaced with good quality pine stems marked for harvest, but the the skid road to the landing has some steep, icy sections. I was considering my equipment options, and decided to follow Carl’s advice and outfit a bobsled for the job. I borrowed a sled that needed a few upgrades, including new stake pockets, roll and pole, and bridle chains. Having spent a days in the shop with the welder I started in this week with my team of geldings, neither of whom have any experience with a bob, particularly on steep terrain. The results have been outstanding thus far. Not only can I get more wood on each load (500-600 bf) than I usually put on my arch, I also am able to deal with the steeper sections safely and efficiently with simple bridle chains. Before I had a chance to utilize the sled I was somewhat skeptical about how much better a tool it would prove to be, but I am a believer now. As time goes on I think that I will be able to get even more wood on each load and my loading time will be greatly diminished with more practice with the ramps and chains. I have found that a set of folding metal truck loading ramps do the trick for getting even large logs up in the sled (with the horses used to roll them up). Smaller logs are easily rolled up with a peavey. I have one horse in particular who is a go-getter, right on the bit most of the time, and he settles in nicely when hitched up with the other horse on a big load, and the waiting time for the team while I load is certainly good practice. I am not sure that I would give up the wheeled arch during summer conditions but for winter use on hilly terrain I think this tool is tough to beat. We have not yet had any deep snow but the bob will prove even more valuable when those conditions arrive. Thanks to Carl for all his help and advice getting the rig set up!

[dominiquer60]

It is good to hear more success stories about bobsleds. We have a couple bobs hiding somewhere in one of the out buildings here. As my cattle get larger I can’t help but think about resurrecting one of our bobs to use in the woodlot. It will be nice to have a number of bobsled users to ask questions to when the time comes.

Did you make or find bridle chains? I was looking at some of Carl’s pictures and it appears that if you know what you are doing they may not be a big challenge to make, if you know what you are doing. I have another sled that I would like use a pair on in the mean time. I’m going to check with a couple neighbors that have some old stuff around as well, perhaps if I can’t find an existing pair, Dale could help me make a pair.

Anyway, keep us posted about your progress with the new bobsled, thanks Carl for the inspiration, and thanks for sharing Brad.

Erika

[Mark Cowdrey]

Hi Brad,
Glad it is going well for you. Wondering if you are using a single bob like Carl’s “Weapon” (I think that is what I have heard him call it) that he used at LIF or a double bob with a reach? (What I think of as a “bob sled”.)
I agree w Erika that documentation of fabrication of bridle chains would be very valuable.
Sounds like a good job your on. Can’t wait to see the pictures.:D

Mark

[Does’ Leap]

What are bridle chains? How are they different from a standard chain? I am currently finsihing construction of a scoot and envisioned looping a standard chain under the runners in steep icy condidtions. Am I in need of a bridle chain?

George

[dominiquer60]

George,
Here is a previous post with some great info:

http://www.draftanimalpower.com/showthread.php?t=2772&highlight=bridle+chain

Carl has pictures of his bob in the 4th post and nice detailed photos of his bridle chains in the 6th post.

Erika

[Mark Cowdrey]

Brad,
Also wondering what your track width is and if it matches your evener length.
Thanks,
Mark

[Gabe Ayers]

I will try to get some photos of the modifications I made on the bobsled sometime soon. In answer to your question Mark, my sled is a single bunk sled almost exactly like Carl’s. I cut and load all the wood log length, mostly 16 footers.

The bridle chains came from a collection that Carl had in his barn. The chain itself is just very thick gauge, heavy duty chain (3/4-more than and inch). George, I think that you will need a similar size chain as a standard skid chain will not provide enough drag to be effective on steep ground, but that is a good question to run by Carl (who has much more experience with a bob). The brackets that hold the chains are just 1/4 plate steel cut and welded in a U shape and mounted upside down on the top of the runner. One side of the U has most of the length of the chain (inside of the runner) and the other side (outside of the runner) as the small finger catch to facilitate easy on and off of the chains. The trick is to make the chain long enough so that it can be wrapped around the front of the runner and latched and then as the runners come forward the chain is dragged underneath the loaded sled. I had to modify one old bracket that Carl gave me and weld up the other, but it is not difficult to do (I have limited welded skills). The tools you will need are welder, drill press or heavy duty drill, metal saw, vice, and heavy hammer. Other than that, you need the steel and bolts to mount the brackets. I used the bolts that hold the metal runners to the wooden runners. So far they have held on well. One other trick – make sure that the U bracket is wider than the runners as you will need space for the chain attached to the bracket to move and not get pinched between the bracket and the side of the runner (1-1.5 inches will do, depending on the size of the bridle chain you are using).

[dominiquer60]

Brad,
Thanks for the details and pointers, if I can’t find a pair, perhaps we can put something together.
Erika

[Carl Russell]

Here are the pics of my bridle chains. George, for the scoot, the U-bracket should ride in front on the front bunk, #1 so that you can reach around the front of the runner to hitch them (as Brad mentioned), and #2 so they will ride back to that pivot point where there is more weight behind the chain than in front….. you want the weight of the load behind the chain when going downhill, so that the weight has to push over the chain, as apposed to the weight dragging the chain.

Carl

[IMG]http://www.draftanimalpower.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=913&d=1265396552[/IMG]

[IMG]http://www.draftanimalpower.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=914&d=1265404492[/IMG]

[IMG]http://www.draftanimalpower.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=915&d=1265404514[/IMG]

[IMG]http://www.draftanimalpower.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=917&d=1265404549[/IMG]

[Andy Carson]

George,
I have tried a regular chain run underneath sled runners and bridle chains. The Bridle chains work much better. They dig in better, the sled tracks better, and they don’t catch up on rocks or deadfall like my chain used to. I have a somewhat different way of attaching the bridle chain than Carl does, but the concept is similar… Reguardless of how you put it together, an important factor is having some way of releasing the chain when it is pulled tight.

[Mike Rock]

THANK YOU Carl!!
Just what I needed for the bobsled.

Mike Rock

[near horse]

Carl –

The bridle chain in your first pic looks like it’s attached to the roll not the runner or are my Mr Magoo eyes failing me?:o

Brad – when you say the bracket is “mounted” on the runner, are you saying it’s bolted on? In Carl’s pics, there appears to be a bolt hole in the base of the U – or do I have this all screwed up? If the Ubracket is bolted on, does that mean that your bridle chain setup is a permanent part of your bobsled?

Sorry if I’m confusing things.

[Carl Russell]

Yes Mr. Magoo, the Bridle chains that I use have U-bolts that attach to the roll, and don’t attach to the runner. The ones in the detailed pics are designed as Brad described to attach on top of the runner….. and yes a bolt can be run through the hole then they won’t fall off when loose.

Carl

[mink]

the latch to release the chain is similar to the truck chainlatches only a little heavier

[Carl Russell]

A few pics of Brad’s team on the landing today…. Carl

[Author]

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