Chains?

[James]

Well I’ll admit that I know little about the chains used on draft stock. But I do know about chainning and Bindering A load on A Semi. So is there A certain type of chain thats used?? I helped A pony puller once Build A chain, Useing the Steel from work. We forged his hooks too. But that was 30 years ago. Any thoughts. Or would The grade 70 chains I have work??? I Am thinking A differnt type of Hook would b needed!

[Plowboy]

When skidding with horses we use 1/4″ grade 70 with a choker hook on one end. The lighter gauge chain is much easier to work with unless you are skidding monster timber. We were skidding out logs to build a new 4-H barn at the fair grounds about 10 years ago. A know it all showed up with his ton belgians and a half inch chain, He hooked to a big stick and couldn’t hardly move it much less pull it up over the hill. I was driving a pair of 1400#Belgian/Quarter horses that belonged to my Dad’s buddy JR. Jr noticed this guys failed attempt and said “Would you go fetch that stick for him it seems he’s had some trouble”. I slipped the chain on the log and let old Prince and Annie feel it a little and asked them to “GIT”. They went up the hill just a scratchin’ and took that big hemlock to the landing. Truth is JR wouldn’t have sent me if he didn’t think they could do it. The next time Mr know it all came by Jr said I don’t know why you’ve got such a big chain there’s no chance of that team breaking a little one. Mr know it all deserved to be made a fool of as he looked down at us successful horse farmers because he had a certificate from some weekend class he took. He really didn’t need help as he usually did and still does make a fool of himself each time he goes out in public. Seems to think his animals are well trained but they usually turn around and look at him while he’s trying to adjust his equipment. It takes all kinds I guess. Sorry to get off topic just a little story that makes me smile every time I think about it.

[James]

Well now Plowboy, I Admit I don’t know all that much, But then again Why should I lie??? I did A few hours with A mule team 25 years ago at a fair on the Sorghum grinder, But they were well broke critters! So I know I Am NOT A expert. I thank you for your imput.

[Gabe Ayers]

I bet everyone on this board knows someone with big horses and the accompanying big attitude….which is seldom backed up on a day to day operation in the woods or field…. but they do give us something to grin about.. Our smaller horses are not only usually very game about trying hard, but are much easier to keep and handle in the brush and debris of a forest and logging operation. It is usually more about the teamster than the team.

Chains

We use two 5/16ths chains of the little two wheeled log arch. One is a 16 foot high tensile binder chain with two different hooks on it. One hook is a standard choker hook for the 5/16ths size chain and the other end is a slot hook, same size. The other chain is a 22 foot, same size and test chain with two chokers, one on each end. This arrangement allows for use of the short chain on smaller logs and the long chain to suck a stick out of the brush by pulling from a long distance, (what we call “long chaining”) in a straight line from the log to the arch. (Long Chaining can be a nightmare because the arch will flip if pulled at the slightest angle on a big or long log, that is a play on words about an old actor) Then after a few short pulls using the command to “step up”, which means just a couple of steps, not the normal “come up” command of start and continue forward, we re-hook to the arch and keep repeating this until the chain is straight up to the slot bar on the arch (we call this scoouging) and then and only then get on the arch and go to the landing.

When we have a big log we use a special hitch and we hope to have a few big ones daily. We use the two chains together to do what we call the Appalachian Cradle hitch, (which I actually learned from an old guy from Vermont many years ago). With this double choker arrangement we are able to lift logs off the ground in the front end by having the attachment point at the bottom of the log and then run up to the slot bar. This allows us to provide front end suspension of a log that is actually taller in circumference than the slot bar on the arch. We simply run the chokers through from opposite sides, put the hooks at 5 o’clock and 7 o’clock, run the chain through and up to the widest slots. This provides excellent lift and we use it on all big logs or logs we have to hook from the small end because of convenience. This method provides tremendous lift on the log. Since this choker chain method requires putting the chain under the log sometimes they have a needle on the end to help with that, but we just do a little excavation or dig a hole under a log laying flat to the ground or roll it with the cant hook or peavy we have on the arch. The timber feller often puts a “roller” or logger’s helper limb or piece of wood under the log to keep it open to get the choker under it easily. It takes thought, planning, skill and resulting preparation.

Other practitioners in our group use grabs which they drive in the logs and hitch the chain to the bar accordingly. They do a similar low hitch point to provide lift as the choker, but as anyone that has ever used grabs knows, they are hard to drive in and skip out and they do come out sometimes, usually at the hardest part of the skid…. I have used them historically, but I am just to old to want to hit several steel objects into hardwood multiple times daily and when you do a good job setting your grabs, you have even a harder time skipping them out at the landing. Not an old man’s method, but the young bucks love pounding them in an out and they are faster attachments on smaller logs. Grabs are hard to find, Dixie used to manufacture them but they are not available from that company. David Miller in Pa. manufactures them but they are not as tough as the old cast ones. A skip hammer is a hard thing to find these days too. Some guys make them out of a splitting maul.

I personally only use tongs when the log is a long ways away from the cleared skid trail and laying flat on the ground and that is the easiest way to attach them to the arch. We also use them scooting logs around on the landing occasionally. There are logging tongs and lifting tongs. The logging ones have a swivel between the hook and tongs. The lifting ones don’t have a swivel and some may have slightly different angles

So that is some of how we use choker chains with the log arch. If we are bunching some logs off steep ground with a single horses, on the ground, ground skidding we use a short chain and choker hitched as close to the single tree as possible to give the log some or the most lift possible.

High tensile chain will last longer.

Jason Rutledge
http://healingharvestforestfoundation.org

[Plowboy]

James I wasn’t implieing anything about you or anyone else on this sight. Just sharing a little story about a certain person that rubs most of us around here the wrong way. As successful I mean actually using, breaking and training good horses in actual farming applications. I was fortunate that when I got into horses at 12 many seasoned teamsters took me under their wings and moulded me into what I am as a teamster today. Nobody knows everything so open ears are a must while rubbing elbows with good old timers. You have to listen well because the one’s that actually know the most aren’t usually as bold as the overconfident. It’s best to take in all you can and weed out the chaff so to speak. Many times there is more than one way to do things so you have to decide which method to use and if it doesn’t work well for you you can try something else. No two horses are exactly the same either which keeps things interesting. The best teamsters are always learning as they work. An open mind and a firm , gentle, patient hand will help also.

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