Plans for forecart?

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Viewing 13 posts - 16 through 28 (of 28 total)
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  • #49153
    near horse
    Participant

    Rod had a great picture from this website for a removable tongue wheel. Certainly would help w/ equipment storage space. Here’s where the picture is. I can’t seem to copy and paste it. Duh.

    http://www.draftanimalpower.com/showthread.php?t=375&highlight=dolly+wheel&page=2

    #49142
    Rod
    Participant

    Hi Geoff

    That’s my wheel in the picture and it’s the same one I use on the three wheel forecart as well as other equipment.

    #49145
    Jim Ostergard
    Participant

    Just a short note on the walking beam. I use one all the time in the woods with a slngle. I love as it is among other things very easy on the knees. It took Rusty a good while to get used to backing and filling with it though as on a tight turn or, “come around” command you are dragging the wheels side ways. So there is some resistance. However, that said we have used it in very tight situations. Mine is similiar to the west coast model where the keeper slides up a rod to lift the log as one starts forward. It is more difficult to put more than two logs on it as the keeper when down is well forward of the front wheels. I would like to build a model similar to the archs in use around here. John Plowden has buillt the Europen model which would be a great additional piece of equipment for woods work. I will add a draw bar across mine for field work and hauling a small trailer, manure spreader, etc. I think there is a jpg of it in the gallery under, “O.”
    Good discussion as always.
    Jim Ostergard

    #49161
    Robert MoonShadow
    Participant

    Jim; What is a ‘walking beam forecart’?

    #49146
    Jim Ostergard
    Participant

    Robert,
    The walking beam has 4 wheels. A beam connects the two on each side with a spindle in the middle. So it rolls over rough ground indepently. Pretty good when backing when one wheel wants to hang on a stump it lifts ofver it pretty easily. I think the following like will get to the jpg in the gallery. Listed under J rather than O: http://www.draftanimalpower.com/photoplog/index.php?n=92
    I am anxious to try it as a forecart as long as I don’t have tight turns. When twitching long poles 40′ or better I swing wide as the log will roll up on the rear tire and can case an interesting jam.
    peace…..Jim

    #49162
    Robert MoonShadow
    Participant

    Thanks for the link, Jim. So does the beam connecting the 2 wheels ‘pivot’ or ‘float’ up & down? Or is it rigid? Is this strictly or primarily designed for logging?

    #49147
    Jim Ostergard
    Participant

    The beam pivots in the center. Actually one can rotate the beam 360. Nice when it falls off the back of the pick up. It is just about all I can handle alone which I like it terms of taking it to a job. I got it mostly because of the way it lifted the buts. Lots of modifications as the tongue weight was way too much for shafts. But it does work well now. I’m guessing they are used almost always in logging rather than a forecart. But a draw bar on it will work for me until I build a two wheeled forecart.
    Jim

    #49154
    near horse
    Participant

    I finally was able to post a photo (whoo hoo), the only one under “near horse”, so there is a picture of a walking beam arch/cart being used to pull a baler. In G. Caudell’s version the floating axle actually sits directly beneath the leg of the frame (thus can’t rotate completely in a circle as mentioned in Jim’s version).

    Has anyone worked with “the yard hitch” system. Forecart w/ a separate 3 point that runs solely on battery power. Looks pretty nice albeit a bit pricey.

    All the best,

    Geoff

    #49163
    Robert MoonShadow
    Participant

    Jim & Geoff ~ Do either of you happen to have plans drawn up for these? I wonder if it’s much heavier than, say, the design in LRM’s “Work Horse Handbook”? I’m trying to come up with the most adaptable/multi-purpose design for a forecart, but one light enough for using w/ a single donkey. I’m discovering that most appropriately sized (donkey-sized) equipment seems to fall in between Haflinget/Fjord & minis. I talked to a guy who had a Pioneer ‘Haflinger’-sized forecart he used on his donkey, but he claimed it was just oversized enough to be a bit awkward & heavy enough to considerably reduce the payload. I don’t know how accurate his observance was, because I haven’t had any other opinions to cross-reference it with. I’m sorry if I’m pestering you all here or seem to be picking your brain = I am –> but that’s what you get for being smarter than me!! 😀
    {And thank you for sharing your knowledge!}

    #49155
    near horse
    Participant

    Hey Pirate,

    Sorry I didn’t respond sooner but I hadn’t looked back at this forecart thing recently. I do have plans for the walking beam cart but they are kind of confusing at some points due to changes in the original design but the gist of it is there Also, as I mentioned before, Jason Rutledge has a real nice set of plans to look at (and print off) at his website (kudos to Jason and his crew);)

    http://healingharvestforestfoundation.org/

    If you have a fax, I’ll try and send you the walking beam stuff. All of this can be modified to reduce the weight etc – it is pretty heavy duty. Primarily for woods work.

    What are you trying to do with your forecart? Farm stuff. Woods stuff. A bit of everything. I know you have a mule (one or more?).

    Definitely head over to the SFJ auction in April and maybe see if you can make it to Wilson Creek Plow Day, Pomeroy or Colfax Plowing Bees. There are a few people with homemade carts there. H..ll, they’ll let you put your mule to work if you want to. Good folks. My biggest issue is that everything happens about the same time – SFJ, Colfax usually same weekend. Not to mention trying to get my spring work done …..:mad:

    Keep in touch and let me know if want a fax (about 10 pages).

    All the best.

    #49164
    Robert MoonShadow
    Participant

    Geoff ~ Actually, I’ve got a donkey (standard) jack – not a mule. So far, only one. I plan on using him to clear the land (when I buy it, it’ll be bare, probably pretty brushy), haul some firewood out of the woods, pull a single-row (walk-behind) cultivator, a cart (probably an atv dump cart pulled behing the forecart), moving up to larger equipment when I find a suitable teammate 8″ walk-behind plow; manure spreader, small mower, etc. I’m hoping to eventually find one of those ‘stationary’ hay-balers that makes the square/rectangular bales. So I’m trying to deside whether to build the 3-wheeled design in Miller’s ‘Workhorse Handbook, or a lighter version of the walking beam. I want something that’s versatile, can be used in the woods for firewood logs and/or stovelength on a cart, and still hook up to harrows, etc. I forget who it was that mentioned that the crazy wheel can tip you in the woods on stumps/ruts/potholes. I want to lighten up the tongue/shaft weight as much as possible, especially working with one donkey. I’ll pm you the landlord’s fax number… and thanks for your help. I’m going to try to make it to the SFJ auction in April, if I can. And you?

    #49156
    near horse
    Participant

    Robert,

    I’ll try to be at SFJ this year as well but, as I mentioned before, there are about 1 million other things all pulling at me at that exact same time.

    Forgot to mention that there are some folks doing some serious draft farming/marketing about due west of you (other side of Hell’s Canyon though :() If I remember right, their last name is Mader in Halfway, OR. They usually are at SFJ and are willing to help new folks – seemed like good people. In fact, I need to get in contact with them as well.

    The dilemma of how heavy to build the cart if you want to pull a few things and haul wood can be challenging. Here’s a thought though – Make yourself a light cart comfortable for your jack and versatile enough to hitch to what you’d like. Then, for in woods action, use a “scoot” (probably not the right term) – kind of looks like the front half of a snowshoe made of pipe. Wrap chain around log and scoot (on its side at this point), have your jack step up and that will roll the log onto scoot. Chain on and go. Got this from G. Caudell’s video “Horse Logging Basics” which also shows his walking beam setup. Unfortunately you will have to be walking but it is pretty low tech, effective, maneuverable, good for a single animal ….. Then when the time comes to upgrade (2 animals etc) you can build what you need. AND you’ll have a better idea of what might work and what doesn’t.

    Hindsight is always so much clearer than foresight – but it’s less painful if you don’t have too much time and money invested.

    Good luck – maybe see you in Madras. I’ll be the guy drooling 🙂

    #49166
    lessabotsverts
    Participant

    Sorry, I know it’s an old thread, but does anyone have anything new about some forecarts plans?

    I would be really interest since I want want to build one by myself but need more documentation.

    Hope you have something!

Viewing 13 posts - 16 through 28 (of 28 total)
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