Scoot Hardware

[jen judkins]

At the Athol event, Ed and Bill made a beautiful logging scoot and it just needs pole rings, chains and hardware for the uprights. I sent an email off to Berrybrook Ox supply, but Tim isn’t doing any fabrication at this time. Anyone have thoughts about where we can get the necessary hardware to finish the scoot?

[Scott G]

Didn’t Ed say he could make them?

[Does’ Leap]

If Ed can’t make them, any machine/welding shop should be able to. The ring between the chains is 5″ ID made from 3/4 round stock. The one under the bunk is 4″ ID made of 1/2″ round stock. They do not need to be dead nuts, just roundish will do.

George

[jen judkins]

Thanks George. That helps. How do we determine the chain length for the chain set up…just trial and error? That chain looked pretty heavy duty..1/2 inch?

[jen judkins]

@Scott G 30934 wrote:

Didn’t Ed say he could make them?

Oh I’m sure he can. But part of the deal was he agreed to take the thing home and finish it if I got at least the rings and chains for him from Berrybrook. He’s a busy guy! I just want to help out as much as I can.

[Jean]

Bill Rouleu (I am sorry I butchered his name) could make them. He is the man that made the fronts of our stone boats. Would you like me to ask him? If so do I just ask for what George said and that will make sense to him? It did not to me.

[Carl Russell]

I’m pretty sure you can get plans for the scoot from Les Barden or Tim Huppe. George, don’t you have plans you worked from?

Several points I will make.

The nose chains should be long enough so that they can be adjusted, allowing the ring (with pole in it) to move several inches to either side. 3/8″ chain is probably adequate, as it is large enough to easily accommodate the pin from a clevis, and there is no way it will break in that application. Get a long length of the desired size chain, then cut to the lengths that will work, rather than trying to make a certain length work.

Rings??? I have rings. There are rings in just about any barn in New England…… They shouldn’t be too hard to find, but if they need to be made, George’s description is good.

http://www.draftanimalpower.com/showthread.php?2882-Scoot-hdw.-question&highlight=scoot+building

I thought George had posted pics of his scoot while building it????

Carl

[mitchmaine]

in this neck of the woods, the generally accepted, tried and true log scoot measures 12 feet runners by four feet bunks, flush to the outside of the runners not counting the stake pockets. the runner has a three foot nose cut out and a seven foot center on the bunks. pretty simple rig. all those numbers can be tweaked to suit the needs of the builder, but that is at least the starting point.
once you build a set of irons, you have them for life. bunks are usually hardwood and four inches thick. and the steel bunk pins flush or just proud of the bunk top. drill a small hole a quarter inch shy of the top of the one inch bunk pin, and counter sink the wood bunk to accept a cotter pin and washer to hold down the bunk. out of the way of your wood.

[Does’ Leap]

Here’s my original post with scoot plans and pictures: http://www.draftanimalpower.com/showthread.php?3774-New-Scoot The plans are based on Les’s 10′ scoot and were drawn up my Marc Cowdrey. I beefed up the bunks to 4″ thick and made a 12′ scoot. I used 5/16″ chain to attach my evener and used it for the pole chain between my bunks. My evener is adjustable and I plan on adding some extra chain for my pole per Carl’s recommendation.

Jean, sorry for the unintelligible lingo. ID=inside diameter. The “round stock” and its dimensions refer to the steel the ring is made of.

Mitch, I like the countersinking idea. My pins protrude a bit above my bunks. So far so good, but I might cut them down if they start bugging me. Also, I am interested in hearing more about scoots made of spruce or other softwood (you posted earlier on this). My ash sled is rugged, but heavy. Do you prefer softwood or hardwood scoots?

George

[Jim Ostergard]

George,
I used pine for my runners with 3″ yellow birch shoes pegged. I have had the same pine runners for 3 years now with no inside storage. Still going strong. It is set up for a single horse so the runners are only 9′ long but I can handle it all by myself broken down which was part of the criteria. Can easily put a half cord on it. Then there is my little plywood (7 year old piece) that fits over the bunks with stake sides for my fitted wood so altogether a versatile rig. As Mitch mentions I have my bunk pins counter sunk for washers and cotter pins. Takes about 10 minuets to break down through in the truck and go.
Jim

[mitchmaine]

Hey George, I have never built or used a hardwood scoot, and can’t say anything about it. A softwood runner is usually 4 “ thick and the hardwood runners are 3”. The sfj printed a bulletin from the university of maine a few years ago, with measurements and specs and plans for all the hardware. It was pretty accurate as far as the overall shape and design. Three things bothered me about it, one was a clamp thru bolted through the bunk as a hold down. It seemed like it would be a nightmare to take apart after a little use. The second thing, which I tried and was very easy to do, was spiking on the shoes. I counter sunk them two inches and they held well but the shoe was only half gone when the spikes which didn’t wear well drove into the ground and it was like pulling a drag harrow through the woods. I went back to wooden pins and like them better. The third thing which bothered me most was on their plans, they mitered the joint between the shoes. After a little wear on the front shoe which happens fast right at that joint, it would expose a face on the rear shoe and the next root or stump would clean it off slick as a whistle. The proper way is overlapping the front shoe and cutting it flush with the bottom of the rear shoe. It protects the rear shoe for its life. Other than that it’s a good working plan. My pins are showing through the bunks and have to be fixed, but I’m trying to get some wood out and I’m getting lazy, so give me some grief about giving advice and not using it so I’ll get off my bum and have a proper scoot to work with. I have a bank we have to climb with all the wood and sap that’s come out of our woodlot over the years to make the field here by the house. I was resting them for the climb, and noticed this swale that made a sweep out through the woods and into the field and ended up on top of that same bank. Only a couple hundred feet longer and much less steep. I’m going to cut that out and try a run up that ramp and see if it makes a difference. Live and learn. Good luck there, mitch

[dominiquer60]

I have been told that good rings can be fabricated from old truck springs, and the price is right if you have or have access to old truck parts laying around.

[Ed Thayer]

I picked up the flat bar and sq tube for the stake pockets today. Talked to a local logger about the rings off an old set of skidder chains. It should not take to much to finish it up.

Ed

[john plowden]

skidder ring chains work really well – 🙂

[Ed Thayer]

I got the Ring irons today for the scoot. Should be good to go.

https://picasaweb.google.com/107396364480794542661/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCIfIhYee6oIH#5686856479709770642

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