Scoot hdw. question

[Michael Low]

A couple of questions about logging scoots:

What do people use for pins to hold the bunks onto the runners?

Also what do people do to attach a 4’pulp wood rack onto the bunks? I’ve seen a photo of Les Barden with 4′ hardwood on a scoot. I could see he had 4″ x 4″ beams running parallel with his runners on top of his bunks, with two inch stakes drilled into the ends of the 4 x 4’s. I couldn’t see how this top rack was attached though…

Thanks
Michael Low

[Mark Cowdrey]

Mike,
I borrowed a scoot from TIm Huppe recently that was made by Les. May even be the one you saw.
I have attached some photos I took. Hope they help. I have others if some detail is missing.

The pin is 1″ diam., the angles are 3x3x3/8 6″ long. The runners (not the shoes) are 2-1/2″ thick and are 45-1/2″ outside to outside.
The cordwood rack bolts through the bunks. I don’t have measurements for that but you may be able to extrapolate.

Mark

[Michael Low]

Thanks Mark, those pictures are very helpful.

Anyone have a special way that they carry a chainsaw on the scoot?

Thanks
Michael Low

[Carl Russell]

I “hang” mine on the top of my peavey. I have a peavey holder, an iron strap on the side of the runner in front of the front bunk. I slide the chainsaw’s front handle over the peavey handle, and slide it down until the saw rests on the bunk. I also load my back pack, lead ropes, hard hat, safety clothes, and tool bags on there.

Carl

[Mark Cowdrey]

Carl,
Is that peavey holder on the INSIDE of the runner?
Mark

[Carl Russell]

I’ll try to attach a pic. It’s on the outside of the runner.

[Does’ Leap]

I am thinking about building a scoot and have a couple of questions:

1. Is the 1″ pin welded solid to the angle iron?
2. I’ve read in the Small Farmers Journal that had an article on scoot plans that ash is recommended for the runners and oak or maple for the bunks. Any opinion on using ash for the bunks as well?
3. If I build one, I am thinking of using 1/4″ steel flat bar, carriage bolted to the runners as shoes instead of hardwood. Thoughts on that?
4. I know the pole wants to be lose and I understand it needs to go through the ring between the runners up front. I am confused about the pole attachment under the front bunk. Any pictures or details on that?

Thanks.

George

[Carl Russell]

George, the 1″ steel pin can be welded to the steel angle iron that is bolted to the top edge of the runners, or in the older models these “Gudeon” pins extended up through the entire runner. Runners 2 1/2″ thick.

Ash is fine for all of the wood, although hard maple is best for wooden shoes.

In the pictures above, the sled I have used in the past has steel shoes with bolts welded on that extend up through the runners. It works good, especially on dirt, but my steel shoes are too short for the runner length that I desire, so I am building one right now to have wooden shoes.

The dimension you are looking for is to have the bottom of the bunks be about 12″ off the ground, so with steel shoes the runners need to be about 2 1/2 x 12’s. With wooden shoes they are too, but with a 4″ cut-out to set the bunks down, and to allow for 4×4 shoes to be bolted on.

The pole is tapered down at its base and fits into a ring that hangs below the center of the front bunk by way of a U-bolt. It resembles the way a ring hangs below an ox yoke.

I will take pictures as I progress…. possibly this week when/if it snows/rains thursday/friday.

Carl

[Mark Cowdrey]

George,
See one of the previous pictures I posted and this one. Hope it helps.

Mark

[Does’ Leap]

Thanks for the replies. Mark, The ring and the way it attached is clear in the picture, but how is the pole secured in that ring? Carl, how thick are the steel shoes on your scoot? Also, are there any ways to attach chains on the sides of your runners to secure the load with chains?

George

[Carl Russell]

George, taper the base of the pole to fit into the ring. It will remain in place with the tension between evener and neck yoke.

My shoes are 3/8-1/2″ thick. Cutting edge off a grader blade I think.

I have pockets i at the end of the bunks and keep large stakes in them to keep logs from rolling off. I use a single chain and binder on the front bunk only. The chain is about 15′ long. I wrap the chain around the bunk like a very large over extended double half hitch, so that one half hitch is near each end of the bunk. This way the logs are rolled on with the ends of the chain laid out of the way. When the load is in place the ends are wrapped over the logs, and the binder applied. This way the load doesn’t ride tight against the stakes so that they can be removed when logs are to be unloaded.

Carl

[Mark Cowdrey]

George,
Alright, I am trying not to be a stick in the mud and trying something new: the “Donn method” of using Picasa to make photos available. The following link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/111455860609

should get you to pix that show the keyhole-link eye-bolted to the side of the runner for binding a load.
The opposite runner has 3″X1/2″ rings in eye-bolts, key-hole only needed on one side.

Hope this works.

Mark

[vthorselogger]

The pics are great! Do you know if anyone has made a blueprint of sorts for a scoot like this?

[Author]

Posts