From Here To There, A Log Arches Tale

We have trees.  We have a sawmill.  Frequently we have needed to get those two things together but we lack mechanical devices.  Because of the topology of this land we can’t use the truck to tow the sawmill to the trees.  Even trying to use the lawn tractor to tow it where it might be needed isn’t always the answer.  Add to that the sawmill is big and can be difficult to maneuver, plus once you get the sawmill where you want it you still have to get it all setup.   The answer for us is to leave the sawmill in one spot all setup and move the logs to it.  This left us with the problem of how do you move logs?  Bill’s answer was, “We need a log arch.”

Log arches are not new and Bill did not invent the wheel here, what he did do was come up with a plan, bought the materials, and then built it.  They can get expensive to order especially the big ones like he made and when I’m saying expensive I’m talking several thousand dollars.  Ask my husband if he would rather have a welder or a log arch and he will take the welder.  Looking at our arch it looks like she needs a paint touch up.  When he built her I painted her Woodmizer Orange.  I’ll let him tell you more about what he used, how he put it all together, and if he would change anything now that we have been using it for years.  He had not realized he had never posted about how he built it, well never let it be said that I’m not helpful.  I quickly pointed out his error.

I love this thing.  Why?  Well, let me tell you. I can move HUGE logs all by myself and I don’t even have to hook up the tractor.  Why?  Okay, because I also cut the lawn and I HATE logs laying around because it means I have to cut around them.  Why?  Logs never just lay off on the edge minding their own business, oh no they lay in the middle of things and spread out all catty wompus.  Why?   I don’t know, go ask your dad.

More often than not Bill is the one who is moving the logs but every now and then it’s my job.  When he is at work and the builders suddenly decide it’s a good day to start but we still have like 6 trees laying in the spot they need to work, well that’s me.  When a tree decides to take a nap on the driveway and people still need to get in and out, Bill got it trimmed up but then had to go to work, well that’s me.  Yesterday I think it was me just because I wanted some logs moved.  Unfortunately I couldn’t find the chains and I needed a refresher course on how to use the arch, safely.

After work Bill came out, found the chains, and went over the basics of how to get a log on the arch.  I plan on using the arch to walk the logs over by the sawmill.  I’m not going to try and hook up the tractor to tow them around.  I’m also not going to try and move ALL of the logs because some have girth and they are laying in awkward places that make them hard to get to.  What I can do is try to get some  of them moved so that Bill can come back in with the tractor to get the others.

Bill needed a log removed from up here so that he could back the arch up to pull the ones stacked behind it.  Because this log was fairly narrow I used the pickaroon rather than the cant hook to free it from the ground/vines.   I started by just working my way down the log jerking it free.  Once it was all cleared I needed to turn it to get around the large rock and over a small tree.   The pickaroon helped because it gave me a little more leverage force but in the end it was a matter of just lifting, turning and dragging mostly without the hooks.

The log had been laying parallel to the driveway which is actually the orientation I needed for the arch.  However, I could not just roll it down because of the large rock and those two lights.  The log was too long and it would have wiped both of them out.  No problem.  I’m not crying YOU’RE crying!

How To Use The Log Arch

1. Position the arch near the log/tree you are moving.  I prefer to have a fairly straight line when I’m moving logs.  I will use the cant hook to roll the logs to make it easy to get the arch over them.  You can see here that the sawmill is pretty much so just down the driveway, so there is my straight shot.
   
2. Lay a chain on the ground.
3. Roll the log onto the chain with enough slack on both sides to be able to bring the chain up and secure it around the log.  The length of the log will determine the placement of the chain on the log.
   
4. Roll the arch over the log.
5. Pull out enough of the wire rope from the hand crank winch to be able to reach the chain on the log.  You will need to flip the locking lever on the hand crank in order to pull out the wire rope. Down is “unlocked” Up is “locked”  If the lock is difficult to push, just push down slightly on the handle, this should release the tension enough to make flipping the lock easier.
   
6. Make sure that the wire rope is in the grooves of the two pulleys.
7. Turn the hook on the metal rope away from you when you hook up the log chain so that it won’t twist as you crank it up.
8. Once the wire rope is secured to the chain on the log you can start to hand crank the log up.  The log chain’s placement will determine how well balanced the log is when you lift it.  Continue cranking the log up till the hook is all the way up.
   
9. There is a second chain on the arch.  If the log is long enough secure this chain to the arch and around the log to keep the log up off the ground as  you are moving it.  For some shorter logs you may need to move this chain closer to the back of the arch to secure the front of the log and stop it from dropping down and dragging on the ground.NOTE: Any extra chain can be secured to the arch to prevent them from dragging on the ground or becoming trip hazards.
10. To move the arch by hand there is a bar on the front of the arch.  Simply lift and pull the arch forward.
    
11. Once the log has been moved to where you want to drop it use the bar to lower the hitch end to the ground.
12. Start by unhooking the chain closest to the hand crank.  Having the lift chain placed so that the weight is held/balanced on that chain really helps here.  You should be able to lift the end closest to the crank with little problems since the weight is being supported on the back end.
13. To remove the crank hook from the log chain you need to release the metal rope tension.  This means flipping that lever on the crank hook to the down position and here is where you have a choice.  Live on the edge or be a little more careful.  Whichever way you choose you have to push the crank handle down a little bit to release that lever.  This is where you choose, let go and hope you get clear of the handle as it reaches land speed records and blows your hair back, while at the same time dropping the log to the ground near your feet.   OR carefully hold the handle and slowly crank it down to gently set the log back on the ground.  The choice is yours.  But consider yourself warned, I watched Bill do the flip and run and it was spicy. I have video proof that he CAN and HAS lowered logs safely.
14. Unhook the log chain to free the log.
15. Move the log arch off the log.
16. Roll the log off the chain.

All the steps are the same if your using the tractor or the trailer mover to move the arch, except you don’t need to use the handle bars to walk the log.

If I could change something it would probably be the hand crank, one of the same things I would change on the sawmill.  We would also like to upgrade the leveling legs on the sawmill too if I’m really dreaming.  Power cranks would be great, quicker, less labor intensive but is that a deal breaker?  No.  I am always shocked when have a log that I struggle to move by hand but hook up that thin wire rope and that same heavy log just lifts like by magic.  Physics is my friend.

Yesterday when I was moving the log arch out from under the sawmill canopy I did have a moment where I thought maybe I should wait for Bill.  I forgot how heavy the arch is and I had to lift the wheel end to get it free of the canopy legs.  When I tried to pull it, I could not budge it and that did worry me till I realized the hitch was stuck.  Freed that and then it was fine.  Pulling it up the hill and getting it turned to go up the path to the log had me again thinking maybe I should wait for Bill.  As luck would have it my stubborn is greater than my common sense so I sucked it up buttercup and got the arch up the hill to the log.

I did end up waiting for Bill mostly because I couldn’t find the chains.  I’m pretty sure he didn’t hide them on purpose but then again I would not wager any money on that.