In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Log tongs for lifting?

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by sevensandeights, Sep 15, 2021.

  1. sevensandeights

    sevensandeights

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    Can anyone recommend a set of log tongs for lifting logs off the ground vs. skidding them? My wood gets dumped by a tree service via dump truck. I'd like to be able to unstack the pile to make bucking easier. Planning to pick up my new Kioti DK4210 in the next few days. Will have a FEL and forks but tongs would be so much easier. Unfortunately a grapple is not in the budget at this time. Logs would get picked up and moved to a nearby bucking station - don't plan to mess with the log while hanging in the air.
     
  2. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    There are many on the market. First determine what size log you plan on lifting and what weight. Go from there.

    amateur cutter might have more suggestions.
     
  3. sevensandeights

    sevensandeights

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    Need to lift up to 24" logs. Watched some videos of the Roughneck brand sold by Northern Tool. Looks like the 28" or 36" one would work well for me but they are on backorder. Similar version is available on Ebay but only has the shackle attachment vs. the 2" receiver.
     
  4. jo191145

    jo191145

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    I use a set like this for my trailer. Timbertuff. I’ll suggest if your using a bucket to lift you would be better off with tow sets of tongs. Hung by chains. Just one will have the log flopping up and down on the ends.
    Could swear my tong is a 28” model but all I see now in that size is spring loaded. Mine has no spring feature. MigHt not be a bad thinG if the springs stay on for more than a few days.

    I’ve modified mine to shorten the linkage as height is critical for my trailer. Removed the chain hook as that did t work for my application. Removed the d ring also. I use a screw pin shackle instead. Need to closely mimic the original d ring radius. A little smaller shackle works better with small logs.
    A sling hook can be used if proper radius to alleviate the shackle altogether.
    BB5498CE-0747-4B10-B96D-D43B8191426F.png
     
  5. amateur cutter

    amateur cutter

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    Here is a pic of the tongs I've been using. No clue on brand, I got them from Backwoods Savage this spring. They work well for dragging logs. I don't often have a hook tender on job sites so I don't use them picking logs out of my stacks, too much on and off the tractor. I just use the forks. If you have two people they work well, just hook in the center & lift. I have no qualms cutting off the tongs. Just need to cut from each end or let the log tilt & undercut on the low side. 20210902_134326.jpg
     
  6. sevensandeights

    sevensandeights

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    My pallet fork frame has a 2" receiver in the bottom so not planning to use the bucket. Will also likely have someone to help place the tongs so I can move a few inches either way to help balance the log. I have seen the 2 tong set up on YouTube and it does balance nicely.
     
  7. lukem

    lukem

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    I doubt it. Forks are going to give you the most stability....if you used tongs the logs are going to swing around and most likely mess up the front of your new tractor.
     
  8. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    Look up Log tongs on the Tractor Supply Co website.
     
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  9. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    We have moved a lot of logs with our little Kubota. And my experience, right off the front of the forks doesn't give you much room.
     

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  10. amateur cutter

    amateur cutter

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    You got a winch on the back of that tractor I don't know about Jeff?
    [​IMG]
     
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  11. Slocum

    Slocum

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    Like others have said I think you will like your forks. I used tongs to skid out of the woods till I got a winch. They worked great but I use my forks to handle the wood. I even cut off of my forks, the log is always at the perfect height that way.
     
  12. sevensandeights

    sevensandeights

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    I've been using forks for the past few months it's not ideal. Using a 100hp New Holland farm tractor with a FEL and 48" forks. The logs are dumped from a truck so they are all generally facing the same direction. But . . . this is tree service wood so some are 8 foot long and 24" in diameter and others are 6 foot long and 6" in diameter with everything else in between. That's what makes it hard with the forks - you can't easily pick out one log at time. It's also hard to pick from the top of the pile because there isn't room for both forks to fit under the log due to he jumbled nature of the pile.

    I definitely get what you are saying about not having much room with the tongs coming off the fork frame - that will certainly be close the front of the tractor. I was hoping I would have more control with a smaller tractor with a hydrostatic transmission. I might need to have a helper there with a tag line. Was planning to unstack the pile and put the logs up off the ground (on two parallel sacrificial logs) out of the way somewhere so I could then get under them with the forks later. I sometimes get 3 -4 loads a day and don't have much room to move around. I let the tree service dump wherever so they don't waste much time at my place.
     
  13. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    No sir, that's the counterweight. Round things you see are undercarriage rollers from a D8 dozer. There are 2 of them on that frame, plus a big chunk of mill shaft. Weighs over 800#.
     
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  14. amateur cutter

    amateur cutter

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    If you're playing crisscross applesauce with that many loads & sizes it's a real pita for sure. It costs a ton of time trying to sort logs out. If you have a chain hook on the top of your bucket & a hook tender I'd bet the tongs will be faster. Short chain on the bucket & tongs & curl the bucket back to pick the logs, that'll help keep them away from the front of the tractor. I'd bet bet moving them one at a time & stacking neatly will save you time in the end. Get your hook tender a 3# hand sledge to set the tongs to avoid slippage & having to reset, that takes up time. Make sure to place your dead men/sleepers far enough apart to get between the easily with the tractor. I will the lay out 6-8 longer logs to cover the sleepers, then stack shorter on top. Rinse & repeat till you have them all stacked. If this costs a bit of time up front you'll more than make it back when you start taking the pile apart with forks. The smaller logs on top can be rolled onto the forks a few at a time by hand for processing, then you can easily fork the bigger ones without the jumble that makes using the forks more difficult. I hope this helps & makes some sense. Send pictures.:D
     
  15. Mag Craft

    Mag Craft

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    This is a pair I made from some old ice tongs. They work very well and I have moved some pretty good size logs with them. I have maybe 25 dollars in them.
    IMG_1258.JPG
     
  16. Mag Craft

    Mag Craft

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    I found another set of ice tongs later and made a second pair for use on wood. These are smaller which is great for the different size logs I deal with. They are very handy, I painted them orange so I would not lose them when up in the mountains.

    IMG_1364.JPG
     
  17. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    I took some better pics of the counterweight. It weighed 800# before I put that chunk of shaft on there. It was an old 3pt frame, short metal table that had been thrown in the trash and those rollers. Makes a great bumper when working in the woods 0917210845.jpg

    0917210846.jpg
     
  18. amateur cutter

    amateur cutter

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    Looks like it would be a good hanger for chains & chokers too.
     
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  19. sevensandeights

    sevensandeights

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    Really want to pull the trigger on the 36" set of Roughneck brand tongs by Northern Tool. Can be used with a 2" receiver to limit twisting (and therefore keep the log out of the radiator!). It's a want and not a need at this point so I'm waiting for at least a 10% / $20 off coupon.
     
  20. EODMSgt

    EODMSgt

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    I have a couple sets of log tongs (from Northern Tool) that I've used over the last 12+ years with no issues (mainly when winching logs out of the woods). I've played around with using the tongs for moving timber in the wood lot, but to me they are not practical (too time consuming). As others have said, you can do a lot with pallet forks, and I have moved and cut a lot of wood using that method. With that being said, you (OP) are correct in that forks aren't the greatest implement for picking up one log at a time from a jumbled pile. If you're investing in a new tractor and implements, and you are getting a large quantity of logs dropped off on a regular basis, I would strongly recommend investing in a grapple for your tractor. It is such a time saver and so versatile that I hardly use the forks anymore. (FYI, I have a DK4210 HST).

    20200508_141808.jpg DSC00945.JPG 20210521_094044.jpg 20210604_100817.jpg