Peavey tool, cant hook, or timberjack

[vavet]

I’m getting some trees felled from my yard. The arborist is only going to drop them. I will cut them up for firewood. I still have some on the ground that were felled a few years ago. I ran into trouble moving some of them around so I wouldn’t run my chainsaw into the dirt.

I knew about the cant hook, but didn’t know about the peavey or timber jack. I’m thinking I want a timber jack.

ultimately, I just want something to help me cut these into 18 inch long pieces.
thoughts? Experiences ?

 

[Kurt4440]

My neighbor and I share a Stihl 60" with the log lift attachment. It looks similar to this one. I have cranked on it and it has withstood the abuse.

 

[nadogail]

My neighbor and I share a Stihl 60" with the log lift attachment. It looks similar to this one. I have cranked on it and it has withstood the abuse.

Looks like a Cant Hook with a pivot point added to it.
A Peavy has a spike sticking out the end, the Cant Hook has no spike. I have not used a Timber Jack, but I imagine that is what is in the picture.
It will not only turn a log but can raise it enough to keep your saw chain away from the soil under a log that you want to cut.
Soil is very hard on chains, keep your chain clean and well lubricated.

 

[PCustoms]

I’m getting some trees felled from my yard. The arborist is only going to drop them. I will cut them up for firewood. I still have some on the ground that were felled a few years ago. I ran into trouble moving some of them around so I wouldn’t run my chainsaw into the dirt.

I knew about the cant hook, but didn’t know about the peavey or timber jack. I’m thinking I want a timber jack.

ultimately, I just want something to help me cut these into 18 inch long pieces.
thoughts? Experiences ?

How big are the trees (diameter and length)?

Species?

Timber Jack is the only one that gets the wood UP off the ground. The other two just roll it around(and maybe up onto something short). 30" oak at 20' might not move manually.

How much wood do you burn?

Might not be worth it...

 

[Kurt4440]

How big are the trees (diameter and length)?

Species?

Timber Jack is the only one that gets the wood UP off the ground. The other two just roll it around(and maybe up onto something short). 30" oak at 20' might not move manually.

How much wood do you burn?

Might not be worth it...

Are you trying to convince a Garage Journal member to not purchase a tool?

I told my neighbor that I was going to buy the Stihl to make cutting easier, and he ponied up the money because he told me I help him too much. The ability to maneuver logs and lift them up off the ground is worth the money.

 

[PCustoms]

Are you trying to convince a Garage Journal member to not purchase a tool?

No, trying to make sure he buys the right tool.

If he's got several 10' sections of last he oak, he's not (easily) moving it by hand.

If he's had pine or poplar sitting in the dirt for a few years it's likely junk already.

If he's burning a 1/4 cord annually then he's likely got a lifetime of wood to deal with.

If he's burning 4 cord a year as primary heat, he's probably setup with a good saw and splitter already, and there might be better options here for an ongoing task

 

[vavet]

How big are the trees (diameter and length)?

Species?

Timber Jack is the only one that gets the wood UP off the ground. The other two just roll it around(and maybe up onto something short). 30" oak at 20' might not move manually.

How much wood do you burn?

Might not be worth it...

not sure on the species, maybe some oak. Not pine.
the biggest tree is probably 24 inch diameter at the base.

No, trying to make sure he buys the right tool.

If he's got several 10' sections of last he oak, he's not (easily) moving it by hand.

If he's had pine or poplar sitting in the dirt for a few years it's likely junk already.

If he's burning a 1/4 cord annually then he's likely got a lifetime of wood to deal with.

If he's burning 4 cord a year as primary heat, he's probably setup with a good saw and splitter already, and there might be better options here for an ongoing task

i don’t heat the home with wood. This is just for the fire pit. The trees are dying. The largest one is at least 40 feet tall and is about 15 feet from my detached garage. That’s the one that concern me the most.

 

[PCustoms]

i don’t heat the home with wood. This is just for the fire pit. The trees are dying. The largest one is at least 40 feet tall and is about 15 feet from my detached garage. That’s the one that concern me the most.

That's a lot of wood for a bonfire, you should cut the easy stuff, split/stack it then have the rest hauled off. 24" at the base isn't going to lift easy with a hook or timberjack

 

[cody1325]

I think my pair are from the days logging and forestry were still a big business around here (along with some cross-cut saws).

However, they just don't seem to stick into wood too well. Do I need to sharpen them?

 

[PCustoms]

I think my pair are from the days logging and forestry were still a big business around here (along with some cross-cut saws).

However, they just don't seem to stick into wood too well. Do I need to sharpen them?

Pair of what?

 

[cody1325]

Pair of what?

Peavey Hooks, I think. Need to take some photos of them.

 

[LopezBart]

I use a peavey: https://peaveymfg.com/collections/frontpage/products/standard-peavey-30-to-66?variant=10784192004153

The fastest way of managing felled trees for me is to cut them into 12'-14' sections, drag them out w/ the tractor and a choker chain, lift one end into the air high enough and just chop off rounds off the low end.

The peavey helps me roll the logs to limb them once they're cut into reasonable lengths.

 

[four.cycle]

If you are having a faller just drop them for you on the property, you want one of these:



OR the device that @LopezBart posted just above - either of them will do the job.
But you MUST get the wood up off the ground to buck it up, or you're going to jam the tip of the bar into the dirt and trash a perfectly good chain and possibly the bar (which can get really, really spendy.)

One of those tools, in combination with a 5-foot long "pinch-point bar" (aka "digging bar") will allow a good man to move entire trees around at will.

Buy at least four plastic wedges before you make the first cut.

Watch out for stuff that's in a bind. Be safe.

 

[ericm]

I have a cant hook with log lifter, and a convertible peavy/cant hook. I didn't like the log lifter attachment- it only works on relatively (for my area) small diameter logs. We have a lot of good sized trees here. Anything larger than a foot or so can't be lifted up. I hated it so much I cut off the fitting for the lifter attachment, sharpened the hooks to make them sort of useful and keep it on my three point winch. it was a cheap one which may be part of the problem.

The convertible cant hook/peavy stays in the cant hook configuration. The peavy is designed to move logs on a wooden log deck. I use the cant hook to roll logs over. It's a good quality aluminum model with sharp points. It's really useful. To keep the saw out of the dirt I pay attention to where my chain is, and cut part way then roll the log to finish the cuts. For me that's the least effort way to do it.

I cut trees in to 8' lengths and use the grapple on the tractor to move the logs to back behind the barn where I store logs and process them into firewood. Often I use the winch to pull trees out of the forest. If they're too big to get pulled out whole, which most are, I cut them into logs and pull those out.

 

[Renegade1LI]

Clearly it's time for the OP to get a tractor, forks, grapple maybe a 3pt chipper for the clean up. Can't leave the stump so a 3pt stump grinder should be in the package. I really don't see any other way to do this & don't forget the timber jack.

 

[alfadan]

I have one of those cant hooks but from TSC; it works but is not the best. On logs that are too big around, I cut 80 percent through, using a plastic wedge to keep the bar from pinching and make my way down the log. Using the hook, I then roll it over and finish the cut.

A peavey is great for picking up the rounds and not bending over.

 

[LopezBart]

Clearly it's time for the OP to get a tractor, forks, grapple maybe a 3pt chipper for the clean up. Can't leave the stump so a 3pt stump grinder should be in the package. I really don't see any other way to do this & don't forget the timber jack.

I had to drop about 10-15 trees to make room for my shop; they were small (8-16") diameter but many were 80' tall. As I remarked to my wife, it's almost like real work. We have a very small 12 hp Kubota 4WD tractor; it will drag an impressive amount, so this got pressed into service; cutting the trees into rounds where they fell and then carrying out 3 cords worth of rounds wasn't going to happen.

 

[PCustoms]

I had to drop about 10-15 trees to make room for my shop; they were small (8-16") diameter but many were 80' tall. As I remarked to my wife, it's almost like real work. We have a very small 12 hp Kubota 4WD tractor; it will drag an impressive amount, so this got pressed into service; cutting the trees into rounds where they fell and then carrying out 3 cords worth of rounds wasn't going to happen.

A log arch and an ATV, mower or small tractor can move a lot.

But if I was burning campfires a few weekends a year I would pay the tree service to buck a few rounds and haul off the rest.

 

[Beerhippie]

Go big or go home: https://www.tigercat.com/product/850-processor/

 

[Innovate1]

Not cutting dirt is important and raising the log makes it easiest/fastest but if on the ground it's not that bad to cut about 3/4 through for all the cuts, then roll the log and finish the cuts. If you have some big, desirable wood you might find someone with a portable mill that would make boards of it. They may not want to buy them though. Seems like a lot of folks just want to mill your logs for money. Maybe you could sell the boards and make enough to buy firewood and save yourself the work.

 

[LopezBart]

When I drop a tree, it's almost always heavier than I can lift w/ the little tractor. The ground is uneven enough that I can cut the tree into sections w/o dragging my saw in the dirt; I use the peavey to roll the section over the choker chain so I can drag it w/ the tractor. For those w/o tractors, the gas powered forestry winches work well too.

 

[Sumboodie]

If you are having a faller just drop them for you on the property, you want one of these:



OR the device that @LopezBart posted just above - either of them will do the job.
But you MUST get the wood up off the ground to buck it up, or you're going to jam the tip of the bar into the dirt and trash a perfectly good chain and possibly the bar (which can get really, really spendy.)

One of those tools, in combination with a 5-foot long "pinch-point bar" (aka "digging bar") will allow a good man to move entire trees around at will.

Buy at least four plastic wedges before you make the first cut.

Watch out for stuff that's in a bind. Be safe.

Not that plowing a bar and chain into dirt is good, but the average saw bar isn't "really really spendy". Most home jobber bars run maybe $50. $150 tops for higher end stuff.
The 24" ultra lights I run are around $125.

Would take alot of dirt to kill a bar too. Most Ive had come in died due to poor lube and/or excessive heat from dull chains

 

[LopezBart]

Not that plowing a bar and chain into dirt is good, but the average saw bar isn't "really really spendy". Most home jobber bars run maybe $50. $150 tops for higher end stuff.

I'm still running the OEM bar on my 30 year old Stihl; I have stoned the running edges a few times. Checking the oil pump output is important; the oil passages in the bar can get plugged. Bar heat and wear goes up really fast when the chain is dull. Eucalyptus has to be the worst wood I've cut in terms of chain wear.

Putting the bar in the dirt pretty quickly means sharpening the chain again. Keeping the chain sharp means the bar, engine and you have an easier time of it. I like to avoid the reduced kickback chains as they seem to take more power.

 

[Yankeefarmer]

Mrs. YankeeFarmer loves to use our 60” logrite cant hook with log stand. The long handle gives great leverage for rolling or lifting logs for cutting. Sometimes I will use it too, though I generally move larger sections either with pallet forks on the tractor or by using my mini-ex.

Logrite tools here:

Home

Welcome to the Official Home of LogRite Tools We are the originators of aluminum handled logging and woodworking tools. We are the innovators of a whole new class of ultra high quality logging tools. Our aluminum handled tools are stronger, lighter and safer to use than the traditional wood...

logrite.com

 

[four.cycle]

Not that plowing a bar...

^ It was an old Jonsereds that belonged to my step-father. I ran it into some sand. Cost me a week's pay to replace the damn thing - had to be special-ordered.
Works way mo' betta when you get the work up out of the dirt and the rocks. Teeth stay sharper a bit longer too.

 

[Hal]

If the trees aren’t cut yet, get the faller to cut up the smaller branches of the first one and lay them out so the next ones fall across them. That will keep most of the trunk off the ground, and you won’t be wrestling with anything until it’s been reduced in size.

 

[Mr onetwo]

My mothers maiden name is Peavey and is a descendant of Joseph.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

Used Stilhs peavey cut up 60 ft long tree up to 46 inches round. Cut up to 18 inches long and split with splitting ax. Used gas Stihls pro saw 362, 25 inch blade, and Stihls pro splitting ax. Great workout.

 

[Sumboodie]

Mrs. YankeeFarmer loves to use our 60” logrite cant hook with log stand. The long handle gives great leverage for rolling or lifting logs for cutting. Sometimes I will use it too, though I generally move larger sections either with pallet forks on the tractor or by using my mini-ex.

Logrite tools here:

Home

Welcome to the Official Home of LogRite Tools We are the originators of aluminum handled logging and woodworking tools. We are the innovators of a whole new class of ultra high quality logging tools. Our aluminum handled tools are stronger, lighter and safer to use than the traditional wood...

logrite.com

The logrite is what the Stihl ones are, just relabelled.

I've been using a couple of them for many years.

 

[AC-WC]

I've had a Timberjack for years. Don't use it often but when I do it sure comes in handy. It would not do much with 24" diameter log.
That big you need some kind of 3pt lift as most front end loaders can't lift it.
I tried lifting a black Walnut about 24" with mom's 42 hp massey/loader and it wouldn't lift it 1". I could drag it around all day long though

 

[vavet]

The timber jack will be delivered tomorrow. The whole project is on hold though. I have find a new tree guy.
the guy I called did some work at both my home and my rental house a couple years ago. his insurance agent emailed me the certificate of insurance before he did that work. I asked him when he was here if he still had the same insurance and he said yes. When I emailed the agent to get the updated certificate her reply indicated his insurance was lapsed. I emailed him again to see who his new insurance company was. He replied and said he does not have insurance,

Especially now that I know he doesn’t have insurance, Im not comfortable having him drop trees on my property, especially with the one that is so close to my garage.

 

[PCustoms]

^^^yeah **** that, bad enough to not have it but to then lie about it?

 

[four.cycle]

Especially now that I know he doesn’t have insurance,

NO way.

Having stupidly dropped trees on neighbor's garages, trailers, and fences myself, I can assure you that you do NOT want to use anyone lacking proper insurance coverage.

There is a reason why I started telling people NO when they asked me to cut down trees on their property.

 

[vavet]

^^^yeah **** that, bad enough to not have it but to then lie about it?

There is a language barrier. I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he didn’t really understand the question.