PJH and others---3pt log arch

Here are some details about the skiding arch.
I started with a Cat-I cross drawbar. Cut and bolted a length of 3" channel to it. Welded two angle irons vertically to form the toplink mtg tower. Braced it with peices of 1" pipe. Just under the top link, I welded in a spacer from 2" pipe to form a slide for my choker chain to slide over as I raised and lowered the hitch. Built a bracket to slide on the tractor drawbar, that the end of the choker could attach to, and allowes the choker to extend and retract as the hitch is mover up and down. Took some more pipe and some tubing and formed the top of the arch to accept a HF 2500# remote controlled winch. The winch works great to snatch logs out to the woods roads without having to take the tractor off the road. Once the log is winched to the tractor, I rehook it to the choker to skid it. The blade simply slides into the receiver jaws on the arch, and I drop a pin in to hold it. When I want to hook to the splitter, I pop off the blade, back into the 3pt pins on the splitter, hook the top link arm on arch, and swap the electric leads to operate the winch on the ginpole that I built for the splitter. There is an older HF winch there. The remote controller is mounted perminently to the tractor. The ginpole works greaty to pull logs out of landing piles and lift big heavy blocks onto the splitter bed.
I am too old to work hard at cutting wood, so I build tools to make work easy and fun. Now if I could get the split wood to jump on the trailer, and then stack it's self, I'd have it made. HeHe.
Loren, the Acg.

Bale elevators work well to carry the wood onto the trailer. I use a power beyond valve on the splitter and run the beyond to a hydraulic motor on the elevator. You said you are too old to work hard. I am just too lazy to work hard. Paul

adirondac, by first photo it looks like all that welding can work up a thirst. he he. Ed will

LOL !!!!! I see some well earned Genny cans..... and some good work, that ought to work nice, actually influential kind of work, hmmm, I have this winch on the shelf, new in the box, some steel......

Ed, the barley pops represent the pondering and design time. The cutting and welding didn't take long to do.
Loren, the Acg.

Very nice, Loren--I built a small 3-point arch for my B2150, but nowhere near that elaborate. Of course, I don't burn wood and it gets mainly used to clear blowdowns and pull small saplings and such so it doesn't need to be. Still, it's very handy and as it was all pretty much scrap steel all I've got in it is time.

Thanks for the pictures and description Loren! Good workmanship! Looks like you've thought of everything. I have a little dozer, and I always wanted to make something like that for it. I like your saw holsters too. About a month ago, I got to the woods and discovered I was missing my 039 Stihl saw. I backtracked, but thought it would be long gone. There it was, lying near a well travelled road in plain sight. It had dribbled out of my springless trailer. No one had noticed it lying there, but it had only been about 15 minutes.